parties

Game Night Goes Glam! Inaugural 'Mahj for Mental Health' Is a Hit

Kelli Durham
Game Night Goes Glam! Inaugural 'Mahj for Mental Health' Is a Hit

Heidi Saporito, Ansley Cire, Callie Gaines and Ashley Partridge

THE FIRST-EVER Mahj for Mental Health event, hosted last week at River Oaks Country Club, brought together fashion-forward, philanthropic-minded women for an evening of games and exciting raffles.

Kelli Durham Oster and Callie Gaines partnered with the Mend Center, founded and run by Daniel Garcia, who was recently named to CityBook's 'Cool 100,' to host the game night. Proceeds from the evening went to the nonprofit.

The pair, dressed in flirty floral dresses, welcomed their guests with cocktails in hand, and ushered everyone through a buffet of almost-too-pretty-to-eat bites. Attendees also browsed the raffle prizes, which included items from Oh My Mahj!, the Monogram Shop, LovelyKind Beauty, Shaded Spraytans + Teeth Whitening, and Love George, a children's clothing brand designed and created by Gaines.

Garcia grabbed the mic for a bit to tell those who might be unfamiliar a bit about what the Mend Center does: It seeks to remove the stigma associated with some of the most debilitating mental illnesses, such as schizophrenia, through education, treatment and support for families. It recently moved into a Heights bungalow that has been converted to a residential treatment facility — the first of its kind in the country.

Then it was time to mahj! Tables were outfitted with the most beautiful sets (plus arrangements courtesy of fab florist Maria Maxit), and the gals gabbed and gamed for hours. Everyone left with hand-painted cookies designed to look like mahjong tiles from Village Bakery.

The event will return next spring, and Oster says more events are currently in the works.

Dr. Daniel Garcia with his wife, left, and Michele Foreman

Callie Gaines, Daniel Garcia, Kelli Durham Oster

Lea Tcholakian, Kelly Shields, Cara Moran and Callie Gaines

Brooke Horlen and Anna Schleicher

Ashley Partridge

Whitney Rape

Raffle items

From Your Site Articles
Parties
promoted

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

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

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
music

HGO's First-Ever 'Family Day' Features a Production of 'Cinderella' and More!

Photo by Lynn Lane

HOUSTON GRAND OPERA’S second fall repertoire production is Gioachino Rossini’s Cinderella. The colorful, commedia dell'arte-inspired production opens Friday, Oct. 25, and stars Grammy Award-winning mezzo-soprano Isabel Leonard — a breathtaking brunette beauty, even when doused in soot — in bel canto role of Angelina, known to her mean step-sisters as “Cenerentola.”

Keep Reading Show less
Art + Entertainment
music

Halloweekend Vibes! Organist Brett Miller Brings Silent-Film Double-Feature to Life at Jones Hall

BRETT MILLER WAS just 10 years old when his parents took him to a screening of the 1925 silent film, The Phantom of the Opera, starring Lon Chaney as “The Phantom” of the Paris Opera House, with an accompanying soundtrack played live by an organist. The film contains one of the most famous “reveals” on celluloid (We won’t give it away!) and is all the more shocking when accompanied by live music played on the Phantom’s favorite instrument.

Keep Reading Show less