The legendary philanthropist and hostess talks martial arts, Alice Munro and the Texas spirit.

The arts are so important because…
I feel the culture of a city reflects its soul and the more choices of greatness we can offer, the brighter our flame will grow.

The philanthropic causes most important to me…
The Star of Hope Mission for the Homeless, The Princess Grace Foundation, The Houston Ballet, The Houston Grand Opera, The Museum of Fine Arts Houston, The Alley Theater, the American Hospital of Paris, The Brilliant Lecture Series for Youth Leadership, The Versailles Committee

The best piece of advice I ever received was…
Live in the moment. Laugh a lot and love a lot.

Favorite designers…
Karl, Carolina, Ralph, Oscar, Prabal, Georgio and Tory for her great jeans and tops.

My style is best described as…
Class with a dash of sass but never trash.

The secret to being a good hostess is…
To do all the preparation and work, even at the last minute, then when the doorbell rings, have fun at your own party.

The key to making a guest feel comfortable…
Is to just be yourself, and your guest will feel at home.

The best thing to serve for dinner is…
Delicious conversations.

Favorite piece of art is…
The Great Wall of China

I love being a Texan because…
The Texan girl has an innate can-do spirit, a combination of athletic prowess and smarts!

Book I’m reading now…
Alice Munro’s Runaway. Munro has an understanding of people dealing with life between women and men that is eye opening.

Favorite martial arts move…
Mental discipline

Favorite place to get away…
Tasajillo Ranch in South Texas

Favorite saying…
Live life as an adventure and be profoundly grateful for all the gifts in life that you have been given.

A wink or a smile?
Always a smile. The wink can come later.