Virgin Atlantic celebrates 25 years in Miami with Sir Richard Branson and model Karolina Kurkova

Sir Richard Branson with Karolina Kurkova
MANNY HERNANDEZ PHOTO

Virgin Atlantic celebrate a milestone this week with being in our city for the last 25 years. Some interesting facts we didn't know about Virgin Atlantic: since 1986, the airline has flown a total of 67 million miles to and from Miami to London, has served clientele with over five million of their signature meals and ice cream and passengers have enjoyed 165,000 bottles of champagne, which equates to 990,000 glasses served.

During the 2 day celebration, with a welcome reception at Miami International Airport, VIP dinner at The Villa by Barton G., Miami Vice themed press conference at the Mondrian and charity event at the Raleigh hotel, Sir Richard Branson knows how to do it right.

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Miami's most wanted high society crowd at Miami Beach Polo Championships

John Walsh
MANNY HERNANDEZ PHOTO

As Palm Beach Polo at Wellington closed its season last weekend, Miami Beach Polo on the sand took place on Easter weekend. ACT productions runned by Bruce Orosz, produced its signature event at the 21 st. beach, celebrating its 7th year.

This year sponsors included Mercedes-Benz, AMG, and Nespresso, among others. Guest included America's Most Wanted host John Walsh, Complot magazine publishers' Leonardo Davalos and Pedro Maal, designer Laura Buccellati, Joey from Deco Cigars, Basketball Wive's star Evelyn Lozada, singer Fabian Hernandez, Social Miami.com publisher Aaron Glickman, Plum's Amaris Jones, artist Alejandro Vigilante, polo stars Paula Chermont and Lance Vetter and Megan Walsh, who showcased her designs at a fashion show.

ACT production is also co-producing next weekend's Miami Beach World Beach Soccer championship and Chicago Polo at North Beach in the windy city in September.

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Vanessa Williams at The Villa by Barton G.

MANNY HERNANDEZ PHOTO

Last night the Kid's Hear Now Foundation celebrated it's annual gala at The Villa by Barton G. on South Beach.

The lovely star from Ugly Betty and Desperate Housewives, Vanessa Williams performed for donors and guest, which included Lisa Petrillo, Stephanie Sayfie Aagard, SocialMiami.com's Melanie Cohen and Aaron Glickman, and TV judge from The People's Court, Marilyn Milian.

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Songwriter's rejoice at ASCAP LATIN awards at Ritz-Carlton South Beach

MANNY HERNANDEZ PHOTO

Latin songwriter's from the biggest hits of the year attended the 19th annual ASCAP Latin awards held at the Ritz-Carlton on South Beach.

One of the night's biggest winners was Miami resident Alejandro Sanz, who came with his lovely girlfriend Raquel Perreira. Sanz was presented with this year's Latin Heretage Award for his many philantropic contributions as well as an ASCAP award for his hit song along with Alicia Keys, Looking for Paradise.

Other big winners included Jencarlos Canela, music producer Rudy Perez and Songwriter of the Year, Tito El Bambino.

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MIIKE SNOW DJ's at Mokai on South Beach

IPHONE COVERAGE

We have to say we weren't to crazy about the idea of MOKAI, but it was Swedish indie band MIIKE SNOW. We loved the band so much at this year's Coachella we figured we would enjoy just as much. Fact is, it was a DJ Set...Not crazy about that!!!

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Courtney Love brings her show to the Fillmore

MANNY HERNANDEZ PHOTO

Courtney Love and a rejuvenated band Hole performed at the Fillmore last night, promoting the band's most recent "Nobody's Daughter" release.

The refreshed looking Courtney Love spent two days at the Raleigh hotel and had an after concert dinner at Michael's Genuine in the Design District before continuing her tour in Orlando.

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LAST NIGHT: 50 Cent performs at the Fillmore

MANNY HERNANDEZ PHOTO

50 Cent performed with his G-Unit crew Tony Yayo and Lloyd Banks at the Fillmore theater as part of his 19 city, The Invitation Tour.

