Have an affinity for Latin fare with flair? Does the thought of fresh seafood, perfectly prepared ceviche, and sensational sizzling steaks make your mouth water (it’s watering right now, isn’t it?) Well, put this down and head to De Rodriguez Cuba on Ocean, (formerly at the Astor hotel) owned and operated by culinary wizard, James Beard Award winning chef, Douglas Rodriguez, who raises the bar when it comes to seafood and ceviche and takes Nuevo Latino cuisine to new heights by infusing his Cuban roots throughout his dishes with bold Latin spices.  The expansive yet warm, 200-seat, beachfront restaurant is the Bentley hotel’s best kept secret, and includes two full bars, a 25-foot ceviche bar (featuring 15 types of ceviche), wooden mermaids, tropical plants and seafood supplied by environmentally responsible fisherman and fish farms. 

De Rodriguez Cuba on Ocean is one of the few restaurants on South Beach located directly on the ocean so you can enjoy the salty sea air from inside the stylish, dimly lit dining room, or on the gorgeous outdoor patio. Sounds pretty romantic huh? Unique to De Rodriguez Cuba on Ocean is that the menu includes a number of gluten-free items:  root vegetables are used instead of grains and wheat.  Noteworthy dishes include:  the pan con bistec – made with braised short rib and crunchy crust, which is technically an appetizer but can easily serve as an entrée and the arugula/prosciutto salad- also delicious and beautifully presented. With regards to ceviche, the Thai Lobster is among the most popular and the lobster and steak dishes are also quite good.  When asked about the menu offerings, Chef Rodriguez explained, “If I can find purveyors who ensure the products we get are responsibly grown, fished, picked, and so on, then I can feel good about the food on the plate and so can my guests.”  The knowledgeable and delightful servers are such fans of the food and of the chef that you may find yourself ordering half the menu (and asking them to join you for dessert). 

The staff at De Rodriguez Cuba on Ocean promises to delight guests with a terrific overall experience – a trifecta of food, drink and entertainment.  According to Rodriguez, “We strive to go to provide guests of every age with an entertaining experience from start to finish.”  So the next time you crave fresh seafood, served in a sexy setting just steps from the sea, head to De Rodriguez Cuba – D-Rod’s got you covered.

Christian Slater and Brittany Lopez attended Ryan Trecartin’s Any Ever (2009-2010) opening reception at the Museum of Contemporary Art  MOCA) which features the artist’s seven movie video collaboration, produced in Miami with Lizzie Fitch and other contributors. The presentation of Any Ever at MOCA is the first time that the work has been shown in its entirety in Miami, which was not only the setting for the movies and inspiration for some of their content, but is also a character within the works. MOCA continued the celebration at the Standard Miami Beach for the Ryan Trecartin: Any Ever after party. Guests at the reception and party enjoyed signature drinks by Grey Goose vodka and a performance by artists Raul de Nieves and Colin Self. 

Photography editor Beth Hancock of Art and Commerce spent last week in town from Manhattan with Vogue Italia’s it-boy Greg Lotus curating tens of thousands of his famed fashion, beauty and art images that will be included in the magazine’s archives.  Lotus’s work spans twenty years and he joins the ranks of  Steven Meisel, Ellen von Unwerth, David LaChapelle, Robert Mapplethorpe among others represented by A+C after being introduced to Hancock earlier this year by Michael Leondas Kirkland in New York City.  Lotus hosted a poolside cocktail at his Miami home for Hancock and he and his entourage were seen about town nightly, usually ending each evening at Soho Beach House, where Hancock held intimate corner-table conversation with Max Lugavere, and mingled with the likes of Marcos Balladares, Ruth and Alan Zelcer, Edison Lozada, Alex Mijares and yours truly.  Hancock topped off the weekend with an intimate dinner in Lotus’ honor at Michael’s Genuine Food and Drink which included his wonderful studio manager Tiziana Nenezic, her husband Mick, Fredrick Valentin, and Kirkland. IMG is the parent company of Art and Commerce, which manages superstars from Roger Federer to Gisele Bundchen.

