Archive for the ‘Out and About’ Category

Paris is Always a Good Idea: Culture, Couture & Secrets of the City of Light

Posted by Mary Jo Almeida-Shore On May - 12 - 2025

From golden-hour strolls to underground soirées, this is your curated guide to Paris-filled with beauty, art, food, fashion and all-night parties.

In Paris, every corner turns like a page from a novel. The light is golden, the fashion is effortless, and the air—thick with perfume, croissants, flowers and possibility—whispers in French. Whether you’re wandering cobblestone streets or clinking glasses in a candlelit lounge, the city invites you to live beautifully, one moment at a time.

Where to Stay: Stylish, Sultry, and Central

Hotel Baume
Set in the heart of Saint-Germain-des-Prés, this Art Deco jewel blends elegance with intimacy. Each room is dressed in vintage tones and velvet textures, with views of Paris rooftops and the Odeon Theatre. The staff is friendly and the accommodations are impeccable. Breakfast is available daily- we recommend having it en suite on your rose covered terrace.
Call: +33 1 53 10 28 50

Golden Hour Glamour: The Sunset Ritual

As dusk paints the sky, head to the Tuileries Gardens for a golden stroll. Cross the Pont Alexandre III and follow the Seine until the Eiffel Tower begins to shimmer. The tower sparkles for five minutes at the top of every hour starting at 10 PM.

Fashion, Darling

La Galerie Dior
Part museum, part dream, the Dior museum is a celebration of couture and creativity. Walk through mirrored tunnels, study Monsieur Dior’s sketches, and marvel at the iconic gowns.
Call: +33 1 40 73 53 42

Dinner, Dancing & Decadence

Matignon
Start with a posh, clubby dinner—think foie gras and truffle risotto—and then descend into one of Paris’s sexiest secrets: an underground nightclub that’s a fashion-forward party every single night of the week.
Call: +33 1 42 89 64 72


Silencio
Founded by filmmaker David Lynch, this club is a cultural cabaret—film screenings, art shows, live music, and velvet everything. VIP-only until midnight, then it turns into one of the world’s most exclusive nightclubs. Want the ultimate night? Ask for Rodolphe, the club’s General Manager—he’ll make sure your night is next-level with true VIP treatment.
Call: +33 1 40 13 12 33


Hôtel Costes
Slip into something stylish  and settle in for champagne, cocktails and bites beneath chandeliers and roses. The lounge is dark, sexy, and always full of fashion’s finest. Perfect to start your night—with champagne, of course.
Call: +33 1 44 94 35 00

La Colonia (Secret Club)
No signs. No website. Just a hidden door to a stunning, tile-laden perfume shop with a nightly password. Press the magic tile to enter a cavernous den of music, style and all-night revelry. Equal parts downstairs speakeasy and runway show— si tu sais, tu sais. @le_colonia_Paris_

Café Culture & Historic Glamour

Café Beaubourg
Across from Centre Pompidou, this glass-front café is a chic multilevel bookstore turned restaurant that serves authentic French food. It’s an ideal spot to people-watch, sip Kir Royals, and feel très Parisienne. Don’t miss out on the profiteroles.

Le Procope
The oldest café in Paris. Voltaire, Napoleon, and Benjamin Franklin once dined here. You’ll feel the centuries in the red velvet and chandeliers. The French onion soup and escargot are the best in town and the steak frites are de regueur.
Call: +33 1 40 46 79 00

Le Marais

Le Marais is where old-world Paris meets contemporary cool—an effortlessly chic district that’s equal parts historic and cutting-edge. Cobblestone streets wind past 17th-century mansions turned into art galleries and indie boutiques. It’s one of the best neighborhoods in Paris for shopping, whether you’re browsing designer vintage, French concept stores, or emerging local labels. Hungry? You’re in luck. Le Marais also boasts the city’s highest concentration of ethnic restaurants, from falafel joints on Rue des Rosiers to upscale Israeli, North African, and Thai spots, all packed shoulder to shoulder. It’s a global flavor tour, no Metro ticket required.

For the Culture Lovers

– Musée d’Orsay: Impressionist heaven
– The Louvre: Mona Lisa, Winged Nike, Venus de Milo
– Fondation Louis Vuitton: Gehry’s glass art vessel in the Bois de Boulogne
Call: +33 1 40 69 96 00

More Musts in the City of Light

Jardin du Luxembourg
A Parisian classic—perfect for a sunny afternoon stroll, a quiet book under the chestnut trees, or a game of chess with locals. With its manicured lawns, ornate fountains, and statues of queens, it’s where elegance meets everyday life.

Notre-Dame de Paris

Recently reopened and more breathtaking than ever. Step inside to marvel at the restored stained glass, soaring arches, and Gothic majesty that has inspired poets for centuries. The marvel is a powerful, spiritual pause in the heart of the city.

