Shelby's Social Diary

The Ultimate House Party: Prominent brothers shake up Houston's social scene with lavish bash

Brothers Bo and Scott Butler have been slowly building their design/development company since 2003. But it wasn't until this week that the duo made a major splash on the social scene with an evening dubbed "The Ultimate House Party."

In tandem with Todd Events, Butler Brothers (you've probably seen their distinctive double B signs across the Inner Loop landscape) erected a 3,000 sq.ft. party tent in lifelike design of a real home. Todd Fiscus' team worked its magic bringing in flooring, carpeting, rich furnishings, artwork and sophisticated lighting to create an environment reflective of the quality of Butler Brothers projects.

"This is the celebration of our company," Bo Butler said. "We just wanted to have a celebration that kicks off all of the Butler Brothers products that we have right now. We're just celebrating all the products and introducing ourselves to Houston."

"This is our biggest project and we wanted to put a really great party together that would capture what we are doing here at Audubon."

The PR splash took place in Audubon Hollow, the firm's 22-home development site tucked into a pocket between River Oaks and Tanglewood. The Butler brothers are native Houstonians, sons of well-known community leaders Penny and John Butler. Both earned undergraduate degrees at Texas A&M and masters degrees in architecture from the University of Houston.

"This is our biggest project and we wanted to put a really great party together that would capture what we are doing here at Audubon as well as all the other projects," Bo Butler said.

The unique party tent featured a dining room where guests could fill up on party foods from Lucille's chef Chris Williams, Fusion Taco treats courtesy of chef David Grossman and dessert offerings from Ruggles Black's chef Ryan Ng. While waiters circled with trays of wine and champagne, Reserve 101's Michael Raymond mixed sophisticated cocktails in the study. On the back terrace, complete with rose bushes and outdoor furnishing, elaborately constructed bars at each end offered Tito's Vodka drinks and 8th Wonder Brewery beers.

Throughout the home setting, guests could view renderings of the Butler Brothers' various projects, pick up brochures and chat with Bo and Scott about their business.

Among the 250 who turned out for a tent party despite rainy weather were Michael Chabala, Lilly and Thurmon Andress, Martha Turner and Glenn Bauguss, Saba Jawda, Sarah Jawda, Melissa Zarikian, Monique Mannke, Neal Hamil and Kim Turner, director of Dallas-based Dwell With Dignity, beneficiary of the event.

Sarah Jawda, left, and Saba Jawda.

Photo by © Roswitha Vogler Photosbyrovo.com

Sarah Jawda, left, and Saba Jawda.

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RIP, Wally

Texan Wally Funk, oldest woman to travel into space, dies at 87

Wally Funk aboard Blue Origin New Shepard

Photo courtesy of Blue Origin

The 82-year-old Wally Funk became the oldest person to go to space on July 20, 2021.

GRAPEVINE, Texas (AP) — Wally Funk, an aviation pioneer who was the oldest woman to launch into space, has died. She was 87.

Funk died Wednesday, July 8 at her apartment in an assisted living facility in Grapevine, Grapevine City Councilwoman Duff O'Dell said Thursday. O'Dell, who described herself as Funk's caregiver, said she was by Funk's side. Funk had fallen a couple of times recently and had an infection in her leg.

“It took its toll,” O'Dell said in a phone interview.

Wally Funk became a hometown hero in Grapevine. Facebook/Wally Funk's Space for Race

Funk was one of 13 female pilots who went through the same tests as NASA’s all-male astronaut corps in the early 1960s but never made it into space. In 2021, she got her chance aboard Amazon founder Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin rocket. At the time, the 82-year-old was the oldest person to go into space, though the record was later broken by “Star Trek” actor William Shatner and Ed Dwight, America’s first Black astronaut candidate. They were both 90.

Bezos chose Funk as an “honored guest” to ride alongside him and two others on an up-and-down hop from West Texas aboard his Blue Origin rocket.

In interviews after the 11-minute flight, Funk enthusiastically told reporters, "I loved every minute of it. I just wish it had been longer.”

Wally Funk in her '20s as a flight instructor. Facebook/Wally Funk's Space for Race

She became a hometown hero when she returned home to Dallas-Fort Worth; the city of Grapevine threw a parade for her history-making experience.

“Wally Funk never stopped believing that one day she would reach space. Her passion for flight, perseverance, and love of exploration will continue to inspire generations of Americans. Godspeed, Wally,” NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman posted Thursday on X.

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This story contains material from CultureMap story archives.

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