Dallas missed the bullet of horrendous weather back on Sunday, April 27. According to weather guru Steve McCauley, it was the “cap” that prevented the area from getting storm slammed like others areas.
Still the sun got together with the humidity and made deodorants a demand and hairspray the drool of foreheads. While the cool set took their places in air-conditioned VIP suites at Lone Star Park for the Racing for Sight and at the Mansion for an afternoon benefiting Housing Crisis Center, the following fundraisers in Dallas were underway:
John Wayne Film Festival Brunch
On the fifth floor of Phillippe Starck Glass House, the crew that had put together the Dallas version of Barry Tubb‘s brainchild the John Wayne Film Festival were a bit worn out but energized by their success. They had managed to hit the quarter of a million dollar mark for the John Wayne Cancer Foundation. Within a matter of months, the team led by David Hale Smith and Anne and Steve Stodghill had coordinated a film festival that had originated in Snyder back in 2011 honoring the Duke. David and Anne were reporting they had managed to not only get so many things underwritten but had already had folks inquiring about the 2015 sponsorship of movies and other venues.
In addition to raising funds, the festival provided an opportunity to give a pat on the back to vets. Bryan Reeder and Allan McBee were talking about the opportunity offered to U.S. vets, who were provided with tickets to join the festival.
Speaking of which, Anne admitted that she was only able to see one film — The Green Berets. She hadn’t realized how controversial the movie had been when it debuted back in 1968.
It seemed like a bit of a lifetime from the opening party Wednesday at LOOK’s Nick & Sam’s, but the team was already organizing plans for next year’s festival. Wayne granddaughter Anita Swift reported that she’ll be returning to Dallas to help with plans for next year.
Despite the sun coming out and the terrace looking breezy, the decision was made the air conditioning trumped the humid outdoors for this hungry crowd. With a wall of books with spines facing the wall, Slow Bone’s former teacher/now barbecue chef extraordinaire Jack Perkins was faced with guests coming back for “More, sir.” The grub was really good.
The place was filled with film lovers like Ellen and Don Winspear, Todd and Sarah McCoy, Hayley Hamilton Cogill and Gary Cogill, Tiffany and Paul Divis, Alison and Harry Hunsicker and Kathy and Jon Flaming.
In an easy chair, Steve napped. He had gotten up that morning and tossed on his comfy clothes and was trying to rest before the afternoon showing of The War Wagon and Red River. When roused from his slumber and before he headed home for a cat nap, he announced he was done with fundraising for the time being.
The Great Create
Just a few block away on the other side of Klyde Warren Park, the Nasher Sculpture Center team and Event Co-Chairs Tonya and Todd Ramsey (plus kids Truett, Maggie and Berkley) and Courtney and Jeff Sinelli (plus kids Story and Sky) had decided to bite the bullet and hold The Great Create outdoors despite the severe weather in the North Texas neighborhood.
Right call. . . except for the humidity factor. The scene was a bit steamy with drops of perspiration racing down body parts. But that problem didn’t stop the laughter, smiles and bright colors. The adults opted for exchanging “happy face” exchanges opposed to “sweaty hugs”. Okay, that state of mind was limited to the adults.
On the other hand, the kids like Eila Giglio were oblivious of the humidity, sweating or heat. They were too busy scampering through the gardens in blue T-shirts and learning from art from Matt Clark, Robyn O’Neil, Lyle Hobratschk, The Color Condition’s Marianne Newsom and Sunny Sliger, Jason Kraus, John Holt Smith, Ruben Ochoa, Vicki Meek, Morehshin Allahyari, Christopher Blay and Blows + Arrows’s Alicia and Adam Rico.
A tired Travis Hollman found the perfect spot — in a beanbag under a shade tree just behind the stage, where The Tremors and Run For Your Life would be performing. He tried to get son Cruz to settle back with him, but Spiderman Cruz would have nothing to do with sitting still.
Then there was the Garden Gallery, where twins Caden and Kellan Carter painted boxes. Nearby Henry Morgan was situated on the grass with a cups of purple paint and red paint within reach. He was a little camera shy because of the shiner he had earned Friday after bumping into a classmate.
Just a few feet away artist Vicki Meek, who was one of the Nasher XChange artists was conducting a slew of young artists in foam sculpting.
Barrett Gibbins took his program and had the various artists autograph their pages. . . 2013 Great Create Co-Chairs Lucy and Steve Wrubel arrived and were immediately swamped by friends. . . Karen Luken was putting on the finishing touches of William Dounley’s streaming costume. He had originally planned to help hand out apples and fresh fruit from the Whole Foods station, but when asked to put on the colorful costume, he said, “I never say, ‘No’, to dress up.”
And food for all ages was available thanks to Which Wich, Whole Foods, Chateau Ste. Michelle, Ben E. Keith Company, Nasher Café by Wolfgang Puck and JK Chocolate.
As the grounds were soon overrun with kids and parents trying to keep up, someone asked Nasher Director Jeremy Strick why they don’t do the program every month. Like a dutiful father, his response — “Because my staff would kill me.”