Let the Good Times Roll

Posted by Maryanne Salvat On October - 14 - 2010
Stephen Gamson & Ivette Naranjo

Stephen Gamson & Ivette Naranjo

By:  Mary Jo Almeida-Shore

Maryjoshore@aol.com

The social season is officially upon us, as evidenced by our jam-packed social calendar. We are officially triple booked most nights this month.  Fortunately, Miami’s social-set gets more creative each year, making for interesting and exciting events to keep us busy and entertained erstwhile helping wonderful causes. Here’s a short rundown of some terrific events from the past week.  

Green Room Society

On Thursday night, the Adrienne Arsht Center’s under-40-and-fabulous set — otherwise known as the Green Room Society – held an exclusive preview party at the Center’s new cocktail hot spot, Bombay Sapphire Lounge, located in the art deco Carnival Tower on the Adrienne Arsht Center campus.  The young and lively crowd danced the night away to the sweet soul sounds of DJ Aramis, sipping delicious Bombay cocktails in the indoor/outdoor lounge.  GRS Chairman Max Pierre and Vice Chair Armen Shaomein hosted and toasted, inviting guests to get involved with the Center’s vibrant arts and culture scene.  Bombay Sapphire Lounge officially opens to the public on October 19 – opening night of the Broadway hit musical Dreamgirls.

Stephen Gamson, Subi, & Laurence Gartel

Stephen Gamson, Subi, & Laurence Gartel

 

Cafeina’s Art Auction

Cafeina kicked-off Breast Cancer Awareness month on Friday night with a silent art auction benefiting Susan G. Komen for the Cure Miami / Ft. Lauderdale. Guests bid on pieces by noted artists including Stephen Gamson, Miguel Paredes, Laurence Gartel, Carlos Alves, and former Miami Social star, Maria Lankina and succeeded in raising over $2,5OO for the cause. Guests mingled and enjoyed specialty cocktails and delicious bites while bidding on the one-of-a-kind art pieces, each of which was an interpretation and celebration of the female anatomy.  From a lamp in the shape of a nude woman, to a cartoon set of breasts made of wood, to a provocative photograph of an orchid by Cafeina’s Lina Nasser, (which made you look twice), each work captured the essence of femininity.  Pretty fabulous, wouldn’t you say?

SoBe Arts

The Palm Island home of Miro Viglianesi served as the perfect setting on Saturday night for a bash to support the SoBe Institute of the Arts, which aspires to be the Juilliard of South Beach, according to Dirk DeSousa, who is a supporter and one of the event’s organizers.  More than 400 artistic guests gathered to drink and dance late into the night for this great cause.  Carson Kievman PhD, Executive Artistic Director of SoBe Institute of the Arts shared this, ““It was a spectacular night with hundreds of good friends and supporters having a blast while helping SoBe Arts continue to bring insight, splendor, inspiration, awareness, and positive change to our community”

According to DeSousa, “SoBe Arts is an incredible organization we all want to support, so at this waterfront home, on this beautiful night, with these great sponsors, 400 people are making it happen.” The night was sponsored by Bernie’s LA Cafe (Chef Bernard Matz who also owns Books & Books Cafe on Lincoln), Russian Standard Vodka and Heineken.

Go to www.SoBeArts.org for more information about general donations and sponsoring a child for a season.

photo credit: David Ramos

 

Hope for VisionHope for Vision

Also on Saturday night Hope for Vision’s 15th Annual Party with a Purpose at the InterContinental Hotel welcomed over 500 guests for a magnificent evening featuring top notch food by well known Miami chefs and restaurants, including China Grill, the Chophouse, Chef Allen, and Shula’s to name a few; a silent auction, live music, dinner and dancing. The tables were decked out in hot pink and black brocade tablecloths and lamps and bright flowers, but were empty for a good portion of the night, as the guests could not stop dancing to the fantastic band, (the singer sounded just like Alicia Keys) which played covers from all genres of music- keeping the dance floor packed before, during and after dinner.

According to Congresswoman, Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, a huge supporter of the organization who was in attendance at the party “The mission of Hope for Vision is to eradicate blindness by raising awareness of and funding for retinal disease research to give sight to millions.  95% of each dollar raised goes directly to innovative researchers at leading American medical institutions who employ a broad range of approaches from nanotechnology to gene therapy to biotechnology chip implantation.”

Ros-Lehtinen, is close friend of Betti Lidsky, Hope for Vision’s founder, whose husband and 3 of four children have been stricken by Retinal Pigmentosa.  Ros-Lehtinen also said, “The Lidsky family has shown an incredible commitment to finding a cure for Retinal Pigmentosa and other vision ailments. They have taken personal adversity and channeled their energies toward helping others with vision diseases. Because of their work and the work of the Hope for Vision organization we are closer today than ever before to finding cures for once incurable eye diseases. I am honored to know this magnificent family. They are truly good friends.”  To learn more about Hope for Vision, visit:  www.hopeforvision.org/

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