By: Maryanne Salvat

Cool Off With a Sweet Treat at Gelato-GO

As the summer months in South Florida continue to heat-up, cool off with the most decadent of frozen treats at Gelato-Go. Located in the heart of South Beach, Gelato-Go is the destination for a divine dessert with a healthy twist. With an array of different flavors all created and in-house by Chef Antonio, with the exception of Pistachio that is actually flown in from Italy (and they have a certificate to prove it!), choices are endless and are secretly formulated from healthy ingredients (no preservatives). Gelato-Go menu also includes: Gelato Spaghetti, Sunny Side Up Gelato, Waffle Chocolate Cup, Sicilian Cannolo Gelato, and a Yogurt Gelato Fruit Salad; for more information or delivery visit: http://www.gelatogo.net. 

Miami New Times’ Iron Fork Kicks-Off Miami Spice 2013 

On Thursday August 1, Miami New Times’ Iron Fork and the Greater Miami Convention & Visitors Bureau join forces to kick off two months of discounted three-course meals at Miami’s best restaurants during Miami Spice. Hosted at the Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts on Biscayne Boulevard, in Downtown Miami, the 2013 Iron Fork will draw thousands of diners and food lovers from across Greater Miami. In true Iron Chef Style, two of Miami’s hottest chefs will go head to head or spatula to spatula to compete for the highly coveted Iron Fork Award.  To purchase tickets or for more information visit: www.arshtcenter.org. 

We Love Miami Spice 2013

Now that Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Swim 2014 has come to a close, we can all take a breath and break our diets once and for all. Miami Spice the highly anticipated dining experience is upon us again this summer and thankfully with an extension. Set to run from August 1 – September 30, 2013, features close to 200 participating luxury and fine dining restaurants in Greater Miami and the Beaches. Sponsored by MasterCard Priceless Miami, Norwegian Cruise Line, BACARDÍ ®, Stella Artois and Wines of Chile, this year foodies can enter to win savory prizes and make reservations on the newly enhanced Miami Spice website at www.iLoveMiamiSpice.com.  From the opportunity to dine at a Miami Spice participating restaurant with a group of friends,to the chance to win one of eight cruises from PortMiami to the Eastern Caribbean on Norwegian Cruise Line’s newest ship, Norwegian Getaway, there are prizes to please any palate.Food aficionados will marvel at this year’s Miami Spice program, which offers an affordable and convenient way for consumers to experience some of the best dining and nightlife in Miami. Participating restaurants will present discounted three–course lunch and dinner menus featuring a choice of an appetizer, entrée and dessert as part of the fixed price, excluding tax and gratuities. Luxury dining: three course prix-fixe lunches at $23 per person, dinners at $39.  Fine dining: three course prix –fixe lunches at $19 per person, dinners at $33.

  Senses: An Evening of Art and Dining  

In celebration of their 10^th anniversary and in an effort to raise funds for CIFO Family Programming, the Cisneros-Fontanals Art Foundation (CIFO) will host an interactive moving dinner party with Chef Michael B. Jacobs, Friday, August 2, from 7:00 p.m.-9:30 p.m., at the CIFO Art Space in downtown Miami. Dubbed Senses: An Evening of Art and Dining, the event will feature a demonstration of video works from CIFO’s private collection, artfully paired with dishes by The Hidden Kitchen’s chef Michael Jacobs, along with hand-crafted libations from The Corner. Guests will begin their evening with aperitifs in CIFO’s enchanting Piazza before being ushered through the CIFO Art Space to explore a flowing demonstration of the relationship between art, food and drink. Tickets for the moving dinner are priced at $90 per person and can be purchased by calling 305.415.6343 or visiting www.cifo.org. A portion of proceeds will benefit the CIFO Family Programming, which provides affordable in-gallery children’s workshops lead by local artists. The first 20 tickets purchased will be only $75. CIFO is also raffling a pair of tickets through their Facebook and Twitter accounts; like of follow their pages to be in the drawing.

Barbie™ The Dreamhouse Experience™ 

Barbie® doll’s iconic Dreamhouse® has been transform into a real-life attraction for fans of all ages.  Visitors can play in Barbie® doll’s world like never before with this interactive 10,000-square foot experience open to the public at Sawgrass Mills Mall. The first-ever touring life-size Barbie® Dreamhouse® – located in Florida – is a must-see destination for this year’s family vacation. The seven-room, multi-story Dreamhouse® features engaging activities kids will love including Barbie® dolls’s signature pink elevator, her coveted “endless” closet and a walk-through “glitterizer.” Tickets for this one-of-a-kind experience are now on sale at: BarbieDreamhouse.com and Ticketmaster.

