Pharrell, Pitbull, Dionne Warwick, Lea Black Shine at Blacks’ Annual Gala

Posted by Mary Jo Almeida-Shore On April - 11 - 2011
Lea Black

Lea Black

By:  Mary Jo Almeida-Shore

Lea Black worked the room like a “hundred thousand dollar hooker” (her words) during the animated auction at the Blacks’ Annual Gala at the Eden Roc Renaissance on Saturday night –the party of parties- which gets bigger and better every year.  While the event is technically hosted by Lea AND Roy Black – Roy admiringly introduced his wife prior to her taking the stage by admitting that he is just a “Househusband.” Who ever thought we’d see the day?  A beaming Roy looked on as Lea- stunning in a low-cut, sparkly, black Versace gown which showed off her newly trim and toned “everything” worked the room like only she can. And what a room it was…wall to wall rectangular tables covered in silk silver tablecloths, surrounded by Miami’s who’s who, enjoying a gourmet meal served family style.  Recent Celebrity Apprentice alum, Grammy Award winning artist/actress/Diva Dionne Warwick wowed the crowd with a mini-concert of her most famous songs, including “I’ll Never Love This Way Again” and “That’s What Friends Are For,” which had some guests singing along arm-in-arm.  Warwick departed abruptly, perhaps to get some beauty sleep, the reason for her firing from Celebrity Apprentice.

After dinner, guests were escorted into the Pompeii Ballroom, for the “Nightclub Experience,” where DJ Irie spun great dance music until after midnight, when Grammy Award winning singer/record producer, Pharrell took to the stage to perform and work the crowd into a frenzy. The feisty and seemingly tipsy, Brazilian wild child, Adriana de Moura joined Pharell on-stage, dancing with the rapper, and with Roy Black, who was also up there, with a  gaggle of gals. Read the rest of this entry »

Celebrities on South Beach on Super Bowl Weekend

Posted by Mary Jo Almeida-Shore On February - 10 - 2010

Queen Latifah worked out with a personal trainer at Equinox South Beach over the weekend, which we assume facilitated her choice of wearing skinny jeans during her “America, the Beautiful” performance on Super Bowl Sunday.  Also, Dallas Cowboy’s Miles Austin visited The Spa at Equinox South Beach post workout to enjoy a 90-minute rub down.

Sushi Samba was celeb-central during Super Bowl week, starting on Wednesday when Ross Mathews, correspondent a.k.a. “Ross the Intern” from The Tonight Show with Jay Leno; Elizabeth Berkley (Lisa Turtle from Saved by the Bell); and national correspondent for Fox News, Phil Keating.  Mathews, a personal friend of Sushi Samba Managing Partner, Matthew Johnson, “crossed the bridge” earlier that afternoon to check-out Sugarcane raw bar grill, the latest concept from the Sushi Samba group that opened in January 2010.  Katie Cassidy was at Sushi Samba on Thursday as was Wilmer Valderrama, who returned Friday night; seen schmoozing with Cassidy and later sending over a round of shots. The Wayans brothers were also spotted at Sushi Samba on Saturday.  On Sunday, the Wayans bowled the night away at Lucky Strike Lanes with a Super Bowl party that started at 6:00 p.m. until after midnight. Other celebrities spotted at Lucky Strike included Richard Marshall from the Carolina Panthers and DeSean Jackson from the Philadelphia, Randy McMichael from the St. Louis Rams, Charles Godfrey from the Carolina Panthers, and Antoine Walker, a retired basketball player formerly of the Boston Celtics, Dallas Mavericks, Atlanta Hawks, Miami Heat and Minnesota Timberwolves.

 Over at the Alene Too pop-up shop at the 944 Hotel at the Eden Roc:  TV personality Lo Bosworth from The Hills who texted friend Stephanie Pratt to “hurry over.”  Stephanie Pratt and co-star Lo arrived late and had the boutique re-opened.

 Condoleezza Rice dined with a friend at Todd English’s da Campo Osteria for lunch on Sunday. The former Secretary of State was diplomatic as usual, acting graciously with the restaurant staff while feasting on items off the northern-Italian inspired menu pre-Super Bowl.  

 Coco de Ville, the new hotspot at the Gansevoort hosted Gossip Girl’s Ed Westwick who arrived unannounced with a group of friends on Saturday night.

 On Thursday night, a bunch of stars from the upcoming movie Grown Ups dined at STK, including: Chris Rock, Adam Sandler, David Spade and Kevin James.  Adam Sandler danced to the DJ’s music and cracked jokes at the table while cutting his steak and the entire table commented on the server’s striking resemblance to fellow funny man Eddie Murphy.  Tuesday night, “quasi celebs” Mike “The Situation” and Pauly D. from Jersey Shore came in for dinner at STK for their last night in Miami.

 

At Tao’s Super Bowl pop up party at the W South Beach’s Wall nightclub, celeb DJ Swizz Beatz,  producer of Jay Z’s Empire State of Mine, played the song over and over again for Alex Rodriguez and Derek Jeter, who were sitting across from each other, but never said hello.  Dave Annable, of hit show, Brothers and Sisters, and his new girlfriend Odette Yustman walked the red carpet hand in hand.

