The Giving Back Fund’s Big Game Big Give (BGBG) presented by Oasis House, was the largest celebrity charity event during Super Bowl weekend in Miami, raising much needed funds to benefit national philanthropic advancement and local Miami nonprofits including Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center. The A-list philanthropic event gathered dozens of celebrities, city and national dignitaries, players and artists at a private $65 million estate on Star Island in Miami Beach last night. 

The exclusive affair co-hosted by famed filmmaker Michael Bay and award-winning actors Bryan Cranston and Aaron Paul featured a special live performance by actor/singer Jamie Foxx, who also emceed and co-hosted the event. 

Pro Football Hall of Famer, All-Time leading rusher for the Cleveland Browns, American football legend and social activist Jim Brown was honored with The Giving Back Fund’s annual Philanthropic Achievement Award, presented by Pro Football Hall of Famer and Super Bowl XXXV MVP Ray Lewis. Mayor of Miami Francis X. Suarez presented Jim Brown with a key to the city of Miami. The event also featured a musical performance by singer Kevin Lyttle and appearances by actors Scott Eastwood, Keegan-Michael Key, Cuba Gooding Jr., and model Karolina Kurkova. Other dignitaries in attendance included Mayor of Miami-Dade County Carlos A. Gimenez and Governor of California Gavin Newsom. Hall of Fame sportscaster Lesley Visser hosted the red carpet. 

Throughout the night, guests participated in silent and live auctions; enjoyed curated cocktail stations from multiple brands including Aaron Paul and Bryan Cranston’s signature mezcal, Dos Hombres; and indulged in delicious catering by award-winning chef Adrianne Calvo. This year’s theme for the event was “Miami Through the Decades” showcasing the city’s art and fashion through the years. Read the rest of this entry »

On Saturday night, Solange Knowles performed a an intimate gathering at the Standard Hotel and Spa. The performance was a surprise for the special guests participating in the Camp Standard Weekend in honor of the hotel’s tenth anniversary.

Earlier in the evening, Adriana Lima attended the Miami City Ballet’s 30th anniversary gala in a beautiful tent on Miami Beach.

Spotted at STK Miami on Friday night was Grammy Award winning singer-songwriter, Sam Smith, who dined with a group of friends.

Rosie Perez was the guest of honor at this year’s YoungArts Backyard Ball, which took place Saturday, January 9 on the YoungArts campus.

Orange is the New Black star, Australian model, Ruby Rose hosted the grand opening of Icon Nightclub Saturday night. Rose DJed for almost 2 hours and was lively and interacted with the crowd.

Kevin Hart was on-hand on South Beach for the premiere of Ride Along 2 last week.

Michael Bay hosted a screening for his new movie, 13 Hours at the AMC theater in Aventura.

Andy Garcia dined at Brickell’s newestst hotspot, Komodo, on Thursday night.

Ryan Phillippe hosted the Five Star New Year’s Eve party on Watson Island on December 31, alongside fiancé, Stanford Law Student, Paulina Slagter. The pair danced and enjoyed spirits while ringing in 2016.

Pamela Anderson hosted the NYE party at Fifty Ultra Lounge.

Jennifer Lopez rang in the New Year at E11even at a party hosted by Drake.

JLo’s ex, Puff Daddy hosted a late night (early morning) New Year’s Eve party at his Star Island manse. Spotted at the party: The Weeknd, Rita Ora, Alonzo Mourning, and Jermaine Dupree.

Andrea Bocelli performed an intimate concert at a private home at the Ritz Carlton Residences Key Biscayne. The concert was a fundraiser hosted by Pomellato jewelry hosted to benefit Baptist Health South Florida.

Pitbull has been spotted at the new Palmeiras Beach Club in Grove Isle.

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 »

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.

On South Beach, where every night is New Years Eve (and/or Halloween for that matter), actually going to a party on the last night of the year seems like going to the Paris or Venetian hotels in Vegas in lieu of visiting the actual cities. Can we say overkill? Not to mention that the sticker price on most NYE events brings to mind the SNL Amy Poehler and Seth Meyers’ segment, REALLY???!!! “$300.00 for Lady Gaga, REALLY???!!.” “$300.00 for general admission, REALLY???!!” While we veterans still consider NYE to be amateur night, opting instead to cozy up with a couple of bottles of Dom and a few pounds of stone crabs (George Stone Crabs will even deliver them to your door: http://georgestonecrab.com/ 1 (800) 273-CRAB) and to celebrate on the 30^th or the 1^st, we will admit that New Year’s Eve will deliver a champagne-soaked, celeb-filled debauchery, as promised. So for those of you who insist that two months salary is worth spending on a night you won’t remember, here’s a rundown of some of the best the final night of 2009 has to offer.

Read the rest of this entry »

Whether at the racy Raleigh, sophisticated Mondrian, celeb-packed Shore Club or any of our fair city’s other amazing nightclubs, New Year’s revelers were afforded plenty of opportunities for “star gazing” (sans telescope) and rang in 2009 with much fanfare and flare, South Beach Style.

The Raleigh’s Burlesque New Year’s Eve, hosted by famed New York City “Queen of the Night” Susanne Bartsch, was an outrageously raunchy affair that would have had Dita Von Teese blushing: from the gargantuan, inflatable open pair of women’s legs floating in the hotel’s iconic pool, to theatrical performances, unforgettable peep shows, strip teases, flamboyant gender-benders and freak shows including well-endowed men wearing zebra and horse heads and female strippers sizing up their (ahem) man hoods, literally, ruler in hand. Bartsch rung in the new year accompanied by designer Read the rest of this entry »