Shelby About Town

Huey Lewis entertains; Mark Kelly and Tilman Fertitta dine at La Griglia

Huey Lewis and The News as they performed at L'Auberge du Lac.
Photo by Daniel Ortiz
Mauney Mafrige, from left, Paul Reade, Marcy de Luna and Debbie Festari on boardthe party bus bound for Lake Charles.
Photo by Daniel Ortiz
Huey Lewis entertained at L'Auberge du Lac.
Photo by Daniel Ortiz

Party bus! That was the transportation for a rollicking crowd that headed for L'Auberge du Lac in Lake Charles over the weekend to celebrate the b'days of Mauney Mafrige and Marcy de Luna. Even the flat tire on the way to the lakefront casino couldn't dampen the H-town spirits and we assume that there were plenty of spirits involved.

The merry band of partygoers tried their luck at the gaming tables, took in the Huey Lewis and The News concert, gambled some more and then hit the dance floor in the hotel bar where an '80s theme prevailed. Grooving the night away were Rob Rutherford, Joel Kalmin, Debbie Festari, Daniel Ortiz, Rosie Meyers, Sarah Bray, Christopher Mendel, Paul Reade, Natacha La Francesca, Christopher Williams, Laura Mafrige and Bubba McNeely.

Sunday morning, L'Auberge hosted a birthday brunch for the Houston set complete with a huge birthday cake. And what would a birthday be without a serenade? McNeely picked up a microphone and crooned "Happy Birthday" to the girls in front of the entire resort restaurant. Sweet.

A trial run

It might have been a "mock" dinner at Philippe Restaurant + Lounge on Monday night but the place was hopping as if it had already become the hot spot du jour. Channel 11 news anchor Lucy Noland, morning radio host Sam Malone, Houston Magazine's Lou DeLone, food writer John DeMers, attorney Jennifer LeGrand, Houston Social Book's Scott Evans and Jeff Henry, Houston Texans' Greg Grissom and marketing and event planner Ellie Francisco and her son Gregg Ring sampled from the menu.

Gallerists Carolyn Farb and Deborah Colton, dining at a front and center table, had special reason for anticipating the restaurant's opening next week. Their gallery, Colton & Farb, is providing a collection of sophisticated artwork for Philippe Schmit's new place including works by Lowell Boyers and George Tobolowsky, whose mentor was James Surls. Art for the restaurant were selected by Rania Jamal, one of Colton & Farb's artists, and Schmit.

Perhaps the most interesting guests of all were Schmit's long-time friends and unofficial restaurant consultants Bill Floyd and Bryan Caswell of Reef and Stella Sola fame. That duo has its own excitement brewing with their new arrangement with the Astros at Minute Maid Park and with the soon-to-open El Real Tex-Mex spot in Montrose.

Partying in Palm Beach

That would be a well-heeled flock of Houstonians attending the glamorous benefit gala for the Palm Beach Zoo as guests of Netscape billionaire Jim Clark, a native of Plainview, and his bride Australian model Kristy Hinze Clark. Winging east for the festivities that raised $1 million for the zoo's Malaysian Tiger program were John and Becca Cason Thrash, Neal Hamil, Sara Dodd Spickelmier and Keith Spickelmier.

Also joining their party was former Houstonian Keeley White Ast, whose husband Steve Ast is a top exec with the Blackstone Group.

Peter Marzio remembrance

The Houston Museum of African American Culture saluted the memory of the late Museum of Fine Arts director Peter Marzio with a special gathering at the HMAAC. Leading the remembrance were MFAH 5A president Ramon Manning, artist Bert Long, MFAH trustee Sarah Trotty and veteran MFAH curator Alvia Wardlaw.

Poignant moments in the program came when Wardlaw recalled Marzio's ardent support of the quilt artists of Gee's Bend and his resolve to insure that the John Biggers, Thornton Dial and Kermit Oliver exhibitions attracted large audiences.

The gathering included HMAAC president John Guess Jr., HMAAC board president Melanie Lawson, Irene Johnson, Ellena Stone Huckaby, Dr. Robert Galloway, Danielle Burns, Michelle Barns, Pat Gregory and Forde McWilliams.

Sight 'ems

Astronaut Mark Kelly and Tilman Fertitta dining at La Griglia . . .

Two great American playwrights serendipitously meeting up at The Menil Collection on Saturday: Terrence McNally in town for Houston Grand Opera's production of Dead Man Walking (he wrote the libretto) and Edward Albee crossed paths outside of the Cy Twombly Gallery . . .

Actress and Houston native Lois Chiles back in town for a few days from her perch in New York City enjoying dinner at Hugo's with Vance Muse, Carl Palazzolo, Susie and Sanford Criner as well as Chiles' traveling companion and NYC pal Vicki Sorrell . . .

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Get inspired

Noted Houston street artist paints vibrant new mural at downtown venue

Photo courtesy of Hobby Center for the Performing Arts

GONZO247 poses in front of his new mural, "Houston is Inspired" inside Hobby Center

Visitors to the Hobby Center for the Performing Arts can now see an incredible new mural by one of Houston's most iconic street artists.Mario Enrique Figueroa, Jr., known as Gonzo247, debuted his piece, "Houston is Inspired" on Friday, December 12.

“This piece is all about capturing the energy that makes Houston, Houston," said the artist in a statement. "It’s that raw, vibrant hustle — the music, the culture, the stories we’ve been telling for generations. I wanted to create something that pulls people in, gets them hyped for what they’re about to experience. Every color, every shape, every detail is telling a story, a vibe. This ain’t just a mural or a piece of art — it’s a journey. It's about the grind, the growth, and the inspiration we pass on to each other, on and off the stage.”

The piece is called "Houston is Inspired," after the program at Hobby meant to showcase local performers by offering them week-long residencies on a prestigious stage. This season includes CJ Emmons's one-man comedy musical show I'm Freaking Talented; a rhythmic interactive storytelling experience called Our Road Home by Jakari Sherman; and Lavanya Rajagopalan's combination of music, dance and verse, Kāvya: Poetry in Motion. Information about all three shows, including ticket prices and availability, can be found at TheHobbyCenter.org.

The last show (debuting May 1) was a particular inspiration to Gonzo247. Viewers may notice a pair of hands in a traditional Indian dance pose, a direct reference to Rajagopalan's show.

The Houston is Inspired program was launched launched in the 2023-2024 season. In addition to the residency in Zilkha Hall, artists are given a $20,000 stipend for production and marketing costs. It is now a permanent fixture of the Hobby season. Applicants for future seasons can submit here.

Known for his original "Houston is Inspired" mural in downtown's Market Square, Gonzo247 has been an active force in Houston art for 30 years, including producing the video series Aerosol Warfare about the street art scene in the 1990s and 2000s as well as founding the Graffiti and Street Art Museum. He also served as the artist liaison for Meow Wolf's Houston installation. If anyone's visual vision is perfect to welcome audience members to shows highlighting homegrown talent, it's him.

“Art’s all about telling stories, but it ain’t just what you see — it’s what you feel," he said. "This piece speaks to the heart of everything we’re about: culture, rhythm, struggle, and triumph. When you walk into the space, you gotta feel the anticipation, the energy building up. That’s what I wanted to capture — the vibe of the whole city, the passion in the work, and that next-level hunger to rise up and create something fresh. It’s like the beat drops, and everything just connects.”

visual-art downtown mural gonzo247