COME FLY WITH ME

COME FLY WITH ME

The Bank of San Antonio Hosts Private Aircraft Viewing Event With Merlin1

By Eleanora Morrison | Photography by Vincent Gonzalez

THE SETTING: The Bank of San Antonio recently hosted an event with Merlin1, one of San Antonio’s premier private jet charter companies, to introduce private banking clients to alternative transportation options that exist for both business and personal travel. Now a member of Texas Partners Bank, The Bank of San Antonio offers private banking clients access to VIP event series that connect them to resources to support lifestyle goals. 

THE STYLE: Texas Partners Bank CEO Brent Given and Merlin1 Founder Jim Foody both addressed their guests, celebrating the joyous occasion of convening in person for the first time since the pandemic, thanks to vaccines and the socially distanced setting of a partially open-air hangar. Guests viewed Citation III and Learjet 35 jet models and reunited to the sounds of Nina and the Texas Gypsies as they sampled bites and sipped beverages catered by Page Barteau. 

THE PURPOSE: After an expansive 2020 merger, The Bank of San Antonio is now a member of Texas Partners Bank, and part of a greater network of Central Texas banks that includes The Bank of Austin and Texas Hill Country Bank. This recent growth has increased the bank’s commercial lending capacity to enable the fastest financing for big plans and has provided the integrated resources for business growth. Eager to help Central Texas businesses continue to grow and thrive, Texas Partners Bank is now a one-stop-shop to customize comprehensive financial and insurance solutions for Central Texas businesses.

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HITTING THE TRACK

HITTING THE TRACK

Have the need for speed? Look no further than the BMW M4 GT4 experience, according to our man-about-track, Michael Satterfield of TheGentlemanRacer.com.

Photography courtesy of TheGentlemanRacer.com

THE REAL DEAL

At the Circuit of the Americas, I was standing outside one of the V.I.P. suites on the front straightaway, watching a practice session for the GT4 America, as the rain rolled in. The BMW M4 GT4 of Stephen Cameron Racing set the fastest lap of the session, lapping the 3.4-mile track in just 2:19.360 on a damp track. The next session, the BimmerWorld Racing team would put down a 2:17.383 when it was dry. The speed, sound, and excitement are why we love motorsports, but like most automotive enthusiasts, I have always wondered what it would be like to drive these cars on the track, haven’t you?

 

As I watched the professional drivers make their laps in Austin, I had no idea that just a few weeks later, I would be invited to participate in the BMW M and M4 GT4 Experience at the BMW Performance Center in The Thermal Club (near Palm Springs.). While I have driven many, many cars on many tracks, this experience would put me behind the wheels of the same cars driven in professional racing series around the world. This wasn’t a track day or a streetcar driving school. This was the real deal, without an instructor in the right seat. Flying into Palm Springs, the BMW Performance Center West is in the heart of the Coachella Valley. For flying privately, the Jacqueline Cochran Regional Airport is next door. The Palm Springs area is the perfect home for the BMW Center, offering guests access to world-class hotels, dining, golf courses, and an average of 350 sunny days a year.

 

LET THE CLASS BEGIN
The BMW M4 and M4 GT4 Experience starts in the classroom. After introducing the instructors and a basic program outline, we began by learning the basics of seat and steering wheel positioning, tire dynamics, and all the basics we need to know on the track. The experience is limited to only 15 people per class, and each class is broken into smaller groups to maximize track time and personal interaction with the instructors. Our class was divided into two groups, Blue and Green, and each member was given a number that would correspond with their car on the track.

 

We would first go outside to learn more about the BMW M4 GT4 race car, with instructors answering questions and showing us how the racing steering wheel, pedal box, and shifter systems work. They also highlighted many of the special race-only features on the GT4 and how similar the GT4 race car is to the factory street BMW M4. The BMW M4 GT4 uses the same engine and transmission, including control electronics as the BMW M4 street car with only slight gearing changes. The M4 GT4 also uses an innovative tuning software, power sticks (USB drives), that give race teams the ability to make pre-approved software changes to meet the balance of performance for different racing series.

 

Next, we were shown to another room in the BMW building, where we picked out our race suits, gloves, Nomex socks, and racing shoes. All in red, white, and blue matching the famous BMW M livery on the GT4 cars. Once fitted for our safety, each group is directed to one of two tracks. The Blue Group to the two-mile-long South Palm track to drive the BMW M4 street car in a series of lead-follow laps. My Green group went to the handling course on the BMW campus to get some laps done in the BMW M2. Eventually, we went against the clock and our fellow classmates to see who could set the fastest time on the course in the M2.

 

YES, THAT TRACKS

The handling course starts with a few slow lead-follow laps where the instructor guides the group around the course to learn the optimal line. Then we are let loose behind the wheel of a BMW M2 to try and set our best time. While we did our laps, instructors coached us by radio, with tips on braking points and lines. Thanks to their instructions, I shaved seconds off my laps times and started consistently putting in some of the faster times for our group. We had to wait until the afternoon session to learn who set the official fastest time.

