Folks had scarcely returned from their Labor Day holidays when they had to get all gussied up for the 2024 Crystal Charity Ball Platinum Dinner. The invite-only event for top donors of the CCB Ten Best Dressed Fashion Show on Thursday, September 4, was the kick-off for the true high rollers. And, what better place to have it than the Neiman Marcus flagship store at the corner of Main and Ervay streets. After all, this year’s fashion show featuring the Oscar de la Renta collection was so appropriate, since NM had been fashionably on board since 1975.
With the dinner being underwritten by Comerica, the bank’s Chairman/President/Chief Executive Officer Curt Farmer and his wife Alice Farmer were on hand even before the guests arrived. The Farmers didn’t want to miss watching the group photo of the Best Dressed Ten — Monica Eastin, Tracey Kozmetsky, Tracy Lange, Anne McPherson, Wendy Messmann, Kim Quinn, Lisa Rocchio, Sunie Solomon and Katherine Wyker and Hall of Famer Lisa Cooley — being taken on the first floor. MIA for the class photo was third-year BD-er Meredith Land, who at that moment was rushing over from her duties at the KXAS evening newscast in Fort Worth. Over the past years of being one of the Ten BD-ers, Meredith has juggled her newsroom responsibilities with events honoring her and the others BD-ers 30 miles away.
As furniture was being rearranged for the photo, first to arrive were Wendy and husband Boyd Messmann. The brunette BD-er laughed about being first on the scene. She recalled how last year she had misread her schedule, arriving a full hour early. Ah, better too early than too late.
After the official group photo was taken, someone asked about a “vamp” look … “You know, like ‘Vanity Fair’?” With manicured eyebrows raised and their inner drama queens busting loose with laughter, the ladies struck the pose of the night.
Then 2024 CCB Fashion Show Chair Kim Hext mother-henned her flock of BD-ers and Lisa to join arriving guests like Lee Bailey, Sharon Merwin, Stephanie Lauck, Jennifer Sampson, Leslie and Bryan Diers, Jennie and Stuart Reeves with daughter Lucy Wrubel, Nancy Carter, Dotti Reeder, Susan Roberds and Tanya Rice, who by this time were checking out the David Webb gems across the way in the fine jewelry salon.
In the meantime, the Zodiac Room on the sixth floor was looking rather wonderful, with a display of mannequins draped in the fashion show’s featured designer Oscar de la Renta fashions surrounded by equally fashionable portraits of the honorees. Around the room were equally fashionable tables with place cards in place.
Of course, there were the usual snafus, including some texted confusion about whether or not NM President Ryan Ross would be able to attend. Not to worry. Ryan was front and center with NM Regional VP Mary McGreevy, NM NorthPark and Downtown VP/Market GM Scott Mitchell with his wife Judy Mitchell and NM VP/Downtown GM Tim Adair and Marjon Henderson, who had just been promoted to NM Brand VP.
But back to the first-floor cocktail party. There, the official welcome and subsequent presentation of the Ten BD-ers was about to suffer another “darn-it” situation. Despite the best efforts of the NM production team, the microphone and speakers were … let’s just say, lame. As the store’s PA system distractedly continued cranking out a background music track, the best attempts by 2024 CCB Chair Cheryl Joyner and Kim to welcome everyone were hamstrung by a microphone that was dead on arrival. After a couple or three soundless taps on the mic and NM staffers scurrying around to try to fix the situation, Cheryl summoned up her inner cheerleader to address the crowd.
Even Curt joked that, due to the misfiring mic, perhaps he should be getting a discount on Comerica’s sponsorship. Those within earshot laughed, while others out of earshot looked confused by all the mirth-making.
It was then time for Kim to formally announce the Ten Besties, who were in the holding pen (aka the Fine Jewelry salon) complete with an ever-smiling Meredith looking refreshed, showing no signs of the rush to be on hand.
After reminding guests of opportunities still available to be part of the Crystal Charity Ball on December 7, Cheryl concluded the welcome with the rallying cry, “To the Zodiac!”
As guests settled down to a dinner menu opening with heirloom tomato and stone fruit salad with arugula, fresh mozzarella and white balsamic followed by an entree of sous vide beef filet with calabrian corn and shaved fingerling potatoes and a dessert of salted caramel chocolate tart, talk of the night was people extending congratulations to Ciara and Hunt Biggers.
It seems that, after trekking up and down Pike’s Peak in August with Cooley matriarch Lisa, the couple had assembled the Cooley clan for a video. While the family expected a showing of the climbing feat, they were amazed to see instead a reveal of the Biggers expecting a baby on Valentine’s Day 2025. Needless to say, Cooley patriarch Clay Cooley was busting with pride both in the video and at the dinner. When s/he arrives, the Bigger baby will already have a cousin — Petra Cooley was born this past February to Ciara’s brother Chase Cooley and his wife Bela Cooley.