
Michael Gongora, Michael Capponi, and Deede Weithorn
By: Dr. Mary Jo Almeida-Shore
Can you believe it’s been five years since SET Nightclub opened its doors on Lincoln Road? The VIP mega-club with the most European flair in Miami celebrated its birthday in grand style, with an Amazonia themed bash hosted by Michael Capponi, Eric Milon, Francis Milon, Roman Jones, Gilles Curtat, Laurent Bourgade and Beto Biscaia. The jet set celebrated 5 years of SET with a grand affair at Michael Capponi’s gorgeous new Hibiscus Island residence. The two-story waterfront home emulated a soulful environment with amber lighting for the cocktail party, while rhythmic sounds by DJ Adam Lipson alongside live drum percussions set the tone. Afterwards locals and models (and local models) – many of whom dressed in bohemian attire and carried branded tambourines – proceeded to the main event at SET, which was magnificently transformed into an Amazon Jungle for SET’s five year anniversary party, in anticipation of its upcoming renovation. Guests in attendance included Miami Beach City Commissioners Michael Gongora, Deede Weithorn, Jerry Libbin; North Miami Councilman Michael Blynn; Music Artist Melky Jean; and Professor Deborah Mash.
At the party, we caught up with Capponi and picked his brain about his latest project. Well-known for his philanthropic work in the local community and in Haiti, Capponi’s latest endeavor incorporates the principles of Satya Yuga. Capponi’s focus will continue to seek to create event experiences that increase energy and connection. Building bridges with today’s thought leaders, paradigm shifting speakers and world music that unite hearts and cultures. The Satya Yuga or “Age of Truth” is often thought of as the Golden Age of Man. During this age, goodness and high ideals rule supreme. Human intelligence and consciousness are at their peak. Capponi plans to produce several of these events in the near future. Proceeds from these specific events and festivals will be distributed to various global charities. Stay tuned…

photo courtesy Miami New Times
The Olympics, the Odyssey, Mama Mia … just a few great gifts from Greece. Oh, and the food, let’s not forget the main one! To our delight, we recently took a trip to Greece- without ever leaving the ground and sampled some of the best it has to offer at the shiny new, Estiatorio Milos- an opulent Grecian temple serving the most decadent seafood feast this side of the Aegean Sea. With the focus on finding the best the world has to offer and an emphasis on fresh fish and seafood- the pricey fish dishes are well worth the investment (especially given the fact that said fish was caught – in a protected fishing area in Greece- just 20 hours prior-and flown to the restaurant). Milos is the latest installment of Costas Spiliadis’ international restaurant empire, where the finest seafood delicacies from around the world are caught and arranged over ice in the back of the stunning room. Waiters invite customers to select their entrées before they are cooked to perfection in the kitchen. The menu lists prices by the pound ($49-$90) which can become a Mensa challenge after a few bottles of Greek wine.
From the moment we walked into the immense, cavernous space, we were taken aback by the wall-to-ceiling imported marble that fills the restaurant- there are two striking 13,000 pound hand-cut marble slabs straight from the mountains of Dionysus mounted with chains to show its raw form- which serve as a screen for the movie Zorba the Greek (which plays around the clock). We also loved that Frenchie, our fabulous waiter brought over a tiny terra cotta pot of Greek oregano to snip to season our olive oil before the Bacchanal began.
We started with the assortment Mediterranean spreads and the Milos special, a tower of paper thin zucchini and eggplant flash fried until crispy and served with a tangy, creamy Tzatziki dipping sauce; the grilled octopus, fresh Maryland all-crab crab cake and a glass of one of three hundred wines. For our main course, the European sea bass was char grilled to perfection with just a hint of olive oil, sea salt and parsley. The sea-salt-crusted preparation of the fish is also a crowd pleaser. We suggest also ordering a steak- Creekstone Farms’ finest. For dessert, we were treated to a mound of house-made yogurt drizzled with Kythiran honey and walnuts AND the silky dark chocolate mousse cake (it came all the way from Canada-and gets flown in daily). The service at Milos matches the exceptional quality of the food. Our waiter took us on a field trip around the restaurant to peruse the two-dozen varieties of market-fresh fish packed in crushed ice and to explore the expansive open kitchen and the brilliantly engineered charcoal grill replete with contraptions which cook the fish to perfection- directly on the coals- the chef maneuvers a giant wheel by hand to control the temperature. We also checked out Marketa, Milos’ 20-seat eat-in marketplace adjacent to the restaurant, where we sampled spoon sweets, and picked up the aforementioned delectable spreads, Greek wines, cheeses, meats and just about anything under the Grecian sun. You can also enjoy a more casual fixed-price meal at the quaint Marketa.
Visit Milos with someone who you aim to impress (and who conveniently has an expense account). From top to bottom, our experience at Milos was worthy of Mt. Olympus. Milos is located at 731 1st Street, Miami Beach. Telephone: 305.604.6800. Website: http://milos.ca/restaurants/miami.