The Miami International Film Festival starts today! Its also the last weekend to catch all the Oscar nominated movies! This makes it officially THE biggest weekend for movies in Miami all year! What to do? What to see?!
I admit, I don’t know much about the festival… I don’t usually go see the debbie downer movies about AIDS in Iceland or what-have-you… I prefer the wierdo comedies in the spirit of The Baxter or Rushmore or Best in Show… So if I do go see a movie from the festival I will probably drag my boyfriend to see City Island with the resplendent Julianna Margulies (who is fabulous in The Good Wife), Andy Garcia, and that kid from Californication who plays Hank Moody’s daughter’s boyfriend. The story is about a family of compulsive liars living in the Bronx who don’t get along (wait- isn’t that the secret to getting along with your family… ??). It won the Audience Award at Tribeca Film Festival last year- so I’m thinking its a good bet.
BUT…. and its a big BUT… its the Oscar’s on Sunday and I still haven’t seen AVATAR much to the dismay of all those who have seen it who INSIST that I have to experience it in the theaters. Fine fine… its just that movies have gotten so expensive to go see and the last thing I want to do is spend my Friday or Saturday night at Sunset Place spending an hour trying to get out of that parking lot!
So not sure, I may go see flying blue people just so I know what the fuss is all about on Sunday. There is no way am I seeing Precious based on the novel Push by Sapphire… and no I did not need to look it up to know the whole title, I watched the SAG awards and Golden Globes so that damn title is sticking with me till I die. Don’t get me wrong I loves me some Mo’Nique- who was amazing in Phat Girlz BTW- so I will be rooting for her come Sunday. Still I just can’t for some reason… So its either the big-Hollywood-blockbuster-highest-grossing-film-of-all-time (!) or the indies. Either way I see a bag of Twizzlers in my future.
Miami just got a little more glamorous thanks to The Webster. The super cool Miami Beach boutique which carries ultra glam lines like Balenciaga and YSL is also just picked up Irene Neuwirth’s gorgeous jewelry. This is major news for style obsessed Miami ladies who clamor to have pieces by the hottest designers. Irene Neuwirth’s jewelry is only available in the best boutiques and stores such as Barney’s & Jeffrey. Leave it to The Webster to bring her stunning jewelry here!
Irene’s pieces manage to look timeless yet absolutely original, and since she is a California girl whose major design inspiration is the ocean, her jewelry looks right at home here in South Florida.
Irene Neuwirth is a serious talent- she was nominated for a CFDA award in 2008 (its the equivalent of the Oscar’s to the fashion world) and her jewelry has become increasingly popular- I am a HUGE fan of her work and have noticed over the years that I can’t open up a magazine without seeing one of her designs! Luckily for me (and all the fashion obsessed girls in Miami) I now have a local venue to peruse and admire first hand! 
The South Beach Wine & Food Festival starts tomorrow! Miami will be teeming with great events for foodies and wine lovers. Although most of the events are sold out already, here are a few fantastic events that are sure to please:
Friday night the Delano should be fantastic at the Perrier-Jouët BubbleQ presented by Allen Brothers hosted by Emeril Lagasse and Friends $350 general admission, 7:30-11pm
Saturday night at the Fontainebleau another round of celebrity chefs host an Italian dinner party: Midnight Amore at $125 per person features food by Scott Conant & Rocco DiSpirito & Alex Guarnaschelli
Last but certainly not least, on Sunday Joe’s is hosting a brunch called Joe’s Big Chill at $175 the brunch includes stone crabs, hash browns, prosecco belinnis and more- should be amazing!
There are still tickets available to wine courses and seminars throughout the weekend too. For more information check out sobefest.com
I love Valentine’s Day- it reminds me of giving out those little perforated cards to all the kids in my class in elementary school, of the great care packages my sister would send me when I was in college and of the wild champagne fueled V-Day parties I used to throw in NYC for all my single friends (I introduced a now-married couple at one of them, just call me cupid)! If you overlook the commercialization of the day and embrace it as a celebration of the people in your life, it can be a day to reaffirm to all of them how special they are to you. Some of us get overwhelmed with all the stupid diamond and chocolate commercials, the fact is the thought really does count with this holiday- a simple gesture is better than none! Here are some suggestions- no matter what your budget is- to show your loved ones (people and pets!) that you care.
