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    Going Under the Knife

    Who is Houston's best plastic surgeon? That depends on who you ask, so we've asked around

    Shelby Hodge
    Jul 30, 2015 | 10:15 am

    Interesting how every fall, when the social scene starts ginning again, the swans return often more lovely than when they departed in June. Could it be the cooler climes of Nantucket and Colorado, the stress reduction or something else?

    We say, something else.

    Nips and tucks, resurfacing and fillers — yes, that's the business of age-defying summer beautification that delivers a blush of youth to our leading ladies (and some gents). June, July and August, when everyone is either hibernating indoors or out of town beating the heat, is prime time for a little personal rejuvenation. But who to turn to when the mirror shouts middle age or worse?

    As there is no concrete means of measuring the skills of the deep pool of area plastic surgeons, we have done the next best thing. We asked those at the center of the city's social swirl which docs are currently enjoying the most buzz. At the same time, we asked popular surgeon Dr. Russell Kridel, former national president of the American Academy of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, to share a few tips from his guide to choosing the right plastic surgeon.

    With the near-miracle of today's youth-generating fillers, Becca Cason Thrash says that many of her friends are avoiding the knife, opting instead for the needle.

    But first, the names we hear mentioned most often: Dr. Steve Hamilton (the darling of the social set), Dr. Henry Mentz, Dr. Lisa Santos, Dr. Fred Aguilar, Dr. Mark Larson of Beaumont (trendy publicist —not his —Karen Henry says friends from both Houston and Dallas head east for his expertise), Dr. Angela Sturm (works with Kridel) and, of course, Houston's most out-there, high-profile plastic surgeonDr. Franklin Rose.

    With the near-miracle of youth-generating fillers that are proliferating, Becca Cason Thrash says that many of her friends are avoiding the knife, opting instead for the needle. Two whose names come up most often for facial rejuvenation are Dr. J. Todd Andrews (also specializing in rhinoplasty) and dermatologist Dr. Jenny Segal, the go-to-doc for skin perfection and injections. Just ask any number of our local TV news anchors about her.

    When it comes to eradicating bags under the eyes and drooping lids, two names pop up over and over again — Dr. James Patrinely and Dr. Charles Soparkar, both with Eye Surgery Associates.

    This is not to say that there are not many more top-notch plastic surgeons in the city. These are simply the ones who the ladies discuss over lunch at Brasserie 19 or at Tony's.

    Kridel, who also ranks at the top of the popularity poll for facial plastic surgery and rhinoplasty, has prepared a checklist for potential patients. He has 20 questions you should ask before signing on for cosmetic surgery. Among them:

    How many facial procedures have you completed? (For Kridel, the answer is more than 10,000.)

    Do you have patients I could contact who have had you do the procedure on them?

    Do other doctors trust you for their facial surgery as well as their family's facial surgery?

    Are there before and after patient photos I can view?

    Do you have before/after photos of patients incisions?

    Are you board certified . . . in the area for which the patient is seeking surgery.

    Is your operating suite accredited?

    Several Houston cosmetic surgeons are favorites of the social set.

    Plastic surgery
      
    Courtesy photo
    Several Houston cosmetic surgeons are favorites of the social set.
    unspecified
    news/society

    Roman Reverie

    Top Houston chef and Michelin sommelier help symphony raise $900,000

    Eric Sandler
    May 14, 2025 | 2:03 pm
    Houston Symphony wine dinner and auction 2025
    Photo by Priscilla Dickson
    Houston Symphony executive director and CEO Gary Ginstling, Margaret Ginstling; chairs Elia and Michael Gabbanelli.

    When spring gala season reaches full crescendo, few evenings deliver the kind of multisensory bacchanal as the Houston Symphony’s Wine Dinner and Collector’s Auction. On May 2, a sold-out crowd of 365 stylish guests made a grand entrance at Jesse H. Jones Hall for the Performing Arts, where fine wine, lavish décor, and a five-course feast awaited.

    Houston Symphony wine dinner and auction 2025
      

    Photo by Priscilla Dickson

    Houston Symphony executive director and CEO Gary Ginstling, Margaret Ginstling; chairs Elia and Michael Gabbanelli.

    A revelry worthy of Dionysus himself. In black-tie, of course.

    Leading the charge were Elia and Michael Gabbanelli, gala chairs and proud heirs of the famed Gabbanelli accordion family — a fitting touch of musical lineage. They were joined by Jack Matzer, whose stewardship of the collector’s auction helped orchestrate the evening’s finale: More than $900,000 raised for the symphony’s Education and Community Engagement initiatives, which bring music to schools, hospitals, and underserved venues.

    The foyer buzzed with energy as guests in all their finery sipped champagne and circled the silent auction, eyes gleaming at the fabulousness of oenophilic riches. Standout lots included six vintage bottles of Red Bordeaux, two bottles of 1982 Château Margaux (yes, the unicorn vintage), and a week-long Tuscan getaway for those dreaming of vineyard vistas and sun-drenched serenity. Bidding was brisk and focused — more than one guest looked ready to conduct their own blind tasting right on the spot.

    At the dinner hour, the scene shifted dramatically as guests were ushered onto the Jones Hall stage, transformed by The Events Company into a sumptuous Roman mirage. Towering candelabras crowned with coral and ruby blooms stood sentry over lace-red linens strewn with votives, pomegranates, and overflowing grapes. Four statues, wreathed in greenery, added a mythic flair—as if Bacchus himself might pop out to pour the next glass. And the next.

    But it wasn’t just about the wine. Culinary star chef Danny Trace of Potente crafted an ambitious five-course menu that married elegance and indulgence. A standout starter of heirloom tomato and whipped burrata with cucumber ribbons gave way to Potente’s signature black truffle pasta, then diver scallops with sweet corn risotto and a show-stealing veal perigeux with goat cheese polenta. Dessert? A double chocolate cake kissed with Chambord and crowned with caramel crunch pearls.

    Wine pairings, curated by John and Lindy Rydman and Lisa Rydman Lindsey of Spec’s Wines, were introduced by master sommelier Steven McDonald, the Pappas Bros. Steakhouse wine expert who earned the sommelier award at the 2024 Michelin Guide Texas ceremony. Guests clinked, tasted, nodded in approval — oenophiles united in appreciation.

    Among those spotted in the stylish crowd were Ann and Jonathan Ayre, Betty and Jesse Tutor, Janet Clark, Gary Ginstling and Margaret Lederer, Joan and Robert Duff, Margaret Alkek Williams, Barbara Burger, Lydia Gold, Quentin and Aerin Smith, Hallie Vanderhider and Bobby Dees, Vicki West and Ralph Burch, Mary Lynn Marks, Bob Weiner, Robert Sakowitz, David Peavy and Stephen McCauley, Aggie Foster and Steve Simon, Virginia Clark, Brigette Kalai, Farida Abjani, Jennifer and Scott Allison, Carey Kirkpatrick, Ken and Mady Kades, and Sippi and Ajay Khurana.

    houston symphonyfundraiserswine
    news/society

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