By: Maryanne Salvat 

Tosca on Valentine’s Day 

This Valentine’s Day, embrace “the sweet life” at Tosca as they will be turning back the hands of time to the late 1950s, setting the mood for a romantic evening abound with sumptuous dishes, rich decor and live cabaret show inspired by Federico Fellini’s masterpiece La Dolce Vita. The prix-fixe menu, priced at $245 per couple, showcases a selection of Tosca’s signature dishes, including the Fettuccine with Mascarpone Cheese, Bone-in Prime Tenderloin and a ménage-a-trois of chocolate. Seatings are at 7:00 and 9:30 p.m., with the show times at 8:00 and 10:30 p.m.; For reservations call: 786.216.7230.

Saks Loves Your Cause

This February, Saks Fifth Avenue will give 5% of all registered purchases made with a Saks Fifth Avenue credit card back to charity with an initiative called Saks Loves Your Cause.  The donations will benefit The American Red Cross and select local organizations, keeping support within each Saks Fifth Avenue store’s immediate community.

South Beach Wine and Food Festival 2013

It’s no secret that the South Beach Wine and Food Festival (SBWFF) is taking over Miami, on February 21 through February 24.  Those of you that have been looking forward to the foodie weekend will be in for a treat, with new exciting events to add to the classic line-up that encompasses the festival; gastro-fiends will invade the South Florida beaches to soak up some rays and catch chef-lebrity sightings as well as live performances. To plan your excursion into this delectable territory visit:  www.sobefest.com. Don’t forget to prep a bag with Havaianas, antacids, and digestive aids to get you through it.

Havaianas and Michelle Bernstein Come Together at Burger Bash 2013

Havaianas, the world’s most stylish flip flop, has partnered with James Beard Award winning chef and Miami native,Michelle Bernstein to bring “Instant Brazilian Joy” to the 2013 Food & Wine Burger Bash in Miami. To celebrate this partnership, Havaianas has created a limited edition collection of Food & Wine pins that will be available on-site at Burger Bash and on the Havaianas website from February 21through February 24.  These whimsical pins feature snacks and cooking items such as pasta, cracked eggs, burgers, fries, ice-cream, pickles, ketchup and more. Bernstein infused her famous Latin culinary style with the deeply rooted Brazilian heritage of Havaianas to create an eclectic menu of recipes inspired by this exclusive collection of flip flop styles and pins. The authentic delicacies such as Bolo de Maracujá (Passion Fruit Cake) with purple sandals and the ice cream pin, The Brazilian Burger with red sandals and the burger pin, or Moqueca with gold flip flops with the fish pin, and more will be available for each guest to order complimentary a la carte at the event. Bernstein will be on-site at the Havaianas booth at the Burger Bash to “serve up” her delectably named sandals and exclusive recipe cards featuring her real gourmet creations. For the foodies who cannot make it to Burger Bash this year, Michelle’s flip flop creations and her custom sandal, The Meal (gold flip flop with ketchup, burger, pickle and fries pin) will be available for sale on www.us.havaianas.com for $2.50 each pin for the duration of the SOBE Food & Wine Festival.

Smithfield Versailles Cuban Combo Food Truck 

To add to our self-inflicted eating addiction, Smithfield and Versailles have partnered to create the ultimate “Smithfield Versailles Cuban Combo.” The Smithfield food truck will be stationed outside nighttime events, handing out free Cuban sandwich samples for all, from midnight to 2:00 a.m. on February 22 at the James Hotel and February 23 at the Dream Hotel.  Stop by to have a taste!  

Hat Luncheon with the Vizcayans 

On Tuesday, February 26, The Vizcayans will host their fifth annual Preservation Luncheon, fondly referred to as the “Hat Luncheon”, at the historic Vizcaya Museum and Gardens. The al-fresco luncheon will be blossoming with stylish hats and elegant attire galore, reminiscent of fashionable daytime soirees in the formal Italianate gardens, which were a tradition in Vizcaya’s early years as James Deering’s European-inspired home, opened in 1916. This year’s chair for the Preservation Luncheon is Lydia Touzet.The afternoon will begin with a glorious cocktail reception on the Garden Mound where guests will be welcomed by enchanting string music as they sip on champagne and enjoy decadent hors d’oeuvres. Trumpets will then cue guests to proceed to a lavish dining experience in a beautifully decorated pavilion that includes an exquisite four-course lunch catered by Thierry’s Catering, Lanson champagne and wines by Chateau D’Esclans. Gift bags will be provided courtesy of Neiman Marcus Coral Gables. The Vizcayan’s Preservation Luncheon, inspired by the Central Park Conservancy’s “Hat luncheon” held each year in New York, was founded by Norma Quintero in 2009 during her term as president of the Vizcayans in an effort to raise money to protect the estate’s viewshed. All proceeds from this and all Vizcayans events currently benefit a comprehensive restoration plan for Vizcaya’s buildings, gardens and outdoor statuary.Individual tickets are $300 and tables (for ten) are $3,000. For more information and to purchase tickets call 305.856.4866 ext. 3 or email rsvp@vizcayans.org.

