Rumor Has It - January 2025

Two parties, one memorable night. Under an arch of gold, white, and black balloons, Harry and Tracy Faulkner reigned the night at The Ballroom at Bayou Place. The 65 guests honored Harry’s 65th birthday by raising $6,500 for nonprofit Rescued Pets Movement. The emcee, Hector Villarreal, called on Harry’s best man and minister Mike White to toast him while Tracy, in a metallic gold dress, changed into her original wedding gown to wow Harry with surprise renewal vows. Performer Tianna Hall and DJ Freddy Batres added to the spectacular evening. 

FRESH AIR Zach and Anna Hodges all smiles on the Viking Star deck just before sunset with “al fresco” weather.

Vacationing. Anna and Zach Hodges took a three-week holiday starting in Athens, Greece before picking up the Viking Star cruise. A cruise around the Islands with stops in Santorini, Olympia, Katakolon, and Corfu was the warmup before they sailed up the Adriatic coast to see Kotor, Montenegro, Dubrovnik and Zadar in Croatia and Koper in Slovenia and finished in Venice. They drove to Verona to admire the Castel San Pietro and took a jaunt to the Dolomites. Perfect weather. 

SAREE SKILLS Seventy attended the luncheon organized by GHWCC-Greater Houston Women’s Chamber of Commerce-India including (pictured, from left) Nisha Modak, Jacqueline H. Taylor, Rita Singh, Omana Abraham, Elizabeth Abraham Colombowala, Arpana Manjunath, Arpitha Bhandari, and Sharon Taylo.

Sorry, but the saree party is sold out. The saree (also spelled sari) party was held at Kiran’s with savory Indian cuisine. Seventy attended the luncheon organized by GHWCC-Greater Houston Women’s Chamber of Commerce-India. Omana Abraham demonstrated how to tie on a saree. There is skill involved to tuck the fabric in just so and then the draping. Special guest was Arpana Manjunath, wife of the Consul General of India in Houston. Some of the other lovely attired ladies at the gathering were Nisha Modak, Jacqueline H. Taylor, Rita Singh, Elizabeth Abraham Colombowala, Arpitha Bhandari, and Sharon Taylor.

DOUBLE CELEBRATION Barbara and Jay Files celebrated their anniversary and her birthday at the Racket Club Dance.

Danced the night away. Over 100 beautifully dressed partiers danced among flower displays and dined on a four-course dinner at the Houston Country Club ballroom at the annual Fall Racket Club Dance Group where Austin’s Buzz & the Blue Cats entertained. Barbara and Jay Files celebrated her birthday and their anny with 40 friends. New in the crowd were Sharyn and Joe Short and Beverly and John Mattern. Also in the mix were Sandra and Randy Bryant, Pat Moon, Rachel Messina and Dr. Victor Yang, Landa and Roger Roitsch, Sassy and Bill Pinckard, Jr., Barbara Upchurch, Martha Bletcher, Sue Shefman, Sharon Roark, Charmaine Bixler, Donna Mello, Julianne and K.C. Youn, Dr. Vanitha Pothuri, and Mary Sage. The spring cocktail dance April 6 will feature the renowned David Caceres Orchestra.

BIG BEND ADVENTURE Claire (Turner) and Fred Lawrence celebrated their five-year wedding anniversary by visiting Big Bend National Park.

Natives go big. Native Texans Claire (Turner) and Fred Lawrence celebrated their five-year wedding anniversary by visiting Big Bend National Park for seven days. They “hung out” at Judge Roy Bean’s Jersey Saloon where he held court in Langtry (aka “the Law West of the Pecos”) and stayed at the 100+ year-old Hotel Limpia in Fort Davis. Lot of hiking the mile-high trails during the day and admiring the Milky Way in the sky at night. Bravely, they gave a solitary backpacker from Ohio a lift 23 miles back to his vehicle. In case you plan to go after March 2025, the existing lodging, store, and dining facilities will be torn down and new facilities built over a two-year period. Staying or dining in the park will be only in campgrounds or RV locales.

HAPPY HEIFERS The “Happy Heifers” onboard with mermaids. Pictured (from left) Scott Drysdale, Michele Hosko, Scott Frisbie, Frances Rubin, Tammy and Warren Simi, and Sue and Mitch Feinberg chartered a catamaran together.

Sailing along. Mitch Feinberg said sailing the 45-foot Fountaine Pajot Elba catamaran was like driving his house, which is about as wide as the 26-foot boat. He had a few co-pilots, Warren Simi and Scott Drysdale, but the most other valuable person was mermaid Tammy Simi who knew her way around the kitchen. Sue Feinberg, Michele Hosko, and Frances Rubin were additional “decorations” onboard. Scott Frisbie added his expertise at the night game table. They sailed The Happy Heifer from Saint Thomas through the US and British Virgin Islands to Norman Island and then to Saint John. Happily, no one fell overboard on The Happy Heifer. 

SAILING ALONG Pictured, from left, are experienced sailors in Vis, Croatia with the Adriatic Sea in the background: Charles Cooley, Carol Lauber, Steve Gano, Pat Gano, Scott Nelson, and Taffy Nelson.

Friends that sail together charter new waters. Pat and Steve Gano chartered a 50-foot catamaran with The Moorings yacht charter company since they have bases all over the world. Their sailing friends Carol Lauber and Charles Cooley from Morrisville, VT and Taffy and Scott Nelson from San Antonio were excited to see Croatia and sail the Adriatic. They explored London before and after Croatia, spending 17 days on the boat. They noticed vineyards and olive groves everywhere, as well as many well-preserved ancient walled cities on the coasts and islands. They were thankful that grocery stores were near the marinas for seasick patches as October can be tricky.

Extraordinary sister act. Linda Schwartz and sister Kaysie Rusk met up with sister Sammie Walter, who moved to San Miguel Allende two years ago. They stayed in her “new” home built in the 1700s, two and a half blocks from El Centro, the famous historic district. Sammie had matching flowered crowns when they arrived in time for the Day of the Dead festivities and a special tour of the grand estate Agua Miel. They had their faces painted and wore Catrina-like attire for their front-row seats at the renown Catrina Parade and attended elaborate parties in private homes. Never-ending entertainment ensued as they admired altars around town and at the home and garden tours. Pays to have a sister to assist in a grand time.

Back in time this century. Mary and Bill Mayo revisited London where they lived 2000-2003. They drove by the house they had lived in for three years in Weybridge, Surrey. They discovered the street food and produce at the Borough Market for the first time. The market claims to have existed since 1014. And while they were playing, they saw two plays; her favorite was Oedipus at Wyndham's Theatre, starring her favorite British actress Lesley Manville. They were definitely back in step, as they walked about six miles a day.

FESTIVE Pamela O’Brien visited Christmas markets twice in a year. Here, she’s pictured at a festive market in Budapest.

Candles, candy canes, and crowds. Interior designer Pamela O’Brien crossed visiting Christmas markets off her bucket list not once but twice in less than a year. In 2023, she visited a friend in Basel, Switzerland where they shopped the local markets as well as others in Colmar and Strasbourg, France. Fast forward to 2024. While cruising with hubby Jon Halvorsen on the Danube, she was happy to discover that a few Christmas markets opened early in Vienna and Budapest. Thank you, Santa!

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