Asia Society Texas Center Celebrates ‘Fabulous Forty’ raising $1.418 Million at annual Tiger Ball

For over a decade, LCAHouston International Society News magazine has been proud to have been covering the Asia Society Texas Center since the inception of it’s magnificent building. This year’s annual Tiger Ball celebrated the 40th Anniversary of Asia Society’s presence in the Houston community. The event paid special homage to the memory of the late former First Lady Barbara Bush, a Founding Member of the Asia Society.

Over 600 guests arrived to walk the glamorous red carpet, and were greeted by dancers from the Huaxing Arts Group and Samskriti. Patrons shopped a big board auction while enjoying hors d’oeuvres including spicy minced quail and tamarind chicken sate. The auction items were spectacular and included a wide array of selection ranging from a limited edition Alexander McQueen designer handbag to the opportunity to throw the first pitch at an Astros game. A very unique 73 pearl necklace honoring the 73-year long marriage of Barbara and George Bush, by Texas designer Becky Hollands, was the highlight of the auction.

The main attraction was, of course, the amazing transformation of the Center’s parking lot into the Chevron Gala Pavilion, an enormous 1,700 square foot fantasy-themed Asian wonderland. City Kitchen served a wonderful Pan-Asian dinner of curried apple and cauliflower soup with poached shrimp and miso soy glazed Chilean sea bass. Guests returned to the main building for after-dinner dancing and a desert selections that included bananas flambeed with spiced rum served with Pistachio ice cream and Vietnamese coffee.

Phoebe and Bobby Tudor were recognized for their contribution the Asia Society. Co-chairs Michelle and Hector Herrera and Y. Ping Sun and David Leebron, as well as honorary chairs The Honorable Hushang and Shahla Ansary, Maria and Neil Bush, and Molly and Jim Crownover helped make the evening a success.

Making the gala evening special some of the ardent supporters included Nancy Allen, Muffet Blake & Bob Murray, Laurie & Milton Boniuk, Kristy & Chris Bradshaw, Divya & Chris Brown, Leslie & Brad Bucher, Diane & Mike Cannon, Anne & Albert Chao, Monjula & Ravi Chidambaram, Julie & John Cogan, Anne & Charles Duncan, Chinhui Juhn & Eddie Allen, Diane Lokey Farb, Lily & Charles Foster, Rachel & Bud Frazier, Jo & Jim Furr, Kathy & Glen Gondo, Kathy & Marty Goossen, Marie & Vijay Goradia, David Harvey, Vicki & Bob Harvey, Maynard & Kathleen Holt, Nancy & Erik Littlejohn, Sultana & Moez Mangalji, Duyen & Marc Nguyen, Hong & Dorion Ogle, Cabrina & Steven Owsley, Alison & Chris Porter, Sylvia & Gordon Quan, Leigh & Reggie Smith, Starlee Sykes & Al Vickers, Stephanie & Frank Tsuru, Mayor Sylvester Turner, Mary & Roger Wallace (founding chairman), Brenda & Marc Watts, Margaret Alkek Williams, and Lynn Wyatt. Also joining were the members of the diplomatic corps from Australia, China, France, Indonesia, Japan, Korea, and TECO.