50 Cent has been in the news lately for the 50 pounds he lost in a diet for an upcoming movie (Things Fall Apart) role of cancer stricken football player.

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Wolfsonian Museum is FREE this Friday: Everyone is on the V.I.P. List

The FIU Wolfsonian museum is opened free to the public this friday as part of FREE FRIDAYS AT THE WOLF promotion.
ALSO THIS FRIDAY: FREE TO SING OUT LOUD
Raise your voices and sing along with entertainer, songwriter, and music historian Rod MacDonald, in an evening of songs of protest and freedom. This vocal tour of American music travels our historic path of exercising our right to protest social injustice, unjust war, and the trampling of civil rights here and abroad.
Located on Miami Beach at 1001 Washington Ave. 6-9 p.m.
Visit online: FIU Wolfsonian museum. MAP LOCATION

“If you don’t know Patrick McMullan, you ought to get out more!” –Andy Warhol

THE RITZ-CARLTON, SOUTH BEACH AND OCEAN DRIVE MAGAZINE HOST Glamour Girls
The Most Glamorous Women Of Our Day As Depicted by Legendary Lensman Patrick McMullan

The Ritz-Carlton, South Beach, Ocean Drive magazine and socialites Tinsley Mortimer (Dior Beauty Ambassador) and Dayssi Olarte de Kanavos present Patrick McMullan and the debut of his latest book, Glamour Girls. The Dilido Beach Club, located seaside at The Ritz-Carlton South Beach will bring the pages of Glamour Girls to life at an invitation-only soiree playing to the who’s who of Miami. Fashion’s most evoking and provocative designer cocktails from Roberto Cavalli Vodka will mix up the night and will feature the latest “It” drinks.

Patrick McMullan is the photographer of fabulous events. From dazzling gatherings of Hollywood stars to the sophisticated galas of New York society, he has made an art of capturing beautiful and alluring people at their very best. McMullan’s photographs have an artistry all their own—he is a master at zeroing in on the magnetism of his subjects while also retaining an air of elegant spontaneity.

photo by Manny Hernandez for MHPIXS.com
Patrick McMullan’s latest book, one of the largest collections of his images ever published, focuses on sensational and stunning women—iconic Glamour Girls. GLAMOUR GIRLS (Pmc Publishing, distributed by Abrams, $75.00, hardcover, September) features over 1,000 color photographs spanning Patrick McMullan’s career. Gorgeous, confident women wearing dazzling clothing and jewelry leap from the pages of this spectacular, large-format book. Featured celebrities include: Angelina Jolie, Gwyneth Paltrow, Cate Blanchett, Christy Turlington, Jennifer Aniston, Chloe Sevigny, Jennifer Lopez, Nicole Kidman, Scarlett Johanssen, Penelope Cruz, Uma Thurman, Renee Zellweger, and many others. As Amy Fine Collins writes in the Introduction, “Every decade, every year, every season, it seems a new Glamour Girl emerges, rising like Venus from the foam, out of the movie studios of Hollywood, the designer ateliers of Seventh Avenue, the gilded co-ops of Park Avenue. And Patrick is there, shutter at the ready, registering their arrival.”

The lush, full-color photographs are accompanied by commentary from a range of notables such as Candace Bushnell, Dominick Dunne, Tom Ford, Aileen Mehle, Rex Reed, Jeff Slonim and Liz Smith.

Among guest at the Dilido hotel: Ocean Drive magazine's Glenn Albin and Eric Newill, author Brian Antoni, Neiman Marcus' Katharine Rubino, socialites Alison Zhuk with husband Mark Zhuk, Avenue magazine's Miami editor/furniture designer Daisy Olivera with husband Bernard, Karu&Y's Cesar Sotomayor, and Miami Herald's nightlife/celebrity columnist Lesley Abravanel.