• Home
  • popular
  • Events
  • Submit New Event
  • Subscribe
  • About
  • News
  • Restaurants + Bars
  • City Life
  • Entertainment
  • Travel
  • Real Estate
  • Arts
  • Society
  • Home + Design
  • Fashion + Beauty
  • Innovation
  • Sports
  • Charity Guide
  • children
  • education
  • health
  • veterans
  • SOCIAL SERVICES
  • ARTS + CULTURE
  • animals
  • lgbtq
  • New Charity
  • Series
  • Delivery Limited
  • DTX Giveaway 2012
  • DTX Ski Magic
  • dtx woodford reserve manhattans
  • Your Home in the Sky
  • DTX Best of 2013
  • DTX Trailblazers
  • Tastemakers Dallas 2017
  • Healthy Perspectives
  • Neighborhood Eats 2015
  • The Art of Making Whiskey
  • DTX International Film Festival
  • DTX Tatum Brown
  • Tastemaker Awards 2016 Dallas
  • DTX McCurley 2014
  • DTX Cars in Lifestyle
  • DTX Beyond presents Party Perfect
  • DTX Texas Health Resources
  • DART 2018
  • Alexan Central
  • State Fair 2018
  • Formula 1 Giveaway
  • Zatar
  • CityLine
  • Vision Veritas
  • Okay to Say
  • Hearts on the Trinity
  • DFW Auto Show 2015
  • Northpark 50
  • Anteks Curated
  • Red Bull Cliff Diving
  • Maggie Louise Confections Dallas
  • Gaia
  • Red Bull Global Rally Cross
  • NorthPark Holiday 2015
  • Ethan's View Dallas
  • DTX City Centre 2013
  • Galleria Dallas
  • Briggs Freeman Sotheby's International Realty Luxury Homes in Dallas Texas
  • DTX Island Time
  • Simpson Property Group SkyHouse
  • DIFFA
  • Lotus Shop
  • Holiday Pop Up Shop Dallas
  • Clothes Circuit
  • DTX Tastemakers 2014
  • Elite Dental
  • Elan City Lights
  • Dallas Charity Guide
  • DTX Music Scene 2013
  • One Arts Party at the Plaza
  • J.R. Ewing
  • AMLI Design District Vibrant Living
  • Crest at Oak Park
  • Braun Enterprises Dallas
  • NorthPark
  • Victory Park
  • DTX Common Desk
  • DTX Osborne Advisors
  • DTX Comforts of Home 2012
  • DFW Showcase Tour of Homes
  • DTX Neighborhood Eats
  • DTX Comforts of Home 2013
  • DTX Auto Awards
  • Cottonwood Art Festival 2017
  • Nasher Store
  • Guardian of The Glenlivet
  • Zyn22
  • Dallas Rx
  • Yellow Rose Gala
  • Opendoor
  • DTX Sun and Ski
  • Crow Collection
  • DTX Tastes of the Season
  • Skye of Turtle Creek Dallas
  • Cottonwood Art Festival
  • DTX Charity Challenge
  • DTX Culture Motive
  • DTX Good Eats 2012
  • DTX_15Winks
  • St. Bernard Sports
  • Jose
  • DTX SMU 2014
  • DTX Up to Speed
  • st bernard
  • Ardan West Village
  • DTX New York Fashion Week spring 2016
  • Taste the Difference
  • Parktoberfest 2016
  • Bob's Steak and Chop House
  • DTX Smart Luxury
  • DTX Earth Day
  • DTX_Gaylord_Promoted_Series
  • IIDA Lavish
  • Huffhines Art Trails 2017
  • Red Bull Flying Bach Dallas
  • Y+A Real Estate
  • Beauty Basics
  • DTX Pet of the Week
  • Long Cove
  • Charity Challenge 2014
  • Legacy West
  • Wildflower
  • Stillwater Capital
  • Tulum
  • DTX Texas Traveler