Chris Rock arrived at TAO’s Super Bowl party asking for good friend Jamie Foxx.  After learning he was not in the building, he opted to sit with fellow funny guy David Spade until Jamie Foxx finally joined him and then they both jumped on the mic, with Chris Rock singing the Run DMC song line I’m the KING of ROCK.

Kristen Cavallari was ecstatic after visiting the Motorolla gifting suite by the pool at TAO’s pop-up Super Bowl party at W South Beach where she received her new Droid phone.

After last week’s season premiere marking the shows final season, “Lost” actor Josh Halloway attended TAO’s pop- up Super Bowl party at W South Beach’s Wet & Wall.

Chase Crawford being swarmed by a sea of girls asking for his newly gifted Motorola Droid phone at Tao’s pop-up Super Bowl party at W South Beach.

Up in the penthouse at the W for the Audi party:  Hillary Swank, Kate Walsh, Rob Lowe, Taylor Lautner, and Kellan Lutz. At Mr Chow – Swank, Brett Ratner, Jamie Foxx, Serena Williams, Todd English, Michael Bay, and Jillian from The Biggest Loser.


Post Basel sightings

Posted by Mary Jo Almeida-Shore On December - 20 - 2009

Dwayne Wade

Dwayne Wade

Sparks is in town this week touring the Eden Roc and solidifying plans for the Jordin Sparks Super Bowl Experience, a charity event she will be hosting on Wednesday, February 3rd. Other celebrities confirmed as of now JoJo and David Archuleta. For more information, visit: www.sparkssuperbowlexperience.com.

Dwyane Wade was seen having dinner with girlfriend/actress Gabrielle Union at 8 oz Burger Bar in Miami Beach. The couple was enjoying some burgers and sharing a sundae on Monday night.

Read the rest of this entry »

What’s Old is New Again

Posted by Mary Jo Almeida-Shore On May - 4 - 2009

clevelander1As recent history has proven, the best way to create interest in and excitement over an establishment in this town is to shut it down, make some changes and reopen with a bit of fanfare. Just ask the owners of the Fontainebleau, Eden Roc, Smith & Wollensky, Karu & Y and Mynt (which seems to shut down and reopen every year or two) to name a few. Now we can add the Clevelander and Forge to that successful list.

The Clevelander, which has undergone an extreme makeover and an augmentation or two over the last year and a half, will celebrate its rebirth this Thursday with four days chock full of concerts, libations, and entertainment. Despite its roomier and glitzier revamp, the Ocean Drive staple remains the casual, wildly spirited hang-out that has made it the premier stomping ground for spring breakers of all ages for the past 70 years. Now the place where Spring Break springs eternal features over a dozen spaces to party, including the infamous pool and patio and a new, state-of- the art sports bar, complete with wall to wall High Def plasmas, where many a sports fan can cheer the Heat and Dolphins to victory, just steps from the ocean. The new Cleve also houses 1020 Music Boxx, a bonafide dance club (minus the velvet rope and snooty attitude) and the upgraded Clevelander Café, with renowned chef, Robbin Haas, at its helm. Fret not, you can still get your extra-greasy with a side of greasy chicken tenders and fries, but Chef Haas has added some sophisticated bites as well. The Clevelander’s augmentation also includes the addition of the SPF 4 Sun Deck, where we’re pretty sure a babe or two will be showing off augmentations of her own, and a rooftop terrace. The hotel’s 60 rooms have also gotten a facelift. While rooms are a bargain, starting at just $179.00, to really party like a Rock star, stay in one of the Rock- star Suites, where you’ll have your own butler to cater to your every outlandish whim! For more info or to buy tickets for the weekend celebrations, including concerts by Gym Class Heroes and Inner Circle and DJ sets by DJ Irie, Sky Nellor, Jazzy Jeff and Z Trip, visit www.clevelander.com.

After celebrating 40 years in business, and being honored by Miami Beach Mayor Matti Herrera Bower on Monday, Shareef Malnik announced that his iconic restaurant, The Forge, would be closing this week to undergo renovations, overdue since its last remodeling in 1991, which was the result of a fire. Malnik, whose family has owned the 1920s storied venue since 1968, proudly declared that the revamp would include radical changes to the Forge’s menu and interior design, stating, “When we re-open in the fall of 2009, our loyal clientele will be blown away by the exciting enhancements and changes that will have been completed. Like the fine wines in our famous cellar, The Forge only improves with age. Here’s to the next 40 years.” To be honest, we kind of love the place as is, with its old world style and gorgeous chandeliers and stained glass ceiling and accents. To the dismay of many a Sugar Daddy and the girls who, ahem, love them, who flock to the Forge religiously on Wednesday nights, the culinary bastion will remain closed until next season. Perhaps the Clevelander can fill in as resident meat market in the meantime!

