Party Watch

It's a moveable feast with lots of chefs at Dress For Success Cuisine for a Cause

What: Dress For Success Houston Cuisine For a Cause.

Where: Dress For Success Houston headquarters.

The scoop: It was a moveable feast as more than 400 guests roamed the DFSH building to dine on gourmet cuisine at food stations manned by top chefs, including Rachael Volz, Paige Branam, and Ryan Bouillet (A Fare Extraordinaire); Kelsey Hawkins (Arte Pizzzeria); Claire Smith (Alice Blue and Canopy); Brandi Key (Brasserie 19 and Coppa Osteria); Tiffany Ma and Joseph Stayshich (Eloise Nichols Grill & Liquors); Catherine Rodriguez (The Houstonian Hotel); Sue Nowamooz (Hungry’s); Nicole Routhier (Le Colonial); Holly Lynch and Tina Blanco (Main Kitchen); Sarah Schnitzer (Oxbow 7); Martha Wilcox (Pax Americana); Monica Richards and Claudia Richards (Pico’s); Anita Jaisinghani and Mary Gilliland (Pondicheri); Jasmine Chida (SweetCup Gelato); Stephanie Hoban (Ripe Cuisine Food Truck); and Sabra Palmros (Smith & Wollensky).

The event began with in the courtyard as KHOU 11 news anchor Mia Gradney highlighted Dress for Success Houston’s mission and featured nine client success stories. Auction chairs Virginia Steppe and Alissa Maples secured such items as a VIP tickets to a Lady Gaga concert, an NFL sideline experience at a game in Mexico City with first class transportation on United Airlines, and a VIP tequila tasting trip at the Herradura distillery with Pico's Arnaldo and Monica Richard, that made for lively bidding.

Jazz vocalist Kristine Mills entertained on the second floor while DJ Moni spun tunes downstairs.

Chairs Lindsay and Rand Holstead and Kelli Kickerillo and Todd Forester were thrilled that the event raised more than $420,000 to support the nonprofit's mission to promote the economic independence of disadvantaged women.

Who: Seen in the crowd were Mary and Vincent Kickerillo, Elyse Lanier, Maria and Graham Lowrey, Martha Long, Libby Cagle and Lauren Taft, Courtney Hopson, Kirby and Scott McCool, KPRC Channel 2 news anchor Rachel McNeill with her mom, Monica McNeill, DFSH co-founder and president Nancy Levicki, Melissa and Dan Sugulas, Niloufar and Amir Molavi, Tali and Eric Blumrosen, Kim and Ted Hartz, Mary and Ben Patton, Rebekah and Gary Reaves, Wendy Daboval, Kristi and Chick Chickering, Shuana and Morris Clark, Jerri Moore, and Connie Simmons Taylor.

Jerri Moore, Troy Clendenin, Mia Gradney.

erri Moore, Troy Clendenin, Mia Gradney at Dress for Success Cuisine for a Cause

Photo by Daniel Ortiz

Jerri Moore, Troy Clendenin, Mia Gradney.

fundraisers

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