Hermann Park Tops Off 15 Years of Hats in the Park Lunch on a Supremely Springy Day

Jenny Antill
Hermann Park Tops Off 15 Years of Hats in the Park Lunch on a Supremely Springy Day

Holly Radom, Audrey White, Allie Fields and Julie Longoria Chen

IT SEEMS LIKE Houston has been toggling between winter and summer for a few weeks now, but during a stretch of true springtime weather last week, Hermann Park Conservancy hosted the Hats in the Park luncheon at McGovern Centennial Gardens.


This year marked the 15th anniversary of the occasion, which has had a measurable impact on Hermann Park and its six-million visitors each year. Event co-chairs Kristy Bradshaw, Kelley Lubanko and Leigh Smith greeted guests during the Champagne reception preceding the seated lunch on the verdant lawn. Bradshaw shared updates regarding the park's forthcoming McWilliams Dog Park and Commons projects — the latter of which will include a "40-foot rocket ship slide and whimsical carousel" — and Mayor Sylvester Turner also gave remarks, praising the Conservancy for its preservation and betterment of the community resource.

The afternoon honored Ann Short and Susie Criner, who chaired the very first Hats in the Park lunch in 2008. In total, the event raised upwards of $520,000 — a record! Hats off to that.

Valerie Dieterich and Roslyn Bazzelle Mitchell

Alex Blair, Brigitte Kalai and Aliza Fan Dutt

Stephanie Tsuru, Elizabeth Wagett, Katie Tsuru and Donae Chramosta

Alice Mao Brams and Yoon Smith

Sanford and Susie Criner

Bethany Buchanan, Hallie Vanderhider, Fady Armanious and Chita Craft

Rachel Solar, Brooke Bently-Gunst, Lindsey Brown and Maria Vilchez-Lowrey

Chelsea Pacey, Lori Speier, Anne Calder

Nicole Katz, Carolyn Tanner and Tracy Hale

Demetra Jones, Kenneth Allen and Doreen Stoller

Nicola Fuentes Toubia and DeVaun Barbir

Duyen Nguyen, Debbie Festari and Carrie Brandsberg-Dahl

Lynn Wyatt

Heather Waters, Kim Tutcher, Brenda Love and Jana Arnoldy

Lesia Crumpton-Young and Anne-Laure Stephens

Kelley Lubanko, Leigh Smith and Kristy Bradshaw

Anne Calder, Rae Solberg, Jayne Johnston and Heather Safi

Isabel David and Rishma Mohamed

Kate Bellin

Katie Forney and Linsay Radcliffe

Style
Exclusive Furniture’s Sam Zavary Credits Luck, Hard Work and ‘Mom’s Prayers’ for His Success

How did you get to where you are today? I am a firm believer that hard work and having dreams that you strive to achieve will motivate and inspire people to achieve their potential. Working hard, dreaming, and making sure to take advantage of every opportunity is something I learned at a young age. I credit God and God’s grace firstly, but I know that success is a direct result of hard work. I tell my podcast subscribers and followers to continue setting goals, evolving, improving, and planning, and I practice what I preach. I am proud to have started my business in the fastest growing major city in the United States, and I attribute a lot of the success of Exclusive Furniture to the family culture we create in the best city — Houston’s diversity, philanthropy, and innovation have helped me achieve a lot of the milestones in the furniture business (and the “low prices”) you see today!

Keep Reading Show less

Lemon gelato at Dolce Neve

WITH TEMPS NEARING the triple digits, we’re all screaming for ice cream! If you haven’t hit Houston’s many scrumptious ice-cream shops this summer, here’s the scoop on eight of the best.

Keep Reading Show less
Food

Artwork by May, Magallon and Carter

THE SUNLIT, COZY, 700-square-foot second floor of Basket Books and Art is the site of Hot Bod, one of the strangest and most intriguing exhibits currently on view in Houston.

Keep Reading Show less
Art + Entertainment