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AOSB VIDEOS

Alive on South Beach video episodes

BEAUTY, FOOD, AND FUN

by Dena Stewart August 4, 2017

Alive on South Beach – Episode 66

Planet Fashion presented Swim Weekend Miami, a spectacular three-night fashion phenomenon with gorgeous models walking the runway in the latest swimwear collections by top International swimwear designers.

French Morning on-line magazine presented the 2^nd Annual Baguette Battle at the iconic National Hotel on South Beach. Miami’s top bakers competed for the Best Baguette title. And the winner is …

Rogue Lifestyle, the ultimate high-end company that supplies limos, private planes, hotel suites, etc. to an Uber-rich clientele, threw a party to introduce itself to Miami Beach.

Pied a Terre French Restaurant at the Cadet Hotel is a very private, elegant Restaurant that serves an ever-changing menu of delicious French cuisine created by a rotating group of Michelin rated 3-star chefs. Listed by price, the incredible wine list has no names. Add to its uniqueness is the charming owner who serves his guests with enthusiasm and knowledge.

After months of construction work, Espanola Way, the street that often served as the backdrop for Miami Vice, finally re-opened and the City threw a big block party.

Sunrise on the Beach – words not needed!

Music by:
Stephan Mikes
John McEuen

THANK YOU

June I. Dressler and David Polansky

Alice Dressler & Jay Orlow

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AOSB VIDEOS NEWS

ALIVE ON SOUTH BEACH 65

by Dena Stewart February 18, 2017

Episode 65 of Alive on South Beach goes to 2017 NATPE Miami – where Dena Stewart (behind the camera) and Stewart Stewart (on camera) talk with:

Brooke Hogan – The reality show daughter of famed wrestler/performer Hulk Hogan. Brooke talks about her life on “Hogan Knows Best” (along with her family), as well as her own reality show “Brooke Knows Best”. More important, she introduces her new show “The Fashion Hero”.

Maya Dinova, LUCKY Producers LLC, Russian Content Producers, talks about Russian TV and her favorite actor.

Dr. Mario Torres-Leon talks about his new show “Dr. Mario” and the fulfillment of his dream to bring medical advice to the Hispanic community as the Latino Dr. Oz.

Barney Rosenzweig, Emmy-Award-winning Television Producer drops by Stewart’s Studio to talk about his retirement (not). To see the entire conversation, go to: Conversations with Stewart B Stewart

At the Miami Book Fair, Tom Austin, writer, former night-life columnist, talks about his memorable moments during the early days when South Beach was the most phenomenal, exciting, hottest-cool place in the Universe.

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ART, BOOKS, MUSIC, PARTIES

by Dena Stewart December 28, 2016

Alive on South Beach, Episode 64 – with some amazing, amusing and awesome people.

In this Episode …

We went to Art Basel|Miami Beach 2016. We have attended this phenomenal Art Exposition every year for the past 15 years, and we’ve watched this International Art Market grow, with satellite shows sprouting up on the Beach and in Miami, along with casual block parties, VIP celebrity-studded galas, and private industry events.

Among the standout events is the annual Saturday Brunch at the Sagamore Hotel where some locals described what they enjoyed most about this week-long fest of cocktails, food, music and ART.

Overwhelming and exhausting, but oh so much fun.

At BRIT WEEK (another annual event), Stewart got a lesson in speaking British.

Also included is a brief segment of a longer conversation with Jazz Stylist Nicole Henry. The entire conversation is available on CONVERSATIONS.

And a brief segment of a longer conversation with Julie Brown and Jerry Brown, authors of The Psychedelic Gospels. Entire conversation is also available on CONVERSATIONS.

At the Miami Book Fair we spoke with a celebrity Bodyguard. Without revealing the name of the celebrity (although I have my suspicion) Nick Spill, P.I. related one of his most outrageous experiences … and summed it up succinctly!

We went to too many fantastic events to include in this Episode, however certainly worthy of mention are:

The KIWI Arts Group pop up gallery on Lincoln Road that featured newly released images by award-winning photographer William John Kennedy, including Kennedy’s historic collection of Andy Warhol photographs.

And the Mazda “CAR AS ART” party where we learned that Mazda cars are designed to evoke emotion – testosterone-driven elation.

