Issue link: http://papercitymagazine.uberflip.com/i/1498290
A ll the invite s a i d w a s : A P a r t y to Have A Party. That alone seemed like a drop- the-mic moment. When the team at Forty Five Ten approached me to co-host said affair, I agreed the moment they said it was at the Grapevine Bar. I could wax poetic about that infamous dive bar for days. I'll do the abbreviated version: It's literally a little hole in the wall off Maple Avenue that has been around since 1996, with the most intriguing clientele — a mix of gay and straight, mil- lennials and Gen X, a few Baby Boomers as well. In essence, it's one of the most diverse crowds you'd likely ever find in Dallas. But what makes it even better are the outfits. A girl popping in after a black-tie affair in a Dior gown with a beer in her hand sitting next to a wizened, slightly bedraggled for- mer rocker doing shots of tequila is par for the course on a Saturday night. At our party, the charm of the estab- lishment — the patina of almost three decades of revelry — was still there, but with some luxury flourishes. The creative team at Headington Companies (the group behind Forty Five Ten) pulled out all the stops. Instead of boring crudité, there were platters (Georg Jensen, of course) of cigarettes. Metal ashtrays in a bold red hue were emblazoned with the boutique's logo. And DJ Sober was spinning all the tunes. In case guests got peckish, gourmet pizzas from Sassetta were delivered around 10 pm. There was a traffic jam in the area that's normally the intimate billiards room. Forty Five Ten had procured an assortment of vintage black concert T-shirts that were hanging on a rolling rack. To make them one-of-a-kind, the local team from Dallas Denim Repair was customizing with chain- stitch embroidery. I spied my favorite best- friend duo, Katherine Reeves and Anne Clayton Vroom, grab a few options before it turned into a fashion feeding frenzy. One of the most charming elements of the little lounge on Maple is the large outdoor patio with a mini basketball court. Black basketballs with Forty Five Ten's logo were set up for everyone to shoot some hoops. Missy Peck, after showing off her skills, had her ball under one arm (since she was obviously taking it home with her — the ultimate party swag) with a cocktail in the other. S p o t t e d o n t h e b - b a l l c o u r t t h a t night: Jessica Nowitzki, Nancy Rogers, Rajan Patel, Bela Cooley, Ann and Lee Hobson, Kit Sawers, Christen and Derek Wilson, Doniphan Moore, Tanner Moussa, Claire Grant, Kristin Bray, Christopher Wood, Troy Porter, Kasey Lemkin, Rochelle Gores, Francine Ballard, Amy Van Cleave, and Lisa Sadoughi. Special mention must go to the Headington Team, who ponied up to the bar: Michael Tregoning, Jeny Bania, Jonathan Merla, Michelle Padgett, and Sydney Dietrich. Finally, let's not forget the diva-licious Forty Five Ten team: Anne Wallach, Jordan Jones Muñoz, Dianna Miller, Robin Wilkes, and Kyle Branch. Nancy Rogers Jeny Bania By Billy Fong. Photography Beckley. BAR DIVE DIVINE Sydney Dunbar FFT Team - Robin Wilkes, Jordan Jones Muñoz Kyle Branch, Anne Wallach, Dianna Miller Jonathan Merla Michelle Padgett Sydney Dietrich Lauren Dong Jordan Jones Muñoz Dianna Miller Jessica Nowitzki Nikko Smith 30