PRESS RELEASE:
Miami Smokers Launches National Kickstarter Campaign To Raise Funds To Build A Community Urban Smokehouse
Miami Smokers Urban Smokehouse is located at 529 SW 12 Avenue in Little Havana. The Kickstarter Campaign to raise $25,000 to build the Artisans Curing Center, is live now through Friday, January 3 at 5:20 a.m.
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Officially launching their Kickstarter Campaign during their second annual Basel Biergarten pop-up in Wynwood during Art Basel week, chefs/owners Andres Barrientos and James Bowers of Miami Smokers, the city’s only smokehouse and producer of artisan bacon, are urging bacon-loving foodies, friends and fans to support their campaign to raise funds to build a fully functioning, humidity and temperature controlled community urban smokehouse and curing center.

Operating in Little Havana, the native Miami boys bring in local, high-quality, responsibly raised, heritage pigs from small, family-owned operations, and rely solely on the use of salt, smoke and temperature/humidity control to make their bacon. The duo create bacon for area restaurants, servicing clients such as The Federal, Blue Collar, Azucar Ice Cream Company, The Fontainebleau including Michael Mina’s Restaurant 74, and the Biscayne Marriott, among others, as well as treats sold at local farmers markets, such as Candied Bacon, Bacon Jerky, Smoked Salt, and Toasted Krispy Treats.

As locals who witnessed and played a part in Miami’s continued evolution into a culinary town, Barrientos and Bowers have a bigger dream – a social obligation of sorts – to preserve the trend of supporting local, and help solidify it into a way of life. Their contribution: Miami’s own Artisans Curing Center (ACC), a curing facility that can be used by chefs and local artisans to produce charcuterie in a controlled and monitored environment. With design plans underway, Barrientos and Bowers plan to file permits for construction of the USDA curing facility in January 2014.

In an attempt to fund the ACC, Miami Smokers has launched a Kickstarter Campaign to raise $25,000. A fairly new platform that facilitates crowd funding to bring creative projects to life, Kickstarter is a web-based forum for supporters to donate funds in return for “rewards”. Miami Smokers has a slew of pledge options, from $1 to $8,000, with rewards ranging from branded swag to food such as candied bacon and charcuterie of the month, and even private dinners or whole roasted pig parties. The Miami Smokers ACC project will only be funded if at least $25,000 is pledged by Friday, January 3, 2014 at 5:20 a.m. Supporters can monitor progress, learn more about the project, or donate at

www.kickstarter.com/projects/miamismokers/miami-smokers-urban-smokehouse.

Born and raised in Miami and friends for over 15 years, Barrientos and Bowers both have long-standing experience in the culinary industry. Most recently, the pair worked together at Aaron’s Catering in Miami, where Barrientos is still executive chef, and Bowers served as sous chef. A pop-up brunch series where they created everything from scratch, introduced the friends to curing their own bacon. Their creation, especially the candied version, proved to be a big hit and the boys realized they had stumbled upon something special. The newfound passion led them to Tennessee where they met with Allan Benton of Benton’s Smoky Mountain Country Hams, who provides some of the nation’s top chefs and restaurateurs with bacon for their award-winning restaurants. Benton showed them his operation, shared the secrets of his perfected tradition, and even sparked the idea of creating their local smokehouse. Barrientos and Bowers returned to Miami and Miami Smokers was born.

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PRESS RELEASE:
Calma Carmona Makes Her Miami Debut In Front Of An Intimate Audience At The Media Launch For Soulfrito The Urban Latin Music Festival
Puerto Rican singer-songwriter provides some Soulful Latin flavor and a taste of emerging musical talent as part of the festival¹s line-up in February 2014

The week of Art Basel set the scene at Cafeina Lounge in Miami¹s Wynwood Arts District on Thursday, December 5th, for the official Media Launch of SOULFRITO The Urban Latin Music Festival presented by Hennessy.

During the evening¹s invitation-only event, celebrated Puerto Rican songwriter and recording artist, Calma Carmona, took to the stage for her first South Florida appearance and a highly anticipated live acoustic performance in front of a receptive crowd of Miami¹s discerning music enthusiasts. Following an initial cocktail reception, courtesy of Hennessy, Butta P from Miami¹s popular 99 Jamz radio station introduced Carmona on-stage to an eager applause. The inaugural unplugged performance consisted of her own opening rendition of ³Fever² by La Lupe, followed by a series of upbeat Latin soul tracks from her ³There¹s No Other Girl² live session EP. Miami was given a sneak peak of Carmona¹s debut performance three months before she takes to the stage at SOULFRITO The Urban Latin Music Festival in February next year at Sun Life Stadium, as part of an eclectic line-up of emerging talent.

