Shelby's Social Diary

Everything goes Asian at "Funk Shui" night on Buffalo Bayou

Photo by Jenny Antill
Guests were greeted by costumed waiters offering lychee martinis.
Photo by Jenny Antill
Photo by Jenny Antill
Photo by Jenny Antill
Photo by Jenny Antill
Photo by Jenny Antill
Photo by Jenny Antill
Photo by Jenny Antill
Photo by Jenny Antill
Photo by Jenny Antill
Photo by Jenny Antill
Photo by Jenny Antill
Photo by Jenny Antill
Members of Dance of Asian America performed.
Photo by Jenny Antill
Photo by Jenny Antill

The Bayou Preservation Association annual fundraiser is one that seasoned partygoers always look forward to and for good reason. It's always held in the spectacular gardens of a home overlooking one of the city's dreamy waterways.

The weather is almost always perfect. And there is usually something creative going on with the theme.

So it was Thursday night when Brian James opened his gardens (and art-filled home) to a throng of more than 300, who turned out to celebrate BPA's "Funk Shui" soirée overlooking Buffalo Bayou.

Benefit co-chairs Minnette and Peter Boesel, Cindy Bishop, John Gaston, Jamie Mize and Dan Tidwell divined the playful Asian theme that inspired "Chinois chic" dressing. The loads of colorful Asian attire included Mandarin shirts and jackets, plus beautiful silk and satin cheongsams (those sexy, body-hugging dresses). Other styles featured dragon motifs and inspired hair treatments.

Chinese lanterns floated overhead while staff from Gigi's Asian Bistro and Dumpling Bar served her signature dumplings. Gigi Huang was on site to ensure the best in service and food. More substantial fare was offered at food stations and bars scattered across the grounds. Dance of Asian America presented several routines rooted in Chinese tradition.

McLemore Avenue provided the cool jazz sounds that wafted across the party scene.

BPA leaders in the mix included executive director Kathy Lord and husband Tom Lord, chairman Kevin Shanley and wife Evelyn, and president Ty Kelly with wife Lynn.

Strolling the gardens were Cecily and Rick Burleson, Meredith and Fielding Cocke, Ryland Holmes, Jana and David Phillips, Laurie and Doug Vander Ploeg, Viviana and David Denechaud, Carol and John Brejot, and Verna and Dan Breaux.

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raising glasses

Wine and dine raises spirits for Houston's Catholic Charities

Catholic Charities wine and dine fundraiser 2024

Photo by Johnny Than

Alicia Reggie Freysinger, His Eminence Daniel Cardinal DiNardo, Catholic Charities President Cynthia Nunes Colbert.

An evening of fine dining and philanthropy unfolded at The Revaire for the 2024 Wine and Dine Dinner, benefitting Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston on November 16. With wine glasses in hand and wallets wide open, the stylish and pious savored a night dedicated to lifting up the most vulnerable in the community.

Co-chairs Mikki Hebl and David E. Harvey, Jr., alongside Kerri and Downey Bridgwater, welcomed the crowd, which included His Eminence Daniel Cardinal DiNardo, who blessed the meal. The highlight? A four-course feast by master sommelier Brandon Kerne and chef Ryan Bouillet, paired with wines selected to enhance each bite.

An interactive twist with the secret sip challenge surely added a playful element. Attendees worked together to identify the mystery wine — a 2015 Merite Cabernet Sauvignon from Australia’s Wrattonbully region.

But the night wasn’t just about indulgence. The live auction, emceed by Johnny Bravo, and a moving “fund a need” segment inspired oenophiles to dig deep for Catholic Charities’ programs. Last year, the organization served people in need 358,000 times across Harris, Fort Bend, and Galveston counties, providing essentials like food, housing assistance, and legal aid for immigrants.

Generous support came from sponsors like the Hildebrand Foundation, Congregation of the Sisters of Charity of the Incarnate Word, and Cuenod Families.

Wining and dining were Alicia Reggie Freysinger, Cynthia Nunes Colbert, Penny and Paul Layne, Monit Cheung and Patrick Leung, Ashley and Doug Plaeger, Sandi and Jim Lemming, Carol and Paul Beck, Louise and Bob Parsley, Avalyn Langemeier, Suzanne Werner, Amie Springmeyer, Lori Hessel, Ginger Niemann, Peggy Idstein, Karina and Mark Amelang,and Ellen and Jim Ginty.

Photo by Johnny Than

Alicia Reggie Freysinger, His Eminence Daniel Cardinal DiNardo, Catholic Charities President Cynthia Nunes Colbert.

catholic charities of the archdiocese of galveston-houston fundraisers