  • Dallas DART
  • Soldiers' Angels
  • Alexan Riveredge
  • Ebby Halliday Realtors
  • Zephyr Gin
  • Sixty Five Hundred Scene
  • Christy Berry
  • Entertainment Destination
  • Dallas Art Fair 2015
  • St. Bernard Sports Duck Head
  • Jameson DTX
  • Alara Uptown Dallas
  • Cottonwood Art Festival fall 2017
  • DTX Tastemakers 2015
  • Cottonwood Arts Festival
  • The Taylor
  • Decks in the Park
  • Alexan Henderson
  • Gallery at Turtle Creek
  • Omni Hotel DTX
  • Red on the Runway
  • Whole Foods Dallas 2018
  • Artizone Essential Eats
  • Galleria Dallas Runway Revue
  • State Fair 2016 Promoted
  • Trigger's Toys Ultimate Cocktail Experience
  • Dean's Texas Cuisine
  • Real Weddings Dallas
  • Real Housewives of Dallas
  • Jan Barboglio
  • Wildflower Arts and Music Festival
  • Hearts for Hounds
  • Okay to Say Dallas
  • Indochino Dallas
  • Old Forester Dallas
  • Dallas Apartment Locators
  • Dallas Summer Musicals
  • PSW Real Estate Dallas
  • Paintzen
  • DTX Dave Perry-Miller
  • DTX Reliant
  • Get in the Spirit
  • Bachendorf's
  • Holiday Wonder
  • Village on the Parkway
  • City Lifestyle
  • opportunity knox villa-o restaurant
  • Nasher Summer Sale
  • Simpson Property Group
  • Holiday Gift Guide 2017 Dallas
  • Carlisle & Vine
  • DTX New Beginnings
  • Get in the Game
  • Red Bull Air Race
  • Dallas DanceFest
  • 2015 Dallas Stylemaker
  • Youth With Faces
  • Energy Ogre
  • DTX Renewable You
  • Galleria Dallas Decadence
  • Bella MD
  • Tractorbeam
  • Young Texans Against Cancer
  • Fresh Start Dallas
  • Dallas Farmers Market
  • Soldier's Angels Dallas
  • Shipt
  • Elite Dental
  • Texas Restaurant Association 2017
  • State Fair 2017
  • Scottish Rite
  • Brooklyn Brewery
  • DTX_Stylemakers
  • Alexan Crossings
  • Ascent Victory Park
  • Top Texans Under 30 Dallas
  • Discover Downtown Dallas
  • San Luis Resort Dallas
  • Greystar The Collection
  • FIG Finale
  • Greystar M Line Tower
  • Lincoln Motor Company
  • The Shelby
  • Jonathan Goldwater Events
  • Windrose Tower
  • Gift Guide 2016
  • State Fair of Texas 2016
  • Choctaw Dallas
  • TodayTix Dallas promoted
  • Whole Foods
  • Unbranded 2014
  • Frisco Square
  • Unbranded 2016
  • Circuit of the Americas 2018
  • The Katy
  • Snap Kitchen
  • Partners Card
  • Omni Hotels Dallas
  • Landmark on Lovers
  • Harwood Herd
  • Galveston.com Dallas
  • Holiday Happenings Dallas 2018
  • TenantBase
  • Cottonwood Art Festival 2018
  • Hawkins-Welwood Homes
  • The Inner Circle Dallas
  • Eating in Season Dallas
  • ATTPAC Behind the Curtain
  • TodayTix Dallas
  • The Alexan
  • Toyota Music Factory
  • Nosh Box Eatery
  • Wildflower 2018
  • Society Style Dallas 2018
  • Texas Scottish Rite Hospital 2018
  • 5 Mockingbird
  • 4110 Fairmount
  • Visit Taos
  • Allegro Addison
  • Dallas Tastemakers 2018
  • The Village apartments
  • City of Burleson Dallas

