Laurie Sands Harrison, Gayle Sands and Caroline Harrison

As the majority of guests gathered just outside the Hilton Anatole’s Grand Ballroom for the annual TACA Silver Cup Award Luncheon, a coterie of VIP’s were holed up in the Plum Blossom Room across the way Friday. These were the current and past recipients, family and “friends.”

Mike Rawlings and Lynn McBee

Among the friends was Mayor Big Mike Rawlings, who seems to be everywhere, everywhere from Central Market openings to major fundraisers. On this occasion, he was not only here to promote the arts within the community but to have an impromptu chat with Margaret Hunt Hill Bridge Celebration General Lynn McBee (aka former chairman of the TACA board). They were probably touching base on plans for a press conference Monday regarding the final arrangements for the March 2-4 bridge festivities.

Diane and Hal Brierley

Just inches . . . okay, so it was a couple of feet away. . . no, make that a yard or so away, were Pisces types Diane Brierley (February 23), Caroline Rose Hunt’s girl Friday Charlene Howell (February 20) and society photographer Dana Driensky (February 24), who were high-fiving each other on their birthdays. (Editor’s note: the Brierleys have two silver cups in their household. Hmm, requires a lot of polishing, no doubt.)

Barbara Daseke, David and Suzanne Droese

Luncheon Chairs Suzanne and David Droese were chatting with Barbara Daseke about her new teak home that architect David designed.

Barbara also reported that to accommodate the 280 guests at the WaterTower gala Saturday, they removed the seats in the main theater, so “People could talk.”

Suzanne looked terrific despite just having knee surgery. She later admitted that just minutes before the party, hair designer Ceron had been putting the finishing touches on her tresses. Poor boy was a busy one. Just as he arrived at the VIP party, he was checking on Todd Fiscus‘s tie to make sure it was straight. 

AT&T PAC top man Mark Weinstein told TACA President/CEO Becky Young, “We have three different tables for AT&T PAC. It’s very exciting. Congratulations in advance.”

Duncan Graham, Cathy White, Karen and Radha Arora

Rosewood’s newish President Radha Arora arrived with wife, Karen, and Mansion GM Duncan Graham. This was one of Radha’s first events in Dallas because he’s been traveling these past five months or so since his appointment. After all, there are 17 Rosewood properties and he’s been making the rounds. As a matter of fact, he had just flown in from the company’s newest property in Mexico, the Rosewood Mayakobo.

Billie Leigh Rippey opted for wearing a fur because, “I stepped out on the terrace, and it was cold! Eighty degrees two days ago! That’s why we Texans are so flexible.”

Over on the couch was TACA Silver Cup recipient Caroline Rose Hunt with Barbara Womble. When asked how she felt about being in the spotlight, Caroline admitted, “Everybody’s said such sweet things. So it’s a pleasant experience being in the spotlight for something like this, rather than for something negative!” Then she admitted to being a bit nervous because she had not prepared notes. Instead she was going to speak from the heart.

Caroline Rose Hunt and Frank Risch

Unlike years past when the presentation and opening of the “silver cups” was cause for guests to be silent and admire the newest recipients untie ribbons and pull out the cups, this year it was done while guests kept talking. Too bad because it turned out to be a moment of laughter, as Frank struggled with the bow and Becky Young suddenly realized that each had opened the other’s box. After a quick switcheroo, the mix-up was history and photos were taken.

Helen Risch

Then the task of rounding up all the past recipients for the traditional picture was undertaken. It was like herding polite Persian cats. They were lovely and accommodating, but still all over the place. And, of course, there was always the fear that not all were really truly present. But time was moving ahead and schedules needed to be kept. Photos were taken. Just as the “kittens” scampered off, past recipient Elaine Agather arrived with apologies. 

Once inside the ballroom, guests took their seats with mini-stages set up for performances by representatives from James Gilyard Ensemble, Dallas Symphony Orchestra, the Dallas Opera Orchestra, Junior Players, Cara Mia Theatre and Lone Star Wind Orchestra.

