Shelby's Social Diary

Swimming with major celebs at Cannes: Bruce Willis, Bill Murray & Sean Penn inthe scene with Houston duo

Diane Lokey Farb, escorted by Mark Sullivan, made all the party rounds at theCannes Film Festival.
Photo by V&D Pictures
Diane Lokey Farb stepped out in stunning Chanel gown and beaded Valentino shawl.
Sean Penn, center, speaks to the audience at the Haiti Benefit Dinner at theCannes Film Festival. Also on hand were screenwriter Paul Haggis, right, andmodel Petra Nemcova, second from left.
Photo by Vittorio Zunino Celotto/WireImage for Electrolux
The paparazzi were all over the scene at the Cannes Film Festival where DianeLokey Farb and Mark Sullivan were in the limelight.

Pinch me, please. How else could Diane Lokey Farb, escorted by PR whiz Mark Sullivan, react to the sea of megastars in which she found herself swimming during the Cannes Film Festival?

Just back from their days hobnobbing with Hollywood elite, thanks to their host European jewelry house Chopard, Lokey Farb and Sullivan continue to have stars in their eyes. From the opening night film premiere of Wes Anderson's Moonrise Kindgom to the charity dinner chaired by Sean Penn, theirs was a stargazer's paradise.

"It's quite a surreal experience really. I was just on my way home with photos in hand and stopped in the corner store, turned around and Alec Baldwin was standing behind me waiting in line."

For Anderson's screening, the Houston duo sat right behind festival judges Ewan McGregor, Tim Roth and Jean-Paul Gaultier and were seated in the middle of the action at the dinner that followed in a party tent erected next to the theater. Of course, all the film's star were in the mix — Bruce Willis, Bill Murray, Ed Norton, Jason Schwartzman and Tilda Swinton.

The following night, Lokey Farb and Sullivan were front and center at the Chopard Trophy Awards ceremony with Penn presenting honors to up-and-coming film stars.

Sullivan e-mailed from Cannes, "We later went to Chopard's open-air rooftop party at Hotel Martinez where we were treated to a private concert by it-girl Lana del Rey . . . Academy Award winner Marion Cotillard made quite a splash, and we ended up sitting with Harvey Weinstein, model Eva Herzigova and 'Diddy,' who joined in an impromptu sing along led by the adorable mop-head Beatles-esque group The Gypsy Queens. Sooooo much fun! "

The following night, Lokey Farb and Sullivan attended Sean Penn's charity dinner, benefiting Haitian relief efforts. The ton of A-listers chipping in close to $2 million for the cause included Diane Kruger, Ben Stiller, Jada Pinkett Smith, Chris Rock, Ewan McGregor, Giorgio Armani and Petra Nemcova. Performing for the chic crowd was Lyle Lovett, happy to see friendly faces from Texas. Lovett was accompanied by his wife, April.

The film festival days were filled with close encounters with various stars as Sullivan reported from the scene. "It's quite a surreal experience really. I was just on my way home with photos in hand and stopped in the corner store, turned around and Alec Baldwin was standing behind me waiting in line."

"It's those kinds of things that make it feel like you're walking on some kind of alternative planet!"

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party watch

BRASS brings Houston's future physician-scientists into the spotlight

Photo by Hung L. Truong

Terri Wang, Deborah Laws, and Jackie St. Germain.

What: Baylor Research Advocates for Student Scientists reception

Where: Steak 48

The Scoop: Science and philanthropy made for a chic pairing when BRASS — that’s Baylor Research Advocates for Student Scientists — gathered more than 100 supporters at Steak 48 in River Oaks District.

Photo by Hung L. Truong

Terri Wang, Deborah Laws, and Jackie St. Germain.

The evening spotlighted BRASS’s mission to fund and mentor emerging medical researchers while growing a network of hands-on philanthropic support. Remarks from BRASS president Elsie Eckert and event hosts Jacquie Baly and Jody Merritt emphasized the organization’s commitment to cultivating young scientific talent at a moment when medical innovation feels like a civic necessity.

A standout moment came from BRASS Scholar and MD/PhD candidate Joe Zoller, who spoke about using immunology to fight cancer. Fellow BRASS Scholar and MD/PhD candidate Katya Kabotyanski shared insights into groundbreaking live research on the human brain aimed at better understanding neurological function. The topic landed especially close to home for BRASS founder Myra Wilson, who recently underwent surgery utilizing this very approach.

Special recognition went to Edna Meyer-Nelson of The Richland Companies for underwriting the event, while Myra Wilson underwrote the evening’s guest experience.

Who: Andy Cordes, Becky Reyes, Hallie Vanderhider. Hector Villereal, Beth Wolff, Joelle Kim, Mady Kades, Bruce Padilla, Christine Johnson, Ghada Ali, Deborah Laws, Elsie Eckert, James Craig, Alex Edna, and Terri Wang.

fundraisers