You hardly need a theme in these dog days of summer to inspire a positive turnout at your off-season charity event. After all, the competition is slim. Most nights are free. Our dance cards are achingly bare.

But when organizers of Rose Petals — the spanking new youthful/philanthropic branch of the Rose Ribbon Foundation — planned their launch party, they couldn’t resist embracing a petal motif.

Chairs Denise Lepow, Stacy Soefer and Katherine Orellana ordered that hundreds of red rose petals be strewn around the party space in Bice Lounge. The “Rose-tini,” an Imperial vodka martini with a floating rose petal, was the drink of choice for the 150 enthusiastic party goers. And a few guests dressed in rose-hued fashions, including Cindi Rose, who with her husband, Dr. Franklin Rose, created the Rose Ribbon Foundation to provide financial aid to uninsured cancer patients requiring reconstructive surgery.

The heady mix of roses, candlelight and, perhaps, the vodka smoothed the way for Ed Chapman, who proposed that night to his best gal, Angelica Ximenes. Cheers all around!

Among the young professionals packing the lounge were Brittany Reichek, Dustin Palmer, Julie Soefer, Lindsey Love, Stefanie Solomon, Dustin Palmer, Dax Deason, Megan Conley and Lily Paxson. With DJ Little Martin spinning discs, the dancing and the party went on until closing time.

While there was a whole lot of mixing and mingling going on among the younger set, party veterans Jack Rains and Carolyn St. Clair settled onto one of Bice’s white leather sofas to view the action.

Matthew, baby

If only we had been cruising the Glen Iris subdivision Friday afternoon. We might have ambled down Angel Lane, where Matthew McConaughey, his buddies and the folks from Oprah Winfrey’s Angel Network were completing a community playground. Glen Iris is the neighborhood where Winfrey and her viewers, through the Angel Network, have funded 65 Habitat for Humanity houses for Katrina and Rita evacuees.

It was as much a party as a build with Clyde Drexler’s barbecue and the tall man himself providing an early supper for the crew and neighbors. Who Made the Cake! provided two giant sheet cakes to satisfy the communal sweet tooth.

Earlier in the week, McConaughey’s assistant had contacted cake designer Nadine Moon and ordered a special Texas-style birthday cake for one of Winfrey’s producers who was celebrating her special day on the site Friday. It was so hot in the party tent, Moon reports, that she and husband Jerome Moon had to keep the cakes in their car with the AC running for the two hours before dessert time.

Earlier in the day, Roger Clemens stopped by to lend a hand and another note of celebrity. The night before, McConaughey and friends had been Clemens’ guests at the Astros game.

Song bird

It’s been a whirlwind summer for homegrown talent Steve Tyrell. After completing a six-week musical tour through Europe playing jazz fests in Italy, Spain, England and Turkey, he headed directly to Costa Rica for major R&R.

Joining Tyrell on the beach were his children, his best gal Sylvia Connors and his sister and brother-in-law, Roz and Alan Pactor.

And for those who’ve been wondering — yes, Tyrell is booked again for a holiday stint at the Carlyle in New York. Reserve your ringside table Nov. 7-Dec. 31.

Sight ‘ems

San Diego Padres catcher Mike Piazza, pitcher Chris Young and their wives late-night dining at the Strip House. . . .

Fleming’s Maeve Pesquera taking bows at the Junior League, where Cindi Rose hosted a baby shower in Pesquera’s honor. The restaurateur’s third son is on his way. . . .

Martha Turner Properties’ Cindy Burns and Walter Bering lunching at Paulie’s.

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