On Wednesday, writers and correspondents from across America were flown out to South Beach, Miami, for a special press conference held by DJ Khaled & We The Best taking place the following day.
2023 was an interesting year for the festival.
Actor and activist Adrian Grenier attends “Off the Canvas” Art Basel Music & Art activation featuring El Cristiano Tequila Silver in downtown Miami on December 1, 2022. The night featured performances by Camephat, Kaz James, Moojo, Eran Hersh, B2B, Darmon, Kasia, Talon and Ora, with Hurry Up Slowly.
According to IMDb, Adrian Sean Grenier is an American actor, producer, director and musician. He is best known for his portrayal of Vincent Chase in the television series Entourage (2004-2011). He has appeared in films such as Drive Me Crazy (1999), The Devil Wears Prada (2006), Trash Fire (2016) and Marauders (2016). In 2021 he stars in the Netflix series Clickbait.
One of the Worlds’ fastest-rising events series, Hurry Up Slowly is an experiential events concept focused around immersive musical and Artistic voyages from a team of curators with over 30 years of experience. Native to Miami Florida, with more global aspirations on the horizon, the East-Coast tastemakers have quickly formed a unique identity within the industry’s electronic music landscape, welcoming renowned international artists, Global Brand Partners and more.
El Cristiano was a crowd favorite at the Hurry Up Slowly music Festival in Wynwood, Miami, serving El Cristiano in a Margarita & Paloma as the two speciality drinks. The Festival ran 9pm-3am from Wednesday, Nov 30th to Saturday, Dec 3rd with a surprise performance from Diplo on Thursday Night which was headlined by Blondish originally. It was a beautiful and lively crowd in attendance and the venue, Toejam Backlot, was extremely unique with a very cool vibe.
To kick off Art Basel in Miami, NOBELMAN hosted its annual celebration with Rolls Royce at Villa Positano, a waterfront property in Coconut Grove. A fantastic evening of music and connection, guests enjoyed the exceptional Miami weather as they sipped on delicious specialty cocktails featuring El Cristiano Tequila, with the Black Label Extra Añejo standing out as the go-to of the night and their signature Silver tequila another favorite of the evening.
The evening started with delicious cocktails from El Cristiano, hors d’oeuvres, and caviar with a shot of vodka. Guest mingled and enjoyed the breathtaking waterfront views that the waterfront property had to offer. I sipped the spicy margarita and loved the taste of El Cristiano in the marg, the flavor was bold but not overpowering, and completed the jalapeno notes very well.
Guest also got to look and sit inside the 3 Rolls Royce on the property as well as learn more about the brand and features that Rolls Royce has to offer. Rolls-Royce was a British luxury car and later an aero-engine manufacturing business established in 1904 in Manchester by the partnership of Charles Rolls and Henry Royce. Rolls Royce has pledged to achieve net zero carbon in their operations by 2030 and has plans to play a crucial role in enabling the sectors in which they operate to reach net zero carbon by 2050.
According to the NOBLEMAN website, NOBLEMAN is a premier American men’s ultra-luxury magazine uniquely crafted for the modern gentleman. Distributed nationally, it focuses on the people, places, and events that define creative style, and beyond.
Founded in 2016 by leading publishing entrepreneurs, Doug & Lydia McLaughlin, and headquartered in Newport Beach, California, NOBLEMAN is the arbiter of taste in design, fashion, arts, travel and hospitality, fine dining, real estate, automotive, and technology. With an unparalleled commitment to design, photographic and editorial excellence, NOBLEMAN is more a coffee table book than magazine and defines what luxury is all about.
NOBLEMAN magazine and its digital platform are for the discerning and sophisticated man. The content presents compelling national, and international stories, features, and interviews, including: THE BEST OF MEN’S STYLE, LUXURY AUTO / YACHT / PRIVATE JET – TRENDS AND REVIEWS, LUXURY WATCH & ACCESSORIES, PRESTIGE REAL ESTATE & HOME DESIGN, ELITE TRAVEL + FINE DINING, GROOMING, HEALTH & FITNESS, GIFTS FOR HER / ALL SHE WANTS, PEOPLE: LEADERS OF LUXURY, BRANDS YOU NEED TO KNOW.
