Lisa and Donald J. Pliner with Baby Doll

On Thursday, two-time Grammy award winner Jon Secada, celebrated the grand opening of his new lounge, Secada’s at Magic City Casino, featuring a live concert performance, Secada and Friends.   Secada shared the stage with Latin favorites Willy and Lissette Chirino, along with good friend Olivia Newton-John.  The highlight of the night was when Jon invited the singer/actress to perform the classic hit song from Grease “You’re the One That I Want”.  To watch an exclusive video of the duo back in April go to www.miamisocialholic.com/05/ooh-ooh-ooh-honey/.

The evening brought out a who’s who of VIP’s and celebrities that

Jon Secada and Olivia Newton-John

 joined Secada in launching his new intimate lounge, located on the mezzanine level of Magic City Casino. Radio and TV host Javier Romero, who served as emcee for the event;  radio host Alberto Sardiñas;  VP of Talent for Univision, Mario Ruiz; radio show host Enrique Santos; Grammy award-winning Salsa duo Hansel & Raul; TV host Raul de Molina of Univision’s El Gordo y La Flaca, Latin musician and percussionist Tito Puente Jr.; Latin TV personality Candela Ferro and boyfriend actor Khotán Fernández; Jon’s fellow cast mates on Univision’s, “Mira Quién Baila” (Look Who’s Dancing) including singer Diana Reyes, actor Vadhir Derbez, TV host Jackie Guerrido, actress Scarlette Ortiz, singer Rogelio Martinez and his wife TV host Ninette Rios, joined in the celebration.

Famed DJ Tiesto was spotted at the rooftop at the Gansevoort Miami Beach relaxing with some friends. 

On Saturday afternoon, Donald and Lisa Pliner showcased their fall footwear collection at their store in Merrick Park Coral Gables.  The shopping event benefitted the Children’s Home Society of Florida.

Our favorite ex- American Idol judge, the miniscule Paula Abdul was seen savoring Sweet Street Desserts cupcakes before the InterContinental Miami Make-A-Wish Ball on Saturday evening.  That could explain why she was extra sweet at the party.

On Sunday, Haley Webb, Tinsel Korey, Kevin Sorbo and Alex McKenna began production here in Miami for an upcoming film entitled, SoBe Real

By: Mary Jo Almeida-Shore

Halloween weekend brought revelers out of the woodwork in just about every inch of the city.  The parties ranged from a 56, 000+ square foot tent in Midtown, where Swedish House Mafia performed, to a hangar at the airport, to more than a few house parties on the islands to themed parties on South Beach. And that barely scrapes the surface. Unfortunately, most of these parties took place on the same night, so we bring you highlights from a few of the great ones and promise to continue funding cloning research. Read the rest here »

The Forge Restaurant | Wine Bar made its debut at the venerable James Beard House in New York City on Saturday night.  The highly anticipated “Fall in the North and South” dinner for 80, hosted by Shareef Malnik and Executive Chef Dewey LoSasso attracted quite a bit of fanfare.  Attendees included: Burn Notice star Gabrielle Anwar; fashion designer Nicole Miller and husband Kim Taipale; Chairman of Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia, Charles Koppelman accompanied by fiancé Gerri Kyhill; film director Brett Ratner; Starwood Hotels global PR director, Gigi Ganatra; CEO of Haute Living magazine, Kamal Hotchandani; actor Gianni Russo, TARA, Ink. co-principal, Tara Solomon, and Russell Simmons, for whom LoSasso prepared a special vegan menu. To cap off the evening, Malnik, Anwar and Hotchandani joined friends and Forge fans, Market America’s JR and Loren Ridinger and Eva Longoria Parker at the Ridinger’s New York apartment to celebrate the Forge’s landmark success

Miami celebrated the Heat win alongside Lebron James and 2000 of his closest friends and fans partied at Mansion on Friday night. The Heat’s own DJ Irie spun the sound track as James was toasted with a life-sized basketball cake.  James’ fiancé,   Savannah Brinson joined in on the excitement.