    Celebrity Sightings

    Jamie Foxx leads all-star cast of honorees at 2015 Texas Medal of Arts

    Diana Oates
    Feb 26, 2015 | 5:19 pm
    The stars aligned at the Long Center for Performing Arts in Austin Wednesday night — and by stars we mean actors, musicians, athletes and big-deal philanthropists who have at least two things in common: Texas and the arts.
    This was the 2015 Texas Medal of Arts Awards, which honors those who have helped shape the Lone Star arts scene — an industry that generates $5.1 billion annual for the state economy. The festivities began with a dazzling red carpet and cocktail reception, where event co-chairs Gene Jones and Charlotte Jones Anderson welcomed each award recipient who, although diverse in their craft, all hail from this great state:
    • Music: T Bone Burnett (Fort Worth)
    • Film: Jamie Foxx(Terrell)
    • Dance: Kilgore Rangerettes (Kilgore)
    • Visual Arts: Rick Lowe (Houston)
    • Literary Arts: Lawrence Wright(Austin)
    • Theatre: Robert Schenkkan (Austin)
    • Architecture: Charles Renfro (Houston)
    • Television: Dan Rather (Wharton)
    • Television: Chandra Wilson (Houston)
    • Corporate Arts Patron: Dr Pepper Snapple Group(Plano)
    • Individual Arts Patron: Margaret McDermott(Dallas)
    • Multimedia: Emilio Nicolas (San Antonio)
    • Arts Education: Booker T. Washington High School for the Performing and Visual Arts (Dallas)
    • Standing Ovation Award: Ruth Altshuler(Dallas)
    • Lifetime Achievement Award: The Gatlin Brothers(Seminole)

    When it was showtime, guests packed into the auditorium and gave a warm welcome to special guest emcees Troy Aikman and Joe Buck, who call NFL games on Fox Sports. Their funny banter ranged from topics as the controversial catch/no catch debate from earlier in the year to Aikman’s Super Bowl trophy to Willie Nelson.

    During the presentation, every award recipient received a proper moment of glory. Noteworthy presenters — including Chris Harrison from ABC’s The Bachelor and 2009 Theatre Award recipient Betty Buckley — listed the honorees’ accolades, which were followed by short videos and their acceptance speeches.

    Although the night was not lacking in excitement — with performances by the Gatlin Brothers, Steve Miller, and Texas Young Masters Ani Mayo and Amber Pickens — two award recipients from Dallas won the hearts of all audience members with their candid, comedic remarks at the podium.

    Terrell native Jamie Foxx invited all of the recipients onstage for a rendition of Ray Charles’ “What’d I Say,” with Foxx at the piano and Ray Benson on guitar.

    First up was 103-year-old Margaret McDermott, who was escorted onstage by Dallas Mayor Mike Rawlings. The longtime Dallas philanthropist took us through her family history to shed some light on why she became so passionate about the arts — a passion that led to immense support of the University of Texas at Dallas, the University of Texas Health Science Center, the Dallas Public Library System and the Dallas Symphony Orchestra, just to name a few.

    She kept the crowd roaring with candid stories about her affluent family. She also told me, on the red carpet, that although she has been to some beautiful places in her lifetime to look at amazing art (“Well, London and Paris are pretty nice,” she said), she still thinks that Dallas boasts some of the best. She exited the stage to a standing ovation.

    Next up was Ruth Altshuler who was presented her award by her neighbor and dear friend, former first lady Laura Bush. Altshuler had the audience in her hand within seconds and she came out on the arm of Dallas Cowboys head coach Jason Garrett.

    “I just got escorted by Jason Garrett,” she said. “How do you like them apples?”

    Altshuler, who has been involved in countless philanthropic efforts — Salvation Army, United Way, AT&T Performing Arts Center, the list goes on — thanked the Texas Cultural Trust for improving access to arts education for all Texas students.

    The final trio of recipients carried the most star power: Chandra Wilson, Dan Rather and Jamie Foxx, all of whom accepted their awards to hoots and hollers from the crowd.

