TAG Heuer executives, FORMULA E race car drivers and actor, Nick Zano celebrated the grand opening of TAG Heuer’s new luxury 900 boutique in the Miami Design District and the brand’s distinction as the official timepiece keeper of the inaugural FORMULA E race. Famed Miami Graffiti artist, Jona Cerwinske “tagged” up a pretty impressive piece focusing on the brand’s new campaign #DontCrackUnderPressure.

Food was catered by Bravos’s Top Chef contestant, and fan fave, Chef Fabio Viviani of Miami’s newest hotspot, Siena Tavern.

CSI Miami actor David Caruso visited Bagatelle Miami Saturday, March 14.

Sofia Vergara, and her handsome fiancé, Joe Manganiello were spotted dining with friends at Zuma Miami. On a different night, Jane Fonda dining with her husband and friends, on the riverside terrace.

NFL stars were eager to check out the gorgeous, brand new STK at the 1Hotel South Beach this weekend. First-round NFL pick and wide receiver for the New York Giants Odell Beckham Jr. was seen dining with friends. According to our sources he had plenty of ladies visiting the table and was also seen speaking that evening with Cleveland Browns Cornerback Joe Haden, who was having dinner two tables away. Also seen at STK were NFL alums, Super Bowl champion Lional Dalton and defensive line coach for the New York Jets and former NFL line backer Pepper Johnson.

In celebration of St. Patrick’s Day, Shake Shack is bringing back its special edition When Irish Fries Are Smiling—crinkle-cut fries topped with horseradish cream, scallions, and crispy all-natural applewood smoked bacon. The Leprechaun-approved fries ($4.50) will be available at all U.S. Shacks from Friday, March 13th through Tuesday, March 17th. Guests will also be able to celebrate the holiday with a cup or cone of rich & creamy Mast Brothers chocolate mint frozen custard (single: $3.50; double: $4.50) available from Monday, March 16th through Sunday, March 22nd. Be sure to also order the delectable Shackmeister burger – complete worth crispy onions on top. It’s no surprise this burger won SOBE Wine and Food Festival’s People’s Choice Award at Burger Bash.

This year’s Cheers for CHOP 2015 at the Valley Forge Casino was probably one of the most fun events of the year. Benefitting the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia’s Child Life activities, one of the first programs in the country to recognize the therapeutic value of play for hospitalized children; Friends of CHOP brought the “fun” in fundraiser. With over 700 guests in attendance the philanthropic young influencers raised nearly $675,000 benefitting the amazing cause.

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By: Maryanne Salvat 

Celebrity Cruises® Teams Up with Funky Buddha Brewery and Be Well Travel 

The inaugural Funky Buddha Craft Brew Cruise, a four-day, four-night voyage, features Funky Buddha’s limited edition and latest brews sailing this Thursday, March 12 through Monday, March 16, aboard the Celebrity Constellation. The cruise departs from Fort Lauderdale and travels to Nassau, Bahamas and Key West, Florida. Funky Buddha Brewery experts will be on board to educate and inform beer-loving cruisers; for more information and to book visit: https://funkybuddhabrewery.com/funky-buddha-craft-brew-cruise.

Wicked Returns

Back by “popular” demand, WICKED returns to the Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts of Miami-Dade County with performances starting Wednesday, March 11 through Sunday, March 29. Tickets start at $49.00 and can be purchased by visiting www.arshtcenter.org or calling the Box Office at 305. 949.6722. Groups of 15 or more should call 786.468.2326.

#ThursdayIsTheNewFriday at Cecconi’s

This Thursday, March 12 from 4:00 to 7:00 p.m. Cecconi’s along with Chef Sergio will present a lovely happy hour with complimentary Estrella Damm and Truffle Arancini. Guests will also enjoy a live jazz performance.

