Flying High

Once again, Hurricane Harvey can’t stop the generosity or sink the spirits of arts patrons. The Houston Ballet held its biggest ball ever in a tent outside the Houston Ballet Center for Dance, which was outfitted by The Events Company in contrasting black-and-white floors, linens, centerpieces and chandeliers, nodding to the Swan Lake theme. Chair Hallie Vanderhider also channeled the theme, donning a custom Naeem Khan gown — one of several dresses she wore that night — with a skirt of feathers. Even the food was prepared a la Swan Lake, including a Black & White Deconstructed dessert with chocolate ganache and truffles topped with white cake and white chocolate accents. Thanks to a killer silent auction — two weeks at an Italian villa, anyone? — the Ballet Ball raised a whopping $1.4 million.

Jenny Antill, Priscilla Dickson and Wilson Parish


Parties
Fall Philanthropy Report: Easter Seals of Greater Houston ‘Impacts Where People Need Us the Most’

What year was your organization launched? Founded in Houston in 1947, as the Cerebral Palsy Treatment Center, the organization provided services to individuals with disabilities living in Houston and Harris County. In 1989, the organization changed its name and greatly expanded its services to meet the needs of its clientele. Today as Easter Seals Greater Houston, the organization provides multiple outstanding service programs to children, adults, veterans, and service members with all types of disabilities and their families in Harris and sixteen surrounding counties.

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