Bonnie
Atop the SO/ Paris Hotel, Bonnie is a retro-chic rooftop bar and restaurant with a panoramic view of the skyline—and a front-row seat to the Eiffel Tower’s glittering light show. Come for cocktails, stay for the vibe.
Call: +33 1 78 90 74 60

Les Trois Mailletz
A bohemian piano bar in the Latin Quarter with live jazz, singing and piano performances in an underground wine cave that hosts some of the best late-night jam sessions in the city. Think Édith Piaf meets Paris jazz underground.
Call: +33 1 43 54 00 79

In Paris, the days are dreamy—but the nights are everything. From secret clubs to sparkling towers, this city doesn’t sleep, it seduces.

For insider tips from a local, contact: @yanariabtsun; website: planvoyage.fr

A Dream in Technicolor: Faena Art’s Annual Gala

Posted by Mary Jo Almeida-Shore On May - 2 - 2025

On the evening of April 29, the spirit of Miami shimmered a little brighter as Faena Art hosted its fifth annual Gala, Follow Your Rainbow—a phantasmagoric ode to the transformative power of art and color. Held poolside at the iconic Faena Miami Beach and masterfully helmed by hosts Alan and Grace Faena, the evening unfolded like a living canvas: vivid, immersive, and unapologetically audacious.

Guests made their entrance through a grand rainbow archway into a meticulously curated kaleidoscopic dreamscape, where the realms of art, fashion, music, and culinary excellence flowed seamlessly together.

The scene was cinematic, with every detail meticulously choreographed to entice the senses. A site-specific installation by acclaimed artist Joel Mesler anchored the atmosphere—his work pulsating with color and wit—while DJ Richie Hell delivered a pulse-quickening soundtrack to match. Models paraded through the crowd in bespoke, prismatic couture, blurring the lines between runway and performance art.

At the heart of the evening was an opulent culinary experience curated by Faena’s iconic collaborators: Argentine fire whisperer Chef Francis Mallmann and James Beard Award-winner Chef Paul Qui. Mallmann, true to form, held court over open flames in a mesmerizing ballet of smoke and heat, while Qui carved a massive bluefin tuna with the precision of a sculptor—live, amidst the gasps of delighted guests.

Bringing pure disco magic to the night, Rocky Lanes brought the house down with a powerhouse performance of crowd-favorite dance floor anthems. Not even a light drizzle could dampen the energy—guests twirled, grooved, and shimmered under the stars, fully surrendered to the rhythm.

Currently serving as the electrifying master of ceremonies for Faena Theatre’s dazzling new live production, RETRO: The Rhythm of the Decades, Rocky continues to prove she’s the reigning queen of throwback glamour. Read more about RETRO here.

The guests included Miami’s coolest creatives, a dazzling mix of cultural vanguard, art world luminaries, and global trendsetters. Joining hosts, Alan and Grace Faena were: Gianni and Leena Infantino, Jorge and Darlene Pérez, Len and Emily Blavatnik, Olivier Francois, Vita Sidorkina-Morabito, Mindy Solomon, Cathy Leff, Karen Grimson, Christina Pettersson, Beatriz Chachamovits, Magnus Sodamin, Kelly Breez, Anabella Bergero, Antonia Wright, Edison Peñafiel, Jill Hotchkiss, Manuel Ameztoy, and Danié Gómez Ortigoz.

Embracing the evening’s Follow Your Rainbow theme, guests adorned themselves in chromatic couture, turning the gala into a living spectrum. Faena Art crowned Francisca Oyhanarte—Miami-based artist and style savant—as the night’s best-dressed, awarding her a lavish two-night escape in the Faena Penthouse.

More than spectacle, the Gala reaffirmed Faena Art’s commitment to nurturing artistic innovation and expanding Miami’s cultural lexicon. Proceeds directly fund year-round programming, including experimental commissions, the Project Room exhibitions, and the prestigious Faena Prize for the Arts.

For those who couldn’t follow the rainbow in person, the dream lives on at faenaart.org.

John Summit Headlines Flaunt Magazine Party

Posted by Mary Jo Almeida-Shore On December - 13 - 2024

Flaunt magazine launched its “Where Are We Going?” issue during Miami Art Week in collaboration with the Bass Art Museum, at the luxurious Air private lounge on the Miami River. The chic space is designed to evoke the interior of a yacht.

The exclusive event, featured a captivating performance by cover star John Summit. The charming and charismatic Summit mingled with stylish guests before taking over the DJ booth. Prior to Summit’s performance, guests enjoyed sets by Jaywav, Gilly Chan, Bec Adams, and Miluska.

The event was co-produced by Jeffrey Jah, Rose Thorn of Lenox Room, and Karim Amatulla of Unpublished.

