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Best Tressed

Drybar kicks off Houston launch with stylish River Oaks blowout

Heather Staible
Heather Staible
Sep 16, 2013 | 9:53 am

You would be hard-pressed to find a better collective of beautiful coifs than the ones gathered at the home of Janet Gurwitch for the private launch party of Drybar, the blow dry concept that has just opened in Uptown Park.

The party welcomed Drybar brother and sister owners Michael Landau and Alli Webb to Houston at the casually elegant event that drew everyone from regulars on the philanthropy scene to fashion and beauty bloggers. Gurwitch is operating partner of the private equity firm Castanea Partners, which is an investor in Drybar. She has been working closely with Webb on product development.

“We aren’t just selling a blowout. We are really selling happiness and confidence.”

Webb, dressed in a lace party dress, her hair in an Up-Tini, one of the styles from the Drybar menu, was just one of the girls, mixing with guests and soaking up the Houston hospitality.

“There’s lots of Southern charm here in Houston. You go to shops and restaurants and people are just so friendly. That attitude works well with our concept too, because we want you to feel comfortable when you come in,” Webb said. “We aren’t just selling a blowout. We are really selling happiness and confidence.”

Drybar is also selling a full line of products and styling tools, so women can try their best to create the same $35 hair style at home.

Gurwitch’s River Oaks home was an ideal spot for the kickoff party, allowing guests to easily move from the dining room laden with bites from Américas to a stunning salad sculpture, created by executive chef David Cordua of Cordua Catering, in a hallway leading to the perfectly manicured backyard and pool.

Spotted among the gorgeous dos were Diane Lokey Farb, Katie Decker, Liz Decker, Karen Mayell, Kristin Nix, Andrea White, Lucinda Loya, Frann Lichtenstein, Chloe Dao, Sydney Dao, Esther Freedman, Carol Sawyer and newly minted Women of Distinction honoree Roz Pactor.

Chris Goins, left, and Melissa Baker at the Drybar launch event.

21 Drybar launch event September 2013 Chris Goins, Melissa Baker
Photo by © Chinh Phan CultureMapSNAP.com
Chris Goins, left, and Melissa Baker at the Drybar launch event.
unspecified
news/society

Gallery of Wonder

Children’s Museum Houston luncheon celebrates playful learning

Joel Luks
Mar 11, 2026 | 3:30 pm
Children's Museum Houston 2026 luncheon
Photo by Wilson Parish
Jennifer Miller, Stephanie Braun, Lauren Zwart, and Lakshmi Picoli.

Cheerful energy usually reserved for playgrounds at a luncheon? Considering the cause at hand, we’d say it was quite fitting.

Children's Museum Houston 2026 luncheon

Photo by Wilson Parish

Jennifer Miller, Stephanie Braun, Lauren Zwart, and Lakshmi Picoli.

More than 400 supporters gathered at the River Oaks Country Club for Children’s Museum Houston’s 2026 Friends and Families Luncheon, a midday event celebrating curiosity and childhood. Co-chaired by Lexi Sakowitz Marek and Natasha Stolte, the affair welcomed a vibrant crowd of parents, educators, and advocates who share a belief that playful learning can shape young minds.

Guiding the afternoon’s program was emcee Katherine Whaley, who kept the room engaged as guests settled into a polished menu courtesy of River Oaks Country Club. The afternoon’s keynote speaker, Spencer Russell, founder of Toddlers Can Read, encouraged parents and caregivers to help children tackle difficult challenges by breaking them into manageable steps. Russell emphasized that perseverance builds confidence.

During the program, Children’s Museum Houston also unveiled plans for its newest addition, the Gallery of Wonder, a space designed for infants through age five. The expansive gallery will feature five interconnected exhibits scaled for little bodies and curious minds, along with early childhood educators who will guide families through nearly two dozen programs focused on early brain development, critical thinking, and cognitive growth. Once open, the gallery is expected to welcome more than 350,000 visitors annually.

The luncheon raised a record-breaking $237,000, making it the most successful Friends and Families Luncheon in the museum’s history. Proceeds support Children’s Museum Houston’s mission to improve the trajectories of children across Greater Houston through innovative, child-centered learning experiences.

Gathering in support of the mission were Katie Arnoldy, Meredith Barker, Lauren Barrett, Kathryn Boeker, Bethany Buchanan, Alex Butt, Skye Chao, Allison Chavez, Julie Chen, Lauren Cox, Adrienne Crane, Narguess Fazel, Annabel Florescu, Devorah Krieger, Whitney Kuhn Lawson, Lacey Marek, Hayden Lasher, Amanda Pickering, Kat Pressly, Monica Radoff, Ashley Sloan, and Mary Morgan Stevens, among many others.

fundraisers museums children's museum houston
news/society
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