Shelby About Town
A wedding gown — and date — for Dominique Sachse, Houston jewels for Big BangTheory star & Mayor Parker on stage
As KPRC news anchor Dominique Sachse's recent Facebook post notes: "Wedding date: check. Wedding dress: check! Can't be that much more on my list, right? (wink)."
Yes, Dominique and Nick Florescu will tie the knot in mid-May in Houston, having abandoned the early romantic idea of a wedding in Rome. ( Too many complications with family, children and orchestrating the perfect across-the-Atlantic nuptials.)
They will be wed in a private ceremony, family and intimate friends only, in the Memorial area home of John and Becca Cason Thrash. We all know how grand that art-filled dwelling is for swell parties and can only imagine how fantastic the wedding will be. Friends need not feel left out as immediately following their vows, the newlyweds will invite their partying throng of amigos over to the Cason Thrash home for a major celebration.
Dominique has selected a gown by DiSanto, a nod to that original plan for nuptials in Italy. You really should go to the designer's website and check out the glamour gowns. We can only imagine what Dominique will select.
Look for their children, six between them, in the wedding party. Three boys: Alex, Nicky and Styles. Three girls: Elle, Bella and Ava.
Red carpet bling from Houston
Houston-based jewelry designerNini Hale, a third generation gem artist with roots going back to Thailand, will be glued to the tube Sunday night for the Screen Actors Guild Awards Ceremony. Plans at the moment are for actress Mayim Bialik of The Big Bang Theory to wear her creations on the red carpet.
Tim Moloney will be on the scene in LA with loads of Nini's precious jewelry for stylists to peruse. It's a major step into Hollywood for the Houstonian who creates dazzling one-of-a-kind pieces priced from $20,000 to $2 million. While her creations are available in select Saks Fifth Avenue and Neiman Marcus stores, she has a showroom near the Galleria.
Nini has a rich history as her grandmother was jeweler to the royal family of Thailand.
Houston arts in the spotlight
The stage of Zilkha Hall at Hobby Center was packed with leaders of the arts, business and legislative communities Tuesday night when the Houston Arts Alliance held its biennial reception spotlighting the economic benefits of the city's arts community, not the least of which is 150,000 jobs.
Mayor Annise Parker and City Controller Ron Green praised the contributions of the arts to the city and applauded recent additions to the scene —Houston Ballet's Center for Dance, the Asia Society's new home and the new facility for the Houston Buffalo Soldiers Museum, each of which was built during the national recession.
In addition to seven city council members, HAA CEO Jonathon Glus and HAA board chairman Marshal Lightman helped spread the word on the organization that works as a public arts agency for the city by distributing more than $3 million in grants to some 250 non-profit arts organizations and individuals.
Helping celebrate the rich trove of arts were Texas Commission on the Arts exec Gary Gibbs, Joe Dilg, Judy Nyquist, Greg Ortale, Minnette Boesel, John Guess and Peter Brown.
A decade in print
Joni and Michael Hoffman, editor and publisher respectively of The Buzz Magazines, celebrated 10 years of publishing with a blow-out at Hotel Sorella's new meetings and events center. Close to 500 well-wishers joined the party that was orchestrated by Ashleigh Scanlon's Double the Details.
Guests raved over the miles of creative food tables, the liquid nitrogen ice cream from Rosemary's Catering and the bountiful flowers from Lexis Florist. The scene included an Absolut Vodka press station, cigar girls dolling out Houston's own Hight Cigars, a Face Exchange photo booth and a nightcap of milk and Michael's Cookie Jar treats. Positive State of Mind had the crowd singing along to their classic oldies.
Joining the party were Jamie Barrere, Betty Hrncir, Carol Sharpe, Sheri Khatami, Roshanak Far, Randi Corbell Casada, Betsy and Scott Baxter, Dr. Ellen Friedman and newly-elected Bellaire Mayor Dr. Phil Nauert and wife Sandy.
Sight 'ems
Geo. H. Lewis & Sons honchos Billy Wells and Bradford Wyatt lunching at Brasserie 19 where the crowd at various tables included Karen Johnson, Larry Levine, Karen Mayell, Terrie Turner, Kelli Blanton. Also spotted there Tammy Dowe headhuddling with All-in-One Applications founder Jessica Givens and Jamil Driscoll and Amanda Halter . . .
Members of the cast of Bring it On: The Musical, now playingat Theatre Under the Stars, celebrating cast member Ariana DeBose's 21st birthday at lunch at Hearsay. (You might remember Ariana from season six of Fox's So You Think You Can Dance.) . . .
Houston Texans right tackle Eric Winston lunching at Haven with Recipe for Success founder Gracie Cavnar, discussing a new TV project. Stay tuned . . .
Former President George H.W. Bush and Barbara Bush at the Hobby Center where they received a standing ovation as they arrived for the performance of Bring It On: The Musical. The Bushes went backstage after the show to congratulate the cast and pose for a photo opp . . .
Sheridan and John Eddie Williams dining at Tony's with Elaine Block and Dennis O'Rourke. At another table Donna and Tony Vallone hosted Mike Linn and Sandy and Dr. Barney Barrett.