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 »

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 »

By: Dr. Mary Jo Almeida Shore

The beautiful Mandarin Oriental overflowed with elegance last Saturday night as the 18th Annual Women of Tomorrow Mentor & Scholarship Program hosted its annual gala with more than 500 of South Florida’s finest- philanthropists, celebrities and socialites who gathered to sip, chat, dine and dance, oh yes, and donate, donate, donate- to young ladies in need. Gala Chair Marisa Toccin Lucas along with founders Jennifer Valoppi and Don Browne and Co-Vice President, the Honorable Katherine Fernandez Rundle planned and hosted an unforgettable evening which raised a record- breaking $900,000 this year- not bad for a day’s work, huh? All joking aside, the tireless efforts of the planning committee, helmed by Toccin Lucas became plainly evident from the minute we arrived. Read the rest of this entry »

By:  Dr. Mary Jo Almeida-Shore 

For the 13^th consecutive year, the South Beach Wine and Food Festival (SOBEWFF) attracted thousands upon thousands of foodies to the wine soaked sands of South Beach, to delight in scrumptious bites, sip clever concoctions and rub elbows with fellow foodies, VIPs, and more celebrity chefs than you can shake your spatula at. The celebrations started Thursday, February 20 and ran through Sunday, February 23.   

The Q 

Moët Hennessy’s The Q, kicked off SOBEWFF on Thursday, February 20, attracting carnivores and Champagne aficionados like prime, grilled catnip would Tony the Tiger.  Host, Michael Symon, along with over 20 Sports Illustrated swimsuit models converged in a tent behind the Delano for a night of savoring grilled meats from local and nationally renowned restaurants from around the nation and free-flowing Champagne and cocktails.  Read the rest of this entry »