With the conclusion of 2016, we look forward to and wish everyone a HAPPY, HEALTHY, PEACEFUL AND PROSPEROUS NEW YEAR. Dena Stewart & Stewart Stewart

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NEW SEASON OF FOOD & FASHION IS ALIVE ON SOUTH BEACH

by Dena Stewart October 1, 2016

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With a welcome from singer Barry Gibb, we begin Episode 63 of Alive on South Beach at the Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts summer show Cirkopolis, a Cirque de Soleil-style version of the industrial-style film Metropolis. And no, sanity prevailed; Stewart did not shimmy up the pole!

Although in this episode we give you only a glimpse of the fabulous Barbara Hulanicki of BIBA fame, a longer in-depth conversation Stewart had with the “Godmother of Fashion” is on “CONVERSATIONS with Stewart B Stewart” – check it out. Barbara is a fascinating woman with incredible creativity and charm.

Stewart and I cooled off during Miami Swim Week at several pool parties, one with a show coordinated by Carrie Freedman for Linda Shelley’s Stoned Wear swimsuit collection. And Stewart actually took time out from admiring the fashions, to speak with Liv Jaeger, an economist-turned swimsuit model.

We went to a gathering at the Sagamore Hotel and were assured by the new owners that “YES – there will be an Art Basel Brunch this year. After all, the Sagamore is “The Art Hotel”. (That’s us working off the calories at last year’s Art Basel Brunch.)

As we have for the past many years, this year we returned to celebrate the 20^th Americas Food & Beverage Show at the Miami Beach Convention Center. We met chefs and restaurateurs, and sampled the unusual delicacies they hope to distribute here and abroad.

Although Stewart and I did do extra bicycle laps and walked a lot after overindulging at the Food show, it was fun to dance at the Disco theme party hosted by publisher Harvey Burstein to celebrate the 11th Anniversary of MiamiArtZine, the online guide to “everything cultural” that happens in Miami.

With all our exercise and (training not to overeat), Stewart and I then went to the South Beach Seafood Festival held on the beautiful sands of Miami Beach where we sampled an incredible array of seafood prepared by the top chefs from the best seafood restaurants in Miami.

So if what we’ve enjoyed to date is an example of what is yet to come during this Alive on South Beach season, it will be fabulous.

Miami’s former “Queen of the Night” Tara Solomon brings Episode 63 of Alive on South Beach to its close.

Still photos at Miami Seafood Festival courtesy of Mike Trainer.

Photo of Dena and Stewart on the swing at the Sagamore Hotel (The Art Hotel) Art Basel Brunch (2015) courtesy of Henry Perez.

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Creative Passions AOSB

by Dena Stewart May 24, 2016

Episode 62 “Creative Passions are Alive on South Beach” marks our 5th year anniversary with SyndicatedNews.Net “SNN.BZ” – so HAPPY ANNIVERSARY! We’re still having fun … with opening shout out from Gloria and Emilio Estefan.

This season went by way too quickly, with Conferences, Events, Fairs and Festivals. At the MiFo (Miami-Fort Lauderdale) LGBT Film Festival, we saw some powerful films, met a few Directors, Producers, Actors, and in one case, the person whose life the film was based on.

Directed by Charles Dye, “Two Secrets” is a short, 22-minute film based on the life of Ali Dolan. Meant only to titillate, a full length feature is being written. Ali’s story is phenomenal and, well …, we just have to wait for the movie to learn her secrets.

We spoke to award-winning Director Casper Andreas who had two films featured in this Festival. “Flatbush Luck” a romantic comedy caper and “Kiss Me, Kill Me” a sexy murder mystery.

We also spoke with Robyn Symon who produced “Uncle Gloria: One Helluva Ride”, a darkly funny film about an auto wrecker who transgendered.

With Cuba being the new Hot Spot, we went to the Wolfsonian’s exhibit Promising Paradise: Cuban Allure, American Seduction.

Through photographs, posters, paintings and promotional materials from the Prohibition era of the 1920s through the postwar tourism boom of the 1950s, the exhibition traces how wealthy Americans and celebrities were lured to the exotic nightclubs, casinos, and cabarets of Cuba —creating a flood of tourism, a perception of glamour, and a craze for Latin music and dance in the U.S. We spoke with Francis Xavier Luca “Frank” the curator of the show and Herb Sosa, a Cuban-American South Beach activist.

At this season’s Miami Book Fair International, there were lots of interesting authors with lots to say. In this Episode, we spoke with Ada Calhoun who wrote the intriguing “St. Mark’s is Dead” – St. Mark’s being that street in the East Village of New York City with the most colorful young people you’ll find in one location.

