Tequila Shots & Shirtless Hunks! Fashionable Fiesta Raises $400K

Tequila Shots & Shirtless Hunks! Fashionable Fiesta Raises $400K

Maygel Coronel and Fady Armanious

SALUD TO THE ladies of the Latin Women’s Initiative, whose 20th-anniversary luncheon garnered a whopping $400,000, making it the most successful ever!


The famously fun event took place at the Hilton Americas ballroom, where chairs Vicky Dominguez and Patricia Garcia welcomed guests for cocktails and shopping prior to the sit-down lunch. Entertainment courtesy of the UH Moores School of Music and Ambassadors International Ballet Folklorico accompanied the tequila-sipping tipplers, who eventually made their way to their tables, eager to get a good view of the fashion show.

Presented by Tootsies, the runway looks were all designed by Latinos, and Colombian swimwear designer Maygel Coronel even made a personal appearance. Shirtless male models, dressed in swim trunks, got a particularly rousing round of applause. A raffle touted items like baubles from Zadok Jewelers, and at the conclusion of the presentation, all 1,000 guests raised a glass of Maestri Tequila for a toast.

Proceeds will be split among the nonprofits Books Between Kids, Homemade Hope, Tejano Center for Community Concerns, Undies for Everyone, and Wesley Community Center, all of which support and service the city’s Latino community.

Arcy Munoz, Jonathan Marshall

Beatrice Urquide, Consul Karla

Cyndy Garza Roberts, Roland Garcia

Glades Sotomayor, Dr. Emma Lopes

Javier Rodriguez, Karen Payne, Ceron

Jovanny Orellana, Malorie Rodriguez

John Segovia, Helene Zadok

Laura Salinas-Pruneda, Monica Jiminez, Hoda Sana

Michel Leal

Riley Devlin, Branson Packar

Style
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