Issue link: http://papercitymagazine.uberflip.com/i/126234
M (and Beer) Social Whirl The Houston Art Car Parade and Ball, with media sponsor PaperCity, is upon us. Vehicular festivities begin Thursday, May 9, 6:30 pm, with a sneak peek at Discovery Green. That raucous adults-bash hallmark, Art Car Ball, takes place Friday, May 10, at the Orange Show Center for Visionary Art. Throw on your wackiest outfit and boogie to the sounds of Vockah Redu, the Minor Mishap Marching Band, Maximus, Sean Reefer and the Resin Valley Boys and Production for Use, with snacks and cocktails by Phoenicia Specialty Foods and El Gran Malo. The main event rolls Saturday, May 11, with the VIPit Party at 11 am. VIP status includes shaded bleacher seating, a deluxe picnic lunch and live music. The 26th Annual Art Car Parade commences at 1 pm, when 300 works of art on wheels make their way along Allen Parkway from Waugh to Bagby. Th e celebration wraps Sunday, May 12, with the Awards Ceremony and Brunch. thehoustonartcarparade.com. The Walter Project's Big Red rolls at the Art Car Parade OBJET by Dutch Small Straight Razor Revival: Russian writer Miroslava Duma, street style star CHRIS BROWN [ May's scene sizzles before the socials depart for glittering vacances. Begin Friday, May 3, at Glassell School's Art Benefit and Auction, at the Glassell campus, and themed Street Smart. Chaired by powerhouse collectors Leslie and Brad Bucher and Jereann Chaney, the evening begins with cocktails in the Cullen Sculpture Garden, followed by a seated dinner catered by City Kitchen, dancing and the smartly curated silent art auction (Ashley Sneed, glassellbenefit@mfah.org.) … Also on Friday, May 3, American Diabetes Association unfurls its Wine & Roses Wine Auction and Gala at the Hilton Americas-Houston. This luscious evening of live and silent auctions, dinner and dancing is chaired by Carla and Mark Russell and Mary Elizabeth Hahnfeld, with honorary chairs Martha Turner and Glenn Bauguss and honorees Philamena and Arthur Baird, Brian Tulloch, and the ADA Sweethearts (Carole Lieber, clieber@diabetes.org) … Saturday, May 4, have a glamorous, old-fashioned good time at The Alley Ball: Supper Club, benefitting The Alley Theatre, with PaperCity as media sponsor. Join chairs Carol and Mike Linn at the JP Morgan Historic Chase Building for cocktails, a seated dinner catered by City Kitchen, entertainment by Linda Eder, and silent auction (Laura Woods, lauraw@alleytheatre.org) … Get refreshed Sunday, May 5, at Houston's Lemonade Day, which inspires children all around town to learn entrepreneurial business. Founders of the nownational nonprofit Lisa and Michael Holthouse and board chair Roberto Contreras are expecting 65,000 youths to participate in the Houston area, so stop in for a cool drink! (To donate, houston. lemonadeday.org) … Tuesday, May 7, Houston Center for Contemporary Craft creates its CLAIBORNE SWANSON FRANK FOR L'ICONA AT ICONA.FERRAGAMO.COM [ J. McLaughlin, the post-Ivy League set's go-to for high casual weekend wear (for those of us who weekend at the Cape, The Vineyard and Lyford), opens in June in River Oaks Shopping Center, stocking tweaked traditional J. McLaughlin embroidered belts, muted foulard trousers, checked linen shirts in sherbet colors and paddleboard shorts for men and women … Ann and Sid Mashburn and their eponymous shops in Atlanta are the chicest of the chic. Now they're opening shop in Houston in September, in the former André's space in Lamar Shopping Center across from Lamar High School. On the gentleman's side, Sid will stock all manner of dapper duds from suits, to shoes, weekend wear to vinyl records, while Ann will house classic sailor shirts, cocktail dresses, ballerina flats and more. Go to sidmashburn. com for a preview … Madewell, the much-anticipated stylish sidekick to J.Crew, opens this month in Galleria 4, Level 2, between White House/Black Market and Langford Market. Expect girls-only vintage-inspired clothing and accessories … Atrium, in its