While the Methodist Health System Foundation‘s Eagle Society took over the Mansion Pavilion and Ballroom and the Baker Botts legal eagles dined upstairs on Wednesday, January 30, the Mansion restaurant displayed a “Closed for a private event” sign for the NorthPark Ambassadors (Kim Schlegel Whitman, Kimberly Alexander, Cami Goff, Kathryn Hall, Kim Hext, Linda Kao, Pat McEvoy, Lynn Mock, Jessica Nowitzki, Lisa Shirley, Courtney and Jeff Sinelli and Robert Weatherly).
BTW, Kathryn is an oldtimer at ambassadorshipping. After all, she was ambassador to Austria back from 1998 to 2001.
In the main dining room, stunning portraits of the Ambassadors by photographer Ana Hop were on display. Alas, this crowd of about 40 that included NorthPark’s David Haemisegger, Justin Whitman, Andrea De Valdenebro, Joseph Lu, Joe Bob Shirley, Greg Hext, Charles McEvoy, Jerry Miller, John Goff and Presley Mock didn’t have much time to eyeball the photos on the easels. They were way too busy catching up.
At one hightop were Paige Flink of The Family Place, Brent Christopher of Children’s Medical Center Foundation and Dallas Children’s Advocacy Center’s Lynn Davis, just three of the Ambassador program beneficiaries. Throughout the room were other beneficiary representatives including The Dallas Opera’s Ian Derrer, the North Texas Food Bank’s Trisha Cunningham, Dwell With Dignity’s Ashley Agnew and the Crow Museum of Asian Art’s Amy Hofland. During the year, each of the Ambassadors will partner with a NorthPark merchant to hold an event for their beneficiary.
Looking at the long-as- a-volleyball court lineup of tables in the Veranda, NorthPark’s Kristen Gibbins explained that the arrangement had resulted from NorthPark’s first venture at the lengthy dining ensemble. It was such a hit that it has become a must-do for those who want large but intimate dinners.
And what a feast it was, with 2018 Cliburn Junior second-place winner Arsenii Mun playing on a baby grand at one end of the Veranda. The diners started off with a Tuscan kale salad with crispy hen egg, pecans, gouda, fresno pepper and a butternut squash soup with wild mushrooms, creme fraiche, bacon relish and spiced. Then guests were given a choice of seared halibut with red wheat berry, sunchoke, creamed spinach, Little Neck clams and Genevoise Sauce or 18-hour braised short rib with parsnips, celeriac, braised charred onion, pickled vegetables, watercress and horseradish beef jus. For dessert, there was a choice of either a flourless chocolate cake with passion fruit cream and coconut sorbet or spiced apple cake with dulce de leche and Horchata ice cream. And, of course, the wines were from Hall Wines!
As photog Steve Wrubel shot the flawless faces, Ambassador Jessica admitted that her eye-catching pink fluffy purse was one from years past. … Ambassador Kim W., just back from St. Barts, said the trip was the first time the Schlegel clan had been able to do a group getaway since patriarch Bob Schlegel was given the OK to travel after some surgery. … Across the way, meantime, Justin was engaged in what looked to be a serious tete-a-tete with Ambassador Kathryn, whose date for the evening was her son David Cain.
BTW, the Hop portraits will be on display at NorthPark through Sunday, March 3, on Level One between Neiman Marcus and Nordstrom.
For even more looks at the crowd, check out MySweetCharity Photo Gallery.