At Frilly and Floral Rienzi Spring Party, Guests Raise a Glass to 25 Years

Wilson Parish
At Frilly and Floral Rienzi Spring Party, Guests Raise a Glass to 25 Years

Julia Davis, Sophia Cantu, Christiana Reckling, Julia Hotze, Randa McConn

AN INTIMATE GATHERING of around 125 guests toasted the 25th anniversary of Rienzi, the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston's house of European decorative arts. Beautiful blooms in shades of pink, white and blue, complemented by blue-toile linens, were found all around the verdant grounds, illuminated by simply chic string lights hanging from above.


The annual al fresco fete included a dinner catered by City Kitchen, and an oh-so-sweet dessert spread that included sorbet, gelato, chocolate mousse shooters, fruit tarts, and gooseberries dipped in chocolate. Nick Serena provided a live poolside soundtrack for the evening, which took inspiration from the Portrait of Eleanor, Countess of Lauderdale painting in the Drawing Room at Rienzi.

Chaired by Meg and Nelson Murray, the Spring Party raised nearly $95,000 for Rienzi's operating budget.

Ann Weston, Mitchell Cox

Mary and John Craddock

Anna and Alan Chambers

Maddy and Harrison Schuhmacher

Bagpiper at the 2024 Rienzi Spring Party

Linda Burdine, Jane DiPaolo, Jenny Elkins

Carroll and John Wessels

Natassia Horowitz, Monica Hoz de Vila

Celina Hellmund, Courtnay Elias

Gillian Sarofim, Selim Baysal, Lauren Gray

Chairs Nelson and Meg Murray

Eddie Allen, Eric Bing, Jeff Firestone

Parties

Leah Lax

A PANICKED MOTHER traveling by foot from El Salvador to reach the U.S.-Mexico border rubs crushed garlic cloves on her skin to ward off the cottonmouth snakes crawling over her legs. A group of half-starved teenage Vietnamese refugees on a boat they hoped would ferry them to safety huddle together as pirates board and steal all their possessions. At a UN Refugee Office, a father of six and a member of the Movement for the Survival of the Ogoni People (a minority ethnic group based in southern Nigeria) whose leadership had been executed by a corrupt Nigerian government, is granted emergency refugee status. The interviewer reaches into her pocket and hands him money to smuggle his family out of Nigeria.

Keep Reading Show less
Art + Entertainment

Lobster Bene at PostScript

THERE’S STILL TIME to reserve for Sunday, March 31. Whether brunching with kids in tow or you’re in it for the mimosas — or craving prime rib, smoked salmon and seasonal strawberry desserts served on a silver platter — H-Town has the Easter treat for every bunny.

Keep Reading Show less
Food