Artistically Social with Amy Rosenberg

Amy Rosenberg is an attorney and arts advocate who founded the Overtown Music Project and the Arsht Center’s young patrons group. She is the co-founder of the environmental non-profit Dream in Green. Amy is a member of Art Basel’s Junior Host Committee and sits on the Board of the Funding Arts Network. She also serves on the New World Symphony’s Friends Committee as well as The Wolfsonian-FIU’s Visionaries Committee.

For those among us who think opera is nothing more than a fusty display of orchestral and vocal bombast, the Harvard Business School Club of South Florda and their president, Ohad Jehassi, beg to differ. Over 100 smarty pants Harvard grads and their friends attended a one-of-a-kind event at the FGO’s Doral Center offices. The event featured a cocktail reception sponsored by Chivas, an eye-opening talk led by Justin Moss, a tour of the company’s costume, wig and makeup facilities and a private performance of select arias. Guests who were not already season ticket holders ended up changing their tune. Opera is for all of us.

You know a party is happening when it takes 30 minutes to arrive at the valet stand. The Rusty Pelican on Key Biscayne hosted 400 guests for Overtown Youth Center’s “One Night…One World,” annual fundraiser. The food, dancing and festivities all rocked and the little ones stole the show with their smiles and choreography. Mistress of Ceremonies and WSVN anchor, Belkys Nerey, said it well when she complimented the Overtown Youth Center for bringing together such a broad swath of Miami – ballers, socialites, Overtown residents and philanthropists. I was thrilled to see the wonderful Suzan McDowell, Amy Maliza and Jodi Silva. The spectacular waterfront views at the recently redesigned Rusty Pelican provided the perfect backdrop for a stellar and warm event.

I had the pleasure of dining with lobbyist and humanitarian Bob Levy at Steve Haas’ City Hall restaurant. The amazing Maryel Epps and Buffalo Brown performed to a crowd blissed out on biscuits and Mahalia Jackson. Every Sunday should be this full of spirit.

I’ve long wanted to experience the dinner and a movie package offered by O Cinema, a quirky alterna-filmhouse. The food was catered by Harry’s Pizzeria. Guests dined, cafeteria-style, on bbq brisket, cheesy potatoes and Hedy Goldsmith’s red velvet cake. The film, Queen of Versailles, had me intermittently laughing and crying. It followed a wealthy couple as they built their $100 million dream house (complete with ice skating rink and baseball diamond) only to be shattered by the dip in the economy. The crowd was something to behold – half hipster, half hippy- and fully committed to sharing in a kind of communal experience. Those seated at the end of their rows happily rose to fetch middle of the rowers drinks or pitched in to throw out trash. I can’t wait for next month’s movie.

Until next time…