• Home
  • popular
  • EVENTS
  • submit-new-event
  • CHARITY GUIDE
  • Children
  • Education
  • Health
  • Veterans
  • Social Services
  • Arts + Culture
  • Animals
  • LGBTQ
  • New Charity
  • TRENDING NEWS
  • News
  • City Life
  • Entertainment
  • Sports
  • Home + Design
  • Travel
  • Real Estate
  • Restaurants + Bars
  • Arts
  • Society
  • Innovation
  • Fashion + Beauty
  • subscribe
  • about
  • series
  • Embracing Your Inner Cowboy
  • Green Living
  • Summer Fun
  • Real Estate Confidential
  • RX In the City
  • State of the Arts
  • Fall For Fashion
  • Cai's Odyssey
  • Comforts of Home
  • Good Eats
  • Holiday Gift Guide 2010
  • Holiday Gift Guide 2
  • Good Eats 2
  • HMNS Pirates
  • The Future of Houston
  • We Heart Hou 2
  • Music Inspires
  • True Grit
  • Hoops City
  • Green Living 2011
  • Cruizin for a Cure
  • Summer Fun 2011
  • Just Beat It
  • Real Estate 2011
  • Shelby on the Seine
  • Rx in the City 2011
  • Entrepreneur Video Series
  • Going Wild Zoo
  • State of the Arts 2011
  • Fall for Fashion 2011
  • Elaine Turner 2011
  • Comforts of Home 2011
  • King Tut
  • Chevy Girls
  • Good Eats 2011
  • Ready to Jingle
  • Houston at 175
  • The Love Month
  • Clifford on The Catwalk Htx
  • Let's Go Rodeo 2012
  • King's Harbor
  • FotoFest 2012
  • City Centre
  • Hidden Houston
  • Green Living 2012
  • Summer Fun 2012
  • Bookmark
  • 1987: The year that changed Houston
  • Best of Everything 2012
  • Real Estate 2012
  • Rx in the City 2012
  • Lost Pines Road Trip Houston
  • London Dreams
  • State of the Arts 2012
  • HTX Fall For Fashion 2012
  • HTX Good Eats 2012
  • HTX Contemporary Arts 2012
  • HCC 2012
  • Dine to Donate
  • Tasting Room
  • HTX Comforts of Home 2012
  • Charming Charlie
  • Asia Society
  • HTX Ready to Jingle 2012
  • HTX Mistletoe on the go
  • HTX Sun and Ski
  • HTX Cars in Lifestyle
  • HTX New Beginnings
  • HTX Wonderful Weddings
  • HTX Clifford on the Catwalk 2013
  • Zadok Sparkle into Spring
  • HTX Let's Go Rodeo 2013
  • HCC Passion for Fashion
  • BCAF 2013
  • HTX Best of 2013
  • HTX City Centre 2013
  • HTX Real Estate 2013
  • HTX France 2013
  • Driving in Style
  • HTX Island Time
  • HTX Super Season 2013
  • HTX Music Scene 2013
  • HTX Clifford on the Catwalk 2013 2
  • HTX Baker Institute
  • HTX Comforts of Home 2013
  • Mothers Day Gift Guide 2021 Houston
  • Staying Ahead of the Game
  • Wrangler Houston
  • First-time Homebuyers Guide Houston 2021
  • Visit Frisco Houston
  • promoted
  • eventdetail
  • Greystar Novel River Oaks
  • Thirdhome Go Houston
  • Dogfish Head Houston
  • LovBe Houston
  • Claire St Amant podcast Houston
  • The Listing Firm Houston
  • South Padre Houston
  • NextGen Real Estate Houston
  • Pioneer Houston
  • Collaborative for Children
  • Decorum
  • Bold Rock Cider
  • Nasher Houston
  • Houston Tastemaker Awards 2021
  • CityNorth
  • Urban Office
  • Villa Cotton
