Lindsay Lohan was in town to shoot the cover of Plum Miami magazine’s July 2011 issue, just two days before turning herself in to authorities to serve her 120 day jail sentence.  The “concept cover” was developed by Plum Network CEO, Jerry Powers, who also interviewed the starlet for the in-book exclusive. 

Custo,BikramChoudhury,NachoCano

On Saturday night, baseball Hall-of-Famer, Sammy Sosa had drinks at Daniel Boulud’s db Bistro Moderne.  Sosa pulled up in style in a white Rolls Royce Phantom, with his wife, brother, brother’s girlfriend and bodyguard in tow.
 
Bikram Choudhury, Paulina Rubio, Mayor Regalado, Nacho Cano, from Mecano (top-selling Spanish band of all time), Custo Dalmau from Custo Barcelona, and DJ A-ROG were on-hand for the opening of Bikram Brickell Hot Yoga Miami on Saturday evening. In honor of the grand opening, Guru Bikram held a private auction of his favorite classic Rolls Royce, which once belonged to famous American entertainer Gypsy Rose Lee. Proceeds from the auction will benefit victims of the earthquake in Japan.

Basketball legend and sports commentator Charles Barkley squeezed in a
60-minute work out last week with professional trainer Matt Pack at the new
Primal Fit Miami.  When Barkley headed outside for Pack’s signature SUV pulls and pushes, “Sir Charles drew lots of attention amid the hustle and bustle of 2nd avenue.  Before long, police cars started pulling up and people came off the streets, to say hello, shake his hand and chat with the star.  “I wished I would have trained like this when I was playing professional basketball,” Barkley admitted to Pack regarding his signature “primal” workout.

Famed photographer, Greg Lotus had dinner with Eva Longoria aboard a private yacht last week, somewhere on Biscayne Bay.

Jenny Wilensky, Josh Fein, and Jillian Sanz

The Design Center for the Americas (DCOTA) was aglow in purple light on Thursday, May 19, for the highly anticipated, inaugural, Flare for Design, (intentional spelling) which merged the elements of high fashion and design to benefit the Southeast Florida Chapter of The Lupus Foundation of America.  A chic crowd gathered at the center to bid on one-of-a kind auction items, sip cocktails and Veuve Clicquot champagne, nibble on gourmet food by Lyon & Lyon and Blade Sushi and enjoy an animated fashion show narrated by Haute Living’s National Fashion Director, Jilian Sanz, who looked “pretty in peach” in a floor-length, Luca Luca gown.  The fashions, modeled by people living with Lupus, included designs donated by 100% Capri, Alice & Olivia, Elie Tahari, Luca Luca, Malo, Max Mara, Noble Experiment, Trina Turk and Valentino that were sold at a silent auctioned following the event. Guests were also treated to a musical performance by Rees Bridges from the Grammy Award winning band Dirty Vegas. Jenny Wilensky of Creative Fashion Agency Istylie, who lost her mother to Lupus last year, founded A Flare for Design in an effort to educate our community about the disease. Read the rest of this entry »

By: Maryanne Salvat

 John Frieda Tours Miami

John Frieda is embarking on their annual salon tour again this summer (the 18-wheeler that’s turned into a salon on wheels traveling across the country) and they’re coming to Miami’s own Aventura Mall this weekend, May 26 and 27. The tour kicked off in New York with special guests, Kourtney and Khloé Kardashian, and will be hitting the road until the end of July stopping in markets like Dallas, Seattle, Minneapolis, LA and Chicago to give women access to the top stylists in the country—for FREE. As always, consumers can pop in to the “Destination: Style” salon for free hair consultations and styles (no cuts or colors!) from the top stylists and colorists from the John Frieda salons in New York and LA as led by celebrity stylist Harry Josh (clients include Gwyneth Paltrow, Gisele Bundchen, Ellen Pompeo, Amanda Seyfried,  etc). In addition to the style makeovers, consumers will receive advice on hair COLORING since John Frieda is now offering an at-home hair color (Precision Foam Colour). We’ll have tons of technological devices throughout the salon (iPads, virtual tables, etc) that feature “shade advisors” to help them select the best shade for them. For more information on the tour, visit www.johnfrieda.com.