Additional talent featured during the evening included Anané and Louie Vega, the husband and wife duo from New York, who span a mix of house and other soulful underground favorites throughout the evening. The American musician of Puerto Rican ancestry, Louie Vega, is one half of the Masters At Work musical production team. Vega¹s father, Luis Vager, was a jazz saxophonist, and his uncle was singer Héctor Lavoe of the Fania All-Stars. All three artists Carmona along with Anané and Louie Vega met for the first time and were seen relaxing in the upstairs Hennessy VIP lounge at Cafeina with SOULFRITO founder, Melissa Giles, during press interviews and photography following Carmona¹s on-stage performance.

Miami-based muralist, Diana Contreras, gave invited guests an example of today¹s most avant-garde street art during the evening¹s entertainment. The Peruvian artist, now living in Miami, experimented with charcoal, pastel and spray paint, as she turned a blank canvas in to a design masterpiece by the time the evening came to an end.

Since its inception in 2002, SOULFRITO The Urban Latin Music Festival has been the premier launch pad for emerging and established artists, as well as brands looking to connect with the multicultural U.S Hispanic audience that now forms today¹s mainstream market. Founded by Miami-based entrepreneur, Melissa Giles, SOULFRITO made an early contribution towards launching the careers of artists such as Pitbull, Wisin Y Yandel, Aventura and Kat Deluna, among others, and continues to provide an attractive platform for producers and brand partners that wish to engage second, third and fourth generation US-Hispanics and enthusiasts of Urban Latin culture.

Strategic partnerships have been formed ahead of SOULFRITO The Urban Latin Music Festival in February next year at Sun Life Stadium, including with Clear Channel¹s Mega 949, who will act as the festival¹s exclusive Latin radio partner, along with WEDR 99 Jams, the leading radio station for the 18-34 demographic. In partnership with the Greater Miami Convention and Visitors Bureau, SOULFRITO will be offering a series Travel Package giveaways in feeder markets nationwide and for those looking to attend the festival who are traveling from outside Florida.

SOULFRITO The Urban Latin Music Festival will take place on February 22nd, 2014, at Sun Life Stadium, featuring NAS, Don Omar, Juicy J, Victor Manuelle, Hector “El Torito” Acosta, Sensato, Plan B, Sensato Calma Carmona, DJ Camilo,DJ Enuff and hosted by Adrienne Bailon and Julissa Bermudez.

Tickets are now on sale through Ticketmaster by visiting www.soulfrito.com.

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photo credit: courtesy of SOULFRITO

PRESS RELEASE:
Habitat for Humanity of Greater Miami Presents Miami-Dade County Leaders with 2013 Property Tax Check

December 17, 2013
Miami, Florida
Habitat for Humanity of Greater Miami, a 501 (c) 3 developer of low income houses presented a check to Miami-Dade Mayor Carlos Gimenez and Commission Chairwoman Rebeca Sosa in the amount of $966,512, representing the property taxes that Habitat homeowners generated in 2013. Habitat has helped nearly 1000 families achieve the dream of home-ownership since its inception by providing zero percent interest loans for purchase of Habitat built houses.

“Habitat helps low income families achieve their goals and they in turn contribute to the tax rolls in a significant fashion. Miami-Dade County is a great partner to Habitat and this is a way to show our elected leaders and our generous sponsors and donors that there is a tangible return on their investment,” said Mario Artecona, Habitat for Humanity of Greater Miami CEO.

PRESS RELEASE:
Knight Arts Challenge 2013 Awards $2.72 million to new art projects

In an evening infused with poetry, gospel music and big ideas for the local arts, more than 400 people celebrated the 2013 Knight Arts Challenge winners Monday night.

“We have helped to make possible that wonderful, magical thing: for the arts and thousands of artists to have touched the souls and inspired audiences of literally millions of people,” said Alberto Ibargüen, president of the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation, which sponsors the annual contest funding the best ideas for bringing South Florida together through the arts.