  • Luck Springs Houston
  • EightyTwo
  • Rectanglo.com
  • Silver Eagle Karbach
  • Mirador Group
  • Nirmanz
  • Bandera Houston
  • Milan Laser
  • Lafayette Travel
  • Highland Park Village Houston
  • Proximo Spirits
  • Douglas Elliman Harris Benson
  • Original ChopShop
  • Bordeaux Houston
  • Strike Marketing
  • Rice Village Gift Guide 2021
  • Downtown District
  • Broadstone Memorial Park
  • Gift Guide
  • Music Lane
  • Blue Circle Foods
  • Houston Tastemaker Awards 2022
  • True Rest
  • Lone Star Sports
  • Silver Eagle Hard Soda
  • Modelo recipes
  • Modelo Fighting Spirit
  • Athletic Brewing
  • Rodeo Houston
  • Silver Eagle Bud Light Next
  • Waco CVB
  • EnerGenie
  • HLSR Wine Committee
  • All Hands
  • El Paso
  • Houston First
  • Visit Lubbock Houston
  • JW Marriott San Antonio
  • Silver Eagle Tupps
  • Space Center Houston
  • Central Market Houston
  • Boulevard Realty
  • Travel Texas Houston
  • Alliantgroup
  • Golf Live
  • DC Partners
  • Under the Influencer
  • Blossom Hotel
  • San Marcos Houston
  • Photo Essay: Holiday Gift Guide 2009
  • We Heart Hou
  • Walker House
  • HTX Good Eats 2013
  • HTX Ready to Jingle 2013
  • HTX Culture Motive
  • HTX Auto Awards
  • HTX Ski Magic
  • HTX Wonderful Weddings 2014
  • HTX Texas Traveler
  • HTX Cifford on the Catwalk 2014
  • HTX United Way 2014
  • HTX Up to Speed
  • HTX Rodeo 2014
  • HTX City Centre 2014
  • HTX Dos Equis
  • HTX Tastemakers 2014
  • HTX Reliant
  • HTX Houston Symphony
  • HTX Trailblazers
  • HTX_RealEstateConfidential_2014
  • HTX_IW_Marks_FashionSeries
  • HTX_Green_Street
  • Dating 101
  • HTX_Clifford_on_the_Catwalk_2014
  • FIVE CultureMap 5th Birthday Bash
  • HTX Clifford on the Catwalk 2014 TEST
  • HTX Texans
  • Bergner and Johnson
  • HTX Good Eats 2014
  • United Way 2014-15_Single Promoted Articles
  • Holiday Pop Up Shop Houston
  • Where to Eat Houston
  • Copious Row Single Promoted Articles
  • HTX Ready to Jingle 2014
  • htx woodford reserve manhattans
  • Zadok Swiss Watches
  • HTX Wonderful Weddings 2015
  • HTX Charity Challenge 2015
  • United Way Helpline Promoted Article
  • Boulevard Realty
  • Fusion Academy Promoted Article
  • Clifford on the Catwalk Fall 2015
  • United Way Book Power Promoted Article
  • Jameson HTX
  • Primavera 2015
  • Promenade Place
  • Hotel Galvez
  • Tremont House
  • HTX Tastemakers 2015
  • HTX Digital Graffiti/Alys Beach
  • MD Anderson Breast Cancer Promoted Article
  • HTX RealEstateConfidential 2015
  • HTX Vargos on the Lake
  • Omni Hotel HTX
  • Undies for Everyone
  • Reliant Bright Ideas Houston
  • 2015 Houston Stylemaker
  • HTX Renewable You
  • Urban Flats Builder
  • Urban Flats Builder
  • HTX New York Fashion Week spring 2016
  • Kyrie Massage
  • Red Bull Flying Bach
  • Hotze Health and Wellness
  • ReadFest 2015
  • Alzheimer's Promoted Article
  • Formula 1 Giveaway
  • Professional Skin Treatments by NuMe Express

