Pregnant and proud — fashionable moms-to-be strutted their baby bumps in style at Tootsies recently for the celebration of Texas Children's Hospital's upcoming maternity and newborn center that will open next year. The evening commemorated completion of the 16-story building's beam structure and unveiling of a keepsake pin created by internationally-recognized jewelry designer Mindy Lam.
More than 100 supporters turned out, a number of them expectant moms who modeled Lam's colorful jewelry. Lam designed the special pin, featuring two red crystal blossoms, in honor of the new center.
Telling the TCH center story was Cris Daskevich, senior vice president.
Or course, not everyone was expecting in the gathering that included Sidney Faust, Judi McGee, Laura Robertson, Roz Pactor, Nancy Gordon, Nidhika Mehta, Elsie Eckert, Ilene Allen, Susan Bischoff, Sally Salners and Linda Kuykendall. There were even a handful of guys in the mix including event designers Paul Hensley and Steven Wagner.
Antique shopping
That would be Debbie and John Daugherty along with John Daugherty Realtors agent Mark Maniha trekking to New Orleans to join in on the bidding at New Orleans Auction Galleries, where much of the estate of the late Warren Spencer Strauss was on the block. Strauss was one of Daugherty's top-producing agents and a life-long collector of American and European fine art and antiques. He died last year just two days shy of his 79th birthday.
Hot items under the gavel were Strauss' Bentley sedan and his Jaguar convertible. While the highest valued pieces were sold in May, remaining items will be auctioned in July at New Orleans Auction Galleries and at St. Charles Gallery, also in New Orleans.
Film frolic
Volunteers for Houston Cinema Arts Society spread out across the city on Wednesday — at least to all four Whole Foods Markets — to promote next fall's Cinema Arts Festival. To the surprise of grocery shoppers, they handed out free popcorn and invited guests to watch screenings in the store of award-winning short films by Texas filmmakers. Five percent of sales for the day went to the society as party of the grocery chain's Community Giving Day program.
Houston Cinema Arts Society executive director Trish Rigdon worked the Bellaire store while volunteers such as Diana Reddish, Margarita de la Vega-Hurtado, Jared Crane, Krystal Thompson, Caroline Phillips and Joanne Sommers spread the joy from Woodway to Kirby to Wilcrest. Also touting the Nov. 10-14 film fest were Cara Pauloski, Heidi Massin, Sherri Loftus and Cynthia Neely.
Sight 'ems
Gov. Rick Perry chowing down in the private room at the Strip House Wednesday night with four friends. They dined on filet mignon with grilled asparagus, truffle spinach and goose fat potatoes for sides. After the private pow wow, Perry flew straight back to Austin . . .
Mayor Annise Parker, City of Houston Sustainability Director Laura Spanjian and Museum of Fine Arts, Houston director Peter Marzio getting a sneak peek at the new Lora Jean Kilroy Visitor and Education Center at Bayou Bend with Bayou Bend director Bonnie Campbell leading the way. Joining the special tour — Jeanie Kilroy and MFAH associate director Gwen Goffe.The new visitors center officially opens in the fall . . .
Sheridan Williams and her daughters, Kristen Nix and Lauren Clark, jostling the fevered throng at Bergdorf Goodman in New York where the scene was near bedlam during the annual shoe sale.
Moms-to-be model Mindy Lim jewelry at Tootsies event: Talytha Webb, from left, Amy Kummer, Amber Tabora, Katie Cooper and Tarryn Lankford.
Richard Flowers is survived by his husband Angel Rios.Courtesy of Carrie Brandsberg-Dahl