    Wilson gave big props to Houston for shaping her into the type of woman she is today. Rather got bonus points from all of the ladies in the crowd, because the majority of his speech revolved around his wife, Jean. He praised her not only for her artistic abilities, but also for the knowledge that she bestowed on him throughout the years as he polished his craft.

    Foxx ended the awards portion of the evening with a walk-through of some of his most beloved impersonations as a comedian and a touching story about his grandmother, who raised him. This proud Terrell native then invited all of the recipients onstage for a rendition of Ray Charles’ “What’d I Say,” with Foxx at the piano and Ray Benson (who says he’s a CultureMap fan) on guitar.

    Post awards, recipients and attendees headed to an elaborate tent, which had been transformed by Todd Events into a purple and green botanical wonderland. Todd Fiscus himself was present for this big-deal dinner, along with fellow Dallasites Jerry Jones, Shy Anderson, Jennifer Sampson and Micki Rawlings.

    During the feast — beet salad, beef tenderloin with mushroom risotto and chocolate cake — guests heard from the co-chairs one last time. Anderson and Jones thanked everyone who made the night possible, including Texas Cultural Trust chairman Charles Matthews and honorary chairs Gov. Greg Abbott and Cecilia Abbott, Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick and Susan Patrick, and Texas Speaker of the House Joe Straus and Julie Straus.

    Proceeds from the evening benefit the programs administered by the Texas Cultural Trust, including the Texas Young Masters program. The Texas Medal of Arts Awards are handed out every other year to Texans who exhibit lifelong achievement in their area of expertise.

    Chandra Wilson, Television Award honoree.

    Texas Medal of Arts Awards 2015 Chandra Wilson
      
    Photo by Shelley Neuman
    Chandra Wilson, Television Award honoree.
    unspecified
    news/society

    most read posts

    Barnes & Noble to open 2 new Dallas-area stores but will close Plano

    Gourmet European Market to open in north Dallas with pierogi and more

    Kwality Ice Cream shop to bring creamy exotic desserts to Frisco

    Celebrity wedding

    Dallas Cowboys cheerleader ties the knot in dreamy wedding in Tuscany

    Stephanie Allmon Merry
    Jun 16, 2025 | 4:24 pm
    Dallas Cowboys Cheerleader Marissa Phillips, Braden Leschber wedding, Tuscany
    Photo by Kseniya Palchi via Facebook/Marissa Phillips and People magazine.
    Marissa Phillips and Braden Leschber wed on June 3, 2025 in Italy.

    Dallas Cowboys cheerleader Marissa Phillips married her college sweetheart, Braden Leschber, in a picture-perfect wedding under the Tuscan sun of Italy on June 3, 2025.

    People magazine got the exclusive on all the wedding details and gorgeous photos by Milan-based photographer Kseniya Palchik.

    Phillips just completed her third year with the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders and reportedly cut the Italian wedding trip short to return to Dallas and "buckle down" for the next season's auditions. She appeared in Season 1 of Netflix's hit series America's Sweethearts: Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders. Season 2 begins streaming Wednesday, June 18.

    Dallas Cowboys Cheerleader Marissa Phillips, Braden Leschber wedding, Tuscany
      

    Photo by Kseniya Palchi via Facebook/Marissa Phillips and People magazine.

    Marissa Phillips and Braden Leschber wed on June 3, 2025 in Italy.

    Phillips, a Round Rock native, began dating Leschber in 2017 when they were college students: she, at Texas A&M University and he, at Texas Lutheran University in Seguin. They got engaged, fittingly, on the field of AT&T Stadium in Arlington - home of the Cowboys - on August 10, 2023.

    View this post on Instagram
    A post shared by Braden Leschber (@braden_leschber)

    According to People, the couple chose to marry in Italy for two reasons: because of Phillips' proud Italian family heritage and because it was (somehow!) cheaper than a big, traditional Texas wedding. So, they and 75 friends and loved ones jetted off to romantic Tuscany for a destination wedding extravaganza that lasted several days.

