Oh Yeah!
Entourage aficionados got their fix last Thursday night, as HBO and W South Beach unveiled the luxurious Entourage Bungalow in the hotel’s poolside garden. Miami’s finest became Hollywood insiders for the night, hanging with cast members, Adrian Grenier, a.k.a. Vinny Chase, Perrey Reeves, “Mrs. Ari” and our favorite, Rex Lee, better known as Lloyd!!!! The three-story bungalow reflects the characters’ extravagant Hollywood lifestyle, featuring Vince’s movie posters splattered all over the walls, a rooftop lap pool and BBQ, a regulation size stainless steel, mirror-polished ping-pong table, plasmas, PLAYSTATION®3 (PS3™) and PSP® systems, along with the hottest games. The Bungalow’s indoor mural reminiscent of the iconic oversized tropical leaf wallpaper featured at the Beverly Hills Hotel just adds to the Hollywood vibe. Our favorite kitschy set-up, which coincided with that of Rex Lee, was the director’s chair and movie camera pointed at the bed, surrounded by empty champagne bottles in the master bedroom. However, due to the sweltering temperatures, made hotter by the torches and grilling, the phrase, “It’s way too hot for an orgy” resounded throughout the evening.
To party like a cable star (who plays a movie star), the aptly named Entourage Experience, available from July 27 through September 27, 2009, will set you back about ten grand. A bargain, when you consider that it includes a personal driver, an afternoon of boating along the coast, a personal poolside cabana and jet skis, dinner for four at Soleà followed by table service at WALL and in-bungalow goodies from GREY GOOSE® Vodka and Heineken.
Jungle Love
Another wild gathering took place earlier in the day, as Jungle Island inaugurated a new home for their adorable 5-year old orangutans, Peanut and Pumpkin. The new digs were designed and built by Suffolk construction. VIPs, press and children from the Boys and Girls’ Home of Greater Miami joined in the celebration, enjoying an ice cream party and delighting in watching Peanut and Pumpkin, wearing construction hats, break-in their new home to the tune of Hey, Hey we’re the Monkeys and Celebrate. One of the day’s many highlights was watching the orangutans eat Ben & Jerry’s Chunky Monkey ice cream- plain old bananas are sure to be a “tough sell” from now on! The folks from Suffolk were given original works of art created by Peanut and Pumpkin (yes, the monkeys can paint!) as a “thank you” for their diligence in finishing the project despite the tough economic climate and unfavorable weather conditions.
The Webster Makes Space for L*Space
On, Thursday, July 16, Mercedes Benz hosted a swank luncheon at Caviar Kaspia at the Webster boutique to celebrate the launch of the Mercedes Benz 2010 E-Class Coupe and Sedan. A-list guests experienced the best of several worlds: a private introduction to the new 2010 Mercedes-Benz E-Class Coupe and Sedan led by M. Bart Herring, Mercedes-Benz USA Product Manager; a sneak preview of L*Space for Omni Peace, Monica Wise’s capsule swimwear collection which benefits OmniPeace- an organization aimed at “ending extreme poverty in Africa by 2025; and a special E-Class inspired lunch at Caviar Kaspia, the first stateside locale of the famed Parisian landmark restaurant. After lunch, guests had the opportunity to test drive the E-Class. On-hand for the festivities: founding partners of the Webster boutique, Laure Heriard Dubreuil and Frederic Dechnik; Mercedes Benz PR execs, Adam Paige and Greg O’Shea; L* Space designer, Monica Wise, and OmniPeace founder, Mary Fanaro.
Sizzling Summer Steal
Viceroy at Icon Brickell is inviting locals to unwind at Club 50 with a selection of fine wines and cheeses every Wednesday for just $20. Starting at 6:00 p.m., guests will have the opportunity to sample wines and enjoy cheeses from EOS, while learning about the wines being sampled through intimate Q&A sessions with the winemakers. The real fun starts at 8:00 p.m., as Liset Alea and the Sexy Trio perform live. We had the pleasure of enjoying their performances a few weeks back, and were delighted by the band’s unique style, which combines punk rock, new wave, Bossa Nova, jazz and 60s pop for a unique and sultry sound.
Coming Up
Always in good taste is the annual Share Our Strength Taste of the Nation event, which takes over the Ritz Carlton Key Biscayne this Thursday, July 30 at 7:00 p.m. In its 21st incarnation, the event will feature forty of Miami’s top restaurants, including Chef Allen, Smith & Wollensky and Ortanique, which will serve signature bites to benefit the fight against childhood hunger. The best part is that one hundred percent of the proceeds from the gastronomic festivities (gastro-fest- you heard it here first) will benefit local organizations including, The Daily Food Bank, Florida Impact, and FLIPANY (Florida Introduces Physical Activity & Nutrition to Youth). Tickets are still available. General admission costs $100 in advance, $125 at the door; a head start at the VIP reception goes for $200 in advance and $225 at the door. For more information please call 1-877-26-TASTE or go to www.shareourstrenghthsouthflorida.org.
On Thursday, August 6, award-winning author, Gigi Levangie Grazer, will be at Books & Books on Lincoln Road at 7:00 p.m., to discuss, sign copies of and answer questions about her fourth and latest novel, Queen Takes King. A private cocktail will be held at W South Beach on Saturday August 7. Grazer just held successful book launches in New York and Los Angeles. Her prior novels include: Rescue Me (2000), Maneater (2003), and The Starter Wife (2006), which was adapted for an Emmy Award–winning USA Network miniseries starring Debra Messing, and later for a television series. Maneater was adapted for a Lifetime miniseries starring Sarah Chalke in May 2009. Grazer also wrote the screenplay for Stepmom, starring Julia Roberts and Susan Sarandon.
Birthday Love to Leos:
Happy Birthday to the sign invented just for party people. This month we celebrate those who share the zodiac with Madonna: Nick D’Annunzio, Erin Newberg, Merle and Danny Weiss, and Stacy Milon. And we’d be remiss if we didn’t step back and wish a belated to some very cool Cancers: Tara Solomon and Jilian Sanz.
Celebrity Sightings:
Robin Quivers, Howard Stern’s co-host had lunch at Wet at the W South Beach, last weekend. Right next door, Lil Kim was holed up at the Gansevoort South. Kim had celebrated her birthday with a blow out at Mansion on Thursday night. Dwyane Wade shacked up at the W Fort Lauderdale over the weekend, maintaining a low profile. Pharell Williams held court at Flipside Friday at LIV. Dancing on the banquettes all night to the sounds of New Yorks’ DJ Chachi. Burn Notice star Jeffrey Donovan was spotted at Clarke’s and at Shiso.
Rapper Lil Jon partied at Tommy Pooch and Alan Roth’s Shore Thing Sundays party at The Shore Club. Little Kim held a birthday bash at Mansion on Thursday night and holed up at the Gansevoort all weekend. Our source from Aspen, Erin Newberg, (“Aspencita”) reports that Jeff Soffer and Elle McPherson were seen shopping at the farmers market on Sunday and having breakfast at Popycocks on Wednesday. Usher, in town to record with Fat Joe and producer Rico Love, tore up Mansion’s hot new Rewind Tuesday party to watch old school legend Special Ed perform his hit I Got It Made. A casually dressed, Usher ordered three bottles of Moet Rose for his table and danced until 4:00 a.m.
