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LaunchAbility and The Pointer Sisters Get Excited About Ebby

Dallas sweetheart Ebby Halliday‘s (pictured) celebration of her 99th birthday was comparable to America’s bicentennial. With her internist Dr. Hugh McClung‘s hosting an intimate supper at his Terrell farm on Saturday, a birthday lunch with T. Boone Pickens, and a non-stop slew of other activities, she was busier than a firecracker salesman on the third of July.

Perhaps the biggest hoop-la was the eve of her March 9th birthday when Special Care and Career Services held its annual gala,”A Special Evening with the Pointer Sisters.” at the Winspear. The Sisters may have been the headliners, but the spotlight was firmly on the Great Mother of Dallas Residential Real Estate.

But the gala evening was not just to salute the diminutive Ebby. SC&CS ring mistress Cathy Packard (pictured) had a full agenda for the evening and she neatly got each task done beautifully.

For instance, how about a name change? Yup, on the big screen of the Skokos stage, the new name for Special Care and Career Services was presented. . .

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Alan Jackson to Headline Cattle Baron’s Ball’s “Great State Fair” on October 9

Watch out State Fair of Texas! You’ve got some competition. Another fair is moving into town for a one-night-only happening on October 9 at Southfork thanks to the Cattle Baron’s Ball gals.

Photo credit: Holt Haynsworth

CBB Chair Kristi Sherill Hoyl (pictured with from the left True North Advisors founders Scott Wood and Mark Gehlbach) revealed Thursday night that this year’s theme will be “Great State Fair.” The headliner for the annual gala will be Alan Jackson with 2008 Academy of Country Music “Best New Male Vocalist” Jack Ingram appearing on the the Live Auction Stage.

The Thursday announcement was made at a party sponsored by True North Advisors in the Legends Room at Cowboys Stadium.

“We are returning to Southfork Ranch where we will have access to several structures and hard surfaces to ensure a great experience for our guests, rain or shine!” said Kristi.

Wonder if they’ll have a Big Texanna instead of Big Tex to greet guests.

Will Ebby Play with the Pointer Sisters at Winspear Tonight?

No word on whether Honorary Chair Ebby Halliday (pictured and who turns 99 tomorrow) is going to accompany the Pointer Sisters on her ukulele tonight at the Special Care & Career Services gala on the Skokos Stage at Winspear.

Tickets may just still be available.

Queen Latifah Bowed out of DIFFA, but was Present for Essence

Back in December, Dimples announced that Queen Latifah would be the headline performer for DIFFA’s new event, DIFFA 2010, on March 3 at the Winspear. Yahoo! Loved her in Chicago. Loved her with Steve Martin. Always love her voice.

By mid-February after DIFFA’s silent auction at Reunion Station, an uneasy rumor started making the rounds that the Queen would not be appearing after all. Surely not!

Before you could slam that rumormonger’s mouth shut, the rumor became reality . . . the Queen had to “cancel all March engagements.”

This “development” is a nightmare for any organization. Do you proceed with a Winspear full of people and no “big name” entertainment? or do you postpone? The DIFFA leadership evidently opted for the latter.

Checking with Queen L’s schedule, it seems that she didn’t cancel all of her March engagements.

Saturday is Going to Be a Greyt Day

Photo provided by GALT

Most of them are athletes whose best days and tracks are behind them. Despite their racy past, greyhounds are notorious for their loving and intelligent nature. Unfortunately, once their racing days are at an end, they are abandoned by handlers. Bob (pictured) is just three of the 55 greyhounds that is being cared for by the Greyhound Adoption League of Texas.

While they wait for their “forever homes,” their caregivers are hosting The Greyt Gala Mardi Gras Dinner and Silent Auction this Saturday at Hackberry Creek Country Club.

Besides all the typical human frivolity, there’s going to be the naming of the king and queen of Greyt Mardi Gras. The voting is online, so why not pick out your idea of a grey royal?