Single and Fabulous

Posted by Mary Jo Almeida-Shore On May - 1 - 2009

tiffany-rosen-and-erin-newbergSingle and Fabulous was founded by gorgeous, young,  and, you guessed it, single, entrepreneur Tiffany Rosen.  The organization was conceptualized one evening in January while Rosen was on Facebook, and noticed several of her  young friends’ statuses going from “in a relationship” to “engaged”, and realized she was not on that boat, causing her to update her status to: “Am I the only single individual in Miami, who’s ok with it?”. Rosen soon noticed an endless stream of comments as a result of her post, the catalyst for the establishment of a company for Miami singles like herself.

Rosen created a group on Facebook called “Single and Fabulous”, which was  joined by hundreds. Comprised of Miami-ans: from notables to professionals, Tiffany planned her first launch event at the penthouse of the chic Hotel Victor.  Unsure of what or how many people to expect, Tiffany was pleasantly surprised when over 200 beautiful, like-minded individuals showed up,  looking to meet new people! In the process of planning this event, Tiffany met single, Miami socialite Erin Newberg, who joined Single and Fabulous as a partner. Both young women brought different talents to the table- Tiffany brought the marketing know-how and Erin the PR expertise. After the Hotel Victor event, an overwhelming amount of positive emails poured in, requesting membership information. Rosen and Newberg decided to proceed on a per-event basis for future events, allowing them to throw their second successful event at Miami hotspot, Louis on Valentines Day. Once again, over 200 of Miami’s finest attended the event sponsored by Life Style condoms, Stoli, MyEventBooth, Miami.com and PLUM TV.

Rosen and Newberg have since thrown other Single and  Fabulous events: Rock the Boat, on a yacht in May and a Halloween bash in October.

The organization is thriving, with creative and successful events planned in the near future.  Both girls continue to be single, and all the more fabulous  for it!

Back in Black

Posted by Mary Jo Almeida-Shore On April - 23 - 2009

Lance BassRoy and Lea Black upped the hip factor once again at their annual Power of Hope charity gala benefitting the Consequences Program and Bay Point Schools, held at the newly revamped Eden Roc Hotel, (which is sure to bring some stiff competition to it’s next door neighbor), as evidenced by the crush of people gathered around the red carpet to catch a glimpse of the many celebs promised to make an appearance.As usual, the Blacks delivered, hosting a perfect evening replete with stellar performances and a guest list to include: Lance Bass, Dennis Rodman, Joe Francis, Craig David, Mario Barth, Jeffrey Donovan, Moon Bloodgood,. Vicki Gunvalson, Elaine Lancaster, Richie Rich, and Bernard Hopkins (and those were just the VVIPs who DIDN’T perform)!

The night started off with a lavish reception in the Eden Roc’s swank lobby, and resembled a “Taste of the Beach,” with mini food stations set up from some of the area’s favorite restaurants including, the Setai, Bova Prime, and 8 oz Burger Bar to name a few.Grey Goose lounges were conveniently stationed throughout the lobby surrounding the extensive silent auction, because the evening’s liquour sponsor knows there’s nothing like a buzz to get people bidding!People were having such a great time during the reception that event staff struggled to coax the crowd into the ballroom when it was time for the dinner to begin.

During the four course meal, Roy Black got on-stage and said, “Thank you for your money and thank you for your time.That’s my line,” but then gave an inspiring speech, in which he encouraged guests to be generous by saying, “Better to be smart on crime than tough on crime, before introducing a Bay Point School’s graduate who is now attending Barry University and working in a law firm.Next, Lea Black took over for the live auction, and was relentless on the mic, working hard to get the attention of the noisy, talkative crowd.The Texas-native would be a welcomed addition to the Bay Point School’s award-winning staff- if she can wrangle over 1, 000 rowdy socialites on a Saturday night, imagine what she can do with a bunch of teenagers!To be cliché:“Don’t Mess with Texas!”At one point, Roy got back on the stage and quipped, “The only way to keep her (Lea) contained is to get her off the mic. “ Lea managed to raise top dollar amounts for auction items including the Jeffrey Rackover diamond earrings worn by Maria Conchita Alonso during her performance, a spot on the waiting list for the first 2010 Rolls-Royce EX200 from Braman Rolls Royce in Miami, a speaking part on Burn Notice, VIP tickets to the Indianapolis 500 and VIP tickets to the Heavy Weight Championship in Las Vegas among other terrific items.Lea also boasted about the Power of Hope Gala, which was put on for a mere $35, 000 and raised $1.4 million.Not bad for a night’s work.

Several superstars performed throughout the evening, including:Elvis Crespo, Craig David, Jencarlos Canela, Alto Reed, Maria Conchita Alonso, and comedienne, Heather McDonald.The crowd did not seem to mind that there wasn’t a dance floor, especially when Patti LaBelle (back by popular demand for a second year) took to the stage and belted out “Hey Sister Soul Sister…” which got everyone on their feet and dancing between the tables.LaBelle followed her performance of Lady Marmalade with a touching rendition of Over the Rainbow.The crowd showed no intention of leaving well after midnight, when Lil Wayne, took over to sing a few songs.DJ Irie capped off the exciting night, spinning his usual, addictive music.

CLICK ONCE TO BRING PHOTO FORWARD, CLICK AGAIN TO SEND PHOTO BACK

Sponsors