By: Dr. Mary Jo Almeida-Shore

One of the most highly anticipated hotel openings of the year took place on Wednesday, March 25, as the stylish and luxurious1 Hotel South Beach, opened its doors and celebrated with a 100/1 Event: a private rooftop party hosted by Barry Sternlicht, founder of Starwood Capital Group; Richard LeFrak, CEO of LeFrak; and Robert Sillerman, founder of SFX Entertainment.

Attendees included top influencers within fashion, entertainment and elected officials including: Tommy and Dee Hilfiger, Paris Hilton, DJ Bob Sinclar, DJ Paul Oakenfold, Miami Beach Mayor Phillip Levine, nightlife impresario brothers Daniel and Derek Koch; and restaurateur/chef and Bravo television personality Tom Colicchio, proprietor of Beach Craft, 1 Hotel South Beach’s signature eatery, which will open later this month. Read the rest of this entry »

By: Dr. Mary Jo Almeida-Shore

Known for being the most fun you can have at an art museum, the Bass Museum of Art’s Night at the Museum on March 11, enthralled 450 art enthusiasts with its Film Noir Experience. The museum’s annual fundraiser had guests dressed to the nines in creative attire, welcoming them with dramatic Hollywood premiere-style searchlights and a red carpet upon arrival. Once inside, partygoers enjoyed touring the galleries that had been transformed into misty streetscapes and retro lounges, featuring projections of classic Hollywood crime dramas in keeping with the Film Noir motif. Guess had a blast striking poses for the “Best Film Noir Photo” contest. The winners – WPBT’s Art Loft host Kayln James and husband, TV producer Rico James, took home a basket of GREY GOOSE Vodka in six flavors and Montecristo cigars. Some partygoers drew their inspiration from the exhibition One Way: Peter Marino while others used props from the All Access Photo Booth. Read the rest of this entry »

By: Mary Jo Almeida-Shore

Perfect for South Florida skiers, Copper Mountain’s naturally divided terrain allows for family fun that suits the individual abilities and needs of each family member.   Although this world-class resort offers all the powder (21 inches and counting just this week), perks, altitude and thrills of neighboring Colorado mountain resorts such as Breckenridge and Vail, it is extra family friendly in terms of accessibility, amenities, service, ski school, and wallet-friendly prices. In short- Copper Mountain gives you all the fun without the hassle and big ticket pricing. It’s no surprise that Copper has consistently been voted the locals’ favorite ski resort.

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By:  Maryanne Salvat and Mary Jo Shore

The 14^th annual Food Network & Cooking Channel South Beach Wine & Food Festival (SOBEWFF) presented by FOOD & WINEwelcomed more than 60,000 enthusiastic foodies to more than 75 different events throughout South Florida in February. To date, the Festival has raised approximately $22 million for the Wine Spectator Restaurant Management Laboratory and Southern Wine & Spirits Beverage Management Center at the Chaplin School of Hospitality & Tourism Management located on Florida International University’s Biscayne Bay campus.   Below, we’ve highlighted some of our favorite events of SOBEWFF 2015.

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By: Dr. Mary Jo Almeida-Shore

Solange Knowles, Emily Ratajkowski, Jamie Chung, Padma Lakshmi, William Levy, Chelsea Leyland, Brendan Fallis, Kelly Framel, Gala Gonzalez, Hassan Pierre, Chef Carla Pellegrino and a few hundred of Miami’s influencers joined Veuve Clicquot champagne for a beautiful brunch on Saturday, February 7 at The Thompson Hotel in Miami Beach. The celebrities and socialites celebrated Clicquot Carnaval complete with a multi-course dining experience, Carnaval games and dancers and of course, lots and lots of bubbles. The action-packed afternoon started with a sophisticated Brazilian-inspired brunch followed by Carnaval entertainment including Samba dancers, steel drum bands, and capoeira performers, accompanied by seemingly endless flutes of Veuve Clicquot champagne. Read the rest of this entry »

One of the highlights of the South Beach Wine and Food Festival was the private dinner party held at a gorgeous waterfront residence in North Miami Beach to celebrate famed Uruguayan hotspot La Huella, which is opening its first stateside restaurant, Quinto- La Huella later this year at the EAST hotel in Brickell City Center. Hosted by Laurent Fraticelli, General Manager of EAST, who operated the exclusive Soho Beach House for several years, the La Huella party treated VIP guests to white glove service and exquisite signature Uruguayan dishes featuring a selection of prime grilled meats. A live band kept partygoers dancing while sipping on top shelf cocktails and glasses of Uruguayan Tannat and Caipiroskas. Read the rest of this entry »