Miami Beats and Sazon

On Thursday, January 27th, ten of South Florida's most philanthropic residents were honored with a Humanitarian Award during the official kick-off party for the 13th annual Miami Beach International Fashion Week (MBIFW). The poolside event took place at the beautiful Mondrian South Beach where guests sipped on champagne, glanced through a silent auction and enjoyed a variety of hors d'oeuvres. Sponsored by Tiffany & Co , the event benefited the Miami Fashion Week Foundation , a nonprofit organization that provides scholarships to the winners of the Miami Beach International Fashion Week competitions . Throughout the year, the foundation hosts a variety of events to help raise funds for the emerging designers and students studying fashion design, jewelry making, photography and graphic arts. Beth Sobol , President & Founder of MBIFW, is pictured above along with event sponsors Oslan Osovio ( Televisa ) and Pamela Cordova ( Copa Airlines ). After a fabulous night of

Sazoneros : Want to know a secret? When I was in high school, I always dreamed of becoming a famous singer. That obviously didn't work out BUT I definitely made great friends along the way. Will Rodriguez is one of those wonderful friends (pictured on the left) I met during my time at South Miami High's music program. Today, he faces one of the biggest challenges of his life. Will was recently diagnosed with Stage 4 Lymphoma and he is currently undergoing Chemo Therapy. The good news is that he has an incredible spirit and he is fighting this disease with full force. The bad news? Will doesn't have medical insurance. Therefore, I hope I can inspire my readers to come out and support the "Fight for Will" Campaign . On Thursday, January 27th, please join us for the first "Fight for Will" Happy Hour (beginning at 5:30 p.m.) at Tarpon Bend in Coral Gables (65 Miracle Mile). Spread the word and invite your friends as we gather to collect donations for thi

Over the weekend, I had the pleasure of visiting the girls from Tracy Mourning's Honey Shine Mentoring Program over at Carrollton School of the Sacred Heart in Coconut Grove [pictured below/ photo by Jo Winstead]. Founded in 2002, the Honey Shine Mentoring Program provides positive experiences that nurture the mind, body and soul of young women in at-risk situations by improving their self-esteem and creating balance in their young lives. If this sounds like an organization that captivates your passion, then here's an upcoming event for you. On Thursday, January 20th, Mayfair Center, Event Visions and Grove Retrospective Gallery invite you to attend a "Young Professionals Networking Happy Hour" from 6 to 8 p.m. This is a special event for young professionals in our community who want to learn about Honey Shine and find ways to make a difference in the lives of these young honey bugs . Throughout the evening, guests will enjoy cocktails and light bites provid