    Just say no

    Why I turned down the Real Housewives of Houston: A first-person account of being producer chased

    Laura Spalding
    Jun 2, 2010 | 4:11 pm
    New Jersey housewives had a car wash, but we doubt the Houston contenders would risk their manicured nails.

    Editor's Note: Much has been said recently about the potential Real Housewives of Houston series after news of the show broke on CultureMap. Now, we hear from one high-profile Houstonian who received the call and turned down the offer.

    What do you say when someone approaches you to be on a television reality show, with all kinds of reassuring promises? Ten years ago: “Hell yes!" Now: “Hell no!"

    A couple of years ago, a woman approached my girlfriends and me at the original Bar Annie, our home-away-from-home. She and her television crew came up to us and said that they were filming a show about some Houston women.

    I asked her what her angle was and she replied, “Well, you know, everything’s big in Texas … BIG hair, BIG money, BIG ...” Now, imagine the sound of screeching car treads here as she saw the admittedly disgusted and disapproving look on my face. She had just made one BIG, fat mistake. Undeterred and lightning quick on her feet, she immediately switched gears and continued, “AND, that’s why we are trying to convey the EXACT OPPOSITE of that.”

    Ha! Way to recover! Kudos to the desperate filmmaker! Bravo! Pun intended.

    I told the woman not to include me, retreated and sat with another friend, who, incidentally, had been called by the same woman that day. (If you have not been called, contact your service provider. Something is wrong.)

    Later, as I waited for my ride to take me home, I saw this guy do about 30 drunk minutes on camera outside the restaurant. I would almost swear now that he was actually dancing at one point, but that could have just been my faulty recalled impression that he was doing whatever they asked. I am darn sure, however, that he was drunk enough to sign the release. God love him.

    The next day, several people told me that the Bravo woman had referenced my encounter with her, remarking that she had “scared me away” and was there any way that she could talk to me? Still, no.

    Fast-forward two years when I received a phone call from a woman saying that her network wanted to “spotlight” some of Houston’s “interesting and involved people” and would I mind meeting with her? You guessed it — the same chick, but now with a better, honed spiel.

    I let her chat, then asked if she remembered an attorney who would not talk to her a couple of years ago at Bar Annie. She recalled the incident. “That was I,” I said. Long pause. A few coughs.

    I then told her that I was infinitely boring, that my life was a complete snore and that my scenes would end up on the cutting room floor. Yet, the woman was relentless.

    The following conversation represents a paradigm of what these so-called reality shows do. Check out how many writers they have in the credits after them. If they are “real,” why have writers?

    The following ensued. The woman asked about my weekend plans. I was attending a gala that Friday night, had not made a hair appointment, was trying to get one and we were having a dinner party at our home on Saturday.

    “I love it”!" she said. “Laura Spalding is furious that her hair dresser won’t take her!"

    “NO!" I barked. I was absolutely and decidedly NOT furious. I had waited until the last minute and my lack of an updo was MY OWN DAMN FAULT. Her reply? “Can I film your dinner party and follow you around for the weekend? You know that you don’t have to sign anything.” No!

    That is when we officially broke up. Like a college frat boy, she finally let it penetrate that I really meant it when I said, “No.” Pun maybe intended.

    Some of my friends might have signed on to participate in this show and I genuinely hope that it goes well. If the show is interesting, my educated guess (I have watched a respectable amount of this stuff) is that some of these folks are going to tumble … and HARD. There will be fallout.

    I had my own reasons for saying no and they have theirs for saying yes. OK by me. I know these women and I know that they are good people with kind, generous hearts who contribute a lot to the community and are wonderful friends. Is it possible, therefore, that American television viewers could have become a little more savvy and will judge my peeps for who they really are? ... Nah!

    They won't have a chance if all they get to see is a producer's skewed view of who the Houston women are. Entertainment for entertainment's sake.

    This OC housewife had a bit too many...and even table danced at a party. All recorded for your viewing pleasure.

    unspecified
    news/society

    Sequins and Sparkle

    Disco-powered Houston bash raises $1.1M for pet nonprofit

    Joel Luks
    Nov 28, 2025 | 11:00 am
    Citizens for Animal Protection Gala 2025
    Photo by Daniel Ortiz
    Sarah Vecher with Coco.