More About El Cristiano Tequila:
Just introduced El Cristiano, the world’s finest and additive free ultra premium tequila, made by third generation master tequila makers from the finest Jalisco Highlands Blue Agave. El Cristiano is dedicated to producing the purist tequila with no additives – (85% of tequila today has sugars and thickeners added) – with a high focus on harvesting only mature agave aged at least five years and certain sizing through sustainable agriculture practices. By establishing this process, they have eliminated the need for additives which would change the true essence of 100% Highlands Blue Weber Agave.
Created at the Casa Tequilera Aceves. Nom 1499, their foundation and premium flavor profiles, ranging from Silver, Reposado and Anejo to Aged Anejo, Extra Aged Anejos and Extra Aged Reposados, El Cristiano has introduced an entirely new flavor category with their 11 month barrel aged Extra Reposado. Using a distillation method of traditional distill pots with copper, and aging in American Oak barrels, their tequila is always additive-free and gluten-free, using sustainable practices. El Cristiano takes pride in their unique, unmatched collection offerings and tasting notes. This holiday season, featuring the finest Jalisco Highlands Blue Weber Aged Agave, offering exceptional quality and taste, El Cristiano Tequila provides sustainable, additive-free, and gluten-free tequila.
Website: https://www.el-cristiano.com
On Wednesday, Nov. 30 The Knockturnal was on the scene of Phillip K. Smith III’s Garden of Reflections with food and drinks by Michael Solomonov (Chef and Owner of Zahav, Abe Fisher, Merkaz, Dizengoff, Goldie, Laser Wolf, Federal Donuts and K’Far in Philadelphia, PA and Laser Wolf in Brooklyn, NY).
Solomonov’s delicious Mediterranean inspired spread included Instagram-worthy Ceviche in Bissli Bag, Hummus Cones with Brussel Sprouts & Green Garbanzo, and Mushroom Baklava. Guests also were invited to indulge in an open bar and enjoy handcrafted cocktails, wine, and champagne. American Express cardholders also received a cookbook: Zahav: A World of Israeli Cooking. The cookbook features many Israeli recipes, personal stories, and a dictionary of related terms.
My personal favorite item of the day was the Ceviche in a Bissli Bag. The flavors were outstanding and unique and eating it out of something that resembled a chip bag was so innovative, convenient, and mess-free to eat at this event.
“Food, culture and art are so intricately linked and I am thrilled to be partnering with American Express and Resy to bring this exciting experience to guests in Miami,” said Chef Michael Solomonov, Chef and Owner of Zahav and five-time James Beard Foundation award-winner.
Resy and American Express to Host Multiple Dining Events During Art Week in Miami Including Dinner Series with Massimo Bottura, Missy Robbins and Mashama Bailey with Original Art by Phillip K. Smith III; Gallery Day to Feature Food by Michael Solomonov
The art featured was “Phillip K. Smith III’s Garden of Reflections.”
Garden of Reflections is an installation composed of 17 columnar sculptures that collage the light, atmosphere, and movement of the space across their highly reflective and folded mirror polished steel surfaces. Organically collected in three different groups, the artwork reacts to the immediate surroundings, colors, and realities of the day. As the light of the space changes, so the artwork changes. As people move within the space, the artwork reacts accordingly. This reflective experience reconfigures and compresses directionality and space, amplifying one’s perception of their surroundings. The result is an installation that is equally powerful and quiet, completely immersive, and changing at all times, no matter day or night.
More about the artist: Working in the Southern California desert’s Coachella Valley, Phillip K. Smith III creates light-based work that draws upon ideas of space, form, color, light + shadow, environment, and change. Featured in many online and print publications, Smith is known for creating large scaled temporary installations such as Lucid Stead in Joshua Tree, Reflection Field and Portals at the Coachella Music and Arts Festival, ¼ Mile Arc in Laguna Beach, and The Circle of Land and Sky at inaugural 2017 Desert X exhibition. His public artworks are sited in Los Angeles, San Francisco, Kansas City, Nashville, Oklahoma City and beyond; and the artist was recently commissioned to create permanent, light-based works for the cities of West Hollywood, CA, La Jolla, CA, and Bellevue, WA. The artist currently has solo exhibitions on view at the Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art through August 6, 2023, and at the Palm Springs Art Museum through May 7, 2023.