We also spoke with medical writer Charlotte Libov who wrote the very serious “Cancer Survival Guide” to help people get through the shock when they hear they have the dreaded illness.

We went to the Business Networking Conference at the Miami Beach Convention Center and met some mismatches at the “Professional Speed Networking” workshop.

And we end this Episode of AOSB with a shout out from famous photographer Bruce Weber.

A special thank you to Stuart Freeman Designs for a piece from the new Purple PRINCE CHARMing Collection of colorful costume jewelry.

And I am pleased that my “house” was bought by H. Scott Huizenga at the silent auction benefiting The Arts at St. Johns.

THANK YOU: Alice and Jay Orlow, June Dressler and David Polansky, Julie Glasgow CPA, Masses-Valera, CPA, Joe Gato, Stephan Mikes (music) and John McEuen (music)

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ArtBasel, Bookfair, Festivals – AOSB 60

by Dena Stewart December 12, 2015

As the camera-person and video editor, I have the luxury to study the actions, reactions and interactions between Stewart and our on-camera guests. I get to see their warts and hear their nervous chatter. I also witness them being charming, interesting, informative and entertaining. My peek behind the scenes leads me to say that every character and every episode of Alive on South Beach is unique, passionate, engaging and real.

This episode of Alive on South Beach (#60) opens with a shout out from Todd Chrisley (self-made millionaire star of the very funny USA Network television reality series Chrisley Knows Best).

As we do every year, Stewart and I went to Art Basel|Miami Beach and its satellite fairs. The paintings and installations, photographs, furniture, murals and sculptures, always generate stimulating conversations about ART and what is subjective, objective, and from what perspective. But even more fun are the colorful people who ARE the SHOW (Sylvester Stallone, for example at DesignMiami/Basel), and the generosity of some of the hotels that give the locals an extra Art Basel treat, such as the Sagamore Hotel and its annual Art Basel Saturday Brunch.

And, as we also do every year, Stewart and I went to the 32^nd Miami Book Fair International where we met an assorted bunch of authors. In this episode, Lea Black, known for her role in the Real Housewives of Miami, as well as her star-studded charity event The Blacks’ Annual Gala, talks about her must-read gossipy novel, Red Carpet/White Lies. And, while we were at the Fair, we ran into President Obama’s Inaugural poet, Richard Blanco.

Of course, with events such as the Hess Select Miami Beach Sea Food Festival and the 19^th Americas Food & Beverage Show and Conference in town, Stewart and I tasted some delicious food.

We also stopped by to wish Harvey Burstein congratulations on the 10^th Anniversary of MiamiArtZine.Com.

We end our show with a shout out from the one-and-only Mitchell Kaplan, Producer of the Miami Book Fair International and owner of Books & Books.

Future episodes of Alive on South Beach will feature some of the other authors we met at the Fair.

Thank you Brigette Andrade for including us in your Miami Beach Centennial collector’s edition Comic Book, The Adventures of Bibi & Friends.

Some of the authors we spoke with about their books include, but are not limited to:

Howard Axelrod (The Point of Vanishing- a Memoir of Two Years in Solitude); Ada Calhoun (St. Marks is Dead); Linda Gassenheimer, NPR food reporter and Miami Herald columnist (No Fuss – Diabetes Desserts); Leonard Pitts, Jr., Miami Herald syndicated columnist (Grant Park); Gerald Posner (God’s Bankers – A History of Money and Power at the Vatican); Asher Price (Year of the Dunk – a modest defiance of gravity); Michael Sallah and Mitch Weiss, Pulitzer Prize winning reporters (The Yankee Comandante, the Untold Story of Courage, Passion, and One American’s Fight to Liberate Cuba); Nathan Ward (The Lost Detective – Becoming Dashiell Hammett).

Still photos at Hess Select Miami Beach Sea Food Festival courtesy of Mike Tran Photography.

THANK YOU: Alice and Jay Orlow, June Dressler and David Polansky, Julie Glasgow CPA, Masses-Valera, CPA

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AOSB VIDEOS NEWS

AOSB in NYC

by Dena Stewart December 9, 2015

Stewart and I recently went to New York. Being native New Yorkers (born and bred Manhattanites before moving to Miami Beach), we hadn’t been back in several years and looked forward to visiting the “new and/or improved” attractions we had missed since our last trip. As long-time, long-distance walkers we meandered from street to street, avenue to avenue, north and south, east and west. We tasted the ethnic foods, gourmet cuisines, home-style cooking, exotic delicacies and delicious desserts from the best and worst restaurants, food trucks, cafes and pizza stands. We replaced broken camera equipment and bought cold-weather clothes we have no use for in Florida. We looked at art in galleries and museums, heard some music in both Washington Square and Central Park. We marveled at the West Side High Line – New York’s Park in the Sky – and renewed our love for freedom at the Freedom Memorial Tower. We saw a Broadway show and talked to interesting people we met along the way. We decided that the new and improved Times Square is like a sanitized version of Lincoln Road, every chain store in New York is also in South Beach, and the only and I mean ONLY place to get a real bagel is in New York.