 By: Maryanne Salvat 

Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Swim 2014 

South Beach will once again come alive this July, as the swimwear industry’s most highly anticipated event returns for the ninth year. Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Swim will heat up the sands of The Raleigh Hotel with five days of designer runway shows, presentations and parties beginning on July 18 through July 22. IMG Fashion is proud to present an extensive list of incredible designers who will be presenting their latest Collections including: AGUA BENDITA, POKO PANO, DOLORES CORTES, WILDFOX SWIM, BEACH BUNNY, NICOLITA, AQUA DI LARA, MARA HOFFMAN SWIM, VIX SWIMWEAR, CIA.MARITIMA, BCBGMAXAZRIAGROUP, GOTTEX, OAKLEY, L*SPACE BY MONICA WISE, A.Z ARAUJO, LULI FAMA, CAFFE SWIMWEAR, MAAJI SWIMWEAR, SAUVAGE, ZINGARA SWIMWEAR, 6 SHORE ROAD, A.CHE SWIMWEAR, AGUACLARA, AQUARELLA SWIMWEAR, CAITLIN KELLY SWIMWEAR and MINIMALE ANIMALE. To kick-off this exciting event ROXY will be showcasing their designs and celebrating 25 years in the industry with ROXY Pop Surf at the Raleigh pool deck on Thursday evening. Title sponsor Mercedes-Benz is joined by DHL, American Express, TRESemme, Smashbox Cosmetics, Ipanema, The Raleigh, Ocean Drive Magazine and Getty Images; for the official schedule visit:   http://miami.mbfashionweek.com/home.   FUNKSHION: Fashion Week Miami Beach SWIM On July 17, FUNKSHION Fashion Week Miami Beach will swim into its 24^th season in Miami Beach. Debuted in 2003, FUNKSHION has brought Miami to the forefront of the South Florida Fashion World, working with designers from Miami, Latin America, New York City, Milan and Paris.  FUNKSHION offers an opportunity for designer collections to come to life, merging the worlds of fashion and music.  As with every season, since the inception of Funkshion, most shows are open to the general public free of charge.  Potential guests do need to officially rsvp at:  WWW.FASHIONWEEKMIAMI.COM Or  WWW.FUNKSHION.COM.

STYLE SAVES SWIM 

On Friday, July 19, stay stylish by giving back! To kick-off Miami Swim Week, Style Saves will host an exclusive event at the ultra-chic Soho Beach House, Miami, coordinated by In House Ideas. STYLE SAVES SWIM presented by Schick Quattro For Women Trimstyle, will celebrate the launch of CABANA, the beachwear trade event. For the third year, Style Saves’ Annual Fashion Show Fundraiser will gather 400 of Miami’s most recognized and influential people together to support Style Saves’ mission of “building confidence through clothes and giving a fresh start through fashion” to local underprivileged students in South Florida. In collaboration with The Miami Foundation, Style Saves’ mission is to imbue students with the self-confidence and assurance they need to succeed, both academically and personally. The event will feature three back-to-back designer fashion shows, sponsored open bar and sounds by DJ RUEN. FORD models will strut the runway showcasing designers from CABANA, the beachwear trade event and looks from swim retailer ATRIUM. To open the show, Venezuelan men’s swimwear line Crasqi will make their Swim Week debut. Guests will enjoy cocktails by Belvedere Vodka, Peroni Nastro Azzurro beer and Perrier Sparkling Natural Mineral Water, plus sweet treats from Stella’s Sweet Shoppe. The Funclick interactive photo booth sponsored by Metro 1 Properties will let guests capture memories to take home using the hashtag #stylesavesswim. Presenting sponsor, Schick Quattro for Women TrimStyle is the perfect partner to the swim theme, encouraging gals to get bikini-ready with the only razor and bikini trimmer in one. Fashion magazine Vogue Brasil and lifestyle publication Haute Living will cover the event as media sponsors while World Red Eye shoots as the official photographer.Tickets are $150 in advance and $175 at the door. To purchase tickets, visit: http://stylesaves.charityhappenings.org/; To learn more about Style Saves visit, www.stylesaves.org.

One year after the launch of The Paradise Fund: Miami, join for a night in historic 1957 Havana in grand “Paradise” fashion. Havana in the early 1950′s was a top tourist and nightlife destination. Havana, in its heyday, became known as the Monte Carlo of the Caribbean. Swanky Hotels, Cabarets, Nightclubs and Casinos could be found in abundance. This year, guests will be transported back to Havana’s glory days! Come enjoy tropical cocktails, seasonal bites, freshly rolled cigars and live, Cuban music from the era. Proceeds from the event will benefit The Paradise Fund’s Haiti-based education and development projects. Individual tickets are $150

2^nd Annual Youth Fitness Clinic

On Saturday, July 20 Little Lighthouse Foundation is calling all volunteers to participate in the 2^nd annual Youth Fitness Clinic at Ansin Sports Complex hosted by Rosenhaus Sports and participating clients. From 9AM – 12PM, 250 youth will participate in outdoor activities with twelve drill stations highlighting simple athletic movements. Each station will be equipped with volunteers, featuring cones, tackle dummies, ladders, passing, and more. Past NFL participants include Plaxico Burress, Jared Odrick, James Pruitt, and Robert Bailey. The Youth Clinic is free of charge and beverages and a commemorative t-shirt will be provided to all participants. If you are interested in volunteering or know youth interested in participating, contact Reed at Reed@v2rgroup.com or 305.417.8553 for a registration waiver.  

