Sagamore Brunch
The Sagamore’s annual Art Basel Brunch, one of the most sought-after events of the season, was hosted by hotel owners, Mary and Cricket Taplin in partnership with six local museums: the Bass Museum of Art, Lowe Art Museum, Miami Art Museum, Museum of Contemporary Art North Miami, The Patricia & Phillip Frost Museum of Art at FIU and the Wofsonian-FIU. Besides the brunch I took an opportunity to see Will Ryman’s 65 Street Rose Sculpture-a colossal road bed, soaring over 20ft. high, that bloomed on the hotels beachfront. The Brodsky Center for Innovative Editions was also exhibiting at the Sagamore. Lots of photographic artwork by many artists. A great viewing addition to the brunch.

Tudor House Brunch
Food Network celebrity chef and partner Geoffrey Zakarian along with Executive Chef Jamie DeRosa kicked off Tudor House’s new Rosé Brunch during Art Basel weekend. Zakarian was on-hand to talk brunch, while The Vincent Rafford Quartet plays and a traveling Bloody Mary cart delivered the perfect daytime cocktail. However, the spotlight is the Rosé Wine list, consisting of a curated selection of special varietals representative of regions from Anjou to Provence. The menu, offered both Saturdays and Sundays starting at 11am, covers both breakfast and lunch themed options. On the lighter side, a raw and crudo assortment included Florida stone crabs, Wild Alaskan King Crab and West Coast Oysters.

My Brickell by Karim Brunch
International design talent Karim Rashid, named by TIME the “Most Famous Industrial Designer in All the Americas,” made an in-person appearance for the launch of mybrickell’s sales center. Karim signed his latest book Sketches and presenting his mural of ideas and designs for his first-ever condo design at mybrickell. Guests were encouraged to wear pink in honor of Rashid’s iconic dress attire, making a colorful visual. The 192-unit tower will be centrally located in the heart of Miami’s Brickell area when it breaks ground in the first quarter of 2012. The center showcases Rashid’s energetic designs to serve as an impacting vision to future residents and brokers.

Coconut Grove Art Starts in the Grove

“Art Starts in the Grove” presented a synergy of 11 contemporary and fine art galleries, plus a special 3D Atrium featuring works by the late Cuban master sculptor Manuel Carbonell. The Grove collaboration will showcase works by artists who range in genre, age and background, offering something for all art lovers.Tibetan-born and Australia residing artist, Karma Phuntsok, traveled to Dharma Studio in the Grove to merge polar ideas. Creating “a modern expression of an ancient craft” by merging the two worlds of old and new into one eye-opening idea. Taking art enthusiasts on a trip through man’s subconscious mind, Rodez Art gallery will present “Fact or Fiction” by gallery owner George Rodez. The exhibition explored the relationship between life and dreams, and the struggle to leverage them both. George Rodez will also include 3 pieces from his “Dreams” series. Multiple award-winning photographer Patrick Farrell was featured at the Hunter Gallery displaying works by the same series that earned him the 2009 Pulitzer Prize for Breaking News Photography. Described as “provocative, impeccably composed” photos, the series depicted a brutal hurricane season in Haiti, displaying the fragile country’s humanitarian disaster. Inviting its 2011 Best of the Best winner back for special showcase exhibition, the Coconut Grove Arts Festival Gallery presented the newest pieces by award-winning, Florida glass blower Duncan McClellan. With the upcoming release of the Hollywood film My Week with Marilyn, starring Academy-Award Nominee Michelle Williams, this pop culture hub will feature a well-timed exhibit titled “Tribune to Marilyn Monroe.” International artists have always made a home Coconut Grove and this year is no different. Boswell Mourot Fine Art Gallery welcomed international artist, Hans Feyerabend as he brought his award-winning “New Works” collection to its walls. Guests enjoyed fruit, wine, and cheese while admiring the feature works of Isabelle “Izi” Schuette, a local Grove artist. For those who want to express their creative side, GroveHouse will also be hosting “Imagine—Let The Inner Artist Out” – an exhibit that encourages everybody to live and express the energy of art. Helping to raise money for Miami Children’s Hospital, the gallery will host a fundraiser event by auctioning the dynamic works of internationally-known contemporary, Latin American artists Milena Arango, Julio Nieto and Angelo Valenzuela.