Who would have guessed that in the first week of August, enough social swells would be in town to dress up a Leo birthday party? Proof positive was this past Saturday night, when Dallas party-planner extraordinaire Todd Fiscus organized a 50th birthday bash for his spouse, Ceron, on the patio at RDG + Bar Annie in Houston.
Granted, it was as hot as Hades during the early evening cocktail bash, but whirling ceiling fans and an industrial wind maker, brought in just for the party, made the outdoor experience tolerable. The open bar with beaucoup ice and the prevalent white fashions (as requested on the invitation) contributed to a sense of cool. Profusions of white orchids did their part as well in convincing the 50-plus guests that the humidity wasn't really all that bad.
The party was planned at the perfect moment to grab summer travelers between jaunts, such as Marcia Backus and Mike Hood, who've made it a point to retreat to cooler climes to avoid the Texas summer scorch fest. Becca Cason Thrash, just back from a European hejira, and John Thrash, who celebrated his birthday a week earlier, were among the white-attired attendees.
This fete was part two of the celebration; part one took place at the birthday boy's namesake hair studio the day before. Fiscus snuck into the salon in the wee morning hours with loads of flowers and balloons, surprising Ceron when he arrived for work.
The RDG fest included buffet tables with Robert Del Grande's sophisticated Tex-Mex offerings and passed hors d'oeuvre, presentation of a birthday cake bearing the image of the newlyweds and presentation of a gray Hermes Birkin bag — a group gift to which Fiscus contributed mightily.
The party crowd included Dominique Sachse and Nick Florescu, Lauren Strauss, Henry Richardson and Monsour Taghdisi, Vicki Rizzo, Mauri Oliver, Mary Beth Aspromonte, Amy and Murray Kalmin, Jennifer McCord, Vivian Wise and Sergio Morales, Erica and Benjy Levit, and friends in from Dallas including LB Rosser.
Karen Payne, Mel Payne
