Instead of a brass band to welcome guests at the October 4th gala celebrating the new sculpture garden at the Crow Collection of Asian Art, it was an elegant band of Chinese musicians. They were stationed between the valet parkers and the fountain with oranges bobbing in the water.
So beautiful that Lucy Billingsley grabbed a couple of shots of them.
Up the steps of the Trammell Crow Center, the guests discovered the magnificent ancient and modern sculptures serenely placed beautifully amid the downtown business district.
Adhering to host Trammell S. “Sandy” Crow’s request that guests either don black tie or appropriate costume, they took their host for his word despite the humidity of the evening weather.
As Sandy wiped his brow, he managed to make each guest feel as if they were numero uno.
While Terrell Falk worn a beautiful blue robe, husband/DFW World Affairs Council President/CEO Jim Falk got into equal finery. . . the southern part that is. . . like India.
The twosome were so cool in their light fabric ensembles. BTW, Jim’s DFW World Affairs will be hosting the 30th H. Neil Mallon Award Dinner on Friday, October 25, honoring Lucy (aka Trammell’s sis).
And speaking of Trammell’s relatives, ex-wife Barbara Crow was on the scene. These two are the poster children for civilized ex-es. They were both delighted about son Nathan’s engagement to Itzel Castillo. It seems the twosome who have dated for seven years since they met at the Crow Collection, are planning on a spring wedding.
Barbara laughed that as the mother of the bridegroom, all she has to do is “be pleasant.”
Other fashion snapshots included Barbara Daseke in a silk chiffon skirt with painted Japanese characters. She wore a Tibetan ivory broach on a jade beaded necklace. Husband Don wasn’t to be outdone. He sported a Zegna tuxedo and a tie of black silk with dragons designed by Mimi Fong.
As statuesque John Clutts models (Sirisha Reddy, Claire Elizabeth, Renee Austin and Sierra Loren) modeled Asian fashions from Silk Threads, People’s Republic of China Consul Xu Erwen reported that the Crow collection “has done a lot to promote cultural exchange between China and the U.S., and we appreciate very much this contribution. They are a good friend of China.”
After a two-hour cocktail reception, guests headed to the tables for a Stephan Pyles dinner. Unfortunately, some of the guests couldn’t hang around. By 10 p.m. some like Laree Hulshoff and Ben Fischer were tired of waiting for their meal and headed home.
Reunion Tower Flashes Back
While the Chinese beauty of the Crow Collection sculpture garden was nestled nicely at the Trammell Crow Center, the Ray Hunt clan was celebrating the revitalization of Reunion Tower.
After a mega-undertaking to “refresh” the Dallas landmark, Nancy Ann and Ray Hunt along with daughter Ashlee and son-in-law Chris Kleinert hosted a dessert party on the grounds near the tower.
As guests from an earlier private dinner, like Harriet Miers, Gary Coghill, Jan and Steve Langbein, Linda and Bill Custard and Sheila and Jody Grant, were bussed to the site, Jeanne Phillips proved her reputation as a perfect hostess was well intact. The champagne flowed and desserts abounded. Guests prepared for the big highlight — fireworks surrounding the internationally recognized orb atop the tower.
Taking their seats right on cue, the guests were like little kids attending their first Fourth of July. Pete Schenkel and Jerry Ford chatted.
Then for the first time since it opened, the Omni Dallas Hotel went dark. The fireworks exploded atop the tower. Anita and Jim Oberwetter waved red, white and blue glo-sticks to the music.
With true-blue, all-American music selected by Jeanne and Chris, the tower exploded with colors and lightning that even Mother Nature envied.