Scene in the Tropics

Alex Rodriguez sells Miami Beach manse to a mystery Palm Beach celeb for $30M

TMZ reports that ARod has left the building--that is, his 9 bedroom, 11 bathroom Miami Beach manse, which he just sold for $30 million. Though the Yankee slugger took an $8 million pay cut in the price of the home, originally listed at $38 mil, he bought it in 2010 for $7.4 million, raking in a pretty impressive profit nonetheless. The buyer, TMZ says, is a Palm Beach celeb. Rush Limbaugh? Rod Stewart? G-d forbid Donald Trump?  No one knows--yet. Says our real estate mole, "It's a couple from Palm Beach." The home is not so far from Matt Damon's, which is currently on the market for the bargain basement price of $20 million. True high rollers, however, may want to consider the Versace mansion, which just dropped its asking price today from $100 million to $75 million.

Jersey Shore back to Miami for season 4?

Just when you thought Miami Beach was rid of the bad case of reality herpes known as Jersey Shore, rumor has it the cast may flare up again in these parts sometime this spring.  According to Page Six, producers want to film here again and their only issue right now is likely the egomaniacal greed fueling the cast members who may demand outrages fees to commit. Our source who helped us break the news of last spring's infestation says there's no news yet but wouldn't be surprised if they come back for another round of ugly episodes. And people wonder why Miami has been demoted on those "Cities With Beautiful People" rankings.

Brace yourselves for the Basel dazzle

 
As some of Miami's most shameless party crashers scramble to prove their legitimacy and worthiness of Art Basel's highly coveted party invitations, others are already on the approved lists, trying to figure out what to wear and how not to miss a single second of the hype and circumstance. For our intents and purposes, we are keeping an eye on only those events featuring bona fide celebrities. Not celebrities in their own minds, and not celebrities on canvas. Real celebrities. Works of art in their own rights. Although we will update the post as more celeb events trickle in, here now, in no particular order, are the big ticket Art Basel celeb events and spaces thus far:

1. MOCA & SPiN Galactic Present The Art of Ping Pong. When: Saturday, December 4. Who: Susan Sarandon, owner of  NYC and LA's SPiN Ping Pong Club, who has called herself the "Johnny Appleseed of Ping Pong." Status: Strictly  by invitation no matter how big your balls are, crashers.

2. Steve Martin book reading at the W South Beach Hotel & Residences. When: Wednesday, December 1. Who: The once wild 'n' crazy guy is a lot tamer and artier these days but no less witty or amusing as will be seen when he reads from his book An Object of Beauty, about the Manhattan art world.  Expect Martin to also be among the other A-listers at a private dinner that night at Mr Chow hosted by his pal, art dealer Larry Gagosian. Status: Forget about it.  

3. MOCA Los Angeles Beach Party at the Raleigh Hotel. When: Wednesday, December 1. Who: Director of LA'S MOCA/art dealer/gallery owner Jeffrey Deitch goes all out at what we personally think is Art Basel's best event. Last one we attended, we found ourselves on stage with the larger than life Beth Ditto and her band Gossip as Rachel Zoe looked on, mouthing the words, "I die" to her husband. This year's headliners? LCD Soundsystem.  Status: This one requires pretty much everything, from blood samples and DNA proving you really are related to Grace Jones to your social security number for entry. 

4. The Royal at the Raleigh. When: Throughout and after Art Basel. Who: Chef John DeLucie, formerly of Graydon Carter's boite away from home The Waverly Inn, and currently of star studded NYC hot spot The Lion, opens a similar outpost of such at The Raleigh, where American comfort food meets celebrity. Status: Not an easy reservation to snag but nonetheless open to a certain public, we're hearing The Royal may give some of those other members' only clubs a run for their money--and their celebrity clientele.

5. The Arts of Seduction at the Wolfsonian. When: Wednesday, December 1. Who: Isabella Rossellini, who has collaborated with the Wolfsonian for a project called Seduce Me, will be feted at a $1,000 a plate Robert Mondavi Winery dinner featuring Margrit Mondavi and the cuisine of Jean-Georges Vongerichten. Status: Capacity is 120. At last count it was already at 117.

Electronic music mayhem: WMC vs. Ultra

It's been quiet around here lately, perhaps the calm before the storm, or perhaps due to the fact that Miami residents have been downgraded from being the most attractive in the nation to just okay looking by countless polls. Sure, there've been a handful of athletes, rappers, Zzzzzzzzzzzz-listers and locals flitting around, eager for their five seconds of local fame by showing up at everything from the opening of an envelope to the opening of a toilet lid. But beyond that it's been pretty lame. Until now. Apparently there's major drama brewing between Winter Music Conference and Ultra Music Conference. The Hatfields and McCoys set to an electronic beat.

In a letter written by Club Space owner Luis Puig published on tbe excellent nightlife blog Talk Nightlife, it says "Ultra is trying to monopolize WMC by engaging exclusive contracts with all major DJs which will not allow them to perform at your favorite dance clubs." The letter goes on to say "WMC used to be about free parties with DJs and industry folks sharing and enjoying new music. Now it is about greed and money with Ultra and all the clubs fighting over talent, hotels charging 4 times what they are used to and agents and DJs banking on the demand." 

Sound familiar? Unfortunately it does. This seems to be a common affliction when egos are as inflated like a socialite's lips and greed becomes the other white meat.  May the music lovers ultimately be the winners and the sound of  background bickering just be muted out by the throbs and thumps of the music.