Eyes on Miami: Snoop Dogg, Shane Battier, Katharine McPhee, and Others

It's not easy having eyes all over the scene, being around to take in all the wild visuals at all the worthwhile places in the city. There are, however, those parties and gallery openings where a fortunate photographer can point and shoot. Every week, in collaboration with WorldRedEye, New Times brings you a solid recap of all the recent experiences you may have missed around Miami. It's impossible to be everywhere, but hey, we can try to keep our Eyes on Miami.


September 21

Miami Children’s Museum Be a Kid Again Gala Kickoff: Miami Children’s Museum kicked off its gala season with an event hosted by Terra’s 87 Park, with hors d’oeuvres, champagne, and the reveal of its 2017 gala theme: Le Grand Carnaval. On Saturday, March 11, 2017, the museum will celebrate its annual Be a Kid Again Gala: Le Grand Carnaval at Soho Studios in Wynwood. The museum’s galas are always sell-out events hosting 750 guests and are considered by many to be among the most playful gatherings of the South Florida social season. This year, guests will be transported to a vintage fete via live entertainment, an auction, and a unique culinary experience. The event will honor museum chairman Jeff Berkowitz and is chaired by David and Christy Martin, along with Michael Comras and Daniela Swaebe. All funds raised for the event will directly support the museum’s educational programs.

September 22

Trick Daddy and Flo Rida at Traffic Jam Thursdays at Wall: Wall was packed with Miami’s beautiful people, who spent their Thursday night raging alongside Trick Daddy and Flo Rida.

Missoni Baia and Biscayne Neighborhoods Association Hosts “Great Expectations for East Edgewater”: The Biscayne Neighborhoods Association hosted an exclusive cocktail event in the Missoni Baia sales center to highlight the transformative initiatives happening in the Edgewater neighborhood. Jeremy Gauger, vice president at Arquitectonica, gave a presentation on the Bayline, a proposed walking path on the bayfront connecting downtown Miami to the Julia Tuttle Causeway. City of Miami Commissioners Ken Russell and Francis Suarez joined members of the East Edgewater community to speak about the area’s elevated profile and to celebrate the growing neighborhood.

Robb Report and Douglas Elliman Present an Evening of Building Luxury at the Miami Beach Edition:  Robb Report and Douglas Elliman hosted an evening at the Miami Beach Edition to showcase Penthouse 1404 to a handpicked group of invited guests. Attendees were exclusively selected based on their contributions to the Miami luxury market and their individual history and expertise in building brands. Host Lee Schrager, along with Robb Report and publisher David Arnold, shared their career experiences working in the luxury space and also introduced Douglas Elliman, Florida CEO Jay Parker, and director of luxury sales Darin Tansey as leaders in the industry. While acknowledging Douglas Elliman as a key contributor to the flourishing Miami real-estate market, Schrager also highlighted superstar publicist Tara Solomon for her accomplishments and contributions. The Matador Room curated the menu for attendees to enjoy while they networked with friends and peers and watched the breathtaking sunset from waterfront decks and balconies.

The Battier Take Charge Foundation Presents the Fifth-Annual Battioke Celebration at Ball & Chain: Shane and Heidi Battier once again hosted an epic Battioke at Miami’s acclaimed Ball & Chain. The karaoke-themed charity event brought together some of South Florida’s finest, including Pat Riley, Larry Johnson, Carlos Boozer, Jay Williams, Bryant McKinnie, and Erik Spoelstra. The event raised money and awareness for the Battier Take Charge Foundation, a nonprofit organization established by Shane and his wife Heidi to fund college scholarships for underprivileged youth. The foundation’s Battioke events have raised more than $800,000 in the past five years, and the foundation has been able to award college scholarships to more than 24 young people through Big Brothers Miami, Kipp Academy in Houston, and Horizon Upward Bound in Detroit from funds raised through these events. Seven proud students who have been granted scholarships through the foundation have already successfully graduated. Notable karaoke performances at the fifth-annual Battioke included Erik Spoelstra and wife Nikki’s rendition of Grease hit “You’re the One That I Want” and Shane Battier and courtside reporter Jason Jackson’s performance of “(I’ve Had) the Time of My Life.” What really stole the show, though, was the group performance of Bruce Springsteen’s “The Rising” by Pat Riley, Andy Elisburg, and Shane Battier, who donned a pink dress for the rest of the evening.

