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    Shelby's Social Diary

    Party girls pull out all the stops for their birthdays, while a sophisticatedkeg party rocks EaDo

    Shelby Hodge
    Feb 1, 2012 | 4:02 pm
    • The birthday boy and his musical charms were on display.
      Courtesy photo
    • The party at Hudson Lounge featured a shadow dancer in pink wig.
      Photo by © Michelle Watson/CatchLightGroup.com
    • Turning 50 never looked so good as it does on this lady.
      Photo by Dave Rossman
    • Crisp & Raw was the unusual party setting for this 40th birthday bash.
      Courtesy Photo
    • Babes in bar land — the birthday trio had a blast at Hudson Lounge.
      Photo by © Michelle Watson/CatchLightGroup.com
    • That's a whole lot of candles, but who knew.
      Photo by Dave Rossman
    • Party girls at the Tropoli birthday bash at Crisp & Raw.
      Courtesy Photo

    Milestone birthdays present the best of excuses for blowout parties and over the weekend a handful of party girls and guys turning 38, 39, 40 and 50 blew out the candles in high style in three separate soirées.

    We wager that no birthday bash could be more memorable than that of Trish Morille, who celebrated her 50th at the home of Sue and Lester Smith. That generous duo and their house manager Jennifer Huber pulled out the stops for the lavish party for 75 of Trish's nearest and dearest, including her son Luke, who was celebrating his 14th on the very same day.

    Doing the diva at 50

    The party began in the grand foyer of the Smith's fashionable mansion in the Memorial area where cocktails were served and spirits raised in anticipation of the seated dinner by Tony's. Escorted by her husband, Rock Morille, Trish ascended the spiral staircase that led to the Smiths' second-floor ballroom where dinner would be served, glasses raised in champagne toasts and where the dancing to a live band would go on into the wee hours.

    Trish, who helped Lester write his book and now works with the Lester and Sue Smith Foundation, couldn't decide on which of three outfits to wear for the party, so in true diva fashion she made three dress changes.

    For the record, the entrance to the ballroom was decorated in a garland of rose-colored balloons. Rose-hued lights (a 50-year-old's dream) decorated the space where tables were dressed in pink linens and centered with bouquets of roses. The lights were dimmed for the delivery of two cakes and tears were shed as Rock toasted the birthday girl and their 18-year-old daughter, Katherine, sang "Happy Birthday."

    Her party pals included Lisa and Dr. Roy Sheinbaum, Sarah and Ken Fisher, Tammy and Kirk Eyring, Jennifer Huber, Carol and Tom Sawyer, Cherri Carbonara, Ellen Wagnon, Nancy Levicki, Annie Cater, Clifford Pugh, Tom Becker and J.R. Rosenfeld and Karen and Dr. Seth Lerner.

    The Three Musketeers

    Loved the Pura Vida skinny margaritas. Loved the bites from Jackson & Co. Loved DJ Rich from Austin. That was the resounding chorus of the crowd at Hudson Lounge where Marcy de Luna, Laura Greenberg and Mauney Mafrige celebrated their mumblesomething birthdays as only BFFs could.

    As many as 200 poured into the private patio and back lounge of Hudson where the dance party featured laser lights, a big screen and shadow dancer. The prefect setting for tony schmoozing.

    Party animals included Evan Greenberg, Stuart Rosenberg, Kara Howes, Monsour Taghdisi, Henry Richardson, Milton Townsend, Natacha and Saverio La Francesca, Melissa and Michael Mithoff, Joyce Echols, Ali Ansari, Hilda and Greg Curran and Sabiha Rehmatulla.

    The big 4-0

    It was an '80s-themed concert event at Crisp & Raw's EaDo studio space Saturday night when Sarah Pennington Tropoli hosted a rocking 40th party for hubby Peter Tropoli, Luby's/Fuddruckers COO. It was something of a Kinkaid and UT reunion as close to 200 revelers channeled their college days in a sophisticated version of a keg party.

    Entertainment included "garage band" performances by Peter's two groups — Trout Dog and Major 7. The eats — gourmet burgers and fries grilled on site — were from the Fuddruckers mobile kitchen. Don't forget the rainbow of jello shots.

