Newton's nudes, Mandola's gumbo pizza & a most powerful woman heat up the socialsummer

After devouring the striking images of the Helmut Newton: White Women, Sleepless Nights, Big Nudes exhibition at the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston in a patrons preview on Wednesday night, several dozen well-heeled museum supporters moved on to the European galleries for a seated dinner and remarks by Manfred Heiting, a friend of the Newton family.

Heiting, who divides his time between Amsterdam and Malibu, co-organized the exhibition with the MFAH's curator of photography Anne Tucker. (A complete set of the prints in the exhibition has been acquired by the museum.)

Joining the dinner evening were Tony and Isaac Arnold Jr., Frances Marzio, Jeanie Kilroy, Kathy and Marty Goossen, Leslie and Brad Bucher, Macey and Harry Reasoner, Margaret Alkek Williams with Jim Daniel, Isabel and Wallace Wilson and acting MFAH director Gwen Goffe with Ed Eubanks.

A celebration of success

Houston Chronicle publisher and president Jack Sweeney and community leader Ellie Sweeney took bows at the Hyatt Regency Downtown as recipients of the 2011 Barrier Breaker Award, presented by Career & Recovery Resources. More than 400 applauded the Sweeneys' contributions to the city and applauded the accomplishments of five of the agency's Star Clients.

KHOU Ch. 11 sports anchor Matt Musil emceed the event that featured praise for the honorees and the Star Clients from Career & Recovery Resources CEO Vern Swisher, board chairman William Harmon, U.S. Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee, U.S. Rep. Pete Olson and City Councilman Ed Gonzalez.

In the mix were Jerome Gray, Ed Smith, Dr. James Bankston, Alma Swisher, Beverly Harmon, Jackie Martin, Regina Rogers, Lisa Foronda, Winell Herron, Nancy Olson, Dawne Proffitt, Vrinda and Dinesh Pejaver, Marsha and Tom Ramsey and Joyce and Arthur Schechter.

Christopher Kennedy Lawford on tap

This best-selling author and activist will be guest speaker on July 28 at a special gathering of The Council on Alcohol and Drugs Houston, making a rare appearance at the Hamill Foundation Conference Center at The Council headquarters on Jackson Hill.

The son of actor Peter Lawford and Patricia Kennedy Lawford (sister of the late President John F. Kennedy), Christopher has been in recovery for 24 years and serves as a goodwill ambassador for the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime. He holds a law degree from Boston College and a masters certification in clinical psychology from Harvard Medical School.

He is the author of the best-selling Symptoms of Withdrawal and Moments of Clarity.

Opening night table hopping

Phyllis and Tony Mandola were all over their new restaurant digs on Waugh Drive Wednesday night as friends and fans poured in as the first to see the reincarnated Tony Mandola's. Former Mayor Bob Lanier and Port Commissioner Elyse Lanier were among the early comers as were Marcia Strauss, Jay Rosenstein and Ray Barron, Martha Turner and Glenn Bauguss, Mike Perrin, Jeanne Ruberti, Beau Theriot, Fredell and Bobby Deutser and on and on. They toasted the opening and sampled Tony's new "gumbo" pizza.

Walking tall

That would be former Houstonian Linda Addison, who as a Fulbright & Jaworski partner was just named one of the “50 Most Powerful Women in New York 2011" by Crain's New York Business. The list honors top women leaders at New York’s most influential businesses, as well as government, cultural and nonprofit institutions.

“Whether they’re running multinational corporations or the city, overseeing thousands of employees or trillions of dollars in assets, or deciding what the rest of us read, watch and touch, these women indisputably wield a wealth of raw power,” Crain’s editor Xana Antunes said in a prepared statement.

Addison, who grew up in Houston and earned her undergraduate and law degrees at the University of Texas, is partner-in-charge in the New York branch of Fulbright & Jaworski and maintains offices in both cities.

Sight 'ems

Houston Texans linebacker Brian Cushing turning model for the day at Hotel ICON, where he was doing a fashion shoot for Astor & Black’s Style Log blog. The Columbus, Ohio based company boasts a substantial celebrity following, and recent Style Log profiles have included Malcolm Jenkins of the New Orleans Saints, New York-based interior designer Geoffrey Bradfield and LA-based chef Nick Stellino . . .

Houston Rockets CEO Tad Brown dining with friends, including Rockets broadcaster Bill Worrell, at Mockingbird Bistro . . .

David McKeithan seen still birthday celebrating with pals, Jim Daniel, John Ellis and David Wuthrich at LaGriglia . . .

Lauren Levicki surprised by her beau Tim Durden with a birthday dinner at the new Tony Mandola's where the party table included Lindsey Brown, Maria Vilchez, Kristy Junco Bradshaw and Chris Bradshaw, Kelli Kickerillo and Todd Forester and Allison and Brian Bagley.