party people

Under Chandeliers Hung from Towering Oaks, Menil Hosts Al Fresco 'Party in the Park'

Daniel Ortiz
Under Chandeliers Hung from Towering Oaks, Menil Hosts Al Fresco 'Party in the Park'

Cullen and Robert Muse

THE MENIL COLLECTION took advantage of milder weather to welcome some 300 yopro-type guests to its second annual al fresco fundraising dinner — Party in the Park.

The uniquely beautiful event — think crystal chandeliers and strands of twinkle light strung in the old, towering oaks in the park space adjacent to the famous museum — fittingly raises money “to ensure the museum’s green spaces, art buildings, and programs remain free and open to all,” says a rep for the event’s organizers. Django Foxtrot offered a lively, bluegrass-tinged playlist as a soundtrack.

Delicious nibbles by City Kitchen were both passed as hors d’oeuvres and dished out buffet-style at dinner stations. Highlights from the menu included miniature BLT sandwiches, cucumber cups with spicy pineapple salsa, braised beef short ribs served over jalapeño cheese grits pecan-crusted chicken, baby spinach salad and paella with saffron rice, shrimp and mussels. Mini pecan tarts, lemon bars, and Brandy Alexander cocktails turned up for dessert.

Co-chairs for the event, which boasted a till of $250,000, were Kiki and Taylor Landry, Laura and Keefer Lehner, Katy and Sandy Shurin, and Jennifer and David Strauss.

Sol and Jonathan Edwards

L.A. Martz and Om Pandya

Keefer and Laura Lehner and Kiki and Taylor Landry

Raquel Segal, Stephanie Cockrell and Amy Murchison

Katie McNearney, Victoria Salem and Orel Shoham

Django Foxtrot performs

Illa Gaunt and Capera Norinsky

James and Kimberly Bell and Kelly and Nick Silvers

The Scene outside the Menil

Chandler Moody, Jackson Smith, Stephanie Wong and Nick Stinson

James Hardy and Lauren Walstad Hardy

Joseph Doyle, Josephine Hill, Sara Cain and Michael McGinnis

David and Jen Strauss

Katy and Sandy Shurin

Lisa Helfman, Alexandra Butt and Morgan Garvey

Mike and Christina Van Booven

From Your Site Articles
Wellness+Giving Back
promoted

Leadership in Action: John Kuykendall Traded Newcaster Dream for Success in Luxury Retail

Leadership in Action: John Kuykendall Traded Newcaster Dream for Success in Luxury Retail

John Kuykendall, Showroom Manager, Sub-Zero, Wolf and Cove

How did you get to where you are today? Growing up I had envisioned myself as a news anchor, living in NY and enthusiastically saying into the camera “Good Morning America!”. To this day, I am still a news/political junkie. My mother owned fur salons so specialty retail, luxury retail was in my blood through the family business. Eventually, mom shuttered the stores and I was recruited to a large specialty retailer. Over the next 30 years, I was in commissioned sales on the sales floor, became a department manager, worked my way up to buyer and store manager. Although I never became a newscaster, I did live in NYC for a few years. But Texas is home and with aging grandparents, I felt the pull to come back to my roots. A headhunter approached me. I never envisioned myself in the high-end appliance market, but there are so many similarities. Clients want a memorable experience; whether shopping for diamonds and fur or remodeling their kitchen.

Keep Reading Show less
promoted

Fall Philanthropy Report: Easter Seals of Greater Houston ‘Impacts Where People Need Us the Most’

What year was your organization launched? Founded in Houston in 1947, as the Cerebral Palsy Treatment Center, the organization provided services to individuals with disabilities living in Houston and Harris County. In 1989, the organization changed its name and greatly expanded its services to meet the needs of its clientele. Today as Easter Seals Greater Houston, the organization provides multiple outstanding service programs to children, adults, veterans, and service members with all types of disabilities and their families in Harris and sixteen surrounding counties.

Keep Reading Show less
promoted

Leadership in Action: CEO Theresa Roemer Credits Mother, Mentors and Mindset for Accomplishments

How did you get to where you are today? My journey to where I am today is built on a foundation of hard work, dedication, and perseverance. Every step along the way, I faced obstacles, but I approached each one with determination and a “never give up” mindset. Instead of being discouraged by challenges, I used them as opportunities to grow and improve. Consistency was key—I committed to showing up and giving my best effort every day. I also learned not to take “no” as a final answer. Instead, I saw it as a chance to push harder, adapt, and find another way forward. It’s this combination of persistence, resilience, and unwavering focus that has brought me to where I am today.

Keep Reading Show less