Despite problems behind the scenes, the TACA RBC Wealth Management Custom Auction came off with paddles hoisted, elegantly clad bidders and a meal fit for the pickiest food critic on Friday, September 26.
And what were the problems? More about them later.
The evening was spectacularly perfect for a black-tie, night-out-on-the-town. Hotel guests at the Mansion must have thought Dallasites spend every night in Armani, Herrera and the usual couture suspects. The 339 TACA types looked so marvelously at home in tuxedos and gowns. Oh, but just because they looked knock-out-terrific, it didn’t mean a fortune was spent on clothing. One gal whispered, “Mine cost $20 but don’t tell.” Sorry, but you’ll just have to wonder who she was.
Once past the check-in, the crowd gathered in the Promenade and newly refreshed Pavilion Ballroom. Among them were nine former gala chairs including Susan Collins, who chaired the very first one a while back.
Newlyweds Pebble and Mike McGehee were asked how long they had been hitched. Pebble said, “About a month.” Mike followed up with, “27 days.”
Among the Allie Beth Allman crowd were Carol McBride, Doris and Jack Jacobs, Erin Mathews and Russ Davis and, of course Allie Beth and husband Pierce, who was scheduled to discuss his coverage of the Kennedy assassination at the Sixth Floor Museum on October 4.
Former retailer types Erin and Russ proved they still knew their stuff. When asked what they were wearing, Erin reported Jason Woo and Russ add that his tuxedo was by Canali.
On the other hand, Hal Brierley’s tuxedo was taking a backseat to his newest accessory. Instead of the crutches that he had at the Dallas Symphony Orchestra Gala, he was using a snazzy cane courtesy of Frank Risch.
Custom Auction Co-Chairs Wanda Gierhart and Dean Fearing evidently had made quite a team in putting things together. Someone asked Dean to predict the evening’s take. His response: “Big money!” He added that he saw a lot of new faces in the crowd bringing a new energy to the event. Where did they come from? Wanda piped in with a smile, “Our friends.”
As the champagne flowed, the crowd grew to capacity including Honorary Co-Chairs Ann and Lee Hobson, TACA Chairman of the Board Nancy Carlson and her husband Clint (Lady Nancy will be chairing the Dallas Museum of Art’s 2015 Art Ball), Rebecca and Barron Fletcher, Margo and Jim Keyes, Lauryn Gayle and Tom White, Roslyn Dawson Thompson and Rex Thompson, Donna Wilhelm, Cattle Baron’s Co-Chair Jill Tananbaum, Lucian “Food & Wine Ambassador for DFW” LaBarba, Dolph Haas, Carol and Don Glendening, Carol Reed, Chris Heinbaugh, Katherine and Chris LaLonde, Carrie and Andy Teller, Lucilo Pena, Lee Cobb, Barbara and Don Daseke, Patrick Chen, Shannon Brame, Faye Briggs, Ralph Gorman, Nick Even, Lynn and Allan McBee, Christina and Allen White, Jodie and Billy Payton, Lisa and Bill Ogle and Laree and Ben Fischer, who were headed to Mexico for the Dallas Contemporary tour.
Just as it seemed there was not one iota of space left, the magical call-to-chow-down-chimes were heard sounding through the rooms.
In the King Shepard Suite, new TACA Board Member Jay Oppenheimer officially welcomed the guests, despite one table’s chatter. He joked, “I think they asked me to do this because I have a big mouth.” The chatter ended.
And speaking of mouths, they were enjoying the menu created by Rosewood Mansion Chef Bruno Davaillon. For those who had not read their menu card, the first course was a surprise. It looked like chunks of watermelons atop a clear gelatin. Instead their first bite resulted in eyes wide open. It was ahi tuna in a gazpacho gelee with radish, croutons and tonnato sauce. Even those who may have been sour on raw fish were very pleased.
The entrée of beef tenderloin was four fingers high and a clinched fist wide. It was accompanied by chickpea fries, zucchini tapenade and smoked Fresno reduction.
Arm-in-arm, the co-chair team of WanDean visited each table like they’d been hosting for years.
As for dessert, the smiling guests toddled to the Promenade, where Nicholas Blouin had prepared a dessert buffet that would have sent Willy Wonka into a coma — black current lavender macron, manzana cake, choux vanilla raspberry, pina colada glass, chocolate hazelnut composition and chocolate mint moon pie. Needless to say, there was absolutely no nutritional chart posted. How lovely to dessert without guilt!
The guests eventually took their places for the live auction. There were designated chairs for hopefully big spenders. For the rest, it was standing and gawking as the paddles rose. Within that fray of non-seaters was automotive-type Joe Sage, who was with his SMU daughter Alexis and gal pal Gillian Breidenbach. The car wheeler-dealer was such a tease. As certain items came up for bid that caught Alexis’ eye, his paddle rose but it wasn’t the final one up.
Alas, auctioneer Christie’s Aussie auctioneer Andrew McVinish didn’t get off to a shiny start. One person grumbled that he “sorta” insulted the locals. Ah, heck! Australians are just an ocean away from being Yanks! He was just joshing.
Other priceless moments were former TACA RBC Wealth Management Custom Auction Co-Chairs Kit and Kemp Sawers modeling the Chanel watches.
Here were the results with no final bids (sorry, IRS, if you were looking):
- Canyon Ranch package — Diane Brierley
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Leah Lacey Pasant Aspen Food and Wine Festival — Leah Lacey Pasant
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Ann and Lee Hobson Wine Cellar Dinner with DSO — Ann and Lee Hobson
- Chanel and Paris watches — Patrick Chen
- Staycation — Diane and Hal Brierley
- New York Fashion Week — Shannon Brame
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Lee Hobson and Nancy and Clint Carlson Outstanding in The Field — Clint Carlson
- Golf and Spa Retreat in California — Tom Klein
- Private Dinner With Parsons Dance company — Wanda Gierhart
- Rock Out in Cabo San Lucas — Dave Cook
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Dean Fearing, Wanda Gierhart and Diane and Hal Brierley Around the World With Rosewood — Hal Brierley
- Farm-To-Table Dinner — 30 couples at $750 per couple
Part of the fun was just watching the couples nudge or give the raised eyebrow to their partners on how high to bid.
Oh, jeez! You’re still hanging in there waiting for the behind-the-scenes situation. Not to worry. This isn’t one of those TMZ moments. So, just calm down. It wasn’t somebody sleeping with someone.
Instead it seems that a relatively new member of the TACA staff who was to coordinate the event and the auction packages, had merrily led all to believe that everything was copacetic in the months leading up to the big fundraiser. Less than three weeks before the auction, it was learned that despite her assurances, some of the items just didn’t exist. Adding to the brouhaha, the outside event producer hadn’t even been hired after all.
When confronted, she said she was very sorry but it was true.
TACA execs were sorry, too, as they handed her a pink slip, showed her the door and went into uber overdrive to pull the auction and event together.
Thanks to TACA’s reputation, a proven staff and loyal board/supporters, the event came off with lots of smiles and money for the performing arts.