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Mad Hatter’s Tea Party – April 10th , 10:30am – 2pm

will announce the hat competition winners, continue the fundraising efforts with a live auction and will turn the stage over to Dallas fashion diva, Jan Strimple, for the always highly anticipated fashion show. Following the fashion show, a tented patio luncheon catered by Gil’s Elegant Catering will be served outdoors in the beautiful surroundings of the Arboretum.

This years fashion show will present the beautiful spring fashions and resort wear of Diane von Furstenberg, Escada and Lela Rose boutiques, all located in Highland Park Village.

Celebrating the 26th year of The Mad Hatter’s Tea Party, our 2014 Mad Hatter’s Tea Chair, Lisa Loy Laughlin, Honorary Chair, Gina Ginsburg, Women’s Council President, Bettina Hennessy, and committee members look forward to welcoming the Women’s Council members and guests to an exciting and entertaining “Serenade To Style” at the beautiful Dallas Arboretum & Botanical Garden.

The Mad Hatter’s Tea will begin with a champagne reception at 10:30am in the Dallas Arboretum Ginsburg Family Plaza. At 12 noon in Rosine Hall, our Emcees – Ron Corning, WFAA Channel 8 Daybreak & Jocelyn White

At left is the floral design for the Mad Hatter's centerpiece that will grace each table. Offered for pre-sale at: www.womenscouncildallasarboretum.org, each arrangement features a moss-covered container of spring flowers in mini glass vases. Green plants and a moving butterfly to add a bit of whimsy complete this beautiful bouquet arrangement. Thank you to Women's Council Member, Terry Irby and her floral design team, for creating this beautiful design. Arrangements are $65.00 each, purchased in pre-sale or day of the event if available. They may be picked up immediately following luncheon.

MH Sponsors: The Hair Bar; (Media) MySweetCharity.com, PaperCity, Park Cities News/The Waters Family

Lisa Loy Laughlin, Bettina Hennessy, Gina Ginsburg

A brief introduction of our honorary chair: Gina Ginsburg (of the Ginsburg Family Plaza) has a very diverse background – a magna cum laude graduate of SMU, her pursuits have ranged from modeling, advertising, paralegal work, entrepreneurship (sold her 1st company at the age of 24 & recently launched “The Hair Bar”) She is a wife and mother of two, involved in numerous philanthropic endeavors (including The Fashionistas) and is a commercial jet pilot. And this month she competes in the 2014 Mrs. Texas America Pageant!

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Mad Hatter’s Tea Party – April 10th, 10:30am – 2pm (continued)

• Over the Rainbow: Most Colorfully Flamboyant • My Favorite Things: Chic Couture • The Yellow Rose of Texas: Most Elegant • Tip Toe Through The Tulips: Most Whimsical • Do Re Mi: Most Creative Use of Natural Materials • Edelweiss: A Vintage Look • Best of Show

Representing a variety of creative disciplines, the Mad Hatter’s hat judges are outstanding in every way:

Heidi Dillon is founder of “The Fashionistas,” a non-profit that has launched the careers of emerging Dallas fashion designers, provided fashion design scholarships, hosted the Fashion Talk lecture series, and helped sponsor major fashion exhibitions. Designer, Michael Kors, serves as an Advisor.

Michael Faircloth, a fashion designer with some 27 years of experience creating custom clothing for clients both local and national has earned a reputation for excellence. His elite client roster includes First Lady Laura Bush, for whom he’s designed numerous looks, among them an inaugural gown.

Patti Flowers, a native Texan, is recognized as one of the premier bridal and fine apparel designers in Texas and specializies in bridal, evening, and debutante gowns. In 2006, Flowers launched the Patti Flowers Design Studio, expanding in early 2012 into Dallas’ Uptown neighborhood.

Sam Ratcliffe heads the Bywaters Special Collections in SMU’s Jake and Nancy Harmon Arts Library, whose collections document the cultural history of the Southwest. He has taught courses on the history and literature of Texas and the American West at SMU.

Gary Riggs is principal of one of the regions most sought after design firms and has celebrated over two decades in the ambitious world of interior design. He has been featured in regional and national design publications and heralded as “a leader in conceptual design.”

Clarice Tinsley celebrated 35 years at FOX4 News as the 10pm News Anchor in November 2013. Her many awards include the George Foster Peabody Award, a DuPont-Columbia Citation, an Emmy, three Dallas Press Club Katie Awards, two Awards of Excellence from American Women in Radio & Television.

