By Lori Lemon-Geshay

On Saturday, May 5th, 2012 restaurant owner, Johnny Vasallo, owner of Mo’s …A Place for Steaks and Momentum Volvo hosted the 5th Annual “Run for The Roses” Kentucky Derby Party charity fundraising event honoring Holly Harwood Skolkin and benefitting the Holly Rose Ribbon Foundation.

Watch the Video

Hats off to Derby time! Houston’s 5th annual “Run for the Roses” Kentucky Derby Party as featured on KHOU’s Great Day Houston with Debra Duncan.

Chris Reichard and Lori Lemon-Geshay

The Kentucky Derby themed event, chaired by Chyra Blackaller and Lori Lemon-Geshay was the most well-attended event to date for Mo’s, with such noteworthy sponsors as Momentum Volvo, Lexis Florist and Festari for Men.  A wonderful success, the fundraiser raised nearly $30,000 gross profits with less than 10% going towards operating expenses, the silent auction alone raised $8,200, and betting on the races raised $3,000 for the Holly Rose Ribbon Foundation for cancer survivors.

Mint julep’s, derby-tini’s (pink martinis), Mo’s quesidillas, Carolyn Farb guacamole with wonton chips, and assorted sushi was enjoyed by the crowd of over 350 guests.  Gentlemen dressed up in their seersucker & linen while Ladies expressed their inner Southern Belle and wore the grandest chic “Run for the Roses” Kentucky Derby hats to compete in the highly anticipated hat contest.  Hats were also offered for sale by Nyanza Moore Custom Chapeaus at the event, with 45% of her sales being donated to the Holly Rose Ribbon Foundation.

Rachelle Willis, Jeff Ball - Photo by Herb Hochman

The afternoon event was destined to be the most fashionable, for both men and women.  The “Greatest 2 Minutes in Sports” event also featured betting, a hat contest, and a silent auction of items ranging from diamond rings, sports memorabilia, clothing, spa services, weekend getaways and so much more! -HTexas Magazine

Via CultureMap: Wining best hat designs were artist Azar Taleghany and Heather Hunt. Taking honors as “cutest couple” were Channel 2 KPRC’s Courtney Zavala and husband Orlando. Representing Channel 11 KHOU was reporter Courtney Zubowski who along with producer Amy Ditta were finalists in the best hat competition. There were even prizes for best dressed gents — those honors went to Jeff Ball and Boston Ben Harwood Rose, who happened to be head-to-toe in Festari For Men.

Making the party happen — underwriter Momentum Volvo  represented by Diane Caplan, who filled the parking with hot cars; Miriam Habib of Lexis Florist, who provided oodles of red roses; and Mo’s host Johnny Vassallo.

Sarah Lampe and Mark Levin, Committee Members

Making the scene were Dr. Mark Skolkin, Reality TV Star Erica Rose (of the Bachelor & Bachelor Pad), Carolyn Farb, Charles Ward, Julie Beeson, Michael Caplan, Debbie and Rudy Festari, Cynthia Sinatra, Sharon Brier, Carra Fleming, Becky Allen, Nancy Marcus Golden, Beth Muecke, Sharon Albert Brier, Amber Akers, Renee Dillenseger, Nadia Lauterbach, Angelica and Edward Chapman and Kristine Garbo.

Photos by Herb Hochman

Since its inception in Houston, Texas, in 2005, the Holly Rose Ribbon Foundation, in collaboration with Silhouette Artist Cindi Rose, Celebrity Plastic Surgeon Dr. Franklin Rose and Tony Rotondo, CEO of the First Street Surgical Center, has helped breast cancer survivors, including women, men and children receive free reconstructive surgery. Its mission is to improve the emotional health of those with critical illness by providing free reconstruction, to both uninsured and under-insured individuals, of all ages and both sexes. Yearly, twelve to fifteen people receive free breast reconstruction from the Holly Rose Ribbon Foundation. All the money donated goes directly to the patients, including their total hospital cost, all nurses, medicines and other doctors. Recently, the foundation has included non- human hair wigs, comfortable robes, pillows, permanent eyebrows and psychological support to those with critical sickness.

