Video by Liza Béar

New York, May 15, 2013–The legendary Tunisian singer Ghalia Benali performs “Romeo and Leila” as part of her evening concert at Florence Gould Hall during World Nomads, an annual springtime event organized by the French Institute Alliance Française, and this year devoted to Tunisia. Accompanying Ghalia Benali was a band of outstanding local musicians whose forceful playing reinforced Benali’s lyrics and vocal experimentation with added beats, intricate rhythms and rich textures. Drums: John Hadfield; cello Alex Waterman; Ned Rothenberg: clarinet, saxophone, shakuhachi; Stomu Takeishi, bass;Tanya Kalmanovitch. It would be invidious to single out one of these as all displayed superlative musicianship blending jazz elements with arabic folk music and perhaps also Central African beats.

The new S-Class: redefinition of luxurious motoring

Hamburg. This evening, the new flagship for luxurious motoring landed in Hamburg on board an Airbus A300-600 DHL cargo plane. Mercedes-Benz had the new S-Class flown in exclusively from its birthplace in Stuttgart for its world premiere at Airbus in Finkenwerder. At the delivery centre for the Airbus A380, the world’s largest passenger aircraft and a benchmark in travel comfort, Mercedes-Benz unveiled its new luxury saloon in front of around 750 international guests from the worlds of politics, industry and media. Flanked by the 20 current Mercedes-Benz models and musically accompanied by the Hamburg Symphony Orchestra, the new top-of-the-line model from Stuttgart rolled across the tarmac as part of a spectacular show. In a dazzling display, it took up its position at the head of the Mercedes-Benz family and drove onto the stage with its first passenger, the global superstar Alicia Keys.

Just as the Airbus A380 has set new standards in air travel, the new S-Class is the technological spearhead of automotive development. “Rather than being about safety or aesthetics, power or efficiency, comfort or dynamism, our aspirations were ‘the best or nothing’ in every respect. No other car stands for the Mercedes-Benz brand promise more than the S-Class,” said Dr Dieter Zetsche, CEO of Daimler AG and Head of Mercedes-Benz Cars.

PHOTO GALLERY

(Click on thumbnails to enlarge)

The new S-Class is the true embodiment of a modern luxury saloon: it is an exclusive first-class mobile office akin to a business jet and also an exquisite centre of well-being at the same time. While achieving fuel-consumption and emissions values that appeared utopian just a few years ago even for a mid-size car, it raises the standard for automotive safety equipment to a new level.

In addition to featuring high-grade materials, the interior boasts numerous world firsts, opening up a completely new dimension in luxury and comfort. These include the ENERGIZING massage function based on the hot stone principle, active seat ventilation with innovative reversing fans, active and individually adjustable fragrancing as well as the executive rear seat with a revolutionary fully reclined position. Equally unique is the musical experience.

The new S-Class is the first saloon to feature Mercedes-Benz’s front bass system and the new Burmester® high-end 3D surround sound system – for a superlative listening experience. For the first time, each passenger can individually access the entertainment system from their seat – another world first.

The new S-Class also makes its mark in terms of lighting technology. The first car in the world to completely dispense with conventional electric bulbs, it makes exclusive use of energy-saving LED technology both inside and outside. Equally efficient are the engines, which set new standards in the luxury segment. For example, the S 300 BlueTEC HYBRID consumes just 4.4 litres of diesel per 100 kilometres. And this will soon be followed by the S 500 Plug-In HYBRID, the first S-Class to boast a fuel consumption with a three in front of the decimal point.

A new benchmark in safety is assured by a host of innovative and intelligently interlinked safety and assistance systems. Thanks to their 360-degree all-round vision, these systems provide early detection of potential dangers, warn the driver and sometimes intervene to correct the situation. Mercedes-Benz calls this “Intelligent   Drive”.

Courtesy of: Daimler AG

Think about your high school days. Ambitious? That’s great. Hopeful and optimistic? Wonderful—all young people should have the chance to be. But let’s be honest: This was probably not the wisest or most responsible time of your life. Your world was changing fast, but you, after all, were still a kid.