ABOUT GLOBAL DINING ACCESS BY RESY:
Global Dining Access by Resy is a dining program for eligible* American Express Card Members that provides elevated access to top restaurants in the United States and internationally. Card Members can utilize the program’s benefits – to get access for exclusive tables, Priority Notify, event access – by having their eligible American Express Card on file in their Resy profile. In the U.S, Global Dining Access exclusive tables are available at 500+ restaurants including Carbone (NY) Lilia (NY), Via Carota (NY), Zahav (PHL), Monteverde (CHI), Mi Tocaya (CHI), Mother Wolf (LA), Kato (LA), Contessa (MIA), Rose’s Luxury (DC), Sarma (Boston), Carbone Vino (DAL) and more.
Global Dining Access members are also invited to purchase tickets to Global Dining Access events featuring top chefs and restaurants. Past events have included World’s Best Restaurant noma’s 5-day residency in New York City (May 2022) and Platinum Coast (September 2021), a floating restaurant on a barge in Manhattan’s East River featuring Nancy Silverton, Kwame Onwuachhi, Stephanie Izard and more Global Dining Access Chefs.
*Global Dining Access by Resy membership extends to eligible U.S. American Express Cards: Platinum Card®, Business Platinum Card®, Corporate Platinum Card®, The Centurion Card, Centurion Business Card, Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card, Delta SkyMiles® Reserve Business American Express Card, and Hilton Honors American Express Aspire (see Global Dining Access Terms and Conditions).
Richie Akiva came into Art Basel full force and claimed Miami with the hottest parties and events, undisputed. The hospitality giant and NY nightlife King, held Basel pop ups starting with Stone Island on November 29th and included celebrity stacked nights at GALA Miami nightclub, Socialista at Cipriani Miami on December 1 and December 3, and even a mega Yacht party on November 30th. There were definitely more, but we lost count.
Akiva marked his rank on Basel 2022, seen out nightly and all around town with an A-List crew.
GALA Miami, the hottest new and exclusive South Beach nightclub by JoJo Lahoud and Marco Garcia, partnered with Akiva for an unmatched weekend of talent endlessly flowing nightly and posted up across all the VIP tables. DJ sets included Jus Ske on Friday night and Stevie J on Saturday, with Ruckus guest popping into the booth . The flow of talent at GALA included Kim Kardashian and Khloe Kardashian, Foodgod, Kylie Jenner and Travis Scott, Hailey Bieber, Serena and Venus Williams, Hassan Whiteside, Griizy, Shay Mitchell, Bella Thorne, Frida Aasen and Tommy Chiabra, Miguel, Cash XO, Floyd Mayweather, Eiza Gonzalez, Hailee Steinfeld, Beau Casper Smart, SAINt JHN, Zack Bia, Gastaad Guy, Yung Taco, Victor Cruz, Eric The Jeweler, Larsa Pippen, Marcus Jordan, Dixie D’Amelio, Patrick Carroll, JR Smith, Alesso, Tobey Maguire, and the list goes on….
If you missed the GALA late night parties, was there even a point to be in Miami last weekend? Perhaps, because Akiva also had just as many VIPs out at Cipriani’s Miami Socialista lounge for his earlier evening sets. On the 1st, Zoe Kravitz celebrated her birthday at the waterfront lounge, partying along side names such as Eiza Gonzalez, Hailee Steinfeld, Jamie Chung, and Hailey Bieber all hanging in their intimate VIP area, as well as Venus and Serena Williams, Adrian Grenier, Phillies’ owner John Powers Middleton, Vincent Laresca, Tobey Maguire, Frida Aasen, Tommy Chiabra, and more. The Socialista party reconvened on Saturday night for a second installment, December 2nd, in which Akiva did a double header.
Stone Island was the kick off of Akiva’s week at the RC Cola Plant on the 29th for the 40th anniversary with a performance by Jamie XX, and the likes of Jared Leto, Miguel, Odell Beckham Jr, Vivi Nevo, Danny A. Abeckaser, James Goldstein, Riccardo Tisci, and Venus Williams, among several other bold faced names, with DJ sets by Tomas Station and Jonny Rock, and many more. The event was co-hosted by Ronnie Madra, Steven Kentucky, Lucciano Grey and Skylar Hauswirth.
