RA Sushi in South Miami Hosts NYE Remix 

In celebration of 2012, RA Sushi in South Miami will turn back the clock with a New Year’s Eve Remix. On Sunday, January 1, 2012 from 8 p.m. to close, guests can indulge in Sunday Night’s Flying Fish Lounge specials with select sushi, appetizers and tapas ranging from $2 to $7 and drink specials starting at just $3. Additional New Year’s Eve Remix specials include Tootsy Maki, Crunchy Calamari and Shishito Peppers for $5 each and Crispy Spicy Shrimp at $8. For additional information or to RSVP, visit http://www.facebook.com/RAsushiSouthMiami. 

Vitamin C Communications Hosts “New Year’s Forever” at the Bath Club

Vitamin C Communications announces its fourth annual New Year’s Eve event, “New Year’s Forever,” at Miami’s historic venue, The Bath Club. On Saturday, December 31, guests will ring in the New Year with live music, performances and a delectable three-course dinner. The celebration kicks off at 8:00 p.m. with a cocktail reception featuring libations by Brugal and Cointreau. At 9:00 p.m., guests will indulge in a lavish sit-down dinner by Chef Brian Aaron. “New Year’s Forever” is also offering a limited-seating, five-course molecular gastronomy dinner that includes a Piper-Heidsieck bottle for two and five-flight Macallan scotch tasting,u as well as a meet-and-greet with Chef Brian Aaron. Doors will open for general admission at 10:00 p.m. “New Year’s Forever” dinner packages start at $215, five-course dinner (50 seats available) at $295 and general admission tickets at $145. All tickets include a six-hour premium open bar and a midnight Champagne toast. Table service is available starting at $950. To purchase tickets and view full menus, visit www.newyearsforever.com.

Ricochet Celebrates New Year’s Eve

Ricochet lounge invites partygoers to ring in the New Year with piano iconoclast ELEW and sounds by DJ Turk on Saturday, December 31, from 8:00 p.m. to 1:00 a.m. The acclaimed pianist will make it a memorable evening for all, counting down to 2012 with his engaging new style of playing – an inspired fusing of ragtime, rock and pop he calls Rockjazz. Along with this one-of-a-kind performance by ELEW, ticketholders can enjoy open bar until 1AM, passed hors d’oeuvres by Chef Jason Guerrero, a bubbly midnight toast and beats by DJ Turk. For only $100 a ticket, it’s hard to think of a reason not to choose Ricochet Bar & Lounge this New Year’s Eve. Tickets are available for purchase at http://ricochetlounge.com/#section8. For information on table service please call 786.353.0846 or visit www.ricochetlounge.com.

New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day at Mercadito Midtown

With a pulsating atmosphere, live deejay throughout the night and delectable food and cocktails, there’s no better place to usher in 2012 than Mercadito Midtown. Guests can enjoy the restaurant’s regular dinner menu anytime before 8:30 p.m. Beginning at 9:45, the restaurant presents two dining options: Five-Course Sharing Menu ($55 per person) – Whether a girls’ night, family night or night on the town with the pals, Executive Chef/Partner Patricio Sandoval’s signature sharing menu provides the perfect ending to a great year. Seating begins at 9:45 p.m. Prices are exclusive of alcohol. Sharing Menu with Open Bar ($100 per person) – For groups looking to toast the night away, Mercadito Midtown offers its five-course signature sharing menu alongside a two-hour open bar, including a Champagne toast, specialty cocktails, wines by the glass, beer,premium well and tequila under $11 (no shots). Additional hours for open may be purchased for $15 per hour per person. Cure-All Brunch – Start 2012 off right at Mercadito Midtown! Guests can continue the party on January 1with an unforgettable Mexican brunch. They can order from the a la carte menu, or opt for the family-style “Perfect Hangover Cure” for $18 per person – which includes three sharing menu items for the table and one cocktail each – or the “Ultimate Hangover Cure” for $30 per person – which includes three sharing menu items for the table and unlimited cocktails for 1.5 hours. Served from 11:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Reservations for New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day Brunch are highly recommended and can be made by calling (786) 369-0430.

