It may have been “A Wicked Affair,” but it did some serious good: Last weekend’s annual gala for the Children’s Museum of Houston raise nearly $1.1 million for the local institution.
The costume ball saw more than 500 guests in their black-tie and Halloween best, from Frankenstein to Cruella de Vil; the evening offered Houstonians the rare opportunity to top their dazzling ensembles with devil horns and witch’s hats. They turned out in full, festive force to support the cause at The Corinthian, which transformed into a positively haunting paradise complete with cobwebs, candelabras, and black wax-dipped roses all courtesy of Bergner & Johnson Design.
Gala co-chairs Ashley and Walter Weathers (a chic witch and dashing Dracula) and Lyndsey and Bret Zorich (Tinkerbell, complete with LED-lit wings, and Captain Hook, respectively) welcomed guests to the downtown destination, greeted by trays of signature cocktails by Proximo Spirits including a festive whisky cider and black-diamond margarita.
An equally festive menu from Jackson & Co. included hors d’ouevres like pork tenderloin croustade, shrimp sushi, and barbecued duck confit; and a three-course dinner of pumpkin soup, coffee-crusted filet mignon with red wine sauce, and dessert in the form of chocolate cake coffins and glazed strawberry tarts with chocolate spiderweb domes.
A robust auction of nearly 100 items included luxury products and experiences alike, including a his-and-hers Rolex raffle from Deutsch Houston; a private party including a catered dinner for 50 in the historic First National Bank vault in the basement of the Corinthian; an Astros game from behind home plate; a Neiman Marcus shopping spree; a live taping of Wheel of Fortune; and exotic travel packages to Antigua, Barbados, St. Lucia, St. Vincent, and The Grenadines; among others.
Annabel Massey was the winning bid on the cutest auction item of the night: 12-week-old terrier mix rescue puppy Leilani from Houston & Harris County Animal Volunteers.
The good times kept rolling after dinner courtesy of the Matt Wilson Band and much-needed late-night snacks of French fries and mini chicken sandwiches. Screens were set up throughout the venue and tuned to the Astros game happening live just blocks away at Minute Maid. Of course, the spookiest thing of all was the 7-0 loss to the Yankees.
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