RADIO Pop-Up Bar

RADIO Pop-Up Bar, the new concept bynightlife trio and longtime friends Paulo Cardoso, Tatanka Guerrero and Philippe “Flip” Falca, has launched South of Fifth,located on 814 1st St. RADIO will offer a drink list featuring handcrafted cocktails, champagne and local craft beers, as well as classic bites including grilled cheese sandwiches, hot dogs and old-fashioned popcorn. RADIO’s name is fitting considering it is the only bar with an actual 600-foot radio tower in South Beach and the first pop up bar to grace the South of Fifth neighborhood. The pop-up’s craft cocktails and timeless nibbles are served in a lively atmosphere with a warm and laid-back South Beach service. Every Friday night, new cocktails – such as the Thai Chile and Pineapple Caipirnha – will be available for less than $10. DJ sets, hosted by OFM Talent, will be on rotation all weekend long and will feature a selection of South Beach’s most talented MCs. RADIO is open seven days a week from 8:00 p.m. to 5:00 a.m. The main entrance is situated on 1st Street, but the back entryway east of the bar is recommended as a courtesy to residents for guests arriving after 11:00 p.m.

AKM Images / GSI Media

Alejandro Sanz, Grammy Award winning artist, performed at the Market America Annual World Conference held at the American Airlines Arena. Over 20,000 delighted attendees enjoyed the concert, among those:   actress and reality star La La Anthony, and Market America founders Loren and JR Ridinger.

Olivier Martinez and Halle Berry were seen dining at Martinez’s restaurant Villa Azur during the weekend.  Action-movie director, Michael Bay was also spotted at Villa Azur’s Thursday Night Dinner Party hosted by Michael Martin. Gerard Butler, Leonardo DiCaprio, Jonah Hill, and Mel Gibson along with friends were also seen dining in a private room at Villa Azur. The following day DiCaprio and Hill headed to Wynwood Walls and toured the amazing murals and art displays in the area.  Favorites included Shepard Fairey and Kenny Scharf.

Regis Philbin dined at Toro Toro.

The Temple House hosted a reception announcing the upcoming Latin Songwriters Hall of Fame event in April 2013. Honorary guests at the reception included: well-known songwriters and producers Desmond Child and Rudy Perez as well as Miami Beach’s  Vice Mayor, Michael Gongora.

By:  Mary Jo Almeida-Shore 

G-Star RAW 

International denim brand G-Star RAW has joined the list of cool destination stores on Lincoln Road, which now includes H & M and Forever 21. While G-Star RAW boasts a much higher price tag, it is sure to draw the same hip clientele. The new 2,600 square foot G-Star store located at 511 Lincoln Road opened its doors to denim diehards and stylish elite on January 24, with a huge grand opening bash, unveiling its best collection to a group of notable and influential attendees, who enjoyed cocktails and hors d’oeuvres while enjoying music by DJ Reid Waters.  The party continued until late into the night at Rec Room at the Gale.    Read the rest here »

By: Maryanne Salvat

Glamadolls: Postcards of Love and Charity

This Valentine’s Day, inspiring artist Renato Armijo celebrates with his beautiful Glamadolls masterpieces supporting Care Resource of South Florida as they work to help those inflicted with HIV/AIDS and other life-threatening diseases. A portion of the proceeds from sales of these one of a kind Valentine’s Day cards will be donated to Care Resource, aiding their efforts to help those in need. Show-off some heart and support this wonderful cause; for more information visit:http://www.facebook.com/Glamadolls or glamadolls@gmail.com. 