Ring in the New Year at Kitchen 305  

Kitchen 305 at The Newport Beachside Hotel & Resort is the ultimate party destination for celebration on December 31, with multiple ways to ring in 2012. A festive pre-party starts at Kitchen 305 from 8:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. featuring a top shelf open bar and passed hors d’oeuvres for $40 a person. Partygoers looking for something more substantial to savor can reserve a table for an all-inclusive, four-course dinner for $55 per person. The special New Year’s Eve dinner menu starts with Maryland crab bisque with chives and double whipped cream followed by a garden bouquet salad with poached pears, goat cheese medallions and raspberry champagne vinaigrette. Entrée choices include Hong Kong style, yuzo glazed sea bass with garlic baby bok choy; petit filet mignon; jumbo crab in béarnaise sauce accompanied by butternut squash; or roasted duck with black currant sauce. Dessert choices include flourless chocolate cake with cherries jubilee or Chef Chris’ signature apple strudel with warm, vanilla bean ice-cream. Guests can add an open bar tab to dinner from 8 p.m. to 10 p.m. for only $25 more. Countdown the last days of 2011 and dance the night away with celebrity DJ Mike Fusion from Los Angeles who will spin the hottest tracks with DJ RZ Spinzs and DJ UZO (a.k.a The Black Russian) starting at 10 p.m. Zhantra Dancers and a live band will provide additional entertainment. Latecomers can join in the festivities with a complimentary glass of sparkling champagne and party favors for a midnight toast for $25 per person. For reservations, call 305.749.2110 or visit www.kitchen305miami.com.

Celebrate New Year’s at the Bank 

The Bank vault lounge and gallery is proud to announce its New Year’s Eve 2012 celebration, which will feature beats by Troy Kurtz as well as a cryogenics gun show performed by the Illuminautians dancers.The modern speakeasy’s New Year’s Eve celebration will feature a Boardwalk Empire theme complete with a cryogenics gun show by dancers clad in 1920’s costumes. Guests will follow a red carpet into the vault that will feature Prohibition-era décor throughout the venue.Individual tickets ($100) and VIP table reservations ($1,200 – $10,000) are available for purchase and include premium open bar (9 p.m. to midnight) as well as a complimentary champagne toast at midnight. The Bank’s VIP vault, located behind the black granite bar, will offer the ultimate experience for up to ten people with five premium bottles, limousine service for the night, and a personal bottle waitress and security guard ($10,000).

For individual ticket purchase and VIP table reservations, call 305.373.1515 or visit www.thebankmiami.com.

Joey’s Italian Café for Drinks and Dancing

Joey’s Italian Café is gearing up for celebrations to ring-in the New Year. On New Year’s Eve, DJ Beastwood will spin and mix funk and 70’s tracks while guests dance the night away. Open until 2:00 a.m., Joey’s will serve their regular dinner menu as well as special dishes crafted by talented executive chef Ivo Mazzon. Chef Ivo’s a la carte specials include trippa spezzatino – tripe stew and mixed seafood salad for appetizers. Main-course selections include lamb shank with asparagus pure; lobster risotto; and cotechino with lentils – a traditional Italian sausage dish served on New Year’s Eve. For dessert, enjoy the delicious panetone ubriacone – drunken panetone. Joey’s will also offer a special pizza and wine pairing menu, where the resident sommelier will give his suggestions as to which wine pairs best with which pizza. Pairings include the classic pizza margherita ($9), fresh tomatoes, mozzarellas and basil, paired with Lambrusco Scintilla D’Amore ($7.00 per glass/$29.00 bottle); and verde ($13), scamorza and mozzarella cheese, eggs and parmesan, paired with I Tre Vescovi, a Barbera red wine. For more information and reservations call (305) 438-0488 or visit www.joeyswynwood.com.

Reggie Bush and DJ Irie

 By:  Mary Jo Almeida-Shore

It was time to get together, take some time to celebrate: in between frantic trips to the mall, egg nog overdoses and merriment galore.  A couple of terrific parties took place on South Beach, during an otherwise slow party week.  From the Irie Foundation bash to the Little Lighthouse’s swank toy drive cocktail, the week of “Christma-kkah” shone bright with the spirit of giving.

Irie Foundation Helps Kids

Our own favorite Miami Heat DJ, Irie, a celebrity in his own right and an all-around-great guy, threw a holiday bash in a waterfront manse on Indian Creek to benefit the Irie Foundation which seeks to improve the lives of South Florida’s disadvantaged youth through educational and extracurricular opportunities.

The party was co-produced by Ludus, a local athletic company/lifestyle apparel brand, in a setting to rival Santa’s Enchanted Forest in terms of lights, decorations, props and surprises- we’re talking carolers, Santa; and models (barely) dressed as toy soldiers, elves, nutcrackers and characters from Tim Burton’s A Nightmare Before Christmas.  Read the rest of this entry »

Over the weekend, Young Jeezy stopped by Philippe Chow Miami just before closing time, causing Chef Philippe Chow to stay well after the restaurant closed to cook for him and his large group. Larry Johnson was also there, at a different table, with Sidney Rice. Alonzo Mourning and Patrick Ewing were also spotted at the bar having cocktails with Philippe Chow’s CEO Stratis Morfogen.

Just before Christmas, Brett Ratner dined at the Forge with a guest.  The following day, Mean Girls’ actor Jonathan Bennett in town to spend time with his family, was seen at the Forge enjoying signature dishes.