So, sit back and enjoy Episode 59 “Alive on South Beach in New York”.

Emilio Estefan invited us to get on our feet when we visited New York, so we did. “On Your Feet!”; Then we met up with Mireya Ramos, leader of Flor de Toloache, the first all-female Mariachi Band. We stopped at some promotional food trucks to see what they were giving away: To celebrate its 150th Anniversary, Bertolli Sauces gave away four different pasta dishes; and to celebrate Clinique’s new online beauty magazine TheWINK, they were handing out cotton candy and cosmetics. We discovered the best babka in New York at Breads Bakery on 16th Street off Union Square (Heather); and at Times Square, Stewart discovered des Nudas. Lastly, we had the most incredible Chinese food at Red Farm Restaurant (529 Hudson Street in the West Village) and reminisced with its owner, the New York Time’s selected “Curator of Chinese Food in America” Eddie Schoenfeld, who we knew from the days of Uncle Tai’s Hunan Yuan, the 4-star rated Chinese Restaurant that introduced Hunan Cuisine and “General Tso’s Chicken” to the United States.

THANK YOU: Alice and Jay Orlow, June Dressler and David Polansky, Julie Glasgow CPA, Masses-Valera, CPA

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AOSB VIDEOS NEWS

On the Red Carpet

by Dena Stewart December 8, 2015

For the first time, AARP’s Life@50+ Convention Expo was held at the Miami Beach Convention Center. It brought experts in Health & Wellness (Medical, Mental, Diet, Exercise, Spiritual, etc.), Money & Work (Savings, Investments, Insurance, etc.), Technology & Innovation including Social Media, Travel & Lifestyle, Arts & Culture, and even a talent show with Celebrity judges.

Of course, when celebrities attend an event, there is a Red Carpet for paparazzi to snap pictures, journalists to take notes, and us (Dena and Stewart) to have a brief conversation with them.

On AARP’s Life@50+ Red Carpet, we spoke with Kenny Loggins (of Loggins & Messina fame) who is now performing with a new band “Blue Sky Riders” (with Hall of Famers Gary Burr and Georgia Middleman);

The very funny Arsenio Hall – who remembered Dena Stewart from the last time they met (see Episode 39);

Emilio and Gloria Emilio Estefan who is very excited about his new Broadway show “On Your Feet” starring his wife, Gloria Estefan and the Miami Sound Machine;

Ben Stein, who was too tired to walk the red carpet and sat, instead!!!

At another Red Carpet event, the premier of the film “Little Boy”, we talked with child actor Jakob Salvati, who was loving the attention.

At the 93^rd Gala of the Miami Beach Chamber, the Red Carpet gave us time to speak with “Lifetime Achievement Award” honoree, Stanley Tate, (former Chairman of the Resolution Trust Corporation, and writer of the Stanley Tate Florida Prepaid College Program); and with Kathryn & Bruce Orosz of ACT Productions (produced the Miami Beach Centennial Celebration Concert), who hinted about ACT Productions’ big July 4^th event on the Beach.

Then there was William Pugh, security from AccurateEventGroup.Com, who wouldn’t give us the names of the celebrities he guards, but he stood just off to the side of the Red Carpet keeping them safe from annoying fans.

Episode 58 of “Alive on South Beach” opens with a shout out from Robin Roberts, and closes with a shout out from Chaka Khan.

And … be sure to read: “Inner Peace…It Isn’t Out There!” a novelesque memoire by Dena Stewart, available on Amazon (in print and Kindle), Barnes & Noble (in print and Nook)

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AOSB VIDEOS NEWS

Wyclef Jean, Stewart and Dena Stewart

by Dena Stewart December 3, 2015

MIAMI BEACH CELEBRATES ITS CENTENNIAL ANNIVERSARY

LIKE ONLY MIAMI BEACH CAN!!!