It’s this kind of reflection, in part, that makes the documentary “Lenny Cooke” so poignant. Back in 2001, Brooklyn’s Cooke was the top-ranked high school basketball player, standing above peers Amar’e Stoudemire, Carmelo Anthony, and even at times LeBron James. He was 6’6″ and 206 pounds; he was fast, strong, and gifted. He impressed scouts and coaches everywhere—but he was also undisciplined and poorly counseled. His parents were a casual presence; appropriate guidance was sparse, and in any case Cooke didn’t want to listen. Dipping in and out of high school programs, he finally graduated at 19—temporarily dropping basketball to do so. He then entered the 2002 NBA draft…and was chosen by no one. Youthful immaturity and lack of self-possession caught up to him, and suddenly a future that had seemed assured was fading away.

Directors Josh and Benny Safdie had footage from Cooke’s early days, when he was poised to be a superstar. Clearly, the film that exists is not the one anyone set out to make. More than a decade later, Cooke has never played in the NBA, while his former peers are household names.

“Lenny Cooke,” now on the festival circuit, was frequently and heatedly discussed when it premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival in April. No doubt, it can be a hard film to watch—how did things go so wrong for its star? But the takeaway question, really, seems to be this: How can any of us lay claim to our own future? In the face of real disappointments, how can we begin again? Footage of the young Cooke finds him half-listening to a recruiter who asks assembled players, “How many people here like to be in control of their own destiny?” Don’t we all? Giving up can’t be the right choice; Lenny Cooke, and all of us, must rise above any defeats to find the next path. This film challenges us to think about what that would look like, for Cooke and for ourselves.

Honey Shine is a mentoring program and not-for profit organization that provides programs to enrich and empower the lives of girls and young women. On May 7, 2013, there were over 600 guests that attended the luncheon and silent auction in Miami at JungleIsland’s Treetop Ballroom. This year’s fundraising event raised over 100k. All proceeds go to workshops, field trips as well as summer camp for the “honey bugs” which are the individuals between the ages of 8 and 18 enrolled in the program.

The theme of the event was “Peace, Love, Honey Shine”. The décor was colorful, retro chic 60’s. Besides the successful silent auction, the highlight of the afternoon was the runway fashion show. Models were selected from the ”honey bugs”. The individuals chosen showed exemplary status in their academics.

Featured auction items : Hublot White Caviar timepiece, a vintage hand bag collection, Sakara Beach Club escape, Beyonce concert tickets, One Direction concert tickets, a Stella McCartney handbag, Fendi handbag, Nancy Gonzalez handbag, Miami Heat autographed ball, a signed pair of Dwayne Wade’s newest basketball shoes, Li-Ning Way of Wade, and more

The top sponsors included Carnival Cruiselines, Publix, Bloomingdales, Gap, Chambord Vodka and Premier Beverage, Miami Heat. Notable attendees included: Alonzo and Tracy Mourning , Sean “P. Diddy” Combs’ mother, Janice Combs, event host and MC, Louis Aguirre news anchor with WSVN TV Fox 7 and DECO Drive, Betty Wright, R&B Singer/Songwriter, Miami Heat Executives, Gila Edrich from Louis Vuitton, DJ Elle, Katharine Rubino, VP of Marketing at Neiman Marcus Coral Gables, representatives from Peace Love World, Paola Rueda from Hublot, Violet Camacho with Haute Living, select members of the news media, volunteers and committee members from Honey Shine, Inc., Overtown Youth Center and Mourning Family Foundation.

The day was a huge success. The contributions received will bring smiles to many faces.

