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A few days before Park House officially opened to its group of founding members in late December, co-founder Deborah Scott and a small group of her friends (early PH joiners, naturally) found themselves on the third floor at 100 Highland Park Village for an impromptu late-night rendezvous. Records were played. Cocktails were swilled. Dancing ensued. A wild time was had by all. Call it Park House's unofficial, devilishly chic baptism — a night that would serve as a sign of things to come. Next up was New Year's Eve: The first official party at Park House, which was a caviar and champagne-fueled bash designed by event maestro Todd Fiscus with tunes by DJ Lucy Wrubel. Who was there? We'll never tell. You see, Park House has existed under a curtain of quiet mystique since May 2017, after it was publicly announced that a Soho House-style concept would debut in prime Highland Park real estate, on the third floor of 100 Highland Park Vil- lage, its entrance next door to Chanel. A year later, a rare-air group of founding members and investors began to sign up, and a small but mighty contingent of bright young things and business tycoons received invitations to join in the mail. A few Park House execs were hired, from communications and membership director Rachel Michell (a former member of the marketing and communications team at Highland Park Village) and programming director Josh Madans (former PR guru for Todd Events) to executive chef Andrea Rodella (formerly ex- ecutive chef at Ojai Valley Inn's Olivella) and general manager Kenyon Price (formerly with Rosewood Hotels & Resorts and St. Regis Hotels & Resorts). After an extensive renovation and construction of the entire building, the time came for the big reveal. As 2018 wound down, the club first opened for evening cocktails, dinner, and late-night pomp. Then, in January, brunch was added. This month, the full hours debut: from early morning until — simply stated by Park House top brass — late. Chatter about Park House has rippled through every echelon of Dallas society. Would the club lean more towards the style of London's fabled Annabel's? Or, would it have a youthful, creative-class vibe à la Soho House? Could the art program at Park House rival that of The Arts Club, also in London? And, of course, the most pressing questions: Who would join? What would it look like? And how could we get our name on the list? More on all that in a minute. P ark House has been eight years in the making. Long- time friends John Scott (Deborah's husband, former president of Rosewood Hotels & Resorts and CEO of Belmond Ltd., formerly Orient-Express Hotels) and Brady Wood (whose Dallas entertainment and hospitality company, Woodhouse, operates José restaurant and the Pilgrimage Music & Cultural Festival) were moun- tain-biking in Aspen. "They expressed the need for a com- fortable, dynamic venue to gather, work, and dine," Deborah says. "Fast forward a couple of years. We moved to London, started to collect private-club memberships, and experienced first-hand why the private-social-club model is so successful in England. Brady started looking at locations around Dallas, then glanced up to the top floor of HPV." That dreamy look up happened about three years ago — and, from there, it was full speed ahead. Deborah and John moved back to Dallas. As for that top-floor space, it would indeed become Park House. The Scotts' experiences in London, coupled with co-founders Megan and Brady Wood's extensive food, beverage, and en- tertainment portfolio, ultimately shaped Park House — but with a Dallas bent. "Up until now, there have been country clubs or business clubs in Dallas, but they were lacking a more cool or inclusive experience," Deborah says. "In the past six years, when we were away from Dallas, living in Aspen and London, this city has really evolved with new businesses and people flowing in. Many of our younger members belong to similar clubs in other cities and understood the concept before we opened Park House." That model for Park House draws inspiration from the tony bits of Deborah and John's favorite clubs: lunch on The Arts Club patio; large group dinners and late-night dancing in Lou- lou's basement nightclub at 5 Hertford; over-the-top everything at the newly redesigned Annabel's; and the old-school mix of locals and billionaires at the Caribou Club in Aspen. At Park House, there is a strict dress code (no workout clothes, please), and children should be left at home, except for Sunday nights during family dinner. Programs and events, led by Madans, are The entrance to the Vault Room includes a fortified bank door — a nod to the building's original function as a bank. Inside, the room serves as a small dining or meeting area. Park House co-founders John and Deborah Scott. John wears Ermenegildo Zegna, Highland Park Village.