photo courtesy of Christmas Village

Philadelphia’s Christmas Village Returns

The highly anticipated Christmas season is upon us! Along with holiday festivities and delightful displays, Philadelphia’s Christmas Village returns this year to the City Hall Courtyard. All the warm mulled cider, spiced gingerbread, brats and delicious German fare will now be available. The city’s open-air German market – one of the largest in the country –brings Santa’s workshop, live music stages, decorations and lights, wooden shopping huts, food booths, mulled wine and more.

Holiday Nights in Old City

Celebrate the season along America’s most historic square mile with Historic Holiday Nights in Old City, presented by VISIT PHILADELPHIA® and Old City District. Get all of your holiday shopping done in one place, and enjoy some seasonal dishes and sips in Old City! More than 45 participating boutiques, shops, art galleries, museums, restaurants and cafes around the neighborhood will treat visitors to special sales, discounts, promotions and menu items every Thursday in December from 5:00pm to 8:00pm through December 22nd. From its historic past to its artful present to its tech future, Old City is the place to be! Look for vibrant and diverse offerings that make the neighborhood the historic gem of Philadelphia. For more information about Old City District and Historic Holiday Nights in Old City, visit oldcitydistrict.org, tweet @OldCityDistrict or call (215) 592-7929.

Rittenhouse Row Fashion Crawl

Numerous Rittenhouse Row retailers will host simultaneous in store parties, with cocktails from some of the best mixologists in Rittenhouse.  In store parties include: Special discounts, trunk shows, gifts with purchase, DJs and much more. This year Rittenhouse Row has partnered with PAWS to, “Give a Home for the Holiday.” Adoptable dogs and PAWS representatives will be walking to select crawl locations throughout the day. Pick up your map at Capital One on the day of the crawl and receive free samples of hot chocolate from Peet’s Coffee and a chance to enter to win a fabulous gift basket with prizes from Rittenhouse Row’s health, beauty and fitness members.   Raffle package highlights include:  A five pack of classes from Flywheel, $55 gift certificate to Ursula’s About PHace, a five pack of classes to Ripped PHL, three Pure Barre classes, one month unlimited from Unite Fitness, a ten class gift card good for any class at Thrive Pilates and Philly Power Yoga and five pilates classes at Urbanfront Pilates and more.   The entire day is free and open to the public; event maps will be available at Capital One, 1636 Walnut Street, on Saturday, December 10^th from 12:00PM to 3:00PM.   Maps can also be downloaded from rittenhouserow.org starting the week of the crawl.   *Must be 21 or older to enjoy the cocktails

The FACUNDO™ Rum Collection is the first luxury collection of four of the most exquisite, extraordinary hand-blended sipping rums from Bacardi. Sipping rum is a Bacardi family tradition, passed down from generation to generation. Now connoisseurs everywhere can share in this revered tradition as rum is elevated to an art form.

The FACUNDO Rum Collection is a limited release of four rare blends of the finest aged sipping rums, sourced from the Bacardi family’s private rum reserves. The four-bottle Collection was designed to be sipped in a progression of occasions, each to suit various moments of celebration and reflection, making it the optimal choice for the holiday season.

FACUNDO NEO is a sheer blonde rum aged up to 8 years. Once blended the rum is filtered over activated carbon to remove any color.  FACUNDO EXIMO is a blend of medium to heavy bodied dark rums aged in fine oak barrels. EXIMO is the only marque of the FACUNDO Rum Collection to be blended before aging.  FACUNDO EXQUISITO marries younger rums aged seven years with matured rums aged 23 years aged in oak barrels and finished in sherry casks. After the aging process, the rums are blended, transferred and stored in sherry casks to rest for a minimum of one month, further enhancing the smoothness and silkiness. Lastly, FACUNDO PARAISO is a blend of dark rums aged up to 23 years that is filtered over activated carbon and then rested in French (XO) casks for a minimum of one month, creating the ultimate sipping experience.

Gift this impressive, high-end Collection to a loved one this holiday season, or break out the ice spheres, rocks glasses or snifters to unwind with the FAUNDO Rum Collection during the most heart-warming time of year. The perfect after-dinner or dessert companion, the Collection will not only enthuse your guests, but also your taste buds.

