At Bright Springtime Schmooze in the Shadow of Rising Luxury Tower, Dueñas Feted as Ambassador

At Bright Springtime Schmooze in the Shadow of Rising Luxury Tower, Dueñas Feted as Ambassador

Javier Loya, Llucinda, Loya, Nina Magon and Adrian Duenas

SWELLS FROM THE design community and social set merged on the grounds of DC Partners’ rising, architecturally splendid The Allen project to announce Adrián Dueñas, CEO of Houston’s BeDESIGN European furniture and design house, as the brand ambassador for the Residences at The Allen. Guests toasted the guest of honor at a cocktail reception at the onsite sales gallery designed by BeDESIGN.


“We began working with BeDESIGN when they designed the interiors for our sales gallery and their understanding of our vision and their dedication to delivering a luxury experience was completely in line with what the Residences at The Allen offers,” said CEO of DC Partners Roberto Contreras in a statement. “So much so, Adrián and Marcelo purchased a home in the building. Adrian’s keen eye for style, Italian design and furnishings, and his diverse connections with people from all over the world make him a natural ambassador for all that the Residences at The Allen have to offer.”

Guests for the announcement reception included Sverre and Carrie Brandsberg-Dahl, Claudia Contreras, Roberto Contreras IV, glam interior designer Lucinda Loya and her husband Javier, whose Veneno Tequila provided cocktails for the evening.

The Residences at The Allen features 99 luxury condominiums atop Houston’s first Thompson Hotel, a vast project that passersby on Allen Parkway have seen rising for some time. Floorplans consist of one-bedroom, two-bedroom and three-bedroom condos, as well as spectacular penthouses of up to 10,000 square feet with never-before-seen views of Downtown, Buffalo Bayou and the rest of the city. Residents will share services with guests of the hotel, including valet and concierge, room service, a lavish spa, chic pool deck and signature restaurants.

Roberto Contreras, Claudia Contreras and Roberto Contreras IV

Josh and Trisha Weisman

Sverre and Carrie Brandsberg-Dahl, Silva and Mauro Ceotto

Paolo and Sam Katz

Duyen Huynh and Marc Nguyen

Roz and Alan Pactor

Eddie Massa, Stephanie Wilcox, Jentry Kelley and Shawn Lynch

“The helistop will be available to hotel guests and residents and is engineered to accommodate drone deliveries and transportation of the future,” notes a rep for the property.

The Residences at the Allen is expected to open next year. It’s currently 60 percent sold, DC said.

“It means a lot to be partnering with one of, if not the strongest, development projects in the city,” said Adrián Dueñas. “To have an opportunity to represent this company with their portfolio is a one-of-a-kind opportunity. DC Partners believes in me and my brand, and my brand believes in the project. In turn, that means I can go anywhere in the world and talk about the project, and my personal home, with the same passion I have about my brand. I am very proud to be a part of it.”

Business+Innovation

Beef carpaccio atop La Griglia’s chic marble tables

IT'S 5 O’CLOCK on a Tuesday night and the newly imagined two-story La Griglia restaurant is already packed with cars at the valet, a line of guests at the door, and cocktail revelers filling the bar. The cognoscenti has reserved their favorite tables in the sophisticated dining room and in the dreamy Courtyard. It’s an outdoor space rivaling sunbaked patios in Tuscany — but this one sports heaters, a retractable roof, and its own bar, courtesy of owner Tilman Fertitta.

Keep Reading Show less
Food

Life’s a beach in Santa Monica

DOGS WITH PONYTAILS. Someone dressed like Jimmy Buffet on psychedelics blaring music from a speaker hanging from his neck. Another gent taking a conference call on a ’90s-era headset at the skate park. These are all scenes from a leisurely hour in Venice Beach, where eclecticism and luxury intersect in true Los Angeles fashion.

Keep Reading Show less
People + Places