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    The Big Texas Party

    The Big Texas Party is a boot scootin' good time for mayor, sports stars, and revelers

    Clifford Pugh
    Feb 3, 2017 | 5:18 pm

    We've always known that Texans know how to party better than anyone else, and that was resoundingly affirmed at The Big Texas Party Thursday night at Silver Street Studios. The Super Bowl event, hosted by CultureMap, ESPN Radio, and SB Nation, drew a crowd of more than 1,500 excited guests who had such a boot scootin' good time that they didn't want to leave.

    They chowed down on barbecue from 10 top Houston area pitmasters (Ronnie Killen alone provided 1,000 pounds of ribs), downed J.R. Ewing bourbon, Deep Ellum Brewing Co. and Lone Star beer, specialty cocktails with MVP vodka, and shots of tequila from a giant ice sculpture, and danced to the spirited music of Bart Crow. After the Texas country singerfinished his set, the crowd continued to jam the dance floor as DJ Senega played high-energy party tunes that had everyone singing along at the top of their longs.

    Mayor Sylvester Turner, who seemed giddy from all the attention Houston has received this week, waded through the crowd, posing for selfies, talking sports with ESPN 97.5's Joel Blank and Barry Laminack on a live broadcast from a booth at the party, meeting up with his good friend, basketball great Elvin Hayes, and huddling with David Gow, ceo of Houston-based Gow Media, which co-sponsored the party.

    "I'm just so proud of this city. I don't have words to express," Turner said. "This is our moment to shine. Especially when there are a lot of crazy things happening on the national level, Houston is showing we can be diverse, inclusive, very protective and supportive of one another. In this city we don't build walls, we build relationships."

    Other sports stars, including Mike Barber, Gregg Bingham, Cris Dishman, Ed "Too Tall” Jones, Randy White, Bubba McDowell, TJ Glover, B.J. Johnson, Roy Williams, and Melvin Ingram, mingled with the crowd and posed for photos. Many of them also stopped by the ESPN 97.5 booth, which broadcast a full lineup of shows throughout the four-hour party with such radio hosts as John Granato, Henry Thomas and Fred Davis. The shows were simulcast on sister station SB Nation 1560 AM.

    Throughout the evening, a stream of NFL players dropped by, including Jace Amaro, Case Keenum, Nolan Carroll,Christian Covington, Chase Daniel, Dustin Hopkins, Derrick Johnson, David King, Bradley Marquez, Sam Martin, Marshall Newhouse, Justin Pugh, Andrew Sendejo, Bradley Sowell, Charles Tillman, and David Dahl, as well as Texas Texas head coach Kliff Kingsbury.

    CultureMap director of marketing Jessica Baldwin and her team transformed Silver Street Studios into a hip party space, with lush VIP cabanas lining the walls, including an oversized area where Select Sports Group entertained clients. Strings of white lights cascaded along the ceiling, and in a pavilion in the center, Whole Foods Market created a display of luscious desserts. The food giant also served Kickin’ Kombucha cocktails and bourbon caramel gelato.

    Guests clowned around in a Smilebooth photo booth, waited in line for Big Texas Party custom-print T-shirts sponsored by Celebrity Cruises, and stopped by the BBVA Compass booth for cupcakes by Cakes by Gina and to bid on silent auction items to benefit The Center, a Houston facility which helps adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities.

    On the way out, guests snacked on Lee’s Fried Chicken & Donuts and Katz Coffee for added sustenance as they waited in the long Uber line or went next door to Club Nomadic to catch Snoop Dog perform a late night set.

    Spotted in the throng were David Baldwin, Audrey Gow, Lonnie and Candace Schiller, Patti Murphy, Caroline Kenney, Tama Lundquist, Marge Lundquist, and Tena Lundquist Faust, Susan Christian and Laura Spanjin, Ashley Turner, Lily Jang, Butch Alsandor, Lisa Gochman and Chris Beverly, Miss Teen USA Kirby Lindley, Channel 11 anchor Rekha Mudarajand husband Dr. Neil Badlani, Channel 11 reporter Drew Karedes and Jonathan Gillis, Cherri Carbonara, Shari Koziel, and Gabe Canales.

    Mayor Sylvester Turner posed for photographs with excited fans.

    Big Texas Party Mayor Sylvester Turner poses for selfie with fan
      
    Photo by Jacob Power
    Mayor Sylvester Turner posed for photographs with excited fans.
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    Horns Up High

    Burnt orange spirit lights up Houston at Texas Exes scholarship gala

    Joel Luks
    May 16, 2025 | 5:45 pm
    Texas Exes Scholarship Gala 2025
    Photo by Jacob Power
    Kisha and Jason Itkin, Sallie Alcorn, and Kurt and Tara Arnold.

    It was an elevated burnt orange night at River Oaks Country Club as more than 300 Longhorn faithful gathered for the Texas Exes Houston Chapter’s Longhorn Legacy Scholarship Gala on April 10. The evening’s honorees, Kisha Itkin, Jason Itkin, Tara Arnold, and Kurt Arnold, were celebrated for their generosity and spirited support of The University of Texas at Austin.

    Texas Exes Scholarship Gala 2025
      

    Photo by Jacob Power

    Kisha and Jason Itkin, Sallie Alcorn, and Kurt and Tara Arnold.

    Greeting guests at valet was none other than Bevo, the famed Longhorn steer and unofficial mascot. Inside, a sculpted ice bar featuring the honorees' names and the Longhorn logo in vibrant burnt orange wowed the crowd. Underwritten by Mike Lowenberg of Lowenberg Law Firm, the frosty centerpiece offered a fitting nod to the honorees’ indelible mark on UT’s legacy. Meanwhile, a UT Tower ice sculpture, framed by a festive balloon wall by Topped Off Co., provided yet another irresistible photo op.

    Leading the evening’s program was Cyndy Garza Roberts, who kicked off festivities with a stirring video. Athletics director Chris Del Conte praised Jason Itkin and Kurt Arnoldfor their invaluable ideas and steadfast support, reinforcing the honorees’ impact beyond just philanthropy. Texas Exes Houston Chapter president Kyle Griffin and event chair Tawnya Bell also shared personal stories, with Bell's emotional scholarship journey underscoring the night’s purpose.

    Personal testimonies from UT grads and scholarship recipients Janelle Chavez and Will Florer inspired more generosity, culminating in a $330,000 fundraising triumph. Houston City Council Member Sallie Alcorn capped off the tributes with a mayoral proclamation from Mayor John Whitmire, officially declaring April 10 as Kisha and Jason Itkin and Tara and Kurt Arnold Day in Houston.

    In true Longhorn tradition, the evening closed with all guests standing, horns up, singing "The Eyes of Texas, a fitting finale to a night brimming with spirit.

    Spotted were Chuck Harris, Brien Smith, Rick Harsch, June Deadrick, Brock Niezgoda and Meg Hayward, Jackie and Scott Freeman, Luisa and Dr. Lucky Chopra, Ginger Cearley, Erin and Nathan Phelps, Kristen Griffin, Adam Pulaski, Stephanie Wilcox, Catherine Campbell, Al Riddle, Lauren Riddle, Michele Leal and George Farah, Winell and Doug Herron, Kristen Cannon, Niki and James Lassiter, and Amy and Segev Zadok.

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