Wild Montrose Bar Party

Montrose bar turns into a wild scene as celeb guests drop in on a hot, sold-out CultureMap Social

Boheme in the heart of Montrose is always a popular watering hole, but Tuesday night the place absolutely rocked when CultureMap hosted a sellout crowd of 250 young movers and shakers for the fall Social, aka happy hour for young professionals.

The after-work fete went on for three hours with LIQS providing premium cocktail shots, Boheme dispensing its killer Bangkok fries and Josh Martinez (Goro & Gun) introducing his new Chicken Ranch fried chicken from the food truck parked out back. Out front, party sponsor Lexus displayed two of its shiny new models — the sporty Lexus IS and the cushy Lexus GS.

While DJ Bizonee kept the vibes pumping, local celebs including rapper Bun B worked through the lively crush.

While DJ Bizonee kept the vibes pumping, local celebs including rapper Bun B, rollerblader Juan Carlos and glam meteorologist Chita Johnson worked through the lively crush that packed both the front and back patios. Inside, it was a shoulder-to-shoulder crowd into heavy schmoozing while charity partners Blue Cure (founder Gabe Canales in the mix), Susan G. Komen Houston and Child Advocates offered information on and membership in their young professionals groups.

Adding to the entertainment was Smilebooth, which offered a high-tech twist to its popular party pix, taking mini-videos for posting rather than stills.

No one ever goes home empty-handed from a CultureMap Social and the swag bags on this night were loaded with certificates and goodies from Glazed - The Doughnut Cafe, Gym Bowie, House of Blues Houston, Hyatt Market Street, Instacart, Lucky Strike, Pure Barre, Sparrow Bar + Cookshop, Yellow Rose Distilling and more. For those who might have forgotten to pick up the swag bag, there was still an opportunity to grab a giftie. As guests headed to beddy-bye, Three Brothers Bakery handed out cake balls and Lexus gifted lucky ones with portable chargers for smartphones.

Among the pretty people were Christine Thorp, Monique Morgan, Ed Persia, Holly Grice, Jackie Leone, Carl Nickel, Lane Craft, Megan Lesser, Michelle Wirzbicki, Amme Burgot, Joseph Doyle, Jesus Calderon, Shabnam Hasan, Marcy de Luna, Erin Garza and Brandi and Ken Banks.

John Wood, from left, DeeDee Ho and Nathan Steele.

Photo by © Michelle Watson/CatchLightGroup.com

John Wood, from left, DeeDee Ho and Nathan Steele.

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a sort of homecoming

Houston director Wes Anderson headlines fundraiser for historic theater

Photo by Lars Niki/Getty Images for The Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences

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Acclaimed Houston-born filmmaker Wes Anderson may call Paris his home these days, but he’s always ready and willing to come back home to support a worthy cause.

The Oscar-winning auteur will attend an evening celebrating his 30-year career in filmmaking, presented by Arthouse Houston. Titled “Wes Anderson Homecoming Soiree,” the event takes place at the Hobby Center for the Performing Arts’ Zilkha Hall on Friday, July 17. It will also benefit the preservation of the historic Garden Oaks Theater and founding of a new Arts & Film Center.

The evening will include a “Founders Experience,” followed by a reception with food and drinks, live music by the Kelly Doyle Trio, and a silent auction. After that, Anderson will introduce a quintet of his short films he selected for the occasion. These shorts include Bottle Rocket (which he later expanded into his 1996 feature-film debut), and The Swan, one of the shorts from The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar and Three More, his only-on-Netflix collection of mini-Roald Dahl adaptations.

Donors at the Founders level will be treated to a meet-and-greet and Q&A with Anderson and friends prior to the show, including a celebratory toast, and a signed show poster. Top-tier donors (starting at $100,000) will have naming rights within the new Arts & Film Center and four complimentary tickets to the event. Proceeds will directly help the effort to preserve one of the city’s few remaining historic cinemas, as well as create a new cultural hub where cinema, live performance, production, and education converge.

Houston won’t be Anderson’s only American stop next month. From Friday, July 10, to Sunday, July 12, he’ll be in Los Angeles for the Hollywood Bowl’s “Music from the Films of Wes Anderson” concert series, featuring performances from Beck, Jackson Browne, Devo, Bill Murray, and others.

For tickets and more info on the event, go here.

wes anderson houston fundraisers preservation