Shelby's Social Diary

The eve of Christmas Eve rocks for Houston party animals

American Idol's Kimberly Caldwell and Chef Eric Aldis at Mo's
Photo by Tony Bullard
From left, Jonathan Plumhoff, Alison Plumhoff, Ryan Zehl, and Laura Zehl atWarehouse Live
Photo by Tony Bullard
Susan Oeho at Warehouse Live
Photo by Tony Bullard
Mark Riddell plays bass guitar with The Good Times Christmas Group at WarehouseLive
Photo by Tony Bullard
Alicia Rainbolt at Warehouse Live
Photo by Tony Bullard
From left, Elizabeth Jensen, Zach Springer, and Will Bradley at Warehouse Live
Photo by Tony Bullard
From left, Jonathan Plumhoff, Alison Plumhoff, Laura Zehl and Ryan Zehl atWarehouse Live
Photo by Tony Bullard
From left, Eric Aldis, Kimberly Caldwell, and Johnny "V" Vassallo at Mo's
Photo by Tony Bullard
From left, Amalfi Vasquez, Ali Bhatti, and Ashley Walker at Mo's
Photo by Tony Bullard
Jennifer Glover, left, and Sandy Bell at Mo's
Photo by Tony Bullard
Lisa Sowle, left, and Susan Lueckemeyer at Mo's
Photo by Tony Bullard
Justin Aldis and Kristy Caldwell at Mo's
Photo by Tony Bullard
From left, Dr. Trip Chaudhury, Jennifer Ford, and Kim Horvath at Mo's
Photo by Tony Bullard
From left, Gil Gertner, Lisa Sowle, Judi Ramsey and Ken Ramsey at Mo's
Photo by Tony Bullard

T'was the night before the night before Christmas and all through the town, the party animals were rocking, steppin' up and gettin' down.

CultureMap dropped in on two gatherings Wednesday night, taking the pulse of the holiday spirit at a charity bash at Warehouse Live and checking out the scene at that always-sizzling Mo's . . . A Place for Steaks.

The thought four years ago — when a group of friends divined the idea of the "Eve of Christmas Eve Party" at Warehouse Live — was to create a really good reason to get out of the house and to hang with friends before the command-performance, strictly-family family time of Christmas eve and Christmas day.

The fourth annual bash proved that plenty of twentysomethings and thirtysomethings are just itching to jump the ranch for at least one night during the holidays. The place was packed by 10:30 p.m. and, while the dancing was slow to start, by the time DJ Ripley was really cranking, the happy feet were trekking all over the dance floor.

From the get-go, this event, which nominally raises funds (the cover is a mere $15) for selected charities, has been a hit. The turnout easily scales to 700 and, this year, the crowd estimates climbed toward 900. It was, shall we say, a joyous night for hosts Tyler McQueen, Billy O'Neil, Alison and Jonathan Plumhoff, Laura and Ryan Zehl, Emily and Ryan Sweeney, Taylor Dillingham and Meredith Riddle. And for Texas Children's Cancer Center Candlelighters.

Several miles west, in the Galleria area, Mo's was enjoying its usual high-spirited, nighttime revelry with a special guest for its holiday party — Kimberly Caldwell. The woman who placed seventh in the second season of American Idol today works as an entertainment correspondent for the TV Guide Network and has just recorded her first CD. Personal friends with Mo's chef Eric Aldis, she came in to spread the joy. A native of Katy (as is Aldis), Caldwell was in from her base in LA to spend the holidays with family.

It was your typical Mo's high-energy night with the place packed to the rafters with comely Santa's elves, a band keeping up the party tempo revved and owner Johnny "V" Vassallo loving every minute.

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Thanks, Queen Bey

Pop icon Beyoncé donates $100,000 to University of Houston Law School

Photo by Erza Shaw Getty Images

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Pop megastar Beyoncé Knowles-Carter has donated $100,000 to the University of Houston Law Center Criminal Justice Clinic through her BeyGOOD Foundation. The gift will allow the clinic to hire fill-time faculty to head it, benefiting the students who study there.

“I am delighted that the BeyGOOD Foundation has made this very generous gift to the UH Law Center,” said Leonard Baynes, dean of the UH Law Center. “Not only will this funding help establish a full-time criminal justice clinic that provides pro bono legal services in our community, but it will also supercharge our already excellent criminal law and justice programming.”

The clinic is one of nine at UHLC. It helps students learn to navigate the criminal justice system, especially on behalf of clients that are underserved by skilled attorneys. People of color are affected disproportionately by a lack of good, ethical representation.

Beyoncé, the most decorated artist in Grammy history and easily the biggest musical star native to Houston, has a long history of advocating for criminal justice reform. She was a staunch supporter of the police reform following the deaths of Alton Sterling and Philando Castile, asking law enforcement to “stop killing us” in a web post. In 2020, she penned an open letter to the Kentucky attorney general asking for justice in the death of Breonna Taylor.

Through her BeyGOOD Foundation, established in 2013, Beyoncé has focused mostly on expanding the prospects of Black-owned business and offering education opportunities to students. Forwarding the cause of legal representation in Texas while also helping out marginalized communities compliments her other philanthropic work.

“At UH Law, we envision a legal profession where ‘everyone has the opportunity to prosper,’ as BeyGOOD envisions, and we will achieve this vision by providing access to strong and effective legal representation in criminal proceedings,” Baynes said. “And together, through this gift, the BeyGOOD Foundation and UHLC will shepherd the next generation of criminal justice attorneys in the city of Houston, the state of Texas and the nation.”