We've never seen Cerón, master of the chicest coifs in Houston and Dallas, quite so giddy as he was on Wednesday night. Draped in an American flag and wearing a flashing necklace of red and white stars, he was celebrating his newly-minted American citizenship. This beloved Mexico import, along with 2,100 eager soon-to-be Americans, took the oath of citizenship earlier in the day and it was time to celebrate.

Vinson & Elkins attorney Marcia Backus and Dallas-based attorney Mike Hood took over one end of Pizzeria Alto for the party where two dozen or so pals joined in the pizza and pasta celebration.

In top form, Cerón regaled friends with tales of the day including his pre-swearing-in interrogation. "When the lady asked me where I got my jeans (not who was the 32nd president of the U.S. or some such), I knew I was in. Done!" he quipped in his signature accent.

In honor of his big day, Candice Schiller wore two American flags in her hair and dressed in red and white. Two other naturalized citizens in the mix, Mike Mayell (England) and Shafik Rifaat (Egypt), were feeling nostalgic about their swearing in. The two were so caught up in Cerón's genuine excitement that they might have donned American flags as well, had they been available.

Loving the charcuterie, the pizzas and pasta dishes were Cerón fans including Mark Sullivan, Maureen Hackett, Debra and Mark Grierson, Mary Beth Aspromonte, Diane Lokey Farb, Karen Mayell and Kelli and Eddy Blanton.

Mechanics of the heart

It was a stellar turnout at River Oaks Country Club on Wednesday when the Texas Heart Institute held its annual "A Community Conversation," this year featuring Dr. Billy Cohn, THI's director of minimally invasive surgical technology. Each spring, THI hosts an informational luncheon on research and progress in dealing with heart disease. Cohn, one of THI's medical rock stars, spoke on advancements in mechanical technologies being developed in the fight against heart disease.

The subject might sound dry on the surface. But you could have heard a pin drop in the packed ballroom as Cohn, as irreverent as he is brilliant, explained his new lariat for the heart and other advancements.

THI founder Dr. Denton Cooley, who received a standing ovation, THI president and medical director Dr. James Willerson and Dr. Bud Frazier, another THI rock star, rounded out the medical leaders in the room. THI board chairman Meredith Long's table included Cornelia Long and Patty and Bill Porter.

Across the ballroom landscape we encountered former Mayor Bob Lanier, Port Commissioner Elyse Lanier, George Mitchell, Barbara and Charles Hurwitz, Nancy and Lucian Morrison, Kay Holmes, Jeanie Kilroy, Mary and Vince Kickerillo, Kelli Kickerillo and Todd Forester and Judy and Rodney Margolis.

High style in the Decorative Center

World-renowned celebrity photographer Greg Gorman moved through the crowd of fans at the Decorative Center Houston on Wednesday with such ease that you would have thought he was just a regular guy. But this major talent, who has photographed everyone from Sting to Michael Jackson to Iman, is a luminary in his own right.

Gorman was in town from home base in Los Angeles for a retrospective exhibition of four decades of his photography, hosted by DCH owner Charles S. Cohen and wife Clo. A major real estate developer with interests in New York, Miami and Los Angeles, Cohen travels to Houston regularly on DCH business. He allowed Wednesday night that he has expanded his interests to include film distribution, that after a brief stint at producing.

"I'm not going to give up my day job," he joked.

Dropping in to view the scores of Gorman photos, on view to the public through June 3, were Lynn Wyatt, George Lancaster, Arvia Few, Cornelia and Meredith Long, Mary Ann and David McKeithan, Georgia Foulard and two of Gorman's photo subjects — Reggie Bibbs and actor Elias McConnell, who appeared in Elephant, Paris je t'aime and Milk.

A beautiful dinner

Anyone receiving an invitation to the River Oaks home of Diane Lokey Farb knows in advance that everything will be perfection. Tuesday night was no exception when she hosted a gala dinner honoring underwriters of the Royal Weddings luncheon and special guest Prince Jean de France, Duc de Vendome.

The Mark Miller flowers were exquisite, the dinner by Tony's catering arm to-die-for and the home always the loveliest of settings for an elegant dinner party.

Among those joining the prince at the table in the main dining room were Susan Krohn and Patrick Gehm, Paige Fertitta, Margaret Williams with Jim Daniel, Donna and Robert Bruni and Joanne King Herring.

Rounding out the dinner party mix were Patsy and Greg Fourticq, Elizabeth and Gary Petersen, Jana and Scotty Arnoldy, Michelle and Frank Hevrdejs, Dancie and Jim Ware and Karen and Mike Mayell.