Decades of Fun

Dallasites feel the groove for historical downtown fundraising fete

Decades of Fun

Dallasites feel the groove for historical downtown fundraising fete

Jason May, Adriane PowelPhoto by Lisa Stewart
Mary Horak, Michael HorakPhoto by Lisa Stewart
Polly McKeithen, Dan McKeithenPhoto by Lisa Stewart
Merry Wyatt, Brady WyattPhoto by Lisa Stewart
Candace Rubin, Sands HarrisPhoto by Lisa Stewart
Melissa Prycer, Kelly Dybala, Sidley Austin, Don Baynham, Marilyn Weber, Ben Weber, Trey PughPhoto by Lisa Stewart
Sarah Fullhart, Caitlin HebertPhoto by Lisa Stewart
Eric Krueger, Shari KruegerPhoto by Lisa Stewart
Eric Smaw, Tmesia SmawPhoto by Lisa Stewart
Kourtny Garrett, John GarrettPhoto by Lisa Stewart
Anna Cherkashina, Jason RobertsPhoto by Lisa Stewart
Alok Srivastava, Manisha SrivastavaPhoto by Lisa Stewart
Carlos Cardova, Teddy Lewis in the photo booth.Photo by Lisa Stewart
Stephen Shanabrook, Ashley BluhmPhoto by Lisa Stewart
Angela Fontana, Andy SzuwalskiPhoto by Lisa Stewart

What: History with a Twist 2016

Where: Dallas Heritage Village

The 411: Almost 400 guests took a trip back to the '60s in honor of Dallas Heritage Village's 50th anniversary. Guests arrived in everything from groovy cocktail dresses to tie-dyed shirts and rose-colored glasses. Honorary chair Ben Weber, who is the son of one of the original founders of Heritage Village, and his wife, Marilyn, arrived in matching Beatles-inspired Sgt. Pepper coats.

Guests posed next to vintage cars from the era, including a pink Cadillac, and took pictures in a vintage trailer photo booth booked by event chair Don Baynham. The jazzy tunes of Matt Tolentino and Friends, as well as the Rhythm Room's dance instructors, set the mood as people dined on food provided by Blue Mesa and sipped cocktails concocted by Brian McCullough of Standard Pour.

President and executive director Melissa Prycer happily reported that the event raised nearly $100,000 to support learning opportunities at Dallas Heritage Village, an immersive history museum featuring a wide variety of authentic 19th-century pioneer and Victorian homes and commercial buildings set on 20 acres.

Who: Allison and Harry Hunsicker, Adam Medrano, Jesse Moreno, Tracey and Trey Pugh, Kelly and Paul Dybala, Susan and Linc Eldredge, Suzann Farren, Angela Fontana, Andy Szuwalski, Kathleen and Bill Johnson, Kourtny and John Garrett, and Kay and Louis Moore.

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Matcha News

Dallas TikTok star Keith Lee crafts matcha drink for flood relief

Keith Lee hoists his special matcha drink. Instagram

The devastating floods that swept across Central Texas on July 4 are bringing out all kinds of charitable endeavors — and that includes a limited-edition beverage from Dallas' favorite TikTok food influencer Keith Lee.

Lee, a social media sensation whose online food reviews have benefited hundreds of small restaurants, is partnering with Dallas-based La La Land Cafe on a special drink: Called the La La Land X Keith Lee Latte, it's a matcha drink in which 100 percent of the proceeds will go towards Kerr County flood relief.

La La Land is the coffee chain founded in Dallas in 2019 with a mission to provide opportunities for fostering youth and individuals in need. It now has 10 locations across Dallas-Fort Worth, plus three in Houston and six in Southern California.

The new Keith Lee Latte will consist of double ceremonial matcha, with secret syrup, matcha cloud, a whole fresh strawberry, flaky salt, and matcha powder. (Lee can be seen enjoying the beverage in this video.)

Matcha is the Japanese green tea powder that has experienced a surge in popularity, appearing in everything from drinks like the matcha latte to desserts like matcha mousse.

Keith Lee Latte is a matcha drink.Instagram

Lee, who relocated to Dallas in 2024, has been on a matcha kick ever since he tried it in Chicago, which he says "led me down a rabbit hole," and it has become his trademark drink. In May, he visited seven cafes across DFW in search of the perfect matcha in town, and that included La La Land, where he ordered a matcha with almond milk.

He also has a charitable history, including a special visit he made to Taste Project in Fort Worth to donate $4,000 to support the nonprofit's mission to fight food insecurity.

The Keith Lee Latte will be available at all La La Land cafes beginning Friday July 11, for a limited time only. From July 11-27, 100 percent of all proceeds will support flood relief efforts in Kerr County - "a community in our home state that’s hurting," La La Land Cafe says.

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