Music and Art Meet at Club B.E.D.

Cuban American painter, Kiki Valdes, 25, is busy with his brush against a large canvas blurring browns, blues, blacks and greens while hip hop rhythms thump in the background.
This scene is repeated every Monday night at Club B.E.D in South Beach.

Painting live in top notch clubs has become Valdes’ trademark. For the last 11 years, Valdes has painted everywhere from mansion parties, to South Beach celebrity watering holes, to the SoulFrito stage at Calle Ocho (2005) – the world’s largest Cuban American festival that takes place here in Miami.

“I want mass appeal and respect by people who know art,” said Valdes who describes his style as a mix of old Cuba and new Miami. He wants his work to be considered both fine art and commercial.

The buzz about Valdes started to take root when he began to display his art non-conventionally, in South Beach nightclubs. The idea of mixing art and live shows happened when Valdes saw artwork displayed on the walls at nightclubs. At first, he didn’t like the idea. He thought art went unappreciated. “I'm kind of old fashion. I like the gallery,” said Valdes.

He approached his friend, also club promoter, and pitched an idea that was a little different: Paint live to the rhythm of the music. Painting in front of people requires concentration and focus.

"I almost have to paint without thinking. The pressure puts you to work," said Valdes. He confidently painted in front of people and received a bigger response than he had expected.

While painting in clubs amongst the rich and the famous appears to be glamorous, it does have its downside. "Sometimes people disrespect me. They touch me when I'm painting. They jump and say the stupidest things and are obnoxious,” said Valdes.

Once, a drunken man kept randomly touching the artist. The first five times, Valdes tried to ignore the party-goers. But then the guy touched Valdes’ head. Valdes called club security and the man was thrown out. But Valdes says it’s an experience he “asks for.”

For Valdes, painting is his life and with it come pros and cons. He always has paint on his fingers and on his car. Even a friendly hug can get a little messy too. "People think artists love having paint on them. I don't," Valdes said.

And then there’s the idea of having a wife and kids. With so much focused on his passion, he wonders if there will ever be room for a little normalcy. "I have a complex life, but I would choose this over anything," Valdes said.

Valdes has high aspirations for his work.
"I want to see my art in the National Museum of Cuba. I'm an American, but eventually I'll belong in there."
Valdes also wants to be in the Whitney Museum of American Arts. "I don't say I would like to be there. I say, I will be in the Whitney Museum and all the really important museums," said Valdes.

Here's a part of the interview where he talks about the difference of painting live and in his studio:

For more information on Valdes, visit his webpage at: http://www.kikivaldes.com/kikivaldes/

Club B.E.D. is located at:

929 Washington AveMiami Beach, FL 33139

(305) 532-9070

Gemnightlife starting Gabriel Muniz

It is rare to find a vibrant 25-year-old young man with a Bachelors in Health Science, working on earning his MBA all the while running his own business and having fun all at the same time.

This young entrepreneur is Gabriel Muniz, a Puerto Rican native with a passion for the night life. His entrepreneurial experience began when he quit his nine to five day job and decided to take a risk and try to party and get paid for it.

Well it just so happens that it all worked out just like he planned. At twenty-two he got involved with a friend who owned a promotions company named Vipstudent.com. He began by attending meetings to learn about potential clients that wanted the company's expertise in marketing and advertising. They would design flyers, web pages, business cards, e-mails etc. Gabriel would also do promotions for clubs by sending e-mails, passing out flyers, contacting club goers, making calls etc. He later became co-owner of the Vipstudent.com but due to some accounting errors on his partner's part he decided to move on.

Gabriel started a new venture named Gemnightlife.com Inc. Gemnightlife specializes in promotions; such as advertising, marketing, etc. Gabriel maintains the marketing side of many of his clients but one of his main jobs involves promoting for clubs such as Glass at the Forge, La Covacha, Cielo, Space, and Club 66 among others.

