Wednesday, May 29, 7pm – Whiskey Blue at the W Hotel , 401 N. Fort Lauderdale Beach Blvd., Fort Lauderdale

Nat Geo WILD’s popular series Fish Tank Kings returns for a second season beginning Saturday, June 1, at 9 PM ET/PT, taking viewers to the center of the action as the Florida-based aquarium specialists at Living Color use their unparalleled skills, creativity and teamwork to pull off the most extreme tanks.

Among the highlights of the event was the City of Miami and Broward County’s both presenting proclamations naming June 1^st as “Fish Tank Kings Day”, in commemoration of the top-rated shows’ global premier. Moreover, Fish Tank Kings was awarded the Key to Broward County. The series represents one of the only internationally distributed shows filmed primarily in South Florida.

“I am proud of Living Color’s talented team of designers, artisans, engineers and marine life experts as we continue to take viewers into the creative world of building award-winning aquariums for museums, public aquariums, theme parks, hotels and private homes, around the world,” said Mat Roy, Living Color President and Fish Tank Kings Star.

The event attracted over 200 of South Florida’s most influential entertainment and government dignitaries, including; Broward County Commissioner Chip LaMarca, the Vice Chairman of the City of Miami Arts & Entertainment Council, Howard R. Miller and the Senior Vice President of Nat Geo WILD Program Development, Janet Han-Vissering. The event also featured a custom 300 gallon aquarium built in-house by Living Color Enterprises and Fish Tank Kings’ stars; with two beautiful mermaids included.

Thursday, May 9, 7pm – Villa Azur Restaurant & Lounge, 309 23rd Street, Miami Beach

One of the most notable books is coming to life on May 10th with the opening of “The Great Gatsby”! Co-owner and actor Olivier Martinez together with Owner/Partner Michael Martin of Villa Azur are paying tribute to the movie industry, as well as a restaurant regular Leonardo Di Caprio by curating a Great Gatsby themed event. To mimic Gatsby’s famous parties in the roaring twenties, imbibers will step into the stunning white room with crystal chandeliers and candles with flapper dancers by Zhantra Entertainment. The dinner party featured live music and a DJ spinning favorites from present day to the prohibition era, Gatsby inspired entertainers & model cars from the era, and mixologists served favorites from the decade such as the Mint Julep & Gin Martini.

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Sunday, April 7, 6:30pm - InterContinental Hotel Miami, 100 Chopin Plaza, Miami

Actor’s Playhouse at the Miracle Theatre celebrated 25 extraordinary years of award-winning entertainment and educational outreach with the 25th Anniversary Gala Bash on Sunday, April 7, 2013.

Opened in 1988 by Founding Chairman Dr. Lawrence E. Stein, Actors’ Playhouse is a Florida Presenting Cultural Organization and one of 22 major cultural institutions in Miami-Dade County. A producer of critically acclaimed dramatic and musical theatre; the company has received 77 Carbonell Awards, the prestigious symbol of top quality regional theatre in South Florida, for artistic excellence and was also named South Florida’s Theatre Company of the Year.

Mistress of Ceremonies Roxanne Vargas, entertainment reporter and host of NBC 6 In The Mix, of this  highly anticipated event that featured live music provided by Junior’s Entertainment Group, dancing, and premiere seating for a special performance by the cast of Actors’ Playhouse’s critically acclaimed production of In The Heights. Lin-Manuel Miranda, actor and Tony Award-winning creator of Broadway’s In The Heights, was the company’s guest of honor for the evening.

Guests were treated to a delectable dinner provided by the Intercontinental Hotel Miami and cocktails courtesy of Bacardi U.S.A. and Premier Beverage Company, while temptations abound with the chance to win exclusive live and silent auction items up for bid. Bob Soper, former CBS Miami meteorologist, and celebrity auctioneer for the past 22 years, conducted the live auction with Actors’ Playhouse Artistic Director David Arisco.

