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DOWNTOWN Dallas Annual Meeting Sidenotes

FrontBurning Tim has already covered last week’s DOWNTOWN Dallas annual meeting with a panel discussion (pictured) led by D’s Wick Allison and including AT&T’s Senior VP Lori Lee, Comerica Bank’s Chief Marketing Officer Jim Weber, and Weber Shandwick President (California and Southwest) Ken Luce. SweetCharity just thought it might be fun to add some non-official coverage.

While the event was jammed with 800 in attendance at the Sheraton, some notables of interest were Lee Jackson trying to avoid questions about the recent departure of UNT’s president Gretchen Bataille. . . . Sarah Dodd chatting about husband Police Chief David Kunkle’s retirement plans. Seems Sarah bought David a nice camera because he’s shown an interest in becoming a photographer. . . .Dallas Chamber of Commerce President Jim Oberwetter (pictured) arriving just at the last minute to observe his college roomie Wick conduct the panel discussion. . . . Dallas Morning News real estate authority Steve Brown (pictured) suggesting that things were going to start looking up for certain segments of real estate and that the North Texas region had missed the big bullet that has decimated so many other regions. . . . Shelle Sills, as usual, being gracious to one and all. Thank heaven, Neiman’s sales numbers are looking better.

Jan Strimple is Fashionably Busy and Fun(d) Raising

Model maven Jan Strimple is going to be busy the next couple of days. So, if you see her, get out of the way. The woman is on a mission to fashionably raise funds for various organizations.

FRIDAY (7 p.m.): Those fashionable Fashionistas are at it again. They’ve been busily opening their new digs  at South Side on Lamar and plotting an innovative way of “runway warming.” That’s a housewarming for a fashionable institute.

Photo provided by The Fashionistas

What better way than to have Project Runway’s designer/UNT grad Shirin Askari (pictured) and model Kayln Hemphill presenting Shirin’s collection on the catwalk?

“Shirin’s silhouettes are bold and modern with a nod to femininity creating the perfect balance for risk-takers like those in my group,” said The Fashionistas’ Founder Heidi Dillon.

With Jan (as in Strimple) producing the show, which benefits The Fashionistas Two, it will be the perfect showcase for Shirin’s spring collection.

Title sponsor is Janet Fresquez of Ayres Financial Group, Blank Hair Studio, Jan Strimple Productions, and Modern Luxury Dallas.

SATURDAY (10 a.m. to 7 p.m.) and SUNDAY (7:30 p.m.): Our gal Jan is going to be one of the celebrities at Terry Costa’s Red Carpet event on Saturday. She’ll be joined by Kidd Kraddick’s co-host  J.Si, and other paparazzi magnets. What fun! But you know there will be more than just the beautiful faces and colorful personalities. There will be all the newest gowns and glam that are Basic 101 for the Dallas look. A percentage of the day’s sales will go to Kidd’s Kids, the nonprofit that takes a group of terminally-ill children and their families to Disney World each year.

And it doesn’t end on Saturday. Sunday evening Terry Costa Teen Board’s annual Prom Fashion Show will feature the board members “strutting their stuff on the Red Carpet” in the latest and most trendy gowns. Ah, just in time for prom season!

You do remember the last time a Terry Costa fashion (pictured) shook up the fashionable types, don’t you?

Are You Going to Crow for Tiger Tomorrow?

Tomorrow The Crow Collection of Asian Art will celebrate the Chinese New Year — 2010 Year of the Tiger.

You didn’t really think we were going to talk about Tiger W. . . Nah! You know us so much better than that.

Provided by The Crow Collection

Back to the New Year’s festivities. Starting at 6, The Crow Collection After Dark: Chinese New Year Celebration — 2010 Year of the Tiger will have an incredible number of activities including a glow-in-the-dark dragon and lion dance parade (pictured). Then there are the music, arts, and crafts including Chinese lanterns and paper cutting. If you want to have your fortune told or face painted, then you’re going to be in seventh heaven. Did we forget to mention food tastings?

