If you’re part of the hip hop set or a larger than life athlete, you need to know that the upgraded Cadillac Escalade ESV Platinum Edition isn’t the best anymore. Just when you thought you couldn’t pimp your Escalade out much more, think again because Becker Automotive Design has teamed with STRUT jewelry design company and they are bringing bling to the upmarket. The dual company’s brainchild is a new kind of Cadillac Escalade ESV, standard with a woven diamond-mesh and stainless-steel front grille and matching side vents. The diamonds will withstand all weather conditions, the driving elements, plus trips through the bad neighborhoods. In addition to the diamonds, this Escalade features an iPod-ready audio-video system with satellite HDTV, DVD and digital surround sound on par with your home entertainment system. The bottom line is that this Escalade is going to get all the attention now, people will either see it or hear it flowing through the streets. The Becker/STRUT Cadillac Escalade ESV is the best of the best and this gleam machine is all yours for about $225,000.
If you are of the upper class echelon then you are reading this on your way to Marbella or St. Tropez or another South European hot spot. In August the rich and famous are getting some much needed R&R in the lavish hotels and mega-yachts of another continent. Last summer we played on a yacht in St. Tropez, we found ourselves in good company sandwhiched between party-man P-Diddy Combs and designer Roberto Cavalli. Cavalli’s floating palace was one of the most fabulous yacht’s we have ever seen, pure class on water.
We hung with Chris Paciello the legendary ex-convict Club owner, credited with establishing the first true club scene on Miami Beach. Paciello’s yacht-mate was HBO Entourage star Kevin Connolly who was incredibly funny and laid-back. After our first dinner aboard ship, Connolly led our group towards the renowned Hotel Byblos, which houses one of the most famous night clubs in France, Les Caves du Roy. We walked right into Les Caves which was blinged out with a circa Club 54 vibe. Fifteen year old European supermodels to 70 year old billionaires graced the tables. After we got sick of Les Cave we all headed over to VIP to watch Puff Daddy give the club a solo performance. That was last summer, this summer is sure to have more adventures in store for us.
We last told you that Brooke Hogan had happily moved into the Flamingo Residencies on Miami Beach. It seems that since she’s settled in, Hulk Hogan’s not so virginal daughter seems to be headed for the pages of Playboy. Playboy has asked Brooke to do a photo shoot, possibly even a cover. The men’s magazine features a WWE Diva in the nude every year and this would be the legendary Hulk Hogan’s 18 year old daughter. Plus, Brooke fits the platinum blonde bill that Hef holds so dear to his own, ancient heart. The good news for all you Hogan fans is that Brook hasn’t said no yet. The big bleach blonde hasn’t posed nude but she had no qualms about posing in a teeny tiny bikini for the cover of FHM Magazine in 2006. The "Brooke Knows Best" (lamo) famo needs all the publicity she can get right now since her singing career bombed in 2006, when her album entitled "undiscovered" was undiscovered and only sold a dissapointing 127,000 copies. To the list of no talents, add can’t act and also no fashion sense. We saw Brooke out in Miami Beach looking like a tranny streetwalker and who could ever forget those horrible jean chaps? However, we found a small talent so drumroll please, apparently, the ditzy blonde can roll around the Miami Beach shoreline without looking too much like a beached whale. When all else fails in the pursuit of fame, you either make a sex tape or take off your clothes for a risque photoshoot. A sex tape might be premature for her "good girl" image but Brooke does have large breasts, so flaunt what you got for Playboy honey.
Following the filming of the "Hogan Knows Best" reality show that followed the whole family, the Hogans fell apart. The Hulk had an affair, got divorced and his youngest son, Nick, went to jail. The whole over-protective father thing has to be an act for the cameras.
We bet the Hulk taught his daughter some serious wrestling moves that she’s not just using in the ring, if you catch our drift. You know you’re not even surprised, reality television is never that real anymore. What is real, is that the WWE icon Hulk Hogan is a wrestling has-been and someone still needs to bring home the money; so the Hulk is going to have to pimp out his daughter every chance he gets.
Pre-nose job hottness and before divorce, Roma, Wentz, wedding and baby. When Ashlee Simpson was known as the not so cute, not so talented younger sis of Jessica Simpson, we spotted the sisters at the Delano Hotel. Along with the full family clan and Nick Lachey in tote, the girls were set to give a live exclusive performance in the Delano’s back Water Salon and Orchard Garden. Jessica Simpson sang the wrong songs first line and stomped off stage, good thing there were no cameras present or it would have been another Simpson lip-singing fiasco. If you’re wondering why this celeb gossip is relevant now, it’s really not but the point is, that the Delano Hotel was a posh celeb locale back in ’05 and in 2008 it still is. The Delano Hotel remains to be one of the most iconic hotels in South Beach.
Lenny Kravitz recently opened a lounge called Florida Room in the Delano Hotel. Florida Room is a modern day piano lounge that boasts a see-through grand piano, that has been tickled by Kravitz himself and Jamie Foxx. A low, bronze mirrored ceiling and custom-designed chandeliers give the room back that classic South Floridian glamour of a bygone era. Over thirty specially concocted cocktails are infused with fresh exotic fruit and make getting drunk taste really good.
