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

Party Watch

Contemporary Western art shines at Galveston museum fundraiser

Photo by Jacob McCready

Ryan Horton, Meredith Peebles, Taylor Crowder, Kara Przybyl McIver, and David McIver.

What: Art Untamed, A Night of Contemporary Western Art

Photo by Jacob McCready

Ryan Horton, Meredith Peebles, Taylor Crowder, Kara Przybyl McIver, and David McIver.

Where: The Lancaster Hotel

The Scoop: With cowboy boots traded for cocktail attire, more than 115 artists and art lovers moseyed into downtown for Art Untamed, an evening that lassoed the spirit of the West with a modern twist.

Now in its fourth year, the fundraiser benefiting The Bryan Museum was steered by a dedicated committee including Christine Glover, Linda and Bill Reeves, and Guylene and Jay Lendrum. The event spotlighted 32 Southwestern artists featured in the Visions of the West exhibit.

Guests sipped and mingled during cocktail hour, sizing up 73 pieces ranging from luminous landscapes to storytelling textiles. The live auction, led by crowd-favorite auctioneer Randolph Holford, delivered a flurry of paddles in the air, especially for Bob Stuth-Wade’s radiant Santiago Peak from Chalk Draw, Nathaniel Garza’s moody Three Reasons, and Echo Ukrainetz’s intricate batik honoring cowgirl trailblazer Lucy Mulhall.

The weekend kicked off at The Lancaster Hotel, where partner Jay Shinn hosted artists and VIPs at a reception in the historic property set to celebrate its centennial next year. During the festivities, museum founder JP Bryan captured the mood best.

“A collection is an expression of a soul; it speaks to where our heart is,” he said. “That is why the museum was founded, to share the important story of Texas and the American West through a world-class collection, outstanding exhibitions, and educational programming.”

The evening raised nearly $100,000 to support educational programming and outreach at The Bryan Museum.

Who: Lori Leal Wedemeyer and Barkley Wedemeyer, Sassy Stanton, Bill Pinckard, Mike Glover, Shara Fryer, Barry Silverman, Frank Rynd, Deborah and Monte Stavis, Kelly and Luis Zúñiga, Kara Przybyl McIver and David McIver, Dianne Reynolds, Stephanie and Brent Kindle, Penny and Townes Pressler, Linda and Jerry Dickson, Bob Leibrock, Paulina Padilla, Nocona Burgess, Vickie McMillan-Hayes, Ricardo Robles, and Bob Stuth-Wade.

museums fundraisers bryan museum visual-art