By: Maryanne Salvat

MIYO Home Presents Noelia Madiedo: “Untouched”

MIYO Home is proud to present Noelia Madiedo: “Untouched,” an exhibition of travel photography exclusively for MIYO Home. On Thursday, April 3, MIYO Home is teaming up with Amigos For Kids, anon-profit organization committed to child abuse awareness and prevention, to kick-off the annual ING Miami Celebrity Domino Night. To commemorate the upcoming annual signature fundraiser ING Miami Celebrity Domino Night, MIYO Home will donate a portion of the evening’s proceeds to Amigos For Kids. For the unveiling of the photography exhibit, Noelia Madiedo will personally introduce 25 limited and numbered works in editions of 19 that will be on display and available for purchase at MIYO Home until June 2014. 

Taperia Raca 

Chef Giorgio Rapicavoli and business partner Alex Casanova, the talented young duo behind Coral Gables’ foodie favorite Eating House, launch their latest concept, Taperia Raca, a casual and fun Spanish tapas restaurant and wine bar, Friday, March 28 at 7010 Biscayne Boulevard, in the heart of Miami’s MiMo District on the Biscayne Corridor.A trip to laidback Spain, the cozy restaurant seats 16 inside and offers an expansive outdoor garden seating 40. Inspired by the laidback atmosphere of the Corridor, area vintage stores and quirky architectural motifs, Rapicavoli and Casanova put art and music at the center of the experience with brick lined walls, cardboard bullheads and a custom made mural to the tune of Spanish reggae music. Taperia Raca accepts reservations via CityEats. Telephone: 305.751.8756. Website: www.taperiaraca.com. Twitter/Instagram: @Taperia_Raca. 

Funkshion: Fashion Week Miami Beach

Funkshion: Fashion Week Miami Beach celebrates its 26^th season this week in South Beach.  As with every year, FUNKSHION: Fashion Week Miami Beach, will fuse music and fashion like no other city in the world does!!  FUNKSHION: Fashion Week Miami Beach is a four day/evening long event for designers to showcase their new collections. As with every season, they allow the general public to attend free of charge. Highlights will include HOLT, Miami Based; KrelWear, and also a Del Wear swim show with a live band made up totally of Military Veterans hosted by producer Stephan Morris.   Guests can rsvp at:  WWW.FASHIONWEEKMIAMI.COM Or  WWW.FUNKSHION.COM.

 An Intimate Evening with Roger Sanchez

Grammy Award winner and architect of the electronic dance music movement, Roger Sanchez, will be giving an exclusive performance at The Setai this Thursday March 27 from 9:00 p.m. to 1:00 a.m. With Opening sets by Joey Grenier and Lupe Fuentes, revelers can expect an unforgettable night of musical boundaries being pushed. RSVP a MUST and table reservations strongly advised as capacity is limited. RSVP/Table Reservations: Setai@statusluxurygroup.com

Dr Diane Walder. Marisa Tpucin Lucas, Jennifer Valoppi, Adriana de Lima, Donna Karan, Merita Feldenkreis, Krista Rosenberg, Carol Lacovelli, Suzy Buckley Woodward, Carol Iacovelli

Robert Redford was on-hand for the National YoungArts Foundation’s presentation of the world premiere of The Way of the Rain Miami, a collaborative  performance art piece featuring an all-star creative team directed by Sibylle Szaggars Redford (the wife of the award-winning actor). The unique multidisciplinary show paid homage to Earth and its universal elements through the exploration of light, sound, color and texture.  The following  night, YoungArts presented the second of six YoungArts Salons, featuring the Redfords once again.  Sponsored by the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation, the discussion on art, activism and environmental awareness was moderated by Knight Foundation Vice President/Arts, Dennis Scholl. 

Saks Fifth Avenue & Donna Karan New York presented a dynamic Spring 2014 Runway Show, followed by a private after party at the SLS Hotel last Thursday night. Donna Karan, hosted the event with guests including Adriana Lima and Pitbull.  Guests sipped Belvedere Vodka cocktails poolside while enjoying the exclusive, invitation-only event.  