Virgin Atlantic CEO, Sir Richard Branson, dined at Meat Market Saturday night with 6 friends.  

Queen Latifah enjoyed Northern Italian faves at Quattro Thursday night.   Also checking out the best Italian food on Lincoln Road were hairstylist Oscar Blandi; Rosario Dawson and friends who also dined at Quattro this weekend.

Brazilian Soccer player Kaká (no we are NOT making this up, his real name is Ricardo Izecson dos Santos Leite) was seen at Cleber Lopes Beauty & Life Institute in Coral Gables this past week where he patiently waited for his wife, Caroline, to finish her blow-dry and mani/pedi.  Salon reps claim he was quite friendly and social and is returning soon for a haircut.  (He plays for Real Madrid and the Brazilian National team.)

By:  Mary Jo Almeida-Shore

On the evening of the summer solstice, Grey Goose vodka aptly kicked off the first official day of summer with a “Summer Soiree” alongside Ocean Drive magazine around the Arkadia pool at the Fontainebleau Hotel.  Nearly 300 guests stayed “cool” (we use that term loosely as it IS summer in Miami) by sipping cocktails and sucking the very dangerously delicious Grey Goose popsicles . 

Those willing to brave the crowd and the long line were treated to BBQ sliders and hot dogs from Gotham Steak which were cooked to order on an outdoor grill. Many opted instead to play with the props around the pool deck, such as the beach balls, and the hunky lifeguard- who dominated the party from an actual lifeguard stand- only making things even hotter! The other topic of conversation of the night was the popsicles, which were served from a branded novelty ice cream push-cart by a beautiful Grey Goose spokes model. See below for the recipes so that you too may create these tasty summer treats for an upcoming summer soiree- Le Citron Frozen Fresh Berry Lemonade, La Poire Frozen Frenchy (the favorite of the night) and L’Orange Frozen Summer.  As for the eye candy- we are still working on a recipe for that one.  Read the rest here »

July 4^th WALL Weekend

 

Miami co-owners Karim Masri, Nicola Siervo, Navin Chatani and Jarred Grant present a star spangled DJ lineup for Independence Day weekend. The 4,000-square-foot VIP hotspot and celeb favorite welcomes special guest performers and an array of local and national mix masters. On Thursday, June 30, kick-off Fourth of July weekend with DJ Sinatra’s hip hop and powerpop beats; Friday, July 1, Las Vegas’ master scratcher DJ Five mixes hip-hop, R&B, rock, house and everything in between; Saturday, July 2,Aussie twin sister tag-team NERVO blend sexed-up electro-house music on the turn tables; Sunday, July 3, Angel, Ramiro, Rick Sarille, Matt Werner and Rene guest host End Dependence presented by Voli Vodka with sounds by Derek Walin & Michael AnGelo. To reserve a table, email rsvp@wallmiami.com.

 

 

 

Aventura Mall Welcomes Louis Vuitton

Louis Vuitton announces its forthcoming move to the Aventura Mall in Miami, Florida. As of July 1, Louis Vuitton Aventura will be the latest addition to the Maison’s network of stores in North America and dramatically enhance the Louis Vuitton experience for Miami customers.The new Aventura location will replace Louis Vuitton’s Bal Harbour store, which will remain open through the end of June.While the temporary store opening in Aventura on July 1^st will house a full array of product categories and collections, a permanent Louis Vuitton store at Aventura Mall, adhering in design to the Maison’s very latest global store concept, is scheduled to open next Fall, 2012. It will offer a considerably larger retail experience than ever before to Louis Vuitton’s Miami customers, with an internal grand staircase linking the two floors, and a prominent exterior façade. 

