Symphony Holiday Party Hits a High Note at BeDesign

Daniel Ortiz
Symphony Holiday Party Hits a High Note at BeDesign

Courtney Thiel and Lanie Markham

THE HOUSTON SYMPHONY toasted a successful first half of its historic season at a holiday bash hosted by Adrian Duenas and Marcelo Saenz at their Montrose furniture showroom BeDesign.


More than 150 members and guests of the Houston Symphony’s Young Associates Council joined chairs Carrie Brandsberg-Dahl, Laurel Flores, Kirby Lodholz and Shane Miller for the event, which featured a brass quintet playing Christmas tunes — and an appearance by the big man himself! Santa showed up with sweet treats toward the end of the evening.

Among the merry musical supporters: Beth Wolff, Debbie Festari, Nina Magon, Chris Goins, Amber Elliott and Carey Kirkpatrick.

Anna Kaplan and Carey Kirkpatrick

Cristina Romeu and Claudio Gutierrez

Eric Brueggeman and Lanie Markham

Marcelo Saenz and Adrian Duenas

Mandy Graessle and Joel Luks

Stephanie Weber and Paul Muri

Mariana and James O. Huff, III

Kirby and David Lodholz

Andrew and Liana Schwaitzberg

Parties

Jerod and Madison Durst, Bailey Bell, Hayden Layne

PER THE FABULOUS annual tradition, Cotton Holdings and its founder, Pete Bell, opened Rodeo season in lavish style with its VIP bash at the 50th Annual World’s Championship Bar-B-Que Contest, also known simply as “Cook-Off.” The food-and-drink-savvy festival-within-a-festival, which kicks off the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo, draws cowboys and cowgirls in designer duds — think denim and diamonds and perfectly fitted Stetsons — for raucously good fun.

Keep Reading Show less
People + Places

Stephanie Chou, Mandy Kao, Brigitte Kalai, Pitsami Norm, Mable Tang, Alice Mao Brams, Cindy Cheng, and Sippi Khurana

ALWAYS A STUNNING evening, Asia Society Texas' Tiger Ball celebrated the beauty and diversity of Asian culture. Gold-flecked tablescapes, plants and gowns ensured that the glam, tented affair was absolutely glimmering — just like Tiger Ball chairs Chinhui and Eddie Allen and Heidi and David Gerger, as the event raised an impressive $1.5 million for AST's efforts to build a more inclusive community in Houston.

Keep Reading Show less
People + Places