Dish-Houston

On Wednesday, April 16^th from 6:00 to 8:00 PM, the Houston Chapter of the Women’s Council of Realtors will be holding their inaugural fashion event, “Houston is Haute”, at Tootsies on Westheimer. This exciting event will feature a runway show filled with the famous boutique’s latest spring trends and will be emceed by fabulous KPRC Local 2 anchor, Rachel McNeill.

A spring fashion sneak peak is not the only thing on the menu at this glamorous event. ALL proceeds from tickets sales and donations will directly benefit The Women’s Home and their WholeLife^SM model of care. It’s fashion with a heart; fashion with a purpose, and a really fun way to give back.

Only 200 tickets are available for the event, and they’re selling fast. To reserve yours today, go to The Women’s Home website at www.thewomenshome.org and click on the “Houston is Haute” event link. VIP tickets are $50.

Event coordinators are asking guests to bring one or more gently used designer clothing or accessory item for The Women’s Home. Items will be donated to The Home’s thrift store, The Cottage Shop, where 100% of sales go directly back into The Women’s Home’s proven and successful programming. All those donating items will receive a $25 gift certificate to Tootsies.

Event Chair for “Houston is Haute” is Nicole Brende of Martha Turner Sotheby’s International Realty and Host Committee members include: Peggie Pentecost, Stephanie Finch, Patti Henry, Jeff Wagner, Jenny Wang, Chau Nguyen and Christy Stratton.

About The Women’s Home

Since 1957, The Women’s Home has helped women in crisis regain their self-esteem and dignity, empowering them to return to society as productive individuals. Our programs are targeted to women who are homeless or on the verge of homelessness. The growing efforts of The Women’s Home are all tied together by our comprehensive and very effective WholeLife model, which addresses the emotional, physical, social, vocational, fiscal and spiritual wellness of our clients and residents.

The US Men's Clay Court Championship will once again be much more than just a tennis tournament at River Oaks Country Club as a number of ancillary events will complement the event next week. 

Main draw play will begin on Monday, April 4, for the tournament, but action will begin around the Club on Friday and the first players hitting the courts on Saturday in an attempt to qualify into the main draw.

Here's a look at the schedule for the week:
Friday, April 1
Draw Day - The singles main draw and qualifying draws will be made. The main draw will be made Friday afternoon in a special Twitter event. Follow the tournament on Twitter (www.twitter.com/mensclaycourt) for more information later this week. The qualifying draw will be made late Friday evening, and the draw along with Saturday's Order of Play will be posted on www.mensclaycourt.com by 11 p.m. Friday.

Saturday-Sunday, April 2-3
Qualifying tournament for FREE! - Four main draw spots are on the line in the qualifying tournament. In 2010, one of the best matches of the tournament took place in qualifying, as Fritz Wolmarans of South Africa fought off eight match points in a 6-7(9), 7-6(12), 6-3 win over Haydn Lewis of Barbados in 3:31. The 2010 top seed in qualifying, Kevin Anderson, is a seed in the 2011 main draw. In 2007, Mariano Zabaleta qualified into the main draw and advanced to the final, losing to Ivo Karlovic in the title match.

Monday-Friday, April 4-8
Main Draw play - The tournament takes center stage during the week with day sessions beginning at noon and night sessions at 6 p.m.

Monday, April 4
Junior Night - Youth tennis will be celebrated as the USTA's 10-and-Under Tennis takes center stage. Through smaller courts and lighter equipment, tennis is becoming more accessible to younger players. Try out QuickStart tennis during special activities geared to younger players prior to Monday's night session.

Tuesday, April 5
HLTA Ladies Day - The Houston Ladies Tennis Association will host a special clinic and Q&A with Wayne Bryan at 10:30 a.m. The special ticket price includes both the clinic and a ticket to the day session.

Wednesday-Thursday, April 6-7
Tootsies Fashion Show SOLD OUT - A fabulous brunch is served while fashions and accessories from Tootsies are showcased on the runways over the pool at River Oaks Country Club. This popular event once again sold out in just minutes for 2011.

Friday, April 8
USTA Member Appreciation Day and Wheelchair Tennis demonstration - USTA members will receive a gift with proof of their membership from USTA Texas. In addition, a wheelchair tennis demonstration will take place on stadium court at 10:30 a.m.

Saturday, April 9
Singles Semifinals and Doubles Final - The singles semifinals will be played back-to-back beginning at 1 p.m., and the doubles final will be held at 6 p.m. Tennis Channel will cover all three matches live.

Sunday, April 10
Singles Final - The singles final will be held at 2 p.m. and broadcast live on Tennis Channel.

All Week
Texas Childrens Ticket Turnback - Patrons with tickets they will not able to use may return them to the River Oaks box office. Those tickets will then be on sale at the box office for face value with the entire purchase price being donated to the Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute at Texas Childrens.

Tickets for select individual sessions at the 2011 US Men’s Clay Court Championship remain available. The Champ Pass and season ticket packages have sold out for the 2011 event.  Information on tickets can be found at www.mensclaycourt.com or by calling 713-874-6294.

 BUY YOUR TICKETS NOW!!!

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.

Oh DISHIES! You know how fighting cancer is near and dear to our hearts over here at the DISH offices! Tonight there is an opportunity to fight and we hope that you will join!

Head up to Momentum Audi at around 6 pm this evening and join us to raise money for Barbara Willis fight with breast cancer. There will be a Tootsies Fashion show starting at 6:45, bites from Cafe Annie, and complimentary drinks from Bacardi. There will be prizes, raffle items, and a silent auction. Hope you can make it!

Bacardi will also be teaching folks how to make DISH'S favorite drink...the MOJITO!!!! =)