By:  Mary Jo Almeida-Shore 

On a picture perfect, Miami “winter” day, Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden’s Visitor Center and Lakeside Marquee were transformed into a beautiful runway for a day of champagne, fashion and fun.  On January 23, Fairchild and Neiman Marcus Coral Gables paired up to host the third annual Splendor in the Garden fashion show and luncheon, which drew a crowd of more than 350 fashion-forward guests. The splendid day began promptly ​at10:30 a.m. with a champagne reception from Nicolas Feuillatte Champagne underneath the sunny Miami sky on the Mosaic of the Visitor Center, where guests could peruse beautiful jewelry on display from Piaget. The reception was so much fun that event organizers had a tough time getting them to move into the stunning tent at the Lakeside Marquee, where chairs and tables decorated with bright pink accoutrements were dotted around the elevated runway. Fairchild’s Director Carl Lewis made the opening remarks and spoke about how influential the chosen Philanthropy Honorees have been to the progress made in the Garden over the years and how many important contributions women have made since the Garden opened 75 years ago in 1938. He then introduced co-chairs Swanee DiMare and Frances Sevilla-Sacasa, who thanked all of the guests and sponsors for their support. Read the rest of this entry »

By:  Mary Jo Almeida-Shore 

Whether you are a veteran of South Beach nightlife, or new to the scene, chances are you have danced to the amazing music of Mark Leventhal,  a legendary DJ who has been a pioneering force behind Miami nightlife for over 20 years:  spinning since the early 90s at some of our favorite stomping grounds, clubs such as The Spot, Warsaw, Groove Jet, Liquid, Lua, Snatch, Haven and Mynt (to name a few) and at parties for Ocean Drive  magazine and countless private and celebrity events.  Leventhal’s music leaves no room on the dance floor- because he plays the songs people love.  In addition to his music, what’s most appealing about the devoted father of three, is his kind-hearted, positive nature.   In short, Leventhal is an all-around great guy!  

Unfortunately, for the past week, Leventhal has been hospitalized at Jackson Memorial Hospital in a coma, due to an infection that has permeated his body and his brain.  Friends and family have rallied around the well-known DJ in support (Mark has no health insurance).  On Tuesday, January 28, family, friends and fans piled into Haven Lounge, where Leventhal spins regularly, for a fund raiser to help offset his medical costs.  The party started at 7 pm and lasted into the morning.  More than 400 guests (most of them South Beach pioneers themselves) crowded into the stylish lounge to admire wall-to-wall (270 degree) projected photos of Leventhal throughout his 20 year tenure on South Beach.  More than 12 local DJs spun in his honor.  If love could somehow cure Mark- he’d be back on the turntables already. Read the rest of this entry »

By:  Mary Jo Almeida-Shore 

A slight dip in the mercury brought everyone out in their “winter’s finest” to an outdoor vestibule outside of the new Rolex boutique (Miami’s first) in the Design District on January 16 in celebration of the flagship’s opening. Over 250 stylish guests mixed and mingled excitedly, sipping Champagne and martinis while toasting to boutique owner, Seymour Holtzman and Stewart Wicht, President of Rolex:  the evening’s hosts.  Michael’s Genuine Food & Drink, the Rolex boutique’s front-door neighbor, catered the evening affair with in-season passed hors d’oeuvres including chorizo croquettes, deviled eggs, pigs in a blanket, and stracciatella crispini. Partygoers also danced to live music by the talented, Jenene Caramielo who performed throughout the evening.  Read the rest of this entry »

Rita Moreno and Rosie Perez

By: Mary Jo Almeida-Shore 

On Saturday, January 11, the National YoungArts Foundation culminated its 33rd annual YoungArts Week with a bash in its gorgeous, shiny-new campus. The Backyard Ball, featured a Gala and special alumni performances that brought together more than 800 notable guests to celebrate the artistic excellence of the 2014 YoungArts finalists for the first time at the beautiful former site of the historic Bacardi Tower and Museum buildings. The evening raised over $1.5 million to be used directly to support YoungArts, whose mission is to support the development of talented young artists in the literary, performing, visual, and design arts. 

The Gala and performance portions of the evening, were set in an elegant outdoor tent, where guests enjoyed cocktails courtesy of Bacardi, dinner, and a powerful alumni performance directed by renowned dancer, choreographer, and YoungArts Artistic Advisor, Bill T. Jones, who also made an impromptu appearance on stage, bouncing between dancers to cheer them on.  Tony Award® winner Brian Stokes Mitchell emceed the evening that also included speeches from YoungArts Artistic Advisor, Frank Gehry and actress, Rosie Perez, who presented award-winning, world renowned, architect Zaha Hadid and Academy Award winning singer, dancer and actress Rita Moreno, with the YoungArts Arison Awards for their influence on the development of young artists. YoungArts alumnus Andrew Rannells, who currently appears on the HBO series, Girls, received the Alumni Award.  Read the rest of this entry »

Michael Capponi, Amber Arbucci, & Moses Bensusan

By:  Mary Jo Almeida-Shore 

Hollywood descended upon Miami in more ways than one on “New Year’s Eve week” on South Beach, a place where one night just isn’t enough to bid adieu to a stellar year and usher in a new one. Aside from the numerous celebrity sightings outlined in our Celebrity Sightings section, Supermodel Amber Arbucci joined longtime friend and South Beach philanthropist, nightlife impresario and construction mogul/developer (our Swiss Army Knife of friends) Michael Capponi, and developer Moses Bensusan, to throw one of the best parties of the season on Saturday, December 28, at the Soho Beach House.  The debut party for the Costa Hollywood condo resort, was aptly dubbed Hollywood Meets Hollywood, and celebrated the addition of Capponi to the development team at Costa Hollywood and served as a formal introduction to SoBe’s fast-growing sister to the north, Hollywood Beach Village, an up-and-coming beachfront haven.  Read the rest of this entry »

By: Dr. Mary Jo Almeida-Shore 

Hermès promised, and delivered to Miami, “A Journey into the Extraordinary” for its third A Man’s World  event – following Beijing and Paris – an art-fashion happening on May 30 – a party, like none the Magic City has ever seen, filled with multi-sensory experiences and illusions designed to deeply penetrate, and somewhat overwhelm one’s senses.  Over 600 guests were in town for the unprecedented event that took place at the iconic Moore Building, the 1921 architectural monument of Miami’s Design District, a few doors down from the Hermès boutique – utilizing the building’s fascinating interior structure as a backdrop for 11 human-experience art installations that allowed audiences to connect to each one. Upon entering, guests were awed as they looked up at models and aerial artists who dangled from and walked across giant square suspension beams almost fifty feet above mirrored floors, dressed in the Spring 2013 collections.  Guests also walked across a mirrored floor that gave the illusion they themselves were walking on suspended beams of peerless beauty as they looked “into the floor,” the effects were mesmerizing.  Read the rest of this entry »