 ABOUT HONEY SHINE

Founded as the Honey Shine Mentoring Program in 2002 by Tracy Wilson Mourning, Honey Shine’s mission is to encourage the balance of mind, body and soul in girls and young women by providing nurturing experiences that enlighten their paths and empower their futures. Honey Shine, an entity of the Mourning Family Foundation, holds bi-monthly workshops, field trips, and a summer six-week day camp for enrolled participants each year. The “Aspire to Shine” workshops offered to the girls in the program, who are affectionately called ‘Honey Bugs,’ address life-skill lessons and educational experiences. Workshops are held at a variety of South Florida attractions to assist participants in the development of personal goals, self-respect and self-esteem, financial literacy, journaling, self-exploration and expression. For more information visit www.HoneyShine.org.

ABOUT MOURNING FAMILY FOUNDATION

Mourning Family Foundation, a non-profit organization founded by Alonzo and Tracy Mourning, provides a multitude of opportunities to enhance the lives of children and families in the South Florida community through education, enrichment and advocacy. Presently, the Mourning Family Foundation supports over a thousand youth and families through the OvertownYouthCenter and Honey Shine programs.For more information visit http://www.mourningfamilyfoundation.org/

PHOTO GALLERY

(Click on thumbnails to enlarge)

A sidewalk crowd gathered on a sunny morning in lower Manhattan to celebrate the groundbreaking of a new, and unique, movie theater. Slated to open in early 2015, the theater will be housed on the ground floor of the Downtown Community Television center on Lafayette Street and will screen only documentary films—the first theater in the United   States to adopt this programming.

The 73-seat digital cinema will provide filmgoers the chance to view a wide array of documentaries and, in addition, will help these films achieve the theatrical runs needed for Academy Award consideration. With this space available, “documentaries will not have to compete against ‘Ironman’ ” for screens, said documentarian Morgan Spurlock, who was present at the ceremony.

Fellow documentarian Michael Moore spoke after Spurlock, opening with a joke at the expense of his own physique. “It’s an honor to be here with Morgan,” he said. “[Spurlock's film] ‘Super Size Me’ was a huge inspiration to me.” He turned quickly, though, to critical global issues and the role of documentary film in examining them. “We need truth, in these times, more than ever,” he said. “And we need people bringing it to the fore, more than ever.”

We need the truth, in these times, now more than ever.” Michael Moore.

The state-of-the-art cinema will have 4K projection systems and the ability to broadcast live. The project is an extension of many public services already offered here—DCTV has long been known for its workshops, screenings, master classes, and equipment/studio rental. Founded in 1972 by husband-and-wife filmmakers Jon Alpert and Keiko Tsuno, the center is considered one of the leading resources in the country for documentary film.

Financing for the theater is being provided by public and private sources. These include the Office of the Mayor of New York City, the Lower Manhattan Development Corporation, the Office of the New York City Council, the Rockefeller Foundation, and Sony. Manhattan Borough President Scott Stringer was present for the event, as was Sony senior vice president Alec Shapiro. “We as documentarians,” concluded Spurlock, “will be able to come to celebrate the image, the power, and the impact of what we do on a daily basis and the work we create.”

PHOTO GALLERY

(Click on thumbnails to enlarge)

New York City officials Kate Levin, Scott Stringer, Margaret Chin, and Gale Brewer were joined by acclaimed filmmakers Michael Moore (Bowling for Columbine), Matthew O’Neill (China’s Unnatural Disaster, Redemption), and Morgan Spurlock (Super Size Me) at a ceremony to mark the groundbreaking of Downtown Community Television Center’s new documentary-only theater. The groundbreaking marks a significant milestone for Downtown Community Television (DCTV), a cultural fixture in Lower Manhattan since 1972 founded by the award-winning filmmaking team Jon Alpert & Keiko Tsuno.

Photos : Evan Whitney

On April 29, 2013, the late Danny Kaye (1913-1987) was inducted into the Carnegie Deli sandwich hall of fame. Danny Kaye was an American actor, singer, dancer and comedian. He had appeared in 17 films; Some favorites were “White Christmas”, “The Inspector General”, “The Secret Life of Walter Mitty “ and  “The Court Jester”. Kaye also was a symphony orchestra conductor and the winner of two honorary Oscars.

