Miami News Blog

Courtesy of Valentino: The Last Emperor

Valentino inspects a crimson masterpiece.

​Fashion weeks are like assholes -- nearly every city has them. And while the offerings from New York, Paris, and Milan are hands down the most influential, it's hard to ignore our Funkshion and Rock Fashion when they are capable of resurrecting Pam Anderson's iconic Baywatch suit and showing Dennis Rodman all dolled up and pretty in pink (again).

The shows continue through Sunday, but in case your fashion interests sway more toward the silver screen than the runway, the Miami Beach Cinematheque and Funkshion have teamed up to show a style-centric collection of films called "Fashion on Film" today till Sunday evening. Tonight at 7 is Lagerfeld Confidential, an exclusive peek into the life of head designer and creative director of Chanel, Karl Lagerfeld. The German-born designer's resumé is a veritable who's who in high fashion -- from Balmain to Chloé, and currently Chanel, Fendi furs, and an eponymous line. This silver fox who is perpetually laced in black and white is as infamous for being fiercely private as he is for dropping witty pearls of acerbic wit and wisdom. For this 2007 documentary, director Rodolphe Marconi was granted unprecedented access into Lagerfeld's tight-knit circle, resulting in the type of intimacy one desires to see from a man whose creative juices are spilled so freely on the runway but rarely in real life.

Miami has been so hot lately that the AC wall unit in my Edgewater studio is fighting a losing battle. I'm actually hoping we get some rain soon because I'm not sure how much longer I can stand the heat. So while I sit directly in front of the vents, here is what you missed over the weekend:

Maxwell at American Airlines Arena

Photo by Sayre Berman

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Maxwell stopped by the American Airlines Arena Friday night to swoon the ladies. The R&B singer topped the Billboard charts last month with his latest release, BLACKsummers'night. Click here to view the full slide show.

Rain has been replaced by intolerable heat, and we aren't sure which is worse. Still, we braved the rise in temperature to make sure we wouldn't miss everything that happened over the weekend:

Grand Opening of Fame

Jipsy

Parkwest reopened Friday night under a new moniker, Fame. The club "officially" opens next weekend, but here's a preview of what you can expect. Click here to view the full slide show.

The Postmarks at Propaganda

Chris Bellus

South Florida indie darlings the Postmarks previewed material from their upcoming album Friday night at Propaganda in Lake Worth. Click here to read the review or here to view the slide show.

Summer hasn't even officially begun, but the heat is already reaching unbearable levels. Riptide sweated so much this weekend we are looking into Botox treatments. For those who were smart enough to stay near an air conditioner, here is what you missed over the weekend:

Jazid's 13th Anniversary Party

S. Pajot

Proving that a South Beach venue doesn't need to offer bottle service in order to survive, Jazid celebrated turning 13 this weekend. Click here to read our review of the event.

The rain doesn't stop! We know it's "the rainy season," but this is getting ridiculous. We can't remember the last time it rained this much. Let's hope rain is all we get this season, because hurricane season has officially started. So while we stock up on canned good and batteries, here is what you missed over the weekend:

Sneaker Pimps at the Moore Building

Jipsy

We've got to admit, we don't understand how grown men have basically turned the sneaker into a shoe obsession. It's sort of like when you were a kid and you played with action figures that were basically dolls, but God forbid if anyone called it a doll. Jimmy Choo or Nike, they are still shoes -- we wonder if they realize that. Click here to view the full slideshow from Saturday's Sneaker Pimps event.

Surf Nazis on Ecstasy at Goo

Ben Thacker

People who complain that Miami's underground music scene is dead have never been to Goo in Little Haiti. Every week the venue hosts countless of "unknown" acts, both local and national. Saturday, thrash-punk trio Surf Nazis on Ecstasy took to the stage. Click here to view the full slideshow.

Hopefully, the extra day off gave everyone enough time to recover from the mayhem the Memorial Day weekend brings to Miami every year. Not even the rain seemed to dampen the spirits of people looking to relax. There were plenty of things to do this weekend, so if the weather did keep you home, here is what you missed:

Urban Beach Week 2009

Logan Fazio

Every year, the Memorial Day Weekend brings Urban Beach Week to South Beach. Click here to check out the scenes on the Ocean Drive strip.

