Shelby's Social Diary

Becca Cason Thrash serves up Texas best at dinner for French Ambassador

It was the charming French Ambassador Gérard Araud's first visit to Houston and in between speaking at Rice University's Baker Institute and a luncheon with the French-American Chamber of Commerce, the diplomat was feted Texas style by John and Becca Cason Thrash in their art-filled Memorial area home.

La Becca, a Chevalier of the French Legion of Honor, knows a thing or two about entertaining and had no trouble pulling together a Lone Star evening for Araud. The dinner began with the hostess welcoming the ambassador in French and pointing out that 90 percent of the 30 dinner guests had supported the Louvre, either at fundraisers in the Cason Thrash home or in Paris at Becca's Liaisons au Louvre benefits.

Cason Thrash tapped RDG chef Robert del Grande to put on a Texas-inspired spread that included quail steaks and pecan pie. The meal served in the pool room with guests seated at one long table decorated with silver cowboy boots and fresh flowers.

Sitting down for the feast was a host of notables including The Menil Collection director Josef Helfenstein and wife Dorothee, former U.S. Ambassador to Qatar Chase Untermeyer and wife Diana, Nabors Industries CEO Tony Petrello, Choice Energy president and CEO Javier Loya and Maria and Neil Bush.

"He was a blast," Cason Thrash said of the ambassador. "The wildly charming and dapper Ambassador toasted us and joked that after meeting guests at the party he felt he could leave and feel as if he experienced Houston to the max."

The experience included exchanging bon mots with guests such as Houston's French Consul General Sujiro Seam and wife Jane, Phoebe Tudor, Greggory and Pat Burk, Randy Powers and Bill Caudell, Robyn Lay, Diane Lokey Farb, Monsour Taghdisi and Henry Richardson, Karen Henry, Mark Sullivan and Cathy and Rivie Cary.

Also on the ambassador's dance card was Houston Grand Opera's production ofDie Walküre. He changed his travel plans in order to attend the opera with HGO board vice chairman Lynn Wyatt, also a French Legion of Honor recipient.

French Ambassador Gerard Araud and Becca Cason Thrash.

Photo by © Michelle Watson CatchLightGroup.com

French Ambassador Gerard Araud and Becca Cason Thrash.

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Two-Stepping Bash

Country tunes and Houston's charitable hearts rock for Dec my Room

Photo by Daniel Ortiz

Jacob Mansfield, Grace Ward, and Kendyl Mansfield.

A bustling crowd kicked open the doors of the House of Blues for the Eighth Annual "Kick Up Your Boots for Kids" bash, all in support of Dec My Room. The night was set ablaze by the toe-tapping tunes of country stars Randy Rogers and Wade Bowen, transforming the venue on October 24 into a jitterbug jamboree and creating an atmosphere brimming with joy.

Event chairs Laurel Bashaw and Dodi Willingham and founders Kendall Plank and Susan Plank were thrilled about how the extra funds will turbocharge their mission. Since 2007, Dec My Room has adorned nearly 18,000 hospital rooms across 178 institutions, delivering personalized coziness like a warm blanket to pediatric and young adult patients.

Emcee and auctioneer David Ackel kept the energy high as generous Houstonians vied for coveted treasures. Standouts included rare Pappy Van Winkle bourbon bottles and a glimmering necklace from Lugano. A wine and whiskey dinner hosted by Federal Grill’s Matt Brice saw bids skyrocket, leaving winners over the moon. The grand finale was a private management hunt at Sycamore Springs Ranch in Kerrville, Texas.

With over 250 attendees two-stepping and $350,000 raised, the event proved to be a night where generosity danced hand in hand with a rockin’ good time. In the crowd were Laurie and Tracy Krohn, Stacey and Al Lindseth, Mike Plank, Rachel and Tom Regan, Ericka Bagwell, Aimee and Wynne Snoots, Carley and Mike Stasney, Grace and Steven Ward, Monica and Jed Skeet, Marie and Joseph Flanigan, Jessica and Ryan Getz, Denise and Brett Mears, Kiki Wilson, Peggie and Kyle Pentecost.

Photo by Daniel Ortiz

Jacob Mansfield, Grace Ward, and Kendyl Mansfield.

dec my room fundraisers