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Vol. 4 No. 19
Quick Find Links


EVENTS 








Map Sponsors
 
 
Shops at MIA
 
 
  Fogo De Chao
 
 

Aventura Mall 



Sawgrass Mills












Dadeland Mall
 
 
Index Sponsors   
 
To bring together concierges in hotels, resorts and selected condominiums and as such to establish and promote high professional and ethical standards. 




To encourage friendship and communication among concierges and related guest service personnel in South Florida, the United States and throughout the world.
 
To expand and assist in the training of those entering the concierge profession and, in general, to promote, foster, enhance, and improve the technical skills and professionalism of concierges and guest service personnel.
 


 
To foster the development of the role of the concierge in the hotel industry and tourism in general.



To maintain the highest standards of concierge service.
To bring together concierges in hotels, resorts and selected condominiums and as such to establish and promote high professional and ethical standards.


 

To encourage friendship and communication among concierges and related guest service personnel in South Florida, the United States and throughout the world.

 

To coordinate, promote and assist in the activities and interests of concierges.

 

 

To foster the development of the role of the concierge in the hotel industry and tourism in general.
 

To maintain the highest standards of concierge service.
 




To bring together concierges in hotels, resorts and selected condominiums and as such to establish and promote high professional and ethical standards.


 

To coordinate, promote and assist in the activities and interests of concierges.
 

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CONGRATULATIONS!

To our 2016 White Glove nominees and winners. Over 28 concierge were chosen in various categories. Their management were asked to write about them on why they should receive the award. The names, titles and hotel affiliations were suppressed, allowing the panel to vote only on the content of the information provided. Each nominee was presented with a certificate. Each award winner was given a plaque and $500.
Thank you to the legendary Steve Haas for presenting the award, Mr. Rolando Aedo for believing Miami Begins With the concierge community, and lastly the unsung hero, Ali Bibeau for bringing our dream to fruition. We  could not have chosen a better location than the iconic Smith & Wollensky. Thank you to out hosts Ray Briels and Henry Delgado for an amazing event. 

Until next year....  
Warm Regards, 
Miguel Pena
President / CEO

Like us on Facebook to see upcoming events, openings and attractions in South Florida!

Find us on YouTube to see our videos of featured restaurants, tours, activities and more in South Florida.
 



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Members' Corner


White Glove Awards 2016
CONGRATS to the 2016 White Glove Award winners!

These winners were honored in a special luncheon held at Smith & Wollensky hosted by the GMCVB and the SFCA Board of Directors.

Affiliate Concierge Winner - Alex Paulino - EB Hotel
Up and Coming Concierge - Vachira Perez - Shoreclub Hotel
Concierge of the Year - Rosa Rosario - SLS Hotel
Lifetime Achievement Award - Giselle Mueller - St. Regis

In addition, Mayor Carlos A. Gimenez and the Miami-Dade County Commission proclaimed September 29, 2016 Concierge Appreciation Day in Miami-Dade County. Each recipient received a plaque and $500 compliments of the GMCVB and the SFCA.  
 
 



Please join us in congratulating
Jay Baldridge, former Chef Concierge at FAENA on his new role as Front Office Manager at FAENA!
 






Knock! Knock! Halloween at Jungle Island 
Jungle Island calls all princesses, goblins and superheroes for the attraction's Knock! Knock! Halloween. From trick-or-treating through the jungle, Halloween-themed arts & crafts to scarecrows and animal shows with cool creepy creatures, kids enjoy a family-friendly day at Jungle Island. Plus, children can learn knock-knock jokes at trick-or-treat doors around the park and enter into a costume contest judged by Miss Florida USA and Miss Florida Teen delegates. Halloween takes place from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday, October 29 and Sunday, October 30. As part of Miami Attractions Month, general park admission is reduced priced. Jungle Island is located at 1111 Parrot Jungle Trail in Miami. For more information, call (305) 400-7000 or visit www.jungleisland.com.



