Last Thursday night, Chris Bosh hosted a 26 birthday dinner for fiancée Adrienne Williams at their home for 30 guests.  Invited guests included Dwyane Wade, Gabrielle Union, LeBron James, Roy and Lea Black, and JR and Loren Ridinger to name a few.

Miami native, Pitbull stopped in the middle of his live broadcast with NRJ radio to serenade a crowd that had gathered around National Hotel Miami Beach’s infinity pool with a rendition of “Hey Baby.” The rapper enthusiastically proclaimed, “If it wasn’t for fans like you, I wouldn’t be here!” and then proceeded to walk over to greet and pose for photos with guests one by one.

Enrique Iglesias and girlfriend, Anna Kournikova dined and entertained a large group of friends at SUGARCANE raw bar grill on Saturday night.

Forbes magazine’s “Richest Man in the World”, Carlos Slim, was seen dining with a party of ten at Eden South Beach on Saturday night.  

Rakontur, the Miami-based media studio founded by Billy Corben and Alfred Spellman hosted an after party at Cafeina Wynwood Lounge celebrating the Miami premiere of Square Grouper: the Godfathers of Ganja, the duo’s latest documentary. Corben was on-hand for the festivities.

The 7th Annual AMG Miami Beach Polo World Cup

The 7th Annual AMG Miami Beach Polo World Cup presented by Nespresso returns to South Beach from April 21 through April 24 between 20th and 22nd streets on the sands behind the Setai Hotel, featuring South Florida native veteran Polo player and renowned presenter of America’s Most Wanted, John Walsh.  AMG, the performance brand of Mercedes-Benz, returns for the second year as title sponsor and is displaying a stable of its own high performance vehicles alongside the well-trained thoroughbred horses.  Guests will also enjoy specialty cocktails courtesy of Grey Goose vodka. For this year’s AMG Miami Beach Polo World Cup, AMG-Mercedes has formed a unique partnership with designer La Martina for the creation of a special edition commemorative polo shirt for the tournament that will be on sale at the La Martina retail tent over the four days of the tournament.  All proceeds from the sales of the polo shirt as well as a portion of funds raised from this year’s ticket sales will go to Big Brothers Big Sisters of Greater Miami, the tournament’s official partnering charity organization. To purchase tickets and a complete listing of events visit or call www.miamipolo.com or 305-538-3809.

“GreenRaiser” by ECOMB on Earth Day

The Environmental Coalition of Miami & the Beaches (ECOMB) will host its annual “GreenRaiser” on Thursday, April 21, at 6:30 p.m. As the preeminent environmental organization leading sustainable initiatives for the community, ECOMB, along with NBC’s Jeff Burnside, will present not only the most “eco-chic” event of the season, but also serve as the biggest fundraising effort for the preservation, protection and restoration of our community’s local ecosystem.  After arriving in SWOOP electric transport or receiving a discount to valet park hybrid cars, guests will be welcomed at the Sagamore Hotel by eco-fashion presentations by Art of Shade and Elite Models.  Hosts include: Audie Apple, Michael Capponi, Michael Gongora, Tony Cho, Ali Codina, Karla Dascal, Claudio Faria, Jeff Feldman, Stacey Glassman, Eric Hecht M.D., Lisa Liotta, Jonathan Marcoschamer, Nikki Novo, Chad Oppenheim, Brian Scheinblum, Ashley Turchin, John Turchin and Liza Walton.  Tickets are priced as follows: VIP reception $150 (VIP Couple $250); Sustainable Celebration $75, ECOMB Members $50 in advance and $100 at the door. Tickets are available through ecomb@ecomb.org or by calling 305-534-3825.

Race to Nowhere

First United Methodist Church (536 Coral Way) will be hosting two screenings of the educational documentary, Race to Nowhere, a film by Vicki Abeles on Tuesday, April 26 at 9:30 a.m. and 7:00 p.m.  The film is about America’s achievement culture in education. Following the film, a panel of professionals will engage in discussion with the audience.  Tickets can be purchased at www.fumccg.org for $10.  Contact Julie Hoyt for more information at Hoytjulie@aol.com.

Dining Out For Life

Care Resource is proud to host its sixth year of Dining Out for Life (DOFL) in South Florida on Thursday, April 28, with spokesperson, Executive Chef Paula DaSilva of 1500°, the farm-to-table eatery located in Miami Beach’s Eden Roc Renaissance. DOFL is a one-day international fundraiser, co-hosted by The Miami New Times, benefiting non-profit service agencies in over 55 metropolitan areas across the United States and Canada. On April 28, thousands of supporters will dine together with friends, family members and coworkers in support of the fight against HIV/AIDS. Participating restaurants will donate a portion of their sales that night to HIV/AIDS organizations allowing for continued services and programs to families and individuals infected or affected by HIV/AIDS. For a full list of participating restaurants in South Florida, visit www.diningoutforlife.com/miami/participating.

