'Arabian Night' Christens Thompson Hotel, Breaks Fundraising Record for Mercury Orchestra

Priscilla Dickson
'Arabian Night' Christens Thompson Hotel, Breaks Fundraising Record for Mercury Orchestra

Noor Riddle, Ally Shell, Stacey Lindseth, Kendra Smith, Donae Chramosta

EVENT CHAIRS KENNY and Gaby Owen were thrilled to welcome hundreds of Houstonians to Mercury Chamber Orchestra's annual gala, this year held at the brand-new Thompson Hotel off Allen Parkway.


In addition to being one of the first mega events held at the glam newcomer, the fundraising fete, which adopted a theme of An Arabian Night, made headlines for breaking Mercury's fundraising record. It brought in more than $420,000 thanks to an exciting auction (items included a tour of Chinatown led by Chris Shepherd, and a week-long stay at Casa Angelina in Zihuatanejo, Mexico) and a raffle, which featured a pair of DeBoulle diamond earrings.

Divine Décor Design brought in elegant flowers, furniture and more, transforming the Thompson's Vesper Ballroom into a mystique-filled setting that provided the perfect backdrop for a dinner of Moroccan-spiced steak, Mujadara rice, and zaatar asparagus.

After dinner, Artistic Director Antoine Plante led the chamber orchestra in a moving performance of selections from Mozart’s Ronda Alla Turca, Tchaikovsky’s Arabian Dance, Rimsky-Korsakov’s Scheherazade, and Dizzy Gillespie’s A Night in Tunisa.

Linda & Mike DeMasi

Mike & Jo Anne Donovan, Lesley Crawford, Gary Swagerty

Kristen Shults, Kari Dial, Maria Alejandra Nebreda

David & Kelly Rose, Courtenay Vandiver Pereira & Sabata Pereira

Gaby & Kenny Owen

Brian Riter, Gaby & Kenny Owen, Antoine Plante

Brian & Stephanie Dubiski

Mickey & Debi Barret

Mathew & Mya Melton

Robert Navo & Ginny Hart

Shane & Marissa Gilroy

Gilbert Cruz & Natalie Keshemberg, Dahlia Chaudhury & Khalil Bryant

Summer Boots, Gaby Owen, Monica Jhunjhunwala

Rudy & Debbie Festari, Antoine Plante, Daniel Irion, Kirk Kveton

Ralf van der Ven, Megan Hendrix, Justin Garcia

Stephen & Kim Perich

Travelle & Zach Ellis

Parties

Mint julep sips at — where else? — Julep

ON MAY 4 IN Kentucky, thousands of race fans will don their springtime finest and excessive headwear to watch horses run around the track for exactly one and a quarter mile. Join the mint-julep fun at Houston’s three top spots to witness “the fastest two minutes in sports” — and just maybe win a costume contest.

Keep Reading Show less
Food

Hall Arts Hotel

AS HOUSTON'S PROMINENCE as a high-end leisure-travel destination grows, the same thing is happening in the DFW area. The Las Colinas Four Seasons is now a Ritz-Carlton; a new Four Seasons is currently in the design phase; Auberge Resorts recently opened the 106-room Bowie House in Fort Worth; and the stylish Loews Arlington bowed in February.

Keep Reading Show less