Society / Featured Parties

Legendary Galveston Nightclub Comes Back to Life in Less Notorious $1.33 Million Night: Houston Billionaire’s Hotel Sets a Grand Symphony Stage — Rat Pack Included

BY // 05.16.18
photography Jenny Antill Clifton, Daniel Ortiz, Anthony Rathbun

Had Galveston Island’s notorious Maceo brothers, founders of the storied Balinese Room, witnessed Saturday’s Houston Symphony Ball, themed after the once-hot nightspot, they would have been irate. Riled because they never came close to creating such a beautiful mise en scène or attracting such an elegant swarm as that which transformed The Post Oak Hotel ballroom.

Of course, one could not ignore the obvious connection. The Post Oak is billionaire Tilman Fertitta‘s baby and the Balinese Room was taken over by the Fertitta family after the club’s heyday. But there the association ends.

In place of famed fan dancer Sally Rand, who was known for seducing in a cloud of fluttering ostrich plumes, Bali fire dancers welcomed guests with brilliant costuming and swirling that filled the dance floor until the 530 guests were seated for dinner. Though Frank Sinatra and Tony Bennett, who once performed at the original, weren’t exactly available, two members of the Rat Pack tribute group, “Sammy Davis Jr.” and “Dean Martin,” set the swishy tone of the evening, entertaining during dinner. Following, David Caceres and his orchestra took to the stage.

And while no one knows how much money passed hands in the Balinese Room of the 1930s, and ’40s, on this night, the house claimed more than $1.33 million for the symphony’s education and community outreach programs. Bravo to chairs Robin Angly and Robin Smith and co-chairs Darrin Davis and Mario Gudmundsson as well as to auction chairs Ann Ayre and Helen Shaffer.

Not a bad debut for newly-anointed Houston Symphony executive director and CEO John Mangum, who took the helm in mid-April and spent much of the night meeting symphony patrons.

Congratulations to honorees Aurelie Desmarais, recipient of the Mike Stude Award for Enduring Artistic Vision, and Renu Khator, University of Houston System chancellor and University of Houston president, who received the Raphael Fliegel Award for Visionary Leadership. (The Fertitta connection continues as Tilman is chairman of the UH board of regents.)

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Guests swooned over The Events Company’s and Richard Flowers‘ interpretation of the Balinese Room. Colorful mega-sized murals inspired by the Faena Hotel in Miami hung along ballroom walls draped in tropical green firecracker curtains. Soaring palm trees flanked the room as arrangements of orchids and tropical florals centered the tables, covered in palm frond cloths.

And then we must applaud The Post Oak Hotel executive chef Jean-Luc Royere, who once again delivered a commendable feast, his gala dinners far outshining any other hotel chef’s efforts in the city. What would the good food have been without the wine selection by symphony patrons Lindy and John Rydman and Lisa Rydman of Spec’s Wine, Spirits & Finer Foods?

As the night waned on, Caceres’s music gave way to the selects of New York City DJ Kalkutta. To keep the party going in Balinese Room tradition, casino games rolled and late partygoers were served velvet hammers, the defunct club’s signature drink.

The merry throng: Mary Lynn and Steve Marks, Betty and Jesse Tutor, Margaret Alkek Williams, Christine Falgout and Bill Gutknecht, Mary Ann and Dr. Bob Wilkins, Valerie and Tracy Dieterich, Alex and Astley Blair, Jennifer and Joshua Gravenor, Princess Tatiana and Guillermo Sierra, Terry Everett and Eric Cheyney, Susan and Ed Osterberg, Hallie Vanderhider, Courtney and Bill Toomey, and Barbara and Pat McCelvey.

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