A Night at the Museum

The Bass Museum of Art (2100 Collins Avenue) will host its annual fundraiser, “A Night at the Museum,” on Thursday, April 28 from 7-10 p.m. No word on whether fans of the movies by the same name will be treated to sightings of Amelia Earhart or Teddy Roosevelt, but they will definitely get to enjoy hors d’oeuvres, Grey Goose vodka cocktails and beats by ESS & EMM.  In addition, attendees will have the chance to explore the museum’s new exhibit, “An Invitation to LOOK/Selections from the Permanent Collection of the Bass Museum of Art,” featuring more than 40 works from its permanent collection, including portraits spanning 300 years, painted in varying styles by English, American, Dutch, French and German artists. Admission costs $125 for two and includes a Sustaining Membership to the Bass Museum of Art for one year. To RSVP email rsvp@bassmuseum.org, visit www.bassmuseum.org, call 786.800.6302 or visit the museum.

Rally for a Cure

JR and Loren Ridinger will join forces again this year with honorary chair Eva Longoria and a multitude of celebrities to co-chair the second annual Rally for Kids with Cancer Scavenger Cup in Miami, hosted by Eden Roc Renaissance Miami Beach to benefit the Rally for Kids with Cancer Foundation, with the goal of raising much needed funds for fiscally responsible pediatric cancer organizations within the Miami area.

Here’s how it works.  Each participating team must raise a minimum of $25,000 online to enter a personal car in the rally.  Next, each team gets to draft a “Celebrity Navigator” from a star-studded pool during the Qualifiers Celebrity Draft Party on Friday, April 29.  Each team’s fundraising total determines its draft position.  Sounds like fun, huh?  This year’s pool includes:  Eva Longoria, Sofia Milos, Bai Ling, Bridget Marquardt, Christina Milian, Eric Roberts, Greg Vaughn, Ivan Sergei, Jamie-Lynn Sigler, Jessie Camacho, John Salley, Michael Yo, Winsor Harmon, Matt Goss, Eric Roberts, Dr. Bill Dorfman, Jaime Camil, Joanna Krupa and Maria Conchita Alonso,and several yet-to-be named stars. The day of the actual Scavenger Cup Rally will begin with the “Start Your Engines” brunch on Saturday, April 30, where participants will receive a Driver’s Manual filled with maps, tips and their first clue, as well as all-access passes to the worlds of sports, food, media, entertainment, travel and fashion in up to seven unique pit stops throughout the Miami area.

Later that night, The Winner’s Circle gala dinner, “Jeans & Jewels,” will feature a live auction, extravagant dinner and world class entertainment. For more information visit www.rallyforkids.com http://www.rallyforkids.com/ and click on “Miami.”

Shareef Malnik, Gabrielle Anwar, and the beautiful brood

One event to which we look forward every year is the Make-A-Wish Foundation of Southern Florida Garden Party which kicks off THE most anticipated event of the year, the Annual InterContinental Miami Make-A-Wish Ball.  The elegant garden party took place on Sunday, April 10 and was hosted by Lifetime Benefactors Al and Nancy Malnik at their oceanfront estate, which ranks at the poshest pad in Palm Beach, and is the perfect setting for any affair- well worth the drive up from Miami (and just about anywhere, really). 

As if this spectacular event required additional props, the 200 gorgeous guests in the garden mingled and posed among enormous, inflatable “Friends With You” Wish Characters, created just for the occasion, which added bright colors and whimsy to an already magical afternoon- in celebration of the Ball’s magical mission. 

Ball Chairman, Shareef Malnik, surprised the crowd by announcing that Burn Notice star Gabrielle Anwar would serve as the celebrity auctioneer at this year’s Ball, to be held on Saturday, November 5.  (In past years the auctioneer has remained a secret until just before the big event.)  Shareef introduced the beautiful and charming Anwar who took the microphone and said, “I guess that’s what happens when you are sleeping with the chairman” to the delight of the crowd, and shock of Shareef, who turned beet red.  Anwar then tapped him loving on the backside and went on to encourage guests to “make space in their beautiful couture for a wallet full of wishes.” 

Al Malnik had the crowd in stitches when he took over the mic, saying, “I don’t think I’m old enough to have a kid this big (pointing to Shareef) and I didn’t know she was sleeping with my son (addressing Anwar).” Then looked over to his wife Nancy and said, “Did you know they were sleeping together?” He complimented everyone at the party by saying they looked as if they were part of a glamorous movie set then thanked Shareef and the two other amigos, Norman Wedderburn, President/CEO of the Make-A-Wish Foundation of Southern Florida  and Robert Hill, Ball Host and General Manager of InterContinental Miami.  He also thanked his young children (six under the age of 12!) because he is certain that when they grow up they will be involved in Make-A-Wish as well, before introducing Wedderburn and Hill, who also gave inspiring speeches. 