Dena Kaye, Danny’s daughter, was front and center to introduce her father’s sandwich. “The Danny Kaye Club” or “The Special Kaye” is a creative combination of two different sandwiches. Danny’s favorite was known to be corned beef on rye bread with yellow mustard. Dena’s favorite is turkey, coleslaw and Russian dressing on rye bread. The new sandwich now on the Carnegie Deli menu is a combination of the two. Bring your appetites for this one!

Carnegie Deli was established in 1937 and is noted to be New York City’s number one deli.This restaurant is considered a landmark in Manhattan and is located at 854 7^th Avenue at 55^th Street NY, NY 10019. Worried about the wait…Call ahead to check the status at 212-757-2245. Bon appetite!

PHOTO GALLERY

(Click on thumbnails to enlarge)

2013 Champions retain the coveted trophy

The ninth annual La Martina Miami Beach Polo World Cup, the world’s largest and most prestigious Beach Polo competition, culminated in a tense final match between the tournament’s top two teams, resulting in a closely-fought win by defending champions The Raleigh/Comcast.

The Raleigh Hotel/Comcast team, comprised of Bash Kazi, John Gobin, Juan Monteverde and David Totari, trailed by two goals at halftime but exploded with six third chukker goals to ride past a talented La Martina foursome, consisting of Santi Torres, Carlos Gracida and Guillermo Steta, to win 12-10 in the final afternoon match.

The two teams fought to a 3-3 tie in the opening chukker with La Martina’s Santi Torres scoring the opening goal of the match before converting on a two-point shot from midfield. The Raleigh/Comcast scored a pair of goals from Juan Monteverde (one on a penalty shot) and a single goal from John Gobin for the 3-3 score.

Pro Hall of Famer Carlos Gracida took the reins in the second period, scoring on a two-point shot from over 50 yards out and a single goal to give La Martina a 6-4 halftime advantage.  Monteverde scored The Raleigh/Comcast team’s only goal of the chukker. The Raleigh/Comcast team took control of the game in the third period with six goals.  Gobin scored twice from the arena and added a 2-pointer.  Monteverde scored twice in the chukker for a 10-8 lead.  Torres and Gracida scored single goals for La Martina who trailed for the first time all day.

La Martina fought to get back in to the game in the fourth and final period, the Raleigh/Comcast team’s defense was up to the task.  La Martina scored two goals from Torres but responded with single goals from Gobin and Monteverde for the 12-10 victory.  Gobin and Monteverde scored six goals a piece for the Raleigh/Comcast team.  Gobin was named MVP for the final match.  Santi Torres’ mare “Mary West” received Best Playing Pony honors.

Earlier games had the team from Grey Goose scoring an 11-9 win over SLH, while Merchant Hub and The James Royal Palm Hotel/Jet Blue fought to a 10-10 draw.

“This year’s tournament was the most exciting competition we have had to-date,” said Bruce Orosz, president and co-founder of The Polo Life, LLC.
“We thank all of our patrons, sponsors and supporters for making this year the best ever.”

Final Match and Trophy Presentation

PHOTO GALLERY

(Click on thumbnails to enlarge)

Credit:  The Polo Life/Mitchell Zachs.  

Photo credit: Stephane Chiche

Photo credit: Sabrina Boasman

Match report courtesy of Alex Webbe

Closely fought men’s tournament proves to be a nail biter for South Beach polo fans