His lineup then followed on the 30th with a super VIP party on the VAVA Mega Yacht, for a party we hear went all night following Sean Penn’s Core Response Gala. The guest list of the yacht deserves an award in itself, ranging from A-Listers like Jared Leto to supermodels, athletes, influencers and a slew of notables, and we hear no phones were permitted. Akiva knows how to throw a bash, as we hear guests were greeted with white glove service.
The Knockturnal continues to bring you the hottest nightlife and event insider info. in all top cities. Follow us for more on instagram.
Photo gallery above from Gala Miami, exclusive images by World Red Eye / Seth Browarnik. Head to World Red Eye for more images from Gala, Stone Island and Socialista.
Art Basel Miami was ignited with bliss during an artful event hosted by TokenSociety.io.
Pop the champagne, Alexis Lauren is now open in the Coral Gables neighborhood of Miami. The Knockturnal was honored to be invited and get an exclusive first look at Alexis Lauren Collective.
Alexis Lauren Collective, a medically-backed luxurious beauty destination was founded by husband-and-wife duo, Dr. Michael and Alexis Renda, the Alexis Lauren Collective aims to redefine high-end aesthetic skincare in a modern beauty collective, marrying injectables with bespoke skincare treatments in a self-care sanctuary.
Alexis Lauren Collective’s approach is personalized to each client, with results-driven, medical-grade services. At the Collective, the team believes in offering what is best for you in the moment, satisfying varying skin desires, and generating transformational results. Clients can receive treatments through individual visits, or through a monthly membership in which clients receive monthly custom treatments, exclusive pricing, and members-only perks. Services that will be available at launch include injectables, custom facials, microneedling, and chemical peels using premium products with medical-grade devices and technology.
With regard to product, the “Collective Cabinet” comes complete with trusted, scientifically proven brands to complement on-site treatments, including cult-favorite Biologique Recherche, Skinbetter Science, iS Clinical, and more. Alexis Lauren Collective will also house devices that offer the finest methods of skin refinement, like Oxylight Ionix, in addition to an array of facial equipment from LED to microcurrent, and more. Guests at this event all received samples from Biologique Recherche to enjoy.
“My husband Michael and I came together to fill a void we saw in the skincare space: an ultra-luxe beauty collective that cares as much about its members as it does results,” said Alexis Renda, co-founder of Alexis Lauren Collective. “Our service menu is tailored to serve the client, not overwhelm them.”
Co-founded by trauma surgeon Dr. Michael Renda, his medical background strengthens the backbone of the business model along with the team of specialists presiding over the Collective.
“The ability to take care of patients with catastrophic traumatic injuries and burns has allowed me to develop a deep understanding of wound healing and our body’s resilience,” says Dr. Michael Renda. “This translates into the aesthetic realm as many of the skincare products and procedures are designed to remodel the skin, and at a cellular level elicit the body’s wound healing response.”
The evening was filled with good company, celebration, champagne, and pure bliss to celebrate the newest medically-backed luxurious beauty destination in Coral Gables.
Interviewing the dynamic duo and learning more about them and their endeavors was truly inspirational.
The Knockturnal: What inspired you to start your own beauty collective?
Alexis Lauren Collective Founders: “When we moved to Miami several years ago, I was looking for a place for injectables and facials and I couldn’t find an experience I loved. So, Michael and I started discussing what was missing in the space and what it would take to open a beauty collective that was luxurious and also offered bespoke treatments that really catered to the client and their needs. We wanted to marry the concept of injectables with high-end, highly curated skincare treatments.”
The Knockturnal: Have you always been passionate about beauty?
Alexis: “Yes, I have loved the beauty industry ever since I was a child! I was a ‘90s baby and read every copy of Seventeen and CosmoGirl magazine I could get my hands on—I even asked for retinol in middle school.”
The Knockturnal: What is your earliest beauty obsession?
Alexis: “I had so many obsessions and they were not good (ha)! Do you remember Sea Breeze and St. Ives Apricot Scrub?”
The Knockturnal: As a trauma surgeon, can you shed light on how it makes a difference to have true medical influence involved in aesthetic skincare? What can members expect as a result of having true medical expertise presiding over the collective?
