party watch

Fertitta family toasts Houston's fashion guru at swanky soiree

What: Legacy Community Health Services’ cocktail soiree

Where: The Fertitta Family home

The scoop: Once known as a popular luncheon, the Legacy Community Health Services’ annual fall fundraiser has since become a buzzy cocktail fête. When this year’s event was postponed in September due to a massive rain deluge, organizers opted for a rain cheque — and scheduled a soiree at the Fertitta Family home in River Oaks.

The lively party packed in more than 375 guests. Chairs for the evening included Paige Fertitta, Sheridan Williams, Elizabeth Petersen, Melissa Mithoff, Hallie Vanderhider, Shannon Hall and Marcus Sloan, and Richard Flowers and Angel Rios. The event honored Tootsies creative director, Fady Armanious. Guests mixed, mingled, and noshed on bites provided by, naturally, Landry’s.

The event raised more than $390,000 for Legacy’s Little Readers Program, presented by H-E-B. Through this initiative, children receive a brand new, age-appropriate book at each well-child visit, and medical providers give their parents a “prescription to read” — so they understand the importance of reading aloud to their children.

Legacy’s Little Readers Program has grown steadily with support from H-E-B. Legacy distributes books from 13 locations in Houston, Deer Park, Baytown, and Beaumont, as well as 17 School Base Clinics on KIPP and YES Prep campuses. To date, the program has given away more than 105,000 books to pediatric patients.

Who: Katy Caldwell, Chree Boydstun, Fady Armanious and Bill Baldwin, Paige Fertitta, Hallie Vanderhider, Sheridan and John Eddie Williams, Elizabeth and Gary Petersen, Shannon Hall and Marcus Sloan, Melissa and Michael Mithoff, Richard Flowers and Angel Rios, Gina and Devinder Bhatia, Tony Bradfield, Amanda Goodie-Roberts and Ron Roberts, Beth and Kirk Bruce, Vivian Wise, Dr. Yvonne Cormier and Rufus Cormier, Tony Bravo and Richard Werner, Elia Gabbanelli, Cathy Easter, MaryAnn and David McKeithan, Lisa and Greg Harper, Anthony Danzey and Steve Locke, Laurel D’Antoni, Rose Cullen, Demi and Alex Jessett, Myrtle Jones, Donna Lewis, Shawntell McWilliams, and Sippi Khurana.

Patrick Fertitta, Paige Fertitta, Fady Armanious, and Bill Baldwin.

Photo by Jenny Antill

Patrick Fertitta, Paige Fertitta, Fady Armanious, and Bill Baldwin.

fundraisers

Party Watch

Food-focused Houston nonprofit rounds up top chefs for Sunday Supper

Photo by Daniel Ortiz

Natalie Vaclavik, Ben Ackerley, Will Hoke, and Anthony Greene.

What: Urban Harvest Sunday Supper

Where: J-Bar-M Barbecue

The scoop: More than 200 Houston food lovers donned their finest Western wear for Urban Harvest’s 31st annual Sunday Supper. The annual event always features some of the city’s finest chefs showcasing ingredients from local farms, fisherman, and ranchers, and this year was no exception.

Led by Felipe Riccio of one-star Michelin March and Bryan Caswell, whose Memorial eatery Latuli has quickly established itself as one of the year’s most promising newcomers, the lineup also included Micheal O’Connor (Doris Metropolitan), Jane Wild (Jane and the Lion Bakehouse), Marco Incerti (Tavola), Hilario Zamora (Zanti Cucina Italia), and host chef Arash Kharat, whose smoked lamb t-bone had the crowd asking for seconds. Pre-dinner snacks were provided by chefs Holly Hearn (Game Girl Gourmet) and Josh Sutcliff (55 Seventy Houston).

Photo by Daniel Ortiz

Natalie Vaclavik, Ben Ackerley, Will Hoke, and Anthony Greene.

Before supper, guests sipped a signature vodka cocktail from Camellia Monday Hospitality, beers from Saint Arnold Brewing Company, and zero proof cocktails from Cut Above Zero Proof Spirits. Dionysus Imports provided wines to pair with the meal.

A lively auction that included trips, VIP treatment at top Houston restaurants, luxurious at home dinners, and other splurges contributed over $46,000 to the evening’s $165,000 total. That money will help Urban Harvest fulfill its missions of community gardens, farmers markets, gardening classes, and other endeavors to support a more sustainable, healthier food system.

Who: Maria Rene Parada, Connie Sue Ellis, Roy Clark, Anne Lewis, Beth Clark, David Morris, Mark Marmon, Terry Garner, Geraldine Barrett, Ana and Steve Roberson, Diana and Alejandro Madero, Matt and Natalie Vaclavik, Rachel and Blair Kern, Father James Murphy, Russell and Mary Beth Hillenburg, Martin and Elizabeth Coleman, Bailey Dalton, Ellen Weitz, Kevin Lofton, David Young, Kirsten Chong, Ana Beaven and Charlie McDaniel, Ben Ackerley, Judge Beau Miller, Sammy Ford, Kevin Naderi, Mary Clarkson, Howard Stone, Tom Howell, Ashley and Tyler Horne, Dan Lindner, Charlie Talisman, Mary Beth Hillenburg, Alefiya Suby, Caroline Sievers, and Paige Hawley.