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    Shelby About Town

    Dominique Sachse's engagement portrait, lunching at Tootsies & George Clooney'snot the only hot item

    Shelby Hodge
    Apr 27, 2012 | 2:50 pm
    • The engagement photo: Nick Florescu and Dominique Sachse make one beautifulcouple.
      Photo by Al Torres Photography
    • Monique Lhuillier fashions informally modeled at Tootsies reunion luncheon forLhuillier fans.
      Photo by Roswitha Vogler/Photosbyrovo.com
    • Tiffany Smith and Travis Cal at Tootsies luncheon.
      Photo by Roswitha Vogler/Photosbyrovo.com
    • Dana Tyson, from left, Nelda Blair, Brenda Mizell and Marcia Pratts at Habitatfor Humanity gala.
      Photo by Daniel Ortiz Photography
    • Hostesses at the Tootsies luncheon Melissa Mithoff, left, and Debbie Festari.
      Photo by Roswitha Vogler/Photosbyrovo.com
    • Sabiha Rehmatulla, left, and Estela Cockrell at Tootsies.
      Photo by Roswitha Vogler/Photosbyrovo.com
    • Jennifer Brown, from left, Suzette Betts and Diane Lokey Farb at Tootsies.
      Photo by Roswitha Vogler/Photosbyrovo.com

    Pretty people! That would be the glam couple of the spring — Dominique Sachse and Nick Florescu — headed to the altar in just a few weeks. In advance of their wedding, the couple, both with movie star good looks, have released their official engagement portrait.

    Has there ever been a more beautiful bride-to-be than this news anchor for KPRC Channel 2?

    Photographer Al Torres captured the love story with his lens, photographing the couple at their River Oaks home. Her dress is from a boutique near Antibes in the South of France.

    Girls having fun

    When Mickey Rosmarin started planning Tootsies for the new West Ave location, he did a very wise thing. He incorporated a party room into the design, one that would serve as a gathering place for ladies luncheons, for cocktail parties and for informal modeling events.

    On Thursday, all three elements were combined when four fashion-forward gals hosted a luncheon previewing Monique Lhuillier's fall collection. Joyce Echols, Debbie Festari, Melissa Mithoff and Elizabeth Petersen had been front and center at Lhuillier's show in New York during Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week and the foursome had such a good time at the various shows, that when the chance came to relive their Lhuillier partying, they chorused "Bien sur!"

    CultureMap editor-in-chief Clifford Pugh, who had been in NYC to cover fashion week, partied there with the ladies and he was tops on their guest list.

    The Tootsies team put together a delicious champagne reception, seated lunch and informal modeling for close to 30. Swooning over the amazing creations were chief fashionista Diane Lokey Farb, Tiffany Smith (still thinking fashion only hours before hubby Houston Texans general manager Rick Smith picked up the phone in the NFL draft), Raquel Segal counting the weeks before heading to LA for the summer and the fashion savvy Neal Hamil, still chatting about the I Am Waters luncheon the day before.

    George Clooney and hot auction items

    When George Clooney lends his support to the Brilliant Lecture Series by attending a chichi fundraising dinner at the home of John and Becca Cason Thrash next week, he won't be the only hot item that will have guests swooning. Benefit chair and host, Becca has, in her inimitable style, garnered two amazing auction items for which most chairwomen would sacrifice a wardrobe of Manolos.

    Thanks to Post Oak Motor Cars and McClain Gallery, Becca will take this fundraiser beyond the half million dollar mark.

    Bob McClain's McClain Gallery is providing a prized Robert Rauschenberg artwork, Narcissus, valued at $185,000. Post Oak Motor Cars is offering a one-year lease on a 2012 Bentley Continental GT Coupe, valued at $100,000. The car retails for $215,815.

