Houston Park Advocates party outdoors with local music stars – two very green scenes

In between late spring rain showers, two of Houston’s major parks-focused groups independently headed into the great outdoors for a small outdoor fundraiser. The Hermann Park Conservancy’s Urban Green Young Professionals gathered at Cherie Flores Garden Pavilion in McGovern Centennial Gardens for “Gardens & Goblets” while the Buffalo Bayou Partnership hosted “Cocktails in Bloom” at Autry Park.

Cristin Pactor And Jilianne Scamperlé chaired the Urban Green event which saw 11 food and beverage entities compete for the Favorite Cocktail and Mocktail awards with a panel of judges voting for the favorites and the 200 attendees voting for the People’s Choice awards.

To add to the festive note, DJ Cleo Fox not only spun records, but also played the saxophone while weaving through the crowd of young people.

Hermann Park Conservancy, President and CEO Doreen Stoller joined the party where there were familiar faces Roslyn Bazelle Mitchell, Jennifer LeGrand Howard, Katherine Orellana Ross and Astros Senior Front-End Developer Charles Young and wife Gabrielle.

Cocktails in bloom

A festive clutch dressed in colorful spring outfits gathered at Hanover’s Allen Parkway development, Autry Park, located across Allen Parkway from Buffalo Bayou Park, for an evening sipping Bluebonnet gin and tonic from Giant Texas Distillers and Tipsy Treats cocktails while enjoying delicious bites from Monarch Hospitality and Thai Queue.

Welcoming guests was the President of Buffalo Bayou Partnership Anne Olsonwhich then introduced the multi-talented pianist and singer Ben Chavez. Local talent fulfilled crowd requests for a lively pop-up piano bar show.

Supporters of the Buffalo Bayou Partnership are included in the mix Chris Bilton, Judy Nyquist, Adrienne And Willson Ropp, Erin Patterson, Kara And Ulises Vidal, Mary Ann And Mark Miller, Wendy Craven, David Robinson, Michele And Paul Marvin, Stephanie And Rich Langenstein, Jennifer And Ben McClure, Kari Dagley, Vivian Ho And Richard Boylan.