Late on Christmas night, after their loss to the Knicks, the Celtics landed in Miami and headed straight from the airport to Philippe Chow Miami where Chow cooked for the entire team (over 150 chicken satays, lobster with ginger and crispy beef) in the private wine cellar where Kevin Garnett, Jermaine O’Neill and the rest of the team watched the Golden State game until after closing.

Comedian, Gilbert Gottfried performed at Ricochet on Monday.

Scotty and Larsa Pippen attended TAI Entertainment’s Tuesday night party at the Shelborne along with a few hundred locals.

Resting at the Raleigh

As any “Baselite” will confess, short breaks are the life-blood of a successful Basel week.  The Raleigh hotel provided such respite from the art madness at the Architectural Digest sponsored lounge in the back Oasis area. During the afternoons of Friday December 2 and Saturday, December 3, special guests flocked to the Oasis to sip Macallan, which was poured from a specially branded bar and enjoy art, food, cocktails, music and spa treatments. Read the rest of this entry »

By: Maryanne Salvat 

Super Chef Geoffrey Zakarian Celebrates at the Tudor House 

Food Network’s ultimate culinary battle officially ended last Sunday when Tudor House’s Chef & Partner Geoffrey Zakarian conquered Elizabeth Faulkner in the exciting holiday-themed finale of The Next Iron Chef: Super Chefs. Tudor House is celebrating the victory with specials drawn from Zakarian’s “Next Iron Chef” creations.  These include an amuse bouche of Halibut Crudo with Coconut, Lime and Olive Oil, Truffle Scramble Eggs ($28) and Caramel Pork Belly with Artichokes Bariguole ($24). All of these dishes will be available through December 31. Chef Geoffrey Zakarian’s first foray into battle as an Iron Chef will premiere on Sunday, December 25, at 9pm ET/PT.

Zakarian’s restaurants include Tudor House in Miami and The Lambs Club and The National in New York City.  He also oversees the dining program at The Water Club in Atlantic City.  He will now appear regularly on “Iron Chef America,” demonstrating his razor-sharp knowledge of culinary techniques in this fast-paced cooking competition.  When not battling in kitchen stadium, Zakarian stays busy filming “CHOPPED”, where he is featured as a recurring judge, and highlights his favorite dishes on “The Best Thing I Ever Ate.” For reservations or more information, visit www.tudorhousemiami.com or call 305.534.8455. 

Digest Miami Holiday Survival Guide

Digest Miami is celebrating the holidays with the Digest Miami Holiday Survival Guide, composed of mouth watering holiday dishes from some of the city’s leading chefs. Specially created for the Holiday season, this extensive collection features recipes from twelve Chefs, many of whom are James Beard winners or nominees. Since the introduction of Digest Miami, it has garnered the interest of the best Chefs in South Florida and now allows you to step into the kitchen of some of our favorite restaurants. The Survival guide is a comprehensive step-by-step resource for anyone wanting to create the perfect holiday meal, from appetizers like Chef Michael Shikany’s Foie Terrine, to main courses like Paula DaSilva’s Rack of Lamb and Peter Vauthy’s Standing Rib Roast. The menu also includes side dishes like Chef Paul Griffin’s Asparagus Al Forno, Chef Michelle Bernstein’s Patatas Bravas and Chef Dana Brizee’s Truffle Mac & Cheese. And to add a bit of decadence we’ve included desserts such as Chef Antonio Bachour’s Panna Cotta and Chef Miguel Aguilar’s Bread Pudding. Specialty cocktails from Morton’s Steakhouse and Wynwood Kitchen complete the menu. For more information about DIGEST MIAMI, visit www.digestmiami.com or contact Nick Betancourt | 786-287-1725 | Nick.Betancourt@yahoo.com or Tima Zein | 305-752-9400 | press@digestmiami.com. 

Arquiste:  The Debut Fragrances 

A scent is a time capsule. It can invoke our most intimate memories and dreams, and open doors to distant worlds. Created by an architect specializing in Historic Preservation, Arquiste is a fragrance collection that transports the wearer to evocative moments in history. Meticulously researched using authentic sources and crafted with only the rarest of ingredients, each fragrance restores the olfactive experience of a particular time and place, allowing both women and men to unlock personal revelations and experience history in a most intimate way. Available at The Webster Miami priced from $165.

MatzoBall® at LIV 

A holiday in its own right, the Society of Young Jewish Professionals, JDate and SLEEK MedSpa bring back the MatzoBall® on Saturday, December 24. Celebrating 25 years, the high-energy event starts at 8 p.m. at Miami’s own LIV (you must be 21 or older to attend). Adding to the party-frenzy, for the first time ever, the MatzoBall has spawned a sister party, The Big Chill, geared towards the 25 and older crowd, which will take place at Arkadia. Tickets to each event are available for advanced purchase online at www.matzoball.org or at the door – cash only for $30. A group ticket granted access to both MatzoBall and The Big Chill is available online only for $50.