 

 

 

Beats After Sunset at the Bass Museum of Art 

This Friday, July 1, the Bass Museum of Art celebrates its monthly first-Friday happy hour event, Beats After Sunset, from 8:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. Guests in attendance will be treated to a preview of the museum’s newest exhibit “Sandra Gamarra: At the Same Time (al mismo tiempo)” featuring works by Madrid-based Peruvian artist Sandra Gamarra created specifically for the museum. Gamarra is scheduled to be present during the reception. The exhibition extends throughout the first floor main entrance and exhibition area and will be on view Saturday, July 2, through Sunday, October 16. For her exhibition at the Bass Museum, the artist has created new paintings based on photographs taken of visitors looking at works in the museum’s Taplin Gallery, alluding to a spiritual relationship between the maker, the work, the viewer and the point at which they meet in the museum. In addition, art and design lovers will receive a sneak peek of the museum’s soon to be fully launched on-site boutique elemental@thebass. Lastly, all guests will enjoy beats by DJ Uchi Isabella (WVUM/NDM), complimentary mixologist cocktails, Magner’s Irish Cider and Perrier sparkling water. Asian eats will be provided by Yummy ChunBuns. The event is free for members and $8 for non-members. For more information, call 305.673.7530 or visit www.bassmuseum.org.

 

 

Fourth of July Weekend Specials

 National Hotel Miami Beach will host a patriotic poolside bash at its backyard oasis, Aqua Bar & Grill, and is also offering a special room rate of $179 for those that want to extend the celebration into the night. From 4:00 p.m. until sunset, guests will savor classic American barbeque fare ($34 per adult; $17 per child), and for an additional $34 sip unlimited specialty beverages (beverage special available from 4 to 7 p.m.), beer and wine while enjoying live entertainment by DJ Bryan alongside the hotel’s iconic 205-ft infinity pool. Upon nightfall, guests will be able to take advantage of the hotel’s beachfront access offering front row seats to Miami Beach’s sparkling fireworks display. Valet is also available at a discounted rate of $15. For reservations, call 305.532.2311 or visit www.NationalHotel.com.

 

Gibraltar at Grove Isle Hotel & Spa will host a bayside barbeque celebration from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. culminating in not one, but three of Miami’s best fireworks extravaganzas originating from downtown Miami, Key Biscayne and Miami Beach. For $20 per adult and $10 per child ($15 for adult members) guests will enjoy holiday staples including Angus Burgers, backyard BBQ chicken and baked beans, as well as beverage specials for an additional fee. For those who wish to turn the nation’s birthday into a weekend-long celebration, Grove Isle is offering 15% off the best available room rate (starting at $179 per night), 10% off spa services at The Spa, complimentary valet parking and a welcome bottle of wine (champagne if room is upgraded to the Luxury Bayfront Room). For barbeque reservations at Gibraltar, call 305.860.4381. For hotel reservations, call 800.884.7683 (guests should request the “Florida Resident’s Rate” when reserving the hotel stay; minimum of a two-night stay required). For more information, visit www.groveisle.com.

 

Popular South Beach resto-bar, Burger & Beer Joint, celebrates Independence Day with menu specials and hot rods beginning Sunday, July 3 through Monday, July 4. Guests in attendance can enjoy “Starter Promos” such as a 10-piece Country Fried Chicken platter with a side of honey ($10); a 10-piece BBQ Wing Basket with a side of blue cheese and celery ($10) or a hearty Red Bean Soup with beef and ciabatta bread toasts ($6). Entrée options include a gooey BBQ Pulled Pork Grilled Cheese sandwich made with Texas Toast Bread, arugula, grilled onions, jalapeño jack cheese and served with a side of coleslaw and mac ‘n’ cheese ($16) and a Chimichurri Steak Sandwich made with ciabatta bread, an 8 oz skirt steak, spinach, fried egg and served with french fries. With the purchase of either sandwich special, guests will receive a complimentary glass of Sam Adams draft beer. In addition, automobile aficionados can partake in B&B’s monthly daytime cruise in and car show “Overdrive Sundays” party starting at noon. Guests will have the opportunity to show off their classic cars, cruisers, hot rods or bikes at the restaurant for a chance to win the “People’s Choice Award” (based on votes). All “Overdrive” participants receive 25% off their entire bill. Space is limited and registering in advance is encouraged. For more information, call 305.672.3287 or visit www.burgernbeerjoint.com.