In Miami to mark the launch of a new bebe sunglasses collection Thursday night, Sports Illustrated cover girl and Victoria’s Secret model Nina Agdal celebrated with DuJour Magazine’s Jason Binn at WALL at W South Beach. Agdal dined with Binn along with bebe CEO Steve Birkhold at Milos prior to the party. She chatted about her upcoming birthday which she’ll be returning to South Florida to celebrate.  

Sun Sports HEAT TV broadcasters and two of South Florida’s leading sports media personalities, Eric Reid and Tony Fiorentino celebrated the eighth annual Reid & Fiorentino Call Of The Game Dinner & Celebrity Golf Classic on Saturday night. At the party, MVP and World Champion of The Miami HEAT, LeBron James, accepted the evening’s most prestigious accolade in front of a star-studded capacity crowd, that included Miami HEAT coach Erik Spoelstra, owner Micky Arison, Dwyane Wade, Gabrielle Union, Alonzo Mourning and Tracy Mourning.  Miami HEAT President, Pat Riley, took to the stage to give a moving tribute and introduction to the legendary Miami Dolphins Coach Don Shula, before both Riley and Shula presented James together with The Don Shula Sports Legend Award.  

Seen dining at MC Kitchen last week on different days, tennis player, Martina Navratilova, Miami Heat player Dwyane Wade and fiancée Gabrielle Union, sportscaster Bryant Gumbel and Burn Notice’s Sharon Gless. 

International tennis superstar and Calvin Klein model, Fernando Verdasco paid a visit to Perfecto Restaurant in Brickell Monday night. Accompanied by friends and his trainer,  he reportedly left a note declaring the quaint gastropub his new favorite restaurant. 

Miami Heat super star “Birdman,” Chris Anderson was seen keeping fit for the upcoming finals with a house-made turkey burger at Brother Jimmy’s Restaurant in Brickell.

 By: Maryanne Salvat 

Funkshion: Fashion Week Miami 

Funkshion: Fashion Week Miami Beach celebrates its 26^th season!! As with every year, FUNKSHION: Fashion Week Miami Beach will fuse music and fashion like no other city in the world could do. FUNKSHION: Fashion Week Miami Beach will utilize the fashion tents at Collins Park in Miami Beach as the location for all shows.  FUNKSHION: Fashion Week Miami Beach is a four day/evening long event that provide an intelligent, innovative platform for progressive and established designers to showcase their collections to media, celebrities, international buyers, and select style makers. The shows are geared towards designer diffusion collections and innovative lifestyle brands; general public to attend free of charge. First 100 people to rsvp – per show. Visit WWW.FASHIONWEEKMIAMI.COM Or  WWW.FUNKSHION.COM  for a full schedule.

Wolfsonian-FIU Inaugurates Power of Design 2014: Complaints 

The Wolfsonian-FIU inaugurates Power of Design 2014: Complaints from March 20 through March 23. The four-day think tank uses art to highlight challenges and initiate collective problem-solving by exploring the relevance of ideas. The festival unites world-renowned thought leaders and visionaries from multiple fields including Pulitzer Prize–winning author Michael Chabon, virtual reality pioneer Jaron Lanier, designer Todd Oldham and Wired magazine powerhouse Clive Thompson for discussions, presentations and performances in an effort to sway locals from dissatisfaction to action. This year’s topic of “Complaints” is not intended as a gripe fest but rather an ideas exchange on what comes next: action, innovation, and solutions. Thursday events are free to the public. On Saturday, March 22, Sean Donaldson, hair mastermind, beauty expert, and owner of Sean Donaldson Hair in Miami Beach, invites the public to confess their inner insecurities at the “Complaints” program. Beauty, life, and wellness experts will play high priest and priestesses giving the best realistic solution to those with complaints related to hair, skincare and body image from 12:00 to 5:00 p.m.  Tickets to the entire festival are $1,000 and include exclusive dinners with special guests. http://powerofdesign.wolfsonian.org/about.

