Rumor Has It - December 2024

The Memorial graduate met the Massachusetts prep school fellow… when they were both living in Maryland in 2019. Luc Renault proposed to Brenna Black while they were on a hike with their dogs in Park City, Utah. More fun ensued just before the wedding on Oct. 13, with a tailgate-themed welcome party.  Everyone wore their college team colors as they mingled, with the college football games playing on three screens. They married at River Bottoms Ranch in Midway, UT, in an outdoor ceremony followed by dinner and dancing. Parents of the couple Beth and Don Black and Kim Sullivan and Peter Renault were cheering as the couple left on a bronco…a white Ford Bronco, to the St. Regis in Park City, followed by a honeymoon in Hawaii. Aloha.

PARTY IN THE CUL DE SAC The moms on Long Shadow Lane hosted their third annual Halloween party for neighborhood kids.

Boos and bounces. The moms on Long Shadow Lane hosted their third annual Halloween party for neighborhood children and friends, and it was a big bouncy hit. The bouncy house was busy with astronauts, dinosaurs, and other creatures jumping as high as can be. There were many boo-tiful princesses that huddled together to create art with the many stickers, crayons, and glitter provided. Moms Morgan Zarghouni and Katherine Hortenstine set up the scene of fun and glam in the cul-de-sac. The pumpkins in the Hortenstine yard were the perfect photo backdrop. 

IT WAS A TREAT King and Queen of Halloween Joni and John Zavitsanos served a brew of chili and hot dogs at their annual neighborhood party.

King and Queen of Halloween. Joni and John Zavitsanos hosted their annual Halloween party, attended by mostly adults, with a bouncy house for the kiddos that stopped by for a hot dog before trick-or-treating. Some neighbors that enjoyed chili and wine while catching up were Paul and Amanda Finnett, Felicia Baker, Chris and Reese Baker, Steve and Linda Schweitzer, Rob Scheinerman, and Suzanne Reyes. 

BEWITCHING A group of friends who meet monthly, including (from left) Lu Taylor, Beverly Twaddell, Paula Wood-Sheiness, and Artell Oswald, rocked miniature witch hats at their October gathering.

Witches or Bewitching? A group of fabulous retired (but not tired) ladies, all former State Farm insurance agents, meet monthly to lunch and share their lives. They started as agents in the ’80s when there were very few women in the industry. Lots of meetings, lunches, and retreats created the friendship bond. Although they live in Memorial and several outlying areas, they meet faithfully, and barely skipped during Covid. Artell Oswald is the provider of holiday accessories, and brought the miniature witch hats they wore in October. If there is an opportunity to wear a hat, there will be one to wear. Paula Wood-Sheiness decides on the restaurant, and they decide the next date to meet before paying the bill. Lu Taylor and Beverly Twaddell were also stirring the brew that day, while Dianne Heitmann and Chris Beckendorff were out of town but casting good spells no doubt.

WOMEN WHO DO The Hadassah Chapter of Greater Houston committee invites you to support medical research on Jan. 16 at the “Women Who Do” luncheon. Pictured are (sitting, in front) Honorees Janice Jucker and Leisa Holland-Nelson Bowman; (Standing, from left) Sharon Colbert, Barbara Shurberg, Sue Zerlin, Elissa Berry, Harriet Eisenstein, Belinda Denn, Abby Lestin, Sharon Brier, Linda Block, and Syndy Gold.

Having fun, saving lives. The testing for the BRCA gene, discovered at the cutting-edge Hadassah hospital, continues to save lives from cancer mutations. The Houston Chapter of Hadassah will host the “Women Who Do” fundraising luncheon and fashion show, chaired by Abby Lestin, on Jan. 16, 2025, at the renovated Westin Oaks Hotel. Cancer survivors Janice Jucker and Leisa Holland-Nelson Bowman will be honored for their inspiring contributions to the community. Some of the added fun will include a silent auction chaired by Sharon Colbert, special tributes to loved ones affected by cancer, and a Fashion Show by French Cuff, chaired by yours truly and Susan Davis.  Linda Block is in charge of table captains. For sponsorship inquiries, please contact Belinda Denn at [email protected]. President Harriet Eisenstein says, “Join us to support advanced medical care for all.”

GHOSTBUSTERS The Memorial Drive Elementary School community enjoyed a successful fall festival, including a haunted house built by MDE dads. Pictured (from left) are Britt Denby, John Hays Compton, Paul Williams, and Brett McDanald.

Carnival to the max. The head harvesters for Memorial Drive Elementary, Bran Battista, Liz Crawley, and Michelle Williams, planted a wildly successful fall festival crop of fun, including a haunted house by Leslie Denby and Lindley Amarantos, former students decades ago. PTA president Christine Williamson supervised the most popular booth, where ping pong balls were thrown into an empty goldfish bowl to win goldfish. Principal Thayer Hutcheson announced the winners of the pumpkin decorating contest, with categories of Funniest, Scariest, and School Spirit, judged by three teachers. First-place winners in each category were Karoline Kanaly, Griffin Whaley, and Megan Martin. Christo and Lindley Amarantos, both soccer coaches at Memorial High, shared laughs dressed as authentic Beetlejuice and Lydia. Five high school and middle school organizations volunteered at the festival.

