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    Partying at the Oscars

    Houstonians add a glam Texas touch to the Academy Awards soirees

    Shelby Hodge
    Mar 10, 2010 | 11:26 am
    • Diane Lokey Farb and Cerón seated at the Chopard table at the Elton John AIDSFoundation Academy Awards party in Los Angeles.
      Photo by Stefanie Keenan
    • Diane Lokey Farb makes a stunning red carpet entrance at the Elton John Party.She wore Reem Acra.
      Photo by Stefanie Keenan

    For almost two decades, social icon Lynn Wyatt has reigned as the Houstonian with the most prestigious invitations to the Oscar scene in Los Angeles. This past weekend, the Texas accent was amplified in L.A. by a handful of additional Bayou City sophisticates making their mark at several key parties.

    La Wyatt is a regular at the Vanity Fair Academy Awards soirée, a coveted invitation limited to an elite 150 who are deemed VF relevant by editor Graydon Carter. Guests arrived early for the awards-viewing dinner and stayed late at the Sunset Tower Hotel to rub elbows with the stars for the second tier of the evening when the Oscar-toting winners pour in to celebrate. It was Wyatt's 16th time to garner what is considered the most prestigious Oscar-night invitation.

    She is also privileged each year to attend the annual picnic (picture Oriental carpets on the grass and other lavish touches) held on the sweeping lawns of the Beverly Hills home of Barry Diller and Diane von Furstenberg. Nancy Reagan was special guest that afternoon and Wyatt and Carolina Herrera spent much of the time escorting her through the crush of notables.

    On Saturday night, Wyatt, her best buddy Elton John and his partner, David Furnish, attended the $10,000 per person "The Night Before" gala at the Beverly Hills Hotel, where the stars truly dazzled. If name-dropping were your game, this would be the place to say you rubbed shoulders with David Geffen, Harrison Ford, Steven Spielberg, Jeff Bridges, Sarah Jessica Parker and more. Just ask Becca Cason Thrash, who partied there on the arm of L.A. party maestro Ben Bourgeois. They were the guests of Survivor producer Mark Burnett and wife Roma Downey.

    No cameras, no cell phones, no press allowed according to Thrash, who said that that aspect of the party made it very easy to schmooze with the stars. At one moment she found herself in a huddle speaking Spanish with Penelope Cruz, Antonio Banderas, Javier Bardem and Marc Anthony, who had performed at her home for a Best Buddies benefit. "Have you met Jenny?" Anthony asked Thrash. That would be his wife, Jennifer Lopez.

    Also in "The Night Before" mix was young Phillip Sarofim on the arm of a fetching young woman.

    Partying relentlessly for three star-studded nights were Diane Lokey Farb and Cerón, who were the weekend guests of Chopard America chairman and president Marc Hruschka. They made the Polo Lounge, the epicenter of Oscar madness, at the Beverly Hills Hotel, the E! late-night party Sunday at the new W Hotel. Tops on their dance card was the Elton John AIDS Foundation Academy Awards party held at the Pacific Design Center. Chopard was one of the main sponsors of Elton's charity evening, giving our Houstonians front and center placement.

    If only Cerón's iPhone had been working properly. Farb is sick that the photos of her with Elton John, with Simon Cowell and with others didn't come out. Stars in that mix included Victoria Beckham, Rob Lowe, Jamie Foxx, Heidi Klum, Nicole Richie, Jennifer Lopez and Miley Cyrus.

    Also attending that Elton John Oscar night party were Greggory and Patrick Burk. They earned their tickets as high bidders in the live auction at the UNICEF black-tie dinner held at the Thrash home late last year. "We had an absolute ball," Greggory e-mailed.

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    Heroes in Action

    Batman, bidders, and Houston's big hearts raise $1.8 million at Wish Ball

    Joel Luks
    May 19, 2025 | 1:33 pm
    Make-A-Wish Ball Houston 2025
    Photo by Jacob Power
    Tony and Laurie Nevotti; Sarah and Hunter Nevotti.

    Every detail at The Post Oak Hotel on May 2 felt like the answer to a wish.

    The ballroom glowed in celestial tones of blue, silver, and gold, with galactic florals blooming from each table. More than 650 guests gathered for The Hero Within, the 2025 Wish Ball benefiting Make-A-Wish Texas Gulf Coast and Louisiana, a night where generosity turned dreams into action.

    This year’s honorees, longtime board member Mandy Williams and Corporate Honoree Enterprise Mobility, were celebrated by Beth and Dan Bellow, who served as honorary chairs. But the emotional core of the evening came from Fox 26 anchor Melissa Wilson and her 17-year-old son Caleb. Diagnosed with leukemia 12 years ago, Caleb took the stage to reflect on his wish experience, describing how it gave him strength when he needed it most.

    Surprises unfolded throughout the night, beginning with Batman’s arrival in the Batmobile to thrill Wish Kid Adonis, whose wide-eyed reaction may have outshined the Caped Crusader himself. Guests mingled over espresso martinis at the Nov-sponsored ice bar, eyed silent auction items, and took chances on raffles, including a shimmering ring from Kim Chau and Co. Fine Jewelers.

    The appeal brought in more than $500,000, with many pledging support for Wish Kid Aria’s dream of planting 1,000 trees—an effort completed symbolically as the final 100 trees were granted during the program. Bidding wars broke out over a live painting by Edgar Medina, a miniature Poodle puppy, fashion wunderkind Max Alexander’s Aspen show tickets, and deBoulle’s dazzling earrings.

    The dance floor filled quickly, with Party in the City keeping the crowd moving well into the night. In all, the evening raised $1.8 million, a record for the chapter and a major boost for wishes to come.

    Granting wishes takes a village, and this one included Courtney and James Jennaro, Genevieve and Ed Razim, Gregory Miller, Claudia and Brad Freels, Teri and Jim Andrepont, Cathy and Robert Brewton, Susan and Larry Kachler, Pam and Joe Slovacek, Kay and Tommy Austin, Holly and Ryan Lambert, Jerrie and John McGillis, Charity and David Stone, Yuliya and Daniel Penny, ZoAnn and Jeff Dreyer, Michael Vanderhider, Max Alexander, Mark Reed, Stephanie and Ryan Moss, Ashley and Jonathan Sloan, Kristin and Barry Palmer, Frani and David Denenburg, Aabha and James Brown, Stephanie and Thomas Hatfield, April and Scott Townsend, Becca and Scott Schwinger, Renee Montgomery, Marye and John Nickens, and Stephanie and Daniel Milwit.

    Make-A-Wish Ball Houston 2025
      

    Photo by Jacob Power

    Tony and Laurie Nevotti; Sarah and Hunter Nevotti.

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