March 2011                                                                                                                                       www.MiamiandBeaches.com

OUT AND ABOUT IN MIAMI

Thank you for your continued support of Miami! The March issue of the monthly Greater Miami Convention & Visitors Bureau Media Relation’s e-newsletter is filled with story leads you can develop,
including exciting news and events.  Enjoy!

MIAMI BEACH SOUNDSCAPE FREE WEEKLY CINEMA SERIES PREMIERES MARCH 16: The Miami Beach Soundscape, a new urban public space has opened in the cultural and civic heart of the city on the southwest corner of 17^th Street and Washington Avenue in front of the New World Center.  The free SoundScape Cinema Series will premiere on Wednesday, March 16 with a screening of “Avatar.” The weekly series will be held at the new Miami Beach SoundScape ExoStage. Movies begin at 8:00 p.m.  The Cinema Series is part of Miami Beach’s “Arts in the Parks” program offering a variety of cultural events s such as concerts, plays, musical performances and other acts that are free and open to the public.  

IN TIME FOR DAYLIGHT SAVINGS, KIMPTON’S EPIC HOTEL IN MIAMI GIVES GROUPS BACK LOST HOUR AND MORE: As clocks are reset to “spring forward” for Daylight Savings Time on March 13, 2011, Kimpton’s EPIC Hotel is re-launching its Power Hour package, helping meeting planners execute more productive meetings, while giving attendees extra time to meet, network and do business. Understanding the need to maximize meeting time to deliver the greatest return for participants, the EPIC Power Hour meetings package includes: One hour early check-in; One hour later check-out; Daily hosted wine hour (5 p.m. - 6 p.m.); and Area 31 Restaurant happy hour.  In addition, planners can choose one of the following: Extend your one-hour cocktail reception, and the second hour of beverages are free or 10 percent off published banquet menu prices.  The EPIC Power Hour meetings package is available April 1 to May 26, 2011 and must be booked by March 31, 2011. For more information, call EPIC sales at 305-424-5226 or to send requests for proposals, contact sales@epichotel.com. Offer is subject to availability and restrictions apply.

MIA’S SEXY NEW WINE BAR: Beaudevin at Miami International Airport (Concourse D) is a swanky new wine bar now open and ready to settle your nerves before that next flight. Follow the kelly-green bottles to this little hideaway where you’ll settle into a couple of white leather chairs at the granite bar and prepare to (almost) forget you’ve just been frisked by TSA. Helping you accomplish this: 30 wines by the glass, mostly American vinos with a few Italian Chiantis and Austrian Rieslings, all dispensed by those high-tech enomatic machines. If you’re hungry, they’ve also got a small-plates menu designed by Todd English (go for the Melon & Prosciutto). And in case you’re wondering, this is an offshoot of a similar airport wine bar in Brussels of the same name, which means “beautiful wine.” For more information call 305-869-1961.

ROSA MEXICANO TO SPICE UP SOUTH BEACH: The upscale Mexican dining destination, Rosa Mexicano is set to open their second South Florida restaurant on February 25, 2011 at Lincoln Road’s chic new Herzog & de Mueron Plaza. With its festive vibe, authentic Mexican cuisine, signature table-side prepared guacamole, regional specialties and innovative cocktails, the restaurant will make a perfect addition to the collection of upscale designer boutiques, restaurants, and cafes that line the west end of the popular outdoor mall. For this exceptional new restaurant, Rosa Mexicano  tapped New York City based Seed Design Studio to create a contemporary, hip, and welcoming restaurant that embraces Mexico’s vibrant cultural diversity. The al fresco patio dining area, seating 92 guests, is pet friendly and offers the perfect perch for dining and people watching on Lincoln Road.  The Rosa Mexicano South Beach culinary journey will be executed by their culinary team overseen by Miami-based corporate chef Christian Plotczyk, regional executive chef David Sloane, and executive chef James Cawley. Instead of an after-work vibe, this spot is more likely to be where you’ll go with a date before catching a movie across the street, or after a day of bike riding on the beach. A DJ will spin until 1am on weekends and you’ll definitely want to head out to the spacious outdoor patio for Sunday brunch to feast on Crab Cakes with Poached Eggs and a trolley cart with do-it-yourself Bloody Marys!

