Event Recap: Houston Arboretum’s Tapas On The Trails    

WHAT:  Approximately 300 party-goers braved the chilly 40-something temperatures to venture out to the Houston Arboretum & Nature Center Feb. 9 for Tapas on the Trails, an annual event outdoors in nature to celebrate Valentine’s Day with delicious food and beverages. Billed as a “romantic evening getaway without leaving the city,” the sold-out event was the most successful to date, with more than $24,000 raised for the Arboretum’s mission of education and conservation.

Guests enjoyed a softly-lit walk through the Arboretum’s nature sanctuary, pausing along the way at food stations to indulge in a delicious six-course meal of French-inspired dishes provided by Chef Kevin Bryant and Cotton Culinary. Nature was an exquisite backdrop for Tapas on the Trails, as people explored the savanna landscape, sat along the donor boardwalk near one of the ponds and later got to hang out with live owls in the courtyard.

The dishes, from appetizers to desserts, were paired perfectly with carefully selected beers from Saint Arnold’s Brewing Company, along with wines curated by Double Decanted. Three of the four beer selections provided by Saint Arnold’s were newly released. The evening was capped off at the Nature Center, where guests were able to partake in sparkling wine, handcrafted desserts (including Apple Tarte Tatin) and the popular French press coffee and hot chocolate bar hosted by Katz Coffee. The adorable  screech owl and the great horned owl were courtesy of the Wildlife Center of Texas, although the Arboretum, which is rich in wildlife, has its own owls making appearances when they are inclined.

WHEN:                 Saturday, Feb. 9, 2019 (5 p.m. – 9 p.m.)                               

WHERE:               Houston Arboretum and Nature Center

4501 Woodway Dr., Houston, 77024

GUESTS:               Board Members

Cullen Geiselman

Staff

Debbie Markey, Executive Director

Christine Mansfield, Marketing and Development Manager

Katie Campbell, Senior Manager of Operations and Events

Additional Guests

Jill and Peter Mokry

Rosemary and Jason Gaswint

Nicole and Joseph Rosen

Jan and Berk Donaldson

Julia and Timothy Carmack

Donna and Jim Bennett

Teresa, Bridget and Joel Pelanne

Misty and Joseph DiSantis

Kimberly and Chris Elliott

Adam Perkins

Margaret Blue

Barbara and Stephen Hall

Mary and Joel Gronberg

Loren and Paul Byrnes

Rachel and Lance Wilson

Cyndy and William Firkus

Stephanie and Chris Fuller

Caroline and Radford Neuhaus

Brad Wilfahrt

Kay and Paul Mansfield

Larry Mansfield

Angela and Steve Osborne

Rebecca and Byron Douglass

Sarika and Chirag Patel

Elizabeth and Nicholas Zugaro

Lizette and Kurt Lobpries

Sharon and Ezra Yacob

Josephine and Rahul Vashi

PHOTOS:             Christine Mansfield and BLVD Photography.

MORE INFO:       www.houstonarboretum.org

ABOUT:                  The mission of the Houston Arboretum & Nature Center is to provide education about the natural environment to people of all ages and to protect and enhance the Arboretum as a haven and as a sanctuary for native plants and animals. The Houston Arboretum & Nature Center, one of the first nature education facilities for children in the state of Texas, provides services to nearly 200,000 visitors annually. The Arboretum also provides nature education for more than 10,000 children annually. For more information about the Houston Arboretum & Nature Center and levels of membership, visit houstonarboretum.org.