Best of the Best 2009 at Bicentennial Park

Ian Witlen

Best of the Best brought, well, the best of the best in hip-hop, dancehall and reggae to Bicentennial Park. Click here to read our review of the show.

We've just realized hurricane season is around the corner. We just hope this is another quiet year, because we aren't sure with the state of the economy how quickly the city can bounce back.

While we stock up on batteries and canned food, here is what you missed over the weekend:

Coldplay at Cruzan Amphitheatre

Sayre Berman

Mellow rockers Coldplay returned to South Florida after playing not too long ago at BankAtlantic. This time their Viva La Vida tour stopped at Cruzan Amphitheatre in West Palm Beach. Read the review here and view the full slideshow here.

If you stayed home this weekend, it was either because the unbearable heat kept you indoors or because you actually tried to behave yourself on Mother's Day. Skin and sin was aplenty this weekend (er, well more than normal), so here is what you missed:

Nine Inch Nails and Jane's Addiction at Cruzan Amphitheatre

Ian Witlen

South Florida was the kick-off point for Nine Inch Nails and Jane's Addiction joint tour. Click here to read the review and here to view the full slideshow.

The humidity stayed away all weekend, so the weather was as perfect as it gets in Miami, so let's hope all the swine flu hysteria didn't keep you indoors. But in case you spent the weekend spraying disinfectant on all the pork products in your refrigerator, here is what you missed over the weekend:

Swamp Stomp Music Festival at Jimbo's

Ben Thacker

Rachel Goodrich, Jahfe, Cleaveland Jones, Afrobeta, and others performed at the annual Swamp Stomp Music Festival at Jimbo's on Virginia Key. Click here to read our full review.

While our sister paper celebrated Beerfest north of the county line, we kept a low profile this weekend. Well, maybe it's the city that's keeping a low profile. We definitely think things have slowed down since Winter Music Conference, and with the low season only a month away, we don't see things picking up until the fall.

But before the summer heat rolls in, here is what you missed over the weekend:

Aterciopelados and Curumin at the TransAtlantic Festival

Ben Thacker

Colombian rockers Aterciopelados, along with Brazilian musician Curumin, kicked off the TransAtlantic Festival Friday night. Click here to read our review of the show.

Miami Beach Gay Pride Festival 2009

Logan Fazio

Miami Beach had its first city-sanctioned Gay Pride Festival this weekend. Click here to view the full slide show.

Every time we woke up this weekend and looked outside our window, all we could think about how gorgeous the weather was. Perfect weekend to do nothing but relax and soak in the fact that we can enjoy this kind of weather this time of year. And with Winter Music Conference a week away, we are sure we are going to be plenty busy with events until then.

But in case you were unfortunately somewhere else than Miami, here is what you miss over the weekend:

PUMA Open at Doral Golf Resort & Spa

Ian Witlen

Phil Mickelson may have won the CA Championship Sunday, but all bets were off Friday night for the PUMA Open Launch Party at the Doral Golf Resort & Spa. Click here to view the full slideshow.

Spam Allstars at Bayfront Park

Ben Thacker

Local favorites Spam Allstars got people moving during the third installment of the DWNTWN Concert Series. Click here to read our full review.

Note to self: Valentine's Day on the weekend sucks. At least we can avoid the shitty corporate holiday when it falls on a weekday, but it's a little hard to do on a Saturday. The only thing we felt a couple of days ago was the urge to punch everyone dressed in red and looking happy. Bah humbug!

So while we cry into our pint of Ben & Jerry's ice cream, here is what you missed over the weekend:

Confection at O.H.W.O.W.

Jipsy

On Friday night, Our House West of Wynwood held the opening for Confection, a sweet-toothed charity bake-sale art exhibition organized by Pres Rodriguez. Click here to view the full slide show.

We definitely had a good weekend filled with penthouse parties and plenty of booze. Sadly, most talk was about whether we still had jobs. That made us wonder if this would be the newest pick-up line:

"Hey, babe, do you still have a job? You do? Want to come back to my place?"

