By:  Dr. Mary Jo Almeida-Shore 

Cooper Avenue- Your one-stop Shop for fabulous. 

Well after midnight just a few weeks ago, after delighting in a decadent meal of hamachi with truffles, mushroom risotto, perfectly seared steak and creative concoctions by the Bar Lab team, we partook in what’s sure to become a landmark moment on South Beach. Amir Ben-Zion, the mastermind behind mainstays, Bond Street, the Townhouse, Gigi and Bardot, and his business partner, Shai Ben-Ami (Domo Japones, Wok Town) gathered his staff, friends and family for a Champagne toast for the official unveiling of Cooper Avenue, restaurant/deli/lounge/bakery and marketplace– the most unique space in South Beach, which takes up an entire block, on the bottom floor of the critically acclaimed, New World Symphony building (location! location! location!)  Read the rest of this entry »

By:  Mary Jo Almeida-Shore 

It’s no secret that we love swanky hotel stays. After all, who wouldn’t want to live just like Eloise at the Plaza? There’s no denying that one of the absolute, best parts of said stays, to quote Pretty Woman, is the “Room Service picnic.” Seriously, there’s just nothing more delicious after a long night of fun than having gourmet food delivered to your room- the squeaky wheels of the delivery cart, the giant silver domes concealing what will certainly be cause for remorse in the light of day…aaahhh, we digress… 

Now, thanks to Room Service Restaurant Lounge, one of the most unique restaurant/lounge concepts to date, you can delight in the fabulous food fest, complete with the feel of being at the hotel, without the hefty surcharges.  What makes Room Service so unique? Well it’s actually a restaurant and late-night lounge, disguised as a hotel- complete with a front desk where guests can “check-in,” sexy bellhops wearing gold spandex mini-skirts, French maids in fishnet stockings and butlers.  Yes, you get your own private butler.  After checking in you’ll be escorted to a private suite to feast on an extensive, eclectic menu served on room service carts, squeaky wheels and all!  Read the rest of this entry »

During Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Spring 2013,  the hottest ticket in town this season was the formal, Mercedes-Benz–sponsored, invitation-only party to toast former French Vogue editor, Carine Roitfeld’s CR Fashion Book on Saturday, September 8 at the Frick Collection, for which tuxedos and long gowns were de rigueur.

Roitfeld mused, “It’s very different from my last party,” referring to the wild karaoke extravaganza she hosted last year at Westway NYC, a strip club on the West Side Highway for her Barneys campaign.  By contrast, this year’s party was set in the posh surroundings of the Frick Museum on the Upper East Side.  That’s not to say this wasn’t quite the bash, as evidenced by the din of broken champagne glasses, accompanied by laughter and applause and the pile of mile-high stilettos gathered in the center of the dance floor by the end of the night. Read the rest of this entry »

By:  Mary Jo Almeida-Shore 

Fashionably Conscious Fundraising Sale

Hundreds of shoppers, including:  VIPs, socialites, and philanthropists raided the donated designer goods of Miami’s most elite crowd last week at the annual Fashionably Conscious fundraiser, raising almost $85,000 for Coconut Grove Cares, The Barnyard, a locally beloved and cherished community center which provides after school and community care services to families of the West Grove Community.  From Valentino and Giorgio Armani suits to Chanel dresses and Prada and Jimmy Choo shoes, Fashionably Conscious brought the best of the best to the generously donated space provided by Village of Merrick Park. The weekend began with a VIP sale where more than a hundred devoted shoppers lined up outside the space waiting for doors to open. By Sunday the fully stocked space was nearly cleared and little to nothing remained to be purchased. The fashionably conscious crowd sipped on champagne, shopped for a cause and mingled with Miami’s biggest trendsetters. Read the rest of this entry »

By:  Mary Jo Almeida-Shore

Eight blissful days of runway shows and presentations showcased the trends for next spring and summer at Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Spring 2013 in New York City.  It appears that brilliant orange, is next season’s “hot pink” a perfect complement to our year-round Miami tan. Just ask Carolina Herrera, Victoria Beckham, Nanette Lepore, Zac Posen, or Peter Som.  In addition to the typical pastel shades, floral prints, and free-flowing fabrics, geometric patterns and stream-lined styles appeared in several shows.  While it’s difficult to pinpoint pervasive trends, as the looks were as varied as their designers, many collections boasted bold colors, solids, cut-outs, black and earth tones, leather and lace, pleats and pantsuits.  Some designers gained inspiration from foreign lands, including Mexico, Spain, France and India.

Minimalist pieces in black, white and nude were present in a number of shows including Calvin Klein, Michael Kors, Alexander Wang, Narciso Rodriguez, Vera Wang, Herve Leger and Donna Karan- opting for solids over prints and color blocking.  Sexy cut-outs allowing for a peek of sun kissed skin were also prevalent. Geometric shapes and stripes were everywhere- dominating the Marc Jacobs, Tommy Hilfiger and Michael Kors shows.   Read the rest of this entry »

Actor Emilio Ourciolo, Film Director Felipe Joffily, Scriptwriter Ale Felix

By:   Dr. Mary Jo Almeida-Shore

 Gisele Bündchen, the Samba, Ronaldo…just a few gifts from Brazil. Meaningful and enchanting films are just another way Brazil continues to delight and draw us in.  Twenty two of these films attracted several celebrities to the Magic City for the Inffinito Festival Circuit, the Brazilian Film Festival, which took over Miami from August 18 to 25 to celebrate its 16^th year as the foremost showcase of Brazilian cinema abroad.  This year’s Festival consisted of competitive screenings at the Colony Theater and special screenings at the recently renovated Miami Beach Cinematheque.

Considered the largest event solely dedicated to Brazilian cinema outside of Brazil, and viewed by the local government as a successful business and communication platform between media, industry professionals and investors in the audiovisual sector, the Festival brought 22 Brazilian productions to Miami representing the most recent, top tier Brazilian productions.  Read the rest of this entry »