Guests were welcomed by eight Miamians reciting their own poems that incorporated the phrase #ThatsSoMiami, all of which won prizes as part of a poetry contest run by the O, Miami Poetry Festival. The Miami Mass Choir also lit up the stage with gospel music, leading the audience into a reception at the New World Center.
In all, $2.72 million was awarded to local artists and organizations, big and small, including the newly opened Perez Art Museum Miami, ArtCenter/South Florida, Cannonball Miami, the Miami Music Project, the Bass Museum, Indie Film Club, and more. Their ideas will blend art and technology and bring art into Miami’s many neighborhoods.

Local playwright Teo Castellanos won the People’s Choice Award in a text-to-vote campaign, and will receive an additional $20,000 for the project of his choice.
In addition, Knight Foundation honored Miami-Dade Cultural Affairs Director Michael Spring for 30 years of service to the local cultural community. A $100,000 Knight grant will go to the group of Spring’s choice: the Florida Cultural Alliance.

Now in its sixth year, the challenge has awarded funds to 193 projects throughout South Florida.

PRESS RELEASE:
The 2013 edition of Art Basel in Miami Beach – which officially closed Sunday, December 8, 2013 – drew strong praise from collectors, gallerists, critics and visitors. With an expanded Public sector and a vibrantly diverse line-up of talks, performances and film screenings, the quality of works exhibited was matched by the show’s programming. The 12th edition was described by many observers as the strongest-ever Art Basel show in Miami Beach. Featuring 258 leading international galleries from across 31 countries, the show confirmed its positioning as the leading art fair of the Americas. Finally, the inaugural Edition sector at Art Basel’s show in Miami Beach was met with an enthusiastic response from both new and long-time collectors of prints and editioned pieces.

Art Basel in Miami Beach, whose Lead Partner is UBS, attracted an attendance of 75,000 over the five show days, a seven percent increase over last year. Over 140 museum and institution groups from across the world – as well as renowned private collectors from the Americas, Europe, Asia and emerging markets – attended the show.

Participating galleries spoke highly of their experience:
‘I’ve participated in Art Basel in Miami Beach since its inception in 2002 and without any exception, this is the most successful of all its editions in terms of quality, conversations, volume of visitors and new audiences.’ -Sean Kelly, Sean Kelly Gallery, New York

‘We have been very impressed by the quality of collectors attending this year, and by the number of curators and museum groups. The fair feels very focused, and there are some wonderful booths. Art Basel in Miami Beach is unmissable for galleries like ours and is now maturing and deepening in a very impressive way. Business here is broader than it was before – we have had success here with both our more established and our younger artists. It wasn’t always like that.’ -Sadie Coles, Sadie Coles HQ, London

‘At Art Basel in Miami Beach we have more serious first-time buyers than at any other fair in the world.’ -David Nolan, David Nolan Gallery, New York

‘This year has been marked for us by the largest number of museum groups and institutional contacts, and a new generation of collectors becoming very active.’ -Lucy Mitchell-Innes, Mitchell-Innes & Nash, New York

‘We’ve had a very successful fair this year, with strong and significant sales of works by young, mid-career, and established artists. We are very happy with our results.’ -Monika Sprüth, Sprüth Magers Berlin London, Berlin, London

‘Our first year at Art Basel in Miami Beach has been great. The sheer density of the crowds is astounding, and the activity in our booth has been constant and charged.’ -Jim Dempsey, Corbett vs. Dempsey, Chicago

‘Most of the works in the booth sold on opening day. The expanded Public sector at Collins Park was the perfect venue to show an ambitious new sculpture by Michelle Lopez to the broadest audience we could hope for.’ -Simon Preston, Simon Preston Gallery, New York

‘We met old and new collectors, from the United States, Europe, South America, and of course, a good number of Chinese collectors. The Rubell Family Collection’s presentation of 28 Chinese contemporary artists certainly brought a lot of attention and new interest as well.’ -Theresa Liang, Long March Space, Beijing

‘We were delighted to see the strong interest of European and American collectors in Latin American artists. Art Basel in Miami Beach is the meeting point for all art professionals, especially those from Latin America.’ – Livia Benavides, 80M2 Livia Benavides, Lima

