Who would have guessed that a drop-dead “Southern supper” dinner would be held in a driveway? Even Emmitt Smith admitted that the place had never looked so good. As one former North California resident said, “This is more like Northern California. It seems like May will never be the same.”
That was the four-star evening weather on Thursday, May 1, when Pat and Emmitt Smith had more than 100 patrons for the May 10th Emmitt Smith Celebrity Invitational over for dinner, Smith-style.
The weather was simply perfect for the cocktail party around the pool and on the terrace. It was one of those evenings when it was cool enough that not a mosquito buzzed the premises, but the guests were chatting non-stop. Doug Murray with galpal Jenny Wise revealed that mom and dad (Carole and Scott Murray) were MIA. Scott has been under the weather like so many for the past week. Among the din, Dee Lincoln‘s legendary laughter could be heard.
Jan Miller and Jeff Rich were hugged the moment they walked in. The next week’s schedule wasn’t going to allow much hugging. Monday they were clearing the ground floor of their home of minutiae in preparation for a predictable book signing. The author? Rob Lowe. No further explanation needed, huh?
On Wednesday they were announcing plans for the 2014 Dallas Symphony Orchestra Gala. The Miller/Rich co-chairs have plans for the 2014 DSO gala on Saturday, September 13. They have very big plans.
Then Thursday it was another event for YPO.
But back to the Smith celebration. While Pat was receiving congrats on the upcoming gala and tournament, she was glowing when the topic of daughter Jasmin Lawrence came up. It looks like Jasmin is headed to Durham, North Carolina, to attend Duke.
Then the guests strolled to the driveway for a seated dinner at brown-clothed tables with twinkling lights overhead, Booker T. Washington jazz musicians including Loa Ho, Sam Scwall, Addison Jordan and Jackie Whitmill on stage with Booker T. Washington staffer Bart Marantz nearby and white boards boasting the sponsors.
Behind the scenes, Spice of Life’s Jeff Kollinger was staging a dinner Southern-style with food donated by Albertson’s. The first course came to him in the middle of the night. Watermelon, Spanish manchego stack, arugula pesto, olive oil, balsamic glaze, cracked black pepper and micro greens came together for a killer salad. One of the key ingredients? Pecans in the dressing. The next course was serving bowls and platters of boneless double-dipped southern fried chicken, Chef “Charles’s” country gravy, smoked Texas brisket with sweet honey BBQ sauce and family-style sides like mashed potatoes.
Things missing were hominy, grits and biscuits slabbed with butter and honey. But then there wouldn’t have been room for homemade Texas bread pudding in whiskey sauce, fresh seasonal fruit and mini-fried pieces.
Among the crowd passing the bowls were Honorary Co-Chairs Bennett and Marion Glazer, Nancy Alvi, David Craig, Cathy Harbin, Lisa and Steve Lieberman, Cheryl and Lance Crosby, Albertson’s Carol Roberts, American Airline’s Ann Spalding and husband Tony, Jordan Case, Pete Willis, Ronelle and Peter Ianace, Fossil’s Janiece Evans-Page and Stacey Marsh and Stephen Giles sans wife Clarice Tinsley, who was holding down the fort at KDFW-CH. 4.
Emmitt with mic in hand said, “Drink up, drink up. Herradura is in the house. Ya’ll seen my billboards?” Pat added, “This is not a night to diet or to cut back! Wear your Spanx.”