Giotto Maestro della Pizza has been considered one of Miami Beach’s most cherished Italian destinations by locals and tourists alike. For over a decade, Giotto has been known for its commitment to traditional Italian cuisine and warm, family-driven hospitality.

True to its name—Giotto Maestro della Pizza, meaning “Giotto, Master of the Pizza”—the restaurant reflects a deep dedication to the craft of traditional pizza-making. Originally a humble neighborhood pizzeria, the restaurant was thoughtfully elevated in 2019 when Silvia Accatino and her son, Giovanni Moretti, moved from Torino, Italy to take over the space. They preserved the restaurant’s neighborhood charm while infusing it with their culinary heritage and focus on authenticity.

Mother and son partners: Silvia Accatino and Giovanni Moretti

“We’ve always believed Italian dining doesn’t have to be formal or expensive to be meaningful,” says Giovanni Moretti. “We wanted to show the South Beach community that authenticity comes from tradition, hospitality, and quality—not from formality or flash.”

Central to this vision is Silvia Accatino, Giovanni’s mother, who oversees the culinary program and brings generations of family recipes to life. Her hands-on approach ensures each dish reflects the nuances and techniques passed down through generations.

“Authentic Italian dining is about far more than the recipes on paper,” Silvia says. “It’s in the small gestures, the techniques, and the care passed down through generations. Every family has its own touch—which makes every dish completely unique.”

We were delighted by Silvia’s warmth and hospitality as she shared the care she takes in selecting the beautifully colored plates, tiles, and décor throughout the restaurant. She was so enchanting that we would have loved for her to sit down and share a meal with us.

The menu offers a comprehensive journey through Italian cuisine, from over a dozen pizzas like Capricciosa, Sfiziosa and our favorite, Truffle Marbella, to carefully selected pastas and signature kitchen favorites. Silvia prepares Giotto’s lasagna, which takes two full days to make; one of the best eggplant parms we’ve ever tasted, and all desserts from scratch, including tiramisu, ensuring every dish carries the authenticity, care, and warmth that define the restaurant.

Giotto also offers beer, wine, and spritz selections, perfect for pairing with any meal. Guests can enjoy happy hour Monday–Saturday, featuring specialty-priced bites alongside beer, wine, and spritzes. On Tuesdays, the restaurant highlights a Margherita pizza special for only $10, adding another reason to gather with friends or family midweek.

With just 35 seats, Giotto’s intimate setting fosters a sense of familiarity between guests and staff, creating an atmosphere more akin to an Italian home than a restaurant. Reservations are available by phone only, emphasizing the personal connection with the local community.

Giotto is available for private events, offering both indoor and outdoor seating during business hours or after hours, making it ideal for intimate gatherings, celebrations, and culinary experiences.

Since Silvia and Giovanni took over, Giotto has become a bridge between Italy’s rich culinary heritage and South Beach’s vibrant local community. It remains a unique place in a dynamic city where quality and authenticity are requisite to a restaurant’s longstanding success.

For more information, visit: https://giottomaestrodellapizza.com

(305) 532-1138

5:00 PM – 10:00 PM

959 West Avenue, Suite #2

Miami Beach, FL 33139

La Cañita Miami Beach by Michelle Bernstein Opens on Ocean Drive 

Posted by Mary Jo Almeida-Shore On March - 2 - 2026ADD COMMENTS

Ocean Drive recently got a little louder — and a lot more flavorful. Michelle Bernstein and husband/hospitality partner David Martinez have officially opened La Cañita Miami Beach at 1200 Ocean Drive in the heart of the Art Deco District. The duo — also behind Miami favorites Café La Trova, Sra. Martínez and Sweet Liberty — bring their signature Cuban-Caribbean energy to South Beach. Already a hit at Bayside Marketplace and Kendall, the South Beach outpost turns up the volume with live Cuban music, vibrant interiors by Nicolette Bernstein, and a rum-forward bar that feels like a sun-drenched island escape.

La Cañita was born from the partners’ dreams of bringing together Cuban music, Cuban-Caribbean food and lifestyle, as well as a love and appreciation of rum culture. La Cañita means “little sugarcane,” the plant whose distillation creates the delicious spirit that La Cañita proudly features and the heart and soul of the restaurant. It’s an homage to the spirit that defines the bar program and the Caribbean lifestyle that inspires the menu. Drawing flavors from Cuba, Jamaica, Trinidad, Haiti, Puerto Rico and beyond, the restaurant blends Bernstein’s award-winning cuisine with a lively, music-filled atmosphere that preserves Miami’s rich Latin-Caribbean influences.

