Issue link: http://papercitymagazine.uberflip.com/i/1066841
22 CHATTER BOXING SHELBY HODGE TALKS IT UP. PHOTOGRAPHY JENNY ANTILL CLIFTON. T he dining room at the Junior League of Houston is not ordinarily a hotspot for power lunching. But each fall, City ArtWorks brings in community leaders, social heavyweights, and business chiefs for the Art of Conversation Luncheon. With Greg Fourticq, John Cone, and Nancy Marcus Golden at the helm, this turned out to be one of the most impressive lunch gatherings in the city. Where else would you find Neiman Marcus fashion guru Ken Downing, Harris Country Judge Ed Emmett, uber fund-raiser Becca Cason Thrash, Stages' actor Sally Edmundson, rancher and preservationist J.P. Bryan, restaurant critic Alison Cook, and Chief of Police Art Acevedo, leading the table chatter on the same day in the same room. City ArtWorks, which brings art classes and education to children across Houston, has served over five million children. Among the other conversationalists were in- terior designer Lucinda Loya, KPRC Channel 2 meteorologist Frank Billingsley, and Laura Mercier Cosmetics founder Janet Gurwitch. Serving as emcee KHOU Channel 11 meteorologist Chita Craft introduced luncheon honoree April Gauss, City ArtWorks founder, and corporate honoree Neiman Marcus. WHO: Patsy Fourticq, Stephen Newton, George Lancaster, Rachel Regan, John Thrash, Alissa Maples, Karen Mayell, Lenny Matuszewski, Karen Henry, Cathy and Bill Cone, Monsour Taghdisi, Lisa Andrews, Mady Kades, Ceron, Neal Hamil, Stephen Brunelle, Stacey Swift, Ruth Davis, Astrid Van Dyke, Mary Ann McKeithan, Michael Mandola, Ally Shell, Chris Goins Pazda,Virginia Steppe, and conversationalists Betty Newton, Fady Armanious, Henry Richardson, Alice Weiser, Scott McClelland, and Todd Waite, among others, as well as City ArtWorks executive director Margaret Bott. See more Shelby Hodge at papercitymag.com. CITY ARTWORKS REDEFINES POWER LUNCHING Stephen Newton, Fady Armanious Chief of Police Art Acevedo, Betty Newton Shelby Hodge Patsy Fourticq Rachel Regan Henry Richardson & Monsour Taghdisi Chair Greg Fourticq Ken Downing Stacey Swift, Stephen Brunelle Michael Mandola, Ruth Davis George Lancaster, Michael Bickham Bill Cone, Lisa Andrews, chair John Cone, Cathy Cone Sally Edmundson, Lenny Matuszewski Susie Criner Ally Shell, Chris Goins Pazda Toma Clark Haines Karen Mayell, Janet Gurwitch Becca Cason Thrash Ken Downing Chair Nancy Marcus Golden Scott McClelland