Maxine Trowbridge – British-born, Max has worked over 20 years in the fashion, luxury and media industries. She is the Dallas editor in chief and group director of PaperCity, has served on the Board of the Dallas Contemporary and currently serves on the board of Fashion Group International of Dallas.

Janine Turner is an actress, public speaker, author and talk radio host of her own radio show, “The Janine Turner Radio Show – Hear the Thunder!,” Janine Turner is a native of Fort Worth and comes from a long line of Texans, including Anson Jones, the last President of the Republic of Texas.

This year we have an illustrious panel of

hat judges to make the difficult decision of selecting category winners from so many outstanding and creative millinery masterpieces. Their photos are at left:

1) Janine Turner, 2) Gary Riggs, 3) Maxine Trowbridge, 4) Patti Flowers, 5) Michael Faircloth, 6) Heidi Dillon, 7) Clarice Tinsley, 8) Sam Ratcliffe

The traditional hat judging will select winners in the following seven (7) categories, looking for integrity of design and the creative use of botanical materials.

(Photo credits: Michael Faircloth photo by Shana Anderson; Heidi Dillon photo from 3/11/11 Anna Pettus interview / annapettusdiaries.com)

This year’s hat categories are noted below, followed by an introduction of our judges:

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All Women’s Council members have received an invitation to the Mad Hatter’s Tea Party. Make your reservations to attend the April 10th event. A limited number of individual tickets are available at $200 or you may consider Patron Level tickets at $250 or Table Sponsorship. Refer to WC-DABG website for patron level details and to purchase tickets on-line www.womenscouncildallasarboretum.org (MasterCard or VISA accepted) or purchase tickets by check (payable to WC-DABG and include names of those with whom you wish to be seated). For additional information, call Sharon Popham at (214) 704-9677. Checks should be mailed to: Sharon Popham, 3 Carmarthan Court, Dallas, TX 75225 . Please have your reservation / payment in no later than Monday, April 7th to ensure your place at Mad Hatters!

Spring Trip To P. Allen Smith’s Moss Mountain Farms : April 28th – 29th (ACT NOW TO GO!)

With healthy living and farm-to-table cuisine all the rage – this trip is bound to be educational and quite simply fun! Meet an expert on this topic and be inspired by P. Allen Smith as he leads a tour of his garden homestead, Moss Mountain Farm. We'll see his personal residence, gardens and farm, have lunch prepared by his chef as well as tour other private gardens and places of interest in the area.

Trip Itinerary:

Monday, April 28, 2014 – Depart Dallas Love Field on Southwest Airlines and arrive in Little Rock. Board a private coach for check-in at the Capital Hotel. The afternoon will include tours and private gardens, followed by a private coach to a group dinner.

Tuesday, April 29, 2014 – Hotel check out and departure for Roland, Arkansas. Arrive at Moss Mountain Farm, P. Allen Smith’s Garden Home Retreat (website: pallensmith.com). Begin a private tour with P. Allen Smith of his personal residence, his gardens, and the farm. Lunch prepared by his chef in the Pavilion decorated with his art. Afternoon garden tour and depart Little Rock on Southwest Airlines arriving in Dallas Love Field at 7:20 pm.

Trip Payment – Cost: $900, all inclusive (airfare on Southwest, single accommodation rooms at The Capital Hotel, meals, fees, transportation, gratuities). Payment by check, made out to "WC-DABG" IS your reservation. Contact Sue John if you plan to go on trip at: (214) 802-8028. Mail checks to: Sue John, 4601 Beverly, Dallas 75209. Go to the Women’s Council website (www.womenscouncildallasarboretum.org) to print form that MUST accompany your payment. We have room for 40 people and can accommodate friends, but only 4 spots left, and must know by April 17th.

(Some details and information above are based upon a February 14, 2014 Dallas Morning News article by Special Contributor, Betsa Marsh, a freelance writer in Ohio.)

Traveling less than an hour west of Little Rock and back 150 years one finds P. Allen Smith’s Moss Mountain Farm. Just outside of Roland, Arkansas, Smith has created a bucolic home base situated on 650 acres – of which 100 acres have been developed. From a hilltop perspective, an 1840’s Greek Revival brick house overlooks a farm that is an organic testing ground for new varieties of fruits, vegetables and trees. Smith and his six high-season gardeners cultivate and care for a vegetable garden, stone-fruit orchard and rose garden and an animal menagerie whose most recent count, was 600 chickens, 100 geese, 150 ducks, 75 turkeys and 40 sheep.

