Angels, Stars, Makeovers, Divas and Celebs Galore

Posted by Maryanne Salvat On May - 23 - 2011
Rick Shadyac, Luis Fonsi, Giselle Blondet, Daisy Fuentes, and St. Jude patients Anthony, Karelys, and Stephan

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.  

During the gala, Latin Grammy Award-winning singer and songwriter Luis Fonsi received the 2011 “Al-Rashid Hope Award.  After a Grey Goose cocktail reception, silent auction, scrumptious dinner and uplifting performances by St. Jude patients, award-winning duo Chino y Nacho and Spanish singer Antonio Orozco got the crowd on the dance floor until late in the evening.  Notable attendees included:   Jose Antonio Alvarez, Jorge Bernal, Isabella Castillo, Adriana Castro, Adriana Cataño, Azucena Cierco, Alejandro Chabán, Tanya Charry, Pamela Silva Conde, Poncho de Anda, Mariela Encarnacion, Jeannette Kaplun, Karla Monroig, Cynthia Olavarría, Gloria Ordaz, Maritza Rodriguez, and Mercedes Soler.

“During the past nine years we have seen how the Angels and Stars Gala has become a way in which the Latino community supports the mission of St. Jude,” said Daisy Fuentes. “I am very proud to be part of this wonderful event and I am happy to see how the Latino entertainment community continues to provide support to children of St. Jude.”  Make a donation and learn more about St. Jude at www.stjude.org/miamigala

Suzy Buckley, Tui Pranich, and Iran Issa-Khan

Suzy Buckley, Tui Pranich, and Iran Issa-Khan

Extreme Makeover:  Tui Lifestyle Edition

Internationally renowned designer, Tui Pranich showcased his latest collection during a viewing party for the debut of his furnishings on ABC’s Extreme Makeover: Home Edition, on Thursday night at his flagship Miami Design District showroom: Tui Lifestyle.  ABC chose Tui Lifestyle because of the company’s innovative concept of furniture delivery and installation in 72 hours. Several of Pranich’s A-list friends and fans of Tui Lifestyle joined the designer for the celebration, including: Iran Issa-Khan, Suzy Buckley, Susie and Walid Wahab, Sam Robin, Michael Leondas Kirkland, Dr. Rian Maercks, Brazilian actor Joao Bounassar, Matt McDonald, John Schulte, Angelo Rodriguez, and over 100 fans. The evening continued at Michael’s Genuine Food and Drink where Pranich and Issa-Khan held court at a table of intimate friends, (including yours truly).  Conversations ranged from Issa-Khan’s stories from Paloma Picasso’s recent birthday party in Manhattan, to Pranich’s many inspiring travels, to Maercks’ ground-breaking surgical techniques, to Kirkland’s elk-hunting expeditions, to Joao Bounassar’s latest film Rendezvous, which debuts on DVD this week.  Pranich left the following morning for a quick New York trip to prepare his SoHo Greene Street showroom for a photo shoot. 

ElaineDivas at Bongo’s

Last Monday night, songstress, Joey Arias flew in from New York City to join local diva, Elaine Lancaster for an evening of music and a bit of scandalous humor at Gloria and Emilio Estefan’s Bongo’s Cuban Café at Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino.  Arias performed renditions of songs by Bob Dylan, Diana Ross, Cream and his muse and Billie Holiday. Enjoying the intimate evening:  Emilio and Gloria Estefan, Merle and Danny Weiss, Dr. Julio Gallo, Michael Leondas Kirkland, Joao Bounassar, Dr. Julio Hernandez, Frank Navarro, Atilla, Ryan York, Jody McDonald, and Ricky Salazar to name a few.  Arias and Lancaster sang Happy Birthday to art agent and promoter Mykel Stevens as the house joined in.  Lancaster hosts a not to be missed show at Bongo’s Café at the Hard Rock every Monday night.

The following evening the dapper Brian Gorman hosted a reception for Arias at his Lords South Beach Hotel penthouse and rooftop terrace where guests sipped cocktails under a beautiful moonlit sky.  Justin Keeperman and Erin Michelle Newberg served as Gorman’s co-hosts. Hadley Henriette, Josette Wys Katz, John Lin, Nick D’Annunzio, Lauren Foster, Josh Fein and many others attended the party.

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