And, it’s all free. That’s our very, very favorite four-letter word. A breakdown of the evening follows the jump. (more…)

Kenyon Martin and Cantoni Party Hardy and Raise $30,000 Without Magic

If anybody sees Magic Johnson, tell him that he missed quite a party Saturday at Cantoni. He was scheduled to help Denver Nuggets forward Kenyon Martin’s foundation raise funds but was a no-show. Guess Magic’s earlier gig at Louis Vuitton NorthPark and wife Cookie’s PA at Neiman’s wore them out.

Photo provided by Cantoni

But not to worry. The crowd of boldfaced names who were on the scene at Cantoni made up for the loss of Magic. Hosts Kenyon and Cantoni Founder and Chief Energizer Officer Michael Wilkov (pictured left with Kenyon) were  extremely pleased that the weather had cleared up for the turnout. As mentioned the event benefited The Kenyon Martin Foundation that “provides support, including parenting and career guidance to teenagers who become parents as well as assisting families without father figures, and to provide life changing opportunities to under-served youth with an emphasis on helping youth in Dallas, Denver, and Cincinnati realize their unlimited potential.

Photo provided by Cantoni

Showing their support were adorable Regina King (pictured), who at 5′3″ was probably the shortest adult in the place;

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Despite Snow-10 Blizzard, St. Valentine’s Day Luncheon Busted $400,000

Two days before the Saint Valentine’s Day Luncheon & Fashion Show co-chair Rainey Fogiel (pictured in pink with co-chair/daughter Natalie Fogiel) sounded like General Patton: “LUNCH WILL GO ON!! It will be almost as FABULOUS as last year. . . I’m being positive about the weather…!!” She must have made a deal with Mother Nature or the Devil or both. “Just hold off with the big stuff until after Thursday’s show.” Too bad that the NBA All-Stars, Valentine florists, and D/FW International didn’t have Rainey’s connections with the powers-that-be for them.

If you’ll recall, Thursday morning Dallas was showing the first ripple of the blizzard of Sno-10 as snow and more snow fell (pictured). But it was not enough to deter the 800 Ladies Who Limo from helping to raise funds in the battle for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society of North Texas. (more…)

Bacall And The Fonz Will Be Just A Block Away On March 11

March 11 is going to be a very busy day for people who like Hollywood types. Within a block of each other will be two legends — one of the silver screen and one of the plasma screen.

Lauren Bacall will be the Nasher Salon featured speaker at the Nasher Sculpture Center for lunch and evening chats. Married to Humphrey Bogart and Jason Robards, Bacall at 85 has appeared in over 60 films including The Big Sleep, Dark Passage, Key Largo, How To Marry A Millionaire, Written on the Wind, Murder on the Orient Express, The Shootist, and Dogville to name just a few. Known as “Betty” to her friends, she made famous the line, “You know how to whistle, don’t you? You just put your lips together and blow” (To Have and Have Not). Sorry, but the evening segment is sold out and there are only a handful of tickets available to lunch with Lauren.

Across North Olive at the Belo Mansion, Henry “The Fonz” Winkler (pictured) will be part of the St. Philip’s School and Community Center’s 2010 Destiny Awards Luncheon.  Besides being the legendary “Fonzie” of Happy Days, Henry is a producer, director, and best-selling author of over a dozen children’s books. You probably know Henry majored in drama and studied child psychology at Emerson College, and earned his Masters of Fine Arts from Yale School of Drama. But did you know that he didn’t realize that he suffered from dyslexia until he was in his 30’s? Heavily involved in various children’s projects, he co-founded the Children’s Action Network in 1990, which provides free immunizations to children. For additional info, call Anyika McMillian-Herod at 214-421-5221, Ext. 238.

Folks, get your autograph books out and give them a real work out on March 11.

UPDATE: Henry has just been added to the cast of “Royal Pains.”

Tre Amici’s Savor The Arts With A Steak Or Chilean Sea Bass

Back in October Tre Amici went through some changes, but then change can be good. Evidently it is very good for nonprofits on a quarterly basis. This Thursday Tre Amici Prime Steakhouse and Seafood is launching “Savor the Arts,” which Tre Amici GM Ken Branstetter can best describe:

“Tre Amici began ‘Savor the Arts’ because we wanted to be more involved in the community and this quarterly event allows us to consistently give back to local charities as well as support the local arts.”