His main priority is to get as many people as possible at the club he is promoting on that night. He gets a basic fee plus a rate for every individual that attends the club.He also does major promotions for clubs in Puerto Rico and Las Vegas twice a year.

Gabriel says that this is a beautiful business, because the client, the club goers, as well as he are all happy campers. The reason being is because he gets paid, the club goers get in for free and sometimes drink free, and the client is happy because his club is full of people spending big bucks on liquor and food.

Gabriel says, “Who would refuse to go to an up-scale club with free entrance, free liquor, a good looking crowd, and wonderful music. It’s a win-win approach. I can’t complain.”

He says the only downside is the long nights and weekends. When he first began he enjoyed such perks as free drinks, good-looking women talking to him, and meeting all kinds of interesting people, but as he has gotten older he has gotten tired of the superficial people he has encountered along the years. Especially now that he is no longer a bachelor he must leave clubs early and keep in contact with his “wify” as he refers to his girlfriend.

One wonders how would any girl put up with a guy that goes out to clubs every weekend till the wee hours of the night, meets beautiful women, and to top it off is surrounded by free liquor. Well, as he says the girl you are going out with must understand that it is just a job and their must be compromise on both parts.

“You must put the cards on the table and be honest with your girlfriend (wify),” he says.

He says he does not plan to leave his night job.

As the night progressed and the interview was finalized the aspiring journalists followed him to the club he was promoting that Friday night and got a taste of his night job. As we got a first hand experience we can attest that if we were in his shoes we would also recommend for him not to give his night job up.

Danny DeVito's Limoncello! -- G. Elena Calero

Following the recent triumphant opening of the DeVito Restaurant in South Beach, Danny DeVito came again to Miami for the fashionable South Florida launch of his own lemon-flavores liqueur premium line. DeVito's Premium Limoncello was unveiled Monday, September 17, at the Wine and Spirits store in South Beach. The Limoncello is bottled in a black bottle with a transparent lemon on the front. A 750ml bottle will cost $23.99 and it will be available in selected markets this coming fall. Limoncello is solely produced using lemons from Sorrento, Italy, where they are cultivated and processed in a distillery in the Sorrento peninsula.

The Limoncello liquor has a permanent space in all plates at DeVito Restaurant. Main courses overwhelm the menu with well-prepared meats and inspired sides. Shrimp and Scallops DeVito’s Limoncello is one of the best pasta dishes. Sautéed shrimp and large scallops are tangled in fettuccine. The sauce is a limoncello-butter blend, infused with flavor from mushrooms and julienned bell peppers.

For a roasted garlic-infused classic, there is a serving of traditional Greens and Beans, served as appetizer. If looking for pizza, the Prosciutto Shrimp is among the favorites. Large tiger shrimp are wrapped with thin-sliced prosciutto, grilled and drizzled with herb-infused oil. Roasted red peppers and hot banana peppers are served alongside.

Dishes are artistically put together with modern adaptations of classic Italian recipes. Diners have a chance to get creative with the Create Your Own Pasta feature offered at lunch and dinner time. Choices range from eight pastas, five made-to-order sauces and as many as ten extra accompaniments for the personally designed dish.

Summertime dishes purely prepared and bursting with the fresh flavors of the season are the perfect canvas for a drizzle of fine-quality balsamic vinegar, according to Paolo Laffite, senior executive chef at DeVito Restaurant.

DeVito’s signature dish is the Global Steak Flight. It combines cuts from three regions of the world: Japanese Kobe Beef (one of the most expensive meats), Australian Wagyu Rollatini and American Kobe Flat Iron. The price: $325!!! The high prices and tasteful dishes are complemented with a chic interior design. It has fireplaces, brick walls, Venetian chandeliers and also an outdoor area. Be sure to check out this new hot spot.

