What: Dress For Success Houston Cuisine For a Cause.
Where: Dress For Success Houston headquarters.
The scoop: It was a moveable feast as more than 400 guests roamed the DFSH building to dine on gourmet cuisine at food stations manned by top chefs, including Rachael Volz, Paige Branam, and Ryan Bouillet (A Fare Extraordinaire); Kelsey Hawkins (Arte Pizzzeria); Claire Smith (Alice Blue and Canopy); Brandi Key (Brasserie 19 and Coppa Osteria); Tiffany Ma and Joseph Stayshich (Eloise Nichols Grill & Liquors); Catherine Rodriguez (The Houstonian Hotel); Sue Nowamooz (Hungry’s); Nicole Routhier (Le Colonial); Holly Lynch and Tina Blanco (Main Kitchen); Sarah Schnitzer (Oxbow 7); Martha Wilcox (Pax Americana); Monica Richards and Claudia Richards (Pico’s); Anita Jaisinghani and Mary Gilliland (Pondicheri); Jasmine Chida (SweetCup Gelato); Stephanie Hoban (Ripe Cuisine Food Truck); and Sabra Palmros (Smith & Wollensky).
The event began with in the courtyard as KHOU 11 news anchor Mia Gradney highlighted Dress for Success Houston’s mission and featured nine client success stories. Auction chairs Virginia Steppe and Alissa Maples secured such items as a VIP tickets to a Lady Gaga concert, an NFL sideline experience at a game in Mexico City with first class transportation on United Airlines, and a VIP tequila tasting trip at the Herradura distillery with Pico's Arnaldo and Monica Richard, that made for lively bidding.
Jazz vocalist Kristine Mills entertained on the second floor while DJ Moni spun tunes downstairs.
Chairs Lindsay and Rand Holstead and Kelli Kickerillo and Todd Forester were thrilled that the event raised more than $420,000 to support the nonprofit's mission to promote the economic independence of disadvantaged women.
Who: Seen in the crowd were Mary and Vincent Kickerillo, Elyse Lanier, Maria and Graham Lowrey, Martha Long, Libby Cagle and Lauren Taft, Courtney Hopson, Kirby and Scott McCool, KPRC Channel 2 news anchor Rachel McNeill with her mom, Monica McNeill, DFSH co-founder and president Nancy Levicki, Melissa and Dan Sugulas, Niloufar and Amir Molavi, Tali and Eric Blumrosen, Kim and Ted Hartz, Mary and Ben Patton, Rebekah and Gary Reaves, Wendy Daboval, Kristi and Chick Chickering, Shuana and Morris Clark, Jerri Moore, and Connie Simmons Taylor.
Kirby McCool, Courtney Hopson, Lindsay Holstead