The Fox Hole at Cafeina

Join Cafeina on Saturday, May 28, for Fox Hole, a special Memorial Day Weekend celebration benefiting The Armed Forces Foundation. The Wynwood Art District hotspot invites guests to honor our nation’s fallen soldiers through a spectacle of sight and sound. Patrons will enjoy music by Winter Music Conference DJ Bill Kelly, along with beats by Stingray and DJ A-Train. Indie-rock band Addax will take the stage in the garden. Sword-wielding fire dancers and a sexy burlesque troupe in military fatigues, whose performance will be capped off by a fireworks display, will provide additional firepower. Admission to the event is $5.00 at the door or free with military identification. All guests will enjoy complimentary “American Flag” shooters from 8 to 9 p.m., along with food and drink specials throughout the evening. Active U.S. military personnel receive complimentary Cherry Bomb shots until 10 p.m. Cafeina will also raffle off a $50.00 bar tab to one lucky guest, with proceeds benefiting The Armed Forces Foundation.  For table reservations, contact info@cafeinamiami.com or call 305.438.0792.

Cooking Class with Chef Jonathan Eismann

On   June   4, 11, and 18, get to know the secrets behind nationally recognized Spartico at Mayfair Hotel & Spa in Coconut Grove with a personal cooking class with Chef Jonathan Eismann. Dubbed by Miami New Times as creator of Miami’s best pizza, Chef Eismann welcomes guests into his world and reminds each that “The secret ingredient to pizza is the hand that makes it.” For $50,(adults) and $35(children), guests will be greeted with their own Spartico apron, four course meal and learn the tricks of the trade at the new phenomenal Italian trattoria. Adults will enjoy four glasses of wine along with experience, along with use of an Ambrogi wood-burning oven, seasonally harvested grains and an award-winning chef’s personal instruction. Guests will then enjoy their own-made pizza for lunch!  Classes start at 12:30p.m., reservations required. For more information, call 305.779.5100.

SEE Boutique: Hip Without the Rip

SEE, the largest optical boutique retailer in the U.S., is bringing its innovative, one-of-a-kind collection to Sunset Drive in South Miami. SEE and its founders, Richard and Shelley Golden, will host a grand opening at the new boutique on Tuesday, June 7, from 6:00 to 9:00 p.m. Guests will enjoy specialty cocktails by ZIGNUM Mezcal and Japanese-fusion tapas by RA Sushi in South Miami. SEE will donate 10 percent of the evening’s sales (as well as all sales through Saturday, June 11) to Cedars-Sinai Women’s Cancer Research Institute. Offering fashionable, original eyewear is not SEE’s only focus, Richard Golden has also created a “gouge-free environment” for people who appreciate trendy, luxury eyewear without an absurd price, sourcing directly from the world’s most forward-thinking designers enables SEE to bring true value to the consumer. For more information, visit www.seeeyewear.com.

Lunch with Jeb Bush and Michelle Rhee

On Thursday, June 16, from 11:30 a.m. until 2:00 p.m. at The Four Seasons Hotel, former Governor of Florida, Jeb Bush and Michelle Rhee, founder and CEO of Students First, a movement dedicated to transforming public education throughout the United States, will have a bipartisan discussion to elevate the need to work collaboratively on improving the nation’s public education system. Guests will enjoy a beautiful luncheon while listening to key speakers discuss important issues in today’s education. All proceeds will go to benefit education reform. General admission tickets are $150 per person; Benefactor tickets are $750 per couple, which includes  priority seating and private champagne reception with the speakers from 11:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. For more information visit:  www.marcoislandacademy.com or call 239.404.3622.

Alonzo Mourning, Katrina Campins,Shannon SLam Lawrence and Tracy Wilson Mourning

Celebrity photographer Greg Lotus, who just returned to Miami from a successful exhibition of his high art fashion and figurative photographs at 1stdibs Gallery in New York City, was spotted at an undisclosed Miami location last Saturday shooting Eva Longoria and polo superstar Nic Roldan for Haute Living magazine’s June cover. Penelope Cruz’s brother Eduardo, who is dating Longoria was present at the shoot as well. 