Michael Mina “Social Hour”

Known for its hip vibe and dynamic culinary scene, Michael Mina 74 is raising the bar with the introduction of “Social Hour”. Located in the lobby of the iconic Fontainebleau Miami Beach, the small plates and craft cocktail driven restaurant is now serving up specially priced barrel-aged cocktails among other libations with complimentary bites from Chef de Cuisine Thomas Griese nightly, from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. The new “Social Hour” will be available seven days a week showcasing the restaurant’s stellar cocktail program; For more information, visit fontainebleau.com/socialhour.

The Little Lighthouse Foundation Hearts & Stars Gala 2015: Casablanca

The Little Lighthouse Foundation’s (LLF) Hearts & Stars Gala 2015: Casablanca, a private, invite only charity event, which will be held on Saturday, March 14, from 8:00 p.m. until 1:00 a.m. at a private waterfront estate in Miami Beach, is sold out for the 5th year in a row. LLF assists children and their families in South Florida who struggle with educational, financial, and medical hardships. This support is derived from LLF’s recruiting and educating passionate, caring, socially conscious volunteers, and then deploying them to support LLF programming and beneficiary charities. All proceeds from the Hearts & Stars Gala 2015: Casablanca benefit LLF. The Hearts and Stars 2015 Gala will have a Casablanca theme this year and is black tie optional. The Hearts & Stars Gala Kick Off Party is at Hyde Beach at the SLS on Friday night, March 13, 2015. For an online donation of $25, guests will enjoy a sponsored bar from Diageo from 9:00 to 11:00 p.m. If available, access to the event at the door will be $50. Donations can be made at www.hydebeach.com/heartsandstars.

International Orchid Festival at Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden

Beautiful, fragrant, and rare orchids will cover the lush landscape of Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden for the three-day International Orchid Festival, held Friday, March 13 – Sunday, March 15 from 9:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. More than 10,000 orchids and plants will be on view and available for purchase throughout the Garden. Stop by the Science Village to watch interactive demonstrations of the Million Orchid Project, which aims to reintroduce one million native and endangered orchids back into South Florida. Presented by the Orchid Society of Coral Gables, the breathtaking displays of rare and exotic orchid species at the American Orchid Society juried show are a must-see. For more information, visit the International Orchid Festival webpage.

Vizcaya Preservation Luncheon

The Preservation Luncheon, known as the “Hat Luncheon” where attendees are encouraged to wear creative head wear, is taking place on March 17, 2015, and features cocktails, music and lunch on Vizcaya’s beautiful grounds. This annual fundraiser was founded in 2009 to support the preservation of Vizcaya and the organization’s educational programs. Preservation Luncheon tickets, which can bepurchased online, start at $350 per person and tables for 10 guests start at $3,500. For more information, contact Jessica Casinelli at 305-860-8404 or events@vizcaya.org

By: Mary Jo Almeida-Shore

Perfect for South Florida skiers, Copper Mountain’s naturally divided terrain allows for family fun that suits the individual abilities and needs of each family member.   Although this world-class resort offers all the powder (21 inches and counting just this week), perks, altitude and thrills of neighboring Colorado mountain resorts such as Breckenridge and Vail, it is extra family friendly in terms of accessibility, amenities, service, ski school, and wallet-friendly prices. In short- Copper Mountain gives you all the fun without the hassle and big ticket pricing. It’s no surprise that Copper has consistently been voted the locals’ favorite ski resort.

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By:  Maryanne Salvat and Mary Jo Shore

The 14^th annual Food Network & Cooking Channel South Beach Wine & Food Festival (SOBEWFF) presented by FOOD & WINEwelcomed more than 60,000 enthusiastic foodies to more than 75 different events throughout South Florida in February. To date, the Festival has raised approximately $22 million for the Wine Spectator Restaurant Management Laboratory and Southern Wine & Spirits Beverage Management Center at the Chaplin School of Hospitality & Tourism Management located on Florida International University’s Biscayne Bay campus.   Below, we’ve highlighted some of our favorite events of SOBEWFF 2015.

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