Alain Ducasse, Martha Stewart, Rachael Ray, Lee Schrager, and Emeril Lagasse

By:  Mary Jo Almeida-Shore and Maryanne Salvat

More than 53, 000 guests gathered– on the sand, in hotels, in a parking garage, on a rooftop, and just about every nook and cranny of South Beach – to sip, savor and delight in delicious flavors-for the Food Network South Beach Wine & Food Festival (SBWFF), which for ten years has turned eating (and drinking) into a competitive sport. And while our jeans are just a little bit tighter and our livers have seen better days, we can’t help but delight in the reverie of this year’s revelry.

The jury is still out on the weekend’s best event- but our top three would have to include: the festival’s 10th Year Anniversary Party, Let Them Eat Cake, hosted by Emeril Lagasse and Martha Stewart in the seventh floor of the 1111 Lincoln Road parking garage; Perrier-Jouët BubbleQ, hosted by Bobby Flay and the Cosmopolitan Hotel Las Vegas party on the New World Center rooftop. Read the rest of this entry »

Janice Lipton, Bonnie Clearwater, Alan and Diane Lieberman

By:  Mary Jo Almeida-Shore

If Everybody had an Ocean….

Then they might be lucky enough to have a beach BLAST such as the one we had on Saturday night at the Museum of Contemporary Art’s (MOCA) “Surf’s Up” bash.  Perhaps it was the fact that the entire museum was transformed into a beach town or maybe it was that the 800+ artsy guests donned their favorite beach attire in lieu of restrictive, stuffy black tie wear; or perchance it was that DJ Hottpants, who towered over the dance floor in a lifeguard stand, played some of the best dance mash-ups we’ve heard in some time- (probably all of the above)…but judging from the smiles, laughter, and non-stop dancing, this was one of best parties of the social season.  The celebration coincided (to the day) with MOCA’s 15^th anniversary, kicking off a year-long string of events in honor of the museum’s cutting-edge exhibitions and innovative programs. Read the rest of this entry »

By:  Mary Jo Almeida-Shore

New on the scene at the already lively Mary Brickell Village is Fadó Irish Pub & Restaurant, (pronounced F’Ddoe) which recently held its grand opening celebration.  The large, cavernous space was designed and manufactured in Dublin and built and installed by a team of Irish craftsman and artisan painters from Ireland. How’s that for authentic? The name means “long ago” as the aim of the owners is to provide the typical atmosphere and pub grub of the neighborhood Irish pub- a central element to the Irish culture.

“It’s hard to deny the attraction to the casual conviviality of an Irish Pub,” says CEO & President Kieran McGill. “Pubs have always been the nucleus for Irish of every class, from dockworkers to aristocrats and genius writers. Fadó embodies the quintessence, customs and traditions of Ireland and we are full of pride to introduce our rich history to one of the most collective cities in the world.”  Read the rest of this entry »

Fati Rosenberg and Sofia Joelsson

A few weeks ago, the chic, eclectic Miami showroom, MIYO Home, hosted an elegant breakfast in celebration of its newly opened design space and Zen Garden.  Invited guests at MIYO (which stands for “Make It Your Own”-“mio” also means “mine” in Spanish) mingled and ogled the latest collections, which span the globe, and strolled through the recently finished Zen Garden, complete with a Bonsai-shaped olive tree, which will serve as an outdoor showroom space and relaxation lounge. As the premier destination to find the latest home design trends, MIYO Home has the signature must-have unique pieces which are surprisingly affordable, ranging from $2 hand-made Asian bracelets with Chinese coins to $2,800 Indonesian couch sets, making chic and elegant style available regardless of budget.  

MIYO’s biggest draw is meeting its charming owners, Istanbul native, Fati Rosenberg and niece, Stephanie Jourdan, who hand-pick each of the pieces and know a thing or two about style.  After all, Rosenberg and her sister, Ayse Cobani (Stephanie’s mother) owned and operated the Yves Saint Laurent Rive Gauche Boutique on the Champs Elysees for more than two decades and Stephanie’s great grandfather just happened to be shoe legend, Charles Jourdan.

 “The expansion of our showroom is a reflection of the growth of our collections,” commented Rosenberg. “Our nine signature collections feature an eclectic repertoire of furnishings and designs that adapt to fit in a variety of environments – all with originality and a touch of panache.”

JR Ridinger, President and CEO of Market America

In a motivating and captivating presentation, which included Lion Dancers, celebrity performances and fireworks, Market America’s founders, JR and Loren Ridinger detailed the company’s recent acquisition of SHOP.COM (www.shop.com) before 22,000 enthusiastic attendees at Market America’s  World Conference on February 3- which coincided with the Chinese New Year (ergo the Lion Dancers) . 

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Thomas Collins and Lesley Blume

By Mary Jo Almeida-Shore

The Society Literary Salon

The Society Literary Salon featuring Vogue contributor/Huffington Post columnist and author Lesley Blume’s latest book Let’s Bring Back took place at the library of the Soho House last Thursday, to celebrate the book launch.  Blume’s most recent work presents “a sophisticated, stylish cultural encyclopedia of nostalgia celebrating forgotten objects, curiosities, pastimes, fashions, words, landmarks, and personae from bygone eras.”  Read the rest of this entry »