October Birthdays


Rebecca Marquez
Ritz Carlton Key Biscayne
10/02

Daniel Douglas
Setai
10/02

Frederico Zerla
Grand Beach Surfside
10/03

Kleber Topiol
Acqualina
10/05

Melina Parman
St. Regis Bal Harbour    
10/05

Marcelo Rivero
Luxury Concierge Network
10/07

Eduardo Rosello   
InterContinental 
10/09

Jessica Loren  
EDITION 
10/09

Claude Dussault  
Grand Beach Hotel 
10/10

Amparo Valbuena  
Nautilus 
10/10

Domingo Llerandi  
Clevelander Hotel 
10/14 

Brandon Robbins  
Fontainebleau 
10/16 
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featuredevents


EVENTS 
 

Miami Attractions Month 
OCT 1 - OCT 31 
Various Locations in Miami
 
During Miami Attractions Month enjoy Buy 1 admission, get 1 admission free, other discounts and unique experiences.

New to Miami Attractions Month? There is no membership or sign-up required to enjoy Miami Attractions Month. Simply visit the individual webpage of the attraction you want to visit and make sure to print the coupon for that particular attraction.


 

Italian Film Festival 
 
OCT 6-11  
Regal Cinema South Beach

Experience the best short films and documentaries that Cinema Italia has to offer. The Italian Film Festival takes place at The Regal Cinema on South Beach. Tickets start at $12 per person.


Burger King Beach Run
 
OCT 8 
Lummus Park 
Miami Beach, FL 
 
Take part in a heart-pumping 5k or 10k race at Lummus Park on Miami Beach. The Burger King Beach Run is happening in the morning on Oct. 10 and adult registration starts at $30 per person.


The Falls Festival of the Arts
OCT 8-9 
The Falls 
8888 SW 136th St
Miami, FL 33176


Head out to one of Miami's most popular shopping malls for The Falls Festival of the Arts and view works from more than 100 artists. Admission is free and runs from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Kidz Zone At The Falls Festival of the Arts is running simultaneously with 10 interactive games for children ages 3-12, a pumpkin patch, pumpkin decorating, a hay maze, Anita Sax Children's Books, music and much more.


Miami Broward One Carnival
 
OCT 9 
Miami-Dade County Fairgrounds

Dress in masquerade style and celebrate the heritage and traditions of the Caribbean at the Miami Broward One Carnival held at the Miami-Dade County Fairgrounds. The event includes authentic eats, live music, parades and contests. Tickets start at $10 per person.


Deering Estate's Wine on Harvest Moon

OCT 15 
Deering Estate 
Cutler Bay, FL

Nosh on cuisine by local chefs and sip fine wines at Deering Estate's annual Wine on Harvest Moon fundraising event to benefit the Deering Estate Foundation. Tickets start at $175 per person. 
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featuredtheater

 
Arts
  
 
10th Birthday Celebration
OCT 8: 7:30PM 
Adrienne Arsht PAC 
Miami, FL
 
The Adrienne Arsht Center turns 10, join us for an all-day birthday party on Saturday, October 8th! Free performances and family-friendly activities programming begin at 11 a.m. The $10 birthday concert featuring CeeLo Green begins at 7:30 p.m.


The Illusionists
 
OCT 11-16: Click above for times 
Adrienne Arsht PAC 
Miami, FL

Broadway's holiday smash hit returns with incredible new magic!

 
El Tucan

Every Thursday, Friday & Saturday     
El Tucan  
Brickell, Miami, FL

El Tuc�n is more than just a dinner and a show experience. It is a modern-day cabaret that pays homage to Cuba in the 1940s, transporting revelers to the bygone era of glitz and glamour. 


C'est Rouge

Every Friday & Saturday
FAENA
Miami Beach, FL

A sensual and seductive revue of singular vignettes set to Latin American and Jazz rhythms by an extraordinary septet band, C'est Rouge! fuses entertainment, humor and beauty to showcase the ability of the human body to create awe-inspiring performances. 
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Restaurants


FEATURED RESTAURANTS


Baby Jane

Fresh off the success of their Coconut Grove restaurant Ariete, Jason Odio and Michael Beltran have teamed up with nightlife pro Roman Jones for Brickell's new restaurant/bar combo Baby Jane. The space, which was formerly occupied by Irish pub Finnegan's River, still pulls in late-night crowds but that's all patrons will recognize from the previous tenant.