This quarter the beneficiary will be St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital with specially-commissioned art from such talents as Mike Ledoux, Mikki Mallow, Shane Pennington, Bob Poe, and Rene Vandevere. To help raise funds for St. Jude, the art will be available for purchase.

During the 5 to 7 p.m. reception, guests will be able to visit with the artists, bid on silent auction items, and chat with Tre Amici Chef de Cuisine Chris Hughes. Perhaps Chris will go into detail about the prix fixe dinner that he has prepared including: (more…)

Lee Roy Jordan, Walt Garrison Kicked Off April’s A.W.A.R.E. Luncheon

Yup, the Cowboys just celebrated their 50th anniversary of carrying the ball for Dallas. The days of Eddie LeBaron competing with Bubbles Cash for attention at the Cotton Bowl on Sundays are part of the rich history of the NFL team. One of the greatest legends was Dandy Don Meredith. His ability on the field was only matched by his charm in person and on-air with Giff and Cosell.

In recent years Dandy has been ensconced in his Santa Fe home with wonderful wife Susan. (Check out Brad Townsend’s excellent article on the Merediths. While it’s lengthy, it’s also a must read!) So it’s quite a coup that Don will return to Dallas to be honored at the A.W.A.R.E luncheon in April.

To officially kick off things off, organizers gathered at Bailey’s Prime @ Park Lane Wednesday night with Meredith’s teammates Lee Roy Jordan and Walt Garrison (pictured), who are still show-stoppers themselves.

In his cowboy hat and boots, Walt ambled over to the far side of the room, but the crowd soon found him. On the other hand, Lee Roy (pictured) sans wife Biddie could barely get away from the folks thanking him for talking his old roomie into participating. He beamed that the lunch is going to the best ever.

One person whispered to another guest, “He looks like he could take the field today.” To which the other guest replied, “He looks like a young version of Charlton Heston.”

In typical Jordan fashion, he smiled off all compliments and made his way to Walt. By the way, if you want to try a firm handshake, try out Lee Roy.

Other non-football types at the event included Carmelita Whiteley chatting it up with Bill Armstrong. . . Alzheimer Association head guy John Gilchrist (pictured) looking down on everyone. What else would you expect? He’s way over 6′2″. Oh, thought we meant something else? Sit in the corner. . . . Billie Leigh Rippey in drop-dead Cowboy silver fashions arriving and a little disappointed that Dandy wasn’t on hand. . . . Barbara Sypult sporting a cast on her arm from a nasty fall.

Get your tickets now because this event is going to be truly unforgettable.

Wednesday’s Child Was Full Of Ho-Ho-Ho Sunday at Del Frisco’s

Del Frisco’s is just as well known for its big-stake steaks, celebrity clientèle, and million dollar look , as its proprietress Dee Lincoln is known for her laugh. Let’s face it. Del Frisco’s is a place where big deals are celebrated by big wheels.

This past Sunday, Dee (pictured right with Janelle Friedman and Richard Nunez), her staff, the good folks at the Friedman & Feiger Foundation, and other business types turned the place on Spring Valley into a kid’s fun palace for 200 children from the Wednesday’s Child program, who are presently in shelters waiting for foster homes. MIA were the rooms full of tables, chairs, and posh place settings. Instead, 26 stations were set up throughout the steakhouse that forced the kids to open their eyes to new levels of wide-eyed. Want a for instance?

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The Chase Is Down To One In Texas

Remember Chase’s social media rally to give away $5M to nonprofits? Sure, you do. You had to register on the Chase Facebook and vote for your fav charity. The results were announced of the 100 charities making it past the first round and receiving $25,000. Amazingly, only one charity in the entire state of Texas made the cut.

Now, let’s not be spoiled sports and blame Chase and close our accounts. It just goes to show the importance of voting, kids.

PS – If you’ve never heard of the only Texas winner, don’t stay up worrying about it. The group was founded by a Notre Dame student who graduated from Flower Mound High School in 2006. Having organized teams throughout the world, he has kept Flower Mound as the group’s base of operation. Congratulations, Jeff.