It might just work. But before you start looking through the classifieds, here is what you missed over the weekend:

Lingerie Miami at Vizcaya Museum and Gardens

Logan Fazio

Victoria's Secret be damned! Saturday's Lingerie Miami, hosted by Eva Longoria, was smoking-hot. This is the sexiest shot our editor will let us post on the blog. Click here to view the full (NSFW) slide show.

The temperature dropped again this weekend, but we our counting our blessings because we aren't freezing our asses off in the dark like some people in Kentucky. We'll take post-hurricane humidity over freezing-cold any day.

So while we warm up, here is what you missed over the weekend:

Estelle and John Legend at The Fillmore Miami Beach

Pamela Wasabi

You could have been Estelle's "American Boy" if you caught her opening for John Legend Friday night at The Fillmore Miami Beach. Click here to read our full review.

We aren't exactly a fan of the cold weather. Every time someone says, "I love when Miami gets chilly," we resist the urge to hurt them. We don't live in Miami because of the cold weather -- in fact, that's why we live in Miami, because it doesn't get cold. In fact, we propose anyone who publicly states that they enjoy this weather should be forcibly removed from the county.

So while we turn up the heater, here is what you missed over the weekend:

VNDLSM at Heathrow Lounge

We think the downturn in the economy is finally having a widespread effect on Miami. We're beginning to notice some low attendance at events we think should have performed better. It also seems every conversation we have with people is whether they are still employed. Let's hope we get out of this shitstorm unscathed, but we aren't betting on it.

We'll try to stop being such a Debbie Downer as we tell you what you missed over the weekend:

DWNTWN Concert Series at Bayfront Park

Rachel Goodrich and Jacob Jeffries Band performed at the first DWNTWN Concert Series of the year. The free event at Bayfront Park lets urban dwellers enjoy the cool weather and listen to some great local music. Click here to read the full review.

We're only five days into the new year and things don't seem to be getting any better. The conflict in Gaza continues to escalate despite the pleas for a cease-fire, and the economic outlook isn't looking any better. And in the grossest display of humanity, pro-Israel and pro-Palestinian protesters hurled insults at each other in downtown Miami yesterday, further proof that neither side is looking for a real and just solution to the crisis.

But despite all the troubles in the world, life went on and so did our extended weekend. So if you weren't acting like a child in front of the Israeli Consulate, here is what you probably missed over the weekend:

New Year's Eve


Ivon David Rojas

We've got to admit that this year's New Year's Eve celebrations we much more sedated than in the past. Celebrity hosts were scarce, and $1,000 cover charges were brought down to more manageable prices. Our cameras stopped by Mansion's New Year's Eve party, which was hosted by Lindsay Lohan and her gal pal Samantha Ronson, who, according to celebrity tabloids, fought throughout their entire Miami vacay, culminating in them destroying their hotel room after an intense argument that spilled into the hallway. Safe to assume all is not well on the isle of Lesbos.

But in non-celebrity NYE happenings, we also stopped by the Raleigh's Burlesque New Year's Eve and Heathrow Lounge's New Year's Eve Overthrow.

Billy Joel at Hard Rock Live


Sayre Berman

Seems the Piano Man's love affair with the Big Apple is over. At his Friday-night performance, the New York native said, "I was hanging out in New York over the holidays and it sucked." Later he confessed, "I feel a bit hypocritical. I don't feel like I'm in a New York state of mind at the moment." Tell us how you really feel, Billy. Click here to read our full review of the show.

-- Jose D. Duran

There were plenty of exciting things that happened during 2008, but the final week of the year was just as busy as any other. Mild, sunny weather meant it was a great weekend to relax poolside and call up your friends up north to remind them that you haven't even broken in your winter sweater.

But just in case Christmas dinner and visiting relatives kept you at home, here is what you missed over the weekend:

Steve Aoki at B.E.D.


Tony Vargas

Hipster icon and DJ Steve Aoki once again was booked at an unusual venue as downtown hipster kids and your typical South Beach patrons got together to catch the L.A. scenester. Click here to view the full slideshow.

