Dish-Houston

Musician Patrice Pikeis known the world over as an uber creative, remarkably tiny human with a big talent. Most fans don't realise her formative years were spent living with friends because of the specialty school she attended for her talents. It gave her a special perspective of being an included outsider. That feeling is something that sicks with you. So while having dinner with a friend in 2006 when the conversation came up about a girl named Grace, Pike was all ears, and heart.  Grace was in a similar situation to Patrice when she was younger but worse. Grace was sick and in need of life saving heart surgery. At that moment Patrice and Todd Young decided to do something about the problem of young people being homeless. That was the genesis of the Grace Foundation.  The Grace Foundation of Texas responds to the financial gap that exists for young adults who have survived childhood/teenage homelessness and have aged out of the existing support systems currently available to them.

The Grace Foundationhas expanded across the great state of Texas over the past 3 years and put down some deep roots here in Houston November 21st at Warehouse Live! Warehouse was a very generous donor by offering the entire venue for our party! A sold out crowd of over 150 enjoyed dinner from Berryhill Tamale, drinks from Tommy Bahamma Rum and Zipang Sparkling Sake. While Patrice did her thing on stage, Artist Rolando Diaz literally took a blank canvas and created a work of art right there on stage live! His work is displayed around the globe and a documentary about his life and career titled Recapturing Cuba won two awards at the Sundance Film Festival.  The best part was the painting was auctioned off as the cornerstone piece during the live auction - while it was still wet...for over $8,000.00!!! It was a great fundraising evening! Other stellar sponsors that came together to make the evening such a huge success are Southwest Airlines, Methodist Hospital, Disney and Spot On Public Relations and Dish-Houston.com.

Crowd Notables: Patrice Pike, Tammy Dowe, Beth Younger, Lori Freese, Todd Parker, Todd Young, Jared Lang, Andrew Lindquist, Uchenna Agu, Jennifer Roosth.

CLICK HEREfor Todd Parker's Photos from the evening!

By Tammy Dowe

Tune In to Channel Your Inner Latina

Latina Voices, the locally produced, nationally recognized PBS television program, held a lunch fiesta for business and philanthropic leaders at Tony’s this week.  Show hosts and producers, Minerva Perez, Patricia Gras, and Sofia Adrogue wowed the crowd with a presentation and program demo that featured artists, sports heroes, and academia that the power-trio has interviewed during past episodes.

The Latina Voices virtual red carpet rolled from the valet stand directly into the Wine Celler at Tony’s where guests like Xerox veep Rogelio Marroquin held court with a bevy of brainy beauties, including Continental Airlines’ Chriselda Barrientes, the W Group’s Mayte Sera Weitzman and Fiesta Mart’s Corporate Relations head, Juanita Elizondo. 

Across the room, PBS station manager Jack Neal, chatted it up with Meredith Iler, Silver Eagle’s Roxann Neumann, Donna Vallone and Carliss Chatman.  The group dined divinely on a menu of Sopa Tomate, Snapper, and Praline Cheesecake that was so delish, one guest ate two slices.

Tootsies Role

Dana Kervin, Suzan Deison, and title insurance pro Mary Ann Reynolds joined Sonia Perez and other leading ladies at Tootsie’s last week as the Greater Houston Women’s Chamber announced its 2009 Hall of Fame Inductees.  Honorees include Margaret Alkek Williams, Zarine Boyce, Rose Cullen, Diedra Fontaine, Linda Lorelle, Gracie Saenz, Lyda Ann Thomas, Vu Thanh Thuy, Ileana Treviño, Martha Turner and Maxine Williams.  Each will be honored in November at a gala chaired by public relations darling Ellie Francisco and Susan Krohn.  Others on the scene that evening—Momentum Audi honcho, Jared Lang, alongside green energy guru turned handbag designer, Beth Younger, and Amy Schwab Lampi.

Flick Funding

Texas Film Commission Director Bob Hudgins held court downtown when he keynoted at the Business of the Arts luncheon, hosted jointly by The Houston Arts Alliance and the Greater Houston Partnership.  Hudgins and Partnership CEO, Jeff Moseley, lit the funding fire for Houston cinematic artists, and announced newly available state funds for local film, web and TV projects. 

The artful crowd included Houston Film Commission’s executive director Rick Ferguson, HAA’s Fabene Welch and Jonathon Glus, and Richard Lapin from the mayor’s top deck.  Also spotted buzzing about film were Franci Crane, art-lover Lauren Harrison, Ryland Holmes Peveto, and Richard Graber.