MOCA Presents a Night of Music

The Museum of Contemporary Art North Miami will host a special evening of chamber music featuring musicians from The Cleveland Orchestra Miami and UM’s Frost School of Music, Thursday, March 20 at  8:00 p.m. A total of 24 musicians will take part in a diverse program which includes musical selections by J.S. Bach, Béla Bartók, Claude-Paul Taffanel, Alejandro Viñao and Witold Lutoslawski performed in an intimate museum setting.  The program will include the premiere of two new chamber works by Frost composition students Peter Learn and Richard Yates under the direction of Andrés Jaime, a doctoral student in conducting at Frost.The event showcases the musical collaboration between Cleveland Orchestra Miami and Frost School of Music during their annual residency and is presented in partnership with MOCA. General admission to Music at MOCA performance is $20; $10 for MOCA members, and University of Miami students and faculty.  To purchase tickets, visit www.mocanomi.org or call 305 893 6211. Advance purchase is strongly recommended as seating is limited.  

 The Miami-Dade County Youth Fair & Exposition has joined forces with Miami Rescue Mission to help feed the hungry of south Florida, while offering Youth Fair guests an opportunity to support the cause and earn a special discount. From Friday, March 14 through Sunday, March 30, guests who bring two cans of food per person to the designated tent area in the front gate area, will receive a coupon that can then be presented at any Main Gate Ticket Booth in order to receive a $4 discount off admission.  The canned items will be deposited into a large container, allowing visitors to see the impact their donations are making to assist Miami Rescue Mission, whose volunteers will be on-hand to assist guests. Gates open on weekdays at 3:00 p.m.; weekends and spring break at noon, March 21 through March 30. General admission is $12 with FREE admission every day, all day for children 5 years and younger, as well as adults 65 and better.  Parking is always FREE! Preferred parking is available for $12 per vehicle.  Preferred parking is limited.

Afrojack Launches Capsule Collection at G-Star RAW

Next Thursday, March 27 EDM producer and DJ, Afrojack will be launching his new capsule collection done with G-Star RAW at the G-Star RAW Miami Beach store. The event is open to the public and will run from 2:00 to 4:00 p.m. To RSVP, contact  g-star@exposure.net.

By: Mary Jo Almeida Shore 

A Night at The Museum 

Every year, the Bass Museum of Art hosts, arguably,  one of the most fun nights that can be had IN an actual museum. Last Wednesday’s fundraiser was no exception, bringing together a select group of the city’s leading arts patrons, socialites and tastemakers for the museum’s annual fundraiser, “A Night at the Museum.” The 500+ guests dressed to the nines, as the event invitation suggested, “creative black tie” for the multi-room, indoor/outdoor fete which was sponsored by Vogue México and Latin-America and Escada, and offered a private preview of Vanitas: Fashion and Art– the museum’s latest exhibit which presents fashion in a transformative light-  we’re talking  dresses made from poppies, real butterflies, skeletons…but don’t want to give too much away.  To describe it officially, Vanitas: Fashion and Art explores the theme of vanitas as expressed in avant garde ready-to-wear and haute couture as well as in contemporary paintings, sculptures, industrial design and new media. The exhibition includes work by contemporary designers and artists.”  The collection is showcased  through a  collection of historic frames,, strategically placed to provide an interactive encounter between the art and the viewer. Read the rest of this entry »

EXPRESS Runway Show at the Raleigh Hotel

EXPRESS will take over the Raleigh South Beach on Thursday, March 13 for an exclusive runway show presenting the newest collection for 2014. Special guest appearance by Miami Heat favorite Chris Bosh and live music by DJ A-Trak will set the mood for the evening. The party starts at 4:00 p.m. and the fashion show at 7:00 p.m. RSVP required for attendance by March 12; RSVP@Express.com must be 21 and older to attend. 

bebe’s Sunglass Collection 

Supermodel Nina Agdal and the face of bebe, will be presenting bebe’s Sunglass Collection on Thursday, March 13 from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. at the boutique’s Miami Beach location. Agdal will be greeting fans at her personal appearance along with other attendees Marysol Patton and Adriana de Moura; Must RSVP to events@bebe.com to attend. Open to the public.

