4th of July celebrations in Miami

The 4^th of July is just around the corner.  Have you figured out what you’ll be doing on our nation’s birthday? Independence Day is synonymous with goof friends, food, fun and of course, fireworks and Miami has no shortage of events to help residents and visitors alike celebrate this most important holiday. This year there are 5 different options in Miami to choose from. In order to help you decide what you how and where you will be celebrating, I have decided to post all of the different 4^th of July celebrations that are slated to take place in Miami.

So, if you haven’t decided what you are going to be doing yet, I invite you to take a look at all of the different happenings on the 4^th.

July 4^th Celebration at Miami Shores Country Club

Starting at 9 p.m. on July 4^th, there will be an awesome fireworks display at the Miami Shores Country Club. For more information please call (305) 795-2360

Address:

10000 Biscayne Boulevard

Miami Shores, FL 33138

America’s Birthday Bash

Bring the whole family to help celebrate America’s 233^rd birthday with a free concert, food, drinks and children’s activities. The day ends with a breathtaking fireworks show. No coolers, cans/bottles or fireworks allowed. For more information, please contact (305) 358-7550.

Address:

Bayfront Park

301 North Biscayne Boulevard

Miami, Florida 33132

Concert & Fireworks

This 4^th of July celebration features a car show, entertainment, food, music and rides. There will be a fireworks display at 9 p.m. for more details, please call (305) 224-4570.

Address:

Homestead Sports Complex

1601 Southeast 28^th Avenue

Homestead, Florida 33035

Miami Beach July 4^th Celebration

This annual 4^th of July celebration promises to be bigger than ever. There will be a swearing-in ceremony for new American citizens at 7:30 p.m., after which, there will be an astounding fireworks display.

Address:

Miami Beach

8^th Street and Ocean Drive

Miami Beach, Florida 33139

FIU July 4^th Celebration

Florida International University will be hosting a 4^th of July celebration that is ideal for the entire family. Starting at 6 p.m., there will be fun, games and prizes with Radio Disney. The North Miami Community Concert Band and local rock/pop performers will be providing musical entertainment. There will be food that those attending can purchase and the night ends with a stunning fireworks show at 9 p.m.

Address:

Florida International University

Biscayne Bay Campus

3000 Northeast 151^st Street

North Miami, Florida 33125

Regardless of whether you will be attending one of these events or just barbecuing with family and friends, I would like to wish you all a safe and happy 4^th of July!

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Hats Off to Vizcaya – Vizcaya Preservation Luncheon

The first  Vizcaya Preservation Luncheon hosted by Vizcayans and Salvator Ferragamo, turned out to be  quite a success.   It was modeled in the tradition of the fashionable daytime events that were held in the Italianate gardens of the Vizcaya Museum during its early years.  Patterned after the Central Park Conservancy Luncheon, the theme was “hats” and more than 300 of Miami’s most notable residents turned out donning their most fashionable hats.  Many of the guests chose styles by Salvator Ferragamo in support of his sponsoring this event. 

The Luncheon included champagne toasts and a fashion show featuring Salvator Ferragamo’s Spring 2009 Collection. 

If you are not familiar with the Vizcayan’s, they are a non-profit corporation chartered in Florida whose aim is to raise funds and awareness to help with the maintenance of Villa Vizcaya and gardens.  All of the funds collected by Vizcayan’s are raised through books and calendar sales, fundraising parties, membership fees and social and cultural events.  If you are interested in joining Vizcayan’s or finding out more about Vizcayan’s and their mission help maintain and restore this cultural landmark, please visit their website at  http://www.vizcayans.org/

I‘d like to congratulate my best friend Norma Quintero on having coordinated this very successful event.  Norma is the founder, Chairperson and President of the Vizcayan’s.  I would also like to thank everyone who turned out to support Vizcayan’s and make this first Vizcaya Preservation Luncheon a success. 

 

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Miami Children’s Hospital New “Queen of Hearts”

Miami Children’s Hospital Auxiliary Committee’s 42nd annual Queen of Hearts luncheon crowns its new Queen of Hearts Swanee DiMare.  As one of the current queens along with Nicole Lozano and Norma Quintero, I had the pleasure of crowning the new queen.  To view more information about this great even check out www.SocialAffairs.com

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Wonderful evening of cocktails and diamonds…

Marisa Cisneros-Rizzon and Marcos Rizzon opened the doors to their Coral Gables home and hosted “The Graff Collection”.  A great turnout and benifit for the Miami arts.  The collection is available at Saks Fifth Avenue Dadeland, go to www.SocialAffairs.com for more information.