The ninth annual La Martina Miami Beach Polo World Cup, the world’s largest and most prestigious Beach Polo competition, ended its second day of play with a capacity crowd on the edge of their seats and a penalty goal shoot-out to look forward to on the final day.
There was no lack of effort on the part of any of the competing teams in Saturday afternoon’s matches, with each of the three victories coming by one goal margins.
The Raleigh team, consisting of Bash Kazi, Juan Monteverde, John Gobin and David Tafuri, scored the first win of the day in a hard fought 14-13 victory over a game James Royal Palm Hotel/Jet Blue team (Neku Atawadi, Oscar Mancini and Sebastian Dawnay).
The Raleigh bounced back from a 7-6 first half deficit, behid six second half goals from Juan Monteverde (the ream’s high scorer with nine goals). James Royal Palm Hotel/Jet Blue team’s Oscar Mancini scored a game high of 12 goals in a losing effort.
The team from La Martina, consisting of Guillermo Steta, Santi Torres and Carlos Gracida, battled Merchant Hub (Tommy Kato, Jamie Morrison and Luis Escobar) to a 5-5 halftime score and trailed 8-7 with just one chukker to play.  Dominic State replaced an injured Tommy Kato (who suffered a pulled groin muscle) as Merchant Hub took an 8-7 one goal lead after the chukker.
Santi Torres and Carlos Gracida scored two goals apiece in the final period for the 11-10 win despite a frantic rush by the Merchant Hub trio.  Torres and Gracida scored four goals apiece in the victory while Merchant Hub’s Luis Escobar led all scoring with eight goals.
The final game of the day was another nail biter.  The team from Grey Goose (Tom Ravenal, Lance Vetter, Vincent Mesker and Guille Usandizaga) and the team from Small Luxury Hotels of the World™ (MZ Kazi, Carlitos Gracida, Kris Kampsen and Claudio Ochoa) tied it up at 3-3 after the first chukker and 6-6 after the second.
Grey Goose took a 10-8 lead in the third chukker, outscoring SLH 4-2, but SLH wasn’t ready to roll over yet.  Training 13-10, Grey Goose watched Kris Kampsen convert a 2-point goal from midfield and tied it up at 13-13 with time running out.
A foul by SLH sent Grey Goose’s Vincent Mesker to the penalty line with 16 seconds on the clock.  Mesker converted the shot for the winning goal sending the tournament finals in to confusion.
With three teams – La Martina, The Raleigh and Grey Goose – all tied at 2-0, a shoot-out is scheduled to be played at 2:00pm, following Sunday’s 1:00pm match between Merchant Hub and the James Royal Palm Hotel/Jet Blue team.
The top two shoot-out winners will face one another in the 3:00pm finals.  The loser will play SLH immediately following the shoot-out.

Photo Credit:  The Polo Life/Mitchell Zachs.

Match report courtesy of Alex Webbe.

which of his movies are his favorites, and the time he wanted to punch out an actor, who remains nameless.

Photo Credit: Phillip D. Johnson for L’Etage Mag

Saturday evening was all hustle and bustle at the Tribeca Film Festival’s closing night. There was a lot of energy taking place at Manhattan’s Upper East Side Hunter College auditorium. All eyes were on Larry Costa and his talented cast.  The cast was mingling with the guests before the show. It was a warm and inviting reception. When the lights dimmed… The audience was serenaded by the theatrical voice of Larry Costa…A man of many talents.  His music and handsome looks are a cross between James Dean, Frank Sinatra and Elvis Presley. Costa took an untraditional approach before his screening by singing some tunes to the audience, which received rave reviews.

Then it was screening time… The world premiere pilot of Larry Ravioli. A group of very talented actors entertained the audience. Larry Costa was joined by costars Casey Bartolucci, Jane Hagerty and Vinny Vela. What an ensemble! It can be best described as a theatrical mafia parody which reminded me a bit like a cross between Quentin Tarantino, Monty Python and Woody Allen. That is a very big mix… But it is unique. It is very refreshing to see something new on the screen. With a little bit of editing/sound tweaking; I give Larry Ravioli a thumbs up.  It certainly is hard to make it in show biz… But I think this talented cast has a lot to share with the world.  So if you would please…May I have some more ravioli!

PHOTO GALLERY

(Click on thumbnails to enlarge)

Photo credit: Lucy Norris

Photo credit: Kimberly Loeffler

Photo credit: Wilkins Noriega