Heart Strings: Dolly’s Guitar, Easton Corbin and a Stetson-Savvy Crowd Set Record for Dec My Room

Jennifer Obar and Greg Sonnier (photo by Daniel Ortiz)

By Jeff Gremillion

Western chic filled The Ballroom at Bayou Place, and Dec My Room left with a record.

More than 250 guests turned out for the ninth annual Kick Up Your Boots for Kids, raising $415,000. Country singer Easton Corbin packed the dance floor. Chairs Anne Carl and her daughter, Elizabeth Carl, ran the night. Founders Kendall Plank and Susan Plank were there. Early in the program, Susan passed the hat to Kendall as the organization’s new leader.

Dec My Room started in August 2007. Volunteers have personalized and decorated more than 10,000 rooms in over 180 hospitals nationwide for pediatric and young adult patients, each built around the patient’s interests. Requests are up 30 percent this year. The items stay through the hospital stay and go home with the patient.

David Ackel emceed and called the auction. Two ice bars and two raffles ran alongside the main appeal: a necklace from Miseno Italy and a bottle of Pappy Van Winkle 23-year bourbon. A spirits pull added another chance at a bottle. Community honorees Stacey and Al Lindseth and corporate honoree Northern Trust were recognized for their support.

The live auction kept paddles up. A Federal American Grill package built around Pappy Van Winkle drew strong bids. A Dolly-Parton-signed guitar surged enough that Ackel offered a second. Longtime supporter Mike Plank donated a golf outing at Big Easy Ranch in Columbus, with helicopter transportation, that sold twice. The night closed with a tequila bar, cigars and a last espresso martini from the Frio River Vodka ice bar.

Seen in the crowd: Maria Moncada Alaoui and Omer Alaoui, Kory and Geoff Blum, Matt Brice, Noble Carl, Fabio Cardamuro, Heather Almond, Adrienne Crane, Alicia Smith, Kim and Dan Moody, Julia Morales Clark and Matt Clark, Jerry Simon, Jennifer Grosvenor, Sneha and Nick Merchant and Ryan Venable.

Anne and Elizabeth Carl (photo by Daniel Ortiz)

Trevor Wasiqi and Kendall Plank (photo by Daniel Ortiz)

Susan Plank, Kendall Plank, Stacey and Al Lindseth (photo by Daniel Ortiz)

Shelby Coppedge, Katie Tsuru and Adrienne Crane (photo by Daniel Ortiz)

Mike Stasney, Easton Corbin and Carley Stasney (photo by Daniel Ortiz)

Nina and Clint Rand (photo by Daniel Ortiz)

Noel Wise (photo by Daniel Ortiz)

Omar Alaoui and Maria Moncada Alaoui (photo by Daniel Ortiz)

Mary Choe, Marie Daly and Demi Childs (photo by Daniel Ortiz)

Lynnette Davis, Cindy Bendi, Sylvia Forsythe and Alicia Smith (photo by Daniel Ortiz)

Karen Eddingston and Kate McGee (photo by Daniel Ortiz)

Grace and Steve Ward (photo by Daniel Ortiz)

Wanda Carter, Conner Fowler and Macy Carter (photo by Daniel Ortiz)

Susan Plank, Jerry Simon, Jennifer Grosvenor and Kendall Plank (photo by Daniel Ortiz)

Jill and Andrew Wright (photo by Daniel Ortiz)

Julia Morales and Matt Clark (photo by Daniel Ortiz)

Anne and Noble Carl (photo by Daniel Ortiz)

With Sunny Style, Supporters Celebrate ‘VIP Houston’ Launch at Granduca

Jeff Gremillion and Alicia Smith (photo by Daniel Ortiz)

Staff Report

A lively crowd of friends, colleagues and local tastemakers gathered to celebrate the official launch of Jeff Gremillion’s VIP Houston at JeffGremillion.com, a new digital platform dedicated to Houston culture and society.

The festive affair took place in Alba, the sun-filled restaurant space at the Hotel Granduca — typically the setting for high tea — providing an elegant backdrop for the early evening gathering. Guests mingled while enjoying an array of passed hors d’oeuvres, including delicate miniature quiches, and sipping classic margaritas crafted with Original Grit tequila, a sponsor for the event.

Offering welcome remarks, Gremillion shared his vision for the new site and reflected on more than three decades in publishing, including his time founding and leading titles like Houston magazine and Houston CityBook.

“Standing in a room full of people who have supported my work for so long is the best reminder of why I love telling Houston's stories,” Gremillion said. “This new platform is all about celebrating the energy, the style and the incredible personalities that make this city so special. And doing it with a direct, personal touch.”

With the launch party marking the site’s official debut, readers can explore Jeff Gremillion’s VIP Houston. A regular email newsletter debuted this week, as well.

*Don’t miss any parties! Sign up for our newsletter here.

