The glam factor ran high in the River Oaks home of Judy and Scott Nyquist earlier this week when Jeff Shell presented a warm-up for his Little Black Dress Designer Fashion Show set for May 14 at the House of Blues. Judy chairs the scholarship benefit along with Shannon Hall.
Shell sprinkled a few of his Neal Hamil Agency models around the house, each of the Pretty Young Things modeling dresses from the Dallas LBDD collection. That event takes place on May 22. The five Houston winners will divide the $30,000 in prize money for scholarships.
LBDD honoree Kay King was in the mix as was Neiman's Liz Zaruba, CultureMap's Clifford Pugh, John Daugherty's Roseann Rogers, Dr. Yasmine Haddad, Lucho's Hector Villarreal and Sylvia Forsyth, who is back in the saddle as fashion director at Saks Fifth Avenue after a brief stint at St. Luke's Episcopal Charities.
Kudos to the MFAH
Two honors in one week have been heaped upon the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston. First, the exhibition catalogue WAR/PHOTOGRAPHY: Images of Armed Conflict and Its Aftermath won the Best Photography Book Award at the 2013 Kraszna-Krausz Book Awards.
Second, Glassell School of Art director Joseph Havel was appointed one of eight state artists by the Texas State Legislature. His appointment to the position of state three-dimensional artist for 2013 and 2014 was recognized in ceremonies in Austin earlier this week with the announcement officially made by the Texas Commission on the Arts. The state artists positions include state poet laureate, state musician, state two-dimensional artist and state three-dimensional artist.
Taking a break at Etoile
That would be Mary McDonald, of Bravo’s Million Dollar Decorator, in town from LA to peddle her newest rug and fabric line. She put away her order book Wednesday night to dine at the hit Etoile Cuisine et Bar in Uptown Park with long time chum, Laurie Knight, visiting from Washington D.C. Joining them were marketing whiz Renee Lewis and Risse Knight. On their plates were chef Philippe Verpiand's signature mushroom ravioli, mussels in white wine and cream and lemon sole.
Sight 'ems
Former President George H. W. Bush and Barbara Bush dining with former Secretary of State James A. Baker and Susan Baker at Ciao Bello where their orders included mussels Aiello and chianti braised wagyu beef cheeks.
Joe Havel has been named Texas Artist of the Year.