Special Episode (56) of Alive on South Beach.

The City of Miami Beach promised 100 hours of celebrations to commemorate this great milestone, and the City delivered!

In addition to 100 immigrants taking the oath of citizenship, a series of Jackie Gleason sitcoms running at the Jackie Gleason Theater, a Runway Fashion Show, assorted award ceremonies, panel discussions and documentaries relating to the history of Miami Beach, a WEDDING was held. Under a gloriously-hot noon-time sun, on the sand, 100 “lovebirds” took their vows, some for the first-time, some renewed.

The 100 hours of festivities ended with a superstar-studded free Concert on the beach, produced by ACT productions, Inc. But, before the Concert began, we had a visitor … none other than Wyclef Jean who was in town to perform.

Also taking the enormous stage, built on the sand specifically for this occasion, were Andrea Bocelli, Barry Gibb, Gloria Estefan – with Andy Garcia on drums, Jon Secada, Diego Torres, Flo Rida, DJ Irie, Emily Estefan, Nicole Henry, Afrobeta, Al B Sure, Alexis Chapa, Brenda Cabas, Dave Mason, DJ Zog, Lee Hernan, Ludica, Earthman-Lanny Smith, Emig, Evan Charles, Eylen Fantine, Hilary Santana, Javier Garcia, Kat Lane, Kevens, Mann Sisters, Mariana Vega, Marlow Rosado, Melina Almodovar, Natasha Lopez, Osceola Brothers, Raquel Sofia, Rosy Sosa, Sofia Delfino, Spencer Battiest, Tavo Botero, Ky-mani Maestro Marley, The Beethose, Third World, Musical Director Rudy Perez, and the Miami Symphony Orchestra, and Terrell Carter (that’s him with Dena and Stewart).

Tens of thousands of people watched the spectacular show on huge screens placed strategically so that everyone sitting on the sand, standing on their balconies, milling around VIP tents to the side of the stage, sitting in chairs up close to the stage, or walking in restricted areas, had an unblocked view. And as far as could be seen, people were smiling, laughing, and dancing along to the music. This was truly an event to remember as another magical Miami Beach Moment for the people who make Miami Beach. . . MIAMI BEACH.

And for another inspiring moment or more, read “Inner Peace … It Isn’t Out There!” by Dena Stewart, available on Amazon and Barnes & Noble sites, in print and e-books.

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AOSB VIDEOS

Peace, Food and Scandal

by Dena Stewart April 25, 2015

Comedian Howie Mandel opens Alive on South Beach with a shout out.

Stewart and Dena then visit HUONG, a Vietnam War survivor who is on a mission to use ART to bring PEACE to the world. To commemorate the 40^th anniversary of the END of the Vietnam War, HUONG has her 600 running feet long PEACE MURAL on display at the temporary Peace Museum at 1606 Washington Avenue (off Lincoln Road). April 24, 2015 is the reception.

Now that the social season is winding down, these are some of the events that have come and gone. The Miami Beach Food Festival attracts over 60,000 visitors and Top Chefs. This year Stewart and Dena covered two of the best satellite events: The Five-Cubed Culinary Event presented by Haute Dining, held on the roof of 1111 Lincoln Road, and Eats & Beats at the Moore Building in the Miami Design District.

When Dena and Stewart met up with award-winning Washington Post columnist and author Myra MacPherson at the Miami Book Fair International, the conversation was all about The Scarlet Sisters who more than 140 years ago brought awareness to the “Sex, Suffrage and Scandal” that still goes on in politics.

The Miami Dade College-Miami International Film Festival (MIFF) this year offered over 130 films in 10 days and an opportunity for Miamians to see movies that would probably never play here. It also attracted people involved with the making of these films.

Paulo The Pilgrim This year Stewart and Dena spoke with Daniel Augusto, Director of “The Pilgrim” based on the life and writings of one of the World’s most prolific authors, Paulo Coelho.

Episode 57 opened with hopes of PEACE and closes with more hope! With so much religious prejudice in the world, another attempt to bring PEACE is a series of events produced by Dr. Carol Hoffman-Guzman, Director of Arts at St. Johns, called “Convivencia Miami”- celebrating a time in history when Jews, Christians and Muslims got along. This event brought together stand-up comedians – Jamal Hattar, a Muslim, Brian Kirk, a Christian, and Frannie Sheridan, a Jewish Shiksa – who use political incorrectness to make us laugh at our prejudices. We end with a shout out from Actor/Singer Terrell Carter.