Justin Yu, Chris Shepherd, Robert Del Grande and Hugo Ortega
Smoked brisket fritters by Seth Siegel-Gardner and Terrence Gallivan
A handsome young local actor — Johann Fitch, who made a big splash in a small role in last fall’s Netflix hit Obliterated — appears on the cover. Fitch, coming in at number 79 on the 2024 list, turned in a revealing performance as a stripper. But the 23-year-old artist, also an accomplished soccer player, is much more than the Champagne Room show-off he plays in zany cop comedy. He graduates this month from UH with an economics degree, and he’s soon headed west to pursue acting full-time in Hollywood.
“We wanted the list to be surprising, sexy and fun,” says Editor-in-Chief Jeff Gremillion. “That’s what led us to Johann. He’s a great guy, and the camera loves him. He makes an ideal coverguy. We’re excited for his success and can’t wait to see what he does next. In some ways, he’s the epitome of the risk-taking, hold-nothing-back Houstonians who populate our Cool 100 list each year.”
Jhane Hoang, long a go-to photographer for CityBook, shot the young actor for the cover. Hoang also shot the previous cover of the magazine.
The rest of the list, including the number-one coolest person in Houston now, will be revealed soon. Sponsors for the Cool 100 include Exclusive Furniture, Le Tesserae, Jackson & Company, Bentley Houston, Insólito tequila and Avenue 360 Health & Wellness.
The new issue also includes stories on Houston’s best French restaurants and, in the travel section, reviews of fabulous new hotels in Paris and London.
Courtney Harmon, Mario Gudmundsson, Jennifer Caras
But the 215 guests who attended the lunch at The Post Oak Hotel brought even more meaning to the word "resilient," having overcome weather damage and widespread power outages to join the cause. Event chairs Jennifer Caras, Mario Gudmundsson and Courtney Harmon were thrilled with the turnout, as was AVDA CEO Maisha Colter, who shared that "this year was especially poignant since we moved forward despite one of Houston's most surprising weather events in a while! Our supporters showed up despite experiencing weather-related hardships, which speaks to their dedication to our cause."
The delectable menu included a taste of Mastro's famous butter cake, and the afternoon also brought an exciting raffle of high-end items like Miron Crosby boots and a Bentley weekend getaway. The inaugural Young Advocates Award was given to teen jewelry designer Sophie-Marie Ngu, who for years has raised funds for domestic violence awareness through her jewelry sales.
Colter also introduced the Ambassador of Advocacy Honoree, Maria Barrios, who shared her moving story about a domestic-violence incident that left her temporarily wheelchair-bound. Barrios is a new member of AVDA’s Board of Directors, and intends to continue to use her platform for advocacy.
Abby Alford, Carrie Colbert
Zac Harmon, Will Brown, Amanda and Steve Schnell
Anna Gryska, Victoria Villarreal, Sarika Patel
Young Advocate Sophie-Marie Ngu
Bob and Janis Frank
Sylvia and Mark Russell
Candace Thomas, Dr. Amanda Canto
Sylvia Akaweih, Nadia Akaweih, Ebony Jackson
Stephanie von Stein Schusterman, Maisha Colter, Maria Barrios, Jennifer Caras, Mario Gudmundsson, Courtney Harmon.jpg
Caroline Kenney, Angelica, Jeff Gremillion, Roslyn Bazelle Mitchell, Yelena Grinina
Sarah Koller, Sonia Soto
Meredith Milholland, Imani Guillory
Dana Barton, Susan Magee, Vanessa Ames, Kristen Collins
Kristen Cannon, Jayne Johnston
Sarah Koller, Sonia Soto
Gail Zaruba, Nini Hale
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