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The 52nd Preservation Ball at Vizcaya

“The Preservation Ball” another dazzling ball Jon and I attended for a great cause on the exquisite grounds of Vizcaya, benefiting the protection, preservation and restoration of historic landmarks and buildings.  See more pictures of this great gala at www.SocailAffairs.com

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South Beach Wine and Food Festival

The eighth annual Food Network South Beach Wine and Food Festival presented by Food&Wine is almost upon us. For those who have never heard of this annual wine and food festival, it is a great chance to sample some of the finest wines and foods from nationally and internationally renowned vintners, spirits makers, culinary masters and chefs. It is also a wonderful opportunity to meet local and international artists and chefs as well as some of your neighbors. The Food Network South Beach Wine & Food Festival is hosted by Florida International University and Southern Wine & Spirits of Florida.

Events featured in this year’s wine and food festival range from brunches and formal dinners to wine tastings, wine pairings and wine seminars. There will be a beach soiree, culinary and lifestyle seminars, a casino night with Paula Deen, cocktails, luxurious after parties and vini-viticultural competitions featuring the best wines from around the globe.

Proceeds from this event will benefit the Teaching Restaurant and the Southern Wine and Spirits Beverage Management Center at Florida International University. The festival begins on February 19 and runs through February 22.

Below, you will find a list of all the events that will be taking place at this year’s installation of the Food Network South Beach Wine and Food Festival. Click on any of the events below to find out more information about the different events including time, date, location, cost, participating chefs and vintners and sponsors.

If you have never experience the excitement the Food Network South Beach Wine and Food Festival, I recommend you make some time for this upscale food and wine extravaganza. This is a great opportunity for the whole family to spend some time together sampling new flavors from around the world. See you there!

 Harrah’s Casino Night hosted by Paula Deen
 Passage to India hosted by Madhur Jaffrey
 Sushi & Wine Pairing Seminar hosted by Alpana Singh and Thomas Buckley
 Screaming Eagle: A Look at One Oakville Terroir
 South Beach Diet presents Fun and Fit as a Family featuring Kellogg’s Kidz Kitchen (Saturday)
 Modern Luxury After Party hosted by Tyler Florence
 Vega Sicilia Wine Seminar
 Dolce Brunch presented by Tiffany & Co. hosted by Katie Lee Joel
 Wolfsonian-FIU Mouton Rothschild Dinner
 Wine Spectator Wine Seminar Series “A”
 Wine Spectator Wine Seminar Series “B”
 Wine Spectator Wine Seminar Series “C”
 Patrón South Beach Soirée
 Fontainebleau Miami Beach presents Wine Spectator’s “Best of the Best” sponsored by Bank of America
 Barilla Interactive Cooking Lunch hosted by Guy Fier
 Perrier-Jouët BubbleQ hosted by Tom Colicchio & Friends
 Vega Sicilia Wine Seminar
 Oscar Night® America Sobe Style hosted by Bobby Flay and Stephanie March, benefiting the Miami Beach Film Society and Cinematheque
 Dive into Godiva: Chocolate and Wine Pairing hosted by Josh Wesson
 Whole Foods Market Grand Tasting Village (Culinary and Lifestyle Seminars and American Express Grand Tasting)
 Marqués de Murrieta Castillo Ygay Gran Reserva Especial Vertical Tasting
 Latin Libations hosted by Tony Abou-Ganim

Please visit http://www.sobefest.com to see a complete list of all the events that will be taking place at this year’s Food Network South Beach Wine and Food Festival.

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Help Big Mama help the little ones

I was just reading some article at WSVN.com when I ran across an interesting piece about Big Mama.  Essie Reed, or Big Mama as she is known in her community, is a sort of Santa Claus for those who otherwise would not receive any gifts on Christmas Day.  She is the founder of the Team of Life Organization, a Fort Lauderdale volunteer organization that works with less fortunate children.

