With Real Housewives of D.C. star Stacie Turner winging her way to Houston in October for the Society of the Performing Arts annual fall luncheon, interest in the program, featuring dancer, actor and author Victoria Rowell as guest speaker, ratchets up more than a few notches.

Thank you, luncheon chair Arvia Few — Turner's best friend, college roommate and sorority sister — for that coup. One that Soraya McClelland, who shares luncheon chair title with Few, can only beam over.

Few, in fact, appeared on the Real Housewives of D.C. episode last week when Turner revealed to a group of her sorority sisters that she had located her birth mother.

Rowell and Turner have similar stories, both having been born into foster care. But Turner was fortunate to have been adopted by loving parents and enjoyed a nurturing childhood. The foster care experience led Turner to found Extra-Ordinary Life, a non-profit that provides services and encouragement for foster girls.

The SPA luncheon action takes place Oct. 7 at River Oaks Country Club.

Flying high

Gordon Bethune, the former Continental Airlines CEO, might not be one for celebrating birthdays but no one will ever accuse him of not loving a party. So for his mumble-something birthday, the forever young Bethune (also old enough to order Cristal) played it low key at home with his ladylove, fashionably-forward attorney Jessica Rossman.

They invited friends over to the stately River Oaks home that they share for a super casual evening of sips and sliders and play around the pool. The partying kicked up a notch when Josh Espinedo arrived with an outrageous birthday cake topped with a large bass jumping to catch a minnow. No surprise here, fishing is one of Bethune's favorite pastimes.

Joining in the "Happy Birthday" chorus were Nene Foxhall, executive senior veep at Continental; Dr. Lucho Rossman; Dr. Jessica Sheets; Bridal Extravaganza's Laurette Veres and hubby Tom Flynn; Channel 13's Miya Shay and others.

While the youngsters splashed in the pool, the grown-ups chewed over the Continental-United merger.

Fashion flurry

Who knew you could pack a ballroom with lunching ladies a full week before Labor Day? That would be the Woman's Hospital of Texas, which hosted its seventh annual Labor Day luncheon and style show on Saturday at the InterContinental Houston.

Of course, with the ever- sociable Amy Lee as luncheon chair and Woman's Hospital CEO Linda Russell as event chair, it couldn't exactly falter. Close to 600 fashion savvy Houstonians turned out for the March of Dimes benefit. Wearing another hat, Lee serves as president of the March of Dimes Guild.

The day included shopping at a boutique bazaar boasting more than two dozen fashion booths, a runway show by Todd Ramos and fashion talk by style consultant Cathy Fitzpatrick Cleary.

Hey, big givers

Bobbie Nau has stepped up to the philanthropic plate in a big way by taking on chairmanship of the Tiffany Circle for the American Red Cross, Houston, an elite group that contributes $10,000 individually each year for Houston area Red Cross projects.

Nau hosted a "cultivation" dinner for potential donors at her River Oaks home recently and special guest was Melanie Sabelhaus, founder and national chair of the Tiffany Circle.

Two new members — Harriet Halkyard and Brenda Bradsher — were presented their Tiffany member bracelets and four other women stepped up to the plate to join — Kate Gibson, Fran Granger, Nancy Kinder and Beth Lee.

Beaming at the luncheon's success was American Red Cross-Houston CEO Steve Vetrano.

Sight 'ems

Song man Steve Tyrell and his steady squeeze Karen Pulaski lunching at Grotto 610 with John and Becca Cason Thrash.