Under Bernstein’s direction, La Cañita Miami Beach offers a dynamic and vibrant menu for lunch and dinner, including handhelds, snacks, Caribbean classics and South Florida signatures.

Croquetas from Heaven

Let’s begin with the Serrano ham croquetas- golden, crisp, impossibly creamy — easily the best in Miami. They’re the kind of bite that stops the table mid-conversation and makes you order another couple of rounds. The shrimp scampi croquetas are a close runner up. The menu travels through Caribbean classics, from conch fritters dusted in sweet cayenne to, empanadas, a wahoo fish dip, lechón asado with mojo and Michelle’s nostalgic arroz con pollo. It’s vibrant, supremely flavorful and unmistakably Miami.

Behind the 40-seat bar, more than 100 rums fuel mojitos in multiple variations and bold house cocktails, but the espresso martini quietly steals the spotlight — rich, frothy, and one of the best on Miami Beach.

The live, full- piece Cuban band is outstanding. Talented Cuban musicians turn dinner into a dance floor nightly, filling the room — and spilling onto the sidewalk — with irresistible rhythm. Grab a sidewalk table and you’ve got prime views of Miami Beach: palm trees swaying, turquoise waves, and Ocean Drive buzzing around you.

“In Miami, the islands aren’t offshore, they’re in our hearts, our kitchens, our rum glasses. Island heritage dining taught us that warmth isn’t just in the weather, it’s in the welcome. Every meal is an invitation to feel at home, no matter where you come from,” says Bernstein. “We are so excited to make our mark on Ocean Drive, the Art Deco icon of South Florida, and create a new home for both locals and visitors to the beach.” 

It comes as no surprise that at this year’s South Beach Wine & Food Festival, Michelle Bernstein was honored at the Tribute Dinner, recognizing her trailblazing impact on Latin-inspired cuisine and her role as one of Miami’s most influential culinary voices, her legacy as a James Beard Award–winning chef and champion of South Florida’s culinary scene. The standing ovation underscored her lasting impact on the industry, her mentorship of rising talent, and her role in shaping the very spirit of SOBEWFF.

La Cañita Miami Beach is open Monday through Thursday and Sunday from noon to midnight, and Friday and Saturday from noon to 2 a.m. Daily happy hour runs from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m., with a reverse happy hour from 10 p.m. to midnight.

For more information or to make a reservation, visit LaCanitaMiami.com or book via OpenTable. Follow along on Instagram and Facebook at @lacanitamiami and @lacanitabeach for live music schedules, happy hour updates, and upcoming events.

From The Heart to the Hands: Dolce & Gabbana’s Devotional Masterpiece

Posted by Mary Jo Almeida-Shore On February - 26 - 2026ADD COMMENTS

Some exhibitions are meant to be viewed. This one must be experienced.

After commanding reverence in Milan’s Palazzo Reale, Paris’s Grand Palais, and Rome’s Palazzo delle Esposizioni, From the Heart to the Hands: Dolce & Gabbana arrives at ICA Miami not as a traveling show — but as a consecration.

Curated by Florence Müller — one of the most respected voices in global fashion curation — this exhibition is less about garments and more about legacy. Müller, a graduate of the École du Louvre and former curator at the Musée des Arts Décoratifs in Paris, has orchestrated more than 150 exhibitions worldwide. She does not curate fashion; she contextualizes it within civilization.

And here, she does so with first-hand intimacy. Müller has followed Dolce & Gabbana across decades of Alta Moda presentations — standing inside Sicilian cathedrals, along Venetian canals, within Roman ruins — witnessing not just the runway, but the ritual. She understands the ateliers — the expert hands that cut, stitch, drape, bead, and revive techniques that might otherwise vanish.

As Müller observes: “I believe Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana are among the couturiers most inspired by Italian culture and art, and those who represent it most faithfully… the exhibition demonstrates one thing: that the past is not dead.”

The title itself is literal: ideas born in the heart, realized by the hands. Over 300 Alta Moda, Alta Sartoria, and Alta Gioielleria pieces unfold across immersive chapters, where the experience is total. Each gallery features its own custom soundtrack and signature scent, enveloping the visitor in an olfactory and auditory map of Italy.

The “Devotion” Hallway: A Pilgrimage of Craft

The “Devotion” room serves as the exhibition’s spiritual anchor, meticulously recreating the high drama of the 2022 Alta Moda show in Syracuse, Sicily. To experience it is to walk a long, narrow gallery carpeted in vibrant papal yellow, an architectural echo of the Piazza del Duomo where the collection first debuted.