In March of 2012, the Rose Ribbon Foundation changed its name to the Holly Rose Ribbon Foundation in honor of Cindi Rose‘s sister, Holly Harwood Skolkin, who had stage 4 cancer. Holly left this world, peacefully and with courage in February of this year.

2012 “Run for the Roses” Committee

Event Chairs: Chyra Blackaller & Lori Lemon-Geshay

Silent Auction Chair: Sarah Lampe

Ticket Sales Chair: Carra Fleming

Betting Chair: Chris Reichard

Announcer: Nicole Brende

Hat Contest Chair: Hannah Thibodeaux

Photo | Video Chair: Mark Levin

Host Committee:

Heather Baker & David Montgomery
Nancy & Richard Golden
Ronna Lynn & Mike Farrell
Jillian Rotter & Andrew Seerdeen
Cindi & Franklin Rose
April & Tony Zubizarreta
Laura Cernock
Lance Heacock
Seth Hopkins
Beth Newhouse
Erica Rose
Ben Rose
Tiffany Torregrossa

Special Thanks:

Heather Bergeron
Nicole Bogart
Susan Bynam
Diane Caplan
Debbie & Rudy Festari
Ryan Hernandez
Wendee Hoffman
Roger Kemper
Kiersten Koenig
Jaime Lagdameo
Omar Mejia
Jennifer Roosth
Emily Seligmann
Laura Woods

Special Thanks to Our Underwriter: Mo’s…A Place for Steaks

Special Thanks to Our Trophy Sponsor: Momentum Volvo

Special Thanks to Our Floral Sponsor: Lexis Florist

Special Thanks to Our Printing Sponsor: 2daypostcards.com

Special Thanks to Our Silent Auction Donors:

2 Day Postcards
713 – Tickets
Al Torres Photography
Alley Theatre
Armando’s
Azar Talegheny
Cathleen Cade Designs
Cesar Reyna
Charming Charlie
Coquette Boutique
Eclipse Sunnless Tanning
Edward Sanchez Cosmetics
Festari for Men
Gems by Chao
Gittings
Glam Grab
Guri do Sul Brazilian Steakhouse
Houston Dynamo
Houston Museum of Natural Science
J Hilburn Clothier by Ronna Lynn & Mike Farrell
Kenneth Williams Fitness
King Faist
Krista Frazier
La Mode Lingerie & Swimwear
Latin Bites Cafe
Leopard-Tini Designs
Life + Dog Magazine
Little Napoli
LUCHO
Massage Heights
Men’s Wearhouse
Michael DeMarse
Momentum Volvo
Monitrice Moni’ Malone
Mon Venin
Moody Skincare
Nyanza Moore Custom Chapeaus
Oh My Dog!
One Salon – Michael Soliz
Paul Mitchell
Plus One Pet Precious Moments Video Production
Scentuary Therapeutic Massage and Bodyworks
Sculpt – Pilates Studio
Sofia van der Dys
Stella & Dot Jewelery
Strip House – Houston
Susies’s Cakes & Confections
Tiffany Torregrossa Designs
Today’s Gourmet of Houston
Tonden’s Jewelers
Top Drawer Lingerie
Tupelo Grease
Utopia Med Spa
Waco Jewelers
West Ave – Gables
Wildcat Golf Course
and many more…

For more information, please visit www.roseribbon.org.

The Holly Rose Ribbon Foundation
Changing Lives One Surgery at a Time!