MAYOR CARLOS ALVAREZ TO LAUNCH FREE WIRELESS SERVICE ON MIAMI-DADE TRANSIT:  In an effort to enhance the transit experience Miami-Dade County Mayor Carlos Alvarez, Miami-Dade Transit and Enterprise Technology Services are launching free wireless service on all Metrorail and Metromover cars, and select Metrobus routes.  The countywide launch is an expansion of the Mayor’s Wireless Miami-Dade Initiative, which brought free wireless service to Goulds, Tamiami and Tropical parks. Residents and visitors who use Miami-Dade Transit will be able to access the Internet through their laptops or other mobile devices.  For more information, contact Suzy Trutie at 305-375-1545.

A MIAMI VET OPENS CRAZY-INTIMATE DINING WITH THE DINING ROOM: OLA restaurant owner Brian Lieberman is scaling things way down with The Dining Room, a 12-table, Euro-inspired supper club-ish joint where he will be rotating his best chefs into a small open kitchen surrounded by a high-ceiling’d dining room with a huge chandelier, candlelight galore, and walls lined with Lieberman family heirlooms, like a photo of Brian’s grandma hosting a night at The Fontainebleau and his dad’s old taxi license, but not a Crazy Taxi license, although you can get those in three minutes, and counting down! Classy eatin’ fires up with small plates like Cobia Ceviche w/ yuzu, citrus, red onions, ají limo, and grapefruit sorbet, and serrano-wrapped scallops in foie gras sherry sauce, plus starters like steamed clams w/ roasted grape tomatoes, garlic, ají limo, and royal trumpet mushrooms; and a salad w/ grilled goat cheese, pine nuts, and serrano ham, also what they called Pedro in the dugout while doing that Jobu stuff. The main event features fun like crispy braised pork w/ green mustard, white bean puree & pickled red radish; and hazelnut-herb-crusted rack of lamb w/ confit artichokes, eggplant aioli & beet mojo, basically the one thing Homer didn’t do to his helper monkey, before he had the computer tell people to pray for him.  Because he’s just that awesome, Brian’s blessing dinner guests with “within reason” free beer and wine into March, including Lote 44 Malbec from Argentina and Cali’s Mountain View Chardonnay, although everything looks like a mountain when you’re 1/100th the size of an Oreo, or Rick Moranis. For more information visit www.DiningRoomMiami.com

Calendar of Events:

SOUTH BEACH COMEDY FESTIVAL                         Mar. 2-5                   www.southbeachcomedyfestival.com

MIAMI INTERNATIONAL FASHION WEEK                 Mar. 3-6                   www.miamifashionweek.com

MIAMI INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL                    Mar. 4-13                 www.miamifilmfestival.com

WORLD GOLF CHAMPIONSHIPS – CADILLAC       Mar. 7-13                 www.worldgolfchampionships.com

WINTER MUSIC CONFERENCE                              Mar. 8-12                 www.wintermusicconference.com

WINTER PARTY FESTIVAL                                        Mar. 9-14                 www.winterparty.com

CALLE OCHO FESTIVAL                                        Mar. 13                   www.carnavalmiami.com

JAZZ IN THE GARDENS MUSIC FESTIVAL                 Mar. 19-20               www.jazzinthegardens.com

ARTEAMERICAS THE LATIN AMERICAN ART FAIR Mar. 25-28                  www.artamericas.com

SONY ERICSSON OPEN                                        Mar. 21–Apr. 3        www.sonyericssonopen.com

TO CONTACT US AT: 1-888-766-4264, Media@MiamiandBeaches.com