It was a quick but productive two-day visit to Houston by Korean-born artist Lee Ufan, who was in town on a mission for the new Asia Society Texas Center — supervising installation of his creation Relatum - signal, commissioned for the center's sculpture garden.

Following installation of the work, Ufan was feted at a reception and onstage conversation with center executive director Martha Blackwelder. It was there that he described Houston as a city with "a touch of wildness" and commented that his longtime friend Yoshio Taniguchi did a commendable job of producing a refined building that manages to fit into the city's unruly environment. Famed architect Taniguchi designed the stunning new home of the Asia Society. Lee's comments drew laughs from admirers.

Guests musing over the nuances of Lee's work included Sushila and Durga D. Agrawal, Nancy Allen, Eddie Allen, Monjula and Ravi Chidambaram, Jo and Jim Furr, Sissy and Denny Kempner, Chonk-Ok Matthews, Sue and Randy Sim, Mike Stude and Y. Ping Sun.

The sculpture will officially go on display when the Texas Center opens on April 14.

Jehan Sadat lends support

Dot and Walt Cunningham are pulling in their celeb friends to support the April 13 Be an Angel Awards Gala to take place at The Rice. Last week, Jehan Sadat, the much-admired widow of late Egyptian president Anwar Sadat, buzzed through town to tape a message to be screened at the gala. The Cunninghams convinced their friend Tom Hanks to join the party. He purchased a $3,000 table but don't count on him actually walking the red carpet for this one.

Dot Cunningham serves on the Be an Angel board and is helping gala chairs Patsy and Felix Rhymes stir up interest in the evening. Honorees are Shriners Hospital's regional administrator David Ferrell, St. Luke's Episcopal Health System CEO David Fine, Texas Children's Hospital surgeon-in-chief Charles Fraser Jr. and Life Flight/Memorial Hermann.

A Beatle on board

John and Becca Cason Thrash were beside themselves over the weekend when they realized that they were traveling in the same Eurostar high-speed train car as Paul McCartney, his wife and three grandchildren. Becca emailed from the scene that Sir Paul "was just hangin' with them, reading books and laughing. Very cool guy, indeed!" Yes, even Becca can be star struck.

The Cason Thrashes had met McCartney at Phillips de Pury auction house on a previous trip to London. They bought four photographs taken by his late wife Linda Eastman McCartney.

Partying at Beck's Prime

Houston Wellness Association board member Jonathan Lack celebrated his 50th in cool, casual style at the burger house in Memorial Park. With perfect weather, guests partied outdoors and dined on Beck's famed burgers, chicken and hot dogs.

Helping blow out the candles on the huge birthday cake were Andrea and former Mayor Bill White in formal wear, a bit over-dressed as they were on their way to a wedding reception. Also there — Karen and Byron Hood, Fred and Kay Zeidman, Jane Cummins and Bob Borochoff, John Elder, Keith Bickel, Barbara and Paul Frison, Jay Guerrero, Farha Ahmed and her husband Zubair Ashraf.