Houston and Miami Social Diary

The foyer of the Intercontinental Hotel in Houston, Texas filled with over 650 guests for the Chinese Community Center's annual gala.

The Chinese Community Center held its annual gala at the end of last month “Honoring our Past and Embracing our Future” benefiting programs at the Center for both young and senior citizens. The event was held at the Intercontinental Hotel. Gala Chairs Daisy Wong and Marylynn Kallina-Matthews and Gala Coordinator, Rebecca Maitland, were thrilled with the record breaking event, which was the most successful to date.

Philanthropist and author Carolyn Farb was honored for her three decades of volunteerism and changing the face of our community, Houston and State. She was presented the first annual JPMorgan Life Time Achievement Award by Chase Chairman, Mike Ballases.


	Gala Board Chairs, Marylynn Kallina-Matthews and Daisy Wong

A video of her life was produced by UH Professor Craig Crowe and provided a glimpse of the road that led her to being the most sought after fundraiser in the world. Original footage showed photos of her family, teen years and events she has chaired throughout her volunteer career. Dr. Farb wore an authentic Ming Dynasty headdress, with an Asian inspired evening coat and dress, which stole the show.

The legendary Flying Tigers were also honored at what will probably be their last public appearance and recognized for their heroism during World War II. A video with original footage of the Flying Tigers demonstrated how the Flying Tigers came to China’s rescue and aid. More than 650 guests perused the silent auction and were ushered into the ballroom as Marine Sergeant Mark Collado bugled a Call to Assembly followed by UH Honor and Color Guard.

Among those attending: Bob Boudreaux and Jennie Maroney, Melissa and Bill King, John Tsacrios of UNICEF, Senator Rodney Ellis, City of Houston’s Helen Chang, Joe and Susie Ting, Charles and Lily Foster, CenterPoint Energy’s VP Sharon Owens, sculptor Jesus Batista Moroles, Margarida Williamson, Doug and Jennifer Bosch, famed attorney Harry and Antje Gee, Amergy Bank’s Shirley Kwan, Zhi-Yuan Yao the tallest man in crowd just happens to be Yao Ming’s father, Councilmember M.J. Kahn, Paul Cheng of Aliana Development, and Thomas and Anna Au.

Flying Tigers John Ong and Bock Mah being honored by CCC Board Chair Jean Liao

At an auction run by Don Mudd one of the most exciting items was a set of porcelain from China’s Titanic Tek Sing, which sank in 1822 and was found in 2000. Jennifer Bosch was the high bidder. Other honorees accepting awards were City of Houston’s Helen Chang, Artist Thomas Au and accepting for CenterPoint Energy was VP Sharon Owens.

Major benefactors included JP Morgan Chase, Aliana Development, Shell Oil Company, USA Sports, Lovett Commercial Realty, Stone Mountain Properties, Peterson Group, Ms. Daisy Wong of JCorp. and Mr. Y. J. Liu.

Javier Valle Moreno and Mihai Angelescu

Vickie Chang and daughter

Honor and Color Guard, University of Houston

Lewis Yee and fellow Flying Tigers

Mrs. Mazie Hill, Buster Keaton, and Shannon Hill Schaupp

Chloe, Ches, and Tanaz Choudhury

Bonnie Wei

Yukie Rogers

Craig Crowe

Lisa and Josh Tu

Houston Rocket's Yao Ming's father with Michael Chang and Directron's family

The table settings

Dr. Carolyn Farb and Mike Ballases

Jennifer Chiu and Jin Qian

George and Gloria Gee with Dr. Carolyn Farb

More from Houston: New Yorkers Denise LeFrak Calicchio and Kathryn Livingston the authors of the popular book High Rise Low Down, were the guest speakers for the Socie0ty for the Performing Arts, Bringing the World’s Best to Houston’s successful 11th annual luncheon. This year’s event was held in the lobby of The Hobby Center and was attended by 300 of Houston’s finest. Under the leadership of Chairman Shelly Ann Marks and Honorary Chairman Cynthia Petrello, this year’s luncheon was a complete sellout, raising more that $125,000 for Society for the Performing Arts. All proceeds benefit the education and outreach programs of SPA.

Notables in the crowd included: SPA Executive Director June Christensen, Neiman Marcus General Manager Bob Devlin, Kathi Mosbacher, Phoebe Tudor, Clayton Erikson, Elizabeth Petersen, Rosemary Schatzman, Vanessa Sendukas, Laura Spalding, Jana Fant, Debra Grierson, Bethany Hughes, Pat Breen, and many more. Unfortunately, chairman Shelly Ann Marks was unable to attend due to an illness in the family.

Kathryn Livingston, Kathi Mosbacher, and Pat Breen

Laurann Claridge and Ryland Peveto

Ginni Mithoff

Neda Ladjevardian

Patty Murphy

Danielle Ellis

Kathi Mosbacher and Mike Wheeler

June Christensen, Olga Bush, and Denise Bahr

Elizabeth Petersen

Phoebe Tudor

Beth Muecke

June Christensen, Liz Glanville, and Kathryn Livingston

Terry Wayne Jones and Ann Carl

Mark and Debra Grierson

Vanessa Sendukas and Rosemary Schatzman

Cynthia Petrello

Cathy Hevrdjs

Liz Decker

Gracie Cavnar

Cynthia Bussey and Jana Giammalva

Stacey Swift, Liz Zaruba, and Bob Devlin

Tana Wood

Lucinda Loya

Eleanor Connan

Many New Yorkers flew down to Miami to take part in all of the fashion, art, and entertainment of Art Basel Miami Beach.

