Carnan Properties made its mark on the social landscape Tuesday night on the ice at the Galleria with a dazzling six-figure party saluting Houston Ballet and its 2014 ball. Ballerinas danced and Lusitano ponies pranced across the covered ice rink as more than 600 guests socialized in the space that was transformed into an elegant lounge setting.
Party hostesses Carmina Zamorano and Nancy Arreguin, co-owners of Carnan, spared no expense in creating the evening that combined business and the arts in sophisticated fashion. As Zamorano quipped in her remarks, "Every time I come up with a new idea, my husband says it's going to cost him a million dollars." Well, not quite a million but it was one fantastic soirée.
As Zamorano quipped in her remarks, "Every time I come up with a new idea, my husband says it's going to cost him a million dollars."
After a cocktail hour of dining on taste sensations from Zamorano's Haras Catering and sipping wines from the family vineyards in Spain and other libations, guests were entertained by the presentation of two magnificent Lusitano horses, which actually pranced to the music as Houston Ballet members coursed down the runway in costumes from the 2014 American premiere of British choreographer David Bintley's Aladdin.
Zamorano's husband, Rafael Chavez, breeds and trains the beautiful horses at Haras dos Cavaleiros in Magnolia. The couple divides their time between homes in the Woodlands and Mexico City.
Darryl & Co. created the luxe environment for the swell partying for which Bridgette Bottone of De Beers provided more than $1 million in diamond jewelry for the hostesses along with 2014 Ballet Ball chair Shawn Stephens and emcees KPRC's Dominique Sachse and KHOU's Katherine Whaley. Bottone is also donating a $20,000 diamond necklace for auction at the ball. And, yes, there was oodles of security.
The well-heeled crowd followed the invitation's suggestion for "dazzling cocktail attire." Among the partying throng were Houston Ballet artistic director Stanton Welch, Lynn Wyatt, Nell Frances Connally, Merrill and Joe Hafner, Ting Bresnahan, Nick Florescu, Phoebe Tudor, Jean May, Dr. Roland Maldonado, Mitzy and Ricardo Hurtado, Patti Murphy, Patrice and Jason Pryor, Katie Flaherty, Edward Sanchez and Philamena and Arthur Baird.
Houston Ballet members costumed from the upcoming production of Alladin on the ice at the Galleria at Ballet Ball kick-off.
