Shelby About Town
A wedding shower for Miya Shay & Gene Wu, a red dress affair, mountain partyingand surprise margaritas
The pre-wedding parties just keep on coming for Channel 13 KTRK reporterMiya Shay and attorneyGene Wu (in next week's run-off for State Representative). On Saturday, Jessica Rossman and Gordon Bethune opened their River Oaks abode for a couples shower in advance of the Shay/Wu August wedding in Puerto Vallarta.
Joining in hosting duties for the Tex-Mex-themed bash for 100 were State Rep. Carol Alvarado and Manuel Silva III, Michele LaNoue and Gerald Seidl, Cindi and Dr. Franklin Rose, Laurette Veres and Tom Flynn. While mariachis serenaded, guests grazed through Tex-Mex offerings from Mandy Bennett's D'Lish.
BFF's saluting the couple included Katherine Orellana Ross with Kyle Ross, Kim Padgett, Josh Espinedo, Brittany Zucker, Jeff Shell, Eric Andell, Dana Kervin, Channel 2's Andy Cerota and Channel 11's Doug Miller.
Guests went home with beach bags filled with goodies including mariachi and salsa CDs, a nod to the upcoming beachfront nuptials provided by the Mexican Consulate and Puerto Vallarta tourism.
Thinking ahead
The Ambassadors' Club once again jumped the calendar with a toy drive benefiting Toys for Tots, the 16th annual "Christmas in July" bash held at Roak. Under leadership of founder and chairman Riyad Abu-Taha, the party included a Chloe Dao celebrity fashion show and the energized charm of co-host Roseann Rogers.
Embracing the party theme of One Red Hot Summer Night, many women in the crowd of 350 donned red gowns while gents wore tuxes. They danced to the spins of DJ John Chen and sampled bites from Sullivan's Phoenicia, Katsuya, Skewers and chef Michaeline Cantu.
They also celebrated the fashion designer's birthday with presentation of a huge cake and singing. Never mind the Crave cupcakes that were also on groaning board.
Partying in Park City
Jane Howze and John Mann, who are summering at their vacation home in the Utah mountains, hosted a Mexican fiesta for Houston friends that included Betsy and Ed Goldstein, Ginni Mithoff (Richard Mithoff delayed in Houston) and Joan Edwards, all of whom have homes in Park City.
Filling out the group were Allison Smoot, Jamie Johnston, Don Miller, Jim O'Neil, Clifford Pugh and John Dascoulias.
Sight 'ems
Rudy Festari surprised to be celebrating his birthday with friends at Armandos at a little get-together organized by wife Debbie. Toasting the birthday boy with margaritas were Suzette and Darrell Betts, Joyce and Hugh Echols, Regina and Mark Duke, Dominique Sachse and Nick Florescu . . .
Real estate bigwig Blake Tartt III, Texican Natural Gas' Robert Blevins, auto kingpin Alan Helfman, Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison's regional director Jason Fuller, Harris County Commissioner "Cactus" Jack Cagle and strategic marketing chief Cindy Clifford — all lunching at La Griglia on Monday, defying the dog days of summer philosophy that no one who is anyone remains in H-Town during July . . .
Hermann Park Conservancy executive director Doreen Stoller lunching with Aryn DeLisi and Sarah Dunagin at Brasserie 19 where discussed plans for the park's Centennial Gardens.