The Delano Hotel is located at 1685 Collins Ave, in South Beach is the lovechild of Philippe Starck and Ian Schrager. For those of you living under a rock, Philippe Starck is a famed French designer who is noted for his futuristic design style. Ian Schrager is an original founder of Studio 54, more importantly, he is the American hotelier and real estate developer who established the "boutique hotel" genre.
The hotel rooms are decked in all white and invibe a casual chic, urban resort feel. Chill in back by the surreal life-sized chessboard or take lunch on furniture placed whimsically in the pool. Let renowned chef Claude Troisgros serve up a modern French meal in the grand dining room or opt to alfresco on the terrace under the stars. Then hit up the lobby for some post-dinner drinks at The Rose Bar. There is a pool table, more mirrors and a la carte sushi all housed under custom Venetian chandeliers and opulent white drapes. Rose Bar has the most sophisticated and trendy social scene on Tuesday nights in South Beach.
Barton G Restaurant is a very contemporary American style scene that will encourage you to play with your food . The restaurant is located on 1427 West Ave, in South Beach. The larger than life portions are served in a fantastically witty way that would make Barnum & Bailey proud. Cirque du Ceviche, Mouse Trap Mac & Cheese, Flashdance Grouper, Naked Tuna, Veg-G-licious or Sizzling Brick Chicken anyone? The naked tuna is served on a beach scene that looks like a high school book report and the chicken comes out on an actual red brick sans cement. Hungry yet? Well eat up because the leftovers could probably feed a developing nation but hey at least it’s amusing. Even if you’re gorged don’t leave without trying the Big Top Cotton Candy monstrousity, Cup Cake Picnic or the Chocolate Fun-Do for dessert to round out the full circus experience. Don’t worry though you won’t feel like you’re sitting in one of those side show freak shows but rather more along the lines of the always posh Cirque du Soleil. Barton G has taken hoity-toity out of upscale dining and given us relaxed sophistiaction and an undeniably multi sensory experience.Â
We might give Kobe Bryant a happy ending but this other Kobe, the Kobe Club Miami is getting nothing from us. The new Kobe Club Miami restaurant is located at 404 Washington Avenue and harps on the current trend where New York City takes over South Beach. Yes, both cities are inhabited by extreme wealth, social hierarchy and everything fabulous but the similarities sort of end there. We like a touch of Manhattan in Miami Beach periodicly but a full fledge, replicated restaurant is a faux pas.
Restaurateur Jeffrey Chodorow and his partner Charlie Walk tried to bring their premiere New York, Kobe Club steakhouse to South Beach, the key word here is tried. We get that the NYC dig is fabulous, we’ve been there and we know that Chodorow is the success behind other Miami hotspots, like Blue Door, China Grill and Tuscan Steak. Since the the initial media buzz wore off the restaurant is desserted, so what went so wrong? For starters Kobe Club Miami is just a smaller, less cool version of the original Kobe Club New York. When you can just jet to New York for the real deal, no sane person is going to settle for less. There is nothing intimate about the "intimate" 52 seat space designed by Chris Kofitas, nor anything remotely avante garde or Miami-ish. It’s almost as if the original Kobe Club New York defecated something sallow on the Miami Beach sidewalk, so gross. Â
Walking into 2,000 swinging Samurai swords wasn’t exactly a heart-warming welcome and a few secluded booths with heavy leather curtains didn’t exactly put us in the mood. Overall the room was freakishly dark, heavy and drab; we know the dark brooding thing gets New Yorkers off but this is Miami Beach. The service at Kobe Club Miami was horrendous and although it’s hard to shock us these days in SoBe, the fact that the help didn’t speak English or Spanish left us speechless. The menu created by Corporate Chef Luke Rinaman, New York Regional Chef Scott Ubert of China Grill Management and Executive Chef Russell Titland of Kobe Club New York was just a replica of the New York Restaurant. Dishes like Kobe beef tartare ($34) and 10 oz. Japanese Wagyu rib-eye ($240) where decent but we’ve all been there and done that. There was nothing exceptional we would ever go back to Kobe Club Miami for, especially when NoBu @ the Shoreclub Hotel kills it. Nobu made the City to City move gracefully, bringing a rich atmosphere, high quality service and food we now live for (including awesome Kobe Beef). The place got more popular in Miami Beach and to this day is celeb packed (Mary J. Blige, Jay-Z, Maroon 5, Anna Kournikova, Renee Zellweger, and on) and scene-y. Just proof that the high-end chain thing does work if it’s done by the right people.
On a daily basis Miami socialites are spoiled by beauty, impeccable service and refreshing cuisine, Kobe Club Miami missed every mark. It’s a bit condescending that no part of the restaurant was customized to fit our layed back, Miami Beach lifestyle. Here’s some advice, when something looks haggard in Miami we do reconstructive cosmetic surgery. Try a face lift and augmentation Kobe Club.