According to this article entitled, “Big Mama gives back to the community this holiday season” Big Mama is about 1,300 toys short of her goal of 25,000 toys to give to needy children this Christmas.  This article impressed me and made me look for more information about his caring woman and her wonderful organization.  Just imagine the looks of joy on the faces of 25,000 babies, toddlers, children and teens when they receive Christmas presents they would not otherwise have gotten

Many of us do not know what it is like to wake up on Christmas morning and not have any gifts to open.  All I can do is imagine what that must be like for a child.  I have the utmost respect for someone who puts others before themselves, especially when those others are children and would like to help Big Mama spread her message of hope to more people in south Florida.

If you would like to find out more about Big Mama’s team of life, I suggest you visit her website at http://www.bigmamahelp.com/.  There you can find more information about Essie Reed, what she does, the awards she has won and how you can help her help needy children.  You can also contact Team of Life at (954) 584-1400 for more information on how you can help.  If you would like to see a video of Big Mama, please click here.

I know how difficult it is to find the time to head an organization that helps others and because I know, I would like to take my hat off to Essie Reed for her untiring efforts to help brighten children’s lives not just at Christmas time, but all year round.  Congratulations Big Mama, you are a true role model.

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6300 SW 75 AV – Contemporary Home

6300 SW 75 AV – Miami

$799,000 

Additional Images | Map | Virtual Tour | Contact Me

It’s a perfect time to get ready to move into this two-story 2843 sq. foot contemporary home—just in time for the holidays. Reach the pristine acre down its long private driveway of tall pine trees. Enter through the impact glass door that reveals the contemporary Italian beech staircase.

Your family will be the envy of the neighborhood when you decorate the tallest tree you can find for the beautiful soaring 20 foot cathedral ceiling living room. Gather family and friends around the fireplace for a northern feel to the season…

The kitchen’s center aisle is a great place for fixing fruit smoothies for the kids, pina coladas or egg nog for the older crowd. The totally upgraded kitchen sparkles with beautiful granite countertops and stainless steel appliances where you can cook the evening meal, while the kids do their homework.

The house once featured in the Miami Herald Home and Design section has been totally renovated with separate jetted shower and Jacuzzi in the master bath, vessel sinks and floating vanities with the contemporary look of Kohler appliances in the other bathrooms. The second floor laundry chute takes away the need to lug baskets of dirty clothes down the stairs just throw them in the chute.

The secluded backyard is a wonderful place for parties, to host a quince, a wedding, or a child’s birthday party with plenty of room for pony rides. Build a gazebo or tiki hut for relaxing private evenings where you can enjoy Florida’s beautiful weather.

This home was designed by a local architect for his family with custom windows that allow the beauty of natural lighting to make this home warm and comfortable.

All this and you are just minutes from Dadeland, Metrorail, South Miami and Baptist Hospital and the University of Miami. Your kids can walk to school with St. Thomas Church just a block away and private and public schools just a few minutes away.

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Habitat for Humanity and the Batchelor Foundation

      

Since 2004, the Batchelor Foundation has been working with Habitat for Humanity to help build affordable housing and build futures for South Florida families.  And, not just through subsidizing the construction of homes for Habitat for Humanity.  John Batchelor and son, Jon Jr, are known to don work clothing and safety gear and pitch in their labor to help reduce the overall cost of these homes.  In all the Batchelor Foundation has helped Habitat for Humanity build six houses since joining forces with the organization in 2004.  These homes were built in lower income communities such as Little Haiti and the Liberty City community of Scott-Carver.  For the Batchelor Foundation, it is not about recognition, according to Nancy Batchelor, “we really don’t want recognition for it; we want to bring attention to the organization (Habitat for Humanity) and inspire others to get involved”.

Though many people think Habitat for humanity is in the business of building and giving away homes, it is not that simple.  Actually after an owner’s house has been built, the owner must then pay for the cost of the rebuilding.  Habitat for Humanity secures a loan for the owner at zero percent interest and at zero profit for Habitat for Humanity then sells the home to the owner at less than cost, usually about $105,000.  The mortgage is based on the income level of the homeowner. 

If you would like to know more about the Batchelor Foundation’s work with Habitat for Humanity, please click to read the full article in Social Affairs Magazine.

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