Dancer, Singer, American Idol and X-Factor Judge and fellow Gemini, Paula Abdul made a surprise appearance at last Sunday’s performance of Dance Town’s Live to Dance at the Miramar Cultural Center.  Celebrating her birthday and supporting her friends Manny and Lory Castro, Artistic Directors and owners of Dance Town, Abdul attended the entire performance and joined the owners on-stage prior to the second half, praising the performers and the work being done by the company.  The audience responded by giving her a standing ovation and singing Happy Birthday.  Dance Town will be part of the Miramar Cultural Center’s upcoming season, so sign up to receive information about performances at www.MiramarCulturalCenter.org or call (954) 602-4500.   

Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes dined at Lario’s Miami Beach over the weekend, with a few members of the Rock of Ages cast including Julianne Hough and Malin Akerman. Holmes was also spotted with daughter, Suri on the beach during the day as well.

 

Selena Gomez was at Macy’s at Miami International Mall promoting her new movie.

Celebrated fathers at the Pampers’ sponsored cook-out at the Newport Beachside Resort last Wednesday included Mario Manuel Cristobal, head coach of the Florida International University football team; Michael Grieco, president of BNI Premier; Russ Koonin, founder of Ferraro Law Firm and co-founder of Playgroup Connect; Dan Sweeney, editor of City Link magazine; Matt Pack, celebrity fitness trainer and founder of Primal Fit Miami; David Bernard, co-founder and president of Miami International Wine Fair and founding partner and president of Vinamericas, Inc.; and Eduardo Hapke, founder and publisher of Hispanic Target, Target Style and Target Autos and Tourism.   

Academy Award-winning actor Kevin Bacon was spotted with a guest sipping Botran Rum mojitos at Brasserie Beaumarchais in New York at the launch party for Moves magazine’s summer issue with Jessica Chastain on Tuesday, June 14.  The Miami-based brand showcased its recent national strides treating more than 150 attendees to two of signature cocktails:  the Botran Rum Mojito and The Tulula.  Stay tuned for more exciting national initiatives by the brand Miamians know and love, including a Botran Tiki Lounge at Tales of the Cocktails July 20-24 in New Orleans, LA. 

In honor of the 15th anniversary of Zo’s Summer Groove, Alonzo Mourning Charities proudly announces 14 time Grammy® award winner Alicia Keys as the headlining performance for the Benefit Dinner and Gala. For the first time ever, the concert will open to the public benefiting Overtown Youth Center and Honey Shine Mentoring Program. For General Admission tickets visit: http://www.hardrocklivehollywoodfl.com/events.php.   Stay tuned for more details about the weekend.

By:  Mary Jo Almeida-Shore

Sir Richard Branson’s 25 Year Old Virgin 

Sir Richard Branson, Founder of Virgin Atlantic Airways, greeted Miami from the wing of a 747 while carrying British singer, Sarah Harding, on the runway at Miami International Airport to kick off a two-day celebration of 25 years of connecting Miami and London on Wednesday June 15.  The next morning, as press and hotel guests gathered on the outside terrace of the Mondrian Hotel, facing Biscayne Bay, Branson drove a speed boat, which was chasing another boat, in a mock Miami Vice style chase.  After passing the onlookers twice, Branson picked up a megaphone, demanded that the other boat stop, then proceeded to board it and “arrest” supermodel Karolina Kurkova with gold handcuffs he purchased at the Mondrian’s vending machine. After posing for photos, the pair disembarked and jumped in the Mondrian’s pool. Read the rest here »