The Flat. Catch Game 6 in style with the chicest happy hour South of Fifth. Very Happy Hour(s) at The Flat offers signature cocktails, craft beer and wine ranging from $5 to $8 available from 8 to 10 p.m. View the game on a jumbo projection screen and enjoy signature sips such as the Empire State, Peached Old Fashion and the Suite 180. For more information, call 305.531.3528,  www.theflatmiami.com.

RA Sushi in South Miami. Spice up your Game 6 watch party and order one of RA’s “Big Three” sushi platters. Ranging from $70 to $120, these three platters – the Maki Maki, Tsukiji Combo and Harajuku Combo – are large enough to share in the office or even host a block party! For more information, call 305.341.0092, www.facebook.com/RASushiSouthMiami.

South Shore and Florida Cookery Patio at The James Royal Palm. Head in to the South Shore rum bar or sit at the Florida Cookery Patio pool bar for Miami HEAT specials including two-for-one Bacardi rum-inspired cocktails from 7:00 p.m. to midnight while you cheer on “The Big Three.” A Florida Cookery small bites menu will be available as well as $10 validated valet parking. For more information, call 305.604.5700, www.jameshotels.com/miami/eat-drink.

The Forge Restaurant | Wine Bar. After the game’s over, head over to The Forge Restaurant | Wine Bar to enjoy table sharing bites prepared by Chef Dewey LoSasso and signature cocktails crafted by mixologist Andres Aleman, available from 6:00 to 11:00 p.m. Miami HEAT players Chris Bosh and Juwan Howard have been known to celebrate in style at the restaurant after major game victories. For more information, call 305.538.8533| www.theforge.com.

Dwayne Wade, Chris Bosh, LeBron James photo courtesy Manny Hernandez

By:  Mary Jo Almeida-Shore 

When our beloved Miami Heat finally won the NBA Championship, a victory more than two years in the making, Miami as a whole experienced the cathartic joy- as we are now all, on some level, champions. Nowhere was this more evident than at LIV at the Fontainebleau, just a few hours before dawn, on Friday morning, and on the streets during the championship parade and at the American Airlines Arena (AAA) for the championship celebration on Monday.

“We are the Champions” blared through the speakers at LIV nightclub at just before 3 a.m. on Friday morning, as the newly crowned, World Champions, Miami HEAT, fresh from winning the NBA championship entered the massive nightclub for their official victory party, to the ecstatic chants of thrilled fans, who shouted, “Let’s go Heat!”  The chanting changed to “MVP” shortly thereafter, as LeBron James made his way to the stage at the back of the club, wearing a t-shirt emblazoned with the “vampire image” of his face.   The music stopped for a bit as Heat owner Micky Arison and coach Eric Spoelstra were cheered on as they took to the stage to address the fans and thank them for their support. Read the rest of this entry »

Dwayne Wade

By:  Mary Jo Almeida-Shore

To ease the pain of entering a new decade, Dwyane Wade’s family and friends (and by “friends” we mean sponsors such as Hublot and The Collection) celebrated the basketball star’s birthday with a weekend filled with festivities, beginning with a surprise brunch hosted at the W Hotel by his mother Jolinda and sister Tragil. The intimate gathering included Wade’s girlfriend, Gabrielle Union and featured a performance by Grammy Award-winning singer Yolanda Adams.

On Sunday night a slew of celebrities including the usual suspects, teammates Lebron James, Chris Bosh and Udonis Haslem as well as Pat Riley, DJ Irie and Usher feted Wade at the Setai’s courtyard with free-flowing Hennessy and Belvedere and special surprise performances from Kelly Rowland, T.I., Common and Rick Ross.

The evening began with a special “30 for 30” dinner at the Setai hosted by Dom Perignon, Belevedere and Hennessy, during which the vintage champagne producer presented Wade with a bottle of 1982 Dom Perignon, in honor of his birth year. After dinner, the party moved to the courtyard where Wade was greeted by over 300 friends and VIP guests. One of the biggest surprises was the all-new 2012 McLaren MP4-12C supercar, customized just for Wade, which was perched on a platform on the pool awaiting Wade’s arrival. Ken Gorin, president and CEO of The Collection had the car airlifted onto the hotel pool earlier in the day. Read the rest of this entry »

Alonzo Mourning, Katrina Campins,Shannon SLam Lawrence and Tracy Wilson Mourning

Celebrity photographer Greg Lotus, who just returned to Miami from a successful exhibition of his high art fashion and figurative photographs at 1stdibs Gallery in New York City, was spotted at an undisclosed Miami location last Saturday shooting Eva Longoria and polo superstar Nic Roldan for Haute Living magazine’s June cover. Penelope Cruz’s brother Eduardo, who is dating Longoria was present at the shoot as well. 