But this crowd wanted their full serving of catch up.

Ruth Buzzi

Caroline’s buddies Ruth Buzzi and husband Kent Perkins told of their newest project — a wild-hog pen at their ranch near Fort Worth. Seems they capture the hogs without violence and take them to a place where they’re raised as domestic hogs before winding up as “prosciutto.” When rounding up the hogs, Ruth doesn’t get on a horse. Instead, she demonstrated squatting down, she mugged, “I have strong thighs!” Kent with a smile added, “I’m proud of this little lady!”

Finally emcee Lee Cullum called the group to order because again there was a timeline to

Lee Cullum

be fulfilled. In introducing Rabbi David Stern for the invocation, Lee admitted she had initially mistaken David for the other David (Droese) earlier in the day.

Rabbi Stern’s invocation was both beautiful and mistaken. It seems that many in the audience thought he was just doing a “lead-in” and continued to sip their ice tea and keep their heads up. A few realized that this was the invocation and bowed their heads. Guess the others initially thought those with bowed heads were checking their smartphones. Eventually, more caught on that this was the main event and heads dropped. Regardless, it was a beautiful prayer and received applause with Lee adding, “It’s certainly OK to applaud such elegance and eloquence.”

As guests began their lunches, some seemed a little confused by the offering on the table. One asked, “Is this the salad course?” No, it was the whole enchilada, preventing the need to remove and replace plates for a variety of courses. The menu included Vietnamese vegetable spring roll with hoisin peanut sauce; chilled cucumber soup with curry leaf accent; beef tenderloin with chili-teriyaki glaze and local greens; and a multi-tiered centerpiece of desserts (toasted coconut pudding, deconstructed lemon meringue pie, creamy mango custard, caramel-chocolate budinos and rainbow cookies).

After Mayor Mike won the group’s heart by saying that Dallas knows how to make money and he wanted business to support the arts, Lee gave her state-of-the-arts report. At one point she addressed the city council members in the audience, saying, “Don’t you dare sell WRR! You know you’d just spend the money in a week anyway!”  That statement probably made new WRR GM Sarah Colmark feel encouraged. One person in the audience said, “She [Lee] tells it like it is!”

Neiman’s Ginger Reeder followed TACA Chair Andy Teller, who reported that TACA has distributed $1 million in grants to the arts yearly for the past five consecutive years. Ginger’s job was to introduce Meadows Performer Hando Nahkur, who masterfully played “Rigoletto Paraphrase de Concert, S. 434″ on the stage in front of the faux-grassed covered podium at the head table. 

Then 2011 Silver Cup recipient John Eagle introduced Caroline, who said, “I consider myself blessed, because I’ve enjoyed the performing arts. We lived in Tyler” and she recalled the family riding in the car all the way to Shreveport to hear Paderewski play. Then there were the five years of piano lessons, but, “I can hardly even play ‘Chopsticks.’” Despite her lack of piano skills, Caroline’s involvement has resulted in ongoing support of the performing arts including the Dallas Children’s Theater having a home base, resulting in its being “one of the best in the country.

Then 2011 Silver Cup recipient Sarah Perot introduced Frank, describing him as “financially savvy as well as artistically sensitive.” Having served on the board with Frank,  where he quietly builds consensus, the blonde added, I would never vote against him.”

Frank Risch, John Eagle and Lee Cullum

Like Caroline, Frank told of his early introduction to art. He recalled buying for $10 (“half of his and Helen’s net worth at the time!”) a piece of art at a student art show at college in the ’60′s. He went on to encourage the audience, “We need the arts to build a great city! . . . [Dallas' greatness] is recognizing when there’s a challenge, and stepping up when you have to. That’s what’s been happening in the arts.”  

It was a great way to end the luncheon celebrating heroines and heroes of the Dallas community.

BTW, if you’re wondering about Rabbi Stern’s invocation, we got a copy of it and have it after the jump. Read it, enjoy the eloquence and be inspired. [Read more...]