Gilt City Warehouse Sale 

It’s time again for the Gilt City Miami Warehouse Sale on Friday, February 8 and Saturday, February 9 at the Miami Iron Side.  The two-day event features Gilt’s top brands—from men’s and women’s fashion to home accessories—at up to 90% off retail prices! General tickets to the warehouse sale can be purchased at: http://www.giltcity.com/miami/miawarehouse2013. Attendees are also invited to tweet and instagram a photo of what they purchased from the Warehouse Sale by using the hashtag #RaidtheWarehouse to enter to win $100 of Gilt credit. 

Chloe’s Soft Serve Fruit Co. at Dylan’s Candy Bar Miami Beach

Chloe’s Soft Serve Fruit Co., the New York based all-natural dessert, is now available in Miami at the brand new Dylan’s Candy Bar on Lincoln Road.  The delicious treat is a three ingredient dessert made with just fruit, water and a touch of organic cane sugar that has the consistency of frozen yogurt.  It is fat-free, cholesterol-free, and sodium-free; The best part, only 90 calories in a 3.5 oz. serving. Varieties rotate seasonally, and include options such as mango, banana, raspberry, blueberry, pear, apple, pumpkin, blood orange, tangy tangerine, dark chocolate (made with 100% Ecuadorian cacao beans), etc. So go get your soft serve on! 

  RA Sushi’s Foodies Show Heart on Wednesday, February 13 at 7:00 p.m.; sixlocal, notable food bloggers & media personalities will go against each other in an Iron Chef-style battle for a noble cause.  Each contestant will team up with a RA Sushi chef to create their most unique, best tasting sushi roll each contestant must use one secret, seasonal ingredient YOU will serve as the judges, with each attendee receiving ONE token to vote for their favorite foodie Most tokens at 9:00 p.m.  wins. The champion foodie’s dish will be featured on RA Sushi in South Miami’s menu for 30 days and a portion of proceeds from the sale of that dish will go to benefit the competitor’s charity of choice. Bloggers and media participants include: Laine Doss,lead Food & Spirits Reporter at Miami New Times and Broward/Palm Beach New Times,as well as contributor to Food Network and Cooking Channel– competing on behalf of Tri County Humane Society,a 100 percent no-kill organization saving lives of animals in Palm Beach, Broward, Miami-Dade and Martin counties; Linda Gassenheimer, TV and radio personality at WLRN 91.3 and “Dinner In Minutes” columnist at The Miami Herald, is an award-winning author of 16 cookbooks, including The Flavors of the Florida Keys and Fast and Flavorful: Great Diabetes Meals from Market to Table – competing on behalf of Camillus House, a full-service center that has provided humanitarian services to the indigent and homeless populations of Miami-Dade County for more than 50 years; Jen Karetnick, Dining Critic at MIAMI Magazine and Miami’s longest-running food critic, she has written about food and travel national publications and websites including Food Network’s City Eats, Forbes.com, Gayot.com and Southern Living ­– competing on behalf of Doctors Without Borders,an international medical humanitarian organization that provides independent, impartial assistance in more than 60 countries; Lydia Martin, “Lunch with Lydia” columnist for The Miami Herald, has lunched with celebs such as Jennifer Lopez, Lil’ Kim, Penelope Cruz, Will Smith, Sting and Celia Cruz, along with a who’s who of food world personalities, from Ferran Adria and Alain Ducasse to Anthony Bourdain – competing on behalf of Pridelines Youth Services, an organization dedicated to supporting, educating and empowering South Florida’s lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and questioning youth in a safe and diverse environment; Jacquelynn Powers, Editorial Director of MiamiPopMedia.com and a longtime food writer for Ocean Drive Magazine, The Daily Beast, AOL and Urban Daddy, her interview subjects include Emeril Lagasse, Padma Lakshmi and Wolfgang Puck – competing on behalf of Mourning Family Foundation,a non-profit organization founded by Alonzo and Tracy Mourning to better serve South Florida communities and its children; Johnny Todd, Miami Community Director at Yelp and urban explorer seeking the best that local businesses have to offer, Todd has also bested Chicago foodies in two “Iron Cook” competitions (Citrus and Autumn) – competing on behalf of Year Up, a an organization that seeks to close the Opportunity Divide by providing urban young adults with the skills, experience, and support that will empower them to reach their true potential. Guests will also enjoy extended happy hour specials until close and beats by a special guest DJ. The event is FREE but space is limited and RSVP is encouraged to FoodiesShowHeart@taraink.com. 