The air here is heavy with the scent of sacred incense, while a grand projection brings the ritual to life: a solemn, theatrical procession of “cardinals” in crimson vestments and figures representing Mary and Jesus moving to the haunting strains of Cavalleria rusticana by Pietro Mascagni. On the opposing wall, the garments stand like icons — sculptural gold jackets adorned with 3D-molded cherubs, “tabernacle” coats encrusted in jewels, and black lace veils that honor the Sorrowful Mother. This corridor pulls the viewer forward, transforming a fashion display into a pilgrimage that leads, inevitably, toward a shimmering golden altar.

A World of Influence

The journey continues through the layers of the Italian soul. There is Sicily — not as cliché, but as bloodline. Ceramic motifs from Caltagirone and the painted heroics of Sicilian carts are reborn in sculptural coats. Rome appears not as backdrop but as empire; papal mantles shimmer in metallic embroidery while vestal silhouettes glide in white silk moiré. Venice glitters in Murano glass and Byzantine mosaics, reflected infinitely in mirrored rooms.

And then there is The Leopard (Il Gattopardo), directed by Luchino Visconti. The masterpiece becomes both metaphor and muse — tradition surrendering to modernity. The ballroom scene flickers across mirrored walls to the swell of Nino Rota’s original score, while Alta Moda gowns shimmer beneath.

The Opera Gallery: The Grand Finale

The journey culminates in a gallery where fashion surrenders entirely to the stage. Curated as a reimagined Italian opera house, the space is enveloped in crimson velvet and gold-leaf molding, echoing the grandeur of Teatro alla Scala in Milan.

Here, Müller displays the Milano Opera Collection, where the designers act as conductors of silk and organza. Voluminous capes and gowns are dedicated to the heroines of Verdi, Puccini, and Bellini — from the tragic fragility of La Traviata to the fierce exoticism of Turandot. The air is filled with the aroma of vintage theater wood and velvet, as iconic arias pull the viewer into the dramma all’italiana.

A Legacy Preserved

What Müller accomplishes at ICA Miami is significant. She places Dolce & Gabbana not inside the fashion calendar — but inside cultural history. Architecture, Renaissance painting, Catholic iconography, folklore, artisan guilds — all converging into garments that feel less worn than inherited.

And Miami — bold, baroque, unapologetically sensual — understands this language.

Florence Müller

This exhibition is not about trend. It is about devotion. To craft. To region. To memory. To beauty so deliberate it feels sacred. In a fashion landscape chasing speed, Dolce & Gabbana choose permanence. In a culture obsessed with disruption, they choose preservation.

Maryanne Salvat and Mary Jo Shore with Domenico Dolce

From the heart to the hands — and now, from Italy to Miami — where spectacle meets reverence and craftsmanship becomes destiny. From the Heart to the Hands: Dolce & Gabbana is not just about fashion — it is about legacy.

View more here: https://www.instagram.com/p/DVhbL1UiZY2/?igsh=MXQyZ3dpdWdiaHd0ZA==

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Plan Your Visit

From the Heart to the Hands: Dolce & Gabbana

ICA Miami

23 NE 41st Street, Miami, FL

On View: February 6 – June 14, 2026

Hours

Sunday – Wednesday: 10:00 AM – 7:30 PM

Thursday – Saturday: 10:00 AM – 10:30 PM

Last entry approximately one hour before closing.

Tickets

Adults: $26–$27 Students/Seniors/Youth: $23–$25 Children (4–11): $14–$16 Under 4: Free

Timed-entry tickets are strongly recommended, especially on weekends.

Purchase official tickets here:

Tours

✔ Book a live museum tour if available (included with admission).

✔ If live tours are unavailable, add the official audio guide for a deeper, room-by-room immersive experience.

⏳ Allow 1–1.5 hours to experience the full exhibition.

The 62nd Annual Coconut Grove Arts Festival, presented by First Horizon Bank, closed Presidents’ Day weekend with record-breaking sales, national attention, and collector momentum that reaffirmed its standing as one of the country’s most respected outdoor art events.

James Almeida, Dr. Marisel Almeida, Avery Almeida, Alexandra Almeida, Dr, Mary Jo Shore, Aaron Almeida, Max Shore

Fresh Talent, Powerful Sales

Forty percent of this year’s exhibiting artists were new to the festival, bringing fresh perspective and energy to the waterfront showcase. Across all three days, buying remained strong, with 95 percent of participating artists reporting they were very happy with their sales.