‘Art Basel in Miami Beach is without a doubt one of the world’s most exceptional and unique contemporary art fairs. We are extremely pleased to end the year on such a high note after placing approximately 40 works in significant public and private collections throughout America, Europe and Asia.’ -David Maupin, Lehmann Maupin, New York, Hong Kong

‘This is our first year as an exhibitor at Art Basel in Miami Beach and we just loved being here. I think it was good for our artists to be exposed to this enormous and enormously diverse crowd. We enjoyed seeing many old friends and meeting a lot of new collectors and curators, who we trust will become friends over time. Our sales have been great.’ Peter MacGill, Pace/MacGill Gallery, New York

‘This year the energy is back. We have sold important pieces by prominent Brazilian artists such as Ernesto Neto, Iran do Espirito Santo, and Erika Vezzuti.’ -Alexandre Gabriel, Galeria Fortes Vilaça, São Paulo

‘We established relationships with many new collectors from across the United States, most of whom are deeply engaged with museums and institutions. It was heartening to see so many civic-minded individuals from Boston, Denver, Dallas, Atlanta, Minneapolis, Chicago, Hartford, San Antonio, even Reno, convene in Miami.’ -Alexander Gray, Alexander Gray Associates, New York

‘We have exhibited in Basel since the first year but are taking part in Art Basel in Miami Beach for the first time this year. The new Edition sector has drawn considerable interest and consistent sales. We sold a remarkable 33 works by one artist on the second day. Hopefully this will continue to grow – people will hear that you can buy an original work of art by a blue-chip artist for a price that many more people can afford, and realize art is not just for millionaires.’ -Helen Waters, Alan Cristea Gallery, London

‘NON is hugely excited to be part of this year’s Art Basel in Miami Beach. As one of the Nova galleries, we presented – for the ver irst time at a air in the nited tates – the or s o t o p-and-comin r ish artists Meri Al n in or and rdem a delen. As Art Basel continues to provide a global vehicle for creative dialog, we are very honored to have taken part and to have contributed to this exhilarating event.’ -Derya Demir, Galeri NON, Istanbul

A favorite sector among museum directors and critics, Kabinett offered visitors many of this ear’s highlights. 25 select galleries presented curated exhibitions within their booths, including work by Marina A ramović (L ciana Brito Galeria); José Bento and Raymundo Colares (A Gentil Carioca); Richard Fauguet (Art : Concept); Al Taylor (Niels Borch Jensen Galerie); Leon Polk Smith (Valerie Carberry Gallery); Gerold Miller (Mehdi Chouakri); Yeni & Nan (Henrique Faria Fine Art); Marius de Zayas (Galerie 1900-2000); Richard Meier (Galerie Gmurzynska); Luis Camnitzer (Alexander Gray Associates); Theaster Gates (Kavi Gupta Chicago/Berlin); James Edward Deeds (Hirschl & Adler Modern); Luis Gispert (Rhona Hoffman Gallery); Hu Qingyan (Galerie Urs Meile, Beijing-Lucerne); Claire Fontaine (Metro Pictures); Man Ray (Francis M. Naumann Fine Art); Damir Oč o (Yvon Lam ert); race min (Lehmann Ma pin); ean c ll (Galerie Lelong); Mel Kendrick (David Nolan Gallery); Martin Barré (Galerie Nathalie Obadia); Danilo Dueñas (Galerie Thomas Schulte); and Sam Francis (Van Doren Waxter). It also featured two thematic shows: ‘From Dusk Till Dawn’ at Kicken Berlin and ‘AiR (Krinzinger Artist in Residence)’ at Galerie Krinzinger.