Ariete
Jason Odio (owner of popular late-night hangout Sidebar) and chef Michael Beltran (formerly of Cypress Room) have transformed the former La Bottega Space to a cool, brightly lit dining room punctuated by a commanding wood grill.


The Bunker at 1826

 You can stop praying to the Miami Beach parking gods now that the Bunker at 1826 provides an all-in-one destination for your dinner-drinking-dancing needs. Spread out over four floors, the mixed-use space pairs cocktails and a state-of-the-art sound system with down-home American dishes done up with a twist, like Dre's fried chicken and waffles topped with watermelon maple and sriracha and blackened catfish served with strawberry mango sauce. 
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Fab5


FAB 5 
Best Parks in South Florida


1) Bill Baggs Cape Florida Park 

Bill Baggs Cape Florida State Park is the home of a historic lighthouse built in 1825 and reconstructed in 1846, and is the oldest standing structure in Miami-Dade County. Visitors come to the park to sunbathe, swim and picnic on more than one mile of sandy Atlantic beachfront, currently ranked #7 on the list of "Top 10 Beaches in America" by Dr. Stephen Leatherman, aka 'Dr. Beach.'
 
   
2) Hobie Island Beach Park 
Located just off the Rickenbacker Causeway, Hobie Beach is Miami-Dade County's only dog-friendly beach. Dogs are welcome to play in the sand and shallow water.
 

3) John Lloyd State Park 
Perfect for a day at the beach or a family picnic, this park provides an abundance of recreational activities. Surf fishing, canoeing, swimming, nature study, boating, and picnicking will keep the whole family busy. For those interested in South Florida's underwater beauty, this park has one of the easiest and most interesting shore dives in the area.
 

4) Oleta State Park 
Florida's largest urban park, Oleta River State Park is located on Biscayne Bay in the busy Miami metropolitan area. Although it offers a variety of recreational opportunities, the park is best known for miles of off-road bicycling trails, ranging from novice trails to challenging trails for experienced bicyclists. Along the Oleta River, at the north end of the park, a large stand of beautiful mangrove forest preserves native South Florida plants and wildlife. Canoeists and kayakers can paddle the river to explore this amazing natural area.   


5) Elliott Key 
The park's largest island was once a thriving community of pioneers engaged in pineapple farming, sponging, wrecking and other pursuits. Today the island offers camping, picnicking, swimming, wildlife watching and the park's only hiking trail. 
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CoolApp


COOL APPS & TECH

 
Opera VPN    
iOS/Android 
   
 
Kicking things off for this list is Opera Free VPN, which as the name suggests is a free VPN application that allows you to browse the web safely and securely. It even has built-in features to block ad trackers and it's touted as one of the faster mobile VPN options.
 
 
Shake-It Alarm  
Android 
  
 
There are lots of different alarm apps out there, but Shake-It Alarm shakes things up (quite literally) by letting you shake your device to stop your morning alarm and get you out of bed. Of course, it has other crazy and fun/hilarious methods for stopping the alarm as well, like letting you scream and shout at your device to turn it off. There are also more methods if you don't like those two options, and Shake-It Alarm features a pretty slick design too 
 
 
Due
iOS
 
   
A place where all your mundane but important reminders can go without cluttering your calendar or GTD manager?
And a beautiful design that gets out of your way so you can focus on your reminders?
Now you can have everything.
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walloffame


Wall of Fame

Congratulations on being all the world wants in a concierge!

Lago Mar Beach Resort 
SEP 26 
Also, Craig the concierge, was very helpful in arranging tours and making us feel at home.
 
W Fort Lauderdale 
SEP 29
The concierge rep Jay helped us find the location from breakfast as we were lost like last years Easter egg originally.
 
