Today is K9s4Cops founding chair Kristi Schiller's big 4-0 birthday and rather than focus on herself and mope about the aging process (after all 40 is the new 30), she decided to pump up her day with a major gift to her favorite charity. That's right, the one that provides trained police dogs for law enforcement agencies.

Kristi has saved husband John Schiller the effort of shopping by asking him to make a $40,000 donation in her honor to K9s4Cops, a generous effort that will provide as many as five additional K9s to law enforcement officers.

On her Facebook page where she spells it all out, Kristi is asking friends to help raise a $40,000 match so that the entire birthday present — targeted to the non-profit — will be a whopping $80,000. She asks for donations as small as $25 but encourages more if "you are really feeling generous and you can, make it $2,500."

"I am just a motivating conduit — this is for the officers, which in turn do it for YOU!"

The jazz singer

Houston-based jazz singer/songwriter Kristine Mills wraps up her Patch of Green New York adventure Wednesday night with a performance in the Metroplitan Room. That follows a performance at Tudor City Greens and several sit-ins with musicians around town including Lafayette Harris Jr.

Art photographer Morris Malakoff joined Mills, photographing her various adventures. Malakoff had more than one task while in NYC. He was also photographing Neal Hamil for a community outreach program and ad campaign for Houston's Dentiq Dentistry and its role as founding member to the Bering Omega Dental Clinic.

Back in H-Town, Malakoff's exhibition "Civic Illuminations: SOUL" is on view at One Greet Street.

A beautiful building?

The folks at the Bayou City Event Center, the vast party place located south of 610 near Almeda Road, are kicking up their heels with announcement that the 52,310-square-foot space has received national accolades as Building of the Year, honors coming from Houston-based Mid-West Steel Building Co.

The award is based on design and high-end construction. A number of non-profits have held special events there in recent months including Children's Memorial Hermann Hospital, Child Advocates and Children at Risk. The Greater Houston Chapter of Associated Builders and Contractors will hold its fall extravaganza at Bayou City Event Center.

Sight 'ems

Janet Gurwitch and Ron Franklin dining with Karen and Mark Johnson in the bar at Tony's where Karina and Carlos Barbieri sat at another table and in the main dining room Sheridan and John Eddie Williams, just back from their Euro jaunt aboard the Lady Sheridan, dining with Donna and Tony Vallone . . .

Filmmaker Michel Muylle at artist Taft McWhorter's studio where he presented a private screening of his film Collector's Waltz . . .

Karen and Mike Mayell sampling chef Jacques Fox's inspirations at Artisans.