Nancy and Rich Kinder
Guests, who wore sneakers with their cocktail attire per the unique dress code, sipped wine and spirits to the strains of live jazz from students at the Raul Yzaguirre Schools for Success before dinner. Once seated, they divided their attention between the Astros game projected on giant screens and a roster of compelling speakers, all buzzing about the recent $100 million gift from the Kinder Foundation, to realize the Buffalo Bayou East Master Plan.
Nancy and Rich Kinder were on hand, modestly waving off the praise as it came from the podium from the likes of Mayor Sylvester Turner and Harris County Commissioner Rodney Ellis, who suggested renaming Buffalo Bayou as “Kinder Bayou.” The Kinder’s celebrated gift was described as transformational, as it will further the public-private Partnership’s mission to steward a dynamic network of welcoming parks, trails, and unique destinations along Buffalo Bayou will into the East End, bringing the city’s flourishing interest in green space development to new communities.
After dinner, the party moved to the park’s impressive terrace for more cocktailing and dancing to DJ Felix. An elegant coffee service was also on offer.
“For over 30 years, Buffalo Bayou Partnership has pursued equitable access to vibrant, safe, and inclusive public spaces along the 10-mile stretch of Houston’s historic waterway from Shepherd Drive to the Port of Houston Turning Basin,” noted a rep for the Partnership. “BBP has led award-winning projects such as Buffalo Bayou Park to public art and programming that unite communities all along the bayou.”
Scott and Judy Nyquist
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Masson and Wilson
While everyone is getting their fix of pumpkin-spiced everything, Dodie’s is armed with a menu of thoughtfully curated wines for whatever is served at the holiday table. Next door, Fluff Bake Bar is rolling out its annual parade of seasonal pies, tarts, cookies, and dessert party trays.
Fluff’s limited-edition Christmas Treat Box, on sale Dec. 6 until sold out, is always the star of the season. The collection of playful treats includes four each of gooey butter cookies, “Christmas Unicorn Bait” cookies, chocolate-peppermint cookies, and ginger-molasses cookies. Additionally, two DIY hot chocolate kits with housemade vanilla marshmallows are included. Boxes will be shipped on Dec. 13; pick-up and delivery will be available Dec.14.
For her part, Wilson stocks the Dodie’s shelves with a focus on rare selections from small, family-owned vineyards and female-founded wineries, breweries, and cideries. Her unfussy approach to recommendations and food pairings mixes knowledge with a dash of fun and sass. Wilson’s mission is for guests to leave her shop with something they love. “If you don’t like it, come tell me!” she says.
“Holiday meals often have a broad combination of flavors on the plate, so I try to find something dry with light fruity notes that can be versatile, complementary and celebratory,” Wilson explains. With turkey, she suggests bubbles, which can be served from start to finish, like the Jean Vesselle-Oeil de Perdrix brut from her shop. For a still white wine, she recommends Domaine Gondard-Perrin-Viré-Clessé 2018, calling it a “powerful wine that matches up to hearty stuffing and other rich sides.”
And while red is the go-to wine for meat, Wilson loves mixing things up. For something unexpected, she suggests a rosé and/or Brazilian brut with roast, brisket or tenderloin to balance the richness and match the heft of the flavor, fat and texture of red meat.
“For desserts, ideally your pairing should be sweeter than the dessert, so I love a good late bottle vintage port — the older the better.” Wilson also pulls cider and beer out of her hat to marry with holiday treats. “Cider is fermented apples, so it has an inherent sweetness making a great match. Texas Keeper Cider’s Golden Russet has light effervescence and complexity, so it complements pies, cookies, and tarts,” says Wilson. She makes and exception to her “sweeter pairing” mandate by recommending darker beers and stouts with holiday pies. “Something about the crust and the filling works wonderfully with creamy, rich stouts and ambers.”
Who knew?
Fluff Bake Bar's Christmas Treat box
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