When a humanitarian/actress choses her causes to be hired to accept, in the name of charity, you have to realize that they are still giving back, especially when it is

HOUSTON, TEXAS: April, 2012-
Famed Actress Ashley Judd insightful profile by Silhouette Artist Cindi Harwood Rose
Photos by Herb Hochman

Master silhouette artist Cindi Rose with celebrity Ashley Judd

When a humanitarian/actress choses her causes to be hired to accept, in the name of charity, you have to realize that they are still giving back, especially when it is Ashley Judd, and regardless if her fee is tens of thousands.  By being involved with a charity that causes a heart to bleed, The Children’s Assessment Center in Houston Texas gave  600 attendants the opportunity, to have a face-on with celebrated and world acclaimed actress the De-Lovely A lister, celebrity Ashley J.  It was a stroke of genius, that the super chair team, Nancy Marcus-Golden and Diane Caplan Brown decided to get individuals to totally underwrite activist, Ashley Judd whose story, according to Elaine Stolte, Executive Director of the CAC is a “Beautiful Journey”.  In Elaine’s words she states that Ashley has searched for justice, peace and “her need for healing individuals from every troubled corner of the world.”  Her story was filled with compassion and grace, with humor, when she joked, that she was so nervous, she felt that there could be perspiration cutlets under her armpits!  Mistress of Ceremony, TV Great Day hostess, Deborah Duncan, created unique conversation to keep all 600 beautiful supporters of the luncheon held with no patter at the Intercontinental hotel in Houston, this April. “How do you keep your great body and soft relaxed face?” Deborah jokingly questioned. Mrs. Judd, mentioned she slept 10 ½ hours each night, and followed the American Diabetes diet, and worked out only when filming, but oh so hard!  She is married to sexy two-time Indy Racing League and two-time Indy 500 champion, Dario Franchitti, where they make a home in Scotland, in addition to their farm in Tennessee, where she finds quiet time for gardening, cooking regional southern food, hiking, and reading.  Most impressive, she stressed, doing what is right for humanity, finding a cause, caring, stopping sex trafficking, and other horrid wrong acts.

The story of the journey, according to the chairs is that each day, innocent children have their life’s beautiful journey disrupted by sexual abuse.  This abuse, honestly shared by sought-out public speaker, Ashley Judd, happened to her, when she was younger than 10.  She coped with her life, by normalcy, playing the piano daily, with a kind male relative turning the pages, and looking forward, not backwards.  Later, she found that the strength from this trauma, could be used in her acting talents, which began in her undergraduate years at the University of Kentucky, where she graduated in French, with minors in Anthropology, art history, theater, and Women’s Studies.  The Thursday prior to her husband winning the Indy 500 a second time she graduated from Harvard’s Kennedy School of government with an MPA.  At our table, she sat poised, did not eat, yet kept a peaceful persona.

Cindi Harwood Rose, hand-cutting silhouette of Ashley Judd

Earlier, in the VIP major underwriters, small reception with the star, renown silhouette artist Cindi Harwood Rose did her silhouette freehand, and in one minute. A. Judd  giggled and laughed, saying that she loved silhouettes, and that ones that have style and personality, were almost impossible to find.   From my studies, I found that the gifted silhouettest is also a supreme portrait artist with  psychic ability, blended with seeing.  Cherished silhouette cut-artist Cindi interpreted Ashley, as competent, non-frilly, serious, pure, self-sufficient, and a great business woman, focused, with an off-beat bodice, but contained.

Ashley’s message to the CAC, was to move forward in life, keep values simple yet focused, do not look back on negativity, and try to help humanity, even if for her it is a high fee, to raise the roof, of an important cause.  Stop sex trafficking, don’t abuse children mentally, physically, emotionally, or sexually.  Stop predators, and get professional support groups like CAC for those who have been abused in any way.

