• Home
  • popular
  • EVENTS
  • submit-new-event
  • CHARITY GUIDE
  • Children
  • Education
  • Health
  • Veterans
  • Social Services
  • Arts + Culture
  • Animals
  • LGBTQ
  • New Charity
  • TRENDING NEWS
  • News
  • City Life
  • Entertainment
  • Sports
  • Home + Design
  • Travel
  • Real Estate
  • Restaurants + Bars
  • Arts
  • Society
  • Innovation
  • Fashion + Beauty
  • subscribe
  • about
  • series
  • Embracing Your Inner Cowboy
  • Green Living
  • Summer Fun
  • Real Estate Confidential
  • RX In the City
  • State of the Arts
  • Fall For Fashion
  • Cai's Odyssey
  • Comforts of Home
  • Good Eats
  • Holiday Gift Guide 2010
  • Holiday Gift Guide 2
  • Good Eats 2
  • HMNS Pirates
  • The Future of Houston
  • We Heart Hou 2
  • Music Inspires
  • True Grit
  • Hoops City
  • Green Living 2011
  • Cruizin for a Cure
  • Summer Fun 2011
  • Just Beat It
  • Real Estate 2011
  • Shelby on the Seine
  • Rx in the City 2011
  • Entrepreneur Video Series
  • Going Wild Zoo
  • State of the Arts 2011
  • Fall for Fashion 2011
  • Elaine Turner 2011
  • Comforts of Home 2011
  • King Tut
  • Chevy Girls
  • Good Eats 2011
  • Ready to Jingle
  • Houston at 175
  • The Love Month
  • Clifford on The Catwalk Htx
  • Let's Go Rodeo 2012
  • King's Harbor
  • FotoFest 2012
  • City Centre
  • Hidden Houston
  • Green Living 2012
  • Summer Fun 2012
  • Bookmark
  • 1987: The year that changed Houston
  • Best of Everything 2012
  • Real Estate 2012
  • Rx in the City 2012
  • Lost Pines Road Trip Houston
  • London Dreams
  • State of the Arts 2012
  • HTX Fall For Fashion 2012
  • HTX Good Eats 2012
  • HTX Contemporary Arts 2012
  • HCC 2012
  • Dine to Donate
  • Tasting Room
  • HTX Comforts of Home 2012
  • Charming Charlie
  • Asia Society
  • HTX Ready to Jingle 2012
  • HTX Mistletoe on the go
  • HTX Sun and Ski
  • HTX Cars in Lifestyle
  • HTX New Beginnings
  • HTX Wonderful Weddings
  • HTX Clifford on the Catwalk 2013
  • Zadok Sparkle into Spring
  • HTX Let's Go Rodeo 2013
  • HCC Passion for Fashion
  • BCAF 2013
  • HTX Best of 2013
  • HTX City Centre 2013
  • HTX Real Estate 2013
  • HTX France 2013
  • Driving in Style
  • HTX Island Time
  • HTX Super Season 2013
  • HTX Music Scene 2013
  • HTX Clifford on the Catwalk 2013 2
  • HTX Baker Institute
  • HTX Comforts of Home 2013
  • Mothers Day Gift Guide 2021 Houston
  • Staying Ahead of the Game
  • Wrangler Houston
  • First-time Homebuyers Guide Houston 2021
  • Visit Frisco Houston
  • promoted
  • eventdetail
  • Greystar Novel River Oaks
  • Thirdhome Go Houston
  • Dogfish Head Houston
  • LovBe Houston
  • Claire St Amant podcast Houston
  • The Listing Firm Houston
  • South Padre Houston
  • NextGen Real Estate Houston
  • Pioneer Houston
  • Collaborative for Children
  • Decorum
  • Bold Rock Cider
  • Nasher Houston
  • Houston Tastemaker Awards 2021
  • CityNorth
  • Urban Office
  • Villa Cotton
