We could hardly believe our eyes when we saw Miya Shay reporting the news for KTRK Channel 13 on Wednesday. Why, she just got married on Saturday and she was already back on the job!
She might have returned to reporter's mindset, but the three-day Puerta Vallarta bash is still fresh in her thoughts as well as the thoughts of the 50 friends that joined her and Gene Wu at Villa Verano for the poolside wedding.
We love that she wore a gown designed for her by close friend Chloe Dao and that he wore linen slacks and shirt, shirttail out and sandals (as did all the groomsmen). The bridesmaids wore tangerine-colored gowns also designed by the Project Runway star. "The boys had it easy . . . I just went to Macy's," Miya emailed.
In the wedding party —Whet Smith, Jason Luong, Kim Padgett, Stephen Louis, Courtney Zubowski, Toby Hamrick, Jessica Rossman, Windy Hamrick, Jeff Shell and Laurette Veres.
The non-denominational commitment ceremony (they wrote their own vows) was performed by LyAnna Smith, a United Methodist seminarian and long-time friend of the groom. The previous week, the couple were officially wed by U.S. District Judge David Hittner in his courtroom in the Bob Casey Federal Courthouse.
For Gene, it's back to the business of running for State Representative.
A NY Knicks bash
In town to beef up his game under tutelage of Basketball Hall of Famer Hakeem Olajuwon at the Big Man Camp, New York Knicks forward Amar'e Stoudemire took time out from the court play to help celebrate Amar'e Jr.'s birthday at the Houston Texans Grille.
In honor of the 6-year-old, the Grille had a special birthday cake made and decorated the private room in a Texans theme complete with beads, hats, noisemakers and balloons. Never mind that adults outnumbered the kids by a long shot. The eatery surprised young Amar'e with his own kid-sized Houston Texans helmet and jersey.
Sight 'ems
Contemporary Arts Museum Houston director Bill Arning lunching with CAMH board chair Sissy Kempner at Brasserie 19 where the midday crowd included Joyce Echols, Lora Clemmons, Elizabeth Petersen, Erin Florescu, Irene Robertson, Ghyda Midani and loads more . . .
A clear sign that summer travels are shutting down: Alan Crain, Bill Wright, David Solomon, Hiram Butler, Dancie Ware, David Wuthrich and so many others in the business crowd lunching at La Griglia . . .
Tod Eason and pals celebrating his birthday at the Foundation Room at House of Blues, where the group grooved to the sounds of MTA: A Tribute to Metallica and THAT 80z BAND, which with its ribald '80s-hair rock tribute just screamed TOD EASON! Joining in the retro wild fun were Lonnie Schiller, Nick Florescu, the newly hitched Jillian and Andrew Seerden, Andrew Rentz, Jason Reeves, Matt Moriarty, Fleming's GM and all-around-cool-guy Sam Governale and Dean Giuffre . . .
Bill Boyar, founder of boutique law firm BoyarMiller, with the firm's chairman, Chris Hanslik at the Tasting Room-Uptown Park where they presented SEARCH Homeless Services executive director, Thao Costis with a big surprise of dozens of pairs of shoes!
Back in July, BoyarMiller and the Tasting Room co-hosted a fundraising drive for school uniforms for SEARCH, which raised $28,000. To ensure that the SEARCH kids had new shoes along with their new clothes, Bill and Chris chipped in extra funds to buy shoes.