Ashley believes in home art traditions, and even has a silhouette snow-flake design, on-line. When we go back to the subject of psych, and to the Children’s Assessment Center, and this awareness luncheon, everything was more than picture perfect. It was about stopping a crime, and when committed, adding support, and normalcy.  Senior Vice President and Fashion Director of Neiman Marcus Stores,  personality, Kenneth J. Downing, came in and constructed a creative fashion show, with unusual ways to think pink and yellow, yet with orange and very Texas accessories.  The best was his style, so girlishly or savvy designer to the stars, he was a “I can’t take my eyes off you guy.”  Deborah Duncan asked him to please do a runway walk, he has the body, the swag, the style, no wonder he was a guest judge on Lifetime’s project Runway All Stars.  Naturally, talented silhouette artist, C. H. Rose, did his silhouette too, he says his mother has a collection of 600 of them, and some are worth $30,000.  Darn.

Watch Ashley in the new ABC-TV series, Missing.  For more on other celebrity silhouettes go to silhouettesbycindi.com To donate to the CAC, contact JillBuja@cac.hctx.net  From Ashley’s rave reviews, this plum acting spot was tailor made for her, and this breath-taking series, is full of further drama and suspense.  The CAC luncheon honored Phyllis Williams for her great works in education and children’s charities.

The Spirit of Spring Luncheon and Fashion Show is The CAC’s largest fundraising event each year.  This premier Houston luncheon has grown to be one of the most highly anticipated events to attend every spring.  The Spirit of Spring Luncheon includes a reception, auction, keynote speaker and showcases an incredible runway of spring fashions, all while helping to raise funds that directly support programs that The CAC offers to child victims of abuse.  The 13th Annual Spirit of Spring Luncheon and Fashion Show, Beautiful Journeys was held on April 4, 2012 at the InterContinental Hotel.  This year’s event chairs are Diane Caplan and Nancy Golden.  The CAC is proud to announce our partnership with Neiman Marcus for this year’s event.  Thanks to Neiman Marcus Senior Vice President and Fashion Director,   Ken Downing, for joining us and showcasing his spring forecast of incredible fashions!  Special thanks to Award Winning Actress and Humanitarian, Ashley Judd, our special guest and speaker for this year’s luncheon. – http://cachouston.org/spirit-of-spring-luncheon-and-fashion-show/

The rain has let up for a moment and four different bird varieties express their jubilation in song. Woven in [...]]]>

by Harbeer Singh Lagataar on Sunday, February 19, 2012 at 4:05pm

The Glamorous Life of a Performance Artist:
Gearing Up for the Lone Star Performance Explosion

The rain has let up for a moment and four different bird varieties express their jubilation in song. Woven in with these sweet warbles are the sounds of wood hitting metal.

BANG! CLANG! BOOM! THUD.

It’s Saturday, and it’s been pissing rain for two full days now. There is a veritable river, four inches deep, flowing from Nestor Topchy’s back yard into the storm swale out front. That’s four inches of water–not counting the mud.

The chest high pile of scrap wood which formerly made up the shelving in a
downtown Houston department store–now a de facto beaver dam.

Cars slow down to weave through the narrow passage between the two heaping piles of debris on either side of this quiet, residential street. It’s like a game of Frogger. Five men shuttle back and forth carrying long boards with nails poking out, overstuffed arm chairs, ratty waterlogged couch cushions, vintage suitcases, and all manner of jetsam that was evacuated from notsuoH one week ago–carrying it from the piles on the side of the road to the back of the dumpster on Nestor’s lawn.

Starting at the driveway, pieces of plywood, old doors, cinderblocks,
bricks, and paving stones create a somewhat stable path across the flowing water.

We are gearing up for the first ever Lone Star Performance Explosion–aka the Houston International Performance Art Biennale 2012.

Last Sunday, Nestor and his army of volunteers cleared out the second floor of Houston’s storied notsuoH. It had to be done on a Sunday–notsuoH is on Main Street, downtown, and the City would not allow them to install a chute and dumpster. The problem is, all the dumps in the area are closed on Sundays.

Vintage suitcase in a wheel barrow.