The weekend’s defining milestone was the official commemorative poster by Kenneth Kudulis. Sales reached an unprecedented $40,000, more than doubling the previous three-day average of $16,000. All proceeds directly support year-round art scholarships, funding access to arts education for emerging artists. Kudulis’ work now stands as the most successful poster in the festival’s six-decade history.

Kenneth Kudulis with his poster art

The festival’s influence extended beyond South Florida. The Mayor of Beverly Hills attended the event and met with Executive Director Camille Marchese to gain insight into the Grove’s sustainable, artist-centered model — a clear sign of the festival’s growing national stature.

Festival Winners

Molly Magwire www.Magwireart.com

Awards were presented in signature Grove fashion: executive leadership and board members traveled booth to booth in golf carts, bagpipers in tow, personally congratulating each winner to the applause of festivalgoers.

Best in Show was awarded to Nathalia Toledo Barcia (Painting/Clay), who earned a perfect score of 30 from the judges along with a $5,000 prize.

Gold Ribbon recipients included Bobby Goldsmith (Drawing), Cali Hobgood (Photography), Carrie Pearce (Painting), Christopher Buonomo (Sculpture), Helen Gotlib (Printmaking), James Pearce (Wood), Kenneth Kudulis (Digital Art), Michael Hayes (Glass), Olga Nenazhivina (Drawing), and Oliver Hampel (Jewelry).

Best in Show went to Nathalia Toledo Barcia seen here with some of the judges, Exec. Director &members of CGAF Board

An additional 35 artists received Silver and Bronze ribbons and automatic invitations to return next year.

Beyond the Canvas

For the fifth consecutive year, Miami-based Loud And Live produced the festival, continuing its transformation through expanded programming and elevated guest experiences.

María José Acosta-Almeida, Maryanne Salvat, Mary Jo Shore

Festival partners added dimension throughout the weekend. NBC 6 South Florida and Telemundo 51 energized families with interactive activations, while Lincoln Motor Company and Ford Motor Company showcased their latest models across the festival footprint.

L to R: Pam Mayer, Nathan Kurland, Paul Tilton, Andrea Clavel (First Horizon Bank), Camille Marchese

At The Stacks, presented by Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Hollywood, street artists transformed industrial shipping containers into bold works of art, including the striking “Mi Gente” mural by Carlos Solano and Paulina Guajardo. The space also served as a performance stage featuring KerreKe and Venezuelan-American violinist Daniela Padrón’s Latin GRAMMY®-winning Joropango, alongside programming from the Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts.

A Cultural Cornerstone

Produced annually over Presidents’ Day weekend, the festival features 285 juried artists along Coconut Grove’s scenic bayfront streets. Managed by the Coconut Grove Arts & Historical Association and supported by Miami-Dade County’s Department of Cultural Affairs, proceeds fund impactful year-round initiatives including scholarships for Florida International University and Miami-Dade high school students, the Visiting Artists Program, and the Next Generation Emerging Artist Program.

With record sales, national recognition, and unwavering community support, the 62nd Annual Coconut Grove Arts Festival once again solidified its role as a defining force on South Florida’s cultural calendar and a powerful champion for artists and arts education.

Mary Jo and Michael Shore

America’s Premier Food & Wine Celebration Returns This Week, Select Can’t-Miss Events Still Available February 19–22, 2026

Miami Beach, FLA. (February 17, 2026) – The countdown is officially on! The 25th annual Food Network South Beach Wine & Food Festival presented by Capital One (SOBEWFF®) returns this week for four days and nights of unforgettable food, drink, music and celebration. The star-studded event will showcase Food Network’s biggest culinary icons, Grammy Award-winning artists, popular lifestyle personalities, and more than 500 chefs, winemakers, and spirit producers all joining forces to EAT. DRINK. EDUCATE. As excitement builds for this milestone anniversary, taking place February 19–22, 2026, tickets are going fast, but Festival fans and foodies near and far still have a chance to snag tickets to some of the weekend’s most buzzed-about events.