  • Luck Springs Houston
  • EightyTwo
  • Rectanglo.com
  • Silver Eagle Karbach
  • Mirador Group
  • Nirmanz
  • Bandera Houston
  • Milan Laser
  • Lafayette Travel
  • Highland Park Village Houston
  • Proximo Spirits
  • Douglas Elliman Harris Benson
  • Original ChopShop
  • Bordeaux Houston
  • Strike Marketing
  • Rice Village Gift Guide 2021
  • Downtown District
  • Broadstone Memorial Park
  • Gift Guide
  • Music Lane
  • Blue Circle Foods
  • Houston Tastemaker Awards 2022
  • True Rest
  • Lone Star Sports
  • Silver Eagle Hard Soda
  • Modelo recipes
  • Modelo Fighting Spirit
  • Athletic Brewing
  • Rodeo Houston
  • Silver Eagle Bud Light Next
  • Waco CVB
  • EnerGenie
  • HLSR Wine Committee
  • All Hands
  • El Paso
  • Avenida Houston
  • Visit Lubbock Houston
  • JW Marriott San Antonio
  • Silver Eagle Tupps
  • Space Center Houston
  • Central Market Houston
  • Boulevard Realty
  • Travel Texas Houston
  • Alliantgroup
  • Golf Live
  • DC Partners
  • Under the Influencer
  • Blossom Hotel
  • San Marcos Houston
  • Photo Essay: Holiday Gift Guide 2009
  • We Heart Hou
  • Walker House
  • HTX Good Eats 2013
  • HTX Ready to Jingle 2013
  • HTX Culture Motive
  • HTX Auto Awards
  • HTX Ski Magic
  • HTX Wonderful Weddings 2014
  • HTX Texas Traveler
  • HTX Cifford on the Catwalk 2014
  • HTX United Way 2014
  • HTX Up to Speed
  • HTX Rodeo 2014
  • HTX City Centre 2014
  • HTX Dos Equis
  • HTX Tastemakers 2014
  • HTX Reliant
  • HTX Houston Symphony
  • HTX Trailblazers
  • HTX_RealEstateConfidential_2014
  • HTX_IW_Marks_FashionSeries
  • HTX_Green_Street
  • Dating 101
  • HTX_Clifford_on_the_Catwalk_2014
  • FIVE CultureMap 5th Birthday Bash
  • HTX Clifford on the Catwalk 2014 TEST
  • HTX Texans
  • Bergner and Johnson
  • HTX Good Eats 2014
  • United Way 2014-15_Single Promoted Articles
  • Holiday Pop Up Shop Houston
  • Where to Eat Houston
  • Copious Row Single Promoted Articles
  • HTX Ready to Jingle 2014
  • htx woodford reserve manhattans
  • Zadok Swiss Watches
  • HTX Wonderful Weddings 2015
  • HTX Charity Challenge 2015
  • United Way Helpline Promoted Article
  • Boulevard Realty
  • Fusion Academy Promoted Article
  • Clifford on the Catwalk Fall 2015
  • United Way Book Power Promoted Article
  • Jameson HTX
  • Primavera 2015
  • Promenade Place
  • Hotel Galvez
  • Tremont House
  • HTX Tastemakers 2015
  • HTX Digital Graffiti/Alys Beach
  • MD Anderson Breast Cancer Promoted Article
  • HTX RealEstateConfidential 2015
  • HTX Vargos on the Lake
  • Omni Hotel HTX
  • Undies for Everyone
  • Reliant Bright Ideas Houston
  • 2015 Houston Stylemaker
  • HTX Renewable You
  • Urban Flats Builder
  • Urban Flats Builder
  • HTX New York Fashion Week spring 2016
  • Kyrie Massage
  • Red Bull Flying Bach
  • Hotze Health and Wellness
  • ReadFest 2015
  • Alzheimer's Promoted Article
  • Formula 1 Giveaway
  • Professional Skin Treatments by NuMe Express