So they carried all the junk and old shelving–three double-axle trailers’, three dually trucks’, and three standard pickups’ worth–down the stairs and dumped it here, like they’ve always done, expecting the City to pick it up during standard trash pick-up, like the City’s always done. Except the City is operating under an austerity budget and they’re not having it. They told Nestor he had two choices–clean it up, or pay a fine and clean it up.

So here we are. The chest high pile of scrap wood which once made up the shelving in what used to be a department store in downtown Houston is now a de facto beaver dam.

When I see sofa cushions I can’t help but think of all the
people who have farted and wiped boogers on them.

Starting at the driveway, pieces of plywood, old doors, cinderblocks, bricks, and paving stones create a somewhat stable path across the flowing water. The stones shift under my weight. This is the inverse of Hercules cleaning the Augean stables–these laborers are going against the flow of water to move a haphazard pile on the side of the road to a haphazard pile in a blue construction dumpster. And who is the genius who placed the dumpster so that its doors are on the far side?

Jim Pirtle is nowhere to be found.

Tap the bottle and twist the cap.

Waterlogged sofa cushions, yum!

Finish line

Learn more about the LONE STAR PERFORMANCE EXPLOSION, buy tickets, and donate to the cause here:  http://lonestarexplosion.org/

It’s going to be sick.

http://lonestarexplosion.org/

At the University of Texas, Holly was an [...]]]>

Holly Skolkin could often be found at the supermarket shopping for Aishel House residents.

Holly Harwood Skolkin passed away peacefully at home on February 10, 2012 surrounded by her family. Holly was born in Houston on June 22, 1952, to Doris Zellda and Earl Isadore Harwood. She had a happy childhood with sisters and best friends, Bonny and Cindi.

At the University of Texas, Holly was an active member in Alpha Epsilon Phi sorority where she made many lifelong friends. She became a skilled silhouette artist, cutting freehand facial profile likenesses of people from Houston to Disneyland.

Following graduation in 1974 with a degree in photojournalism, she began a distinguished career in medical photography. Holly worked in the Ophthalmology Department at the University of Texas-Houston, Baylor College of Medicine, and Emory University where she produced world class fluorescein angiograms and ophthalmic ultrasounds. She served on the National Board of The Society of Retinal Angiographers.

After the birth of her children, her professional career was subrogated to raising Dayna and Emory, the joys of her life. She shared with them her love of Judaism, ethnic foods, movies, and family vacations. She adored her many nieces and nephews.

Her guiding message, a variation on the Beatles lyric, was “in the end the love you make should be more than the love you take“.

She involved her family and friends in her many mitzvah projects, including The River and Aishel House, two organizations for which she was a founding board member. She treasured her extended family in Hadassah and at Congregation Beth Yeshurun.

Her spirituality and optimistic attitude helped her battle stage 4 breast cancer for nearly 15 years. She was a role model, companion, and confidante for numerous cancer patients and their loved ones. It was often a difficult journey, one that inspired the creation of the Rose Ribbon Foundation by sister, Cindi Harwood Rose, and brother-in-law, Dr. Franklin Rose, in her honor.

She was preceded in death by her parents. She is survived by her husband, Mark, children, Dayna and Emory, and sisters, Bonny Cotlar and husband David, Cindi Harwood Rose and husband Dr. Franklin Rose, and their children Erica Rose and Ben Harwood Rose.

The family is most grateful to her many caregivers over the years, including doctors Richard Theriault, Gerry Cypress, and Rush Lynch, as well as Elena Velasquez and her friends in the Nursing Department at St. Luke’s Episcopal Hospital.

Those who wish to make a memorial contribution are encouraged to support the Rose Ribbon Foundation inspired by her generous heart; soon to be re-named the Holly Rose Ribbon Foundation in her honor by making a donation here: www.roseribbon.org, or other charity of their choice.

Rest peacefully, our Holly Dolly, and know that we will miss you and the world is a better place because you were here.

To make a donation in Holly's honor please visit www.RoseRibbon.org

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

It is hard for all educational facilities to come up with environment safe fund-raisers that [...]]]>

School Silhouette Artist Cindi Fund-raiser saves the Day!