    The rollicking crowd included City Councilman Oliver Pennington and wife Beverley, Kim and J.J. Klevenhagen, Katie and A.J. Brass, Chris and Maria Pappas, Tee and Charles Wickman, Raquel and Andrew Segal, Luisa Feagin, Allison and David Ash and Katherine and Harry Masterson.

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    the pen is mightier

    Houston's literary elite celebrate the power of books at annual gala

    Tarra Gaines
    Feb 23, 2026 | 11:20 am
    Gala Chairs Breen and Holly Haire, Inprint Executive Director Rich Levy, Featured Speaker Lauren Groff
    Photo by Wilson Parish Photography
    Inprint Gala Chairs Breen and Holly Haire, Inprint Executive Director Rich Levy, Featured Speaker Lauren Groff

    The super power of storytelling was the theme of the evening at the River Oaks Country Club, as Houston’s glittering literati made this year’s Inprint Poets and Writers Ball an epic tale to tell. Chaired by Holly and Breen Haire and attended by 370 literature-loving Houstonians, the gala raised more than $450,000 for Inprint’s many readings, workshops, and educational programs as well as support for Houston-based emerging writers.

    Special guest speaker, the acclaimed and best selling author of Matrix, Fates & Furies, Arcadia, and The Monsters of Templeton, Lauren Groff, noted what a unique organization Inprint is and what a rarity of an occasion it is to celebrate the literary arts together.

    “This does not happen anywhere else,” she remarked of the gala early in her rousing talk about the power of the written word in a time when books are being banned and censored. She emphasized that storytelling makes us human and helps us “define who we are.”

    But before Groff’s words of hope for the future of books and the beguiling dinner designed by Robert Del Grande, the James Beard Award-winning Chef Emeritus of The Annie Café & Bar, the evening began with one of the gala’s most beloved traditions. Guests were treated to intimate salon readings from up and coming writers and poets. This year’s crop of authors, all with strong Inprint and Houston ties, were Rosa Boshier González reading a funny, literary work of speculative fiction; award-winning poet and writing professor Rohan Chhetri; and fellow poet, Julia Guez, reading a selection of lyrical, short poems. All three also told stories of how Inprint fellowship and awards gave them the power to chase their writerly dreams.

    Gala Chairs Breen and Holly Haire, Inprint Executive Director Rich Levy, Featured Speaker Lauren Groff

    Photo by Wilson Parish Photography

    Inprint Gala Chairs Breen and Holly Haire, Inprint Executive Director Rich Levy, Featured Speaker Lauren Groff.

    This year’s gala was also the chance for long time friends to celebrate the work of Inprint executive director, Rich Levy, who retires at the end of the 2025-2026 season, after leading the organization to unprecedented heights for 31 years.

    In keeping with the philosophy that not all heroes wear capes, the Inprint board presented Levy with a red cape in honor of his many years of super powered support and promotion of the literary arts in Houston. As a sign to Levy’s lasting legacy, Inprint Presidents Council member Franci Neely, was joined by board president Chinhui Juhn, board member and former president Kevin Lewis, and advisory board member Michael Zilkha to announced the establishment of The Rich Levy Inprint Poetry Buskers Endowment. With more than $132,000 in seed money already raised, this endowment will support in perpetuity the Poetry Busters program to bring poets to the people around Houston.

    With another nod to the future, the Houston arts leader, educator, and writer chosen to next lead Inprint, Giuseppe Taurino, was in attendance, and took a quick bow to guests. Taurino, who now serves as executive director of Writers in the Schools (WITS) Houston, was selected to lead Inprint in a national search.

    Also seen partying with the poets were Christina Bryan and Trey Peacock, Yini Collette, Kimberly Cutchall and Matt Henneman, Mary S and Jack Dawson, Consuelo Duroc-Danner, Vicky and Anthony Estrera, Debbie Gary, Marc Grossberg, Eddie Allen, Caroline Kerr and Andy Lusk, Sabria Lewis, Valerae Lewis and Michael O’Reilly, Katie Padden and Rick Evans, Noelle and Eric Reed, Lillie Robertson, Katie Sammons and Terry Lohrenz, Nikita and Atman Shukla, Limor and Stuart Smith, Diana Strassmann and Jeff Smisek, Nina Zilkha, Michelle and Rishi Varma.

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