new home in River Oaks Shopping Center just below Américas, has added Sally LaPointe's collection of leather, chic cutouts and structured jackets, trousers, tops and gowns … Uptown Park welcomes fashionably plastic shoe boutique Melissa at the end of this month. Melissa has teamed up with names such as Karl Lagerfeld, Vivienne Westwood and Jason Wu to make plastic fantastic … More news for Uptown Park, just in time for Mother's Day: Flower man David Brown is the only flower house in Houston stocking clematis, an unusual flower of European and Asian origin exclusively grown by only one cultivator in the States … Chic wrapbracelet designer Chan Luu has created a secondary jewelry line called Chan Luu Ethical Fashion International. Meet the designer and hear her inspiring story at J. Silver in Rice Village Thursday and Friday, May 9 and 10 … Fashion boutique Be-jewel has moved its European collections of apparel and jewelry to 4100 Westheimer, Suite 100 … Joan Pillow Bridal Salon hosts a Monique Lhuillier trunk show May 30 through June 1; Lhuillier bridal specialist Laura Thompson will be present to help you say yes to the dress … Elizabeth Anthony/Esther Wolf now carries Rafael Cennamo, Bibhu Mohapatra and Le Petite Robe … Zadok Jewelers invites you to its Mother's Day trunk show Friday and Saturday, May 3 and 4 … Deutsch & Deutsch will also hold a Mother's Day trunk show Tuesday and Wednesday, May 7 and 8 … BB1 Classic in Uptown Park now carries Desigual, Custo Barcelona, Save the Queen and Konplott Jewelry. Megan Pruitt Winder oon Tower Inn, 3004 Canal St.; facebook.com/bigweeniestyles After a 15-month hiatus for renovations, the popular East End bar and beer garden Moon Tower Inn has reopened. Owners Evan Shannon and Brandon Young have carefully retained the charm of the original through the use of reclaimed woods with a provenance: 150-plus-year-old pecky cypress and long-leaf pine from Civil War-era slave quarters. They've also carved an innovative kitchen and serving area out of a blue shipping container. This decidedly low-key alternative to most bars features park-style tables and benches as the only decor. Yet here you'll find some of the best hot dogs and burgers in town, with more than 60 beers on tap. The dining menu is surprisingly simple yet impressive, packed with unique 'dogs ranging from duck with foie gras to elk, rabbit, wild boar and venison — something for every taste, all with homemade relishes and toppings. Moon Tower grills up two burgers: the Cheech and the Chong, both with specialty cheeses (bleu and goat) and freshly baked buns. It's a perfect example of keeping things simple while doing them right. Steven Hempel On Art Roll … a Car Parade The RICHARD KIMBROUGH Moon Tower, King of the 'Dogs' Cool Shave Comes Home Vara Vara Cool. O n the heels of its 35th anniversary, stylish influencers the world over are readopting Salvatore Ferragamo's iconic Vara, a mid-heel shoe with a grosgrain bow, into their wardrobes. And it's not just the fashion traditionalists sporting the classically designed shoe again. Edgy gals, from actress Chloë Sevigny to rock-star royalty Alexandra Richards, are wearing the Vara; the latter wears hers in a special campaign shot by fine art photographer Claiborne Swanson Frank for the launch of Ferragamo's L'Icona, the Italian brand's new online project. As of May 1, you can go to icona.ferragamo.com to customize your own Vara or the ballet version, Varina. Colors range from Blu Scuro to Lava to Acqua to Rosso, as well as an exclusive summery printed fabric. Contrasting colors for the heel and bows, plus a choice between gold or silver hardware, are also available. Can't decide which colorway is best? Find inspiration by thumbing through the on-site collection of captivating portraits by Swanson Frank of such modern and fashionable women as modaoperandi.com cofounder Lauren Santo Domingo, film director Chiara Clemente, model Elettra Wiedemann and fashion writer Miroslava Duma, each wearing her own customized