 

After some practice in the M2, we swapped courses with the other group to drive the BMW M4 on the South Palm track. These M4s are standard cars, just like you would buy from the dealer, on performance street tires. The point of this exercise is to familiarize yourself with the track layout and rotation procedure when on the track. The instructor has everyone set the car in M1 mode and had us follow behind his lead car about two-to-three car lengths apart. After a few slower warm-up laps, we start picking up speed and are quickly hitting triple digits on the straightaways. The M4 is good, so the M4 GT4 should be even better. After wrapping up on the track, we headed back to the BMW Center building for a lunch break.

 

Time on the track flies before lunch is served in the BMW café that overlooks the track and provides a great vantage point to watch the private jets land at the airport next door. It was the perfect time to meet your fellow classmates, from a father and son duo who took part in a two-day course to improve their racing skills to a young woman who had never been behind the wheel of a race car. This course is designed to accommodate any skill level.

 

Once lunch was over, our group headed back to the M2 course to set our official lap times while the Blue Group took on the M4 GT4. Unlike the first round on the handling course, our official time was now required, and we also must bring the car to a complete stop in the stop box. Stopping before or after the box netted a two-second penalty. My first lap time was just over 49 seconds, yet as the laps went on, I decreased it to around 46 seconds. The other group would also run through the same course, and our times would be compared at day’s end. Wrapping up at the M2 handling course, we suited up in our BMW racing suits, climbed aboard a few BMW X7s and headed back to South Palm, this time to pilot the M4 GT4 car.

 

ZERO TO HERO

After getting fitted with a HANS device and helmet, our instructors helped us into the car, ensuring our belts were perfectly tight and our pedals and steering wheel were in the correct position. Unlike the M4 street car, the seat is fixed in the M4 GT4. As the pedals and steering wheel move, I immediately noticed the seating position was several inches further back than a standard street car, which shifted my line of sight out the side windows dramatically. After a quick radio check, we fired up the cars and fell into line on the pit road behind the instructor.

 

We roll onto the track, and just like with the M4, we roll through a few slow laps to familiarize ourselves with this very different car. BMW designed the M4 GT4 for customer racing, so it’s one of the most user-friendly race cars to drive. It has simple controls, so by the second lap, it feels like I have been driving it for years. The electronic instrument cluster shows far more information than you would have time to look at on the technical South Palm track. The only thing you need to see is the shift light. So, as you make your way through the gears and hit triple digits on the straights, it is hard not to feel like a hero. The sound, sensation of speed, and the thrill of chasing down your classmates on the straightaway is hard to describe until you experience it yourself.

 

The M4 GT4 has an incredible amount of grip, thanks to the sticky tires and aero package. Having driven a number of race cars over the years, the M4 GT4 is by far one of the most composed and easy to navigate, plus the fact that it can do this while still having A/C keeping me cool and comfortable while racing in the California desert is amazing.

 

After our final lap, we pulled back into the pits, leaving the cars running to help cool them down. As we pulled off our helmets, everyone was smiling ear to ear and talking about how awesome the drive was. We piled back into the X7s toward the BMW Performance Center to change and to hear our final results from the M2 handling course. Back in the classroom, our instructors handed out our completion certificates, USB drives that contained our on-track video, and the top three times from the handling course. I brought in third place, beat out only by a few milliseconds by my friend, Manual. However, we were almost two seconds behind Dave, who obviously spent more time on the track than we did.

 

The BMW M4 GT4 Experience is by far one of the best one-day courses in which I have ever taken part. The fact they can take almost anyone and, by the end of the day, have them lapping a GT4 race car on a track is incredible. It comes down to their talented team of instructors that include men and women who are champion race car drivers, stunt drivers, professional drifters, and most importantly, automotive enthusiasts. For those who want more than just the single-day experience, the BMW Performance Center also offers two additional M4 GT4 packages with private coaching, ideal for those who want to make the jump into amateur racing. 

 

For more information or to book your own experience visit BMWPerformanceCenter.com and visit Principle Automotive at PrincipleAuto.com for more information on any BMW.

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THE JOY OF LIFE

THE JOY OF LIFE

Houston Symphony’s 20th Anniversary Wine Dinner And Collector’s Auction

By Jennifer Roosth     Photography by Wilson Parish

THE SETTING: The 20th Anniversary Symphony Wine Dinner and Collectors Auction, Joie de Vivre: A Celebration of Wine and Music, was held at Houston’s chic and contemporary Astorian, which was completely transformed in blush hues of pink and gold for the lively springtime event. More than 215 guests attended the limited capacity, socially distanced occasion. Upon arriving at the venue, guests’ temperatures were checked to comply with the event’s safety protocols. Attendees then entered the venue, viewed the evening’s silent auction items spread across the room, and enjoyed the champagne reception with Roederer Philippe Starck Brut Nature 2009.