If we don't see another piece of artwork any time soon, we can count ourselves lucky. Yes, our eyes are sore from the excessive visual stimulus. Art Basel brought with it plenty of fairs, celebrities and parties, so if you stayed home this weekend, what the hell were you thinking?

But just in case you have a blurred memory of Basel, here is what you probably attended but don't remember over the weekend:

Art Basel Miami Beach at Miami Beach Convention Center



Miami Beach Convention Center played host to the real Art Basel, where the best galleries in the world attempted to sell pieces to potential buyers. Early word is that sales were, as expected, less than spectacular. Click here to view the full slideshow.

Talk about your long weekends. Most of us, although not us at New Times, had a four-day weekend thanks to the Thankgiving holidays. That gave plenty of you time to celebrate Black Friday by crushing your fellow man to death as you and thousands of others rush into your local Wal-Mart to get that extra 30 percent off those items you want. Got to love the holidays!

So in case you were camping out in front of Best Buy starting at 9 a.m. Thursday, here is what you missed over the weekend:

Madonna at Dolphin Stadium



Madonna showed why she lives in the gym Wednesday night at Dolphin Stadium. She may not be the Material Girl anymore, but she can still put on a show. Click here to read the full review.

Art Basel is a little more than a week away, so there will be plenty to do. But until then, this upcoming weekend you'll probably be dealing with unwanted relatives and incompetent airport employees -- sounds like fun. Here is what you miss over the weekend:

Heir to the Throne at The King is Dead



New York DJ/rapper/hipster icon Roxy Cottontail came down to help Poplife, Supermarket Creative and Gorillas introduce their new night at The King is Dead, the Design District's newest lounge. Click here to view the full slideshow.

What's up with the sudden chill? It ruined our plans to hangout poolside on Sunday with plenty of stiff drinks to go around. Well, the drinking still happened, but we were bundled up indoors.

The biggest news this weekend, of course, was the reopening of the Fontainebleau Hotel. Plenty of celebrities, including A-listers like Gwyneth Paltrow, Terrence Howard and P. Diddy, were all spotted in the Magic City over the weekend. And yes, plenty of F-listers like Kim Kardashian and Paris Hilton were here too spreading whatever venereal disease they are current suffering from.

But for those look for more of an intellectual kind of stimulation, there was always the Miami Book Fair International. Who are we kidding? Here is what you missed over the weekend:

Victoria's Secret Fashion Show at Fontainebleau Hotel

It was heaven at Fontainebleau this weekend as the Victoria's Secret Angels took over the newly reopened hotel for the retailer's annual fashion show. While we didn't get access to the fashion show itself, we still we able to capture the models' yacht arrival and hair and makeup rotations.

Hey, cool weather, where did you go? It was a mildly warm and humid weekend, which, on the brightside, allowed for some poolside recovery Sunday after a crazy weekend of going to be after sunrise.

Crookers at Heathrow Lounge

Can't tell you how many times we've drunkenly sang along to Crookers remix of Kid Cudi's "Day 'n' Nite," so it was awesome singing drunkenly to it as they played it 3 feet away from us. Click here to view the full slideshow.

Halloween weekend was jam-packed, to say the least. There really wasn't much reason to stay home, with enough action happening all over the city to fill the entire month of October. So what did you miss this weekend?

Halloween Night

After the trick-or-treaters have gone to bed, it's usually time for the adults to play Halloween, which means somebody's mother is dressed like a skanky nurse. We scoped out the scene on Lincoln Road, but be sure to check out our slideshows from 305 Music Lounge, Heathrow Lounge, The Vagabond and Karu & Y as well.

Anime SuperCon and Hilton Miami Downtown

Fanboys and -girls didn't limit their costume apparel to one day. Anime SuperCon at the Hilton in downtown Miami provided three days of cosplay, tournaments, and screenings. We checked out the place and got an explanation of why to keep away from furries and what exactly is hentai. Click here to view the full slideshow.

-- Jose D. Duran

This weekend was a bust for us on a personal level. We spent it under our sheet chugging down Robitussin and coughing up things seen only in horror movies. So we lived vicariously through the weekend posts done by the various New Times staff writers. We are just glad we are feeling better in time for Halloween.

