Your Weekly Dose of Cafeina

 On Thursday, January 20,  Cafeina presents another rendition of its weekly musical performance series Wynwood Live, featuring the soulful beats of Miami-based band Ketchy Shuby. DJ Contra will keep the party going into the early hours as guests enjoy $3 Blue Moon specials and $4 specialty cocktails all night. Contact 305.438.0792 or info@cafeinamiami.com for table reservations. Cafeina is located at 297 NW 23^rd St. in Miami.  

 On Friday, January 21, Cafeina will kick-off the New Year with a stylish edition of its Canadian-inspired party series “The Eh Team”.  Along with media partner Wasabi Fashion Kult, and guest hosts and co-founders of the L’Effrontée online fashion boutique Beatriz Martinez and Cristina Salazar,   DJs Ess & Emm (Sasha Lauzon and Michelle Leshem) will dictate the musical score for the evening, in addition to party series-staple Maxwell Blandford and “The Eh Team” newcomer Laura of Miami (Nightdrive/WVUM). Guests will enjoy complimentary Canadian-themed libations by Skyy Vodka from 9 p.m. to 10 p.m., along with a Spring 2011 preview of eight cutting-edge accessory designers presented by L’Effrontée. RSVP is recommended to abbey@supermarketcreative.com.

Calling Miss Carnaval at Miss Yip Chinese Cafe

On January 22, the Kiwanis Club of Little Havana will be hosting a casting call at Miss Yip Chinese Café’s new Downtown locale for young ladies between the ages of 16 to 25 for the Miss Carnaval Miami pageant, the kick-off event to the annual Carnaval Miami series of events in March.  From 12 to 4p.m., enjoy music by DJ Ethics while savoring on some Dim Sum and other Chinese snacks. The new outpost boasts a full liquor bar and offers an array of signature cocktails including Lychee Martinis and Mojitos, Madame Ming, Big Bamboo, China Breeze, Shanghai Martinis & more.

The competition is geared towards educated, professional aspiring bilingual young women who will represent the Kiwanis Club of Little Havana during their largest fund-raiser of the year.  Education is the main objective building up to the final competition.  Miss Carnaval Miami has a twenty-nine year history of presenting vibrant, intelligent and articulate young women in the USA, and past winners have moved on to rewarding careers in many different industries. Miss Carnaval Miami now reigns over all the activities of Carnaval Miami ending with Calle Ocho.  For more information visit visit  www.carnavalmiami.com.

Escape to New York

By:  Mary Jo Almeida-Shore

With the holidays barely over and the credit card statements trickling in it seems that nightlife in Miami has settled into a lull as we gear up (read purge and fast) for South Beach Wine and Food Festival in a few weeks. Yet the 2011 social calendar is slowly starting to unfold (check out Don’t Miss!).  This leaves us reminiscing about our New York escape over the holidays and planning a prompt return- should the blizzards cease in the near future.  Yes, the lights and giant snowflakes have been taken down from Fifth Avenue, and Rockefeller Center no longer sports a giant tree, but New York City still has plenty of sparkle to offer.  Aside from the basic musts:  the major shopping streets, ice skating in the recently upgraded Wollman Rink, traipsing through Central Park, riding the elevators at the Marriott Marquis, visiting the museums and the top of the Empire State building, discovering hidden gems in Soho and the Village and eating all of the delicious street foods, here are a few spots that caught our attention on our last visit. Read the rest here »

Pete Wentz

Last Sunday, January 2, Adrian Grenier and his band the Honey Brothers played on stage at the Orange Drive South Beach New Year’s Festival.  The Entourage hunk was later spotted at the Florida Room with fellow bandmates enjoying some downtime.

 LeBron James and Chris Bosh were both spotted, separately, at Zuma Miami enjoying a victory dinner after winning a home game on January 4. 

On Friday, January 7, native New Yorker, Donald J. Trump, was in town “firing” the paid-off $210 million construction loan of Dezer Properties’ luxurious Sunny Isles Beach oceanfront condominium, The Trump Royale.

“Charmed” Rose McGowan was seen enjoying the Miami Beach nightlife at Arkadia.

Pete Wentz is kicking off the Mercedes Benz Tweet Race to the Super Bowl– the first-ever Twitter-fueled race.  

Joining Wentz on this “Tweeted” adventure are  Serena Williams, Yankee Nick Swisher and Rev Run; all official coaches of the Mercedes-Benz Tweet Race to the Super Bowl, where they will be social media “cheerleaders” for their two-person teams, each embarking from different U.S. cities on February 2^nd in specially outfitted Mercedes-Benz vehicles bound for Super Bowl XLV in Dallas.

Last Monday night, Dwyane Wade dined at The Forge Restaurant | Wine Bar along with Gabrielle Union, Wade’s sister and three others.  Requesting a very private table in the library, it was obvious that Wade was gearing up for the big game against the NY Knicks and avoided alcohol and even asked if Chef Dewey LoSasso could create a special pasta (tomato-based) dish for his meal.

Eden South Beach, hosted Kevin Bacon and Kyra Sedgewick’s family outing and Kelly Rowland, who appears to be a big fan of the new hotspot, returning to Eden prior to joining LeBron’s birthday party.

Eva Longoria enjoyed an intimate dinner at Sugarcane raw bar grill in Midtown Miami on Sunday January 2^nd with a group of friends.  Sources say Longoria looked beautiful and was in a great mood- optimistic for 2011. Tony Parker eat your heart out!

Richie Rich was spotted at Sushi Samba Dromo on Sunday, enjoying a few drinks at the bar.

Tinsley Mortimer and Brian Mazza

By:  Mary Jo Almeida-Shore

The week leading up to New Year’s Eve was so packed with celeb-filled events and celebrations that it made going out on the big night seem almost like overkill. From a penthouse party which included Beacher’s Madhouse Oompa Loompas which packed into a party bus to LIV;to the official grand opening of Lords South Beach Hotel, which was so packed that it seemed the penthouse terrace was going to go the way of the elevator from the Tower of Terror; to LeBron James’ star-studded birthday bash, South Beach got an electric awakening from its post-Basel slumber and bid adieu to 2010 in its typical mayhem and style.

Oh Lordy

Tinsley Mortimer, Richie Rich, Tracy Young and Lady Bunny hosted the coming out bash for Lords South Beach on Wednesday night. Read the rest here »