To celebrate the end of their first law school semester, the students of St. Thomas Law School did the wise thing: they called us!
MCPG put together an epic Pub Crawl (appropriately titled "Bar Review"... get it? Because they're lawyers... HA!)on a 50 passenger party bus complete with a full bar, bartender and - ooh la la! - a stripper pole!
The Pub Crawl's first stop was at the always cool America's Backyard where the party goers enjoyed the open bar, good music, flip cup and beer pong.
Later they went to Art Bar where (sorry guys) the ladies continued enjoying free drinks and some more great music.
All in all, a good night! Special thanks to Kevin Bally, the mastermind behind the plan, and see you in the Spring peeps!
First of all, thanks a million to my favorite local diva, Ria, for posting this.
When I saw it I got goose bumps all over again! Below is the video of the grand finale from the MCPG Launch Party last week. These kids ROCKED, but what most of you don't know is that they were filling in for another singer's case of laryngitis, so they pulled off this amazing performance with a few hours notice!
(And "pulled off" is an understatement. They rocked the crowd's socks off!)
I'm surrounded by amazing talent, I tell you. Thanks again to Ria, Travis Bashor, Michel Gonzalez, Parable MC and the rest of the LBC, - that's Llamabeats crew for those of you that don't know yet! - and here they are one more time performing their extra hot version of Tracy Champman's "Gimme One Reason To Stay Here".
For those of you who attended the Launch Party this week, you may recognize Agustina Prigoshin as one of the two fabulous hosts of the night, alongside Ulises Orozco.
I've been looking forward to writing this post for a while, mainly because it makes so incredibly proud to be able to write it!
I've been advertising all over the place that all of the food at the Magic City Launch Party will be provided by The Empanada Bakery. What I failed to mention is that The Empanada Bakery is my daddy's new catering company!
Ever since middle school when I was able to sell my empanadas that he packed me for lunch for $2, I knew he had something special. Today, those empanadas have brought him to opening a full-scale catering company that provides all kinds of yummy food!
Below is his business card and promotional material (designed by Magic City Production Group, of course!) and I highly suggest you show up early on Saturday before all the delicacies run out!
I went to a recent art exhibit where Nikangel's work blew me away. She paints, photographs, designs and also does all kinds of cool crazy stuff with mannequins.
Needless to say, I HAD to track her down for the Magic City Launch Party, and thanks to Twitter (my personal stalker GPS!) I was able to find her. You can imagine my excitement when she agreed!
For the most part, her work speaks for itself so I'll let her do all the talking for a bit. Be sure to check her out this Saturday at Klutch from 9-12pm!
Just a quick heads up to let you know that you can purchase tickets for the Magic City Launch Party you've been hearing so much about for $20 either at the door or right here.
I am an avid supporter of studying your craft and striving to expand and perfect it endlessly, but let's face it: some people are just born with natural talent. Such is the case with painter Yamilia Avendaño.
At 18 years old, Yamilia shows more promise as an all-around creative mind than most artists I've met. What captivates me most about her work is the way she expresses concepts; more than painting a pretty picture, this gal's got something to say.
Preview some of my favorites below (remember they are pictures of canvases, so it's even more lively in person,) and check her out this Saturday at our Launch Party!
More importantly, I can't wait to see what this lovely lady will bring to the next few years!
The first thing you'll probably notice when you see songstress Ria is "Daaaayummm!!!" Here's why:
Guess what, though. Aside from being absolutely stunning, charming and brilliant, girly can SING. She blew me away at a recent Haiti benefit concert, and I am unbelievely excited and honored that she and her accompanying guitarist Michel Gonzalez have agreed to participate in the Magic City Launch Party on Feb 13th (Sooo soon! Ahhh!)
When you see her sing live - voice, beauty and personality bursting out at you - I'm sure you'll become an instant fan as I did. Meanwhile you can check her out and even buy some tracks online. You can also find her on twitter, which by the way is my latest obsession!
Here is a video of her singing my favorite of her songs, "Alright" at Van Dyke Cafe on South Beach.
The first time I worked with Nery Quintana was about 11 years ago during my over-the-top, quite-embarrassing, I-can't-believe-I'm-posting-this Quince Fiesta. (For my non-Hispanics, think Sweet Sixteen, but earlier).
For over 20 years, Nery Quintana has been decorating weddings, showers, and all types of events with her company, Nery's Flowers. Coincidentally, Nery's Flowers was also Magic City Production Group's first client when we designed her spiffy new business card; website coming soon!
Mira! Mira!
At the Magic City Launch Party, she will be providing the decorations and also debuting her home art collection that features all kinds of "flower" art. Look out for her booth at the party, and preview some of my favorite of her pieces:
The minute I met Luis Iga, I could tell that his energy was a force to be reckoned with. A constant hunger for life, Luis always seems to be pouring his whole heart into any project he takes on.
In recent years, he began displaying his digital photography, and in my not-so-professional opinion, this is what he was born to do. The art speaks for itself, so for now I'll simply remind you to check him out at the Magic City Production Group Launch Party on 2/13/10.
I'd like to introduce you guys to another guest musician for the Magic City Production Group Launch Party: Joe Collado.
Joe was named best percussionist of 2009 by the Miami New Times Magazine, and also has a best-selling CD titled "Solo Joe." on which he plays Congas, bongos, timbales, piano and keyboards. The tracks range from sultry Latin jazz to lively salsa tunes, and I highly recommend it! As if that weren't enough, he also coaches youth baseball! Talk about a man with many talents!
Be sure to check him out at our show, where he will be playing during our performance art showcase, and also have copies of "Solo Joe" for sale.
