Alan Peppard

Perhaps the most dependable face on the Dallas gala scene is retiring. Since 1970, Tomas de la Mata has been welcoming guests to the Fairmont Hotel. He's been catering director since 1983.

But on July 3, the charming Spaniard will retire.

He's been the glue that has held together countless debutante balls, political fundraisers and celebrity appearances.

Tomas first came to the United States to work the Spanish Pavilion at the 1964 World's Fair in New York. By 1968, he was working the HemisFair in San Antonio. (I was there, too, though at 5 years old, I remember only the view from the top of the 750-foot Tower of the Americas.)

Soon thereafter, he was a captain in the Pyramid Room at the newly opened Fairmont in Dallas.

In 1978, Tomas was hired away by the new Anatole. But the Fairmont lured him back four years later, making him catering director.

After he retires this summer, Tomas and his wife, Pamela, will reside in Dallas.

Two of Hugh Hefner's girlfriends, Holly Madison and Bridget Marquardt, turned up in Dallas for the auditions for the 55th annual Playboy Playmate Search. But the stars of E!'s The Girls Next Door reality show also got in some playtime at Hotel Palomar.

Holly, Bridget and some of their Playmate pals turned up at Trader Vic's, where they enjoyed mai tais and dancing.

Everybody Loves Raymond star Ray Romano apparently liked the local vibes when he hit town to play Nokia Theatre in Grand Prairie with Brad Garrett.

He had an extended stay at the Four Season Resort and Club, where he played golf on the Cottonwood Valley course.

That was former Dallas and Walker, Texas Ranger femme fatale Sheree J. Wilson in Lakewood recently with a film crew. She was shooting scenes for the Web series Pink, created by Dallas filmmaker Blake Calhoun.

Fourth-generation Dallasite Christopher Nichols has published his debut novel, Dallas Blood. In the book, a young theater director tells of directing the first U.S. production of Federico Garcia Lorca's play Blood Wedding.

Founder of Dallas' New Arts Theatre, Mr. Nichols knows of what he writes. He is the son of famed artist Perry Nichols, one of the Dallas Nine, whose murals and glass etchings can be seen at the Inwood Theater.

Dallas Blood is available through Amazon.com, Borders.com, Barnesandnoble.com and Target.com.

"Rock and Roll, Hoochie Koo" ace Rick Derringer took a break from his weekend gig at the Dallas International Guitar Festival by popping into Al Biernat's for dinner Saturday night with his band.

"We sat him in the Rock Star booth, of course," says Biernat's manager Brad Fuller.