THE STYLE: The décor, created by Taylor DeMartino Design Group, transformed the venue into this year’s blushing theme. As the dinner chimes rang, guests made their way to the tables that displayed delicate floral arrangements consisting of subtle blush pink and champagne-colored roses. The gourmet, multi-course meal prepared by Jackson and Company was paired with wines introduced by Steven McDonald, Master Sommelier of Pappas Bros. Steakhouse. Selections included Gerbais Extra Brut Grains de Celles Rosé, R de Rieussec Bordeaux Blanc 2017, and Henri Villamont Chassagne Montrachet 1ER Morgeot 2016 for the second course, followed by Jerome Castagnier Chambolle Musigny 2017/Pierre Labet, VV Gevrey Chambertin 2018, and Chateau Guiraud Sauternes 2013.

THE PURPOSE: The Joie de Vivre evening raised over $550,00 for The Houston Symphony’s Education and Community Engagement programs. The evening was chaired by Ann and Jonathan Ayre, with honorary chairs Vicki West and Ralph Burch. This year’s auction included rare wines and spirits, luxury experiences, and many other coveted items, including trips to vineyards in California’s wine country, was thanks to Wine Auction Chair Bob Weiner. And the thoughtfully selected wines paired with the dinner was thanks to John and Lindy Rydman and Lisa Rydman of Spec’s Wines, Spirits, and Finer Foods.

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IT’S TODAY

IT’S TODAY

When I was a child actor in community theatre plays and often around mostly adult actors, I looked so forward to being a grown-up. True, I was in a fictionalized cast with fellow actors who were already grown-up, yet I waited in anticipation of being an adult as well. From the hit play near to my heart, Auntie Mame, a breathless expectation of the future, was the cornerstone of the rapid-fire grown-up dialogue. One line still resonates: Light the candles, Get the ice out, Roll the rug up, It’s today!

 

I have a feeling the rest of the world, like we at Society Texas, is lighting candles, getting the ice out, and rolling up the rug as today–and the tomorrows–all bring a breath of welcome fresh air as we move beyond COVID. With the losses and sacrifices from the pandemic still fresh on our minds, as with any problem-solving technique, we’re looking toward the ripe potential that many tomorrows hold.  Because, even though there is so much to accomplish, the Universe is more expansive than our view of it.

 

Each and every one of us gets the opportunity to have a new lease on life with this broader view. As Abraham Lincoln once famously said, “I want it said of me by those who knew me best, that I always plucked a thistle and planted a flower where I thought a flower would grow.” So, my question for many at the again now-often dinner parties and social events is: how will you enhance who you are and what you do for the future? What will you do differently, do better, make right, and how will you view the world in perhaps a different light moving forward?

 

With this in mind, as we are all adults and usually love being one, it’s an exciting time to take steps to reignite and reengage for what’s up ahead in mature ways. Our team is mighty eager to resume what we know and create a bright tomorrow, so what you see in these pages is an unabashedly optimistic look at how much the world and global travel means to all of us. We want it to serve as an inspiration to set sail on new voyages, both literally and metaphorically. Along with our other great stories, profiles, interviews, and insight, we want this summer to be infinitely better than the one before it.

 

So, suit up and dive into life like never before and we look forward to seeing you all across the state…and the globe, because, as we well know, where there is a Texan, there is fun.

 

Lance Avery Morgan

lance@societytexas.com

Facebook, Instagram

 

Photo credit by portrait: Photography by Romy Suskin

 

OH, HOW PARISIAN

OH, HOW PARISIAN

The Order Of The Alamo Hosts The Court Of Parisian Splendour Coronation

 

By Jake Gaines         Photography by Katie Clementson

THE SETTING: Because of the pandemic, the original The Order of the Alamo coronation date in 2020 was moved twice to 2021 when the Order hosted a privately-themed event, The Court of Parisian Splendour, that occurred al fresco with a much smaller attendance and COVID protocol in place. The Argyle was the venue for the Coronation of the Queen and her Court, a reception, and dance afterward. 

 

THE STYLE: An entire stage was built that allowed the court to make a full entry, bow, and then ascend the main stairs of the Argyle. Mistress of the Robes Kate Coiner Park, and the event’s artistic directors, Amy Stieren and Wendy Stieren, began working on the court’s 26 Queen, Princess, and Duchess’ dresses and robes long before the ceremony. The Parisian theme of the gowns was based on extensive research and design to represent the various icons, monuments, and culture from Paris. Then the dresses were draped over the railings of the second and third story verandas. The main “house” of the Argyle served as the evening’s set, while the families and their guests looked on. The intimate setting, and master of ceremonies, Albert Steves, as the Lord High Chamberlain, made it an exceptional event for all who participated.    

