At Dress for Success and Women of Wardrobe's annual Summer Soiree, generously hosted by Tootises, fashion-forward attendees dressed in pretty pastels, bold patterns and lots of ruffles — many designed by Houston's Hunter Bell, who showed off her fall line alongside jewelry by Claudia Lobao. Chairs Karishma Asrani, Courtney Campo, Allie Danziger and Melissa Sugulas welcomed guests to the event, which toasted the 20th anniversary of Dress for Success, and raised more than $20,000 for the org.
Describe the mission of Make-A-Wish. Make-A-Wish Texas Gulf Coast and Louisiana grants life-changing wishes for local children battling critical illnesses, serving 47 counties in Texas (from Lufkin to Corpus Christi) and the entire state of Louisiana. We are on a quest to bring every eligible child’s wish to life because a wish is an integral part of a child’s treatment journey.
How do you view your role in Make-A-Wish? I truly believe I have the greatest job in the entire world! Every day, I see the strength and bravery of the wish kids we serve and the power their wishes have to transform not only their own lives, but those of entire communities. I work with the most hard-working and dedicated staff imaginable. It’s my responsibility to ensure that they have the foundational support to effectively do their jobs and fulfill our mission at a level of excellence. I’m here to work alongside our team and Board of Directors to guide our organization daily and propel our future with limitless possibilities.
What’s unique about your approach? We are building a team based on a sincere belief in having the best and most capable staff executing our mission and serving our wish families. A key component of fulfilling this vision each day is empowerment of my team to embody a service-focused culture of achievement. My motto is, “We always find a way to make a wish happen!” We’re here for the sole purpose of making magic happen for our wish kids — it’s that simple!
What factors motivated you to choose a career in non-profit leadership? Growing up, I was fortunate to have role models who constantly showed me what true community stewardship looks like. Studying Journalism at Mizzou, I felt a strong desire to bring stories to life. Then, I saw the need for people to actively contribute to making their community stronger. It is an ongoing, rewarding and humbling journey to work with a team who shares that mindset and to bring hope to those that need it.
What are the key lessons you’ve learned? By far, the most important lesson is that we must be 100 percent kid-focused with every decision we make. There is no higher priority than our wish kids. We must act with honesty, integrity and compassion. The commitment to serve is one not to be made lightly, and we hold ourselves to standards higher than those set by anyone outside Make-A-Wish.
What’s most exciting about the future of Make-A-Wish? This summer we will grant the 10,000th wish to a local kid since our organization’s inception in 1984. This represents a very special and key milestone as Make-A-Wish is building toward our impact goal to double the number of local wishes granted annually by 2025. Get involved at http://wish.org/texgulf
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DINING OUT DURING HRW’s month-long charity promotion, Aug. 1-Sept. 3, not only benefits the Houston Food Bank, but also increases sales for restaurants and their employees who suffered during hurricane Beryl — and so many did! Reserve now and grab a taste of something new at value pricing.
1891 American Eatery & Bar
Curried muscles at 1891
This still-new spot in the Heights serves elevated pub fare with something for everyone. Come hungry for brunch, lunch and dinner menus, plus to-go! Dinner ($39) options are many like salmon tartare, grilled flat iron steak, and summer spaghetti. Four desserts are on tap, including Key lime cheesecake.
Auden
Tres leches at Auden (photo by Jordan Hughes)
This stylish haunt in bustling Autry Park has a following for its eclectic menu. Husband and wife chefs Kirthan and Kripa Shenoy are crafting punchy Indian-inspired dishes on their two-course $25 brunch and $55 dinner HRW menus. We have our eye on the beef short ribs and grilled asparagus, Masala shrimp with curry velouté, and beautiful tres leches.
BCN
Dine decadently on this Spanish restaurant’s three-course $55 dinner menu with dessert. Chilled cherry gazpacho and burrata salad with watermelon are just right for summer. Grilled entrée options include salmon, duck breast and filet mignon, each served with “bomba” rice.
Belly of the Beast
This popular Spring eatery is dishing bold new American cuisine prepared through the lens of Mexican-American chef Thomas Bille. Dramatically presented dinner dishes on the three-course menu ($39) start with choices like grilled peach burrata toast and segue to crispy pork belly tacos and gussied-up carne asada.
Bludorn
Choose from dishes such as chilled corn soup, duck terrine, Scottish salmon and roasted pork loin with polenta on the three-course $55 menu. Chef Aaron Bludorn’s Montrose-area restaurant also offers scratch-made desserts with the special menu including pavlova with mixed berries.
Duchess
A seafood entree at Duchess
Dine like royalty at this newcomer in Uptown Park offering three-course brunch, lunch and dinner menus. Dinner ($55) sports grilled shrimp sliders and lots of juicy salads for starters. Second-course options highlight Mediterranean specialties like chicken Keba, blackened snapper, and bucatini pasta with chorizo and mussels.
HiWay Cantina
Tex Mex at HiWay Cantina
Pozole verde, Adobe grilled shrimp, watermelon salad, and enchiladas headline the lunch ($25) and dinner ($39) three-course menus. Add-ons like glazed quail and smoked sausage links are on offer as well at this EaDo newcomer from Agricole Hospitality.
Late August
Late August
Lunch ($25) on two courses of southern favorites including gumbo, chili relleno, or a smash burger. The three-course dinner ($55) brings on the rack of ribs, LA BBQ seafood, and more.
Le Jardinier
Le Jardinier's summery burrata (photo by Emily Chan)
Here’s your chance to dine delightfully in an artful museum setting. Brunch, lunch and dinner menus are on offer. Highlights include salmon Benedict, risotto with charred peppers, Heritage chicken and strawberry mousse.
Navy Blue
Branzino at Navy Blue (photo by Caroline Fontenot)
Heads up seafood lovers! Three-course lunch ($25) choices range from tuna crudo to Scottish salmon and chicken Milanese. Tomato gazpacho, chilled shrimp, branzino and tagliatelle are a few dinner ($55) options.
Thirteen Restaurant by James Harden
For dinner ($55), start with lobster and prawn dumplings or avocado salad. Main plates like filet mignon and herb crusted lamb chops are followed by scrumptious desserts — think white-chocolate-cheesecake brulee.
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THROUGHOUT ALL THREE floors of the stunning Glassell building on the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston campus, beginning Aug. 10, visitors will find colorful, thought-provoking works by one of the school's own: The first in a series of exhibits showcasing art by Glassell faculty members, Chaotic Nodes is a collection of paintings by instructor Arielle Masson.
"Since 1993, I have used as a point of departure the single geometric matrix called the Vesica Piscis or The Vessel of the Fish," says Mexico-born Masson on her website, "which could be described as the overlapping of two circles, creating an almond shape in between." That almond shape, also known in art as a Mandorla, is used to create "a circle-based lattice, which has allowed me to create the most varied patterns seen in my paintings."
Masson moved to Houston by way of Brussels and Paris in 1986, and was awarded her MFA in fine arts and painting from UH in 1990, followed by the coveted Core Program Fellowship from the Glassell School. She's created works for the City of Houston and the MetroRail, and frequently incorporates unexpected industrial materials in her paintings, including laminated glass, Lithocrete, and Lithomosaic.
The Chaotic Nodes show at Glassell offers, per the artist, an insight into "existential paroxysm," or internal crises occurring with a "tear in the fabric of reality." It runs through mid-October, with an opening reception scheduled for Sept. 7 at 6pm, and an artist talk on Sept. 21.
"Mugwort Zone," 2009, egg tempera and oil on canvas on panel
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