Event co–chairs Debi Joynt and Shannon Forrest have arranged for humans of note to help raise funds for the GALT including MC/Emmy Award-winning sportscaster  John Rhadigan, actor Burton Gilliam, voice of the Dallas Mavericks Mark Followill, and former baseball greats Jose Guzman, Jack Lazorko and Mike Phillips.

Tickets are still available, but you better move like a greyhound to get on track.

BTW, if you can’t make it to the gala, think about adopting one former tracksters.

If You Can’t Be Jessie’s Girl, You Can “Moonlight” for Ronald McDonald

This Saturday night people-who-soiree are being torn in two directions — Junior League of Dallas ball with Rick Springfield at the Anatole or Ronald McDonald House’s “Moonlight” gala at Brook Hollow. Some folks are actually going to both!

However, if you were one of those “wait til the last minute” types, the three C’s of the Ronald McDonald event have a suggestion. (Who are the three C’s? Co-chairs Caroline Gehan and Caroline Nix and Honorary Chair Carolyn Rathjen, of course.) (more…)

GameStop and Park Place Motorcars Dallas Again Support Black Tie Dinner

2010 Black Tie Dinner organizers are “looking forward to an outstanding year” and with good reason. They just notified SweetCharity that for their 29th-year celebration (Saturday, November 6) at the Sheraton Dallas, they’ve already had GameStop Corporation return as the presenting sponsor.

Photo provided by Black Tie Dinner

And even more good news! Park Place Motorcars Dallas will once again underwrite the Black Tie Raffle vehicle. This year it will be a 2011 Mercedes-Benz C300 Sports Sedan (pictured) equipped with a 3.0-liter, V-6 engine. BTW, the $100-raffle tickets are already available for purchase.

Give It Up! Gala Gets Standing O for The Gay & Lesbian Fund for Dallas

Due to circumstances way beyond our control (like down tree limbs blocking driveways, power outages, etc.), SweetCharity was unable to cover Saturday night’s Give It Up! Gala at the Dee and Charles Wyly Theatre benefiting the Gay & Lesbian Fund for Dallas. However, Eric Paulson filed this report:

Give It Up! ended its successful world premiere run at the Dee and Charles Wyly Theatre on Valentine’s Day. But it was the night before when Dallas showed the love. The Gay and Lesbian Fund for Dallas packed the house Saturday night for the Give It Up! Gala to benefit education and outreach programs at the Dallas Theater Center. The final tally isn’t in yet, but the event was a big success judging by the large crowd and generous silent and live auctions.

Guests filled the Wyly Theatre lobby noshing on Wolfgang Puck food and cocktails, with a tent just outside the main door providing shelter from the cold for those bidding up the myriad silent auction items. Mimes from Booker T. Washington School for the Performing and Visual Arts directed guests and acknowledged patrons such as the Meyer Group of Merrill Lynch Wealth Management/Bank of America, the evening’s title sponsor.

Photo by Natalie Caudill

Co-chair Keith Nix (Ed. note: pictured with, from the left, Carol Meyer, mime Martha Gans, and Julie Hash) with welcomed the guests from the Wyly stage before the cheerleaders and basketball players of Give It Up! sang and danced through this updated version of the Greek play Lysistrata. (Laurie Foley was the other co-chair.) During intermission, the guests went back to the lobby to enjoy a Valentine’s dessert buffet, while auction co-chairs Kay Wilkinson and Dean Carter persuaded guests to run up the bids for the silent auction.

Photo by Natalie Caudill

Honorary co-chairs Penny Youngblood and Nancy Pearce (Ed. note: pictured center with Mike McAdams and Penny) mingled through the crowd visiting with friends and thanking patrons. After the performance, the Wyly stage became the site of a Valentine’s Day dance with DJ Jennifer Miller spinning the tunes.

Thanks, Eric, for the report and please thank Natalie for the photos. If anyone else has any other coverage notes on the event, feel free to comment.

Dallas’ Red Cross Dresses Up With Beads For Mardi Gras Masquerade 2010

Bourbon Street may be in trouble. There are no beads or masks left for Mardi Gras thanks to the Saturday night’s “Mardi Gras Masquerade 2010” at the House of Blues benefiting the Dallas Chapter of the Red Cross.