Smith is an author of best-selling garden and cookbooks (ten books at last count), and hosts two public television programs, P. Allen Smith’s Garden Home and P. Allen Smith’s Garden to Table. He also has a radio show and syndicated TV program, P. Allen Smith Gardens.

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Spring General Meeting & Awards Luncheon – May 6th , 10am

Peter Hatch in Monticello garden. From Garden and Gun Magazine, “Southern Heroes, 11 Visionaries Saving the South’s Wild Places,” April/May, 2012

Promise a truly interesting and riveting program on Tuesday, May 6th at the Dallas Arboretum Rosine Hall. Reception begins at 10am with the meeting and program commencing at 10:30am. Our speaker, Peter J. Hatch, is renown in his field and much admired as a professional gardener and historian with 38 years experience in the restoration, care, and interpretation of historic landscapes. A celebrated author of four books on the gardens of Thomas Jefferson’s Monticello, where he served as Director of Gardens and Grounds for 35 years, Hatch has lectured in 36 states on Jefferson and the history of garden plants. Presently, he gardens and botanizes from his home on Lickinghole Creek in Crozet, Virginia, travels extensively to promote his latest work, ‘A Rich Spot of Earth’: Thomas Jefferson’s Revolutionary Garden at Monticello, and consults on the installation and maintenance of both public gardens and private estate landscapes.

If you plan to attend the meeting portion of the program only, call Susan Scullin at: (972) 398-0288 or susanscullin214@aol.com If you plan to attend the “Gardener’s Luncheon,” mail your check for $55 (members) or $60 (guests) payable to WC-DABG to: Susan Scullin, 5040 Bridge Creek Drive, Plano, Texas 75093 by April 28th. If you prefer to pay by credit card, visit the website: www.womenscouncildallasarboretem.org to make payment.

Susan Scullin

and . . .

Vicki Peterson

Additionally, WC President, Bettina Hennessy, will introduce our Founders Award recipient at this meeting.

Retrospective of Past Events Beginning w/ A Writer’s Garden Literary Series – Nov 19th

Masses of gorgeous chrysanthemum, colorful pumpkins and bright fall foliage provided the perfect back-drop for the seventh season of A Writer’s Garden Literary Symposium “Hidden Treasures of Italy” held at the Arboretum’s Rosine Hall on November 19, 2013.

With heartfelt appreciation, we thank Mrs. Trammell Crow and the Astrid and Pat Merriman Family Fund at Communities Foundation of Texas for their support as Platinum Underwriters of the symposium.

Guest speakers Debra Mancoff, Professor of Art History at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, and R.Terry Schnadelbach, Professor Emeritus Landscape Architecture, University of Florida, delighted the audience with their outstanding presentations about the beauty and importance of the garden in art and turn-of-the-century private gardens in Florence.

The highlight of the symposium was Emcee Kathleen Cunningham’s engaging interview with Astrid Merriman about Mamma Agata, her family and their cooking school in Ravello, Italy. With her warmth and quick wit, Astrid vividly brought to life the story of her dear friends, Mamma, Chaira, and Gennaro

A Writer’s Garden Literary Series (continued)

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(cont’d from page 4) and their passion for simple and genuine food and the joy of cooking with love. The delicious luncheon planned by Glenda Krottinger-Cotner was based on recipes from Mamma’s cookbook and featured her famous Lemon Cake for dessert.

We salute Barbara and Steve Durham for their great generosity in hosting A Writer’s Garden Patron Party, Lombardi’s Catering for underwriting the fabulous cocktail buffet and Claire Heymann, Hotel St. Germain, for providing accommodations for our speakers. We would offer a special thanks to Marsha Dowler, Liz Respass, Elaine Belcher, Venise Stuart, Michelle Mew, Jana Shafer, Beth Walthall, Linda Spina, Mary Ellen Winborn, Patricia Keene, Nancy Connor, Joanne McCullough, Eleanor Casey, Allison Freeman, Claire Cunningham, Giana DePaul, Kim Meltzer, Jewel Williams, Katherine Phillips and Bettina Hennessy for all their work.

Attendees thoroughly enjoyed the program, and took advantage of the opportunity to purchase the speaker books, so that every book was sold! Thank you for your support and enjoy the great reads and great recipes you took home.

