St. Valentine’s Day Fashion Show & Luncheon Is Making Big Changes And Korshak’s Crawford Brock Likes ‘Em

Myrna and Bob Schlegel are true gluttons for punishment. For a second night in a row, they opened Chez Schlegel for the good of others. Just the night before the Texas Woman’s University crowd was in for the “official announcement” (everybody already knew it) of Patricia and Curtis Meadows being the honorees.

But on Wednesday it was a totally different crowd, hemline and heel height. But what would one expect when it involves the St. Valentine’s Day Fashion Show & Luncheon crowd? Some of the drill was the lovely same: Valet parkers to take vehicle after being navigated through the winding-through-the-Schlegel grounds. An outdoor setup with wine and champagne to provide sustenance as they made their way to the main house. Change that — main palace. Inside were the ever-young Myrna and Bob immediately concerned that one and all feel right at home. That’s the rub. Folks feel so at home with the over-the-top accommodations and food, they don’t want to leave. Okay, so maybe the thumping sound that was heard occasionally made some wonder, but old-timers laughed that someone was probably playing basketball on the indoor court on the top level.

While the original plan called for around 80 guests, the number ended up in the three-figure neighborhood.

Crawford Brock

As soon as the living room was once again packed with guests, news of the big changes for the annual St. Valentine’s Day fashion extravaganza were reported. Yes, Stanley Korshak would be taking even greater ownership of the fundraiser for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society of North Texas. Part of the “ownership” was moving the event from the Hilton Anatole to the Morton Meyerson.

While some would just say that the move was prompted by wanting it closer to Korshak, to make post-luncheon shopping more convenient, Korshak’s Crawford Brock just ain’t some folks. He’s a man who speaks his mind. Why, his plea at the Tutu Chic luncheon prompted one guest to make a six-figure donation. This time he didn’t hold back one iota. Boldly, he explained the move: “I don’t like the [Anatole's] chandeliers; I don’t like the carpets. Dealing with those people is a challenge. ‘Why are we going there?’ I asked. We [Korshak] are in Uptown. The Meyerson is in our neighborhood. I’m hopeful now that this will be our home for eternity. … We’ve sort of been in the background up til now. We’re not gonna do that anymore. We’re going to be in the driver’s seat. This is gonna be a whopper!”

Whoa! Needless to say, eyebrows raised to hairlines. Don’t worry. No one mounted a storming of the Anatole.

As he revealed the game plan, it was obvious that General Brock was truly in charge. He got Paige Slates, who handles the Korshak pr, to agree to co-chair the event. In turn she got her buds Angela Choquette and Maggie Cooke Kipp to join her as fellow co-chairs.

Angela Choquette, Myrna and Bob Schlegel, Paige Slates and Maggie Cooke Kipp

Then Crawford went after the Schlegels to be the honorary chairs. But they came back saying, “We’d love to be your honorary chairs. But, can you move the date? We’re out of town!” Crawford got the date changed to Tuesday, February 12. In finishing up his pep talk, he announced, “I want 1,000 people there!” Knowing Crawford, he’ll get that number plus some.

Joshua Cobler and Jude Cobler

Speaking of Crawford, the annual Heart of Gold Award will be presented to him at the luncheon and the Spirit of Tom Landry Character Award will go to Joshua Cobler, 14, who donated bone marrow to his younger brother Jude, 7.

Shona Gilbert, Angela Nash and Cary Christensen Deuber

When guests had absorbed all these plans, they were updating each other with news. The favorite fashion pasttime among this set is pass-it-along-pregnancy wardrobes. It seems that when Maggie Cooke Kipp learned she was expecting, Kate Rose Marquez insisted on giving her the maternity clothes she wore. In turn Maggie will pass the expando-matic clothes to the next budding babe. . . . Speaking of being due, Carey Deuber, who co-chaired the Karaoke Lounge in late February, reported that she’ll delivering a baby Deuber in 10 weeks. Perhaps baby Deuber should be named “Karaoke”. . Underwriting Chair Lynda Villareal in a Korshak cocktail dress admitted that she truly understood the trauma that patients experience. Lynda is a leukemia survivor. . . Hoffbrau’s Rainey Fogiel and daughter Natalie settled back on the oh-so comfy couches in the den with champagne, Casandra cuisine and DeeDee “Jingles” Lee and Korshak’s Ann Sappington . . . Angela Choquette was showing photos on her iPhone’s cracked screen of her three-year-old Papillion/Maltese “Herci” she had to rush to the vet after Herci swallowed a Tylenol. . . Leukemia and Lymphoma Society of North Texas’ Executive Director Patricia Thomson revealed that $8M has been

Tanya Roberts

raised thanks to the St. Valentine’s Day

luncheon, and the goal for 2013 is $410K. In addition to Korshak, Park Place, Ernst & Young, Modern Luxury and Tanya Roberts have already signed up to

help meet that figure. . . . Jan Strimple will once again be in charge of the fashion show and word has it that she plans to have the runway extend out into the audience.

As for the question of weather, Crawford is in negotiations with Mother Nature to behave. And if anyone can deal with Mother, it’s Crawford.

Stay tuned. MySweetCharity will have weather updates, but you knew that.