SAVE THE DATE The Sale raises money for the pediatric cancer center at Texas Children’s Hospital. Save the date for Thurs., Jan. 9 (early bird shopping) and Jan. 10-11 (general shopping). Pictured are the leadership team (from left): Lynn Ramos, Renee Craig, Barbara Towne, and Britta Christenson.

The Sale! Yep, you can go shopping in 50 premier boutiques is in one spot, at the three-day sale in the Bayou City Event Center. There are bargains to be had! Sometimes there are racks for $10 or $25. The event benefits the Pediatric Cancer Center at Texas Children’s Hospital. They have given $2,275,000 in the first 10 years. The leadership team, Lynn Ramos, Renee Craig, Barbara Towne and Britta Christenson, invite you to early bird shopping with VIP tickets on Thurs., Jan. 9, from 6 to 9 p.m., or general admission on Friday and Saturday, 9 a.m. to 4 pm.

POPPED THE QUESTION After Mac Prichard-Warren proposed to Amanda Johnston, family and friends gathered to toast the couple. (Photo: Rainah Lee Photo Co.)

They met on an app. Mac Prichard-Warren from Granbury, TX, and Amanda Johnston from San Antonio just clicked. They were together eight years when Mac hired an engagement coordinator to strategize this important next step. Tessa Bertamini, of Amore Austin, selected the charming pyramid glass greenhouse at the Sekrit Theater in Austin, a not-so-secret venue for weddings. Twenty-five guests, including family – Bill and Pam Johnston, Karen Warren and son Thomas Warren, and Mac’s daughter Avery Warren – attended the after-proposal party at The Grapevine in Gruene to propose a toast to the couple.

HAPPY HOUR, HAPPY FRIENDS Tracy Jakob and Frances Rubin hosted the happy hour party for Sue Feinberg’s 65th in Tracy’s home. Pictured, from left: Frances Rubin, Sue Feinberg, and Tracy Jakob.

Medicare milestone. Sue Feinberg celebrated turning 65, her Medicare milestone. Tracy Jakob and Frances Rubin hosted the happy hour party in Tracy’s home with a Medicare-themed carrot cake created by Diane Gelman. The 24 partiers were treated to an array of charcuterie boards, some with “aged” cheese and wine. Questions were asked about Sue. How well do you really know your friends? What about their parents’ names? No one knew Sue’s parents’ names, but Vicky Dyer-Smith got the most right, winning movie tickets. Rosanne Kaufmann won second place. Other oldsters in attendance – Mary Mayo, Cynthia Mills, Joyce Diamond, and Barbara Marcus – had some good laughs. 

BAYOU CITY ART FEST The Art Colony Association, Inc. hosted The Bayou City Art Festival at Memorial Park. Featured artist was Ash Beheshti. Pictured, at the festival, are (from left) Dennis and Christine Laviage, Brian and Cindy Atlas, Barry and Julie Weiner, and Mike Brier in back.

So much going on and art too! The Art Colony Association, Inc. hosted The Bayou City Art Festival at Memorial Park. It was transformed into an interactive experience with an outdoor art exhibit. The featured artist Ash Beheshti created strong, positive collages of women. Throughout the festival, there were several stages of performances, plus Art on Wheels, Yoga, sunscreen and selfie stations, and a Holey Moley mini putt-putt. In the crowd of 18,000 attendees were Cindy and Brian Atlas, Dennis and Christine Laviage, and Barry and Julie Weiner. It was the art of fun.

So worthy. The Honor Foundation, a non-profit, is a career transition program for U.S. Special Operations Forces that helps them use their elite talents in civilian life. It was a big deal for Colonel Allison Black, who served 32 years in the Air Force. She entered the service at 18 and was known as the Angel of Death, as she flew over 3400 hours; 2000 in combat. Now she has a new life with their help. H. Malcolm Stewart, who started the foundation, welcomed the 300 guests. The Honorable Michael R. Pompeo, 70th Secretary of State and Former CIA Director, said that the private sector helped rescue 180,000 people around the world. VIPs that made the event happen included Frank Muller, Chris Schilling, Natallia Ornelas, Pat Strawbridge, Dick Davis, and Ruben Arriaga.

LITERARY LUNCH The Barbara Bush Houston Literacy Foundation’s Power of Literacy Luncheon brought more than 600 together. Pictured, from left: Julie Finck, Mehrnaz Gill, Kimberly Williams-Paisley, Diane Gendel, and Sandra Shenkir. (Photo: Daniel Ortiz)

You know her from Father of the Bride. And the Hallmark channel. Actress and best-selling author Kimberly Williams-Paisley spoke at The Barbara Bush Houston Literacy Foundation’s Power of Literacy Lunch. Chaired by Mehrnaz Gill and Diane Gendel, there were 600+ in the crowd to hear Kimberly talk about her bestselling book, Where the Light Gets In: Losing My Mother Only to Find Her Again. The Ladies for Literacy Guild has raised more than $3.5 million through their Power of Literacy luncheon over the years and benefited tens of thousands of children and families.

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