party watch

Houston's royalty and A-listers hold court at majestic MFAH affair

What: 2018 Grand Gala Ball: The Courtly Ball

Where: The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston

The scoop: The 2018 Grand Gala Ball welcomed more than 270 guests for a royal affair, celebrating the exhibition "Tudors to Windsors: British Royal Portraits from Holbein to Warhol." The Museum’s Cullinan Hall was transformed to reflect the occasion, featuring luxurious, red and blue floor-to-ceiling drapes, glittering chandeliers, and framed projections of royal portraiture featured in the exhibition.

Décor by The Events Company included gold-accented furniture and gold-rimmed glassware, royal blue linens and grand centerpieces overflowing with red, pink, and white roses. As guests took their seats, Gary Tinterow, director of the MFAH; Richard D. Kinder, chairman of the board of the MFAH; and Franci Neely, chair of the Grand Gala Ball, offered their remarks. City Kitchen wowed with a menu that included twice baked stilton soufflé served with salad of celery, toasted walnuts, endive, green apple, and watercress for the first course, followed by pan-roasted breast of pheasant with field mushrooms and Madeira crispy rissole of pheasant leg served with turnip mash with scallions and Sparkenhoe Red Leicester, asparagus, and salsify. The spectacular feast concluded with a trifle with berries, sponge cake, sherry, and cream.

Following dinner, guests danced the night away to the musical stylings of Jordan Khan Orchestra. The museum raised $2 million during the event to support its general operating budget.

The Houston royalty included: Nancy and Rich Kinder, Phoebe Tudor, Shahla and Hushang Ansary, Bill and Sara Morgan, Franci Neely, Bill and Andrea White, Lynn Wyatt, Lester and Sue Smith, Cornelia and Meredith Long, Susan and Fayez Sarofim,Andrew and Mona Sarofim, Diane Lokey Farb, Jane Zilkha, Margaret Alkek Williams and Jim Daniel, Jeanie Kilroy Wilson and Wallace S. Wilson, Robin and Lela Gibbs, Ginni and Richard Mithoff, Macey and Harry Reasoner, Sushila and Durga Agrawal, Rania Daniel, Cynthia and Tony Petrello, Leslie and Brad Bucher, Gail and Louis Adler, Nancy C. Allen, Princess Maria-Anna and Prince Piotr Galitzine, Kathy and Marty Goossen, Amy Purvis, Isla and Tommy Reckling, Nancy and Butch Abendshein, Susan and Lenoir Josey, Lisa and Downing Mears, and Jesse H. Jones II and Terry Wayne Jones.

Margaret Alkek Williams and Jim Daniel.

Photo by Wilson Parish

Margaret Alkek Williams and Jim Daniel.

Shopping Fantasia

Houston Ballet’s Nutcracker preview party sets new donation record

Houston Nutcracker Market Preview Party 2025

Photo by Daniel Ortiz

Houston Ballet Academy Dancers.

The Houston holiday season doesn’t officially begin until the Nutcracker Market throws open its doors, and this year’s Wells Fargo Preview Party felt like stepping into a snow globe set on extra. Like more is more.

Somewhere between the cheeky stocking stuffers and the Dior-kissed repurposed couture, guests needed an actual map to conquer the sprawling shopping fantasia.

Held November 12 at NRG Center, the 45th anniversary celebration of the Houston Ballet shopping fête welcomed more than 5,000 eager shoppers, all ready to sprint through aisles lined with more than 280 merchants. Helmed by chairs Susan Binney and Jennifer Kushner, along with preview party chairs Leslie Alston, Kaylon Phillips, and Casey Rowe, the evening shimmered with nostalgia. Guests showed up in themed attire ranging from glittery holiday chic to coordinated squads that looked like flash mobs armed with credit cards and a mission.

Houston Ballet’s new executive director Sonja Kostich arrived for her very first Nutcracker Market, greeting supporters and soaking in the community’s devotion to a beloved tradition that fuels the Ballet’s mission and scholarship programs. Houston Ballet Academy students glided through the party in costumes from Stanton Welch’s The Nutcracker, creating photo ops. Principal dancer Harper Watters and Houston Ballet icon Lauren Anderson also made appearances.

Festive cocktails, champagne flutes, and a parade of hors d’oeuvre and desserts satisfied while the David Caceres Band kept the energy high. By the end of the night, the Preview Party had raised nearly $1.5 million in ticket sales and commissions — a record for the Market.

Moreover, more than 104,000 shoppers showed up during the November 13-16 festivities. All in, ticket sales surpassed $24 million and raised more than $6 million to directly support Houston Ballet, its Academy and scholarship program.

Showing their holiday spirit were Kristy Bradshaw, Ann Bean, Wendy Burks, Anne Chao, Gay Currie, Tom DeBesse, Arcy Muñoz Marshall, Sharon Erskine, Ann Graham, Twana Griffith Faykus, Michelle Iversen Jeffery, Jay Jones, Julie Kent, Deborah and Edward Koehler, Chad Libertus, Desrye Morgan, Beth Muecke, Patti Murphy, Jennifer Sommers, S. Shawn Stephens, Allison Thacker, Cynthia Wolff, Deborah Duncan, Ghada Ali, Carolina Oliveira, Catarina R. Gonzales, and Miya Shay.

Photo by Daniel Ortiz

Houston Ballet Academy Dancers.

fundraisers houston ballet shopping nutcracker market