Dr. Michael Renda: “The ability to take care of patients with catastrophic traumatic injuries and horrible burns has allowed me to develop a deep understanding of wound healing and our body’s resilience. This translates into the aesthetic realm as many of the skincare products and procedures are designed to remodel the skin and at a cellular level elicit the body’s wound healing response. For example, Sculptra, is designed to act as a catalyst to induce new collagen formation which helps redefine facial features for a more youthful look. Everything in medicine always boils down to the basic building blocks of biology, and that is no different for the aesthetic space; therefore my background only helps strengthen the medical backbone of our business model.”
The Knockturnal: What is it like running a business (so far) as a husband-and-wife duo?
Alexis Lauren Collective Founders: “We like to describe starting this business like walking in the dark in the middle of the night from the bathroom to the bed. You have your hands out and are blindly walking trying not to trip or hit your shin. Having a business partner on the same page as you, with the same goals, work ethic and reliability though has been key. The hard part is the access to your business partner. It never ends. We wake up and the texts between each other start at 7am to discuss the business, troubleshoot, answer emails etc. We are working on this balancing act but we can’t imagine doing this with anyone else. Seeing a project take shape that was merely an idea is uniquely gratifying. It is all a steep learning curve.”
The Knockturnal: What inspired the interiors?
Alexis Lauren Collective Founders: “Alexis as much as she won’t admit it is truly an aesthete—she has unparalleled taste and style. She was able to put together a mood board that our architects took one look at and brought to life. One of our mottos is “let’s slow things down”. The client is on a journey the second they immerse themselves into ALEXIS LAUREN. Time stands still from the moment they walk in the front door to their treatment room. Every wall and door is curved and custom made, just like the experience.”
The Knockturnal: How do you spend your free time in Miami?
Alexis Lauren Collective Founders: “We are total creatures of habit. We have our favorite places and things to do and we repeat them over and over again. We love the water, which makes Miami so special to us. Fitness is also paramount to each of us. You can always find Michael at Anatomy and Alexis taking a Pilates class at Tremble. We are total homebodies!”
Follow Alexis Lauren Collective on Instagram @alexislaurencollective and check out their website www.alexislauren.com to follow their journey and book your services.
Alexis Lauren Collective:
4203 Ponce de Leon Blvd
Coral Gables, FL 33146
The Knockturnal was recently on the scene of an early exclusive fan screening of “Camilo: Camilo: El Primer Tour de mi Vida | El Documental.” These early premieres occurred at the Rooftop Cinema Club Miami and Rooftop Cinema Club Los Angeles.
Camilo Echeverry, commonly referred to as Camilo, is a Colombian singer, musician, and songwriter. Camilo was born in Medellín, Colombia in 1994 and married Evaluna Montaner in 2020. Camilo’s nominations include a Latin Grammy Award for Best Urban Fusion/Performance and more. The top singles he is known for are “Tutu”, alongside Pedro Capó and Shakira, and “Desconocidos”, with Mau y Ricky and Manuel Turizo. His music is generally categorized as Latin pop with a mix of urban music and is noted for his romantic lyrics and soprano voice. Camilo is currently signed to Sony Music Latin.
The Knockturnal was on the scene of the Miami screening. The night started off with cocktails, photo ops, and grabbing your favorite movie candy and freshly popped popcorn. The drinks were on theme with drink names such as “la tribu”, “mis manos” and “amar es nuestra revolucion.” My personal favorite was the “la tribu”, this cocktail was a tequila-based drink with passion fruit, lime, agave, and triple sec. La tribu was a refreshing and flavorful drink to have while enjoying the documentary. We also had to make sure we grabbed some of the sweet candy and fresh popcorn. After grabbing our goods we captured videos (reel on our IG) and pictures in front of the many great photo ops. There was a tent, car, and more places to capture content with the documentaries name on it.
Lastly, we all went into the rooftop movie theater and watched the documentary under the beautiful Miami stars. To keep up with the documentary make sure to follow the hashtag #CamiloHBOMax and follow @palantehbomax and @camilo.
Photo credit courtesy of HBO Max.
Club LIV, located at the Fontainebleau Hotel in Miami Beach, FL was the place to be last week for the BMI R&B/Hip-Hop Awards. The spectacular and extremely exclusive event was hosted by Mike O’Neill, BMI president and CEO, and Catherine Brewton, BMI vice president, creative.
