The American Red Cross presents the Victoria Lopez Castro Spring 2011 Fashion Show

There are plenty of fashionable events taking place in South Florida at this time of the year but this one was quite exciting for me! On Friday, February 25th, I attended the Victoria Lopez Castro [pictured on the right] Spring/ Summer 2011 Fashion Show at the Hyatt Regency Pier Sixty-Six Resort & Spa in Ft. Lauderdale. This New York-style Runway Show was presented by the American Red Cross and it attracted over 400 high-profile individuals who raised more than $50,000 to support the life-saving programs offered locally by the American Red Cross. Lopez Castro is a world-class Hispanic fashion designer who has dressed the likes of celebrities such as Gloria Estefan and Vanna White [to name a few]. Lopez Castro recently returned from showing her collection at this year's Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week in New York so everyone in the audience actually got a special sneak peek of her Fall 2011 designs during the American Red Cross Show. I must say that I was definitely loving the high-end feel of this collection. For more information on this Cuban American designer's Miami boutique, make sure to visit her website or swing by 2947 Coral Way. You can also find her designs at select Saks stores.

Above Left: The Victoria Lopez Castro fashion show was emceed by CBS4's Emmy-nominated reporter, Marybel Rodriguez. Marybel is so sweet so tune in to CBS4 News to watch her in action!


The Victoria Lopez Castro collection was so elegant and classy. I loved the simplicity of her designs. Toward the end of the show, everyone enjoyed seeing her pop of colors which you can see on the two looks pictured above.

This was a fabulous event which helped raise money for a great cause. The American Red Cross in South Florida offers health and safety programs, and international, disaster relief and armed forces emergency services to the residents of Broward, Miami-Dade and Monroe Counties. For more information or to make your own donation, visit their website. Help make a difference and do it with style!

It's Official: The Miami HEAT season will be HOT!

The most anticipated basketball season has begun! South Florida fans can finally see "The Three Kings" and The Miami HEAT in action! On October 5th, Chris Bosh, Dwyane Wade and LeBron James officially played their first preseason game at the American Airlines Arena as thousands of fans came to cheer on the new team (picture above: from MediaOutrage.com). The Miami HEAT beat the Detroit Pistons with a final score of 105-89. Sazoneros: If you don't have tickets to the upcoming games, I suggest you visit The Miami HEAT website to get your hands on a sizzling seat. It's going to be an amazing season so buckle up for the ride. I'd like to send a big shout out to DJ Irie who was spinning his HOT beats and kept the fans dancing throughout the game! Here are my photos from the night:

Above: LeBron James- welcome to Miami!!!!


Top Left: DJ Irie- By the way, if you visit his website, you can jam to his playlist (I'm listening to it as I write this post). GO IRIE!!! Top Right: Yours truly along with my sister, Diaset.

The Miami HEAT Dancers: check out their online photo gallery!

Gloria Estefan attended the game with her daughter, Emily Marie.

Above: Watching the game with my beautiful friend, Sheila (left), and sister, Diaset (right).

Rapper Flo Rida also attended the game (pictured above: middle).

Above: Where's Burnie???

Above: After the game, I ran into a great friend of mine, Anastagia Pierre (pictured above: third from the left). Anastagia is the reigning Miss Bahamas Intercontinental 2010 and former Miss Florida USA who was in attendance to celebrate her birthday! To all of my fellow HEAT fans, let's cheer on our favorite NBA team this season. LET'S GO HEAT!!!

Emerging Songstress: Miami's own Montserrat Franco debuts her new album "La Gatica"

Miami is known for its rich diversity. I love sharing the success of local artists who embrace this city and transform it into an art form. Montserrat Franco (pictured above; photo by Gary James) is a singer who I previously featured in my Betty Boop Cabaret Series post. Today, Montserrat's musical career is quickly flourishing with the release of her first album titled "La Gatica" which was produced in Miami by Kiki Sanchez. “La Gatica” definitely brings listeners a new tropical sazon. After collaborating with Trinidad and Tobago’s artist “Terra B,” this album will make you want to dance! Montserrat also joined forces with Gloria Estefan’s guitarist Marco Linares who adds his amazing touch to the album. If you're looking for an international integration of music, check out “Se Stasera Sono Qui.” This song blends the classic Italian song on an unexpected samba arrangement. Talk about eclectic! To purchase her CD, visit online retailers like Itunes, Napster, Amazon, Rhapsody, Ilike and Reverbnation. Best of all, part of the proceeds from Montserrat’s new album sales will benefit Miami based foundation Common Ground for Conservation, a non-profit organization that helps protect Mother Earth and educate on sustainability. To learn more about Montserrat Franco, find her on MySpace, follow her on Twitter, become a fan on Facebook and visit www.montserratfranco.com. Meet Montserrat on the set of her video for "La Gatica"!