Real Housewives of Atlanta’s Nene Leakes, Kandi Burruss and Cynthia Bailey put on a show (literally) on Saturday, May 14 at National Hotel’s beach. While filming for the next season, the ladies paraded around in their stylish gear — Nene sporting a sexy gold number — attracting the attention of two young men who invited them to play Frisbee. 

Grammy Award winner, Bruno Mars was spotted at WALL Miami lounge enjoying the South Beach nightlife with his band, bodyguard and several unidentified models on the heels of his sold-out performance at the Fillmore Miami Beach arena on May 11. Mars and his entourage enjoyed a VIP table stocked with Grey Goose, Patron and champagne. The seven-time Grammy winner donned his signature fedora and danced on the couch at his VIP table with the bevy of beauties past 3 a.m.  Earlier in the week, Mars was partied at Mansion. 

This past week, patrons of LIV Nightclub at the Fontainebleau got their fair share of celebrity sightings.  Celebrity Apprentice runner up, Lil’ Jon, rocked the house and hosted  on  Wednesday night and LeBron James was also spotted celebrating the Miami Heat win over the Boston Celtics. Reality-star Kim Kardashian and boyfriend Kris Humphries, of the New Jersey Nets, “LIVed it up” on Friday night.  

Before heading to LIV, Kardashian and Humphries dined at Zuma with 6 friends. The couple was seen chatting and kissing during the meal and taking lots of photos together. 

On Friday, Brett Ratner was honored by Miami World Cinema Center as Miami’s most accomplished filmmaker. To celebrate this great honor, Ratner hosted a grand dinner at The Forge Restaurant | Wine Bar with his close Miami friends including owner Shareef Malnik and girlfriend Gabrielle Anwar, Serena Williams, Patrick De Bokay, Anthony and Alina Shriver, Bruce and Nan Weber, Michael Gongora and many more.

The following night, Katrina Campins followed suit by inviting friends to The Forge Restaurant | Wine Bar to celebrate a new accomplishment in her career – the launch of her new company and also to celebrate her dear friend, DJ Irie’s birthday.  Guests in attendance included Alonzo and Tracy Mourning, Venus and Serena Williams, DJ Irie and Gabrielle Union.

Rick Shadyac, Luis Fonsi, Giselle Blondet, Daisy Fuentes, and St. Jude patients Anthony, Karelys, and Stephan

by: Mary Jo Almeida-Shore

Angels and Stars Gala

The stars shone brightly at the 9th annual St. Jude Angels and Stars Gala at the JW Marriott Marquis on Saturday night.  The Havana-inspired bash drew more than 700 supporters and Latin celebrities and entertainers, who gathered to raise funds for the nation’s top-ranked children’s cancer hospital.

Television personality Daisy Fuentes, stunning in a hot-pink silk gown, once again served as celebrity chair.  Award presenters included actresses Angélica Maria and Angélica Vale; Univision television host Giselle Blondet; local personalities, Louis Aguirre, co-host of WSVN’s Deco Drive; Enrique Santos, host of the Univision Radio MIX 98.3 FM morning show and Alberto Sardiñas, host and producer of “Intimo” on Amor 107.5 FM.   Read the rest of this entry »

Debbie Murcarsel-Powell, Dr. John Rock, and Debbie Tano

In celebration of Florida International University’s Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine’s (HWCOM) current and future growth, prominent female philanthropists attended a luncheon and fashion event to support the school and kick off the second-annual benefit dinner that takes place on Friday, November 4. The invitation-only luncheon, part of the college’s ongoing initiative to raise money to support student scholarships, took place from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Tuesday, April 12, at Neiman Marcus at the Village of Merrick Park. The event was hosted by philanthropists Gloria Sesana and Debbie Tano and included a brief presentation from Founding Dean John Rock, M.D. and an exclusive fashion presentation of designer collections by Neiman Marcus.