Opera Ball Returns with Vivid Moroccan Theme, a $1.25 Million Haul and Even a Camel!

Jeff Gremillion

SOMETIMES CALLED THE mother of all galas, the always spectacular Houston Grand Opera Ball returned to the Wortham Center foyer with a roar, with a haul of $1.25 million and a rousing party. It was the event’s first time in the theater center since Hurricane Harvey and then the Covid pandemic displaced it from its longtime home. And, for many, the splendor of its colorful “Le Voyage à Marrakech” theme was worth the long wait.

Mum's the Word! Inside ‘Barrier-Free’ Summer Camp’s Million-Dollar High School Heyday

Evan W. Black

THE JOYS OF summer camp are the makings of childhood memories, and contribute to a sense of self-worth and confidence — a fact that is doubly true for those who attend Camp For All, a Houston nonprofit that runs a “barrier-free” camp for children and adults with special needs in the Hill Country town of Burton.

Travel: Art Fest Lights Up Florida’s Emerald Coast for the Perfect Weekend

Robin Barr Sussman

ART, ARCHITECTURE AND beach lovers will collide for a dose of sun, sand and play at the Digital Graffiti Festival at Alys Beach May 13-14 – and if you’ve never been to this luxury vacation getaway (just a two-hour flight from Houston) – you’re in for a treat. With its white stucco buildings, cobblestone streets and Moorish-inflected architecture, the serene town feels worlds away from the Florida Panhandle.

Ex-Tomboy Jentry Kelley Has Become a Beauty-Biz Titan, Believes in Taking ‘Leaps of Faith’

For someone who has never heard of Jentry Kelley or Jentry Kelley Cosmetics, what is your elevator pitch? Simple, clean, no fuss skincare and makeup. If you want clean, yet easy to use, and you are not a self-proclaimed makeup artist, this brand is for you. We are education-focused. When you have the confidence to do it on your own and tools to make it look right, you can look and feel your best every day when you head out to take over the world.

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Diana Madero, Thea Pheasey, Alejandra Peterman, Hillary Jebbitt

EIGHT CHEFS, THIRTY years — and one big dinner! Urban Harvest rang in its fourth decade of community gardens, farmers markets and food access at their annual farm-to-table dinner cooked up by some of the most notable chefs in town.

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Parties

The inspired menu at Amalfi emphasizes fresh seafood and, on right, Giancarlo Ferrara

THIS WEDNESDAY, AMALFI Ristorante will transport guests to the sun-soaked shores of Southern Italy’s Campania region, home to the glamorous island of Capri, with a six-course dinner. The menu, curated by Executive Chef Giancarlo Ferrara, will be paired with wines from Agricola Bellaria Winery, one of Campania’s most celebrated estates.

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Food