A Party With A Mission - The Paradise Fund

Who doesn’t love cocktails and kids? Don’t worry it’s not what you think!! With their big Miami event launching tonight at The Shelborne South Beach, I had a chance to sit down with The Paradise Fund’s Miami Chairperson, Christopher DiSchino,  to see what happens when 20 somethings come together to make even bigger things happen. I’m proud to be friends with a couple members of this impressive group and I hope it inspires some of my readers to come out tonight and drink for a good cause. Enjoy!

WHEN, WHERE, HOW:

May 11, 9pm, $30 ($50 at door), The Shelborne South Beach, 1801 Collins Ave, 305-531-2206, tickets here

How did The Paradise Fund get started?

The Paradise Fund started back in 2004-2005.  In Palm Beach, as you know, Black Tie is all the rage, especially during the holidays. Our friends and I used to attend a NYE party called “Young Friends of the Red Cross”, an over the top (cirque du soleil sytle) gala designed by Bruce Sutka.  When the Young Friends stopped hosting their gala, there was nothing left for the young set from Palm Beach to get involved with over the holidays. So we created the Paradise Fund, originally created as an “event-centric” organization to get our generation of young students involved in charitable causes. With Bruce as our advisor, quickly, our events, particularly Paradise Ball (NYE) grew bigger and bigger. It was a particular hit with our friends from New York City who spent winters in PB.  Responding to the demand for more events, we created Paradise Casino in 2007, an event designed to make a real impact. With a professional, upscale and stylish event like the Casino, we were not able to continue to grow our constituency but get our parent’s generation involved as well. 

What is TPF’s biggest accomplishment to date?

It’s hard to say really – each project that we work on is so different.  I would even go so far as to say that growing the organization to have a national presence is one of our biggest accomplishments. Project wise, we are still working with St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital – we recently began a $50,000.00 project with them.  Even bigger, we’re becoming more “hands-on” – My Board and I recently returned from a trip to Port-au-Prince Haiti to assist in post-earthquake community redevelopment. 

I see TPF is in Palm Beach, LA, New York and Miami. Do plan on expanding? If so, where would you like to go next?

This year really was the year of expansion – we were primarily based out of Palm beach until 2011.  Miami’s official launch is on May 11^th(you better be there) and New York is launching in mid-June. Each chapter is going to host its own annual, signature blacktie fundraiser like the paradise casino.  We need to focus on building those and making them recurring events.

Playing with Fire

Maybe it’s how they look in their uniforms, maybe it’s because they are real life heroes…whatever it is, I love firemen (especially the FDNY) and they love me! Since the beginning of my 27 years we’ve always gotten along and whenever I return to my beloved New York, the sound of a fire engine siren always makes me feel at home. In observance of International Firefighters’ Day (observed on May 4) we salute these brave men and women that put their lives on the line and look so good doing it. To many more years of fire safety and the calendars!! Enjoy!

Road Trippin

It’s May!! The sun is shining, the clothes are shrinking and it’s time for you to get out of town! It’s not always easy to just jump on a plane and get to that dream destination, but why not trade in those tickets for keys and three (or more) of your closest friends?? Trust me the stories that come from road trips will never be forgotten! Road-tripping is practically an American rite of passage and with that in mind, Yahoo! Travel released the 10 great all-American road trips. These distinctive routes include both roads less traveled and tried-and-true must-sees throughout the country’s finest landscapes. Enjoy!

• Alaska: Seward Highway
  Make way from metropolitan Anchorage into the Alaskan wild via the 127-mile, sea-and-mountain-skirting Seward Highway. This easily navigable cross section of America’s largely untamed Last Frontier makes a fantastic jumping-off point for wilderness adventure. Expect a scenically shifting backdrop of foraging wildlife (Dall sheep, moose, eagles), mountain peaks, thick forests, and hanging glaciers, inviting camping, hiking, fishing, and picnicking just off the highway’s edge. Plus, look to the Turnagain Arm of Cook Inlet in the summer and fall for Beluga whale-watching (in summer and fall).

• Arizona: Dine’ Tah Scenic Road
  It doesn’t get more all-American than the Navajo Nation’s ancestral lands: Whiz by sacred mountains, canyons, forests, and desert vistas, and stop off to peruse the wares of talented local artisans or to ogle ancient cliff dwellings and prehistoric drawings.

