Right on cue the azaleas were busting in beauty at Kathy and Harlan Crow‘s estate on Tuesday, March 26. The grounds were a glorious sight and rightly so for the Turtle Creek Association‘s Azalea Luncheon.
The event kicked off with champagne being served in The Harlan Crow Library’s reception hall, where even oldtimers were amazed at the newest item on display — a wood-and-glass case containing a collection of Albert Einstein‘s pipes.
As guests like Honorary Chair Ann Stuart, Honorary Chair Emeritus/newly elected TCA Board of Directors Chair Deborah Stanford, Honorary Guest Mary Brinegar, new Dallas Arboretum President/CEO Sabina Carr, new Dallas Zoo CEO Lisa New, Judy Lifson, Ralph Randall, Venise Stuart, Carole Ann Brown, Kathy Cothrum, Holly Mayer and Mari Epperson made the rounds, one of the day’s topics was the update of Barbara Bigham‘s husband, Bob Bigham, who had undergone heart surgery. Barbara had found herself caretaking and chauffeuring him around.
Inside the main hall, the room was filled to the max with beautifully decorated tables prepared for the sold-out attendance that according to organizers was the first fashion show to be held in the library.
As the guests moved into the main hall for the fashion presentation by Betty Reiter of her latest spring collection, Event Chair Sharon Ballew welcomed the sold-out crowd and introduced Chef To The Shelters Chef Mike McCoy, who was on all fours cleaning up an errant spill of water on the stage.
He had prepared a menu starting off with spinach salad with strawberries and raspberry vinaigrette, a main course of airline chicken, parsnip whipped Yukon’s, broccolini with lemon zest and an old-fashion “Happy Birthday Indulgent Chocolate Cake.”
Following Sharon TCA President/CEO J.D. Trueblood recognized members in the audience and invited Honorary Chair Ann Stuart to say a few words. She recalled that after retiring from her position as TWU chancellor/president in 2014, she moved to the Turtle Creek neighborhood, joined the association, became a member of the the board and its president and “then five years ago, here comes J.D. and, oh, boy, and he knew a lot of what should be happening.” She attributed the association progress and growth to J.D. and Sharon, who joined the association as vice-president of development. “The two of them have transformed this organization.”
Without further ado, the parade of fashions got underway.
For more looks of the guests and the fashions, check MySweetCharity Photo Gallery.