When life gives you lemons, throw an Italian soirée.

Houston weather permitting.

At the Hotel Granduca Houston, Children’s Memorial Hermann Hospital toasted the final days of summer with Dolce Vita, an Italian-inspired evening for 150 guests hosted by Shannon Addison, Jennifer Allison, Amanda Boffone, Kathy de la Mora, Melissa Juneau, Melissa Sugulas, and Audrey White.

Late-summer showers shifted cocktail hour indoors, where Aperol spritzes, champagne, and Italian hors d’oeuvres kept things molto chic. Amalia Stanton, senior vice president and chief strategic communications and marketing officer, welcomed the crowd and recognized the host committee before introducing KuoJen Tsao, co-director of The Fetal Center and chief of general and thoracic pediatric surgery, who shared stories of two young patients whose lives were changed by the hospital’s specialized pediatric care.

Once the skies cleared, dinner moved to the courtyard and pool, transformed by Scott Konitzer of No. 7 Event Design with floating lemons, yellow blooms, and green-and-white accents. Guests personalized wooden pizza paddles at a live engraving station by Amanda Reid Designs, while strolling cannoli usherettes and sorbet-stuffed lemons provided a sweet finish.

DJ Druw supplied the soundtrack.

Savoring la dolce vita were Erin Asprec, Mary Aitken, Chuck Cox, Matthew Greives, Amir Khan, Kevin Lally, Ramesha Papanna, Gretchen Sheirr, Fady Armanious, Tony Bradfield, Anne Lee Phillips, and Mike Roussos.

Photo Credit by Priscilla Dickson

Amalia Stanton, Audrey White, Amanda Boffone, Jennifer Allison, Kathy de la Mora, and Shannon Addison.