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1) Jewel Williams, Kathryn Phillips, 2) Michelle Mew, Laurie Kidder, Robyn Carafiol, 3) Debra Mancoff, Markita Thompson, 4) Dorothea Meltzer, Kathleen Cunningham, Bettina Hennessy, 5) Astrid Merriman, Elaine Belcher, Debra Mancoff, 6) Jill Goldberg, Jaclyn Braddy, 7) Doris Jacobs, 8) Renee Farren, 9) Liz Respess, Nancy Connor, 10) Marsha Dowler at Book Table, 11) 12) Patricia Cowlishaw, Marena Gault 13) Maxine & R. Terry Schnadelbach, 14) Beth Walthall, 15, Mary Ellen Winborer, Marsha Dowler, Glenda Cotner, 16) Kathleen & Astrid on stage

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Our Winter General Meeting, held at the Meadows Museum on the SMU campus included a delightful program entitled, “Celebrating Spring: Tablescapes to Dazzle the Eye and Palate” presented by Christy Rost. PBS Chef Christy Rost is the author of three cookbooks, a television and radio personality, entertaining guru, lifestyle authority, cooking teacher, home restoration expert, Registered Nurse, a popular guest chef and presenter for food and wine festivals, home shows, women's expos, retailers, and charities, and is passionately dedicated to the celebration of Home and Family.

Winter Meeting – January 14th

Valentines Tea – February 9th

Special treats for the day included a Pop-Up Boutique by Linda Piepgras’ Commonwealth Couture showcasing elegant vintage clothing and accessories very much in Audrey’s iconic style. Highlights from the collection were modeled by members of the UNT Dance Team who served as hostesses for the tea.

We would like to thank Stacy Johnson with Elegantly Chocolate who designed gorgeous red candy box centerpieces – decorated with silk flowers and filled with her signature luscious chocolates and others whose efforts made the day possible: Judy Birchfield, Carolyn Simons and Linda Spina for providing a warm welcome to our guests; Elaine Belcher, Brenda Claybrook and Mary Ellen Winborn our terrific book sellers; Glenda Krottinger-Cotner for her delightful menu; and Jo Anne McCullough, Gail Vesledahl and Jewel Williams for their assistance with the setup. Additionally, we are most appreciative of others who volunteered their time for the Valentines Tea: Jennifer Cloutier, UNT Dance Team Coordinator and Vendor Liaison; Michele Mew, Invitations, Jennifer Mira, Mailing List, and Beth Walthal and Linda Spina, Women’s Council Website.

An articulate and entertaining speaker, Rost is formerly the host of her own long-running Texas cooking and lifestyle television series, Just Like Home. Christy's expertise in celebrating home and family was featured nationwide in November 2009, 2010, 2011, and 2012 on PBS and CREATE TV stations with her one-hour Holiday production for American Public Television, A Home for Christy Rost: Thanksgiving, centered around her stunning 1898 historic mountain home, "Swan's Nest“ in Breckenridge, Colorado.

Audrey Hepburn – An Elegant Spirit

Swans Nest – Breckenridge, Colorado

This highly-acclaimed show, broadcast annually in 86% of the U.S., is a testament to Christy's passion for family, friends, home, gardening, historic preservation, decorating, food, wine, and celebrating each day around the table with her signature style of casual elegance. (Photos and information provided by Christy Rost website: www.christyrost.com)

Members and friends gathered at the Arboretum Rosine Hall to enjoy a special afternoon Valentine Tea, themed “Audrey Hepburn – An Elegant Spirit. The program featured a presentation by Kathleen Cunningham on the life of Audrey Hepburn. Kathleen brought to life one of Hollywood’s most talented and memorable screen personalities – whose gamin face is forever immortalized in her characters - Gigi, Eliza Doolittle or Holly Golightly to name a few. Relying on photos and personal insights from the

book Audrey Hepburn – An Elegant Spirit by son, Sean Hepburn Ferrer, Kathleen shared a marvelous program that reprised Hepburn’s life in film as well as her later humanitarian work as a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador.

Kathleen Cunningham & husband Randy Willis

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Linda Spina with Landscape Architect,

Rosa Finsley

Spring Trip – March 27th

acres of serpentine paths, dramatic views, hidden secrets, and meticulously manicured plants make up this garden. Thousands of Imperial Carp (koi) create an ever-changing palette of color in the ponds and our late March found the cherry trees to be blossoming so the garden was especially lovely.