You know how most people dread costume parties? Those folks stayed at home. Just as well. They wouldn’t have stood a chance with the likes of Hank Keller and John Coffman (pictured right, with Hank and Marisa Allen). Sure to all the world, they appeared to be a couple of cute guys, but say “Where’s your costume?” and the masks came out. Seems the boys dropped by Pier One to pick up their “look.”

And looks were in abundance thanks to the welcome committee that draped everyone in beads, beads, and more beads. VIP’s reception guests were easy to spot. They sported the gumball-size pearl  beads with red crosses. One hesitant guest upon seeing the pearl necklace coming his way said, “It looks like something to ward off vampires.”

And speaking of “looks,” that’s exactly what Mary Lucille Coffman (pictured) got as she walked by on her oh-so high platform shoes and in an interesting dress with cut-out back. No one seemed to notice if she was wearing a mask or not.

Red Cross Executive Director Cheryl Sutterfield decided to take a different angle to the attire in her multi-colored flowing gown topped off with still more Mardi Gras beads. Even her earrings matched the beads.

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DallasDirt’s Candy Evans Covers The Champagne Gala Of Dallas Art Fair

Girl reporter Candy “DallasDirt” Evans, who seems to know everybody, filed the following report Friday about Dallas Art Fair‘s Thursday night gala with 600 guests in attendance:

Despite the chilly February drizzle, last night’s second annual Dallas Art Fair “cliqued” to perfection as art lovers poured out to get the first look at stunning works from fifty primo galleries AND support Booker T. Washington High School for the Performing and Visual Arts. Champagne flowed thanks to presenting sponsor Veuve Cliquot who, along with Neiman Marcus, Rosewood Hotels & Resorts, Sotheby’s, the American Visionary Art Museum, Paper City and the Fashion Industry Gallery (F.I.G., where the event was held) put their artistic heads together to create the three day arts event in Dallas. Qualifying Booker T. Students will receive scholarships ranging from $5000 to for college tuition, educational summers and travel; past recipients are already working on degrees at some not-too-shabby places like Harvard and Cal Arts. Sotheby’s has also developed an internship program at Booker T. that includes a VIP visit to the New York City auction house. This year’s event was noticeably larger than last year’s collection of 35 galleries and featured multiple media that filled F.I.G.’s 70,000 square feet to the brim, and many people came by to personally thank co-founders John Sughrue and Chris Byrne. Perusing the art: Christophe Charrier, Senior Vice President, Moët Hennessy USA, and major Dallas art honchos types Bonnie Pitman, Jeffrey Grove, Charlie Wylie, Jeremy Strick, Joan Davidow, Christina Rees Patterson, (who once worked for D Magazine), Richard Patterson, Michael Craig-Martin, Kenny Goss, Ken Downing, Mary Ann & Bob Marshall, Eve Reid, who looks about 35 and husband, Warren Weitman, plus Kary & Eduardo Brittingham, Jennifer & John Eagle, Dan & Lizzie Routman, Jim & Jan Showers, Jan just back from L.A., and Bob & Laura Wilson. Modern art aficionados Erin Mathews and David Nichols were there along with many Dallas designers. John Bobbit said heloved the “earnest-ness” of the space — the display evoked the feeling of a museum.

Photo provided by Dallas Art Fair

Sherry Hayslip and Cole Smith (ed. note: pictured) practically closed the party, Cole wanting to scour every single exhibit: “outrageous and beautiful” was how Sherry described the work, urging me to buy a Joan Bankemper sculpture from Nancy Hoffman Gallery (NY). But the best quote of the night came from a beautiful thirty-nine something blonde on the arm of a handsome investment banker, who looked wistfully at a David Hockney: “Ohhh, I had a Hockney,” she sighed over two paintings by one of the most influential British artists of the twentieth century, “But I lost it in my divorce.”

Loved that last anecdote. A champagne toast to your efforts.