    Sequins, disco sparkle, and slimming sass lit up the ballroom at the Post Oak Hotel for the Citizens for Animal Protection (CAP) Celebrity Paws Gala. No boring centerpieces and meh entrées here.

    Citizens for Animal Protection Gala 2025

    Photo by Daniel Ortiz

    Sarah Vecher with Coco.

    The Studio 39-themed bash — marking the gala’s 39th year — was more Studio 54 than staid social, as 680-plus guests and four-legged companions leaned all the way into disco glam. Think head-to-toe shine, white, black, gold, and silver dripping from most ladies, and a life-size silver horse centerpiece paying tribute to the infamous Bianca Jagger entrance circa 1977.

    Angela Hernandez and Kamisha Mickey helmed the co-chair duties for what would become CAP’s most successful gala to date, bringing in more than $1.1 million to support animal shelter, rescue, and adoption programs. That includes proceeds from a premium silent auction and a raffle for a 2025 Subaru BRZ Premium donated by West Houston Subaru.

    The vibe? Party. The crowd? Full Sparkle.

    And the menu? Heavy on Branson Cognac espresso martinis and Le Chemin du Roi champagne, served from sleek ice bars courtesy of Sire Spirits. Guests mixed, mingled, and posed in front of custom selfie vignettes (shoutout to Lowenberg Law Firm for the glam-on-the-go photo moments), reluctant to take their seats until the music stopped.

    Leading the program was 2024 Celebrity Pet Champion of the Year Andy Cerota, who served as emcee. A string of awards followed, including honors for Ben Ackerley, Daphne and Steve Savva, Meghan and Clint Conroy, Mary Kenner, Brian Spack, and Edna Meyer-Nelson, who received the Melcher Humanitarian of the Year award and reflected on her connection to the award’s namesake, Lucile B. Melcher.

    The runway moment of the night belonged to the CAP honorees and their photogenic pets. They were junior honorees Shefali and Maya Desai, and elite honorees Tori Halbert with Tilly, Emily Carruth with Nala, Iraida Brown with Panda, Kellie Geitner with Chloe, Melanie Camp with Matilda, Mandy Kao with Mei Mei and Teddy, Kimberly and David King with Hank, Jenna Morris and Sarah Morris with Ellie Lush and Honey Bee, Suzanne and Adam Stiles with Charlie, and Sarah Vercher with Coco.

    Kao’s pup arriving via remote-controlled kiddie car, driven by her son, earned audible squeals from the room. Portraits by Gittings Photography added a luxe touch to the honoree wall, while Olly, a Paws for Therapy service dog, received a standing ovation for her work in local hospitals and libraries.

    A surprise gift from Heritage Ranch dog and cat food by H-E-B during the Paws Up appeal added fuel to an already fiery room.Other supporters were Patricia and Sig Cornelius, Dr. Mary Riley, the Fertitta Family, Gloria and Frank Meszaros, and Carol Altman Simmons.

    Serving sparkle were Sandi Mercado, Kappy Muenzer, Linda Schmuck and Todd Zucker, Alicia and Eric Jansen, Courtney and Zac Harmon, Susan Boggio, Danielle and Derek Gillespie, Marian and Austin Cornelius, Christine Johnson, Jody Merritt and Steve Spencer, Ghada Ali, Hershey Grace, Susan Klein, Nora and Bob Ackerley, Eve Ackerley, Dean Putterman, Ed Finger, Marcellus Upshaw, Dr. Roxanne Riefkohl, Vicki Luna, Frankie Demeris, Tim Goldman, Nicki and Evan Keenan, Bryce Kennard, Dwight Boykins, Beau Miller, Mica Piro, Liz and Pete Carragher, Melna and Mike Moriarty, Cindy and Frank Liu, Debbie and Rudy Fesatri, Alex Blair, Marla Press, Lidiya Dean, and Elizabeth Martin.

    fundraiserscitizens for animal protection
    news/society

    most read posts

    Houston DJ-turned-TikTok star cooks up a cult following one recipe at a time

    Houston suburb's new social district sweetens World Cup festivities

    New Chinatown restaurant serves up AYCE sushi and more for $37

    Loading...