 

At the beginning of the show, the Order honored the 2020 The Order of the Alamo President Elliott G. Hayne, accompanied by his three daughters. Representing Napoleon I, Albert Steves V was introduced as the Lord High Chamberlain. After the 24 Duchesses and their Dukes were presented, including six from the Visiting Court and eighteen from the Royal Household, the current 2021 Order President Andrew B. Price and his son, Nelson, arrived to preside at the Coronation of the Queen. The Princess, Hannah Elizabeth Bakke, was presented, after which all rose for the Queen, Elizabeth “Liza” Grace Huey, crowned by 2021 Order President Andrew B. Price.

 

After the coronation, the Duchesses came down to the stage from their seats on the verandas. Their trains remained on the Argyle verandas, and they exited down the main ramp, waving to their friends and family.  Albert Steves’ last words to the audience were “Until the City of Lights beckons again…remember, that Paris…is always a good idea”. 

CHARTING THE COURSE

CHARTING THE COURSE

In this topsy-turvy world, we can always count on intuition and common sense to help us stay the course as we round the bend with the pandemic, according to our infallibly sensible Etiquette Guy, Jay Remer.

Dear Etiquette Guy, 

Can you please help me take the guesswork out of dressing for a summer black-tie dinner party? 

Curiously Dressing Up 

Dear Dressing Up,  

Whenever dressing for any formal occasion, my best advice is to be comfortable, which begins with ensuring your ensemble and shoes fit correctly. Women are fortunate that they have far more flexibility and can wear colorful dresses–short or long, depending on the occasion. This traditionalist advises resisting wearing slacks or skirts for black-tie affairs, as they are too informal. It’s wonderful to enjoy all the flair you wish. Being colorful, chic, and bejeweled is always a winning combination. 

 

For men, I recommend wearing a basic black tuxedo. In the summer, a white dinner jacket is appropriate and preferred, especially in warmer climates like Texas. A crisp white shirt sets off a black suit beautifully, but soft colors can work nicely with a white jacket, especially if the color highlights your best features. A hand-tied black silk bow tie is traditional–and for a good reason–it’s always perfect. Black silk or cotton socks match your patent leather or polished black shoes. If you feel the need to add some flair to your sartorial look, limit it to one item only–a colorful tie with or without matching bright cummerbund, etc. Keeping things simple eliminates the guesswork and achieves a smashing look.

 

 

Dear Etiquette Guy, 

Now that COVID-19 has rounded the corner, what is the appropriate attire at summer weddings, daytime, and evening events? 

  Wedding Wonder 

 Dear Wonderful Wedding Goer, 

As we emerge from the confines of this cruel pandemic, weddings are once again possible. Daytime celebrations are usually less formal than evening affairs. Women have more latitude at afternoon weddings with extravagant hats and flowing chiffon dresses, setting a high style. Slacks and skirts are also appropriate. Remember that comfort is key. Wearing sensible shoes is, well, sensible. Avoid wearing serious jewelry during the day, but please do bring out the bling at night. Sparkle, dazzle and shine as much as you wish. In the afternoon, men may wear casual suits or a snazzy trouser/blazer combo. Traditionally, neckties are standard, but as a more relaxed, comfortable style evolves, ties are becoming optional. For an evening event, ties still create a formal tone, especially if black-tie is not requested.

 

Dear Etiquette Guy,

As pandemic protocol loosens up a bit, can you lend some insight on summer travel etiquette when it comes to interacting with resort staff? 

Off To The Islands 

Dear Island Hopper, 

Traveling this summer will be different than pre-COVID times. Frankly, I’d be less concerned with the staff than with other guests. All hotels, resorts, or other tourism venues should have strict protocols in place. The staff must follow these to the letter. Guests, unfortunately, can be less attentive. In any case, I advise keeping a safe distance, wash your hands appropriately, and wear a mask in close quarters. Avoid physical contact with anyone as a precaution. Use common sense because our safety is everyone’s safety.

 

Dear Etiquette Guy

With school starting back in August, any advice for parents on encouraging our children into a routine again? 

Passionate Parent

Dear Parental Guidance Suggested, 

Raising children during COVID has been the most difficult challenge parents have ever faced in generations. Children thrive on routine and reassurance. They also can understand the reasons why there have been changes and that everyone is struggling–some even suffering. My best advice is for parents to set the pace for establishing their own routine first. Children will naturally follow your lead, especially with encouragement, which is not to be confused with commandments.

 

Above all, have consideration for your children when they are out of sorts and confused. Also, remember to have self-compassion. These times are not easy for any of us, and we must realize that no matter what, we are doing our best. We all deserve grace from time to time. Of course, with any situations that are beyond our ability to handle, professional guidance is available.