By Danielle Clark

Cindi Rose Entertains and Educates

Today was not Toddlers and Tiaras, it was Toddlers and Treasured hand-cut Silhouettes by acclaimed artist, Cindi Harwood Rose, at the Kipling Street Academy for preschool children.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

It is hard for all educational facilities to come up with environment safe fund-raisers that are also informative, and don’t take up the parents or children’s time up selling items that may pollute the environment. Today, Cindi Harwood Rose, did 50 preschool children’s precious silhouettes for Valentine’s gifts for their parents, and donated over 25 percent of all profits to the school, including lovely picture frames. While working she entertained the children, teachers, and parents.

Silhouette artist, Cindi Harwood Rose, has been doing “Silhouettes for Survivors” for over 30 years, saving the day for many schools.  When interviewed, I asked Cindi Rose, what inspired her to think about sharing her gift to higher learning.  She answered, that her parents told her that many things in life can come and go, but a great education is something that can’t be taken away from someone. In the US, she has done silhouettes for schools such as Grace Academy in Austin, University of Houston Moore’s School of Music, The Shepherd School of Music, Kinkaid School, St. John’s School, The Cooper School, Kipling Street Academy, St. Francis School, Highland Park, Duke, Emory U., UCLA, River Oaks Baptist School, Yale, Memorial High School, and the Awty International School.

She has raised funds to sponsor complete theatre programs, by donating silhouette profits.  One popular way, is for the school to line up 60 or more appointments ahead of time, from e-mail blasts, and parents spreading the word, that the world’s best silhouette artist is coming to the school.  What a wonderful gift this is!  Her prices are reasonable, and her signature is an investment.  Harwood-Rose works all over the globe, and has even silhouetted many royal people in England, Scotland, and France.  Of course, she has a great portfolio of celebrities she silhouetted, many are on her website.

Valentine Silhouettes Art

Cindi Harwood, an award winning artist, began drawing portraits at 8.  By 11 people were asking to buy them, and at 16 her life changed, when she tried to cut out a profile, with scissors, freehand, without a sketch or light!  She was immediately hired by a Walt Disney Company, and the first summer, the young teen, became their star artist, out producing any other silhouette artist they have ever had, or have ever had still.  One day at Disneyworld, she hand-cut over 600 profiles in a day, that was in 1972!  Since then, the top artist in California, has only done around 400, and surprisingly, everyone says that Cindi Harwood Rose gets the most accurate likeness and intricate details.  Check her out at silhouettesbycindi.com and join her on Facebook or watch her videos on YouTube and her Silhouette Art Blog.

Watch Cindi cut children's silhouettes video on YouTube

The art of silhouetting became popular before photography, when oil paintings took weeks to finish, and were not only boring to pose for, they were extremely costly.  Only the elite could afford an oil painting.  The materials, all environmentally pure, were costly as well.  Cobalt blue was made from cobalt.  Minerals and precious stones were crushed, and mixed with flax oil or animal oils.  One brilliant fine artist, came up with the idea to do a profile cutting around 500 years ago, using lamp soot to make black paper.  The first “shade cuttings” were done on royalty.  Later, they became popular by a French minister of Finance, Etienne de Silhouette, who could not cut silhouettes, but loved them since they cost a fraction of oil paintings, and when done correctly, they capture the soul of the person. Silhouette became the term of this heirloom profile carving when Augustin Edourt, decided that shade was not accurate, since a true silhouettest did not use a shadow.  Shadows, are not accurate, so those cut off walls, or one bit clumsy, thought Edourt.

Silhouettes Art

When Cindi Harwood Rose works, she shares the knowledge of paper cut-out portraits, and children are drawn to her bright personality.  To learn the history of silhouettes, check out Peggy McClard Antiques, who also acclaims that Cindi Harwood Rose is one of the only living silhouette artists whose work is collectable.