The next photographer I'm about to announce for the MCPG Launch Party is very near and dear to my heart, simply because I've seen him develop from the day he got his first camera.
A few years ago, we'd play on the roof of the old D.A.D.E. office practicing taking shots of random things and thought they were the coolest thing ever. Now, David Cabrera is quickly becoming one of the biggest names Miami photography has ever seen. It truly makes me happy to be able to work with you again, DADEvid :)
His repertoire is as extensive as his interests; you can find him shooting flicks of an impromptu skate session, just as easily as you can find him on the set of the latest Usher/DJ Khaled video ("Fed Up"), and then later shooting a look-book for Illesteva Eyewear in the streets of Little Havana. Every few months he puts out a limited series of prints for sale and they are just as soon gone as they arrive. In addition, David's UpNUp Daily blog has been giving a daily dose of "fresh" to Miami's internet-addicted generation for years.
This Saturday, January 16th, his latest series, "Up In Smoke" will be displayed at Easy Street Gallery in Wynwood (3501 NW 2 Ave, Miami) and I definitely recommend it. Then of course you can catch some more of David's work at our fiesta!
Here are some of my favorite past works, and you can find the rest on his Flikr site.
Ok, so that last one is really old but if you look closely you might recognize the lil' lady! :)
Ok, so I've been crossing my fingers that this next artist would join our show, and finally it's CONFIRMED!
Many of you have already heard of Floyd The Rock Star, but for those of you who haven't: get ready!
So, here's the haps. This dude is a painter. But, oh no, that's just the beginning. His artform is known as motion art, so he brings along his band (the Digital Factory) and they do a half-hour set where the band plays and he paints according to what the music and the crowd inspire.
Pretty. Friggin. Cool.
I really could keep going, but I wouldn't do it justice when you can just see it for yourself. Check out the YouTube video of him performing at a Tito Nieves, Grupo Niche & Jerry Rivera concert last November, and don't miss him at the MCPG Launch Party!
I recently caught this next artist at a show where he was said to have "a voice that sounds like his mom fed him glass as a kid". I couldn't have painted a more graphic image of this dude's sound myself. And I friggin LOVE it.
A well-known figure among the local rap battle circuit since he was 15, Parable MC is still a staple in the national rap battle scene 10 years later. I could go on and on about his accomplishments, but I'd rather talk about what I saw first-hand and let you visit his fanpage for the bio.
So I'm at the show to check out the potential rapper for my own show, when Parable took the stage alongside his newest partners-in-rhyme, a band called Llama Beats. From beginning to end, them boys had the crowd at their will - hyped & jumpin one minute, mellow & vibin the next.
Parable's rhymes remind me of that old, relaxed, just lay-back-and-listen school of rap with just the right touch of grit. More than just a distinct voice, he's smart, too! Don't expect the same tired lines about cash & cuties the game's used to hearing lately... homeboy's about deeper, seamlessly-woven and colorfully painted stories instead. Oh yea, and he's pretty easy on the eyes, too, ladies (see below!) ;)
The Llama Beats' groovy vibe combined with Parable's edge make for a delicious combination that made an instant fan out of me... and everyone else in the room, for that matter. You can most definitely find me at their next show this Sunday .
This next group of artists that will be appearing at the MCPG Launch Party is very near and dear to my heart. I have worked with them for years, and from the start it has always been a "familia". Careful, anyone who messes with me, a.k.a. "Momma D.A.D.E." will have to answer to my band of big brothers!
Down and Dirty Ethics is a local brand gone international. Recognized by their notorious D.A.D.E. stickers on your nearest bumper, window or street corner, they rep the county of D.A.D.E. and it's streetwear scene to the fullest. Their designs are one of a kind and inspired by graffiti, skateboarding, politics, and pop culture alike. Nowadays, you can find people rocking D.A.D.E. everywhere from South Beach to South Korea!
In preparation for the launch of the company, my faaaavorite artist/designer/genius Pedro Claveria (profile on him coming in the next few days) and I are working on a lookbook of all the company's offerings.
For that, I got to assemble some wicked photoshoots with the help of Photographer & "Tattoo Artist" Pedro Claveria, Stylist Vanessa Llambes, Production Assistant Yaneys Sotomayor, Hair stylist Lysa Rodriguez, and Makeup Artist Kristina Caruso! Salon time was generously donated to us by Qiu Hair Salon and Too Sharp Barber Shop.
For the final pics, you'll have to wait until after the launch party - don't forget it's Feb 13th! For now, here are some flicks from the camera behind the camera :)
I met this lovely lady a few years ago at a job we both hated. In fact, I'm pretty sure she hated me too because I was always late and she had to cover for me (Sorry, D!!!). Since then, I'm happy to say she seems to have made great strides in the job likeability arena, and I've made slight improvement on my punctuality also :)
In the following years, Daisy was contracted by Dolphin Stadium - it'll always be Joe Robbie to me! - to cover their events. She's compiled a sick collection of sports action photography, so if you're a Miami sports fan, I highly recommend it.
Daisy also has her own photography company that is available for all types of events, portraits, art shows, etc.
Here are some samples of her work; you can see the rest at daisyoterophotography.com. Also, if you're a facebook afficionado, check out her fanpage.
We produce. We write. We dance. We blog. We market. We perform. We party. We teach. We plan. We think. We design. We solve. We lead. We invent. We strategize. We decorate. We photograph. We program. We inspire. We film. We consult. We capture. We create...
Aaaaand, we invite you to track us on our journey from the very first steps as we bring a little more magic to the beautiful city of Miami.