• California: Pacific Coast Highway (aka Route 1)
  Tracing nearly the entirety of the state’s fabled coastline from Monterey to Morro Bay the route runs through the artsy enclave of Carmel-by-the-Sea and the breathtaking natural beauty of Big Sur via the meandering, cliff-topping 123-mile portion that twists alongside the crashing waves, towering redwoods, and barking sea lions of the rugged, sea-sculpted central California coast.

• Colorado: San Juan Skyway
  Roll through the Rockies via southwest Colorado’s 233-mile San Juan Skyway loop, passing through two alpine national forests; four mountain passes; and a handful of charming Old West mining and railroad towns.  The 50-mile Million Dollar Highway section of the route (from Silverton to Ouray), boasts particularly scenic curves through tunnels and atop waterfalls in the Red Mountains and Uncompahgre Gorge.  
  
  
• Florida: Florida Keys Overseas Highway
  This 127-mile water-wonderland of a highway spans more than 40 bridges, traversing Florida Bay, the Atlantic Ocean, and the Gulf of Mexico, as it hops from isle to isle en route to quirky Key West from mainland Florida. Highway highlights include stops at the scenic Seven Mile Bridge; snorkeling, diving, fishing, and wildlife-viewing excursions; and waterfront dining and resorts in the Keys’ charming fishing villages.

• Minnesota: North Shore Drive
  Stretching from Duluth to Grand Portage, the 154-mile North Shore Drive paves a scenic path through rugged Minnesotan wilderness, bordering boreal forests, the jagged Sawtooth Mountains, and a sweeping Lake Superior shoreline.

• New York: Cayuga Lake Scenic Byway
  Just four hours northwest of New York City, the bucolic Finger Lakes region comprises the surprise setting for the largest wine-producing region east of California. Hit the 87-mile Cayuga Lake Scenic Byway, which circles the Cayuga lakeshore, and provides haven for some of the region’s finest wineries (try Sheldrake Point Winery) and historical Women’s Rights movement sites (visit the National Women’s Hall of Fame in Seneca Falls).

• North Carolina & Virginia: Blue Ridge Parkway
  Connecting two national parks—Shenandoah in Virginia with the Great Smoky Mountains in North Carolina—the Blue Ridge Parkway traverses 469 miles through blue-misted Appalachian highlands. Take in forest-blanketed mountain vistas, ripe for fauna (look for bear, deer, and beaver) and flora viewing (interesting factoid: the parkway’s namesake “blue” haze is attributed to the hydrocarbon release from the some 130 tree species).

• Oregon: Mt. Hood Scenic Byway
  The 105-mile Mt. Hood Scenic Byway follows a half-loop around one of Oregon’s iconic landmarks: the Cascades Range’s glacier-coated, 11,245-foot-high Mount Hood. Cruise past farmlands, vineyards, and orchards; temperate rain forests and alpine timberline; gushing waterfalls and rivers; and parts of the historic Oregon Trail.

• South Dakota: Peter Norbeck Scenic Byway
  The 70-mile Peter Norbeck Scenic Byway winds through South Dakota’s storied Black Hills, weaving together towering granite formations, narrow tunnels, spiral bridges, and hairpin curves, with blockbuster sights like iconic Mount Rushmore and the nearby, yet-to-be-completed Crazy Horse Memorial.

To read more on this story please visit: http://travel.yahoo.com/ideas/top-10-all-american-road-trips.html

Wakaya Perfection

jetsetterdotcom:

It’s five o’clock somewhere — in fact, in Fiji (where you’ll find Wakaya Club and Spa’s private beach, pictured here) it’s already Saturday. To ease us into the weekend, we’re dreaming of cocktails on the beach and tapped Wakaya Club’s owner, founder of Fiji Water David Gilmour, for his sunshine tipple of choice: “I love to order at vodka tonic with half a teaspoon of Wakaya Perfection ginger.” The latest venture from the serial CEO, Wakaya Perfection is pure ginger hand-harvested on Wakaya, then ground down to a fluffy, refined powder. “My God, it’s good,” says Gilmour “the only complaint I have is that I want too many of them.”

Happy Friday!

Happy Friday!

WiseWords.

Tequila Ready - Courtesy of 901

The fine folks from 901 Silver Tequila are helping my fellow Tipsy Travelers get ready for Cinco De Mayo with some specialty cocktails perfect to spice up any fiesta. Forget the Coronas this year and impress your friends with something that will jump start your night and leave you to your pictures to piece the rest together…Enjoy!!

