Few at the 31st annual Orange Show Gala Saturday night could resist the classic '50s sounds of rockabilly legends Marshall Lytle, Levi Dexter and Danny B. Harvey. Thus the dance floor at the Crown Plaza Reliant Hotel was packed with a deliciously motley-looking crew of retro rockers.
Leading the pack were gala chairs Trish and Ty Whitcomb in classic goldie oldie costuming. Setting the stage for the night's revelry was a 30-foot tall set of legs through which guests had to pass in order to enter the ballroom.
Beyond the inspired people-watching, partygoers were entertained by the excellent eye candy of exotic body-painted women who mingled through the crowd, by psychics reading fortunes, tattoo artists providing body art and bartenders serving "Gin & Sins," concoctions comprised of gin, orange juice and lemon.
The party raised $470,000 thanks in no small part to the silent and live auctions, the latter of which included a vintage 1971 VW Beetle convertible. There was artwork by John Alexander, Mark Bradford, Frank Kozik, Kelly Moran, Sharon Kopriva and others plus an amazing 15-foot tall bronze birdhouse by Ed Wilson. Congrats auction chairs Erica Levit and Lance Rosmarin.
In the spirit were Shannon Hall and Marcus Sloan, Tracy and Glen Larner, Don Mafrige Jr., Jo Reid, Starr and Jack Massing, Fady Armanious, Annette Green, Nic Phillips, Chris Goins, Deborah Colton, Jason Reeves and Mark Sullivan.