All the young, hip and gorgeous came to Russell Simmons shopping event at Intermix to benefit his arts education foundation Rush Philanthropic Arts Foundation.


	Russell Simmons with Allison Weiss and Chip Brady

	Khajak Keledjian, Sari Sloane, Allison Weiss Brady, and Haro Keledjian

Russell Simmons co-hosted the event with Chip and Allison Weiss Brady. Grammy Award-winning lead singer of Creed, rock star Scott Stapp, and his wife Jaclyn, Miss New York 2004, stopped by the event to check out the gorgeous clothes and fabulous raffle. Stapp made an impromptu announcement and promised to donate funds from his foundation to Russell's non-profit.

Event chairs were Melanie and Ryan Herman, Diane N. Weiss, and Jill Viner, co-owner of the Florida Panthers.

Among those attending were Khajak Keledjian, Haro Keledjian, and Sari Sloane, Rush Philanthropic's Tangie Murray, Frances Hayward, fashion designer Julian Chang, Ocean Drive magazine's Jacquelynn Powers and Lana Bernstein, Nicole Lozano, Dana Shear, Miss Florida 2004 Kristen Berset and Brian Larrabee, Jennifer Getz, Olga A. Arguello, former NFL player Alex Moyer and Irene Marie model Veletta Marshall, Caroline Waxler, Aaron Glickman, Ray Javdan, Jennie Hatton, Erin Newberg, Alex Heckler and Tiffany Zientz Heckler, and more.

The event was underwritten by Wonderful World Art Gallery (www.WWAgallery.com), the pop art gallery to the stars that specializes in vintage cels and drawings from Disney, prints from Harry Potter, and artwork by Charles Fazzino, and whose clients include Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Tony Hawk, and Scott Stapp.

The Intermix shopping event was the official Kick-Off Party for Russell's "Art For Life Miami" Gala that will be holding its first soiree next April 5th in Miami. For more information, visit RushPhilanthropic.org [4].

Melanie Herman and Erin Newberg

Julian Chang

Krissy Segall and Teneeshia Gomez

Shinique Smith and Russell Simmons

Olga Arguello, Chip Brady, and Jennie Hatton

Lana Bernstien and Claudia Jagit

Khajak Keledjian and Gigi Ganatra

Terry Nazon and Marie Nazon

Allison Weiss Brady, Scott Stapp, and Jaclyn Nesheiwat Stapp

Mare Eastwood, Derrick Adams, and Folakea Ologunja

Diane Weiss and Faquiry Diaz

Porschla Coleman

Allison Weiss Brady and Frances Hayward

CEO of RIGroup Janna Bullock and Nic Iljine, the Guggenheim Foundation’s director of corporate development in Europe, in cooperation with Hugo Boss kicked off Art Basel Miami by hosting the VIP Preview Party for Russia Miami 2007.


Victoria and Dennis Hopper with Janna Bullock

The exhibit, featuring works from 20 contemporary Russian artists, included works by the major players on the contemporary scene in Moscow and St. Petersburg as well as works by younger artists.

A short story by acclaimed author Victor Pelevin, The Life and Adventures of Shed Number XII, accompanied portraits and biographies of the exhibits artists in the 176-page catalogue. Artist Sergey Bugaev-Afrika was on hand to showcase his newest major installation, which served as the centerpiece of the exhibit.

Also taking in the contemporary art were Dennis and Victoria Hopper, Christine and Stephen Schwarzman, Tatiana and Campion Platt, Alice and Paul Judelson, Chip and Allison Weiss Brady, Ingrao Gallery owner Tony Ingrao and Randy Kemper, Art Basel director Samuel Keller, Michele Gerber Klein, Lisa de Kooning, Andre Bartenev, former model Beverly Johnson, Nikki Haskell, Patrick McMullan, and New York gallery owner Nathan Bernstein.

Alice Judelson and Andrey Bartenev

Sergey Afrika

Beverly Johnson and Nikki Haskell

Christine and Stephen Schwarzman

Paulina Dubik

Paul and Alice Judelson

Allison Weiss Brady

Michele Gerber Klein

Tony Ingrao

Campion and Tatiana Platt

Samuel Keller

Lady Liliana Cavendish and Lady Wendy Caledon

Janna Bullock was very busy down in Miami and this time around she joined Hugo Boss again in sponsoring the Russian Party to support Russia Miami 2007. Guests flocked to the legendary Raleigh hotel to sip Imperia Vodka cocktails poolside while enjoying the tropical weather and ocean views. Janna Bullock, who brought the Russia Miami exhibit to Art Basel Miami, welcomed artists such as Sergey Afrika and Andre Bartenev along with the Guggenheim’s Thomas Krens and Nic Iljine. Guests continued to arrive even as the party was scheduled to end, staying through midnight and into the early morning hours.

Imperia Vodka Girls

Seen dancing the night away were Nadja Swarovski, Susan Magrino, Rupert Adams, Philipp Wolff, Victoria and Dennis Hopper, Susanne Murphy Albertson, Emma Snowdon-Jones, Kristian Laliberte, Timo Weiland, Alice and Paul Judelson, philanthropist Chip and Allison Weiss Brady, Ingrao Gallery owner Tony Ingrao and Randy Kemper, Michele Gerber Klein, Patrick McMullan, Nathan Bernstein, and small groups of, all clad in red.