The best cards around are by KISS greetings- photographed and designed by Miami photographer Bridges Aderhold www.bridgesaderhold.com . These cards are like works of art- printed on heavy paper and gorgeous they can be framed as a lovely memento. They are available at Books & Books or at www.kissgreetings.net
These beautiful cards are available online (order today to get them in time) or at Books & Books
| K.I.S.S. GREETINGS PRICES |
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1 card = $4.95
1 pack / 4 cards = $15.95
Wholesale Minimum 8 packs/ price of pack $12.00
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If you are looking to get sweets for your sweet look no further than the amazing cookies from Sucre:
This Miami-based company makes beautiful candy grams, chocolate cookies, strawberry & guava hearts! Order today to get them in time for Valentine’s Day- need 48 hours to complete an order, prices are between $10-15 a dozen, special requests welcome! Call 786-260-3760, 786-314-8068 or contact sucre@bellsouth.net
For your four-legged love, The Raleigh is hosting a pet-friendly brunch- “My Furry Valentine” features brunch, matchmaking and adoptions benefiting Miami Pets Alive (MPA). A special menu features tasty treats, priced from $12 to $24, for humans and dogs along with MPA volunteers “matching” single guests in need of a little loving. Brunch served from 11am to 3pm. For reservations contact events@raleighhotel.com 305-612-1173 www.raleighotel.com
If you’re looking for a romantic setting the InterContinental Miami, http://www.icmiamihotel.com is offering specialized accommodation and/or spa packages. All are based on 2 people and are set at different budgets for the many ways to say I love you:
The Proposal- $999
§ Overnight accommodations in Presidential Suite
§ Moonlit couple’s massage at mySpa in the Ocean Suite
§ Private dinner/cooking presentation with your personal chef in the Ocean Suite
§ Personalized robes
§ In-suite breakfast
§ Rose petal and champagne turn-down
§ Full access to the pool, steam, sauna, fitness center and relaxation lounge
Love You Package $599
§ Overnight accommodations in the Parlor Suite
§ post-massage naps and essential oil baths at the mySpa guest suite
§ Rose petal and champagne turn-down
§ Full access to the pool, steam, sauna, fitness center and relaxation lounge
Like You Package $399
§ Welcome glass of champagne
§ mySuite at mySpa – Enjoy any treatment side by side in our duet suite.
§ Lunch at Indigo
§ Full access to the pool, steam, sauna, fitness center and relaxation lounge
Single’s Ladies Anti V-Day Package – $150
Express Mani/Pedi Combo
30 minute Power myMassage
30 minute Power mySkincare
includes complimentary glass of champagne and strawberries
For reservations call: 1-305-5771000
HAPPY VALENTINE”S DAY! I LOVE all my readers! XOXOXO
Tonight is the closing night for “Florilegio”, artist Jose Iraola’s beautiful show of hyper-surrealist flower photographs. Iraola uses a broken camera to create lush and haunting images; when the camera started warping images he initially tried to get it fixed but after an unsuccessful attempt he decided to work with the effect rather than fight it. The results are reminiscent of early photographic images created with pinhole cameras- a very basic version of a camera which is not much more than a simple box with a hole allowing light through. These pinhole cameras would allow light to “leak” the sides creating surrealistic distortions, like this image from photographer Sally Mann:
What sets Iraola’s work apart is the saturated color, which makes his images seem more like POP art than surrealism. A review by the The New Times discusses with the artist the comparisons to Andy Warhol’s very famous POP flowers:
Tonight is the last night to see the show:
Edge Zones Art Center
47 NE 25th St, Miami FL 33137 www.edgezones.org
Today is GLORIOUS, the perfect day to kickoff Super Bowl XLIV’s Gridiron Festival- Eats Beats & Cleats! South Beach’s Lincoln Road turns into “Road of Fame” for Super Bowl weekend featuring over 75 NFL Greats and Celebrities. Join former NFL stars: Mike Ditka, Doug Flutie, Barry Sanders, Tony Dorsett, Emmitt Smith-Sports Icon: Evander Holyfield and Culinary Celebrities: Todd English and Ingrid Hoffman and many more. :
http://www.eatsbeatsandcleats.com/
For $350 VIP ticket you can join NFL players at the kickoff party at the Ritz Carlton South Beach, 3 day access to the VIP Festival Tent which has a bar, autograph passes, private meet & greet, VIP seats for the SPort Film Festival screenings, Coaches Corner with Mike Ditka (!). OR you can get a daily pass for $85.