    "We wanted to make this celebration as special as it could be and stray away from the typical wedding scene whenever we could," Phillips told the magazine. "We also don’t get a lot of time to slow down and enjoy the company of our friends and family, so we really loved the idea of a destination wedding, where everyone could unplug and spend time together."

    Festivities started Monday, June 2 with a welcome party that included Italy's two most important food groups: pizza and gelato.

    The wedding was held the next day at Borgo Stomennano, a historic estate in the Chianti Classico region, near Florence and Siena. According to the website, the estate's villa and farmhouses are surrounded by woods, vineyards, and olive groves in a tiny village built on ancient Roman and Etruscan ruins that are still visible.

    For the ceremony, People says, the bride wore Katherine Tash's elegant "Luna" wedding dress, featuring a wide-scooped neckline and hand-draped bodice and skirt, from Dallas bridal shop a&bé bridal. To complete her bridal look, she rented diamond stud earrings and a tennis bracelet from Verstolo and wore shoes from Bella Belle Shoes. Her hair and makeup were done by The Styling Stewardess. Bridesmaids wore black dresses from Birdy Grey and Kendra Scott jewelry.

    View this post on Instagram
    A post shared by Marissa Phillips (@marissaphillips__)

    Phillips walked down the aisle to an instrumental version of Lana Del Rey's "Video Games" and Phillips' brother-in-law officiated the Christian ceremony, in which bride and groom exchanged traditional vows.

    "[Marriage] means we are stuck with each other for life, through the good times and the bad, tied together as one under God and what God has joined together, let no man separate," Phillips told the magazine.

    At the reception, guests dined on a three-course plated dinner of Italian favorites, including trofie pasta with arugula and walnut pesto; fagottino (filled pasta) with bufala ricotta and artichokes and pecorino cheese sauce; and pork chops lacquered with honey and chopped pistachios. Dessert was traditional Italian wedding cake, which the couple "made" in front of guests. (A photo shows them sifting powdered sugar on top.)

    Phillips told People that she and Leschber took the food so seriously, they traveled to Italy a year before their wedding for a tasting with their caterer, Il Sorriso Ricevimenti.

    The bride changed into a custom party dress designed by her best friend and bridesmaid, Kathryn Emily of Belvedere Couture, made of fabric, lace and pearls from Phillips' mother's preserved wedding dress. The newlyweds and their guests then danced the night away to the live music of BritPops.

    Marissa Phillips, Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders wedding.The bride and fellow Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders performed "Thunderstruck" at the reception.Photo by Kseniya Palchik via People magazine.

    And, in keeping with Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders tradition, members of the squad performed their iconic routine "Thunderstruck."

    Before heading home, the couple and their guests gathered the next day for a "La Dolce Vita"-themed pool party. The new Mr. and Mrs. then slipped away to Lake Como for a quick "mini moon." (They'll take a longer honeymoon at the end of the next Cowboys season, they say.)

    Back home in Dallas, Phillips is not only a Dallas Cowboys cheerleader, but also an administrative assistant at an accounting firm and co-owner (with her sister) of the online Joey Lynn Boutique. She's also involved in the Alzheimer's Association in honor of her father, who died of Lewy Body Dementia in 2021.

    She's also a social media influencer. She went viral in December 2024 for gifting each of the 40 Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders members a Dyson Airwrap hairstyling tool, valued at $600 each.

    “Huge thank you to @dysonbeauty and @dysonusa for helping me pull off the biggest surprise to the girls who deserve it most! All the love,” she wrote in the Instagram caption of a video of the women opening the $24,000 Christmas haul.

    celebritiescheerleadercowboysitalianreal-housewivesweddingweddingsmarissa phillipsvacationdallas cowboys cheerleaders
    news/society

    most read posts

    Barnes & Noble to open 2 new Dallas-area stores but will close Plano

    Gourmet European Market to open in north Dallas with pierogi and more

    Kwality Ice Cream shop to bring creamy exotic desserts to Frisco

    Loading...