Café Prima Pasta Valentine’s Special

Café Prima Pasta is setting the mood this Valentines’ Day with an “afternoon delight” half price menu from 4:00 to 5:00 p.m. and prix fixe menu from 5:00 to 10:00 p.m. featuring some of the restaurant’s most desirable dishes to complement its existing a la carte options. Executive chef, Papa Arturo, has coupled his passion for pasta with his proficiency in the language of love to create a romantic spread of Italian delicacies available for dinner on Thursday, February 14 for $65 per person.     Begin the evening with a complimentary glass of champagne upon arrival. Then choose from a series of starters sized for sharing including Cupid’s Caprese, imported buffalo mozzarella layered between thick slices of beefsteak tomatoes and fresh basil; Exotic Mixed Green Salad, an organic spring mix of fresh garden greens, artichokes and hearts of palm drizzled with a tomato vinaigrette dressing; Carpaccio di Manzo, thin slices of USDA prime filet mignon with imported extra virgin olive oil, zesty lemon and robust parmesan cheese; Tuna Osaka, fresh tuna tartare splashed in a lemon and soy reduction or Sweetheart Fiocchi alla Pera,made-to-order pasta purses stuffed with fontina cheese and sweet pear, topped with roasted prosciutto in a creamy truffle sauce. Enjoy an assortment of entrées ranging from Secret Garden Risotto, couscous risotto served with hearty root vegetables, porcini mushrooms and Mascarpone cheese; Heart Shaped Lobster Ravioli,homemade pasta pockets stuffed with Maine lobster and rich ricotta cheese; Red Snapper, fresh Florida snapper lightly coated in shredded zucchini and fried golden brown; Last Kiss Garlic Shrimp, jumbo rock shrimp tossed with penne pasta in a pink vodka sauce; Romantic Ravioli, fresh pasta purses filled with intoxicating porcini mushrooms and fontina cheese in a delicate cream sauce; “Maine Squeeze” Lobster, savory lobster served over a bed of gluten-free, angel hair pasta and Lover’s Lamb Shank with made to order fettuccini. Seal the deal at the end of the night with a Love me Tender Tartuffo made for indulging in with a special someone. For reservations, call 305.867.0106 or visit, www.cafeprimapasta.com. 

Friends of New World Symphony Big Band Swing 2013!  

It’s is all about the music for Friends of New World Symphony and there will be no exception on Saturday, February 23. Mark your calendars because you will not want to miss the return of Miami’s most glamorous and unique black tie gala party, Big Band Swing 2013! It starts at 10 p.m. and ends at 1 a.m. Tickets for Friends are a special rate of $125 each ($75 is tax deductible). There will be a price increase after February 5th. Tickets include cocktails, light bites and dancing to the swinging sounds of Michael Andrew and the Atomic Big Band, an 18-piece orchestra back by popular demand. For reservations and inquiries please contact Nathalie Cadet-James at 305.428.6733or nathalie.cadet-james@nws.edu.

Havaianas and Michelle Bernstein Come Together at Burger Bash 2013

Havaianas, the world’s most stylish flip flop, has partnered with James Beard Award winning chef and Miami native, Michelle Bernstein to bring “Instant Brazilian Joy” to the 2013 Food & Wine Burger Bash in Miami. To celebrate this partnership, Havaianas has created a limited edition collection of Food & Wine pins that will be available on-site at Burger Bash and on the Havaianas website from February 21through February 24.  These whimsical pins feature snacks and cooking items such as pasta, cracked eggs, burgers, fries, ice-cream, pickles, ketchup and more. Bernstein infused her famous Latin culinary style with the deeply rooted Brazilian heritage of Havaianas to create an eclectic menu of recipes inspired by this exclusive collection of flip flop styles and pins. The authentic delicacies such as Bolo de Maracujá (Passion Fruit Cake) with purple sandals and the ice cream pin, The Brazilian Burger with red sandals and the burger pin, or Moqueca with gold flip flops with the fish pin, and more will be available for each guest to order complimentary a la carte at the event. Bernstein will be on-site at the Havaianas booth at the Burger Bash to “serve up” her delectably named sandals and exclusive recipe cards featuring her real gourmet creations. For the foodies who cannot make it to Burger Bash this year, Michelle’s flip flop creations and her custom sandal, The Meal (gold flip flop with ketchup, burger, pickle and fries pin) will be available for sale on www.us.havaianas.com for $2.50 each pin for the duration of the SOBE Food & Wine Festival.