Vara or Varina design. Salvatore Ferragamo's Vara and Varina customized shoes $550, at icona.ferragamo.com. Kate Stukenberg annual Crafting a Legacy Luncheon at River Oaks Country Club. Chairs Paula Arnold, Sara Morgan and Carrin Patman have planned an artful afternoon with a lunch and craft surprises. The day honors Franci and Jim Crane (Kara Niles, kniles@ crafthouston.org) … Thursday, May 16, Pink at the Brown goes "Unplugged" for its annual benefit and concert at the Wortham Theater Center. The evening benefits breast cancer-crusading nonprofit Pink Ribbons Project and honors Margaret Williams, Frankie Ann Holmes, and Margo Hilliard Alford, including performances by Theater District main players Alley Theatre, Da Camera, Houston Ballet, Houston Grand Opera, Society for the Performing Arts. Champagne reception, seated dinner (underwriter level), dessert and silent auction. Jo Furr chairs, with artistic chair Stanton Welch and PaperCity as media sponsor (Rozlind Power, 713.524.7465; rozlind@pinkribbons. org) … Sunday, May 19, conduct yourself in the direction of the Jones Hall Lobby and Stage for this year's Maestro's Wine Dinner and Collection Auction, benefitting Houston Symphony Ima Hogg Competition. Come for the famous silent wine auction, stay for the seated dinner by Jackson and Company. Chairs Judy and Rodney Margolis and Mary Lynn and Steve Marks honor maestro Hans Graf and wife Rita, with PaperCity media sponsor for this and every melodic Symphony social event of the season (713.238.1485; specialevents@houstonsymphony. org). See you on the town! Erin Oppenheim Serenity Knives straight razor It's no secret to men of style that a barber's straight razor is an indulgence worth partaking — often. But when the guy on the go can't spare the time for a trip to a pro, the smoothness delivered by a hand-crafted stainless-steel blade is still within reach, thanks to Texas' premier blade smith, Russell Montgomery of Serenity Knives. Known to the culinary world as knifemaker to the elite, Montgomery has crafted wares for nationally renowned kitchens such as Oxheart and celebrities in other genres whom he's too discreet to name. On the leading edge of a self-shave revival, his newly released hand-forged straight razors are very much about convenience but also about the relaxing ritual of a nearly forgotten craft. "It doesn't take long to learn to shave with a straight razor, and you get a closeness that isn't possible with disposables," he says. "I also like taking time to take care of myself and forget about the demands of the day. It just feels good." His sculptural creations are available in either folding or fixed-blade designs and have handles in stainless steel or exotic wood species such as cocobolo or lignum vitae. $200 to $500, exclusively at serenityknives.com. Petit Paul With the Smith launch of e-commerce site Melijoe. com, bestdressed moms can dress their tots in togs worthy of the runway. The Web site, founded in 1997 by stylish Parisian mother of four Nathalie Christen-Genty, stocks clothes and accessories for boys and girls ages 0 to 16 by such esteemed designers as Chloe, Dolce & Gabbana, Fendi, Gaultier, Sonia Rykiel, Versace, Missoni and Roberto Cavalli, as well as difficult-to-source European brands I Pinco Pallino, Lili Gaufrette, Paté de Sable, Tartine et Chocolat and, my personal favorite, Troizenfants. We can't stop oohing and ahhing over printed silk and lace dresses by Dolce & Gabbana in mini-me versions of looks mom can pick up in store right now, or the Gazette-printed John Galliano Kids dress, reminiscent of the designer's iconic newsprint Spring 2000 collection but emblazoned with mon petitfriendly headlines "Quiz Time," "Make The Grade" and "Girl Power." Little boys will look dandy in Paul Smith's colorful printed button-down shirts made to look like Dad's or slick in Aston Martin's hazelnut-toned leather jacket and distressed denim pants. melijoe.com. Kate Stukenberg Prêt-à-Porter MAY | PAGE 6 | 2013 Dolce & Gabbana