To celebrate the upcoming Recent Cinema from Spain Film Series kicking off in Miami on November 8, Cristina Barrios, the Miami General Consul of Spain opened her home to several of her friends, colleagues, socialites and VIPs. In attendance were gorgeous and charming, Real Housewives of Miami Ana Quincoces and Marysol Patton; Silvia Fortune; “telenovela” star Gabriel Valenzuela; Miami artist, Alex Mijares and Miami Trade Commissioner of Spain, Mario Buisan. During the cocktail party, the six films to be screened next month were officially announced.

Olivier Martinez was spotted at his restaurant, Villa Azur, having dinner over the weekend.

Shania Twain popped into Zuma Monday night for a quick vegetarian dinner with her husband. A source says she seemed to be in a great mood and was happy to be back at Zuma. Who wouldn’t be?

Miami HEAT NBA Champion Dwyane Wade recently hosted a fashion fundraiser, A Night on the RunWade, for his Wade’s World Foundation at the Moore Building.  The event featured a benefit dinner, live performance and fashion show with clothing from the Webster Miami, Dsquared2 and Neiman Marcus, emceed by fashion correspondent Jill Martin. The cocktail reception included bites from local favorite restaurants – Salsa Fiesta, TIKL, Toro Toro, Prime 112 and City Hall.

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 here »

Rock of Ages on Stage 

Five-time 2009 Tony® nominee, ROCK OF AGES is an arena-rock love story told through the mind blowing, face-melting hits of Journey, Night Ranger, Styx, Reo Speedwagon, Pat Benatar, Twisted Sister, Poison, Asia, Whitesnake and many more. Don’t miss this awesomely good time about dreaming big, playing loud and partying on! ROCK OF AGES is part of the Broadway in Miami 2012-2013 subscription season and is made possible with the generous support of Bank of America and is presented by Florida Theatrical Association, Broadway Across America and the Adrienne Arsht Center. For tickets visit www.arshtcenter.org, or call the Box Office at 305.949.6722. 

Texas Tuesdays at Brother Jimmy’s 

Brother Jimmy and his Southern ways have brought finger-licking great BBQ to to Brickell and made quite an impression on the Brickell bar scene, by doing things a bit differently. In addition to the perfect ribs, cowboy steaks and brisket sliders, you can now work off that scrumptious grub line-dancing! Brother Jimmy’s BBQ Miami will continue to serve up their unique brand of Southern fun with the launch of “Texas Tuesdays, The Best Lil’ Honky Tonk in Miami.” Starting at 8:00 p.m., a crew of professional line dancers will provide a crash course on everything a newcomer needs to know to pull off the Texas Two-Step, Boot Scootin’ Boogie and even the Watermelon Crawl, in style. Whether a Yankee amateur or seasoned cowboy, with 2-for-1 drinks, and Miami’s Top Country DJ, DJ Risi spinning all of the Honky Tonk hits, Tuesday’s at Brother Jimmy’s Miami will be that something different you’ve been looking for!!

Noodles in the House 

Machiya Ramen Noodle House is the newest culinary addition to the Midtown neighborhood and is slated to open its doors next Monday, October 15. The name Machiya refers to wooden townhouses found throughout Japan where the front of the building traditionally served as the retail, shop or restaurant space. Situated on the ground floor of Mid Block East inside Shops at Midtown Miami, Machiya will serve Japanese comfort food and introduce a whole new dining experience to the area. The menu ranges from an array of small plates, innovative sashimi and unique salads such as Steamed Rock Shrimp Buns with Spicy Aioli, Tuna “Pizza”, Sweet Sake Roast Black Cod, Filet Mignon “Yukke” with Asian Pear, signature dishes including six types of ramen dishes and “Chawan Mushi”, Japanese Custard Chicken with Snow Crab and Black Truffle, Kim Chee Pork Belly with Crispy Shallots, and “Dote Nabe” Red Miso Braised Short Rib, among others. The cocktail menu offers classics with a twist, as well as original creations. Highlights include the Yuzu Drop with Ketel Citron, Japanese citrus and Cointreau; the Midtown Manhattan with Basil Hayden, fresh pineapple juice and tamarind water; and the Machiya, combining Double Cross Vodka, fresh pomegranate, Briottet Crème De Cassis and Prosecco. Machiya will offer Happy Hour from 4:00 to 7:00 p.m., with daily specials.The restaurant will operate Sunday through Thursday from 11:30 a.m. – 12 a.m. and on Friday and Saturday from 11:30 a.m. – 2:00 a.m. For more information, visit www.machiyamidtown.com, call 786.507.5025 or find them on Facebook at www.facebook.com/machiyamidtown and twitter: @MachiyaMidtown.