    Shelby About Town

    Get out those credit cards with the hefty limits for UNICEF gala

    Shelby Hodge
    shelby hodge
    Jan 12, 2010 | 12:00 am
    Party with Sir Elton John at the Oscars

    Hold on to your carry-on bags ladies and gentlemen. The live auction items at Thursday's UNICEF gala are so enticing that gala guests will be willing to withstand the security inconveniences of commercial air travel in favor of bidding high and bidding often.

    Becca Cason Thrash, chair of the black-tie soirée to be held in the art-fllled home she shares with husband John Thrash, has compiled a handful of other-worldly experiences starting with a splendid evening partying with Elton John at his Oscar night gala in Hollywood. The package includes seats for two at a $100,000 sponsor table at the Elton John AIDS Foundation gala where Elton will perform. Add first class air and two nights stay at the swank Peninsula Hotel.

    The cache of magic carpet tours going to the highest bidder includes four nights (for as many as eight guests) at Ben Bourgeois' swellCasa Fiesta in Zihuatanejo; a four-day New York City fashion adventure for four with air, private residence accommodations and a custom fitting with designers Naeem Khan (who will be attending the gala) and Angel Sanchez; a four-night Hong Kong hejira for four including air, luxe hotel, out-island tour and grand dinner at the oh-so-private and terribly chic Club Bel-Air. And then there is Bali — six nights at your choice of Indonesia's sumptuous Amanresorts, plus a $5,000 shopping spree at Neiman Marcus.

    Get those black American Express cards ready. These gems are worth a mint. And then there is the king's ransom in silent auction offerings — a $30,000 diamond and rock crystal ring, anyone?

    Artful neighborhood

    When Mayor Annise Parker said, shortly after her election, that she would like to see more public art in Houston, she probably had no idea what was about to happen on Fannin. Grayco Partners, in conjunction with the opening of its twin seven-story towers Venue Museum District, is hosting Venue Paint Project, a series of nine 4X6 foot canvasses of Houston streetscapes. The artwork goes up Wednesday on the Fannin side of the luxury apartment building and will be on display through Feb. 11.

    Artist Kermit Eisenhut enlisted eight other artists to participate — Salli Babbitt, Ruben Coy, Richard Fluhr, Jerrie Gast, Liz Conces Spencer, Suzanne E. Sellers, Tra Slaughter and Wendy Wagner. They will be honored at an artists reception at the site on Wednesday after the works are installed. Jeff Gray, founder and president of Grayco, is hosting this event and hosting the grand opening of Venue Museum District set for Feb. 11.

    The artworks will be auctioned at that cocktail reception with proceeds going to Art League of Houston and Lawndale Art Center.

    Never mind

    Do not get your Chinese-themed black-tie gear out just yet. The Yao Ming charity gala that was supposed to have taken place at the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston on Jan. 30 has been postponed. Scheduling conflicts, we were told. No further explanation. But stay tuned as the evening featuring headline entertainment is said to still be very much in the works.

    Party time

    Former Houstonians Karen and Mark Johnson, in from temporary home base in Beaver Creek, Colo., played hosts to a glam gaggle of pals Sunday night at Ciao Bello. The upstairs party room was packed with friends such as Dancie and Jim Ware, Clayton and Shel Erikson, Jane Brennan-Martinand Lynda Transier,who wined and dined on amazing Italian fare from the groaning buffet table.

    Donna and Tony Vallone, Ciao Bello regulars on Sunday nights, took bows for the taste treats from guests, including Sheridan and John Eddie Williams, Beth Sanders Moore and Jess Moore, Ellen and Robert Wagnonand Diane Lokey Farb.

    Sight 'ems

    Mathew Knowles, Beyoncé's dad and soon-to-be amicable ex of Beyoncé's mom Tina Knowles, very cozy over dinner at Da Marco Friday night with a striking, tall brunette. Dare we say a younger woman. They played kissy-face and she couldn't resist hand-feeding the apparently smitten Knowles . . .

