parties

At Posh, French-Kissed La Colombe d’Or Bash, ‘CityBook’ Marks Five Years as Houston’s Magazine

Jhane Hoang
At Posh, French-Kissed La Colombe d’Or Bash, ‘CityBook’ Marks Five Years as Houston’s Magazine

Gracie Cavnar, Addy Purdy, Pia Tolomei and Lisa Holthouse

ON A BREEZY fall evening, Houston CityBook Executive Publisher Lisa Holthouse and Editor in Chief/CEO Jeff Gremillion welcomed some 250 guests to the beautifully remodeled Montrose icon, La Colombe d'Or hotel, for a fabulously French-inspired cocktail party celebrating the magazine's fifth anniversary in print.

The evening, presented by major sponsors Deutsch Fine Jewelry and Bentley Houston, and coordinated by Sullivan Group with Bright Star Productions, was yet another most memorable CityBook event — with unique flourishes and special moments aplenty, from the second partygoers walked up the stairs of the historic building. Acrobatic dancers twirled and twisted and flipped on the porch, where Mercury Orchestra played beautiful classical music by French composers. A roving photo booth greeted guests once they'd stepped inside.

The charming space, thoughtfully remodeled while retaining much of its original magic, was the perfect place for passed hors d'oeuvres and bubbles and fabulous cocktails like French 75's with gin from local distillery Gentle Ben — which also poured its vodka and samples of its new bourbon, debuting just in time for the holidays. Guests mixed and mingled in various corners of the clubby bar and all the rooms, as trays of delectable nibbles including fried oysters, salmon carpaccio and dates stuffed with goat cheese and almonds circulated, all compliments of the kitchen at the hotel's Tonight & Tomorrow restaurant.

Some folks stayed inside, listening to the charismatic and oh-so-handsome Luke Whitney croon on the guitar at the centerpiece antique grand piano. Others took advantage of the mild weather and congregated by the al fresco bar in the sculpture garden out back. Door prizes offered up by Deutsch — gold and diamond bracelet, anyone — and Off the Wall gallery, which gave away a gorgeous marble sculpture, had revelers lining up to toss their name in the hat. House of Creed, which just opened a luxury fragrance boutique in the Galleria, and the Alto rideshare service, a party sponsor, also donated prizes.

Everyone raised a glass when Holthouse and Gremillion gave remarks. They thanked advertisers, readers and the community for embracing the brand.

Departing guests were given multiple favors, including swag bags sponsored by CityBook partner The Allen and cookies created by Dessert Gallery, which fashioned the treats in the shape of fleur de lis emblazoned "Cinq" (French for five) in pale blue, to match the party invitations.

Beth Wolff, Mario Gudmundsson and Carrie Brandsberg-Dahl

Derrick Shore and Brandon Bourque

Michael Holthouse and Lance Deutsch

La Colombe d'Or

Lauren Anderson

Patti Imbrogno Murphy and Don Murphy

Justin Garcia and Mike Mahlstedt

Beth Muecke

Lisa Holthouse

Jonathan and Marita Fairbanks

Tom Green, Thornton Brewer and Chris Doyle

Luke Whitney

Krish Arora

Todd Ramos, Page Parkes, Youth Soul Love and Chris Hendel

Zach McKenzie, Justin Fuselier and Nathaniel Peneguy

Lisa Holthouse and Jeff Gremillion

Ursaline Hamilton and Alicia Smith

Kam Franklin

Walid & Raquel Adham

Brandon Brenner, Mitchell Greco and Patrick Magee

Youth Soul Love

Chris Casey, Nicholas Glenn, Christopher Nodd, Huzefa Tayabali-Wilson and Cody Buchanan

Kate Stukenberg and Jessica Pfifer

Attxla

Tonya Riner, Molly Jodeit, Barbara Smith and Holly Crawford

Sasha Grumman and Alexis Paterno

Shanna Snow and Justin McKee

Peter Remington with Danielle and Hamilton Rowan

Sofia Adrogué, Kam Franklin and Mark Sullivan

Chris Becker and Edward Nawotka

Meghan Brinton and Jared Jinkerson

From Your Site Articles
Parties
promoted

Reyna Group Owner Leads Real Estate Market with Passion and Excellence

Reyna Group Owner Leads Real Estate Market with Passion and Excellence

MICHELLE REYNA WYMES, a distinguished name in the Houston real estate market, is the owner of the successful boutique brokerage, Reyna Group. Born and raised in Houston, Texas, Michelle has deep-rooted connections to the community she serves with dedication and pride.

Keep Reading Show less
promoted

Leadership in Action: ‘Family, Community and Spiritual Connection’ Drives Success for Henry Richardson

Al Torres

How did you get to where you are today? The present moment is a combined history of my family, my time as an athlete, my passion for learning, and my desire to see the world be better. I grew up as a successful springboard and platform diver, however, an injury caused me to seek alternative treatments to heal my body. In that process, I discovered the power of yoga, exercise, meditation, mindset, and nutrition. This holistic approach eventually led me to open a Pilates and cycling studio called DEFINE body & mind. I opened studios around the nation, and after selling most of my business between 2017-2019, I was ready to explore how I could make an even greater impact on the wellbeing of our community. In 2023, I started actively working on a brand new multi-family/apartment concept called, Define Living. The idea focused on offering health and wellness services within a beautiful apartment setting to increase the wellbeing of our residents. Having a strong sense of community is the number one factor in living a happy life, so why not build a community where daily fitness, cooking classes, and social connection are the norm? We opened Define Living in March of 2024, and we couldn’t be happier with how things are being received. We are already looking at building more concepts like this in the Houston area and beyond.

Keep Reading Show less
promoted

Leadership in Action: ‘Setting Clear Goals’ Among Secrets of Success for Attorney Jess Bailey

Al Torres

How did you get to where you are today? A few key principles integrated into my life: setting clear goals, maintaining a growth mindset, building strong habits, and surrounding myself with the right people. Goals provided direction, while a growth mindset helped me turn challenges into opportunities for learning. Consistent habits, like disciplined work and effective communication, kept me moving forward. Being surrounded by motivated, supportive individuals has elevated my standards and kept me accountable. They’ve provided advice, encouragement, and sometimes that extra push I needed to stay on track. With these elements, I’ve been able to create a framework that helps me succeed and ensures I continue to grow and evolve.

Keep Reading Show less
People + Places