Shelby's Social Diary

A swank River Oaks party home makes this carnival kickoff as spectacular as the gala

As chair of the kickoff for the Children's Memorial Hermann Hospital "Under the Boardwalk" gala, Christine Falgout had an ace in the hole — her parents' swank River Oaks home designed with spectacular festivities in mind.

So when Christine asked, Jo Lynn and Gregg Falgout happily opened their mansion — as grand a setting as that of any gala — to hospital supporters. Beyond admiring the surroundings, Memorial Hermann patrons were entertained by a coterie of jugglers, stilt walkers and clowns. Michael Flores Music provided the live tunes and Tony's restaurant served an enticing array of sophisticated "boardwalk" fare. The carnie style bites included gourmet hot dogs and sliders, mini popcorn balls, cake pops and more.

The coup for this event was the presence of three Memorial Herman CEOs beginning with Memorial Hermann Healthcare System CEO Dan Wolterman and including Children's Memorial Hermann Hospital CEO Susie Distefano and Memorial Hermann Foundation CEO Ileana Trevino. Add UT Health president Giuseppe Colasurdo and you get a sense of the powerful assembly.

Center front on this evening were Fred Zeidman and son Jay Zeidman, chairs of the Nov. 9 "Under the Boardwalk" fundraiser that will be held at the Bayou City Event Center.

Joining the indoor/outdoor party scene were Alice and Keith Mosing, Dr. Yvonne and Rufus Cormier, Nancy and Conor McEvily, Caroline Kenney, Shirley and Jim Dannenbaum, Elizabeth and Alexander Dwyer, Alina and Roberto Garcia, Casey and Will Hedges and Shannon Janek.

Ileana Treviño, left, and Alina Garcia at The Memorial Hermann at the Under the Boardwalk kickoff party.

$Ileana Trevi\u00f1o, left, and Alina Garcia at The Memorial Hermann at the Under the Boardwalk kickoff party$

Photo by © Chinh Phan CatchLightGroup.com

Ileana Treviño, left, and Alina Garcia at The Memorial Hermann at the Under the Boardwalk kickoff party.

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Party Watch

Giselle-inspired evening sets the stage for 2026 Houston Ballet Ball

Photo by Annie Mulligan

Laura Dandridge, Jean Peck, and Paige Fertitta.

What: Houston Ballet Ball Kickoff

Photo by Annie Mulligan

Laura Dandridge, Jean Peck, and Paige Fertitta.

Where: Private home of Paige and Tilman Fertitta

The Scoop: A who’s who of Houston’s arts scene gathered in the glittering River Oaks home of Paige Fertitta for an elegant evening to toast the upcoming 2026 Houston Ballet Ball, set for February 21. A live pianist set the tone as Houston Ballet Trustees, patrons, and supporters sipped Champagne Madame Zero and grazed on charcuterie by Grotto Downtown, luxe passed bites, and a showstopping caviar bar courtesy of La Griglia.

Sonja Kostich, executive director of Houston Ballet, welcomed guests with heartfelt thanks, spotlighting key players behind the scenes, including ball chairs Christine and David M. Underwood Jr., and the 2026 honorees Richard Flowers and Houston First, represented by Paula Whitten-Doolin.

The night’s big reveal? This year’s Ballet Ball theme, drawn from Act II of Stanton Welch’s ethereal Giselle — a haunting woodland dream world brought to life in rich greens and blues. As a preview of the main event, Flowers and The Events Company transformed the Fertitta home into an enchanting forest-inspired fête.

Attendees didn’t leave empty-handed — or empty-handed themselves. Guests contributed prized bottles to the Ballet Ball Wine Cellar, setting the stage for a highly competitive silent auction.

Who: Ada Agbor, Cynthia and Bucky Allshouse, Susan and Gary Binney, Kristy and Chris Bradshaw, Cheryl Byington, Zoe Cadore, Kristen Cannon, Anne and Albert Chao, Margaret Cox, Tracy and Valerie Dieterich, Bruce and Pamela Earthman, Lesha Elsenbrook, Blayne Fertitta, Angel Rios, Lily Chen Foster and Charles Foster, Ellie Francisco, Jo Furr, Mignon Gill, Victoria Gutierrez, Jayne Johnston, Jennifer and Christopher Laporte, Amy LeBlanc, Petra Martinez, Jean and Henry May, Kris McGee, Lauren and Jordan Mintz, Desrye Morgan, Beth Muecke, Patti and Don Murphy, Duyen and Marc Nguyen, Tammy and Wayne Nguyen, Cabrina Owsley, Karen Payne, Melissa Reihle, Shara and Kent Schaffer, Tricia and Mark Singer, Sunday Shepherd, Alicia Smith, Liliana Soltero and Mike Hawkins, Tatiana Sorkin and Michel Coret, S. Shawn Stephens, Stephanie Tsuru, Marguerite Swartz, Hallie Vanderhider and Bobby Dees, Vicki West and Ralph Burch, and Beth Wolff.

fundraisers houston ballet