    Artist Carl Palazzolo lunching at La Griglia with Texas Gallery owners Fredricka Hunter and Ian Glennie, discussing Palazzolo's show of new paintings in the gallery in April . . .

    New kid on the restaurant block Canopy on Montrose doing a bang-up lunch business on Monday with diners that included Phoebe Tudor, chef Monica Pope, restaurateur Gary Moseley, LaVerl Daily, publicist Paula Murphy meeting with Canopy chef Claire Smith and more . . .

    Brenda and Brad Jones and Heidi and Chris Hill head-huddling at chef Randy Evans' new Haven restaurant . . .

    Jennifer Gilliam, Michael Holthouse and Claire Sullivan-Jackson lunching at Grotto 610.

    Party with Sir Elton John at the Oscars

     
    unspecified
    news/society

    most read posts

    Houston chef Tristen Epps dishes on his Top Chef victory — and what's next

    Intimate Houston cocktail lounge adds European-inspired outdoor patio

    Award-winning Houston cocktail bar diverts to new home in Montrose

    Blooms and Baroque

    Vivaldi and vino charm Houstonians at enchanted garden soirée

    Joel Luks
    Jun 17, 2025 | 5:15 pm
    Prelude Music Foundation Vivaldi in the Garden
    Photo by Kit Peltier
    Sebastian Godfrey, Ana Treviño-Godfrey, Kimberly Borders, and Charlene Tombar.

    In a West University garden scented with jasmine and strung with twinkling lights, Prelude Music Foundation hosted its “Vivaldi in the Garden” soirée, transforming a quiet spring night into a multisensory celebration of music and meaning.

    Hosts Sarrah and Jim Petersen opened the gates to their blooming backyard hideaway, where guests wandered through lush layers of hibiscus, hydrangeas, and milkweed before settling in under lantern-lit trellises. Chairs Caroline Reichert and Lauren Sanders curated a romantic tablescape of golden linens, music note napkins, and flickering votives—a nod to the night’s harmonic heart.

    The evening’s highlight was an electrifying performance by a sextet from Mercury Chamber Orchestra, led by Jonathan Godfrey on solo violin. From Vivaldi’s Four Seasons to Piazzolla’s smoky Libertango, each piece shimmered with energy and soul. Ana Treviño Godfrey, co-founder of Prelude, spoke passionately about the cognitive magic of early music education, connecting the dots between melody and neurogenesis.

    Adding playful charm? Grown-up musical chairs — live-scored, naturally — and the chance to “Take Home the Garden,” with blooms offered for donation. Guests clinked glasses of rosé and filled wine passports from four global vineyards, thanks to sommeliers from Everywine and nibbles from Hungry’s.

    Funds raised will support Prelude’s programs at 13 underserved schools, plus Ronald McDonald House Charities and Casa de Esperanza.

    Adding sparkle to the soirée were Rachel Regan, Steven Godfrey, Isabel David, Melanie Lawson, Carlos Treviño, Briana and Rachel Conner, Bernadette Verzosa and Len Cannon, Marsha and Michael Bourque, Caroline Le Feuvre and Jeff Shaddix, Lauren and Adam Selwyn, Julia and Michael Hiner, Mary Morgan and Reed Stevens, Gretchen and Ken Penny, Courtney and Jordan Chester, Martha Villanueva and Jordan Gross, Erika Westberry, Kimberly Borders, Katie Koenig and Doug Dirschl, Sarah and Christopher Lewis, Eli Levinowitz and Art Levinowitz, Tricia Monticello Kievlan, Atalia Castro and Chrystian Quinones, Jaime and Matt Titus, and Charlene and Tym Tombar.

    Prelude Music Foundation Vivaldi in the Garden
      

    Photo by Kit Peltier

    Sebastian Godfrey, Ana Treviño-Godfrey, Kimberly Borders, and Charlene Tombar.

    fundraisersprelude music foundation
    news/society
    Loading...