party watch

Stylish Houston A-listers deck out for Derby Day at Houston Polo Club

What: Hats, Hearts & Horseshoes benefitting Bo’s Place

Where: Houston Polo Club

The scoop: More than 250 chic and dapper ladies and gents gathered at the Houston Polo Club for the fifth annual Hats, Hearts & Horseshoes benefiting Bo’s Place. Locals donned their finest Derby Day attire to celebrate the fastest two minutes in sports.

Houston Polo Club was indeed the ideal setting, as guests mingled throughout the grounds, sipped mint juleps, and nibbled on light bites. Adorable stuffed puppies, a racing wall raffle, and rose gifting kept the crowd busy until post time.

At race time, attendees left their tables and gathered around the large-screen TVs to watch Medina Spirit capture the title. Lucky raffle winners nabbed a $2,500 gift item from IW Marks.

Chairs of the event, which raised $280,000, were Alissa and Kevin Maples, Millette and Haag Sherman, and Christie and Mark Sullivan. Meanwhile, Paige Fertitta, Megan and Luke Hotze, Hannah and Cal McNair, Hallie Vanderhider, and Kelli and John Weinzierl served as honorary co-chairs.

President of the Bo’s Place board of directors, Lauren Gray, shared a poignant story of how much Bo’s Place has meant to her family, and also reinforced the importance of the organization’s programs that help those who have experienced the grief and loss of a loved one.

Who: Debbie Gregg, Fady Armanious and Bill Baldwin, Stacey and Al Lindseth, Jade and David Shine, Beth Wolff, Travis Torrence, Cicely Reid, Maria and Neil Bush, Julia and Harvin Lawhon, Tonja De Sloover and Adam Hricik, Tina and Dan Silvestri, Jenny Abbott, Sarah and Duncan Underwood, Elia Gabbanelli, Cynthia Wolff, Rosyln Bazelle, Jo Ann Petersen, Carolyn Faulk, Jennifer and Chad Pinkerton, Claudine and David Hartland, Dee Dee Howes, Dawn Kreig, Kirsten and Roger Herrscher, Mignon Gill, Christina and Matt Altenau, Carol Lee and Allen Lyons, Paige Fertitta, Hallie Vanderhider, Kelli and John Weinzierl, and Maidie Ryan.

Fady Armanious, Hallie Vanderhider, and Bill Baldwin.

fundraisers

Intimate Musicale

Tunes fill River Oaks mansion in support of Miller Outdoor Theatre

Miller Outdoor Theatre Piano Noir fundraiser 2024

Photo by Daniel Ortiz

Lynden Unger, Jacob Stein, Elizabeth and Alan Stein.

In a night that struck all the right notes, Robin and Danny Klaes opened their storied River Oaks home on November 10 to host an intimate soirée benefiting Houston’s beloved Miller Outdoor Theatre. Draped in sophisticated black and white cocktail attire, circa 40 arts patrons gathered for an evening of charming performances, fine cuisine, and meaningful chit chat — all with an eye toward supporting Miller’s mission of making the arts accessible to all.

The setting? An exquisitely decorated Kirby Drive home steeped in local lore, famously tied to the true-crime bestseller Blood and Money by Thomas Thompson, which added an intriguing layer to an already memorable evening. Was the ghost of Joan Robinson Hill roaming around? Perhaps.

Guests first mingled in the quaint, canopied courtyard, enjoying Chef Smirnov Catering’s hors d’oeuvres before being whisked into the grand ballroom on the second floor. With its baroque-inspired decor and ceiling murals, the space provided the allure of yesteryear, a theatrical backdrop for amicable chamber music.

St. John Flynn as emcee introduced performances by flutist Victor Kendall and the American Zeitgeist Chamber Ensemble, including Quantz’s Flute Concerto in G, Claude Bolling’s Suite for Jazz Flute, and Barber’s String Quartet. Adding a soupçon of modern flair, vocalists from the Music Box Theater — Rebekah Dahl, Brad Scarborough, and Austin Biel — offered their signature blend of cabaret and comedy.

Amid the musical interludes, Claudia de Vasco, managing director of the Miller Theatre Advisory Board, advocated for the nonprofit’s ongoing capital campaign. She spotlighted a recent key purchase: a grand piano specifically built to withstand Houston’s unpredictable outdoor elements. De Vasco invited attendees to become the official Miller Outdoor grand piano sponsors and make their mark on the amphitheater's enduring legacy.

Since stepping into her leadership role, De Vasco has ushered in a fresh energy around Miller Outdoor Theatre’s mission, focusing on how to better serve Houston’s diverse communities. The nonprofit’s free programming continues to be a gateway for Houstonians to experience everything from world-class symphonies to vibrant cultural showcases.

Guests in attendanceincluded Lance Jones and Allen Ueckert, John Edwards, Gabriel Olson, Carey Kirkpatrick, Lisa and Stan Duchman, Elizabeth and Alan Stein, Gretchen Gardener and Jack Watson, Lynden Unger, Jacob Stein, Karla and Romulo T. Cisneros, Senator Borris L. Miles and Cydonii Fairfax Miles, and Philamena and Arthur Baird.