Glitter, Glamour, Fur and Fun! Inside CAP’s 50th Anniversary Bash

Daniel Ortiz and Jacob Power
Glitter, Glamour, Fur and Fun! Inside CAP’s 50th Anniversary Bash

Danielle and Derek Gillespie with Claire

MORE THAN 600 party animals gathered at the Royal Sonesta to celebrate 50 years of Citizens for Animal Protection (CAP).


The ballroom was decked out with glittery, glamorous floral arrangements and swaths of shiny fabric, in addition to several IG-worthy photo backdrops. Violinist Radu John warmed up the crowd with electrifying tunes played on a light-up violin, and JD Entertainment characters — like a Champagne-toting cat — roamed the room.

The main event was, as always, a fur-tastic fashion show, emceed by animal-loving television personality Frank Billingsley. Gala honorees strutted their stuff alongside their pets, and supporters Jody Merritt and Steve Spencer’s cat, Yuli, was named the Celebrity Pet of the Year. Other honorees included JD Adamson with Dolly; Deborah and Ernesto Bautista with Asher and Penelope; Rose Chen and David Webster with Muffin; Cortney Cole-Hall with Leo and Elia; Michael Gabbanelli with Daisy; Danielle and Derek Gillespie with Claire; Casey and Ryan Mitchell with Gabby Win; and Sonia Soto and Jeff Hoffman with Layla.

West Houston Subaru raffled off a 2023 Crosstek, which revved up the evening’s proceeds. The till currently stands at $725,000, with more donations rolling in.


Sterling Woerner and Kathryn Bonesteel

Yaritza and Alexander Scott

Austin and Marian Cornelius

Steve Spencer and Jody Merritt with Yuli

Bill Baldwin, Hallie Vanderhider and Fady Armanious

Cassidy Harriman and Dinah Linn

Shelby Kibodeaux and Bruce Padilla

JD Entertainment

Cindy Peoples and Mary Kenner

Rosemary McDonald and Jacqueline Swilling

Courtney Cole-Hall with Leo

Daryl and Amy Dichoso

Richard Ray, Tamara Bonar and Anthony Dowd

Michael and Ivanne Corsi

Deborah and Ernesto Bautista with Asher

Mica Piro and Anna Kaplan

Melanie Cizik, Alex Gonzalez and Reilly Cizik

Edna Meyer-Nelson and Julie Brookshire

Frank Billingsley and Kevin Gillard

Tony and Frances Buzbee

Parties
Pelican Builders Welcome Residents To First New Upper Kirby Condo Offering In Years;
Boutique Midrise Adds To Pedestrian Appeal Of Sought-After, Inner Loop Neighborhood

WITH ITS INAUGURAL set of residents newly moved in, Pelican Builders’ mid-rise condominium Westmore at 2323 W Main Street in Upper Kirby is already seeing the blossoming of a tight-knit community. Designed by Houston-based Mirador Group the Westmore is the first new condominium product to be introduced to the in-demand, inner loop neighborhood in more than three years. And with remaining two-bedroom homes starting at $895,000, it’s a remarkable value for this increasingly pricey area, where condos can easily climb to several million dollars and more.

Keep Reading Show less
Home + Real Estate

Cyndy Garza Roberts, Stephanie Ramos, Michele Leal Farah, Vicky Dominguez and Leisa Holland Nelson Bowman

WITH A GOAL of ensuring access to quality healthcare for underserved families in Houston’s East End, El Centro de Corazón has been making a difference for 30 years. Its annual Making a Difference luncheon, this year chaired by Vicky Dominguez with honorary chairs Leisa Holland Nelson Bowman and Leila Perrin, raised more than $150,000.

Keep Reading Show less
Parties

ONE CANNOT ACCUSE Houston’s Axiom Quartet of playing it safe. When it comes to exploring the outer limits of string quartet repertoire, engaging audiences who don’t normally attend classical music concerts, and putting in the collective time necessary to nail the gnarly idiosyncrasies of 20th- and 21st-century composers, Axiom continues to walk the walk as they talk the talk.

Keep Reading Show less
Art + Entertainment