Asia Society Toasts Next Month’s Tiger Ball with Swanky Steak 48 Event

Asia Society Toasts Next Month’s Tiger Ball with Swanky Steak 48 Event

Bonna Kol, Grace Cavnar, Claudia Contreras

MANY HOUSTON ORGANIZATIONS have had to rethink their in-person fundraisers over the past year, including Asia Society, which moved its annual glam gala to June.


A more intimate cocktail kickoff last week, channeling the main event's Incredible India theme, eased supporters back into the idea of group gatherings and celebrated a timely mission of strengthening relationships and encouraging engagement among the people of Asia, AustralAsia and America.

Dozens of patrons gathered at Steak 48 in River Oaks District, greeted by event chairs Gracie and Bob Cavnar, Claudia and Roberto Contreras, and Eileen and Kase Lawal in an upstairs private-event space. Trays of delicious bites — truffled-topped New York strip, crispy shrimp deviled eggs — were passed around as guests enjoyed catching up face-to-face, chatting about June's Tiger Ball and also about how Asia Society plans to support Covid-relief efforts in India, the beautiful country and culture that inspired this year's gala.

Ann and Jay Cuclis

Brenda and Marc Watts

David Leebron, Y Ping Sun

David Webster, Rose Chen

Moez and Sultana Magalij

Mustafa Tameez, Eileen Lawal

Steve Alvis, Cecilia Brown

Sultana, Mimi Levine, Kathy Goosen

Sylvia Quan, Lily Foster

Parties
Leadership in Action: John Kuykendall Traded Newcaster Dream for Success in Luxury Retail

John Kuykendall, Showroom Manager, Sub-Zero, Wolf and Cove

How did you get to where you are today? Growing up I had envisioned myself as a news anchor, living in NY and enthusiastically saying into the camera “Good Morning America!”. To this day, I am still a news/political junkie. My mother owned fur salons so specialty retail, luxury retail was in my blood through the family business. Eventually, mom shuttered the stores and I was recruited to a large specialty retailer. Over the next 30 years, I was in commissioned sales on the sales floor, became a department manager, worked my way up to buyer and store manager. Although I never became a newscaster, I did live in NYC for a few years. But Texas is home and with aging grandparents, I felt the pull to come back to my roots. A headhunter approached me. I never envisioned myself in the high-end appliance market, but there are so many similarities. Clients want a memorable experience; whether shopping for diamonds and fur or remodeling their kitchen.

Keep Reading Show less

The patio at Heights & Co.

IT'S ALMOST TIME for summer vacations, but Heights & Co. is offering escapes on its newly redecorated patio in the form of wine and movie nights — no passport needed! Visit France, Italy, Greece, Spain, and more through wine pairings and tasting menus, all complemented by movies set in each location.

Keep Reading Show less
Food

Ally Shell and Martijn van Koolwijk

BLAME IT ON the Moon! Mercury Chamber Orchestra’s 2025 gala at the Thompson hotel — themed “Moonlight Serenade and chaired by Ally Shell and Martijn Van Koolwijk — was a night of glamour and big band vibes, raising more than $350,000 for the company.

Keep Reading Show less
Art+Culture