Gabrielle Union celebrated her birthday at The Florida Room at the Delano this weekend with her beau Dwyane Wade and close friends Tracee Ellis Ross, Cedric the Entertainer, Chris Bosh and Adrienne Williams.  Al B. Sure performed for the birthday girl’s celebration alongside the platinum recording artists Silk. 

Hip Hop star Ciara also celebrated her birthday this Halloween weekend at LIV at the Fontainebleau with an “Alice in Wonderland” inspired celebration. 

On Monday, Nicki Minaj, Cash Money Record’s first lady, hosted an “All Pink Everything” party at Mansion complete with dancers donning pink Barbie wigs and Harajuku attire. Minaj partied well into the night, hanging out with Opium Group honcho Roman Jones.

Basketball wife, Evelyn Lozada joined upcoming Miami reality-show housewives, Marysol Patton and Cristy Rice at Mercadito on Tuesday for a benefit for the Trevor Project.

The Adrienne Arsht Center celebrated its 5^th Anniversary with a fabulous black and white gala in the Sanford and Dolores Ziff Ballet Opera House. The evening was divided into five “acts,” one for every year the gala has been open, starting with a posh cocktail and the unveiling of the grand donor wall, honoring the Center’s greatest supporters and visionaries (Acts I and II). A fabulous Barton G. dinner experience on the stage (Act III) was followed by a show-stopping performance by Miami’s own, four-time Tony Award nominee Raúl Esparza (Act IV) at the end of which the secret setting for Act V was revealed: an elaborate Latin dance club at the rear of the stage.

In keeping with the 5^th Anniversary Season theme, “Every great performance begins with you,” the gala celebrated the dedication of several “grand honorees” including: Adrienne Arsht, Lin Arison/Arison Arts Foundation, Alberto and Susana Ibargüen/Knight Foundation, Parker and Vann Thomson, Woody and Judy Weiser, and Sanford and Dolores Ziff. Other notable guests included gala chairs Mike and Margaret Eidson, Marvin Ross Friedman, Adrienne bon Haes, Adrienne Arsht Center President and CEO John Richard and co-chairs:  Ana and Rob Barlick, Trish and Dan Bell, Nancy Davis, Mr. and Mrs. Jeffrey H. Loria, and Penny and Roe Stamps.

 PHOTO CREDIT: Manny Hernandez and Seth Browarnik

Funkshion, a.k.a. Fashion Week Miami held its 15th season of runway shows this past week, drawing the usual stellar crowd of designers, VIPs, politicians, and fashion forward, who convened at, around and between the Bass Museum, Setai Hotel and Set nightclub for 5 days of shopping, runway shows and parties fueled by Wodka Vodka.  Noteworthy shows included The Red Dress show, The Richie Rich PopLuxe, Sarahi House of Fashion and Krell Wear.  Organizers and designers have already begun preparations for the March 2011 season!

One of the many highlights of Funkshion is undoubtedly Vanidades’ ‘Magia de la Moda’ fashion event, now its fifth season.  The event, which took place at the Bass Museum, was emceed by Satcha Pretto, co-host of Univision’s Primer Impacto, and showcased the season’s chicest eveningwear and accessories with a surprise finale and appearance by Luca Luca’s Creative Director Raul Melgoza.

Pretto kicked off the runway show by saying, “It is an honor to be here this evening to present the fifth anniversary of ‘Magia de la Moda.  Most importantly, we are thrilled to bring everyone together again to celebrate established and emerging designers alike, with a collaborative evening of incredible vision and talent that will certainly not disappoint.”

Trina Turk kicked-off the 70 looks, followed by Elie Tahari Bal Harbour, Ina Soltani, Jacqueline Quinn and Laundry by Shelly Segal.  Elegant handbags by Laura Buccellati and Beautiful People along with footwear by Sergio Rossi Bal Harbour and bold jewelry by Daniella Kronfle and Diane Marie Designs which completed each look.  Showcasing the looks on the runway were television personalities including Telemundo’s Azucena Cierco, Jorge Bernal and Quique Usales; Univision’s Alejandra Espinoza; Mega TV’s Angie Perez; actresses Ivelyn Giro, Jessica Fox and Martiza Rodriquez; actor and singer Melvin Cabrera; and international model Ines Rivero, who cascaded down the runway in a Luca Luca gown for the finale.