Next stop was the BRIT or Botanical Research Institute of Texas – complete with a living roof. With a mission of conservation and education, the new campus was designed to reduce energy and water consumption, enhance indoor environmental quality, and use recyclable/renewable materials. The BRIT’s herbarium contains over a million plant specimens; library has over 125,000 volumes of books.

Then a wonderful lunch was enjoyed at Ellerbe Fine Foods where chef Molly McCook incorporates the freshest local & seasonal ingredients in her elegant, innovative, farm-to-table cuisine. Housed in a 1920’s

First stop on the Spring trip was a visit to the Japanese Garden at the Ft. Worth Botanic Garden; over seven

renovated filling station, complete with the original skylight, the building won a Preservation Project Award in 2013.

The final stop was a private residence in the beautiful area surrounding Rivercrest County Club – a striking Japanese-inspired home designed by Lake-Flato Architects of San Antonio. The group was fortunate to have the property’s Landscape Architect, Rosa Finsley, guide and answer our questions.

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The Brit

The Japanese Garden

Private Japanese Inspired Home

A Woman’s Garden – Update on Donor Naming and Garden Projects

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Donor Naming

We express our grateful appreciation to Elisabeth Evert and her family for their gift as a tribute to Elisabeth’s mother, Joan Harrington Evert. They have dedicated one of the magnificent Japanese Maples located just north of the Genesis Garden . Ms. Evert is a member of The Arboretum and her mother had expressed her great fondness of the garden, especially of A Woman’s Garden.

Garden Projects

We are excitingly moving forward with development of “Via del Lago” – the important pathway which traverses along the lakeside of

Marsha Dowler Patricia Cowlishaw VP Garden Projects VP Donor Naming

A Woman’s Garden. It will provide the needed access to the magnificent garden areas which currently are reached only on the existing gravel path along the lake’s edge. Warren Johnson has provided the conceptual design of this essential element and the survey of the site has been completed. The survey, together with the design, is now in the hands of the engineering company which will provide a comprehensive analysis of the final design. At that time Warren will proceed with production of the construction documents and we will then be able to “start moving dirt!” This twelve-foot wide pathway will be of the same construction -- aggregate with bluestone edging -- as the walkway which traverses the upper levels of A Woman’s Garden and will also provide new naming opportunities.

2013 – 2014 Women’s Council Calendar of Events (Events in brown print are past)

Monday, September 23rd Fall General Meeting, Arboretum Rosine Hall Tuesday, October 22nd Fall Service/Education Trip to White Rock Lake Wednesday, October 23rd Fall Volunteer Day at the Arboretum Thursday, November 7th Board Meeting (5430 Northbrook Drive) Tuesday, November 19th, 9:30am – 1:30pm A Writer’s Garden Symposium/Lunch, Arboretum Rosine Hall Tues. Jan. 14th, 10am doors open, mtg 10:30am Winter Coffee/General Meeting, SMU Meadows Art Museum Thursday, February 6th Board Meeting (4805 St. Johns Drive) Sunday, February 9th , 2pm – 4pm Valentine Tea, Arboretum Rosine Hall Thursday, March 6th Board Meeting (3605 Caruth Blvd) March (date TBD) Spring Trip to Ft. Worth Wednesday, March 26th , 9:30am – 12:30pm Spring Volunteer Day at the Arboretum Tuesday, April 1st Board Meeting (4417 Belfort Place) Thursday, April 10th , 10:30am – 2pm Mad Hatter’s Tea Party, Arboretum Rosine Hall Mon – Tues, April 28th – 29th Spring Trip to Moss Farm near Little Rock, Arkansas Tues. May 6th, coffee 10am, mtg 10:30am Awards Luncheon/Spring General Mtg, Arboretum Rosine Hall

The Women’s Council newsletter is published and archived on-line at our website: www.womenscouncildallasarboretum.org as well as mailed to those members who have requested paper copies as part of their membership subscription. Should you have newsletter submissions or questions, contact me at: cheryl.buckles@att.net or by phone at: (214) 533-7033

From The Editor

Memorials and Honoria

Please remember our “Memorials and Honoraria” opportunities during the year benefiting A Woman's Garden Endowment Fund. A form is in your yearbook and can be sent to Linda Huffhines at: 6 Parliament Place, Dallas, TX 75225