Positions offered a tight selection of 16 galleries from 12 countries, each providing an opportunity to discover the work of an individual emerging artist. Presentations included: Dove Allouche (Gaudel de Stampa), Nicolás Consuegra (La Central), Lourival Cuquinha (Baró Galeria), Ulrik Heltoft (Andersen`s Contemporary), Tom Holmes (Bureau), Nadira Husain (PSM), Juan López (Nogueras Blanchard), Mathieu Malouf (Real Fine Arts), Jorge Pedro Nuñez (Galerie Crèvecoeur), Seung Yul Oh (One and J. Gallery), Vijai Patchineelam (Ignacio Liprandi Arte Contemporáneo), Laercio Redondo (Silvia Cintra + Box4), Stefanos Tsivopoulos (Kalfayan Galleries), Gabriel Acevedo Velarde (Arratia Beer), Oriol Vilanova (Parra & Romero), and Wang Yuyang (Tang Contemporary Art). Widely judged to feature the best presentations yet, this ear’s edition o Nova featured 34 galleries, many with works fresh from the studio. Limited to work made in the last three years, the sector was the site of exhibitions by David Ostrowski (Peres Projects); Jose Dávila (Max Wigram Gallery); John Finneran and Alisa Baremboym (47 Canal); Plamen Dejanoff and Lisa Holzer (Galerie Emanuel Layr); Shannon Ebner and Chris Johanson (Altman Siegel); José Antonio Suárez, Londoño, and Johanna Calle (Casas Riegner); Matt Connors and Bernard Piffaretti (Cherry and Martin); Nicole Eisenman and Tony Matelli (Leo Koenig); Mariana Mauricio, Mauro, Piva, and Sandra Gamarra (Galeria Leme); Daniel Jacoby and Nestor Sanmiguel Diest (Maisterravalbuena); Susan Collis, Ellen Harvey, and Evariste Richer (Meessen De Clercq); Oscar Muñoz, Julieta Aranda, and Voluspa Jarpa (Galerie mor.charpentier); Meric Algün Ringborg, and Erdem Tasdelen (NON); and many others. For the full list of galleries and artists, please visit artbasel.com/miami-beach/nova.

Following the long success of a dedicated sector for prints and limited-editioned works at Art Basel’s show in Switzerland, the debut Edition sector of the Miami Beach show featured Alan Cristea Gallery, Crown Point Press, gdm, Gemini G.E.L. LLC, Sabine Knust, Carolina Nitsch, Pace Prints, The Paragon Press, Polígrafa Obra Gràfica, Singapore Tyler Print Institute, Paul Stolper Gallery and Two Palms.
Public, the outdoor sculpture sector – produced in partnership with the Bass Museum of Art – was curated for the first time by Nicholas Baume, Director and Chief Curator of New York City’s Public Art Fund. Under the theme ‘Social Animals’, the exhibition featured over 30 large-scale sculptures and installations by 24 leading and emerging international artists, including Huma Bhabha, Mark di Suvero, Matias Faldbakken, Sam Falls, Tom Friedman, Jeppe Hein, Thomas Houseago, Alicja Kwade, Richard Long, Charlotte Posenenske, Pascale Marthine Tayou, Oscar Tuazon, and Maarten Vanden Eynde. Set within the cityscape of Miami Beach at Collins Park, this ear’s edition o P lic so ht to turn a grouping of separate works by multiple artists into a temporary community of its own, with works in conversation and in dialog with each other. Artworks by Carol Bove, Olaf Breuning, Aaron Curry, Michelle Lopez, Matthew Monahan, Scott Reeder, Santiago Roose, Ursula von Rydingsvard, Tony Tasset, Mungo Thomson, and Phil Wagner will continue to be present in Collins Park through March 2014 as part of ‘tc: temporary contemporary’, a new initiative in partnership with the Bass Museum of Art. The sector opened to the public on Wednesday night with performances by Olaf Breuning, David Colman, Kate Gilmore, Ryan McNamara, and Mungo Thomson. For more information, please visit: artbasel.com/miami-beach/public.

Curated for the third year by David Gryn of London’s Artprojx, the Film sector included over 70 film and video works by and about artists, drawn from the show’s participating galleries. Framed within eight distinct screening programs and screened over four nights, the program featured works by Nevin AladaÄŸ, Dara Birnbaum, Rineke Dijkstra, Leo Gabin, Joan Jonas, Oscar Muñoz, Rashaad Newsome, Cheng Ran, Yinka Shonibare MBE, Regina Silveira, Mickalene Thomas, and Kemang Wa Lehulere, and the international premiere of new works by Martin Creed and Kehinde Wiley. An estimated 1,000 visitors attended the free screenings in SoundScape Park on the 7,000-square-foot outdoor projection wall of the Frank Gehry designed New World Center. Selected by Zurich film connoisseur This Brunner, the feature film ‘Nan Goldin – I Remember Your Face’ (2013) by Sabine Lidl held its United States premiere, followed by a Q&A with the artist and the director. The evening offered a thoughtful and personal engagement with Nan Goldin, for an intimate audience of film and arts lovers. For more information, please visit: artbasel.com/miamibeach/film.

