In Gossip We Trust

Similar to the phony-baloney Ryan Phillippe post-divorce Miami madness last week, the Brit hunt was a barrel of BS.

By Jon Warech

South Beach was rumor central last week after word spread that Her Royal Trashesty, Britney Spears, was heading to Miami to record a few tracks for her new album. This of course came just after she dumped her babies’ daddy, Kevin Federline, via the extremely personal text message, thus making Brit the star de jour. The town was abuzz with Britney chatter. Clubs were paying top dollar for her to show up, the Loews had a trap door set up for Britney to tunnel through the air conditioning ducts to her suite, and Scott Storch had an underwater studio built just for Spears’ one session and a lifetime of weed smoking. For real though, it was pretty insane (especially the number of news outlets that reported her trip to Miami as fact) and after all that, bitch wasn’t even in town. Similar to the phony-baloney Ryan Phillippe post-divorce Miami madness last week, the Brit hunt was just a barrel of BS and we were the suckers, y’all. Stay tuned for round two, this week, when the rumors will undoubtedly continue.

MANIC MONDAY

It was a pretty good crowd for a Saturday, as Billy Joel might sing, but for a Monday it was insanity. Ocean Drive packed The Forge for its November issue release party, which starred cover guy Sean “Don’t Call Me Puffy” Combs. Folks forgot about work and downed complimentary Trump Vodka (that’s right, the Donald’s making booze now) and danced to the sounds provided by DJ Irie. Diddy arrived just after midnight and planted himself in a VIP area with Ocean Drivers like Jerry (left) and Sandi Powers, Lana Bernstein, Rich Santelises and Melissa Katz. Also in the house: Kenyon Martin of the Denver Nuggets. Meanwhile over at Mokai, actor Wilmer Valderrama celebrated the premiere of his new film Fast Food Nation with a group of friends at what was a very, very well-kept secret of a party. Wilmer schmoozed with pals before heading to the “Secret Society” party at B.E.D., where rapper Pitbull and former Marlins teammates Juan Pierre and Dontrelle Willis were also celebrating Monday. At around 3:30 a.m. even Diddy showed up to party because Mondays on South Beach, B.E.D. is still king.

Photo by Brian Tamborello
VELVET ROPES AT MUSIC FESTIVAL

Music junkies headed to Bicentennial Park downtown on Saturday for the Bang Music Festival. Although the lineup was a tad suspect, the show offered up a cool alternative to the grimy, general admission feet-in-the-dirt environment. Nightlife impresario (whatever that means) Michael Capponi hosted a VIP section where folks could groove to Modest Mouse (right) and Gnarls Barkley in style. After the show, spin-stars Tiesto and Roger Sanchez hit Capponi’s party at Mansion and relaxed alongside club owners Eric and Francis Milon.

HOT LOCALS CELEBRATE HOTNESS

At two separate parties around town locals were honored for their hotness. At Epic on Wednesday night, Avenue magazine celebrated “Miami’s Most Stylish” over hors d’oeuvres and cocktails, while Ocean Drive kissed the chefs who are muy caliente with a taste and toast soiree on the rooftop at the Sanctuary Hotel last Tuesday night. Racer Helio Castroneves headlined the list of “stylish” attendees at Epic, while chefs Michelle Bernstein of Michy’s, Alberto Cabrera of Karu and Y, Nicola and Fabrizio Carro of Quattro, Scott Downs of Trina, Jean-Pierre Leverrier of Chez Jean-Pierre, Govind Armstrong of Table 8 and Johnny Vinczencz of Johnny V South Beach rounded out the OD list. The party, hosted by Suzy Buckley, also introduced Ola’s new location inside the Sanctuary Hotel.

IF THE SHOE FITS

Twentysomething fashion innovator and shoeaholic Morgan Miller wanted those with an eye for footwear to walk in style, so she recently opened her first store here on South Beach where shoppers can design their own shoes. At Morgan Miller, the store, you can mix and match your sole of choice with more than 100 swatches of imported leathers and exotic skins and a number of shoe accessories to walk away in your custom-made and fitted pair of kicks prepared in less than 30 minutes while you sip champagne. Final designs, priced from $150 to $500, are presented on Tiffany & Co. silver platters and everyone walks away happy. An official, private grand opening is set for later this month, but in the meantime you can swing by and check out the goods at Morgan Miller, located just off Lincoln Road at 1634 Euclid Ave.

UPCOMING…

The Wedding Salon — a luxury wedding showcase for brides, grooms and other people in the wedding industry — hits the Biltmore Hotel on Monday, Nov. 20. Aside from endless displays of decadent décor, cakes, gowns, tuxedos, fine jewels, fabulous flowers, exotic honeymoons and beauty ideas, future brides (and the future husbands who get dragged there) can chat with Tiffany Richardson of America’s Next Top Model, who will be on hand to look hot in wedding attire.
SPOTTED…

• Keith Sweat and Jacki-O taking the stage at the “Miami Live” party at Santo on Wednesday night.

• C.C. Deville of Poison and Simon Lebon of Duran Duran partying like rock stars at Snatch on Friday night.

• Celebrilite Brody Jenner dancing among a flock of women on stage at Mansion on Friday night and at Privé on Saturday night.

• Queer Eye for the Straight Guy’s Jai Rodriguez, at The Fifth on Saturday night filming an episode of new show Stylize at a C. Madeleine fashion show.

• Sharon Stone dining at The Forge on Saturday night.

• Star Jones and Al Reynolds canoodling in the private room at Suite on Saturday night.

• Karl Lagerfeld enjoying a Vita salad and Branzino grilled veggies at Vita before heading to Mynt to check famed photographer Patrick DeMarchelier’s new photo and video installation on Saturday night.

Got the 411? Send comments, questions and news items to Jon@miamisunpost.com.