True Houston Treasures Honored in Social Book’s Lavish C. Baldwin Hotel Bash
When The Who's Who Party
BY Shelby Hodge // 12.13.19Deborah Duncan, Page Parkes (Photo by D. Jones Photography)
Old guard mixed with influencers, A listers and others when The Social Book held its annual Houston Treasures dinner at the C. Baldwin Hotel, drawing a cocktail-attired throng of 300 who gathered to celebrate the honorees.
Welcoming guests and celebrating a quarter century of producing The Social Book calendar of social events and resource guide were publisher Scott Evans, editor Jeff Henry, business partner Sami Shbeeb, Houston Treasures founder Warner Roberts and Maggie Rosa, the C. Baldwin Hotel‘s general manager.
Those honored, representing a broad spectrum of community engagement, were Yolanda Adams, Lauren Anderson, Penny and John Butler, Jo and Jim Furr, Monica Hartland, Bill Meek, Edna Meyer-Nelson, Malcolm Morris, former Mayor Annise Parker, Page Parkes, Dr. Peggy and Ashley Smith, and Tara and David Wuthrich. Each individual/couple is featured in one month of The Social Book calendar.
One of the many entertaining aspects of the evening is the heavy hitters who introduce the honorees. Among them on this night were Lynn Wyatt, Merele Yarborough, Ernie Manouse, Laura and Dave Ward, Beth Madison, Anne Carl, Carolyn Farb, and in the sweetest introduction of all identical twins Joanna Marks and Hanna McNair introduced their sister, honoree Monica Hartland.
Eye-catching was the looping video of portraits from each of the 16 years that Houston Treasures has been recognizing a who’s who of Houston philanthropy and culture. Special touches to the evening were the floral decor by Nino Shbeeb, Flowers by Nino, and the holiday and American standard tunes from the Richard Brown Music ensemble.
The four-course dinner was created beautifully handled by C. Baldwin’s director of food and beverage Charles Skipsey and catering manager Caprile Capetillo. Setting the tables was EB Inc., which provided heritage and vintage linens therby upping the glam factor.
Elizabeth Anthony
PC Seen: Joella and Steve Mach, Jeanie Kilroy Wilson, Joyce and Arthur Schechter, Linda McReynolds, Penny and John Butler, Yvonne and Rufus Cormier, Frann Lichtenstein, Richard Flowers, Alicia Smith, Andy Delery, Mary Ann and David McKeithan, Frank Billingsley.