Taste of the Nation

South Florida  Share Our Strength, the country’s leading anti-hunger organization and producer of the highly respected annual nationwide culinary benefit, Taste of the Nation, dedicated to raising funds and awareness for the fight to end childhood hunger across America, is getting ready to roll.  Now called Taste of the Nation South Florida and bigger than ever, this year the region’s premier culinary benefit is showcasing more than 50 fabulous restaurants from both Dade and Broward counties, the finest wines and spirits, and an impressive array of auction items.  The much-anticipated event will take place Thursday, July 25, 7:00 p.m. – 10:00 p.m., in the spacious main ballroom of the Loews Miami Beach Hotel. Tickets, priced at $125 per person as well as VIP tickets priced at $250 per person and providing access to the event an hour before the doors open, are available at: www.tasteofthenation.org. One hundred percent of ticket sales go to Share Our Strength to fight childhood hunger. 

By: Maryanne Salvat

Dave and Buster’s ‘Next Big Game’ Contest

“If you win the contest to create a new game, what could possibly be a better reward than free games for life at Dave & Buster’s?”

Kevin Bachus, senior vice president of Entertainment

Pac-Man, Donkey Kong, Street Fighter, all legendary games that have been played and loved by millions; Now, in a ground-breaking competition, Dave & Buster’s is turning to its guests to continue that tradition of arcade game greatness by asking one simple question: what’s your big game idea? Dave & Buster’s has partnered with VH1, MTV and Comedy Central to launch a new contest in search of the ‘Next Big Game’.  As an industry leader in entertainment, Dave & Buster’s is taking games to the next level, by giving the public a chance to come up with the next legendary game concept. The contest is currently running until July 15, and is open to residents of the continental United States.  The winner will not only have the opportunity to have their winning game designed as a mobile app or featured as an arcade attraction in Dave & Buster’s nation-wide, but may also win free games for life. You can enter the contest online at http://www.NEXTGAME.cc.com.

Win A Gucci Fiat 500 at Cameo

Every guest who visits hotspot Cameo during the month of July will receive a raffle ticket upon entry to win a Fiat 500 by Gucci. Cameo is in possession of one of the hottest cars on the road right now, the ultra-hot Fiat featuring those unforgettable red and green stripes, and one lucky visitor will drive away in it when the winner is announced on CameoMiami.com on Saturday, August 3. For more information visit the Cameo website or hit up Cameo Miami Beach.

Midtown Pawn Boutique

On July 13, from 6:00 to 9:00 p.m., Midtown Miami officially welcomes Midtown Pawn Boutique, an upscale, revolutionary, Miami-style take on the traditional notion of “pawn.” According to Co-Founder Adriana Hernandez Jimenez, it’s like the Neiman Marcus of Pawn, the Mercedes-Benz of Pawn, the Tiffany’s of Pawn. The Boutique features a giant mural that takes up the entire front and side of the large brand-new building – one that took over 5 years to complete. The mural, created by Wynwood artist and girl-power darling, Diana Contreras (best known for “Sofia Rose”), will be unveiled at the grand opening. The subject of the mural might seem an odd choice for a pawn shop, until Hernandez tells the story behind it. It is inspired by Queen Isabella, who, as legend has it, pawned the crown jewels of Spain to fund Christopher Columbus’ speculative voyage to “India,” an investment so successful that it lifted her kingdom out of a crippling debt that almost ruined it.Guests are encouraged to “Bring An Asset” to the party and have it appraised – an Antiques Roadshow-inspired way for guests to jump in and learn firsthand what their often-overlooked possessions are worth. Valuation Specialists from a variety of fields, from art and jewelry to antiques and handbags, and everything in between, will be onsite educating guests on “the story of their stuff.” During the event, donations will be gratefully accepted to benefit Dr. Gigi’s Raise Me Up Foundation, a non-profit 501(c)3 that provides free recreational programs, family support services and therapeutic programs to children with special needs in the South Florida Community.

 By:  Mary Jo Almeida-Shore  

Best Bar- South Beach- The Broken Shaker 

The Broken Shaker, the casual yet stylish bar at the quaint Freehand Hotel, is a bohemian speakeasy with a refined cocktail program at an accessible price point.  It’s one of the quaintest, liveliest bars this side of Paris, which serves up the most delicious drinks, made from the freshest and most authentic ingredients you’ll find anywhere with such attention to detail that even the ice is precisely cut to match each cocktail.  Oh, and the best part? Each drink and the delicious light bites won’t empty your wallet.  Read the rest of this entry »