BrazilFoundation 

On Saturday, March 15, BrazilFoundation, a nonprofit organization that raises funds to support social projects in Brazil, will hold its third annual gala at the new Pérez Art Museum Miami. Sponsored by American Airlines, Artefacto, Audemars Piguet, St. Regis Bal Harbour, Goldman Sachs and Credit Agricole, the evening will bring together over 450 guests to generate resources for the community-led initiatives funded by the BrazilFoundation.  The evening will feature live music by Batuque Samba Funk, and a performance by Miami City Ballet School Ensemble and Quabales.  Notables including international supermodel Adriana Lima, Brazilian television personality Sabrina Sato, Latin Grammy Award-winner Ivete Sangalo, among others are expected to be in attendance.

Patricia and Phillip Frost Museum of Science‘s Annual Galaxy Gala 

On Saturday, March 15, the Patricia and Phillip Frost Museum of Science‘s annual Galaxy Gala will benefit the Museum’s new building under construction in downtown Miami’s Museum Park. The Patricia and Phillip Frost Museum of Science’s Gala Committee is led by co-chairs Nancy and Jonathan Batchelor and Nicole and Edgar Lozano. Philanthropic Chairs are Trish and Dan Bell and Host Chairs are Alicia Cervera Lamadrid and Alberto Lamadrid. This year’s Galaxy Gala will take place at the JW Marriott Marquis in downtown Miami. The event will be an out-of-this-world sensory experience incorporating interactive screens and preview technology that will be showcased at the new Museum. Guests will experience a seasonal transformation that begins in a tropical environment complete with lush greenery and palm trees before being whisked away to a winter wonderland featuring LED icicle chandeliers and falling snowflakes. The party will continue once the Gala winds down with the Museum’s Big Bang young professionals after party. Catering to young professionals ages 21 to 40, the Big Bang begins at 10:00 p.m. with a cocktail hour and at 11:00p.m., the doors will open to the main event where attendees will join Gala goers and “crash” the party. The Gala will then be transformed into a nightclub-inspired event with a DJ, dancing, special performances and cocktails. The Gala is expected to sell out again. Individual tickets start at $500, with tables ranging from $5,000 to $50,000. For information on tickets and sponsorships, please visit www.miasci.org/gala or contact Ruth Robinson at rrobinson@sciencegala.com. The Big Bang is also expected to sell out. Tickets can be purchased at: http://ypbigbang.eventbrite.com/ or by contacting Thamiah Tutt at ttutt@miamisci.org or 305.646.4283.

BritWeek Miami, the annual celebration of British culture and industry excellence in South Florida, kicked-off its series of events for a second year on Thursday, March 6, with the second annual UK Trade & Investment (UKTI) Great Business Innovation Awards Gala at The Viceroy Hotel in downtown Miami. The evening gala and awards honored the most innovative British companies and individuals. The 2014 Entrepreneur of The Year Award was presented to Sean Yazbeck by Her Majesty’s Consul General, Kevin McGurgan OBE, of the British Consulate-General Miami. After winning season five of Donald Trump’s The Apprentice, the British expat set-up the telecommunications services company, WAVSYS, which today is an Inc 500 Fastest Growing Company in America, employing more than 500 people and providing over $100 million of services. A portion of the proceeds resulting from this year’s BritWeek Miami will benefit the Little Dreams Foundation – recording artist Phil Collins’ non-profit charity organization that has recently started its operation in South Florida to help advance the youth and children with an artistic and musical talent.

On February 21, Fisher Island Club hosted an exclusive interactive dinner, “Starry Night: An Evening with Tyler Florence,” in conjunction with the Food Network South Beach Wine & Food Festival presented by FOOD & WINE. More than 70 Fisher Island Club members and VIPs attended the event inside the Club’s historic Vanderbilt Mansion.  Chef Florence personally visited each table to explain how he skillfully prepared the dishes. All proceeds from the dinner benefited the Chaplin School of Hospitality & Tourism Management at Florida International University.