Bellissimo! Prosecco-Fueled Lunch and Fashion Show Benefits Italian Cultural & Community Center

Michelle Watson
Bellissimo! Prosecco-Fueled Lunch and Fashion Show Benefits Italian Cultural & Community Center

Ally Shell, Kendra Smith, Hannah Swiggard, Chiara Casiraghi

A ‘FANTASTICO’ FASHION show at River Oaks Country Club celebrated chic Italian apparel, jewels — and prosecco, of course.

Chaired by Sandra Porter and Gina Gusemano Leck and benefiting the Italian Cultural & Community Center, this year’s event honored Rosie Carrabba. Her son, Johnny Carrabba, introduced her to the crowd of 300. Rosie took the mic and immediately began ripping colorful jokes that “Johnny told [her] not to tell,” but the audience was sure glad she did.

Soprano Bailey Bower moved listeners with an Italian aria before the main event began. Beautiful models took to the catwalk in fabulous fall fashion from Neiman Marcus. All proceeds from the luncheon directly fund scholarships for college students studying here in Houston and abroad in Italy.

Donna Vallone, Philamena Baird

Cassandra Hurst, Charity Yarborough, Warner Roberts, Mollie Steele

A look from Neiman Marcus

Mary Bea Wickman, Elizabeth Smith, Molly Evans, Elizabeth Borski

Cherri Carbonara, Leisa Holland-Nelson, Marilu Garza, Patti Murphy

Erika Myers, Owen Conflenti

Baily Bower

A look from Neiman Marcus

Mary Ann Yamin, Lisa Holthouse

Johnny Carrabba, Roz Pactor, Erika Myers, Rose “Rosie” Carrabba

Sandra Porter, Gina Gusemano Leck

Peter Remington, Karen DeGuerin


Style

Tres Leches at Auden (photo Jordan Hughes)

EVERY SUMMER, HOUSTONIANS save up their dining-out appetite for Houston Restaurant Weeks (Aug. 1-Sept. 2), when new restaurants and old favorites offer special pre-fixe menus with gentle prices to benefit The Houston Food Bank. Brunch, lunch and dinner menus are now live on the website, so you can reserve your table lickity-split. From French, Asian and Creole, to steakhouse and Indian-inspired, here are our top picks!

Keep Reading Show less
Food

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