From high-energy beachfront parties and legendary tastings to indulgent brunches and late-night celebrations, SOBEWFF®’s 25th anniversary promises the most exciting Festival yet. Though select events are already sold out, the following experiences still have limited tickets available:

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 19

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 20

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 21

  • Chew on This: A Live Podcast Series presented by iHeartRadio takes over the iconic Miami Beach Bandshell for a unique Festival experience bringing five live podcasts to the stage throughout the day, each hosted by some of the most dynamic personalities in comedy, music, entertainment, and food.
  • Katie Lee returns to host Sip & Swirl: A Wine Happy Hour at Joia Beach where close to a dozen stations will feature wines from around the world.
  • Ashley Graham, Michael Pirolo, and Marc Vetri host Late Night Pizza Party sponsored by Lucci Lambrusco at Bar Bucce for a late-night, full-flavor pizza party where great food, great wine and great music collide.
  • Masters of Fire hosted by Tyler Florence returns as a signature tent event celebrating SOBEWFF®’s 25th anniversary, offering guests an exhilarating outdoor cooking experience featuring a lineup of talented chefs who take grilling to the next level.
  • Hosted by 2026’s Tribute Dinner honorees, Michelle Bernstein and Sacha LichineFinal Pour: Tribute Dinner After Party will celebrate the two visionaries with great food, craft cocktails and a performance by Les Greene & The Swayzees.

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 22

To date, the Festival has raised more than $45 million in support of its educational mission to provide an invaluable real-world experience and an interactive educational platform for future leaders of the hospitality industry at the Chaplin School of Hospitality & Tourism Management at Florida International University (FIU). Between SOBEWFF® and its sister NYCWFF, more than $55 million has been raised to benefit the respective charities of each Festival. Beyond the funds raised, both Festivals draw attention to the vibrant dining cultures of their respective cities, provide economic stimulus in their communities, and serve as a platform to drive awareness and engagement for a wide array of philanthropic activities. Tickets for the Festival are On Sale NOW, with plenty of options to suit your taste and budget at sobewff.org. Stay up to date all year long by following @SOBEWFF on Instagram, Facebook and TikTok.                                    

The Bass Ball: A Kaleidoscopic Night of Art, Fashion and Fun

Posted by Mary Jo Almeida-Shore On February - 11 - 2026ADD COMMENTS

Photo credit: World Red Eye

The Bass proved once again why its annual gala is among the most anticipated dates on the Miami art/social calendar. The Bass Ball: Kaleidoscopic brought out artists, fashion-forward philanthropists, socialites, and party people to honor the fabulous Cathy Vedovi—the collector and designer whose French roots and LA education have made her a true icon in our local arts scene.

Photo credit: World Red Eye
Photo credit: World Red Eye

The theme was “Kaleidoscopic,” inspired by the museum’s exhibition The Kaleidoscopic: Writing Histories Through the Collection. The evening reflected the multifaceted nature of storytelling through art, welcoming artists and art lovers into a richly layered visual experience. This wasn’t your average black-tie affair; the guests took the theme to heart with outfits that were pure creative genius. Everywhere you looked, there were bold prints, shimmering textures, and over the top accessories that turned the museum into a living, breathing art gallery.

Silvia Karman Cubina, Cathy Vedovi, Paul & Trudy Cejas & Paolo Vedovi
Cathy Vedovi, Mera Rubell & Trudy Cejas
Cathy Leff & Angie Ferrer

Guests were immersed in lavish décor by Alejandro Muguerza, complemented by a dynamic lighting installation by artist MIKIHUMO that illuminated the museum’s façade and interior. Dinner by Le Basque was top-tier, as usual, but it was the outstanding music that really set the night apart. Things kicked off with smooth jazz by saxophonist Manuel Echazabal in the Social Assembly Lounge, giving everyone a chance to catch up in style.

Evelio Gomez, Keith Pomeroy; Lorena Gomez, Carlos Betancourt, José Díaz, Alberto Latorre & Cristina Lei Rodriguez
Evian Kudnik, Paola Martínez & Samantha Díaz
Alberto Latorre, Mary Jo Shore, Carlos Betancourt & Sofía Citarella
DJ ClaudioF

But even before the dinner plates were cleared, the vibe shifted into high gear. The museum lobby transformed into the ultimate energetic dance party thanks to @DJCLAUDIOF aka Claudio Figueroa, the man behind the vibe at Casa Tua. He was on fire, spinning every genre imaginable—from global house beats to crowd-favorite anthems.

Sofía Citarella & Mary Jo Shore

The music was so good it kept the gorgeous, fashion-focused crowd glued to the dance floor, keeping the energy electric well into the early morning hours. Let’s just say no one was ready to go once the “lights came on.”

Caitlin Collins & Ariel Penzer Milgroom
Dr. Mary Jo and Michael Shore in the Mirror Photo Booth by InstaMirrorPhoto

All of the glam and fun supports a worthy cause, with proceeds going directly to the museum’s education programs and world-class exhibitions. Be sure to keep up with all of the happenings at the Bass on Instagram @thebassmoa and online at https://thebass.org.

Photos

Courtesy of the Bass Museum and World Red Eye.