Bringing together leading artists, museum directors, collectors, and curators, Art Basel in Miami Beach’s daily talks program offered dynamic dialogs between prominent members of the international artworld. The morning Conversations program opened with the Premiere Artist Talk with the American artist Doug Aitken, whose ‘Station to Station’ project sent an art train across America this fall. Further sessions included ‘Public/Private: M se ms Go Glo al’ and ‘Artistic Practice he Artist as echnolo ist’, alon ith a continuation of the series ‘The Artist and the Gallerist’. The afternoon program Salon featured 20 shorter talks, ranging rom ‘Art Mar et vs Art Histor ’ and ‘Ban r pt Cities. ndan ered M se ms Learnin From the Case o the Detroit Instit te o Arts’ to ‘Be ond Post-Blac ’ and ‘Constr ctive Art Criticism in Latin America’. Featured artists in the panels included Abraham Cruzvillegas, Olafur Eliasson, Cécile B. Evans, Naomi Fisher, Mario Garcia Torres, Ellen Harvey, Camille Henrot, Brian Khek, Joseph Kosuth, Sharon Louden, Ry Rocklen, Gabriel Sierra, Frances Stark, Brian Tolle, Erika Verzutti, Allyson Vieira, Jim Drain, Amalia Ulman, and Robert Whitman. Conversations were presented in partnership with Absolut. High-quality videos of all Conversations and Salon talks are available at artbasel.com/miamibeach/talks. Once a ain Miami Beach’s leading museums and private collections timed their strongest exhibitions of the year to coincide with Art Basel in Miami Beach. The Rubell Family Collection, Cisneros Fontanals Art Foundation, the de la Cruz Collection Contemporary Art Space and the Margulies Collection at the Warehouse – opened their collections to international visitors, putting on museum-quality exhibitions timed to the show.

The Pérez Art Museum Miami opened its new Herzog & de Meuron building with exhibitions including ‘Ai Weiwei: According to What?’, and commissioned projects by Yael Bartana, Bouchra Khalili, Hew Locke and Monika Sosnowska. Additional significant museum shows across South Florida included: ‘Tracey Emin: Angel without You’ at the Museum of Contemporary Art, North Miami; ‘Piotr laÅ„s i esl’ at the Bass M se m o Art; ‘Phyllida Barlow: HOARD’ at the Norton Museum of Art; and ‘The Birth of Rome’ and ‘Rendering War: The Murals of A. G. Santagata’ at the Wolfsonian-FIU.

PRESS RELEASE:
Luxury Swiss watchmaker, Hublot, participated in this year’s Art Week Miami with famed Chicago-based artist, Hebru Brantley, known for his unique art style that draws from pop culture icons and themes from his childhood in the 1980’s. The artist is transformed Hublot’s Bal Harbour Boutique with a special art installation that was on display at the boutique from Tuesday, December 3 through Sunday, December 8.

During a private cocktail at the Bal Harbour Boutique on Friday, December 6, Brantley presented and donated an original work to Tracy and Alonzo Mourning to auction at a later date with proceeds benefitting Mourning Family Foundation. The reception featured champagne from Moet, passed hors d’oeuvres, art work from Brantley and several limited edition timepiece collections on display.
In conjunction with the art installation, the boutique unveiled and displayed for the first time in Miami, “Shawn Carter by Hublot” timepiece designed in collaboration with Jay Z. This timepiece collection is limited to 250 numbered pieces in black ceramic and 100 numbered pieces in 18k yellow gold, and both timepieces have a cutaway dial depicting the Shawn Carter logo. At last year’s Art Basel, Brantley made a huge splash and attracted the attention of several high-profile and celebrity art collectors, including a painting purchased by Jay-Z. Additional limited edition series’ displayed also included the Ferrari collection, the recently launched Big Bang Caviar “Lady 305” series and Big Bang UNICO timepieces.

Following the event at the boutique, select clients and guests of Hublot and Haute Living magazine, along with Hebru Brantley, were invited to a private dinner and after party on Star Island. The seated dinner, catered by celebrity chef, restaurateur and television personality, Todd English, included a live auction, a toast from Ricardo Guadalupe, CEO of Hublot, Rick De La Croix, representing Hublot in the Americas and Kamal Hotchandani, CEO with Haute Media Group.

