Two Posh Purveyors Bling in the Season with a Series of Sizzling VIP Soirees

Daniel Ortiz and Alex Montoya
Two Posh Purveyors Bling in the Season with a Series of Sizzling VIP Soirees

Abigail Henningsen, Antonio Cortez, Blake Kilgore and Ally Ondarza

LIKE THE SOCIAL scene, the art scene may slow down in the summer — but that’s no excuse for two Upper Kirby businesses, who teamed up to throw a truly hot bash.

Valobra Master Jewelers and Christopher Martin Gallery plan to host a series of VIP events throughout the season, and the first two were smashing successes. One benefited Dress for Success, and the second was a Father’s Day-themed party from which proceeds went to Urban Harvest.

At the latter, guests ventured into the still-new outpost of the Aspen-based gallery, peeping Bentley and Ferrari and Porsche cars on display. (Christopher Martin parked his own Porsche Boxster, wrapped in one of his own art pieces, out front!)

Once inside, patrons snagged cocktails from Gentle Ben and hefty bites from Steak 48 and browsed a cool collection of vintage watches and accessories like cufflinks from Valobra. Men’s clothier Lucho also popped up with a selection of seasonal items. Solar-powered turntables, spun by DJ Chris Zane, provided a chill soundtrack to the night, which featured an art exhibition called The Whale Tail Project, in which artist Johans Lamic — who was in attendance at the party — reimagined a number of Porsche spoilers.

Teresa Henderson, Danielle Deleon and Cheryl Byington

Amanda Mills and Roland Maldonado

​Roz and Alan Pastor

Bryan Caswell and Erin Hicks

Page Parkes model Sophie Johnson wearing Valobra jewels

Bahara Anna and Lana Page and Albina Kond and Hector Villarreal

Johans Lamic and Susan Frania

David Victor and Bryce Bell

Liz Sian, Chanelle Rebiere and Marxli Mettauer

The scene at Christopher Martin Gallery

Parties

Jacob Hilton, a.k.a. Travid Halton, at home in his kitchen, where he enjoys cooking as a form of therapy.

PINK FLOYD'S THE Wall. Sinatra’s In the Wee Small Hours. Beyonce’s Lemonade. Three divergent examples of the album as a cathartic, psychological, conceptual work, meant to be experienced in a single sitting. Houston singer-songwriter Jacob Hilton, 37, who records as Travid Halton, a portmanteau of his mother and father’s names, might balk at being mentioned in such company. (This is a thoroughly unpretentious man, who describes himself as an “archaeologist turned singer-songwriter.”)

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Art + Entertainment

How did you get to where you are today? The present moment is a combined history of my family, my time as an athlete, my passion for learning, and my desire to see the world be better. I grew up as a successful springboard and platform diver, however, an injury caused me to seek alternative treatments to heal my body. In that process, I discovered the power of yoga, exercise, meditation, mindset, and nutrition. This holistic approach eventually led me to open a Pilates and cycling studio called DEFINE body & mind. I opened studios around the nation, and after selling most of my business between 2017-2019, I was ready to explore how I could make an even greater impact on the wellbeing of our community. In 2023, I started actively working on a brand new multi-family/apartment concept called, Define Living. The idea focused on offering health and wellness services within a beautiful apartment setting to increase the wellbeing of our residents. Having a strong sense of community is the number one factor in living a happy life, so why not build a community where daily fitness, cooking classes, and social connection are the norm? We opened Define Living in March of 2024, and we couldn’t be happier with how things are being received. We are already looking at building more concepts like this in the Houston area and beyond.

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