September 23

#FDRonSaturdays: The cocktails were flowing from the bar, and FDR partiers were feeling the beats at #FDRonSaturdays.

Diplo at Story: You know it’s an epic night when Diplo is at the decks, and Story on Friday was no exception as he commanded the decks and had everyone going wild.

Ocean Drive Magazine Celebrates September Issue With Cover Star Katharine McPhee at the Confidante: Ocean Drive magazine editor-in-chief Jared Shapiro and publisher, Courtland Lantaff joined Hollywood songstress, Scorpion’s leading lady, and the magazine’s September Fall Fashion Issue cover star, Katharine McPhee, at the Confidante Miami Beach Hotel. McPhee stepped out in a white Zac Posen dress and delighted the invitation-only audience with ballads in celebration of her Ocean Drive cover. Guests enjoyed specialty cocktails by Svedka vodka and wines by Kim Crawford. Inside the issue, McPhee opens up about achieving her Hollywood dreams after American Idol, life after divorce, what she looks for in a man, and much more.

September 24

E11even Saturdays: E11even proved to be the place to be Saturday night when Ashley Wallbridge spun and partygoers danced until the budding hours of Sunday morning.

Q&A Special Olympics Annual Sponsor an Athlete 2016 Awards Dinner at JW Marriott Marquis: The Special Olympics of Miami-Dade County held its fourth-annual Sponsor an Athlete Awards Gala, presented by MassMutual Miami at the JW Marriott Marquis. The event was cohosted by three-time Emmy Award-winning WPLG news anchor Laurie Jennings and Miami Heat courtside reporter Jason Jackson. The Sponsor an Athlete Awards Gala celebrates Eunice Kennedy Shriver Day by providing an opportunity for Special Olympics Florida/Miami-Dade County to recognize its most deserving athletes, coaches, volunteers, and community partners in Miami-Dade County while raising awareness and funds for their county program that serves more than 5,400 children and adults with intellectual disabilities. Upon arrival, guests were greeted by live entertainment courtesy of the University of Miami’s Frost School of Music. Award presenters for the evening included Elle Macpherson, Mark Strickland, Vincent De Paul, Dr. Pascal Goldschmidt, and Rocky Johnson.

September 25
Snoop Dogg, Trick Daddy, and Scottie Pippen at LIV on Sunday: Hip-hop legend Snoop Dogg turned up to LIV on Sunday's packed club for an epic night celebrating the birthdays of Trick Daddy and Scottie Pippen.

World Class Bartender of the Year Ice Breaker Challenge at the Broken Shaker: Fifty-six bartenders gathered from across the globe to compete in the 2016 World Class Bartender of the Year Challenge. To kick things off, the bartenders had a bit of fun with an unofficial Ketel One bloody mary challenge in which actor William Levy guest-judged. Making its debut in the States, the Diageo World Class Global Bartender of the Year is now in its eighth year and is the most respected bartender competition in the world, focusing on education, the elevation of the craft of cocktail-making, and the hospitality behind the bar that creates unforgettable experiences.

YoungArts Celebrates YoungArts Awareness Day With "MouthWater" Exhibition Opening: The National YoungArts Foundation kicked off its 2017 season with the third-annual YoungArts Awareness Day campaign, which promotes the arts as a viable and rewarding career path, celebrates the outstanding achievements of YoungArts alumni, and encourages emerging artists to apply to the organization’s 2017 program. This year’s festivities included "MouthWater," a special exhibition curated by renowned sculptor and YoungArts master teacher Robert Chambers, featuring work by an extraordinary cross section of visual arts, design, and photography alumni. Participants include established artists Naomi Fisher (1994 winner in Visual Arts) and Lee Heinemann (2011 winner in Visual Arts and U.S. Presidential Scholar in the Arts), as well as recent YoungArts winners and emerging talent like Sebastian Ruiz (2014 winner in Visual Arts), Mikayla Brown (2015 winner in Visual Arts), and Nadia Wolff (2016 winner in Design, Visual Arts, and a U.S. Presidential Scholar in the Arts), among others. On view in the campus gallery through November 21, the exhibition offers the public a unique opportunity to experience longstanding artistic practices alongside a new wave of creative expression and highlights YoungArts’ role as a platform for dynamic dialogue among artists across generations.