Gloria Estefan at Seminole Hard Rock Live

After an uneven European tour, Gloria Estefan returned to South Florida on Saturday to feel the love from her hometown. Two dollars of every ticket sold went to fund education in South Florida, but considering the cost of a ticket ($95-250), we think the attempt was pretty worthless. Click here for the full review.

Miami International Wine Fair at Miami Beach Convention Center

We weren't entirely too impressed with the wine fair, not because of the selection, but because once you've been to one, you've sort of been to them all. One highlight, though, was the selection of Miami wines. Click to read the full recap.

We don't know what's better: the zero humidity or the temperature starting to cool down. We are glad to see that our version of "fall" is finally starting. Some complain that Miami's lack of seasonal change is a negative, but we fail to see the fun of driving on icy roads, blizzards and adding on 50 extra pounds of clothing to stay warm.

So enjoy the weather because here is what you missed over the weekend:

Dolly Parton at Mizner Park Amphitheatre

We aren't exactly fans on country music or its sub-genres, but there is just something about Dolly Parton that we can get enough of. Maybe it's because her contribution to music as a whole, maybe it's certain other physical enhancements. Click here to read the full review.

Miguel Migs at Set

We don't enough props to Set for how truly gorgeous the venue actually is. While the door is definitely very elitist, we can give respect them for sticking to a certain business model: packing beautiful people into a beautiful space. And San Francisco DJ Miguel Migs made sure to bring his brand of soulful house to Set Friday night. Click here to view the full slideshow.

The wet weekend streak continues. Not that we don't enjoy the cooler temperatures, but we can't exactly drink our economic sorrows away at the city's many outdoor lounges when the skies open up. The dry season will be here soon though and with it comes brown lawns and tougher water restrictions -- can't wait! But here is what you missed during this past (hopefully final) wet weekend:

Yelle at Polish American Club

From MySpace to international superstardom, Yelle hasn't had problem finding fans outside of the Francophone nations. We aren't sure if it's the catchy synth beats or the adorable nature of frontwoman Julie Budet, but what is clear is that they managed to pack the Polish American Club with more hipsters than we had seen in a while. Click here to read our full review.

Needless to say this weekend we were sun deprived. Continuous overcast and light rainfall plagued South Florida keeping us wanting to stay indoors . Still, plenty events went on as planned despite the rainy weekend, so here are some of things you missed over the weekend:

Fashion Week Miami Beach

The Magic City flexed its fashion muscles with Funkshion's Fashion Week Miami Beach. The event feature runway shows by Vanidades, Bejeweled Swimwear, Go Red For Women campaign, Kurru Kurru, Ever After, Dragana Ognjenovic and Richie Rich -- just to name a few.

Behold! The fall season is upon us. The drop in humidity and cooler temperatures marks the return of life to the Magic City. We are no longer bound to our air-conditioned sanctuaries. We can once again relish the reason we all decided to live here in the first place: the weather. We'll take a wet and gloomy weekend over 100 percent humidity with increased chance of hurricanes any day.

Ocean Drive Fall Fashion Week

Ocean Drive magazine held its fall fashion week with events scattered around town. Must be the fashion ads that are keeping it thick these days, because it can't be luxury condos. So what's the secret Ocean Drive? Check out the multiple slideshows here, here, here and here.

In case you didn't hear, a short piece of Miami's history was imploded this weekend. Yes, the ill-planned Miami Arena, which spent most of its time empty than serving its actual purpose as an sports and entertainment venue, has been destroyed to make way for -- er, well what exactly we don't know. But seeing how the City of Miami proper lacks so many of the basic elements that make up most metropolitan cities -- a mall, movie theater, large urban park, bookstore or Best Buy -- we are sure they'll find something to do with it. Just please, no more condos.

Fito Paez at Knight Concert Hall

Argentine rock legend Fito Paez performed at the Knight Concert Hall at the Arsht Center for the Performing Arts for a rare U.S. appearance. Plenty of Latin America's music stars also joined him on stage to mixed results. Check out our full review here.