Patrick Curphey, Van Morris, Peter Bustamante and Matthew Drews (photo by Daniel Ortiz)

Mary Ann Mason and Beth Muecke (photo by Daniel Ortiz)

Tammy Dowe, Kelley Devine and Carrie Brandsberg-Dao (photo by Daniel Ortiz)

Chase Smith, Patrick Magee and A.J. Mistretta (photo by Daniel Ortiz)

Alan and Elizabeth Stein (photo by Daniel Ortiz)

Derrick Huang and Jeff Gremillion (photo by Daniel Ortiz)

Chris Nodd and Nicholas Glenn (photo by Daniel Ortiz)

Tarek El-Bjeirmi and Karen Payne (photo by Daniel Ortiz)

Bartender Chuck mixes up classic margaritas with Original Grit tequila.

Daniel Irion, Elizabeth Stein and Kirk Kveton (photo by Daniel Ortiz)

Escarle Silva and Randy Mitchmore (photo by Daniel Ortiz)

Beth Wolff, Jeff Gremillion and Cheryl Byington (photo by Daniel Ortiz)

Simple, elegant floral set helped set the party’s sunny, stylish tone (photo by Daniel Ortiz)

Jeff Gremillion and Leisa Holland-Nelson Bowman (photo by Daniel Ortiz)

Parissa Mohajer and Mahzad Mohajer (photo by Daniel Ortiz)

Jeff Gremillion and Edward Sanchez (photo by Daniel Ortiz)

With Billowing Blooms and Evocative ‘Clowns,’ Williams’ Opera Ball Celebrates $2 Million Take

Patrick Summers, Margaret Alkek Williams and Khori Dastoor (photo by Michelle Watson)

By Jeff Gremillion

Originally published April 2025

When the grande dame of Houston philanthropy steps up to chair the annual gala for one of Houston’s most elite cultural institutions, expect high elegance to abound and big bucks to roll in.

Such was exactly the case when Margaret Alkek Williams chaired the 2025 Opera Ball at the Wortham Center, raising a record of more than $2 million for Houston Grand Opera — with a romantic, old-school, spring-savvy “Love Is in the Air” theme, brought to life with thousands of fragrant pastel-colored florals at every turn, and a sea of ballgowns in shades of seasonal pink and green. This was the second $2 million+ ball Williams has chaired for HGO, with this year’s haul beating her own personal best from back in 2014.

A surprise highlight of the evening was a stirring performance honoring the gala’s honorees, Dian and Harlan Stai, who have supported the opera company for decades. HGO General Director and CEO Khori Dastoor “welcomed legendary mezzo-soprano Frederica von Stade to the stage, where she performed accompanied [on piano] by HGO Artistic and Music Director Patrick Summers,” noted a rep for the company. “Her moving interpretation of Stephen Sondheim’s seminal classic, ‘Send in the Clowns,’ left the audience spellbound.”

Dinner was decadent, with a chilled Romanesco soup, a pairing of prime beef and pan-seared seabass, and a chocolate explosion of a dessert, with bits of fudge cake and chocolate ice cream and mousse, all bursting from a tempered sphere — again, lavishly old school. After dinner, dancing broke out on the gleaming dance floor.

In room full of VIPs, some of the top-tier swells included Anna Dean, Anne and Albert Chao, Betty and Jesse Tutor, Brigitte Kalai, Alicia Smith, Charles and Lily Foster, Cynthia and Tony Petrello, Fady Armanious, Bill Baldwin, Franklin and Cindi Rose, Hallie Vanderhider, Jim and Dancie Ware, Jim and Molly Crownover and Leisa Holland-Nelson Bowman.

Nancy Gonzalez, Denise Reyes, Christina Jack, Destiny Fernandisse (photo by Emily Jaschke)

Brigitte Kalai, Betty Tutor and Ann Ayre (photo by Michelle Watson)

Ilyas and Elizabeth Abraham (photo by Emily Jaschke)

Frederica von Stade (photo by Michelle Watson)

Jim and Dancie Ware (photo by Michelle Watson)

Jonathan and Ann Ayre and Rachel and Warren Ellsworth (photo by Michelle Watson)

Michael Broderick and Cindy and Franklin Rose (photo by Emily Jaschke)

SNL’s Armisen Headlines Laugh-Filled Fete for Children at Risk

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BY Jeff Gremillion

“A big crowd turned up at the Post Oak Hotel for the Children at Risk gala, raising some $360,000 focused on “understanding and addressing the root causes of child poverty and inequality,” per its mission statement.

Fred Armisen of Saturday Night Live and Portlandia fame was the headliner, entertaining the crowd of 430 with offbeat comedy and musical bits.

Suzan and Jeremy Samuels and Beth Wolff served as event chairs for the Stand Up for Children event. Other big shots were on hand, including emcee Khambrel Marshall and honoree Sippi Khurana. “Khurana gave impassioned remarks that included statistics for Texas showing the importance of Children at Risk’s research and advocacy, pinpointing the areas needed for change in health, education and welfare of children,” said a rep for the event organizers. “Her 3 d-grade daughter Seva gave a beautiful invocation to start the evening.” 

VIP guests included and Ed Wolff, Cynthia Wolff, Courtney and Zac Harmon, Ann and Jonathan Ayre, Ajay Khurana, Kristen Cannon, Alice and Matthew Brams, Shaina Perry and Jeremy Ross, Shawn and Donald Bowers, Amy and Rob Pierce, George Connelly, Evelyn Leightman, Katie and Seth Tsuru, and David Charles.”

Bob and Ellen Sanborn (photo by Daniel Ortiz)