The after party featured a special Dom Perignon Champagne and Caviar lounge with free-flowing champagne and a display of Hublot’s Big Bang Caviar timepieces, a display of Hublot’s Ferrari timepiece collection and music by DJs Trey Smith and Michelle Pooch.

The after party event was attended by many clients and friends of the brands, including: Stephen Dorff, Lenny Kravitz, Eva Longoria, Jared Leto, Tracy and Alonzo Mourning, Lenny and Lisa Hochstein, Jeremy Shockey, Kenny Burns, Lea Black, Domingo Zapata, Loren Ridinger, Serena Williams, Jill Zarin, Alicia and Mike Piazza and more!

Hebru Brantley has received significant praise and support from several A-list celebrity friends and entertainers. His art explores personal or cultural memories and depict a range of political and social issues with a focus on optimism and the possibilities of youth. Brantley has exhibited in San Francisco, Atlanta, Miami, Seattle, Los Angeles, New York and solo shows in Chicago. He was the winner of the Redbull Curates Chicago contest, created the Lollapalooza poster for the 25th anniversary of the festival in 2011 and has been commissioned by Skyy Vodka, Nike and Tyra Banks.

Last month Hublot opened its 10th boutique in the United States in the Houston market with a ribbon cutting ceremony and appearance by Scuderia Ferrari pilot, Felipe Massa. The luxury brand also celebrated its two-year partnership with Ferrari and launched a special edition Big Bang Caviar “Lady 305” timepiece series in Miami.

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A Sweet Taste Of Things To Come at Metropolitan By Como, Miami Beach

PRESS RELEASE
Master Chocolatier and Pastry Extraordinaire, Chef Emanuel Alves, provides a sneak peak of his delightful dessert temptations being selected for the menu at the highly anticipated new luxury boutique hotel in Miami Beach

The world class French-Portuguese born Pastry Chef Emanuel Alves, graces the kitchen at Parrot Cay – the private island destination by COMO Hotels and Resorts on the Turks and Caicos Islands – as if he was anywhere in the world. Becoming one of today’s youngest pioneers on the dessert counter has earned him the adoption by one of the most prestigious hotel brands in the world.

The clientele at the award-winning sanctuary where Chef Emanuel resides aren’t your usual travelers or everyday vacationers. They’re the most worldly, experienced and discerning voyagers whose expectations can only be exceeded by a hospitality group worthy of being awarded a total of 3 Michelin Stars and the title of Best Hotel in The Americas by Conde Nast for its signature brand of private island retreat. That is why one of Europe’s most talented dessert sculptors has been flown-in to the Caribbean especially to carve out his decadent creations for this special group of island residents that often includes Hollywood royalty.

Chef Emanuel’s skilled proficiency in the innovation of cream and chocolate artistry has earned him the title of COMO’s Master Chocolatier, and he is now known for being the company’s leading pastry chef. His creativity and flawless attention to detail gives him a superior edge when producing his diverse portfolio of desserts. Alves became a specialist in macaroons after perfecting the technique in Spain with the French Chef Nicolás Serrano, at the “Ecole du Grand Chocolat Valrhona”, under the direction of Frederic Bau. However, his talents are wide reaching and span the entire periodic table of gelatin based fare. Some of the few, but most popular specialties by Chef Emanuel include: Milles Feuilles of Chocolate and Mascarpone Cheese with fresh berries; French toast with atomized fruit and Crème Brûlée ice cream; Blackberry Tart and roasted spicy pineapple with Passion Fruit ice cream; Opera Bricks with confit pears and nutmeg ice cream; Parsley macaroons and pepper Chocolate truffles, and signature delicacies such as the “Buche de Nöel Glacée,” “Opera Cake,” “Petits Fours,” “Sybarite Verrine,” and one of his most popular trophy plates for an end-of-meal table conversation, the delectable “Moon Rocks.” Chef Emanuel formulates a distinguished composite of Dessert DNA within his own secret recipes that keep patrons guessing while craving for more of the addiction his sweets provide. Chef Emanuel creates a fusion of flavors that collide when unleashed and his versatile use of cream, chocolate, fruits and berries bring a complexity to the palate that very few dessert connoisseurs have experienced.