    For Habitat in The Woodlands

    For those who might misguidedly think that philanthropy stops at the city limits, we offer the recent Habitat for Humanity of Montgomery County gala held at The Woodlands Marriott Waterway Hotel. The black-tie evening drew a crwod of 400 and raised $250,000.

    And that made four women very happy — gala chairs Brenda Mizell and Patti Gorgogni, emcee Dana Tyson and auctioneer Nelda Luce Blair, whose auction skills along brought in $75,000.

    "The Building Hope" gala honored the John Cooper School for its dedication to Habitat for Humanity.

    Making the scene were Jim Blair, Beverly and Ed Robb, Ed Jones, Kelly and Brady Hull, Bonnie and Chuck Schuetz, Peggy and Mitch Hausman and Lisa and Fred Koetting.

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    Interfaith Blessings

    A brand new name sets the tone for Houston nonprofit's gala

    Joel Luks
    Jan 22, 2026 | 10:30 am
    IM Houston Tapestry Gala
    Photo by Hung L. Truong
    Henry Florsheim, Rep Gene Wu, Miya Shay, Charlene Chuang, Sheroo Mukhtiar, Nihala Zakaria, and Shaukat Zakaria.

    The annual IM Houston Tapestry Gala, aptly themed "A Brand New Day," marked a bold new chapter for the organization formerly known as Interfaith Ministries for Greater Houston, now under the leadership of Sheroo Mukhtiar.

    Rather than opening with fanfare, the night began with intentional calm: Mellow music courtesy of Divisi Strings, a gallery of art created by youth in the IM Houston Refugee Program, and a parked Meals on Wheels truck.

    The organization's impact was made visible — up close and personal. Event chairs Miya Shay and Rep. Gene Wu and Nihala and Shaukat Zakaria had something to do with that.

    Emcee Ernie Manouse of Houston Public Media guided the evening, inviting Sonya Vial of presenting sponsor Shell USA, Inc. to reflect on IM Houston's renewed mission. Then came a moment of unity both intimate and profound: children from Houston’s Jewish, Hindu, Muslim, Christian, Baháʼí, and Buddhist communities offered interfaith blessings, closing together with a moving invocation.

    A tribute to former Houston mayor Sylvester Turner honored his legacy with a reverent pause before the spotlight turned to powerhouse vocalist Christina Wells. Her version of “Hallelujah” stunned the room into silence, before IM Houston board chair Henry Florsheim and newly appointed Mukhtiar expressed gratitude and outlined a future focused on sustainability, compassion, and shared belief.

    Wells returned with “A Million Dreams,” just ahead of the Spirit of Respect Award presented to the Right Reverend C. Andrew Doyle for his decades of faith-led service. Pipa virtuoso Changlu Wu debuted an original composition in honor of 2025 Tapestry Honoree Charlene Chuang, introduced by Dr. Kathy C. Flanagan.

    More than 500 supporters attended the gala, helping to raise $650,000 to unite diverse faiths in service and understanding.

    Showing up were Gerald Seidl, Phillip Berkowitz, Vitallii Tarasiuk, Astrid Marklund, Catarina Gonzalez, Susan Boggio, Nadia Tajalli, Shahin Tavackoli, Karen Labat, David Leebron and Sun Y. Ping, Gracie and Bob Cavnar, Gordan Quan, Lily and Charles Foster, Sandra Smith-Cooper, Brigitte Kalai, Farida Abjani, Doe and Henry Florsheim, Lisa Helfman and Lee Haverman, Susanne and Randall Evans, Kristyn and Francis Page Jr., Philamena Baird, Paula Sutton and Bill Gross, Ann and Ron Kaesermann, Mandy Kao, Christina Zhou, Terri Wang, Alice Mao, and Robert Sakowitz.

    IM Houston Tapestry Gala

    Photo by Hung L. Truong

    Henry Florsheim, Rep Gene Wu, Miya Shay, Charlene Chuang, Sheroo Mukhtiar, Nihala Zakaria, and Shaukat Zakaria.

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