Real Housewives of Atlanta’s Nene Leakes, Kandi Burruss and Cynthia Bailey put on a show (literally) on Saturday, May 14 at National Hotel’s beach. While filming for the next season, the ladies paraded around in their stylish gear — Nene sporting a sexy gold number — attracting the attention of two young men who invited them to play Frisbee. 

Grammy Award winner, Bruno Mars was spotted at WALL Miami lounge enjoying the South Beach nightlife with his band, bodyguard and several unidentified models on the heels of his sold-out performance at the Fillmore Miami Beach arena on May 11. Mars and his entourage enjoyed a VIP table stocked with Grey Goose, Patron and champagne. The seven-time Grammy winner donned his signature fedora and danced on the couch at his VIP table with the bevy of beauties past 3 a.m.  Earlier in the week, Mars was partied at Mansion. 

This past week, patrons of LIV Nightclub at the Fontainebleau got their fair share of celebrity sightings.  Celebrity Apprentice runner up, Lil’ Jon, rocked the house and hosted  on  Wednesday night and LeBron James was also spotted celebrating the Miami Heat win over the Boston Celtics. Reality-star Kim Kardashian and boyfriend Kris Humphries, of the New Jersey Nets, “LIVed it up” on Friday night.  

Before heading to LIV, Kardashian and Humphries dined at Zuma with 6 friends. The couple was seen chatting and kissing during the meal and taking lots of photos together. 

On Friday, Brett Ratner was honored by Miami World Cinema Center as Miami’s most accomplished filmmaker. To celebrate this great honor, Ratner hosted a grand dinner at The Forge Restaurant | Wine Bar with his close Miami friends including owner Shareef Malnik and girlfriend Gabrielle Anwar, Serena Williams, Patrick De Bokay, Anthony and Alina Shriver, Bruce and Nan Weber, Michael Gongora and many more.

The following night, Katrina Campins followed suit by inviting friends to The Forge Restaurant | Wine Bar to celebrate a new accomplishment in her career – the launch of her new company and also to celebrate her dear friend, DJ Irie’s birthday.  Guests in attendance included Alonzo and Tracy Mourning, Venus and Serena Williams, DJ Irie and Gabrielle Union.

Last Thursday night, Chris Bosh hosted a 26 birthday dinner for fiancée Adrienne Williams at their home for 30 guests.  Invited guests included Dwyane Wade, Gabrielle Union, LeBron James, Roy and Lea Black, and JR and Loren Ridinger to name a few.

Miami native, Pitbull stopped in the middle of his live broadcast with NRJ radio to serenade a crowd that had gathered around National Hotel Miami Beach’s infinity pool with a rendition of “Hey Baby.” The rapper enthusiastically proclaimed, “If it wasn’t for fans like you, I wouldn’t be here!” and then proceeded to walk over to greet and pose for photos with guests one by one.

Enrique Iglesias and girlfriend, Anna Kournikova dined and entertained a large group of friends at SUGARCANE raw bar grill on Saturday night.

Forbes magazine’s “Richest Man in the World”, Carlos Slim, was seen dining with a party of ten at Eden South Beach on Saturday night.  

Rakontur, the Miami-based media studio founded by Billy Corben and Alfred Spellman hosted an after party at Cafeina Wynwood Lounge celebrating the Miami premiere of Square Grouper: the Godfathers of Ganja, the duo’s latest documentary. Corben was on-hand for the festivities.

Tinsley Mortimer and Brian Mazza

By:  Mary Jo Almeida-Shore

The week leading up to New Year’s Eve was so packed with celeb-filled events and celebrations that it made going out on the big night seem almost like overkill. From a penthouse party which included Beacher’s Madhouse Oompa Loompas which packed into a party bus to LIV;to the official grand opening of Lords South Beach Hotel, which was so packed that it seemed the penthouse terrace was going to go the way of the elevator from the Tower of Terror; to LeBron James’ star-studded birthday bash, South Beach got an electric awakening from its post-Basel slumber and bid adieu to 2010 in its typical mayhem and style.

Oh Lordy

Tinsley Mortimer, Richie Rich, Tracy Young and Lady Bunny hosted the coming out bash for Lords South Beach on Wednesday night. Read the rest of this entry »