The ladies who sat down for this lunch at Hotel Granduca on Thursday savored a treat not only from Restaurant Cavour's kitchen but also from the Donna Karan pre-fall line. Houston Donna Karan Ambassadors Sheridan Williams and Dancie Ware hosted the gathering that featured lunch, informal modeling and a shopping opportunity with 10 percent of sales going to M.D. Anderson Cancer Center.

The women are two of only a handful of stylish philanthropists and community leaders from across the nation who have been invited to join this elite sorority. Each year, they are feted in New York by the Donna Karan team and annually the fashion house brings its latest styles to the ambassadors' hometowns for a charitable fashion happening.

Saks Fifth Avenue is partner in the Ambassador program and representatives were happy to assist the ladies who swooned over the chess set jacket and Bacall trousers, the chiffon trench blouse and all the other feminine pieces that were presented by Donna Karan client service manager Curtis Farnham in from New York for the event. Saks had several hosts in the room including Saks Fifth Avenue Club director Albert Rubio, assistant general merchandise manager Stephanie Von Stein and marketing manager Tijuana Harvey.

Among those thinking pre-fall fashions were Cynthia Allshouse, Cathy Borlenghi, Vesta Frommer, Laura Sweeney, Janet Gurwitch, Soraya McClelland and Karen Mayell.

John Ross Palmer in Mansome

It all started with a CultureMap Facebook post. After seeing the casting call on our Facebook page for director Morgan Spurlock's raucous take on male grooming, artist John Ross Palmer and his partner Ryan Lindsay gave it a shot and Palmer made the cut.

It's his debut on the big screen and he is thrilled.

Palmer has two cameo appearances in Mansome in which he waxes poetic on both facial hair and men that choose to remove hair from their bodies. With facial hair, Palmer says it's really a "slippery slope" for the individual. On body hair, he tenses up, looks to the side and states, "Well, I don't even know what to say about that . . ."

Palmer does know what to say about the documentary, "Don't miss it."

Top toques cook for $2,000 a person

A very special email has gone out to wealthy foodies and philanthropists heralding a gourmet dinner that brings Daniel Boulud, Jerome Bocuse and Thomas Keller to Houston to prepare one snazzy feast to benefit the Harris County Sheriff's Foundation.

As the email points out, these three have a combined 14 Michelin Stars. Which could explain why the tariff is so high for the dinner that will be held at the River Oaks home of Deana and Larry Blackburn on Sept. 29.

Deana advises booking now as the dinner is limited to 200 guests with seating at tables of eight, 10 and 12, as she is confident this will be a hot ticket. Marie Brashears is taking reservations at 281-830-7461 or marie.brashears@yahoo.com.

Partying in NYC

That would be Houston artist Taft McWhorter and wife Dana, who were in New York earlier this week to attend "An Evening of Readings," benefiting Literacy Partners. They and their son, Andrew, were the guests of an art collector fan.

Taft made the rounds to several galleries interested in showing his work. He also fit in time to play some serious ping-pong with Andrew at SPiN Galactic, a hip and haute table tennis club that Susan Sarandon launched a few years ago.

Sight 'ems

Channel 13 KTRK news anchor Dave Ward lunching at Lexington Grill with former Channel 13 buddies weatherman Tony Dungan (1968) and Dan Lovett. The trio hadn't seen each other in 40 years . . .

A heavy-hitter crowd power lunching at La Griglia including U.S. Rep. John Culberson, State Rep. Jim Murphy, Houston Apartment Association's government affairs director Andy Teas, Harris County Hospital district board member Larry Finder, Haynes & Boone partner Lynne Liberato, City Councilman Larry Green, Fulbright & Jaworski senior partner Neil Thomas, Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison's regional director Jason Fuller and strategic marketing whiz Cindy Clifford.