Guests at the annual spring soiree included Star Benefactor James Ferraro, Belkys Nerey, Fernando Wong, Merle and Danny Weiss, Lady Monica Heftler, Nick D’Annunzio, Tara Solomon and Wish Characters Rainbow King, Buddy Chubb, MR. TTT, Malfi, and Zoo-Zoo. The Make-A-Wish Foundation of Southern Florida grants the wishes of children who have life-threatening medical conditions, to enrich the human experience with hope, strength and joy. Covering a 13-county territory of Southern Florida, the chapter’s goal is to grant more than 500 wishes in 2011. For more information, contact the Foundation at (888) 773-WISH or log on to www.sfla.wish.org.

Criselda Breene, Susanne Birbragher, Carlos Betancourt, and Barbara Becker

Miami’s chicest fashion and design crowd gathered at the newly reopened Gucci Boutique in Bal Harbour for an exclusive cocktail party on Tuesday April 5.  The hosts: Barbara Becker, Carlos Betancourt, Susanne Birbragher and Criselda and Jonathan Breene – all decked out in Gucci – welcomed guests including Belkys Nerey, Frank Amadeo, Brian Antoni, Cathy Leff, Iran Issa-Khan, Jeri Wolfson, Jilian Sanz, John Lin, Karla Dascal, Lisa Petrillo, Mitchell “Micky” Wolfson, Jr., Rodner Figueroa, Sam Robin, Gingi Beltran, D. Ashlee Harrison and Susie Wahab. 

The new boutique, designed by Gucci Creative Director Frida Giannini, evokes the Art Deco era.  Men’s and women’s ready-to-wear styles, purses, shoes, jewelry and accessories as well as the newly launched children’s collection are elegantly displayed amid luxurious accents in rosewood, marble, ribbed glass and polished gold.

 In honour of its 90^th Anniversary, and to demonstrate its commitment to art preservation and restoration, Gucci is making a special contribution to The Wolfsonian–FIU to support the future installation of the Italian Double Parlor (1900-01), a rare surviving example of Italian art nouveau designed by Agostino Lauro. 

Donna Karan and Maria Bello at Sustainatopia Awards

By: Mary Jo Almeida-Shore 

On Sunday, April 3, Donna Karan, Maria Bello, Selita Ebanks, and Michael Capponi were among the recipients of the Sustainatopia Honors 2011, presented by Plum TV.  These extraordinary philanthropists were honored for their charitable efforts through “impact investing, philanthropy, and sustainable business practices,” at an exclusive cocktail party and awards ceremony at Frank Gehry’s latest architectural marvel, the New World Center in Miami Beach. 

Medium star, Patricia Arquette, (more of a “small” in person but with a HUGE heart) spoke at the event, followed by special performances included Latin Jazz singer, Maria Rivas; motion and visual performance artist, Natasha Tsakos; and founder of the first “green art community” in Florida, Luis Valenzuela.  Special guests included:  Danoushka. 

About winning this prestigious humanitarian award, Michael Capponi remarked, “To be in the company of so many talented and dedicated individuals- Donna Karan, Maria Bello, Selita Ebanks, and Patricia Arquette, was such an honor. Sustainatopia brought us together, each having different projects and goals in mind (all wanting to help the Haitian people). After meeting, we are now all working together. We have become a stronger force as a team and we hope we will be more effective and ultimately reach more people.”   Read the rest here »

Lea Black

By:  Mary Jo Almeida-Shore

Lea Black worked the room like a “hundred thousand dollar hooker” (her words) during the animated auction at the Blacks’ Annual Gala at the Eden Roc Renaissance on Saturday night –the party of parties- which gets bigger and better every year.  While the event is technically hosted by Lea AND Roy Black – Roy admiringly introduced his wife prior to her taking the stage by admitting that he is just a “Househusband.” Who ever thought we’d see the day?  A beaming Roy looked on as Lea- stunning in a low-cut, sparkly, black Versace gown which showed off her newly trim and toned “everything” worked the room like only she can. And what a room it was…wall to wall rectangular tables covered in silk silver tablecloths, surrounded by Miami’s who’s who, enjoying a gourmet meal served family style.  Recent Celebrity Apprentice alum, Grammy Award winning artist/actress/Diva Dionne Warwick wowed the crowd with a mini-concert of her most famous songs, including “I’ll Never Love This Way Again” and “That’s What Friends Are For,” which had some guests singing along arm-in-arm.  Warwick departed abruptly, perhaps to get some beauty sleep, the reason for her firing from Celebrity Apprentice.

After dinner, guests were escorted into the Pompeii Ballroom, for the “Nightclub Experience,” where DJ Irie spun great dance music until after midnight, when Grammy Award winning singer/record producer, Pharrell took to the stage to perform and work the crowd into a frenzy. The feisty and seemingly tipsy, Brazilian wild child, Adriana de Moura joined Pharell on-stage, dancing with the rapper, and with Roy Black, who was also up there, with a  gaggle of gals. Read the rest here »