Acqualina
SEP 13  
 On the fourth day we spoke to Maya the concierge she was engaging and very helpful, one of her suggestions was the Dezer Car Museum. She arranged for the house car to transport us and our driver Abel was courteous and prompt on the drop off and pick up. 
   
SEP 8
 Special thanks to Silviu who spins on a dime to help you; Occy at the lobby door is sweet as pie, and for a few laughs and fun stories meet Max and Damion. Nelson (Front Office), Omer (Reservations), and Frederick (Concierge) are fabulous managers with hearts of gold who will make you smile endlessly. 
 
Trump International
SEP 2 
I've gotta mention the concierge. SUPER helpful and friendly - then went out of their way all of times we approached them. When we asked for a restaurant in the area, the guy gave us not only one, but a whole page full. Also, one night when our plans fell through due to rain, Mariana (I think that was her name) suggested an excellent place for dinner and entertainment. On another day when our car rental fell through and we were screwed because we had to drive to the keys that day, Mariana again saved the day and set us up with a last minute car rental which showed up at the hotel within 45min. Excellent, excellent concierge.

Ritz Carlton
SEP 8
Our concierge Andre was able to get us reservations we were unable to get ourselves- Thanks!

The Setai 
SEP 27 
The staff are exceptional Big shout out to SETH at concierge who organised many things for us from a private tour to pliers and engineer offer to help with broken suitcase and much more.

The Raleigh 
SEP 17 
Fernando is an incredible receptionist and concierge who upgraded our room, organized activities and suggested restaurants and bars to go to. All of them were great choices.

SEP 16 
They have the best pool design facing the Beach plus the great customer service that I was treated specially by Fernando at the concierge.

The Betsy 
SEP 13
I'd like to call out Ever & Dayana (at the restaurant) for their wonderful warm service and Ed, the Concierge who organized a memorable, personalized day tour of Miami. 

SEP 24
I would like to mention two of the team that stood out, first the bar tender, who, having only staying for three nights remember our favourite drinks (Tia Maria), I have to apologise, as I can't remember his name, but was fab and secondly, Paul Drecq - the concierge.

SEP 10
If you are new to Miami South Beach and staying at 'The Betsy', please do go and have a conversation with Paul, the Concierge. Your time will be incredibly well spent; as he is quite simply one of the best and nicest Concierges that you'll ever have the pleasure to meet! 


W South Beach
SEP 28 
Pool is relaxing, ocean is incredible, rooms are comfy and stylish, service is great throughout and Gabriella the VIP Concierge is the best !

The Ritz-Carlton South Beach 
SEP 7 
Juan Jose Marcus - the concierge - made my stay perfect. With my Amex Platinum upgrade he was able to find the perfect room for my stay.

The Raleigh
SEP 15 
Fernando is an incredible receptionist and concierge who upgraded our room, organized activities and suggested restaurants and bars to go to. All of them were great choices.

SEP 13 They have the best pool design facing the Beach plus the great customer service that I was treated specially by Fernando at the concierge.

SEP 12 
Fernando the concierge is the best!

SLS
SEP 8  
Rosa with concierge and Chelsie with sales are fun and went above and beyond to ensure a quality stay and experience.

SEP 28 
Rosa at concierge was brilliant in helping us to plan our trip in terms of excursions. We were also planning an anniversary dinner while we were there and she was great at recommending some restaurants and also booked our table for us. She was very friendly and was happy to help with anything.

Delano

SEP 10

Special shout out to D'Michael, concierge extraordinaire, for all the great advice and help with reservations at restaurants and clubs. 

Eden Roc 
SEP 28 
Concierge Sanya was such great help, she assisted us with excursions, travelling around miami and sent us to a wonderful mall - She is superb!! 
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Credits

Supervisory Editor: Miguel Pena
Editing, Web Design, Graphic Design, Writing: Joey Oros

Cover design by Joey Oros


We hope that you enjoyed this edition of The Maestro.