All weekend:
NFL Player Autograph Signings
VIP Hospitality with Open Bar
Official NFL Merchandise
VIP Passport Hospitality Tent
Live Entertainment
Thursday, Feb. 4:
VIP Players party at Ritz
Carlton South Beach
Dancing FOR the NFL Stars
Friday, Feb 5:
Gridiron Greats Night of Champions
Gridiron Culinary with Celebrity Chefs
Saturday, Feb 6:
Coaches Show with Mike Ditka
Fashion Rocks the Gridiron
Gridiron Culinary with Celebrity Chefs
Sunday, Feb 7:
Chalk Talk
Ultimate Tailgate Party
A percentage of the proceeds go to the Gridiron Greats Assistance Fund which helps retired NFL players (many of whom suffer from terrible conditions) with much needed medical assistance.
For tickets call 877-733-3430 or log on to www.ebcmiami.com 
Maybe its the crappy weather for the past few days, or the less-than-awesome experience I had this past Sunday at the newly minted “Sun Life” Stadium, but I’m a bit nervous about how the Super Bowl is going to go down. Sunday’s Pro Bowl had all the makings of a great time- an “All Star” lineup including Andre Johnson, Darrelle Revis, Tony Romo, Donovan McNabb, Ray Rice and Adrian Peterson:
http://www.probowlgameprogram-nfl-hozimman.com/probowlgameprogram/2010#pg45
I was going to the game with great guys who I had worked with all week on NIKE spots with some of the players. We had great seats, we were ready to tailgate! Unfortunately it wasn’t just the wet weather that dampened our spirits- parking and traffic were a nightmare and the NFL’s so-called “Fan Plaza” was a major annoyance! I’ll admit it was a bit of hubris to head to the game at 4, we should have set out earlier knowing that the game was sold out, the largest Pro Bowl in attendance in the game’s history. What we did not expect (and I called and asked about parking twice) was all the stadium parking was completely taken up by VIP and the super lame “Fan Zone”!
http://www.nfl.com/news/story?id=09000d5d814b905f&template=with-video&confirm=true
I’m sure it made the NFL and Sun Life/Land Shark/Pro Player/Joe Robbie stadium a lot of money- no outside food or beverage was allowed inside- which totally goes against the whole point of tailgaiting! So in order to tailgate you either had to be a VIP, or be fine doing it miles away in some random field. My group (after forty minutes of driving in circles being led by flashing signs to parking zones that were full) ended up being conned into paying to park in a high school parking lot with zero tailgate and employees who lied to us about a “free shuttle” which turned out to be disabled only. NOT COOL. The employees were nice enough to point out where NOT to walk in order to not get trapped by a chain link fence into a dead-end canal, or mugged.
The Pro Bowl is usually after the Super Bowl and its seen as a big party for the players and their families- so the game is more Harlem Globetrotters than next weeks’ power-house match up. The game was OK… the high points were the “wave” that went around the stadium four times (!) a cheerleader from each team was in attendance and the half time show was actually kind of fun- mascots playing musical chairs and a pretty great high school marching band with very impressive formations- NFC AFC NFL:
Sadly the game itself could not make up for the nightmare that was leaving the stadium. The MDPD directing traffic didn’t seem to have a clue as to why they were redirecting everyone to ONE EXIT AREA, and once in that section one of the traffic lanes was closed so that a guy on a crane could switch out the Pro Bowl banners to Super Bowl banners. Really? Couldn’t they wait to do that a few hours later?? It took us an hour to get from the stadium to 95- and this was having left early at the beginning of the 4th quarter. The whole experience made me feel sort of empty and frustrated- the spectacle seemed so shallow and corporate, the logistics of getting to and from there infuriating! I really hope my experience was the exception and not the rule, and I sincerely hope that those in charge learned from the Pro Bowl and will be better prepared to handle the national stage this coming Sunday.
The Superbowl is estimated to bring in 350 million dollars. There have already been rumblings in the press about how our stadium isn’t considered high-tech enough for big $$ corporate sponsors and that we need a retractable roof in order to keep them happy since the last time we hosted it rained! Oh yeah it rained at the Pro Bowl. Everything else needs to go off without a hitch, or it will be 2030 before we host another big ticket game.