December Spirited Dinner with Revolucion Tequila

In presenting Miami’s hottest monthly series, Mercadito Midtown is pleased to feature Revolucion Tequila for the last spirited dinner of the year on Wednesday, December 28 at 8:30 p.m. Throughout the evening, Chef/Partner Patricio Sandoval will present four gourmet, sharing courses – all prepared using Revolucion Tequila. Cocktails created by the award-winning Tippling Bros. will also showcase the spirit, and will be paired with several courses. The cost is $45 per person (exclusive of tax and gratuity). Mercadito’s expert culinary team, as well as a Revolucion ambassador, will be on hand to answer any questions. Visit www.mercaditorestaurants.com/midtown to view the menu.

Max Shore, Geoffrey Zakarian, and Rocco Shore

 We were thrilled to meet Chef Geoffrey Zakarian– winner of Iron Chef Super Chefs last Sunday, during brunch at his South Beach restaurant, the Tudor House, housed in the Dream Hotel.  Zakarian was welcoming and posed for photos with guests who enjoyed stellar menu items including:   truffle scrambled eggs, spaghetti and meatballs, stone crabs, a perfect frittata and selections from the dessert cart dubbed the “dessert dim sum cart.”  Every single bite was as delightful as the chef/owner himself.  Also in attendance for Sunday brunch (which is also served on Saturdays) were South Beach Wine and Food Festival founder, Lee Brian Schrager and famed DJs, Andrew and Andrew.

Also at the Dream Hotel, is Highbar, where nearly 1,000 people attended Playboy’s Soiree D’Art, which transitioned into Nur Khan’s pop-up lounge, Electric Room.  Notable guests in attendance included: supermodel May Andersen, designers Dean and Dan Caten, Dallas socialite Matt Nordgren, Mercedes Kilmer, Fabiola Beracasa and several well-known artists. 

Chef Aaron Sanchez of Food Network’s hit series, Chopped and Heat Seekers, dined at Sugarcane raw bar grill a few days ago. The young TV star chatted with executive chef Timon Balloo, who made Sanchez try his chicken neck dish. Sanchez said he had a great time and loved everything he tasted. Also at the Midtown hotspot Tuesday was artist Romero Britto who ate, drank and relaxed on the sidewalk café for a few hours. 

At Sushi Samba Dromo on Saturday, Alex Rodriguez stopped by for casual lunch. The baseball star, who was by himself, frequents the restaurant and is reportedly consistently friendly and polite to staff. 

Actress Jane Seymour, designers Juan Carlos Arcila-Duque, Vincenzo Avanzato, Lars Bolander, Tamzin Greenhill, Wade Allyn Hallock, Larry Laslo, Lynda Murray, Mario Nievera & Keith Williams, James Wall, and Deborah Wecselman joined ELLE Decor editor-in-chief Michael Boodro for the grand opening event of the ELLE Décor Showhouse at the Paramount Hotel on December 2. 

Also on December 2, Dean & Dan Caten, designers of DSQUARED², and Stephen Gan, Editor-In-Chief of VMAN magazine, hosted a private cocktail dinner at the Webster.  Attendees included: Cecilia Dean, Renzo Rosso, Naomi Campbell, Bruce Weber, Dwyane Wade, Gina Gerson, Lily Donaldson, Stella Schnabel, Eva Chow, Leigh Lezark, Greg Krelestein, Geordon Nichol, Derek Blasberg, Ladyfag, Laure Heriard Dubreuil, Lady Victoria Hervey, Maurizio Marcolin, Andres Velencoso, and, Miguel Iglesias.  Guests styled in DSQUARED2: Stella Schnabel, Lady Victoria Hervery, Ladyfag, Jilian Sanz, and Miguel Iglesias. 

The White Cube party at the Soho Beach House had its fair share of fabulous people on November 29. Guests included Damien Hirst, Angel Otero, Giovanna Battaglia, Vladimir Restoin-Roitfeld, Alessandra Codinha, Antony Genn, Casey Fremont, Jeremy Kost, Vikram Chatwal, Jazzy de Lisser, and Harif Guzman.

Architect-turned-designer John Brevard recently unveiled his premiere jewelry collection and a sneak preview of the highly anticipated John Brevard 2012 Shoe Line, featuring the “Dripping Shoe” from the Morphogen series.  Guests in attendance included Victoria’s Secret and Christian Dior model Marta Lynchnuk, model Karina Gubanova, owner of BLO Blow Dry Bar Kailey Magder, Paola Rengifo of la Design Studio. 

Janet Jackson dined at Zuma after her concert on Monday night.

Michael Jordan was spotted at STK over the weekend.