Happy Haute New Year

Luxury yachts make waves in St. Barts as Texas high rollers like Jerry Jonesring in the New Year

Business mogul Ron Perelman's super yacht C2 is among the 200-foot and largerbeauties anchoring at St. Barts.
Photo by Shelby Hodge
Gustavia Harbor, St. Barts, is where you'll find a cast of super stars andsuper-yachts for New Year's.
Wikipedia
Sight-seeing along the Gustavia harbor is a rich diversion.
Photo by Shelby Hodge
The 190-foot Lady Sheridan is among the super-yachts anchored at St. Barts forthe holidays.
Northrop & Johnson
The super yachts lined up like lavish ducks in a row in the harbor at Gustavia,St. Barts' capital.
Photo by Shelby Hodge
Roman Abramovich's 538-foot Eclipse, currently anchored at St. Barts, isconsidered the largest private yacht in the world.
Photo by DCwom/Wikipedia
Hundreds of sailboats pack the St. Barts waters during the holidays.
Photo by Shelby Hodge
Gustavia is the social center of St. Barts winter fun.
Photo by Shelby Hodge
Paul Allen's 271-foot Tatoosh is another of the super-yachts decorating St.Barts waters.
Photo by Oxam Hartog/Wikipedia

The countdown to 2013 began in St. Barts several days ago, when the gilded swans of the sea began gliding in, anchoring in the azure waters of Gustavia Bay.

On the eve of New Year's Eve, the local yacht registry recorded 130 vessels, 17 of those in the super-yacht category (measuring 200 feet or more in length). And a handful of Texans were floating along with the best of them.

Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones anchored in aboard the 290-foot Nirvana (for sale for $300 million and change), his arrival later than most due to the Sunday night Cowboys game against the Redskins. The tariff for a week on that floating behemoth will set you back a cool 1 million euro.

Jerry Jones anchored in aboard the 290-foot Nirvana (for sale for $300 million and change), his arrival later than most due to the Sunday night Cowboys game against the Redskins.

Anchored in the midst of this luxury flotilla was the Lady Sheridan, the swank, 190-foot yacht belonging to Sheridan and John Eddie Williams, Texas tobacco attorney. Plains Exploration CEO Jim Flores, wife Cherie and their children spent the holiday aboard one of the sleek charters, while Dallas automobile mogul Ken Schnitzer, his family and a few Texas friends sailed in on another.

The show dog in this exclusive fraternity of the super rich was Eclipse, the 538-foot monster owned by Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich. The world's largest private yacht and its owner were the focus of the paparazzi who invaded for the holidays, hoping to capture his image as well as that of other stars that dropped in for his legendary New Year's Eve bash.

In recent years, Abramovich has brought in entertainment, including Beyoncé and Jay Z, Gwen Stefani, Kanye West and the Black Eyed Peas. This year, the Kings of Leon were in St. Barts to headline the energy czar's party, considered the hottest New Year's Eve ticket on the planet. Only 400 of the super celebs, trust fund babies and business moguls anchoring across St. Barts were invited, and security was tight, tight, tight.

Nothing was too extravagant for this crowd. One yacht owner had the chef from Nirvana bring in fresh truffles from Europe. On the Maltese Falcon, a 289-foot sailing yacht, a lower sail was raised Sunday night for a giant-sized airing of the Cowboys game, giving the appearance of a drive-in movie.

While their captains kept a lid on who chartered which boat, you can bet that there were superstars bunking in the super-yachts. Among the 17 biggies at anchor were Tatoosh, Microsoft mogul Paul Allen's 271-foot playpen; the 313-foot Limitless, owned by The Limited founder Leslie Wexler; and business magnate Ron Perelman's 261-foot C2.

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Spreading the love

Dallas hearts open wide to raise $1M at St. Valentine's Day Luncheon

Photo by Tamytha Cameron and Celeste Cass

2026 St. Valentine's Day Luncheon honorary chairs Clayton and Ellen Kershaw with co-chairs Megan and Keith Conlon

What: 2026 St. Valentine’s Day Luncheon & Fashion Show

Where: Morton H. Meyerson Symphony Center

The 411: On Wednesday, February 4, 850 guests descended on the Meyerson for the 42nd annual luncheon benefiting Blood Cancer United (formerly The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society). Themed "The Heart of the Fight," this year's event was co-chaired by Megan and Keith Conlon, with honorary chairs Ellen and Clayton Kershaw.

Guests were dressed in their Valentine's-inspired reds, pinks, and florals, and did more than just wear their hearts on their sleeve. They opened their hearts (and pocketbooks) wide to raise more than $1 million to fight blood cancers.

The event started with a champagne reception and silent auction for sports memorabilia, jewelry, trips, and more. The program was emceed by Clarice Tinsley of Fox4 in the concert hall and included remarks by Blood Cancer United chief medical officer Dr. Gwen Nichols, who underscored the life-saving mission of the organization.

$\u200b2026 St. Valentine's Day Luncheon$ Blood Cancer United executive director Leah Swanson, Spirit of Tom Landry Award recipient Vivian Haddad, Lara Haddad and emcee Clarice Tinsley.Photo by Tamytha Cameron and Celeste Cass

The inaugural Linda Somerville Memorial Hero award - named for co-chair Megan Conlon's mother, who died of a blood cancer - was given to Gene Palma and accepted by his wife Susan and sons Alex and Charlie.

Additional awards included:

The 2026 ICON Award to Lisa Cooley
The Lynda Adleta Heart of Gold Award to Kathi Shuford
The Spirit of Tom Landry Award to Vivian Haddad

The event's fashion show, produced by the Robyn Chauvin, showcased spring looks from Highland Park Village retailers and included committee members’ children modeling Valentine’s-inspired looks from LoveShackFancy.

A luncheon of chicken on field greens and red velvet cake or lavender panna cotta followed in the lobby, and a coffee bar was offered as the day concluded.

$\u200b2026 St. Valentine's Day Luncheon$

Photo by Tamytha Cameron and Celeste Cass

2026 St. Valentine's Day Luncheon honorary chairs Clayton and Ellen Kershaw with co-chairs Megan and Keith Conlon

Who: St. Valentine's Day Luncheon co-founders Rusty Duvall and Janet Evans, Blood Cancer United executive director Leah Swanson, Peggy Sewell, Aaron and Brittain Ewert, Alison Malone, Kristin Hallam, Courtney Petit, Kate Cutshall, Marty Petet, Destin Shore, Meredith Ferrell, Megan Filgo, Bessie Doffermyer, Katie Walton, Jennifer Dix, Mary Martha Pickens, Elizabeth Conroy, Lacy Lange, Emily Isom, Sarah Oliver, Ellie Skidmore, Julia Jenevein, Kate Leyendecker, Victoria Snee, Caroline Chandler, Kristi Harbord, Suhani Patel, Abbey Jennings, Tatianna Brannen, Emily Bowlin, Lindsey Emanuelson, Dwight Emanuelson, Claire Emanuelson, Sterling Evans, Peyton Dowd, Sarah Malloy, Pam Dyer, Erica Armijo, Diane Scovell, Allie Beth Allman, Venise Stuart, Patti Flowers, Phillip and Samantha Wortley, and hundreds more patrons and guests.

charity fundraisers galas valentine's day luncheons