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Thursday, March 21, 9pm-1am – Terra Veritatis, 4949 Pine Tree Drive, Miami Beach

Russell Simmons, business magnate, and hundreds of EDM lovers celebrated the launch of the House for Hunger PlayButton, at Terra Veritatis in Miami Beach. This unique fundraiser featured a huge DJs line up and an open bar sponsored by Marquis Vodka, Miami-based brand of vodka produced in Poland. The project is a unique effort by leading DJs/music producers to raise awareness on behalf of the global fight against hunger. Having created “The House for Hunger” in 2011, Grammy-nominated DJ Avicii and his manager, Ash Pournouri, set out to address the growing problem of global hunger. Through their organization, they donate and raise funds which are then funneled to organizations that use them to battle the problem of undernourishment around the world. In a combined effort to contribute their quota to this endeavor, several EDM superstars have donated some of their unreleased music to help raise money for the cause. Avicii, Arty, Norman Doray, Albin Myers, Cazzette, David Tort, Moby, EDX, Hardwell, MYNC and Nicky Romero have all put a track each on an MP3 player which is now available for sale in select Macy stores. It’s called the “PlayButton“, and comes preloaded with an exclusive 11-track playlist of all these artists.

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Wednesday, March 20, 10pm-5am- Haven Lounge, 1237 Lincoln Rd, Miami Beach

Friday, March 1, 7pm -Olympia Theater at the Gusman Center for the Performing Arts, 174 East Flagler Street, Miami

Miami International Film Festival, produced & presented by Miami Dade College, launched its 30th Anniversary Celebrations with the Opening Night Film and the Ultimat Opening Night After Party. MIFF kicked off festival week with the opening night screening of the film Twenty Feet from Stardom. One of the film’s leading and legendary stars, Darlene Love, was at the Olympia Theater at the Gusman Center for the Performing Arts for a special performance. After the screening, the celebrations continued at the Ultimat Opening Night Party in The Historic Alfred I. Dupont Building.  MIFF patrons witnessed the transformation of the historic Alfred I. Dupont building with state-of-the-art adornments and savory food stations brought to you by the finest local restaurants including Tuyo Restaurant, 5 Napkin Burger, Fleming’s Prime Steakhouse & Wine Bar, La Taberna Giralda, Morton’s The Steakhouse, The Oceanaire Seafood Room, Piola, Season’s 52 Fresh Grill & Wine Bar, and Truluck’s Seafood, Steak & Crab House. Drinks such as Jolivet Sancerre wine, provided by Frederick Wildman, and an Ultimat Bar, provided by Patrón, flow throughout the evening. Attendees danced to music provided by MTV’s DJ Mauricio through the night in anticipation of the remaining Festival dates.

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Thursday, February 21, 8pm - American Airlines Arena, Miami

The 25th Annual “Premio Lo Nuestro” gathered the most stylish and talented Latin music entertainers. The awards, which are bestowed yearly to the artists that receive the most radio airplay, give listeners the opportunity to determine the winners by voting online from a list of nominees. Pitbull, Alejandro Sanz, Ricky Martin, Robi Draco, Thalia and Prince Royce, Chino y Nacho, David Visbal and Juan Luis Guerra were some of the performers that filled the stage with energy, unforgettable songs and fun choreographies.

Candela Ferro, Ninel Conde, Maite Perroni, Thalia, Chinquinquira Delgado, Fanny Lu, Alicia Machado, Olga Tanon, Pedro Fernandez, Raul de Molina, David Visbal, and Chino y Nacho were among the stars that walked down the red carpet donning fashion forward designer pieces. Trends of the night included embellishments, sheer fabrics, slits, sleves, blush and jewel tones.

Some of the showstoppers were: Thalia’s red Moroccan-inspired gown with beaded neckline and cuffs; Maite Perroni in a sparkled long-sleeved dress with a thigh high frontal slit. Olga Tanon in a menswear inspired white and black suit. Fanny Lu in a soft pink structured strapless gown. Ninel Conde in a mermaid-style strapless gown with Swarovski crystals encrusted top and a ruffled train.