901 Silver Tequila plays on a traditional Caipirinha by adding some peppery spiciness to the 901 Strawberry Smash:

• 2 oz. 901 Silver Tequila
• 3/8 Lime (1 med lime cut in to eighths, 3 pieces)
• 1 Strawberry (stemmed and cut in half)
• .5 oz. - 1 oz. Simple Syrup (to taste)

In a mixing glass muddle limes with sugar & strawberry. Add 901, ice and shake. Pour contents into an old fashioned glass, garnish with a strawberry slice and enjoy!

This next cocktail gets the Tipsy Traveler’s stamp of approval…absolutely delicious! The 901 Silver Tequila blends perfectly with peach and light smoke of Mezcal in the 901 Smoked Peach:

• 1.5 oz. 901 Silver Tequila
• .75 oz. Peach Liqueur
• 1 oz. Fresh Lemon Juice
• .25 oz. Los Amantes Mezcal

Shake all the ingredients with ice. Strain into a collins glass over fresh ice, garnish with a peach slice or lemon wheel and enjoy!!

Recipes courtesy of Sean Kenyon, William & Graham - Denver, CO

In Lollapalooza Lineup Love!!

Calvin Harris…Red Hot Chili Peppers…Passion Pit…Avicii…Black Sabbath, just to name a few. This lineup is an impressive assortment of some of my favorites (old and new) and has me anxiously awaiting August. I don’t know if it’s that I’m cranky about not going to Coachella or my all-around love for music festivals (getting the most bang for your buck like any good Jew), but I can’t wait! Buy your tickets, pack your bags and meet me at Lollapalooza 2012!!

Yardbird Takes Off in the South Beach Food Scene

Tie The Knot with Island Flavor at Hyatt Regency Trinidad

Hyatt Regency Trinidad, located on the Gulf of Paria, offers brides-to-be a contemporary Caribbean hotel setting for their big day.  The team of experienced wedding planners will ensure that every detail is attended to, and   couples have the choice of indoor and waterfront view venues which can accommodate groups of varied sizes.

The hotel offers two ballrooms:  the 16,000-square-foot Regency Ballroom, which is able to accommodate over 1,600 guests for a reception and more than 1,300 for a banquet, and the 9,860-square-foot Port of Spain Ballroom, which has the capacity to accommodate 1,000 guests for a reception or 630 for a banquet.  Both ballrooms offer spacious pre-function areas that can be used for greeting guests and cocktail receptions.  Smaller groups can celebrate in the Jade, Ruby, Topaz, Diamond and Sapphire Rooms.

The culinary team will design customized menus with international cuisine and local flavors such as West Indian Pumpkin Soup with Traditional Spices and Coconut Milk, and Seared Catch of the Day on Roasted Carrots, Saffron Cream and Mashed Potatoes.  They can also create Caribbean specialty stations featuring Bake and Shark, a Trinidad favorite of lightly fried bread with deep-fried shark and local condiments, and Roti, a traditional East Indian delicacy, featuring Paratha and Dhalpourie served with assorted Indian-style fillings and accompanied by rice and chutney.

Each wedding package offered by the hotel includes complimentary deluxe bay view overnight accommodations for the bride and groom, in-room champagne and chocolate-covered strawberries, a professional banquet captain for the special day, a champagne or wine toast and much more.

The bridal party can enjoy pampering for the special day together in the hotel’s Spa Esencia. The special bridal package can be customized to include make-up applications, manicures, pedicures, facials and a spa lunch.

For additional information regarding Hyatt Regency Trinidad, visit trinidad.hyatt.com or call 1-800-233-1234.

About Hyatt Regency Trinidad
Designed as the premier meeting, convention, business, event and leisure travel property, the 428-room Hyatt is situated in the Port of Spain International Waterfront Development. The Hyatt’s versatile event space showcases a 16,000 square-foot Grand Ballroom and a 10,000 square-foot Ballroom with translation facilities. Other guest facilities include one full-service restaurant, a lobby bar and lounge, a fitness center and the 9,000 square-foot Spa Esencia. To book on-line, visit trinidad.hyatt.com or call 1-800-233-1234. Guests who would like to make a reservation from Trinidad & Tobago can also dial 868-623-2222. High-resolution images may be downloaded from hyattpressroom.com.