Alves started his profession after acquiring his “Certificate d’Aptitude Professionnelle” (CAP) in pastry art, as a Chocolatier Confiseur Glacier, at the European culinary school, CEPROC. Following his studies as a pastry chef and dessert artiste, his first professional steps in the corporate world began in Paris at the five-star Hotel Concord Lafayette, within the creperie “Chez Imogene,” one of the most respected in Paris. Years later, he returned to Spain and worked at the luxury pastry house known as “Vait” in Madrid, prior to a period at one of the country’s best French pastry restaurants, “Moulin Chocolat.”

In 2009, Alves joined the five-star luxury Hotel Villa Magna in Madrid, as a pastry chef, and with his experienced skill set in classic pastries, he became one of the industry’s best. In January of 2013, Alves continued his career after being head-hunted by the award-winning hospitality group, COMO Hotels and Resorts, for a position as head pastry chef at the celebrated Ametsa with Arzak Instruction – a recently awarded one Michelin Star restaurant within The Halkin hotel in London’s Belgravia. Alves is currently the resident pastry chef at the award-winning Parrot Cay by COMO private island resort in the Turks and Caicos.

“For me, the art of pastry is to mix the components, so that the quality, colors and textures of the prime ingredients allow the flavors to emerge,” says Alves. “Each element in the process must have its own role, whereby a simple macaroon or truffle becomes a complete experience. The pleasures in life come in small bites and a dessert should allow the consumer to recognize that when a flavor melts in the mouth, they are passionately discovering new interpretations of the traditional technique in French pastry. The presentation and taste must be in harmony for a dessert to become an object of desire.”

Most of the creations by Chef Emanuel have become a staple on the dessert menu by COMO Hotels and Resorts in its properties worldwide, and guests will be able to experience his art form on the menu at The Traymore restaurant inside the new Metropolitan by COMO, Miami Beach from December this year.

Toys for Boys Exclusive Preview

PRESS RELEASE

TOYS for BOYS – Miami’s newest luxury boutique and private collection for today’s high net worth individual – gave Miami’s elite clientele a sneak peak of its most extravagant one-of-a-kind artifacts, unveiled from behind closed doors, during the soft opening of its showroom on Friday, November 18th in Wynwood, Miami.

The newly formed company, considered to be the first of its kind in the region, gave Miami’s most influential and affluent audience an exclusive first look at its prestigious collection of art, automobiles and timepieces, while welcoming Linde Werdelin watches and its founder, Jorn Werdelin, to the TOYS for BOYS family during the official inauguration.

“We are pleased to finally be able to open our doors to the world and allow Miami to experience something quite unprecedented,” said the chairman and co-founder of TOYS for BOYS, Rafael Gill. “Over the last six months, we have consolidated our business networks and individual collectors from around the world, to bring the most exclusive and exquisite ensemble of items that have been curated under one roof for the first time. This presentation will continue to grow and we welcome Linde Werdelin watches as our partnering timepiece collection, offering a quintessential luxury brand that encapsulates our unique identity that we reserve for our most deserving clientele.”

Throughout the night, guests enjoyed Krug Champagne as they mingled among the Lamborghini Aventador Roadster, Ferrari F12 Berlinetta and a very rare Spyker Spyder sports car. Extraordinary photo art by Guy Le Baube was on display, together with Coca Cola and Pepsi paintings by surrealist, Claude Charlier, as part of the Pop World Project. Installations included work by Richard Orlinski and Liu Bolin. Linde Werdelin had its display cases full and individual timepieces were shown alongside the vehicles, including the Oktopus II Family; SpidoLite II Black/Gold; SpidoSpeed Rose Gold and the Linde Werdelin Tech Green. Additional items such as TF Tourbillon Cufflinks and Tourbillon Pen were also on display, adding to the diverse showroom portfolio presented by TOYS for BOYS.

Arriving on the red carpet throughout the evening were the Miami HEAT’s Juwan Howard, as well as Jorn Werdelin, Alexis Sarkissian, Roger Mason Jr., Tomas Regalado, John Temerian, Joe Alcantara, Jason Hardi and Pilar Tarrau. The hosts for the evening were TOYS for BOYS co-founders, Rafael Gill and Danilo Diazgranados.

photos credit ‘World Red Eye’