By:  Mary Jo Almeida-Shore

Eighth Annual Miami Beach Polo World Cup  

The sport of kings returned to South Beach for the eighth consecutive year featuring top polo players from around the globe for the Maserati Miami Beach Polo World Cup which took place from Thursday, April 26through Sunday, April 29 featuring eight women’s teams in a one-day series of round-robin championship matches and a three-day men’s tournament. 

Thousands of polo enthusiasts enjoyed a series of lifestyle daytime and evening VIP events such as fashion shows by La Martina and Blank Silk, shopping, cocktails and gourmet food by Kung Fu Sushi in the Catalina Hotel and Kone Sushi- which made for lots of revelry in between and long after the chukkers.

Despite wind and soggy conditions, the teams fought and frolicked in the sand until Mother Nature forced the matches to come to an abrupt halt when the rain and the winds off of the Atlantic Ocean were too much for the Miami Beach polo arena, forcing the cancellation of the final three matches of the tournament on Sunday, April 29. Read the rest of this entry »

Christina Getty-Maercks, George Lindemann, and Criselda Breene

By:  Mary Jo Almeida-Shore 

A Night at the Museum

Despite the fact that we are huge art buffs, and have delighted in the works of the Masters at museums throughout the world, we couldn’t recall a time when we had actually had fun in an art museum (with the exception of the Ufizzi Gallery in Florence where we had our way with Michelangelo’s slaves and David in our early twenties).  This changed on Thursday, April 26 at the Bass Museum of Art’s annual fundraiser “A Night at the Museum,” for which the museum should have been renamed the “BLAST” museum; as many of Miami’s chicest and most artsy socialites gathered after hours to socialize, chat, nosh, dance and enjoy the fantastic exhibits, which became more and more interesting with every cocktail. Read the rest of this entry »

Carolina & Alex Pirez

By:  Mary Jo Almeida-Shore 

Despite the unseasonable dip in temperatures this week (way down to 80°) there’s no doubt that summer is rapidly approaching.  It seems everywhere we turn locals are engaged in some sort of exercise regimen. So what better time to re-launch one of Miami’s favorite gyms, Body & Soul, the co-ed health and training facility located in Coral Gables? In honor of the re-launch, new owners, Carolina and Alex Pirez hosted a huge bash on the rooftop of the gym on the evening of Tuesday April 17, drawing notable guests including:  Pharrell Williams, N.E.R.D band mate Shae Haley, singer/songwriter Cris Cab, Jorge Posada of the NY Yankees, Santana Moss wide receiver for the Washington Redskins and Oscar Feldenkreis, President and COO of Perry Ellis International, who along with 500 guests enjoyed a live DJ set by Miami favorite, DJ Ross One. Keeping guests focused on their physiques, Voli light cocktails provided lo-cal drinks and, The Dome Restaurant and Caviar Bar, one of our favorite restaurants in Miracle Mile provided delicious yet healthy hors d’oeuvres.  Party guests were entertained by a fire dancer and a flash mob choreographed by one of Body & Soul’s most popular instructors, Jay Marcos.

Read the rest of this entry »

David Neville and Marcus Wainwright of Rag & Bone

By:  Mary Jo Almeida-Shore 

Rag & Bone at the Soho Beach House

Gorgeous, “skinny-bones” sashayed down the runway in beautiful “rags” modeling the latest collection by British designing duo, Marcus Wainwright and David Neville, of designer label Rag & Bone on Thursday evening at Soho Beach House. The Grey Goose vodka was as free flowing as the brightly- colored fabrics, in yellow, orange and turquoise, the perfect palate for a place where summer lasts all year.  One look even featured turquoise and orange together- perhaps in homage to the Miami Dolphins?

Over 300 guests filled the area surrounding the downstairs pool for the show, which took place on a platform atop the pool and was presented by Saks Fifth Avenue Bal Harbour and Ocean Drive magazine. Read the rest of this entry »

Yolanda and Jeff Berkowitz

By:  Mary Jo Almeida-Shore 

“It’s never too late to have a happy childhood,” mused Miami Children’s Museum (MCM) Chairman, Jeff Berkowitz as he addressed an animated crowd of 600 on Saturday, March 31 at the museum’s annual Be A Kid Again Gala, which was held in a gorgeous tent on Watson Island, home to MCM.  This year’s whimsical theme, “All You Need is Love” transported guests, most of whom dressed in their best 60s chic, back in time with a 60s/Beatles theme complete with old records, Beatles glasses, moustaches, a red double-decker bus, and fields of Driscoll’s strawberries as parting gifts. 

The party started in the actual museum, where guests got to tour the exhibits while sipping cocktails- which, incidentally, adds a whole new level of fun to the museum visit.   (A few moms who visit the museum regularly with their children suggested that there should be a permanent “bar installment” just for the parents.) 

After the cocktail reception, guests were escorted into the expansive tent for the party, for which MCM pulled out all the stops (which resembled the London Underground stops) with high-top and lounge tables in lieu of regular ballroom tables and a fun-filled buffet by Chef David Schwadron which included burgers, hot dogs, coconut shrimp, and fish and chips instead of the typical banquet food.  This kept people on their feet, chatting and dancing throughout the night. Read the rest of this entry »

Real Housewives of Miami, Karent Sierra, Lea Black, and Joanna Krupa

By:  Mary Jo Almeida-Shore

If there’s ever a good time to be on the “Black list” it’s for the highly anticipated, annual bash known as The Black Gala, hosted by power-couple Lea and Roy Black.  And if you are “blacklisted” because you are, in fact, “under suspicion, disfavor, censure…” as per the dictionary definition – famed attorney, Roy Black is definitely ONE person with whom you should spend an evening.  In our book, being on the Blacks’ list means that you are one of the lucky few (hundred) invited to participate in an unforgettable night of performances, dancing, gourmet food and bidding on one-of-a-kind auction items.

In its 18^th year, the Black Gala, which was held at the Fontainebleau Hotel took place right smack in the middle of the Winter Music Conference and rivaled many of the musical performances and Madonna’s surprise appearance at Ultra-which occurred simultaneously. After all, the Blacks had a QUEEN! attend and perform at their gala. So what if it was Queen Latifah, rather than an actual queen? Can you think of any queen with such fabulous style, matched only by her incredible pipes?  The Blacks’ guests were also treated to an unforgettable concert by Tony Bennett– whose legendary voice was accompanied by a full-piece orchestra- the presence of which caused a last-minute rearrangement of the tables and dance floor.  No one seemed to mind- as the crowd was blown away by Bennett’s moving performance, which ended with a live rendition of “Who Can I Turn To?” a duet by Bennett and Latifah, which had only been performed live once before. Read the rest of this entry »