Young professional supporters that care about health care gathered at Antique Bar for libations and informal chitchat to kickoff the 2011-12 Scrubs social calendar. Raising awareness about the Harris County Hospital District was the mission. Organized by Courtney Hurst, the affair brought out such notables as Cynthia Conner, Nicole Laurent with fiancé Joey Romano, Jamie Glover Dabbs and Katie and Whitney Mears.
Following the social flow, the evening led to the party that packed quite the punch. At Rienzi, the European decorative arts home of the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, 13 Celsius’ Mike Sammons and Ian Rosenberg’s smashing potions swarmed the former home of Carroll Sterling and Harris Masterson with plenty of pretty people for “Punch Party: The 18th-Century Imbiber.”
The highlight was the 18th century tablescape with molded period food curated by Christine Gervais with food historian Ivan Day. A William Cripps 1754 epergne glowed with British wit while holding displays or rococo whimsical desserts, as part of English Taste: The Art of Dining in the Eighteenth Century.
The Houston Center for Contemporary Craft was quite busy over last week as well, beginning with the opening of Beyond Useful & Beautiful: Rethinking Domestic Craft and Soundforge. There, we found an inquisitive crowd hammering away at metalsmith Gabriel Craig’s and composer Michael Remson’s iron gate-like musical instruments with exquisite hand-crafted wood mallets. Be on the look out for a CultureMap video soon.
Last weekend also marked the opening of Donald Moffett: The Extravagant Vein at the Contemporary Arts Museum Houston. The exhibition is the first comprehensive look at the artist’s exploration with textures, video projections and sound installations. The title comes from a series of videos projections — perhaps what Monet would have done if he had video equipment — depicting an infamous gay cruising spot in New York. There’s plenty of sex and politics, whimsical and serious pieces on view.
