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Wildflower Gala at Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center
Wildflowers — and sustainable landscaping — bring folks together. Republicans and Democrats. The relatively rich and the relatively poor. Urban dwellers, suburban citizens and exurban types.
UT President William Powers Jr. and Kim Heilbrun
Find them all at the Wildflower Gala at the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center. The 2011 edition on Friday shared with its immediate predecessors mild weather, soft breezes and diffuse light at dusk. For the first hour, guests examined the art, inspired by natural forms, that feed the event’s signature silent auction.
Pat Oles, Regan Gammon and Julie Oles
Under a tent topped with wildflower-like paper chandeliers, Austin’s unpretentious royal family, the Johnsons, chatted with the social melange. Mixing easily were Luci Baines Johnson, Lynda Johnson Robb, Catherine Robb, Jennifer Robb, former Lt. Gov. Bill Hobby, Laura Bush pal Regan Gammon, real estate developer Pat and wife Julie Oles, UT deans Mary Ann Rankin and Fritz Steiner (their schools share oversight of the center), always distinguished Joanne and Jack Crosby, and many more.
Luci Baines Johnson and Bobbi Topfer
The former first lady Laura Bush spoke. I’m always amazed how Bush can calm a potentially tense situation, as if she were the Ambassador of Dallas to the Republic of Austin. She said all the right things: Praising Lady Bird Johnson and her daughters; thanking them for words of encouragement to then-young Barbara Bush and Jenna Bush Hager.
Former first lady Laura Bush and Wildflower Center director Susan K. Rieff
This was the first time I’d heard about a collaboration between the center, a unit of the University of Texas, and the George Bush Presidential Library and Museum. The scientists at the center are providing vital consultations about indigenous plants and a new mix of Texas grasses. The center already provides this service for UT’s Austin campus (you can see some of the results around the LBJ Library and Museum).
The diners at our table had other things to discuss after the speech, especially UT President William Powers Jr.’s ennobling address earlier last week to the community, stressing the university’s commitment to all-round academic excellence.
Among the champion conversationalists there were lawyer Becky Beaver, photographer Nancy Scanlan, physicist Roy Schwitters, attorney Grayson Cecil, outspoken Jeffrey’s waiter Johnny Guffey, striking Lisa Jasper and buoyant Jim Ritts, who can definitely keep a secret.
I had engaged Ritts at two parties last week and he said absolutely nothing about being named the new executive director of the Paramount and State Theatres. That news we all discovered the following evening during the Paramount Gala. Congratulations and welcome to this former ABC Sports and LPGA executive.
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