LAUNCHING the LIMONCELLO from Danny De Vito





How to make LIMONCELLO:





For more information about his new Limoncello line and his new fashionable restaurant, click http://www.devitosouthbeach.com/

DeVito South Beach
150 Ocean DriveMiami Beach, FL 33139
Dinner reservations 305.531.0911

MYNT LOUNGE

If you want to have a great time, Mynt Lounge is the place to go in South Beach!! The music is always awesome and it is full of good looking people who like to enjoy Miami's nightlife - and the best apple martinis in South Beach. The atmosphere is great and you are almost guaranteed to see a famous or two while you are there.
Mynt has been featured in numerous fashion and lifestyle magazines, and according to management, "Mynt was born as more than just a club but a meeting place, a cool watering hole for the social elite, designed as a quality establishment reminiscent of the roaring '20s."

So, If you're looking for a good time...head on over to Mynt!!!!

For more information: http://www.myntlounge.com/
Address: 1921 Collins Avenue, Miami Beach, FL 33139

Click on this video!

Does Nude Sell More?

By: Mariana Almeida

Nothing in South Beach is extraordinary. People don’t really care what others think about them. It’s a free place, where anything is valid.

Armani Exchange had this very idea in mind when it thought about a marketing technique that stoped the traffic on Collins Avenue last Friday. Live, nearly-nude models launched a new AX underware line.

Guys can see topless girls any time in South Beach. But for girls to see a collection of hot guys in their intimate wear is going to take AX to repeat the showcase. And they will next Saturday, Sep. 15, from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. The store is located at 760 Collins Avenue.

Here’s a video from Bader TV with reactions of costumers.



There is also a video on NBC6. The link is: http://video.nbc6.net/player/?id

Whether the technique works and sells the new AX underware line is unknown. Most of the costumers will probably be more drawn to the live models than the products themselves. What would work, at least for the singles searching for a mate: "Free model of your choice with the purchase of underwear."

South Beach Farmer's Market Solange

Lincoln Road Farmer's Market is a weekly a year round Sunday-only farmers' market featuring fruit, vegetables, fresh-cut flowers, plants and related items such as bread, honey and homemade jams. If you want to experience a European-like shopping day come join us along Lincoln Road between Washington and Lennox Avenues - Miami Beach (Website: www.themarketcompany.org) Beats shopping at Publix, because you can get fresh groceries while enjoying the South Beach music and great weather with your family friends.

SUSHI SAMBA Elena

Want to experience the best night in South Beach? Then come to Sushi Samba on Tuesdays, where you can taste the best sushi in SoBe and the best environment without having to go to the sushi capital: Japan. The Japanese trend of cosplay (a combination of the words costume and play) has brought the world fun and fashion. While you eat you probably will be next to the likes of Gwen Stefani and Christina Aguileara. You, too, can become part of the subculture of trendsetters by dressing up as famous characters from anime, videogames, and movies. Beginning at 11:00 p.m., music will spin while taiko drummers and geisha girls provide entertainment. See you there!

Location:

Dromo SushiSamba

600 Lincoln Road Miami

Miami Beach, FL 33139

Phone: 305- 673-5451

The Wolfsonian -- Mariana

The Wolfsonian is part of Florida International Univerity, but probably most of the university's students have never visited it. The museum located on 1001 Washington Avenue is open to the public. It has more than 70,000 objects from North America and Europe that represents changes that happened in the world after World War II. These changes include cultural, technological and political.
The museum is open to all ages.
For more information, the number is (305)531-1001.

Philly in Miami -- Mariana

Philly in Miami is the one stop in South Beach for sneakers lovers. The store, on the corner of 11th and Collins Avenue, costumizes sneakers (cleats too) and T-shirts. They've had their work featured on Tv shows and most of all on famous player's feet. The artists that design the shoes and shirts do not repeat any costumization. All products coming out of Philly In Miami are exclusive.

But all this exclusiveness has a price, and it's not low.

More can be found on the store's website: http://www.officialphillyinmiami.com/

Pictures of the famous names that wear Philly in Miami can be seen on the store's myspace page: www.myspace.com/philly_in_miami