I encourage anyone who was able to score tickets to this Sunday’s Super Bowl be REALLY prepared!! Umbrella’s are not allowed, bring a poncho. Parking may be far away- wear good walking shoes. The lines will be long, the parking annoying- get there EARLY! Oh and bring plenty of $$$, cash is king at an event like this and nothing is cheap- one beer is $10! That’s even higher than the usual $7 that South Beach clubs charge! It may be dark where you end up parking- bring a flashlight, towels and a great attitude. For information about South Florida’s Pro Bowl and Super Bowl check out:
The Pro-bowl & Superbowl are in town and Miami is hosting the hottest athletes and stars for the next two weeks! They will inevitably find their way to STK, the latest place to see and be seen in South Beach. With its club/lounge vibe and delicious food, STK is sure to please those looking for the party at the Hotel Gansevoort. Both are off-shoots of Manhattan’s Meatpacking Districts hot spots, famous for sharing South Beach’s hedonistic all-night sensibility:
http://www.gansevoortsouth.com/restaurants-bars-lounges/index.cfm
The space is one part raw urban slick and one part plush old school glamour, fortunately the food delivers and is as good as the vibe. Executive Chef Tod Mark Miller blew my mind with the Mini Big Macs- was honestly the juiciest and most delicious mini burger I have ever had. You can add foie gras or truffles too!:
The food was consistently delicious and well prepared- curry chicken skewers and beef kabobs and insanely good shrimp rice krispies:
The menu will feature seasonal dishes, an assortment of cuts and sizes of meat, plus decadent sides such as mac & cheese, sweet corn bread pudding, truffle fries and the inevitable nod to latin fare- maduros. The crowning touch is the irresistible cheesecake lollipops dipped in white, milk and dark chocolate.
The place is A-list ready with huge curved banquettes, a DJ lounge and a second level VIP bar with bistro dining area. The glass stairs and alcoves are ideal for taking in all the pretty people and offer fabulous views throughout the space.
2377 Collins Avenue at the Gansevoort South Beach Hotel. Open seven days a week for dinner 6pm-midnight. For reservations 305-604-6988, to book private events contact Kristin Catasso at 305-604-6816 or www.stkhouse.com
Edward Beiner has THE best selection of eye-wear, the friendliest staff- who of course all wear awesome frames- and on any given day they have coffee out for their shoppers, which I think is a nice touch. This Saturday they are also having a trunk show for ic! berlin. Their designs are really playful and fun- as is their website:
ic! berlin is a niche company whose designs are classic yet “tweaked” so that they have personality. The plastic frames and kid’s collections are particularly cool.
Check out the trunk show today, Saturday January 23rd from 11am-4pm
Edward Beiner; The Purveyor of Fine Eyewear; 5817 Sunset Drive, South Miami, Florida. (305)661-1205.
Starting tonight and all weekend long there will be amazing events to benefit relief efforts in Haiti. Tonight Thursday January 21st, SET nightclub is hosting a fundraiser from 9m – 12am, $25 donation at the door, 20% of the night’s proceeds going to the Delmar region of Port Au Prince, Haiti where the Orphaned Starfish Foundation was preparing to launch its 19th outpost before the tragic earthquake struck last week. The Orphaned Starfish Foundation provides educational programs throughout Latin America and the Caribbean:
http://www.orphanedstarfish.org/
Friday Januray 22nd, the “Hope for Haiti” telethon hosted by Wyclef Jean, George Clooney & Anderson Cooper telethon is airing commercial-free across ABC, CBS, NBC, FOX, CNN, BET, the CW, HBO, MTV, VH1 and CMT at 8 p.m:
http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1629832/20100115/jean_wyclef.jhtml
Save Haiti Saturday is a nation-wide network of participating restaurants, bars and clubs donating a portion of their profits to bring desperately needed medical assistance to Haiti. This Saturday through Superbowl weekend, you can do your part by spending with these vendors:
http://savehaitisaturday.com/participating-venues/
Also, this weekend The Haiti Mizik Relief concert will take place at Bayfront Park- Saturday 4pm – 10pm, Sunday 2pm – 8pm with 100% of the proceeds going to the American Red Cross:
With so many cool and great events to raise money, being socially conscious and helping our neighbors is the easy and RIGHT thing to do!