Squat the District 

Young brands in fashion, art, and music, “Squat the District” during Art Walk, on Saturday, October 13, from 7:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m., pinning what’s next and what’s fresh against the most iconic walls of art in the world. Located at 120 NW 25th Street, The Wynwood Squat joins more than 30 creatives to showcase what’s on trend including fashion apparel, accessories, vintage, and more. For now during Art Walk days, visitors to Miami and locals are invited to experience a new breed of retail that combines a community of designers and artists, monthly rotating art exhibits, sounds by DJ I.A.N., spirited mixology and bites, O Cinema crafted video installations, and the energy that nightlife in Wynwood can only provide. To add, at the launch of The Squat, a collaboration between Annie Vazquez, The Fashion Poet, and notable Photographer Alexander Tamargo, of Alta Images, will benefit The Florida Foundation for Breast Cancer with an unveil of their Fashion For a Cause Campaign and photo exhibit featuring 26 Miami Fashion Bloggers. 

Community Supper at the Light Box 

Miami Light Project will host a Community Supper at The Light Box at Goldman Warehouse on Saturday, October 13. The pot-luck style dinner will be an opportunity for art lovers to mix, mingle and get a sneak preview of the 2012-2013 Miami Light Project season.  Attendees will also be offered the opportunity to purchase tickets to the season’s shows before the program and ticket sales go live on the MLP website on October 14 as well as program artists. The Community Supper is limited to the first 100 RSVP’s. The event is open to the public but attendees are requested to bring a savory dish or baked goods for eight to ten people.  The Light Box at Goldman Warehouse located at 404 NW 26 Street in Wynwood.  Abundant street parking is available.

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 here »

Zuma, Zuma, Zuma!

London’s award-winning restaurant, Zuma boasts an internationally acclaimed style of modern Japanese cuisine with a “WOW” factor that’s been gaining international attention for over a year. The brainchild of German chef Rainer Becker, Zuma offers sophisticated Japanese cuisine in an informal Japanese dining style called Izakaya.  Becker honed his skills and developed the concept behind Zuma during his six year tenure in Tokyo, before launching the first Zuma restaurant in London’s Knightsbridge.  Such was the enormous success of the restaurant with London’s international clientele, that demand supported the development of additional Zuma restaurants across the globe.  Since then, Becker has opened Zuma restaurants in Hong Kong, Istanbul and Dubai before bringing it to Miami. 

Zuma Miami’s success results mainly from its perfect dishes, which are served in a sleek, stylish and spacious setting. The menu is categorized to satisfy the pickiest palate, and the servers are well-versed when interpreting the chef’s specialties.  The best thing on the menu, by far is the marinated black cod wrapped in a hoba leaf.  Even those, who, like us, are NOT fish fans are sure to find the cod, to quote SNL’s iconic, Linda Richman to be “Like Buttah!’”  “Discuss!”  Other favorites include: Gyu no tataki or seared beef with soy, ginger, lime and coriander; Gyuhire sumbiyaki karami sauce zuke or spicy beef tenderloin with sesame, red chilli and sweet soy; and the sushi, which is outstanding.  The desserts at Zuma seem to have been inspired by the name of the building, as they are “epic.”

Enjoying Zuma’s atmosphere and delicious food since its opening: local VIPs, including:  The Heat Players, Gloria and Emilio Estefan, Tui Pranich, Gary and Dana Shear, Walid and Susie Wahab, Gisela and Diego Lowenstein, the Dascal family, Gabriella Arango and family, Elizabeth and Mitchel Taylor, Belkys Nerey, Frank Amadeo, Ingrid Casares, Deborah Wecselman, Norma Quintero, Maria Celeste Arraras, Marysol Patton and Louis Aguirre, who are regulars. Internationally, Zuma has a significant celebrity following, including regulars such as: Will Smith, Gwyneth Paltrow, Chris Martin, Lady Gaga, Tony Blair, Beyoncé, Jay Z, Victoria and David Beckham, Sarah Ferguson, Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, Antonio Banderas and Keith Richards among many others. To make reservations for Zuma, call: (305) 577-0277.

On South Beach, where steakhouses abound, Red, The Steakhouse stands strong as THE place to get a perfect steak cooked to perfection.  While several other SoBe steakhouses are bigger on scene than on steak, (including brand-new, fellow 3-letter contender which shall remain nameless), Red is all about the food, not that the excellent service and wine selection (over 500 varieties) are anything to scoff at.   If you want a perfect steak, go to Red, period.

Tucked away in the South of Fifth neighborhood, Red exudes owner, Brad Friedlander’s zeal for perfection in the kitchen, which is exceeded only by his intense passion to please his guests.  “We’re passionate about what we serve. We are consistently dreaming up ways to exceed our guests’ expectations and thrilled to bring our unique style to an exciting and vibrant city like Miami.”   That “style” includes a décor that is anything but stuffy, right down its polished wood floors, red banquettes, black bar, white brick walls and glass-enclosed private dining room.  There’s also a rooftop area perfect for watching fireworks on July 4 and New Year’s Eve and throwing a bash or two. Read the rest here »