Song man Steve Tyrell is back, having moved from his long-time base in Los Angeles, to hometown Houston where a load of cousins, a sister and one lucky girlfriend are welcoming him with open arms.

His return was official Thursday night when he cooked up a storm for friends and family to celebrate the completion of his steady squeeze's new home. That would be interior designer Karen Pulaski, who as of this week put the finishing touches on her extraordinary new home. Tours of the art-filled two-story home were part of the night's entertainment.

Tyrell never sat down at the piano. His recordings sufficed though he did sing a few bars on occasion. His real work was in the kitchen.

Tyrell, who is still swooning over the offerings at Central Market and the West University H-E-B, cooked his traditional New Year's Day feast that he had prepared for friends in LA for more than a decade. A little post Jewish New Year feast, he said. Mexican cornbread laced with chicken (spinach for vegetarians), tossed green salad with pomegranate seeds and to-die-for black-eyed peas filled the tummies of notables including John and Becca Cason Thrash, Monsour Taghdisi and Renea Abbott and Greg Manteris. Pulaski made the killer brownies.

Admiring Pulaski's design work and Tyrell's culinary talents were his sister and brother-in-law Roz and Alan Pactor, his cousin Frankie B. Mandola (who took the night off from Damian's), Sima Ladjevardian, Sabiha Rehmatulla, artist Marco Villegas and more.

Oscar's hometown touch

If you missed Oscar de la Renta's fabulous ball gowns on the runway at New York's Fashion Week, you might have missed the stunning cylinder gown with floaty hemline in red, black and white. Take note of the accompanying photo. The fabric for that piece was designed by Houston native Noelle Sakowitz, who serves as de la Renta's assistant designer of embroidery and textiles.

She comes by the fashion design talent honestly. She is the daughter of Laura Sweeney and Robert Sakowitz of the famed Sakowitz retail stores. And that makes her the niece of international fashion icon Lynn Wyatt.

Viva tequila!

Who knew that singer Dave Matthews was such a tequila aficionado?

Following the Dave Matthews Band performance at the Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion in The Woodlands recently, the lead singer invited Inaki Orozo, founder of Riazul Tequila backstage for a private tasting of his favorite tequila, Riazul Premium Anjeo. When Matthews learned that Orozo called Houston home he invited the Riazul mastermind out for the concert and one-on-one.

Sources say that Matthews was introduced to Riazul at the Sunset Marquis bar in West Hollywood by Kings of Leon lead singer Caleb Followill.

Playboy partying

Part-time Houstonian Toan Nguyen is once again co-hosting the annual charity Halloween party at the Playboy Mansion in Los Angeles and in anticipation of that raucous night, he hosted a kickoff event Thursday at Bentley Houston, where else?

Joining the festivities were Playboy Playmate Victoria Fuller, Shannon Hall, Marcy de Luna, Natacha and Saverio La Francesca, Franco Valobra, Adam Kliebert and John Kuhl.

Hugh Hefner's party takes place Oct. 23 and benefits the Sam Schmidt Paralysis Foundation

Diamonds of philanthropy

It was ooo-la-la for members of the American Red Cross Tiffany Circle when they had breakfast at Tiffany's (OK, we know it's Tiffany & Co.) in celebration of their individual generosity to the charity. Diamonds and other baubles gleamed from the vitrines as the women discussed the good works of the Red Cross.

Addressing the high-donor group were Houston Tiffany Circle chair Bobbie Nau, Dallas Tiffany Circle chair Billie Leigh Rippey and Tiffany director Michael McClure.

The early-risers included Judge Pam Derbyshire, Shirley Dannenbaum, Elizabeth Swift Copeland, Liz Ghrist, Victoria Johnson, Julie Moorehead, Roxann Neumann, Lois Wright, Ellie Francisco and Leisa Holland-Nelson.