Pictures by: Nicholas Stipcianos

Friday, February 8, 7pm – Miami Dade County Tower Theater, 1508 SW 8th Street, MiamiMiami International Film Festival (MIFF), produced and presented by Miami Dade College, highlighted its 30^th anniversary celebrations with a “cast reunion” and screening of a film from 1995′s festival, “Miami Rhapsody”, directed by David Frankel, as part of MIFF’s month-long Countdown Retrospective series. Special guests included cast members Sarah Jessica Parker, Jeremy Piven and Carla Gugino, who joined Director David Frankel for the evening, which started with a 35mm screening. After the screening, the “cast reunion” continued with a party at The Coral Gables Country Club, where guests enjoyed cocktails courtesy of Bacardi, as well as champagne by Premiere.
Miami Rhapsody is a clever romantic comedy set in Miami about the infinite perils, and possibilities, of marriage in the mid-nineties. Director David Frankel, who also penned the screenplay, follows in the footsteps of Woody Allen in using introspective dialogue to detail the romantic troubles of a wealthy, neurotic Jewish family. Shot locally, the film features locations such as Vizcaya, Lincoln Road, and Bal Harbor Shops, and plays like a colorful love letter to the city of Miami.
Sarah Jessica Parker interview by: Evan Golden

Wednesday, January 16,  7 pm-10 pm – Fifty Ultra Lounge in Viceroy Hotel, 485 Brickell Avenue, Miami Brickell

New York City it’s once again the chosen location for an edgy and bold TV series. After the end of the Sex and the City and Gossip Girl era, the slot for a sexy comedy-drama that focused on women and their relationships, was vastly opened. HBO, known for their openness towards controversial projects, could not stay away from a sassy, honest and realistic depiction of today’s young women in the city. Enter here Lena Dunham’s creative project: Girls. A series based on the struggles and journey of an aspiring writer, Hannah, and her eclectic group of friends in New York.

Reminiscing of Carrie or Serena and their crew? Well, think again. The hilarious and frank script, mostly written by Lena Dunham, shies away from the over abundance of fashion references and jet-setting trips, and puts everyday situations as the focal point of the show. Continuing with the openness towards controversial topics, such as about abortion, post-college graduation unemployment, and drug usage, the second season explores issues like sexual harassment, interracial relationships and health choices more in depth, which it’s one of the many reasons why Girls is the perfect fit for a sharp audience.

The characters feel real, relatable and current. Each one of the situations these women are put in, it’s one that anyone could have experienced regardless of socio-economic background, gender or sexual preferences. These Girls are faced with difficult decisions that give them the opportunity to grow, find themselves, and ultimately become who they want to be; however, what it’s most interesting about the show, it’s the candid and truthful manner in which the writers approach each one of the characters’ challenges.

As with every other series, fashion and style, play a huge part in the way the characters are represented. In Girls, these tools are used to illustrate their personalities, and captivate viewers through their distinct clothing preferences. Breaking away from the parade of designer shoes and Haute Couture clothing, this series seeks to evoke the everyday girl, who in trying to keep a budget, swivel towards vintage finds and DIY projects. The lead character, Hannah, a Girl who strives to set herself apart from the world, puts her own twist into her fashion. She is drawn to items that are combined from different pieces such as shorteralls (a.k.a rompers/onesies), which are shorts and a shirt together; skorts, which are shorts with a top fabric that resembles a skirt; and harfs, which are a hat and scarf all-in-one.

Shortly before the release of the 2^nd season, HBO’s Girls won 2 Golden Globes: best TV Series- comedy or musical and best performance by an actress- comedy or musical for Lena Dunham. These awards meant, to this already acclaimed show, a well-deserved recognition from the entertainment industry; reinforced the public’s perception that Dunham’s writing, acting, directing and producing is thought-provoking, worthy of acknowledgement and purposeful; In addition, it granted Girls, a newcomer but well-crafted show, a place among heavy-runners like Modern Family, The Big Bang Theory and 30 Rock.

HBO and Yelp, in partnership with Xfinity, celebrated the Premiere of Girls Season 2 with a private VIP screening at Fifty Ultra Lounge at the Viceroy Hotel in Miami. Guests enjoyed watching episodes 1 and 2, as well as, taking pictures in the HBO Girls Photo Booth, sipping on drinks and enjoying music.

Catch Girls on HBO Every Sunday at 9pm @GirlsHBO.
Photo Courtesy of HBO.

