Austin360 blogs > Out & About > Archives > 2010 > November > 16 > Entry
Winding Down the Fall Social Season
Only four days remain in the fall social season. Then the holidays take over for six weeks, returning social focus to family, friends and colleagues. In fact, Nov. 20-28, this column will take a break, while its columnist dallies in Fort Worth, Houston, College Station and Galveston, outside the public glare.
Allison and James LaMarr
Meantime, Sunday night twirled me all around central Austin. A false start: I parked in one of those secret spots near the Four Seasons Hotel, assuming the evening’s first event would commence there. Nope. Over on the University of Texas campus at the AT&T Center, which is providing the Four Seasons with stiff competition these days.
Faires Beale and Michael Girard
The gala in question was given by HeartGift Austin, which provides lifesaving heart surgery to disadvantaged children from developing countries. The lobby was decked out with tables for a fine wine silent auction. Nice theme. And because the crowd was not too large, the tables didn’t constrict the already narrow lobby.
Robert and Carrie Hicks
Talked downtown development with nightclub owner Michael Girard (Cuba Libre, Speakeasy, Imperia). Seems things are looking up for smaller-scale projects. Caught up with other friends, although the HeartGift group doesn’t cross-pollinate promiscuously with other local charity backers.
Nadeem and Anna Ansari
Then it was off to El Sol y La Luna for the celebration of Mahiga Hope High School. This is the building program backed by Austin’s Nobelity Project. Christy and Turk Pipkin — plus their myriad of like-minded friends — raised the money and the brainpower for this school in rural Kenya.
Blanca Alvarado and Annabelle Arteaga
The crowd at the Sixth Street restaurant mingled freely before the program, which included before-and-after videos of the school and its innovative “rainwater court,” which captures water across the broad roof of a wall-less basketball court. The Pipkins and their designer friends hope it will prove a way of providing clean water in other places where rain comes and goes.
Laura Vilches and Mary Anne Connolly
Hollywood’s Dennis Quaid came early, stayed late. He played a set with Austin’s Marcia Ball. Quaid and the Austin clan of his bride, Kimberly Buffington, have remained loyal supporters of Nobelity. No updates on a Quaid house planned for Lake Austin.
Sharon Gibbons and Melissa Squyres
There was still time to make the Luminalia for Austin Shakespeare. Since taking over this theatrical company, veteran Ann Ciccolella has applied what she learned at Zach Theatre and the Austin Circle of Theaters to institution-building with what has always been a slenderly supported group.
Lloyd Teal, Michelle Busby and Robert Busby
The Luminalia brought out some relatively big names from the philanthropy circuit, some of them dressed as if for a masque. Scenes were performed in the Umlauf Sculpture Garden under moon balloons, then sonnets were recited during dinner. No fire tricks this year.
Sylvia and Phil Spertus
Everyone seemed to be having so much fun, I decided that, next time, I’ll sit down to this banquet, if the timing is right. In fact, it made me rethink my social schedule altogether. These things run in cycles, but it’s time again to consider only one, or at most, two events per evening. Makes for better stories in the end.
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By Ann Ciccolella
November 21, 2010 10:21 AM | Link to this
Thanks Michael for stopping by our Luminalia last Sunday at Umlauf. Love to have you at Austin Shakespeare next year... thanks to so many supporters this year!
By Paula Kothmann
November 17, 2010 1:16 PM | Link to this
Wow. The Austin Shakespeare Luminalia looks like elegantly witty and wittily elegant fun. Will definitely stay in town for it next year.