Spring Fling Celebrates Three Decades of Foster-Care Assistance, Honors Mattress Mack

Quy Tran
Spring Fling Celebrates Three Decades of Foster-Care Assistance, Honors Mattress Mack

Marta Fredricks, Aaron Bludorn and Elyse Cokinos Stevens

A HOUSTON NONPROFIT has quietly but diligently served the children and families in the Texas foster care system for three decades. Tanglewood residents and longtime donors Laura and George Pontikes hosted a springtime soiree in honor of Arrow Child & Family Ministries' 30th anniversary.

More than 200 partygoers raised a glass to the Pontikes, who spearheaded the renovation of Arrow's Spring-area HQ, which will be named for them. The evening, which featured delectable dishes courtesy of Aaron Bludorn, also honored Jim "Mattress Mack" McIngvale. He got a superhero cape and video tribute showcasing his contributions to Arrow and the foster-care community.

Joella and Steve Mach, Chris Pappas, Ellen Cokinos

Patrick Hicks, Doug Dillon, Nancy Pettiette, Billy Braddock, Ed Britt

Cynthia Pritchard-Stevenson, Jean Durdin, Sharilyn and Gayle Lampson

Aimee and Wynne Snoots

Laura and George Pontikes

Mike and Susan Holland

Jack and Brenda Lynch

Eliza Flannery, Nick Pontikes, Molly Jodeit

Fr. Juan Torres, Scott Lundy, George Pontikes, Laura Pontikes, Jim McIngvale, Debi Tengler

Parties

Denise Reyes and Matthew Healey (photo by Katy Anderson)

THE OPERA BALL, one of Houston’s perennially elegant, must-hit galas among the society set’s top tier, tilted marvelously mod and disco-deluxe this year, with sophisticated Spanish hints, thanks no doubt to ball chairs Isabel and Ignacio “Nacho” Torras. They are, of course, the arts patrons behind two of Houston’s most popular and trendy restaurants — MAD and BCN Taste & Tradition.

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Parties

Smoked Salmon Cheesecake with Emeril’s Reserve Caviar

THE POP-UP CULINARY trend — when great chefs from elsewhere take over a local restaurant for a night or two — continues to be a hot in Houston. But as the novelty of the concept fades to been-there-done-that, pop-up purveyors must be increasingly clever to attract savvy foodies.

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Food