parties

'Right' On

The Human Rights Campaign celebrated its 20th annual gala with a black-tie bash at the still-new Marriott Marquis in Downtown. Chad Griffin, president of HRC, addressed the organization’s goals to achieve full equality for members of the LGBTQ community, and welcomed former boy-band superstar Lance Bass and his husband Michael Turchin, who attended the event as special guests of sponsor Baccarat. Grammy-winning artist Estelle performed, and comedian Dana Goldberg gave a standup routine and emceed the auction. A highlight was the funnily militant Martha Plimpton, who accepted the Ally for Equality award. An afterparty in the foyer of the hotel raged on until the wee hours of the morning!


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parties

Out to Dinner

The social season is in full swing, with a number of high-profile dinners — both intimate and grandiose — highlighting the calendar. Hostess extraordinaire Becca Cason Thrash was at it again, welcoming Krug Champagne for an evening of bubbly, food — courtesy of acclaimed chef Tyson Cole — and music at her Memorial home. Co-hosted by designer Naeem Khan, the event also featured a performance by jazz artist Gregory Porter. ... Ahead of its grand opening, Yauatcha hosted a special five-course meal for Lynn Wyatt and 15 guests, in honor of the Rothko Chapel’s 45th anniversary. ... At the Ballroom at Bayou Place, woman-about-town Alicia Smith celebrated her birthday with a “Fifty and Fabulous” dinner, with aerial artists and a '50 Shades of Gray'-themed cocktail hour. ... The Houston Symphony’s annual wine dinner and auction was held on the stage of Jones Hall, which was transformed into a wine “cave” for the evening. ... Italian designer Stefano Ricci made a special appearance for an intimate dinner at Neiman Marcus.


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On Exhibit

Two Houston institutions hosted truly museum-quality galas, showing off beautiful exhibition spaces in grand new ways. The Asia Society Texas Center’s annual bash, the black-tie Tiger Ball, celebrated the beauty and culture of India. Honoring Shushila and Durga Agrawal and raising more than $1 million, the colorful event moved from the grand hall out to a massive tent, where Bollywood dancers performed for guests. Meanwhile, the Houston Museum of Natural Science also hosted its yearly gala, which adopted the theme of the Big Bang Ball and celebrated the newly renovated Burke Baker Planetarium. Chemistry demonstrations entertained guests, who sipped cocktails made with liquid nitrogen and helped raise more than $850K for the museum’s educational programs. Talk about a big bang!

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