It's not often that you find Mayor Annise Parker, Harris County Judge Ed Emmett, former Qatar Ambassador Chase Untermeyer and Joanne King Herring under the same roof at anything other than official business. But they and a power force of notables merged socially Wednesday night for a CultureMap gathering introducing CEO Alyce Alston.
Lucinda and Javier Loya opened their spectacular Memorial area home for the soirée that enjoyed such energy that it took a dimming of the lights and music to encourage the 100-plus partygoers to say goodnight.
Among this social scribe's observations: the Democratic Mayor congenially sparred with conservative Republican Fred Zeidman. Uber-developer Vincent Kickerillo hinted at a major new project. Herring cheered that her first village in Afghanistan had been fully funded — by Houstonians. Javier Loya maintained Houston Texans optimism saying the 2014 Super Bowl in New York would be the year for his team.
Guests swooned over the Loyas' stunning decor and compelling artwork including sheep that weep and a video installation of a nude woman trapped in an antique travel trunk.
United Airlines attorney Jessica Rossman shared with Alston, who calls Austin home, that there are 3,000 displaced Houstonians now living in Chicago, all tuning into CultureMap to keep up with life in their hometown. Although he partied at the Loyas for more than half an hour, Houston Grand Opera managing director Perryn Leech said he had to cut his visit short because of the dress rehearsal for Showboat, which premieres at Wortham Theater Center Friday night.
Houston Ballet executive director Jim Nelson and Tricia Dewhurst conferred on Tuesday's Texas Cultural Trust awards luncheon. Houston Ballet is one of the award recipients. Also from the art world were Houston Arts Alliance CEO Jonathon Glus and partner Alton LaDay and Houston Museum of African-American Art CEO John Guess Jr.
While attentive staff from The Grove passed appetizers and drinks, guests swooned over the Loyas' stunning decor and compelling artwork including sheep that weep and a video installation of a nude woman trapped in an antique travel trunk, a find from the recent Art Basel Miami.
In the mix were CultureMap Dallas general manager Phyllis Cole, CultureMap co-founders Lonnie Schiller and Nic Phillips, Bob Ackerly, Pierce Bush, Cynthia and Bucky Allshouse, Mickey Rosmarin, Betty and Stephen Newton, Michael Mithoff, Liz and Tom Glanville, Vicki Rizzo, Ceron, Elizabeth and Gary Petersen, Kelli Kickerillo and Todd Forester and so many more.