Stay up to date with the haute SoBe Scene. For Miami Beach clubs, events on the fly and dope nightly happenings stay on www.ImagineLifestyles.com
Weekend of August 14, 2008
Thursday:Â
•   Florida Room @ The Delano Hotel
•   Skybar @ The Shoreclub Hotel
•   Rotten Apple Party @ Set Night Club
•   Rok Bar
Friday:Â
•   Special Event Alert @ The Setai (9PM) Y-3, & MIAMI magazine celebrate the launch of the Y-3 Fall/Winter ’08 Collection. This Summer Style Series hosted by Ernesto Arambatzis & Erica Freshman
•   Love Hate Bar
•   Mokai


Saturday:
•   Mynt Lounge
•   Heathrow Night Club
•   Elements @ Aero Bar
•   So Late It’s Early @ Space Club After Hours
We spent this past weekend racing along the Miami Beach coast on a fishing boat. Don’t get the wrong idea this definitely wasn’t grandpa’s rinky dinky fishing thing, that is, unless grandpa dropped upwards of $400k. We played on a brand new Midnight Express, custom built 37 Foot Open Fish. If you don’t fish then just disregard that word because this boat is all about the lounge. Midnight Express is a small family owned company that came to market in 1999 with fierce mariner passion and a cutting edge 39 Foot Center Console. Midnight Express has been revolutionizing the marine industry ever since. Their 39 Foot won Powerboat of the year by 2005, which put them in good company with reputable brands like Formula, Ebbtide, Cigarette and Douglas Marine/Skater. Midnight Express boats are characteristically long and open, with center deck, positioned steering as the name suggests. We aren’t talking about anything run-of-the-mill, on the contrary, every boat is individually designed and then handcrafted to meet the client’s expectations. While all along being overseen by an immediate founding family member.
Say it again with us, yachts are haute and cruise ships are not. Cruise ships are so passe and will never compare to high-end luxe Yacht Clubs like the SeaDream I. SeaDream I is mariner bliss, filled with the creme de la creme in amenities and 5-star service. SeaDream yachting is unlike big ship cruising because you will be waited on hand and foot by SeaDream’s 95 member crew and staff. The epitome of luxury, privacy and personalization is SeaDream I’s purpose, all the comforts of a 5 star hotel on a deep sea voyage. With a max of 55 couples per voyage, the staff to guest ratio is 1:1. In 2006, Conde Nast Traveler rated SeaDream I as the, "World’s Best Small Passenger Shipping Line." Small yachts are also able to explore the private harbors and ports of Europe, the Mediterranean and the Carribean, where large cruise ships are prohibited.
All suites come with sea views, marble floored bathrooms, Bvlgari toiletries, down pillows and silken Belgian bedding. There are multiple jet massage shower heads, lighted magnifying mirrors, and each stateroom’s is equipped with an entertainment center including flat screen televisions, CD & DVD systems, and internet ready outlets in the living room area. There is also a personal bar in the room that will be stocked with your choice of vodka, bubbly and wine. Shack up in the stateroom and enjoy 24-hour room service or get a couples massage on the upper deck Balinese sun beds. To add to the romantic mood, intimate dining alcoves are available just for two and SeaDream’s Sommeliers serve hand selected wines at lunch and dinner. Nothing will ruin your amorous yachting experience, there will be no screaming babies or whining toddlers, as children are strictly prohibited on board. The SeaDream I culminates with a fabulous Champagne & Caviar Splash send off, this is how open sea exploration was meant to be. Â
In a world of anorexic models, pocket dogs, Air macs and mini skirts, Maybach has taught us that bigger can be better. The Maybach 62 S sedan has 4-doors and a lot more to love, it features high calibre performance, spacious comfort and inimitable exclusivity.
                                  Cutting edge design speaks volumes for this high-end luxury automobile, whose crowning glory is the most powerful engine ever seen in a Maybach. Displacement of a 6.0 liter, V12 engine, a custom exhaust system with twin turbochargers and an output of 604 horsepower. Torque peaks at a commanding 738 lb-ft @ 2000-4000 rpm and 0 to 60 in 5 seconds, are results of a meticulously artful program by the Mercedes-AMG production plant. Top off your Maybach 62 S luxury car, $432,280 priced ride with a full-time chauffer and flaunt unparalled sophisication.  Sit back and enjoy the ride in this exotic luxury automobile.
If you’re part of the hip hop set or a larger than life athlete, you need to know that the upgraded Cadillac Escalade ESV Platinum Edition isn’t the best anymore. Just when you thought you couldn’t pimp your Escalade out much more, think again because Becker Automotive Design has teamed with STRUT jewelry design company and they are bringing bling to the upmarket. The dual company’s brainchild is a new kind of Cadillac Escalade ESV, standard with a woven diamond-mesh and stainless-steel front grille and matching side vents. The diamonds will withstand all weather conditions, the driving elements, plus trips through the bad neighborhoods. In addition to the diamonds, this Escalade features an iPod-ready audio-video system with satellite HDTV, DVD and digital surround sound on par with your home entertainment system. The bottom line is that this Escalade is going to get all the attention now, people will either see it or hear it flowing through the streets. The Becker/STRUT Cadillac Escalade ESV is the best of the best and this gleam machine is all yours for about $225,000.
  