Hat Luncheon with the Vizcayans 

On Tuesday, February 26, The Vizcayans will host their fifth annual Preservation Luncheon, fondly referred to as the “Hat Luncheon”, at the historic Vizcaya Museum and Gardens. The al-fresco luncheon will be blossoming with stylish hats and elegant attire galore, reminiscent of fashionable daytime soirees in the formal Italianate gardens, which were a tradition in Vizcaya’s early years as James Deering’s European-inspired home, opened in 1916. This year’s chair for the Preservation Luncheon is Lydia Touzet.The afternoon will begin with a glorious cocktail reception on the Garden Mound where guests will be welcomed by enchanting string music as they sip on champagne and enjoy decadent hors d’oeuvres. Trumpets will then cue guests to proceed to a lavish dining experience in a beautifully decorated pavilion that includes an exquisite four-course lunch catered by Thierry’s Catering, Lanson champagne and wines by Chateau D’Esclans. Gift bags will be provided courtesy of Neiman Marcus Coral Gables. The Vizcayan’s Preservation Luncheon, inspired by the Central Park Conservancy’s “Hat luncheon” held each year in New York, was founded by Norma Quintero in 2009 during her term as president of the Vizcayans in an effort to raise money to protect the estate’s viewshed. All proceeds from this and all Vizcayans events currently benefit a comprehensive restoration plan for Vizcaya’s buildings, gardens and outdoor statuary. Individual tickets are $300 and tables (for ten) are $3,000. For more information and to purchase tickets call 305.856.4866 ext. 3 or email rsvp@vizcayans.org.  

In town for the NATPE conference at the Fontainebleau:  Larry King, Jason Priestly.

On Sunday night, Rick Ross celebrated his birthday at LIV along with PDiddy, Ludacris, and Christina Milian, to name a few.

Michael Bay was seen partying behind the DJ booth at Story as superstar DJ Cedric Gervais spun the crowd into a frenzy.

Jada Pinkett-Smith was spotted at the SLS’s Hyde Beach and at the Delano’s Full Moon party on Saturday night.

Over 225 people laced up their bowling shoes at Lucky Strike Lanes in Miami Beach on Saturday, January 26 for Jon Jay’s 2^nd Annual Celebrity Bowling Challenge, which raised approximately $35,000 for Boys & Girls Clubs of Miami-Dade. Jay, St. Louis Cardinals outfielder and Miami native was joined by David Freese, Daniel Descalso and Tony Cruz of the St. Louis Cardinals; Pat Lee and Cesar Carrillo of the Detroit Lions, Yonder Alonso of the San Diego Padres, Blake Tekotte and Jared Mitchell of the Chicago White Sox, Tyler Greene of the Houston Astros, John Mayberry Jr. of the Philadelphia Phillies, Alex Castellanos of the Los Angeles

Josh Wagner, John Meadow, Bobby Rossi, and Amy Sacco

By: Mary Jo Almeida-Shore

Our new favorite South Beach hotspot, Rec Room, at the sleek and stylish, Gale Hotel recently opened its doors on Thursday, to the delight of locals, New Yorkers and the international jet set. LDV Hospitality’s owners John Meadow and Curt Huegel, officially unveiled the cozy yet chic subterranean lounge, the Miami sister of the VIP upstairs lounge at New York’s, den-for-the-fabulous, No. 8, on the evening of January 17, debuting the lounge’s weekly BeachKred party along with a celebration of LDV Managing Partner and Miami nightlife veteran Joshua Wagner’s  birthday.

It’s no surprise that the lounge was filled to the rafters before midnight, with pretty young things and brilliant/entertaining not-so-young ones; or that the exclusive underground vibe and music had guests giddy with laughter and tearing up the dance floor until the sun came up.  After all, Rec Room comes to us through the collaborative efforts of  LDV Brand Partner, Amy Sacco, lauded as “Nightlife Empress” by the New York Times, well known for NYC’s famed Bungalow 8 (THE place to be a few years ago); LDV Co-founders and Principals, Meadow and Huegel, whose impressive roster offood and beverage outlets include some of the most critically acclaimed restaurants, bars, and lounges in the United States, and nightlife impresario, Bobby Rossi, who heads up LDV’s nightlife division. Read the rest here »