In attendance were Lady Victoria Hervey, Indira Ceserine, Brad Taylor, Cuba Gooding Jr., River Viiperi, Nicola Siervo, Andrew Gifford, , Fabian Basabe, and Harif Guzman, who danced until the wee hours of the morning. 

Hampton House Lights Up Miami Art Week: a Glamorous Night of Art, Music, and History

Posted by Mary Jo Almeida-Shore On December - 11 - 2024

The legendary Hampton House, once a haven for icons like Martin Luther King and Muhammad Ali (whose original rooms are still intact!), kicked-off Miami Art Week with a party that was nothing short of fabulous. In lieu of its historic after-hours jazz sessions, it was all about the art this time- at the grand unveiling of “Invisible Luggage.” With over 50 visionary artists exploring the themes of migration, memory, and what we carry (and what we leave behind), the exhibit dives deep into the intersection of freedom, displacement, and identity. Inspired by Ralph Ellison’s Invisible Man, the exhibit reflects on the often unseen struggles and triumphs of the Black community.

The opening was a star-studded celebration, with a dazzling array of special guests from the worlds of art, music, and philanthropy. Among the VIPs in attendance were collector and philanthropist Beth Rudin DeWoody, Major Lazer’s Walshy Fire, and Pucci’s artistic director Camille Miceli, alongside gallerists Lauren Kelly and Danny Baez. Musician Mingus Murray, son of iconic photographer Ming Smith, was also on hand, as were prominent artists like Shinique Smith, Jeffrey Meris, and Tomm El-Saieh, who showcased their work in the exhibit. The guest list read like a who’s who of Miami’s cultural scene, with Miami-Dade Mayor Daniella Cava-Levine, Commissioner Oliver Gilbert, and former Dunkin’ Donuts CEO Bob Rosenberg mingling with art collectors like Gary Wasserman, Gwen Butler, and the N’Namdi Collection’s Jumanne and Lauren N’Namdi. Curators and art dealers such as Stefano Tonchi, David Maupin, and Monique Meloche rubbed elbows with the likes of Jason and Michelle Rubell of the Rubell Museum, while philanthropists like Kathryn and Dan Mikesell from the Fountainhead Residency added to the evening’s glamour.


After a scrumptious dinner curated by Chef Martin Rodrigue, the eclectic crowd gathered under sparking chandeliers in the open-air terrace to dance, muse, and mingle, enjoying an all-night dance party with the one and only DJ Mos spinning tracks that kept everyone moving. The historic venue, transformed into a dazzling art gallery, was buzzing with excitement.

The evening was a perfect blend of culture, creativity, and celebration. It was clear: the Hampton House is once again a beacon of creativity and celebration, bridging the past with a vibrant, future-forward vibe. Plan your visit here: https://www.historichamptonhouse.org

https://youtube.com/shorts/w_hgSCjuYTg?si=MqAkv4Qu4gWh7OXN

Tyler Herro Launches Boy Wonder World During Miami Race Week

Posted by Mary Jo Almeida-Shore On May - 18 - 2023

Jimmy Butler

On May 4th,  THE OFFICE art gallery debuted SOLARIS, a new exhibition of paintings curated by local artist Johnny Robles, and the launch of Tyler Herro’s new lifestyle clothing brand, Boy Wonder World, captured through a creative capsule collection. This debut was sponsored by Miami billionaire, Patrick Carroll.

Celebrities in attendance included:

Tyler Herro, Jimmy Butler (Miami Heat NBA), Johnny Robles (featured artist), Tim Hardaway Jr. ( Dallas Mavericks NBA), Reilly Opelka (Pro Tennis Player).

Rocco Shore and Tyler Herro

Taste of the SLS- a Culinary Celebration

Posted by Mary Jo Almeida-Shore On November - 19 - 2021

On November 11th, SLS South Beach, hosted Taste of SLS South Beach, an evening of unique culinary experiences. The star-studded culinary celebration brought together award-winning chefs from across the world affording guests a taste of the very best of SLS properties in one glamorous location and an exclusive performance by award-winning producer Mark Ronson.

Encompassing culinary and mixology experiences staged throughout the resort, an exclusive performance by Mark Ronson topped the event along with culinary collaborators: Dario Cecchini (Carna), Sara Aqel (Fi’lia), Katsuya Uechi (Katsuya). The event paired gourmet food and beverage offerings with exciting entertainment at one of Miami Beach’s hottest properties along with access to its entire beachfront amenities and afterparty at Hyde Beach Club.

Presented in collaboration with Chase Sapphire®, Red Bull, Danone, Lavazza, and ALL – Accor Live Limitless, guests enjoyed hand-crafted cocktails and energetic refreshments from Red Bull & Lavazza as they appreciated never-ending culinary creations by SLS’s participating restaurants and mixology concepts.

 

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