There's nothing quite like the downtown skyline as the perfect backdrop for partying al fresco. Just ask friends of the Houston Downtown Alliance, who turned out in force at the Four Seasons' resort-like oasis for a sunset blast that included a poolside fashion show, grazing from a field of downtown restaurant offerings, dancing to DJ tunes and heavy socializing.

On this evening, Capital One Bank joined forces with HDA, the Four Seasons and Fashion Group International for the third annual "Haute Town . . . Summer in the City" event.

The party was a salute to the residents, arts groups and businesses that continue to stir the vitality of downtown Houston. So it made sense that downtown eateries Quattro, McCormick & Schmick's, Andalucia, Mia Bella, Yao Restaurant and the Strip House provided the buffet fare.

Andrea Bonner of Style on Demand and her team spearheaded the fashion show that featured styles from Macy's, BCBGMAXAZRIA, Forever 21 and Jos. A. Bank. Models were culled from a field of individuals who make downtown the place to be for the arts, business and fun. They included Houston Ballet's C.C. Conner, Society for the Performing Arts' June Christensen, CultureMap's Nic Phillips, Capital One's Sophia Arabani and the convention center's Ted Bowen.

DJ Derek Jones spun the tunes from sunset to dark while DJ Dayta picked up the musical beat that kept the dance floor pulsating until 1 a.m. In that whirling crowd were Houston Ballet's Connor Walsh, Melissa Hough, Jaquel Andrews, Kelly Myernick and Oliver Halkowich.

Among the downtown movers and shakers making this scene were party emcees Miya Shay of Ch. 13 and HDA's Heather Pray plus Liz Gorman, Audrey and Brandon Cochran, Tejpal Singh, Sharon and Errol McLaughlin, House of Blues' Tony Lee, Houston Pavilions' Karen Mulville and Phil Hudson, HDA's Andrew Huang and Four Seasons GM Dirk Burghartz.