Evidently Mother Nature was having a hissy fit over not being invited to the 2024 Sweetheart Ball on Saturday, April 20, at Brook Hollow Golf Club. It was nothing personal, but who could blame the old gal? It was just that 2024 Ball Chair Heather Washburne already had a record-breaking number of 268 folks gobble up reservations for the annual black-tie gala. Knowing Heather, the promise of “Wow!” was a big draw, plus the fact that the annual fundraiser would benefit heart disease research and development.
Still, Ma Nature was determined to rain on the parade, literally, with downpours in the days leading up to the big night. Ah, but did she know that her showers would play right into Heather’s game plan, making the club’s golf course look as green as Heather’s theme? But more about that later.
To add insult to injury, temperatures during the day of the Ball never made it out of the 50s. As one well-covered guest strolled up the covered walkway to the Oak Room, she shivered and said, “This is the coldest Sweetheart Ball in history.”
But this crowd knew how to handle even the most challenging weather conditions with aplomb and no heat lamps. The ladies in the silk designer gowns were like ballerinas on pointe, making their way with escorts who were as comfortable in black tie as Dallas Cowboys front liners in helmets and pads.
Still, despite the best efforts of club staffers, who were continually sweeping away the ponds and streaming water underneath the tented walkway, the scene remained reminiscent of the little Dutch boy who woefully tried to plug a hole in a leaking dike with his finger.
When it became obvious that many guests were wearing coats and wraps against the late April chill, organizers arranged to have an attendant available in a side storage room adjoining the “step-and-smile” photo-op area. The purpose was to check guests’ garments. Instead of being front and center to relieve them of their cloaks, however, the drafted attendant pretty much stayed put inside the room with the door closed.
As Brad Kelly escorted diminutive Nancy Dedman into the Oak Room, he took the high road, saying, “In six months, we’ll wish for this cool weather.”
But in a last-ditch attempt to steal the show, Mother Nature let loose with a loud clap of thunder. It was accompanied by sirens going off, warning anyone still on the golf course to retreat. But who of the black-tie types noticed? For they were being seamlessly transported from cold old North Texas to the Bahamas without need of a passport, private jet or even packing their Louis Vuittons.
Instead of a TSA check-in, the guests simply walked through the big double doors just off the photo-op setting into a re-creation of Heather’s sweet spot getaway — the exclusive Lyford Cay Club, situated on the western tip of The Bahamas’ New Providence. Lyford had been the place to get away from the madding crowd for the Washburnes for more than two decades, and Heather wanted to share her special place.
“This has the feel of a beautiful home in the Bahamas,” marveled Heather’s proud mother Vicki Howland, who knows Lyford oh-so-well.
“Welcome to Lyford Cay,” Heather said to guests as her husband Ray Washburne, clad in a white dinner jacket, stood at her side. The private gated Bahamian compound, distinguished for its soft pinks and floral designs, had been redazzled at Brook Hollow for the Ball.
Inside the clubhouse, Heather had beautifully saluted Lyford Cay Club’s legend, from the itty-bitty details on her Carolina Herrera Caribbean-blue gown with shells and stars, to the equally exquisite details throughout the rooms to the dazzling ballroom that simply glowed with splendor and the co*cktail reception’s candle-lit replica of one of Lyford Cay’s bars.
Looking admiringly at the bar, a Brook Hollow staffer regretted that once the night was over, the bar would be like Cinderella. Only in this case, the bar would not have a happy ending — gone but never forgotten.
Why, even the Brook Hollow golf course in the distance seemed as green as Dick Wilson’s Lyford course that had been refreshed by golf legend Rees Jones. “The course is beautiful,” Ray remarked, looking out one of the Oak Room’s tall windows.
For those who may vacation at all-inclusive resorts, Lyford has been the epitome of breathtaking elegance with its flawless amenities and staffing for simply ages as “a close community that embraces tradition, family, mutual respect, and congeniality.” Translation: “If you have to ask the price of membership, don’t be so tacky as to call.”
And so, in keeping with Lyford’s reputation for hospitality, the ballroom’s side room had been transitioned into a let’s-get-together-for-a-cognac lounge with its own bar.
It was indeed a night of beauty — as well as movers and shakers feeling right at home with their equals, like Heather’s aunt/first-on-the-scene Lyda Hill, 2023 Sweetheart Ball Chair Amy Prestidge and husband Corey Prestidge, Cate and Jeremy Ford, Regan Horchow and Ken Hersh, Michal Powell with son Caleb Powell, Ken Schnitzer with Marnie Rulfs, Megha and Nirav Tolia, Lynne and Rod Sheldon, Sarah and Ross Perot Jr., Tavia and Clark Hunt and their neighbors Betsy and Quinn Crousen, Lee Ann and Alan White, Carrie and Craig Levering, Susan and Stephen Butt, Claire and Dwight Emanuelson, Margot Perot, Vicki and Bob Chapman and a trio of Schlegels (Bob and Myrna Schlegel, Kimberly and Justin Whitman and Kari and Troy Kloewer).
Alas, missing in action was
Heather’s brother-in-law, sister Elisa Summer‘s husband Stephen Summers, who was trapped in Cabo due to a nasty weather storm. Blame it on Mother Nature, but still Elisa arrived on the scene.
On the other hand, the Jones family was juggling all the family festivities of the day and weeks to come. Jerry Jr.’s parents Gene and Jerry Jones — who had hosted the Sweetheart Ball patron party the night before, drawing a record-breaking 194 guests — were ebullient.
Earlier on Saturday, daughter Charlotte Jones‘ home had been the scene of the wedding of Gene and Jerry’s grandson, Shy Anderson Jr. Since the couple couldn’t wait for their big wedding later this spring, they opted for a civil ceremony presided over by Charlotte’s fiance, Amir Rozwadowski.
In addition to Charlotte’s and Amir’s wedding in far away, romantic places on Independence Day, there were still winks and whispers about another upcoming wedding.
For for some in this heady crowd didn’t have a clue that there was still another July nuptials. SMU grads Annette Simmons and Gage Prichard were more than hinting at a July wedding to the delight of family and friends.
Heaven forbid that one should worry about gift registrations and such. This twosome doesn’t need a thing except continued happiness.
As the bellringer wandered through the Oak Room summoning guests for supper in the ballroom, the beauty there of the peonies and floral designs, complete with exquisite replicas of Lyford Cay’s legendary mirrored paneled walls with painted palms, was breathtaking.
String musicians circled Heather and Ray’s table as everyone was served dinner, which started with Tsar Nicoulai Select Caviar with Chopin Vodka followed by A Lobster Tower (lobster salad, mango and avocado topped with lobster claw meat, arugula and butter greens and grapefruit citrus dressing) with Far Niente Chardonnay; and then the second course of West Texas filet of beef with red wine demi, seared sea bass with Chablis beurre blanc with corn souffle with spring succotash, asparagus and carrots with Cayman Cabernet Sauvignon. For dessert each guest enjoyed their own Baked Alaska featuring chocolate cake with salted caramel ice cream and torched meringue with Veuve Clicquot, of course. To work off those yummy calories, guests filled the dance floor with The Jordan Kahn Orchestra providing the tempo and while on the dance floor instead of Red Bull they were served Brandy Alexanders.
So, while Lyford Cay Club may only be a dream come true for a lucky few, Heather shared her special place with many who had so generously supported her efforts to fund heart disease research.