Saturday, December 8, 7pm – SLS Hotel South Beach, 1701 Collins Avenue, Miami Beach

Roberto Cavalli and Saks Fifth Avenue, Bal Harbour pulled out all the stops at SLS Hotel South Beach, to deliver an exuberant 30th birthday celebration, in honor of the legendary producer and songwriter, Rico Love, for this year’s most exclusive invitation-only event during Art Basel Miami Beach.

Invited guests and those not on the invitation list, hoping to catch a glimpse of Rico’s closest circle of family and friends that made up the evening’s A-list celebrity throng, flocked to the newly opened hotel for the week’s most highly anticipated private event that was sealed-off from uninvited onlookers by a strict security detail. As the welcome cocktail reception began, poolside guests enjoyed an assortment of GREY GOOSE Cherry Noir cocktails, as commencement with the red carpet celebrity arrivals ceremony was marked by an unmistakable rapid-fire array of flashing cameras.

National media outlets on the red carpet were treated to an all-star attendance by Eva Cavalli, Kelly Rowland, Fat Joe, Pharrell, Russell Simmons, Andre Harrell, Janice Combs, Angie Beyince, Kenny Burns, Manning Summer, DJ Cassidy and Adriana de Moura, to name a few. Rico stepped on to the red carpet as photographers yelled “Happy Birthday Rico,” and Eva Cavalli soon joined him for a couple’s photo session by the paparazzi. Two hours in to the event, guests were asked to take their seats at the side of the pool to witness an exclusive Cavalli fashion show, orchestrated backstage by Eva Cavalli herself. The Roberto Cavalli Spring/Summer 2013 collection featured, was inspired by the poetic decorations of the Art Nouveau period, as the fashion forward crowd experienced a dazzling selection of both men’s and women’s lines during the 45-minute presentation. Cavalli did not show the collection at New York Fashion Week this year, making this special presentation for Rico’s birthday the only showing in the U.S. This year, Rico and Saks Fifth Avenue, Bal Harbour announced they are giving back to the community by donating 10% of the proceeds of sales from the Cavalli fashion show and pop-up store, as well as in-store sales, to Usher’s New Look Foundation. DJ Affect was hired to provide the beats throughout the cocktail reception and fashion show.

As the fashion show came to a close, invited dinner guests quickly made their way inside Katsuya, the hotel’s Asian-inspired restaurant, for the private dinner portion of the evening. Approximately 100 invited guests were seated for the private dinner, with Rico’s table of 10 facing the entire room around him. As the first course began, Rico’s five-layer birthday cake was wheeled in to the side of the room, encased with notes and bars of music etched in to each tier with Rico’s name on the very top in red, and a HUBLOT logo written in white icing on the middle layer. The base of the cake illustrates the keys on a piano, with ‘Happy 30th Birthday’ written beneath it. A Hublot watchcase with watch inside was designed in cake to resemble a replica of his own.

As the second course was presented, Sean “P Diddy” Combs, made a grand entrance with an entourage of Rico’s friends. Photographers leapt to take shoulder-to-shoulder shots of Rico and Combs together around Rico’s table. Shortly after a series of group shots with Rico, Combs, Pharrell and Fat Joe, the group assembled next to the birthday cake and the dinner crowd fell silent. “I knew Rico while he was growing up in Harlem,” Combs said. “ I was blown away by his music then, and I still continue to listen to it now. Please raise your glasses to our friend, Rico Love.” Owner of Hublot Americas, Rick Delacroix, then made a birthday gift speech to Rico, and presented him with a limited edition Hublot Miami watch, named the “Hublot 305,” of which only 10 were made. Rico took the watch from its box and wrapped it around his other wrist and showed it next to his existing Hublot timepiece. Sparklers on the giant birthday cake were lit, and photographers began shooting Rico and Combs as sparks started to fly around them.

“I am lucky, honored and privileged to have such a warm and heartfelt group of family and friends around me on such a special day,” said Love. “I’d like to thank Eva and Roberto Cavalli, and our sponsors, Saks Fifth Avenue, Bal Harbour, Hublot and GREY GOOSE, for making this momentous birthday occasion the most memorable ever.”

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