Shelby's Social Diary
No card tricks required, the Museum of Natural Science gala a winner
Photo by Bill Olive
Photo by Bill Olive
Photo by Bill Olive
The various halls of the museum were playful decorated for dinner in amagician-inspired motif.Photo by Bill Olive
Photo by Bill Olive
Photo by Bill Olive
Photo by Bill Olive
Photo by Bill Olive
Photo by Bill Olive
Photo by Bill Olive
Photo by Bill Olive
To say that the Houston Museum of Natural Science gala was magical would be just too corny for words. So we'll skip that and move on to the basics of the "Do You Believe in Magic" evening at the museum that played off of the current exhibition Magic!
But we do have to say that gala chairs Melinda and Sam Stubbs and Paula and Rusty Walter waved their magic wands to create an energized party that had the 900 guests dancing much of the night away. Thanks went in part to the swell sounds of Yvonne Washington, who performed throughout dinner in the Hall of Paleontology where the mammoth Tyrannosaurus Rex kept an eye on the black-tie scene, and in part to the rocking sounds of Big Ray and the Kool Kats, who performed in a tent after dinner.
And speaking of dinner, guests are still raving about the delish fare from City Kitchen — beef tenderloin, risotto cake, asparagus, cheddar biscuits and chocolate "Magician's Hat" dessert.
In keeping with the magical theme, the museum engaged two magicians to perform on stage in the Grand Hall where they wowed the crowd with their sleight-of-hand antics and two magicians to work the room for up-close-and-personal tricks. During dinner, the talents moved among the tables challenging the imagination of those who might not believe.
The most magical aspect of the evening was that the annual gala raised more than $1.2 million. We'll have another one of those Houdini-tinis (chocolate martinis) to toast that success! Mix one for museum president Joel Bartsch as well.
In the party mix were Randa Duncan Williams and Charlie Williams, Laurie and Reed Morian, Sheridan and John Eddie Williams, Frann Lichtenstein and Jeff Hirschberg, Dana and Trey Strake, Katie and A.J. Brass, Lester and Sue Smith, Janet Gurwitch and Ron Franklin, Kristen and Lee Nix and Dorothy and Artie McFerrin.
