By:  Mary Jo Almeida-Shore 

“Beautiful things don’t ask for attention,” was one of our favorite quotes from The Secret Life of Walter Mitty.  The quote was whispered by Sean Penn’s character in the movie, with reference to an elusive snow leopard which he had been waiting to photograph for days. As it turns out, the snow leopard was one of 45 wild creatures who gathered at the Feast of Species on Saturday night at Primary Projects, for a dinner designed to bring attention to the needs of animals. The wild event was hosted by Nicole Davis, founder and senior editor of Red Flag magazine, who was disguised as her favorite bird, the hummingbird and artist, Christina Pettersson in celebration of the eighth edition of Red Flag, which is centered on the theme of animals. The five-year old, nonprofit publication, seeks to “raise awareness about important environmental and social issues as well as gathering a community together around activism both locally and globally.”  Read the rest of this entry »

By: Mary Jo Almeida-Shore 

Miami’s elite gathered at the gorgeous Juvia, in the critically acclaimed Herzog & De Meuron-designed 1111 Building on Lincoln Road on Saturday, April 26, for the Miami Symphony Orchestra’s (MISO) first annual Blues & Brunch. The beauty of the restaurant, with sweeping views of the city and ocean was rivaled only by the chic crowd, who dressed to the nines in hats, fascinators, bow ties, pin stripes and spring finery- as per the invitation.  Yet the most spectacular sensory inspiration came courtesy of MISO’s musicians, who performed throughout the beautiful afternoon, as Champagne and cocktails flowed freely. Guests feasted on a four-course brunch, served family-style. 

The dashing Rafael Diaz-Balart, who serves as MISO’s Chairman of the Board, lauded the efforts of MISO’s Conductor, Eduardo Marturet, praising his extraordinary charisma, vision and talent. “There is no one like him- what he has done for this orchestra and for this city is beyond words.”  Read the rest of this entry »

By:  Mary Jo Almeida-Shore 

Light it Up Blue 

On Friday, April 11, South Florida Ford and Autism Speaks Miami’s “Light it Up Blue” event at the 1111 Building on Lincoln Road gave guests a glimpse into Autism Spectrum Disorder through a captivating video mapping installation by world-renowned digital artists Tecné Collective. Cocktails and hors d’oeuvres were provided by A Joy Wallace Catering with cool sounds by Latin Grammy-nominated Mr. Pauer. 

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By:  Mary Jo Almeida Shore 

Chef/restaurateur Oscar Manresa hosted the official launch of Brickell’s newest hotspot, Perfecto Gastro-bar, his first U.S. restaurant location on Tuesday, April 8, with an over- the-top party filled with A-listers music and unforgettable food and drinks. 

From small plates with huge flavors, to larger dishes, guests experienced a Barcelona-inspired feast that included Catalonian hard sausage and grilled bread with rubbed tomato, marinated tomato tartare, roasted chicken croquettes, grilled octopus, fried calamari and angel hair seafood paella.  Rounding out the evening was a decadent dessert of Catalan cream.  We couldn’t help but return the following night to try other signature dishes such as the crab-avocado cannelloni, signature shrimp and wild mushroom ravioli, the perfect fillet with truffle fries and the chocolate ganache- prepared with olive oil and sea salt- there is truly nothing like it!  Read the rest of this entry »

By:  Mary Jo Almeida-Shore 

Amigos For Kids joined MIYO Home to host the 2014 official launch event for the annual ING Miami Celebrity Domino Night on Thursday, April 3rd at the elegant, one-of a kind furniture store, owned by the equally enchanting,  Fati Rosenberg.  MIYO Home hosted the intimate cocktail reception to unveil “Untouched” by Noelia Madiedo, a captivating exhibition of travel photography. The event, in collaboration with Amigos For Kids, Miami-based non-profit organization committed to child abuse awareness and prevention, also kicked off the upcoming annual ING Miami Celebrity Domino Night. MIYO Home donated a percentage of the evening’s proceeds to Amigos For Kids.  Read the rest of this entry »

Tom Brokaw, Dr. Barth Green, Nick Buoniconti, Emilio Estefan, Gloria Estefan, & Bob Costas

By:  Mary Jo Almeida-Shore 

A-list locals joined a star-studded guest list recently for the world premiere of An Unbreakable Bond, a film by 19-time Grammy award winning producer, Emilio Estefan, that chronicles the relationship between NFL Hall of Famer Nick Buoniconti, his son Marc, and their thirty year struggle to find a cure for spinal cord injuries. The film debuted on Tuesday, March 11, as part of the Miami Film Festival at the Olympia Theater at The Gusman Center for the Performing Arts.  Special guests enjoyed a screening of the film, followed by a Q & A session and a party on the stage of the stunning theater, during which the Estefans mingled with guests and posed for photos with fans. Read the rest of this entry »