spring fling is back

Hot Houston young professional party springs back with worthy cause

Sarika Patel, Jillian Bricher, Karishma Asrani, and Liz Arrigo.

Photo courtesy of Women of Wardrobe

One of Houston’s most beloved nonprofits is bringing back a buzzy spring party popular with the local young professional crowd.

Women of Wardrobe, the social and volunteer arm of Dress for Success Houston, is hosting its annual Spring Fling party on Saturday, April 9 at The Owl Bar in Rice Village (2424 Dunstan Rd., Suite 150).

Now in its 17th year, Spring Fling brings more than 200 young professionals together to party for a benevolent cause. With a ticketed entry ($35), guests can enjoy drinks and bites from Liberty Kitchen, Local Foods, and Terrace 54.

For some swag, attendees can purchase raffle tickets for curated packages from Eureka Heights Brew Co., H Town Restaurant Group, Hemline, Zadok Jewelers, and more.
Proceeds from Spring Fling benefit Dress for Success Houston, the nonprofit aimed at uplifting women and supporting career advancement and providing workwear for interviews and more.

Thus far, Spring Fling has raised more $20,000 so far with pre-purchases, Dress for Success staff tells us.

“Women of Wardrobe brings together smart, talented and driven young professionals from our community to support the mission of Dress for Success Houston,” Marianna Corcoran, its president, tells CultureMap. “I am so proud to be in the company of accomplished women, all of us who share a desire to make a difference. Spring Fling is one of our largest fundraisers for DFS Houston and a chance to celebrate a worthy cause in our community.”

Created in 2003, Women of Wardrobe is an all-women YP group raising awareness of Dress for Success Houston through social events and volunteerism.

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Spring Fling; The Owl Bar, 2424 Dunstan Rd., Suite 150; 3 pm Saturday, April 9. For tickets, sponsorships, and more information, visit the official website. $35.

Sarika Patel, Jillian Bricher, Karishma Asrani, and Liz Arrigo.

Spring Fling Women of Wardrobe 2022 Sarika Patel, Jillian Bricher, Karishma Asrani, Liz Arrigo

Photo courtesy of Women of Wardrobe

Sarika Patel, Jillian Bricher, Karishma Asrani, and Liz Arrigo.

young-professionals charity fundraisers

Hunger Ends Here

Culinary stars shine at Houston Food Bank's 25th annual chefs’ dinner

Photo by Emily Jaschke

Hugo Ortega, Marcos Juarez, Brandon Wilhelm, Marie Riddle, Evelyn Garcia, and Aaron Bludorn.

In a city that knows good food and good hearts, the Houston Food Bank’s 25th Annual Chefs’ Dinner proved that the two pair perfectly. Held on May 6 at the Hotel ZaZa in the Museum District, this year’s silver-anniversary soirée brought together a stylish crowd of philanthropists, food lovers, and culinary icons for an unforgettable night of fine dining.

The annual benefit raised $520,000, enough to provide 1.56 million meals to individuals and families across the food bank’s 8-county service area.

That’s not just dinner — it’s a lifeline.

Guests indulged in a five-course wine dinner crafted by a dream team of Houston chefs. Hugo Ortega of H Town Restaurant Group brought his James Beard-winning magic to the mix, joined by Marcos Juarez of Hidden Omakase and Austin Simmons, Brandon Wilhelm of Hotel ZaZa, Evelyn Garcia of Jūn and Kin HTX, and a tag-team effort from Marie Riddle and Aaron Bludorn of Bludorn. With talent like that in the kitchen, attendees knew they were in for a culinary experience.

In addition to the gastronomic glam, the night served up heartfelt honors.

The Keegan Family received the Barbara Falik Humanitarian Award, a touching tribute to their longtime commitment to hunger relief—an effort deeply inspired by the late Mary Barden Keegan, whose legacy continues to nourish the mission of the Houston Food Bank. The event also paid tribute to Jim Mills, co-founder of the chefs’ dinner, recognizing his vision and dedication in helping this now-beloved event reach its 25-year milestone.

Barbara and Steve Retzloff served as event chairs with support of a host committee composed of Jennifer and Tadd Tellepsen, Marci Rosenberg and Ben Samuels, Melissa and Bob Duran, Teresa and Jose Ivo, Jeff and Michelle Dodson, Holly and Jim Baker, Lee and Virginia Lahourcade, and Doe and Henry Florsheim. Among those in the crowd were Colleen and Michael B. Keegan, and Councilmember Twila Carter.

Photo by Emily Jaschke

Hugo Ortega, Marcos Juarez, Brandon Wilhelm, Marie Riddle, Evelyn Garcia, and Aaron Bludorn.

chefs houston food bank fundraisers