The enchanting winter wonderland and carnival at the corner of Bird Road and the Palmetto Expressway runs from November 3rd-January 8, 2017. 

Three million strings of lights are sparkling throughout the park, dozens of animated displays are lit and the scent of pine cones is in the air; it’s time for Santa’s Enchanted Forest, a South Florida tradition for 34 years! The golden gates open daily at 5pm and there’s non-stop action for the entire family. 

Santa’s Enchanted Forest is the world’s largest holiday themed park that features over 100 rides, games, shows and animated children displays. This year new at Santa’s the RC blaster, the sixth roller coaster. The RC blaster is the biggest and fastest roller coaster in Florida, also new a freestyle motorcycle stunt show. Visitors will be amazed as the stunt driver performs daring flips, hands free and soars 90ft into the air! 

Also featuring ten new food kiosks, Asian delights, crepes and other delicacies join old-time favorites like roasted corn on the cob, apple candy and elephant ears. The admission price includes all rides and featured shows! Parking is free. 

Unwrap the holiday spirit and take in Santa’s Enchanted Forest for the best time with family and friends. 

Santa’s Enchanted Forest
7900 Bird Road, Miami, Florida 33155

Miami Art Week 

It’s the most wonderful time of the year for art collectors and enthusiasts; not to mention those who love a great party or ten- every night. What has become known as Miami Art Week, which runs from Thursday, December 1 through Sunday, December 4, includes Art Basel, one of the world’s most important art fairs, and dozens of satellite fairs, street art displays, performances, and something to see and do in just about every corner of Miami Beach, Wynwood, and the Miami Design District. Thefairs take place from December 1-4, unless otherwise noted.

Art Basel Miami
Miami Beach Convention Center
1901 Convention Center Drive

Art Basel Miami Beach, Miami Art Week’s pièce de résistance, is the biggest event on the South Florida calendar. Currently in its fourteenth season, Art Basel will attract the most significant art collectors from around the world. Art Basel, features traditional, contemporary and modern art from every corner of the globe. Art Basel will take over the Miami Beach Convention Center and nearby Collins Park, where several large installations will remain through February.  For more information visit: https://www.artbasel.com/.

Design Miami
Meridian Avenue & 19th Street

Among the most stylish fairs, devoted entirely to interior design, Design Miami, showcases the decorative arts from furniture to rugs, sculptures and just about every type of creative home furnishing and decor imaginable. Global exhibitors aim to astound and delight with cutting-edge designs and displays. For more information visit:  http://miami2016.designmiami.com/.

Art Miami
3101 NE 1st Avenue

Art Miami is among the most elegant fairs of the week, with a stylish, gallery-like feel. Art Miami showcases the best in modern and contemporary art from over a hundred international galleries. It is the original and longest-running contemporary art fair in Miami and continues to garner praise for its variety of unparalleled art.  For more information visit: http://www.artmiamifair.com/

Vizcaya Museum and Gardens will kick off its 100-year anniversary at its annual gala, which is the official Centennial Gala in 2016. This event will support fundraising for the iconic 1900s home of James Deering and ignite a year of Centennial activities.          

• Night lights on parade: Invitees will enjoy the Processional Arts Presentation of Illuminated Lanterns, an immersive performance meandering throughout the main house and gardens at 8 p.m.
• Sweet Sounds: Music by the Frost School of Music, including the Henry Mancini Institute, the Frost Studio Band and the departments of Vocal and Instrumental Performance.
• Additional photo opportunities with Miami leaders and event chairs Barbara Hevia, Cathy L. Jones and Christina Martin. Official Proclamation on display from Miami-Dade Mayor Carlos Gimenez.

WHY:

• The Centennial celebration marks a new era for Vizcaya, as it embarks on a master plan to make it more accessible and enjoyable for the entire community. Plans for the Vizcaya Village will provide new ways to experience the celebrated Miami icon, by restoring several historic buildings that were once part of the original property and creating more open space to accommodate additional inventive exhibitions and community outreach programs.
• Proceeds benefit the protection and preservation of Vizcaya Museum and Gardens.