The evening started with the artist, producers, family members, and other VIP guests walking the red carpet and showcasing their outfits, as well as being interviewed, and photographed before they get into the awards show. We got the pleasure to speak with a variety of artists such as; Christopher ‘YC’ Pearson, India Shawn, Lil Scrappy, Adiz “Bambi” Benson, Travis Porter, Morray, 808 Mafia, ATL Jacob, DJ Khaled, and the 2022 BMI Icon, Busta Rhymes. The interviews can be found on our Instagram.
After the Red Carpet guest made their way inside the event where they could listen to jams played by DJ Nasty and guests were welcomed by DJ Khaled. Guests also were invited to indulge in an open bar and hors d’oeuvres. On the menu were; chicken and waffles, many types of empanadas, and a variety of flatbreads. My personal favorite was the carne asada empanadas they were filled with some much flavor and the meat was cooked to perfection.
The crowd got to enjoy performances from singer-songwriter Pheelz and Morray. Towards the end of the night Busta Rhymes preformed “Break Ya Neck,” “Scenario” and “Put Your Hands Where My Eyes Could See” with Spliff Star and DJ Scratchator. Closing the evening Busta Rhymes and Pharrell Williams preformed “Pass the Courvoisier.”
“As one of the pioneers of hip-hop, we are excited to honor Busta Rhymes as a BMI Icon,” said Brewton. “Through his award-winning solo work, countless collaborations and acting, Busta is a true innovator in every sense of the word and has made a dynamic impact on legions of fans and music creators worldwide.
Rhymes launched his musical career in the early 90s with the hip-hop crew Leaders of the New School. He moved on to become an in-demand collaborator, appearing on numerous tracks for other artists before he officially went solo in 1996 with his massive hit, “Woo-Hah!! Got You All in Check.” The single was quickly certified platinum, earning him his first GRAMMY nomination. Throughout the ’90s and 2000s, he was a creative force, topping the charts, including debuting at number one in 2006 with his seventh studio album, The Big Bang. Several of his hit songs, such as “Put Your Hands Where My Eyes Can See,” “Break Ya Neck,” “Dangerous,” “Gimme Some More” and “What’s It’s Gonna Be?,” featuring Janet Jackson, became hip-hop anthems, solidifying his place as one of the most in-demand rappers in the industry. In 2020, he independently released the critically acclaimed ELE 2: The Wrath of God, with NME saying it was “arguably one of the best-produced hip-hop albums of the last five years.”
Beyond his work in music, Rhymes has appeared in several films and television series, including in Shaft, Finding Forrester, Master of None, The Rugrats Movie and he competed in The Masked Singer on FOX.
As the 2022 BMI Icon, Busta Rhymes joins an elite group of music creators who have received BMI’s highest honor. Past BMI Icons include: Janet Jackson, Patti LaBelle, Nile Rodgers, Snoop Dogg, The Jacksons, LA Reid, Babyface, Al Green, Isaac Hayes, James Brown and more.
Song of the year: Justin Bieber hit “Peaches,” featuring GIVĒON and Daniel Caesar.
Songwriter of the year: Megan Thee Stallion and Christopher “YC” Pearson tied. YC and Megan Thee Stallion co-wrote three of the most performed R&B/Hip-Hop songs.
Megan Thee Stallion: “Body,” “Cry Baby” and “Thot Shit.”
Christopher “YC” Pearson: “Time Today” and “Wockesha” and Pooh Shiesty’s “Back in Blood”
R&B/Hip-Hop publisher of the year: Sony Music Publishing
Producer of the year: D’Mile. His work included: Silk Sonic’s “Smokin Out the Window,” “Skate” and “Leave the Door Open,” and “Fair Trade” by Drake and Travis Scott.
Top producer citations: Isaac “Zac” De Boni, ATL Jacob, Michael “Finatik” Mulé, Kanye West, Charlie Handsome, and Rogét Chahayed.
Lastly, but definitely not least, Busta Rhymes was named a BMI Icon at the 2022 BMI R&B/Hip-Hop Awards.
To learn more about the BMI R&B/Hip-Hop Awards, visit here and use the hashtag #BMIRnBHHAwards on social media.