WHEN:           Saturday, November 19, 2016

WHERE:         Vizcaya Museum and Gardens

ABOUT VIZCAYA:

Vizcaya Museum and Gardens is a National Historic Landmark that preserves the Miami estate of agricultural industrialist James Deering to engage our community and its visitors in learning through the arts, history and the environment. Built between 1914 and 1922, Vizcaya is one of the most intact remaining examples from this era in United States history, when the nation’s most successful entrepreneurs built lavish estates inspired by the stately homes of Europe.

Vizcaya features a Main House, 10 acres of formal gardens, a rockland hammock (native forest), mangrove shore, the Vizcaya Café and Shop presented by A Joy Wallace Catering, Design and Special Events, and a historic village that will be restored for additional venues for programs and community outreach. Located at 3251 South Miami Avenue, between Brickell Avenue and Coconut Grove, Vizcaya is open daily from 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. except Tuesdays, Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day. For more information, visit www.vizcaya.org, connect on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter, or call 305-250-9133.

 Best Buddies International, a groundbreaking nonprofit that creates opportunities for one-to-one friendships, integrated employment and leadership development for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD), is pleased to announce its 20^th Annual Best Buddies Miami Gala at Ice Palace Studios in Wynwood on Friday, November 18. 

The 20^th Annual Best Buddies Miami Gala is a spectacular event with hundreds of prominent locals and international guests gathering to celebrate Best Buddies’ mission. This year’s Best Buddies Miami Gala theme is Rock Legends! Time and time again, rock legends have proven themselves as agents of social change, much like Best Buddies.

As a result of phenomenal support from generous sponsors and donors, Best Buddies is able to extend its reach globally, and will continue to develop its presence through our eight formal programs— Best Buddies Ambassadors, Citizens, Colleges, e-Buddies®, High Schools, Jobs, Middle Schools and Promoters—across the United States and in over 50 countries. This support will allow Best Buddies to impact the lives of individuals as diverse as the many different genres of music. During the Gala, guests will enjoy a gourmet dinner, partake in a top-notch auction and witness dazzling entertainment. Proceeds from the Gala will enable Best Buddies to continue making a meaningful impact in the lives of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities on a global scale.

This Thanksgiving weekend, count El Churrasco, Paris 6 and Seaspice among your blessings as each venue takes cooking off your hands with their holiday offerings. Guests will have the opportunity to choose between traditional options, like turkey for the whole family, or modern indulgences with a Chef’s Choice and a pre-fixe Thanksgiving Specials menu.

El Churrasco – Takeout

For those wanting to celebrate at home, El Churrasco is offering families pickup options of three different turkey specials*:

• Parties of 1 or two can order the boneless stuffed turkey dish for $25 per person
• Small families can order a small turkey already cooked, stuffed and seasoned to perfection for $125. This turkey feeds up to 7 people.
• For $230, guests can buy a large turkey, which feeds up to 15 people.

* All options come with sides of cranberries and potato puree

If ordering the small or large turkey, guests will need to call in advance to ensure proper preparation and cooking on time. Additional sides and desserts are also available for an additional fee. A 25% off discount on a bottle of their signature wine will be offered for those ordering the small and large turkey.

Paris 6 – Onsite Dining

Celebrating its first Thanksgiving, the 24-hour French Bistro is launching their highly acclaimed signature dishes not yet debuted at Paris 6 Miami, including the Gnocchi de Brie et Crevettes a “Bruno Gissoni.” The restaurant’s beautiful décor with all the French trimmings and cozy ambiance make it the perfect “getaway” spot for those wishing to celebrate with friends and/or family in a not-so-Miami setting.

Seaspice – Special Choices

The Miami River hotspot offers dinners indulgent thanksgiving-inspired options like Autumn Soup, Turkey Roulade and Molten Dulce de Leche Cake, to name a few. Those wishing for additional options will have the opportunity to order from Seaspice’s A La Carte menu.

Full menu here: