Scene in the Tropics

Model Joanna Krupa to join second season of Real Housewives of Miami

Proving yet again that Nostradamus may not have been so far off about 2012, Bravo is allegedly, actually, unbelievably going forward with a second season of The Real Housewives of Miami, but, like many of its castmembers, it's going to be a retweaked version of the hideous, poorly rated original. Hollywood Reporter has confirmed this, while Bravo remains noncomittal confirmed it a day later, but we also have it on excellent authority that two of the new "wives" are model and ex Dancing With the Stars contestant Joanna Krupa, who, we think is still engaged to Mynt nightclub owner Romain Zago (who ironically refused to allow Jersey Shore to film in his club), and Lisa Hochstein, the wife of plastic surgeon Lenny of the short-lived Bravo version of Nip/Tuck called Miami Slice. Beverly Hills it ain't, and although Miami has proven to be ratings posion for the reality show network, we hear that the real reason that a second season was even considered wasn't the new, willing and eager castmembers who were harder to find than Bin Laden, but the curiosity that is Elsa Patton, for whom Andy Cohen has a fancy or something. Still, others say it's not definite and it's just a test. "They're filming with these new women to see if it makes it more watchable, which compared to the first season, shouldn't be that hard," says one TV insider. We'd go to Bravo for confirmation, but they keep giving us the standard canned "No decision has been made on The Real Housewives of Miami." Their unwillingness to admit to this isn't surprising. Filming is set to start soon so keep an eye out for the cameras capturing all that feigned camaraderie and, they can only hope, more drama than the first season's slow, painful IV drip of, well, absolutely nothing.

Update: Bravo finally confirmed the second season, saying "The Real Housewives of Miami follows a group of the most beautiful, connected and influential women in town who work hard and play harder. This
season will give viewers an inside look at these aspirational women as
they juggle family, work and the fabulous social scene in a city where the food is spicy, and the drama is even spicier." Pass the Tums. We can't stomach the excitement.

Dwyane Wade receives $229k+ 2012 McLaren as 30th birthday gift

[Photo/Bob Metelus]

In keeping with the whole 1%, and the rich just keep getting richer thing, for his 30th birthday, Dwyane Wade received a brand new, 2012 McLaren MP4-12C from Ken Gorin, president and CEO of Coral Gables luxe car dealership The Collection, who was not so surprisingly a sponsor in Wade's multi-sponsored birthday bash last night at The Setai (see: Hennessy, Belvedere, Dom Perignon--who gifted Wade with a 1982 vintage, Hublot Watches--who gave him a King Power Unico Gold Pave watch worth some peoples' annual salaries, and many more), attended by his Heat pals, Usher, Flo Rida, Rick Ross, Common, Kelly Rowland, and T.I., among others.

The custom ordered car was actually designed by Wade in "Fire Black" with two tone "Saddle Tan/Carbon Black" leather interior. The one-of-a-kind 12C boasts custom alloy wheel center caps with Wade’s signature logo as well as a specialty “WADE” emblem for the rear, WADE Limited Edition side badges and dedication plates on the inside door panels that read "Hand assembled in the United Kingdon in recognition of Dwyane Wade's 30th Birthday."  

We asked Christy Cartaya, The Collection's director of PR, whether the car was actually a gift or a purchase, to which she replied, "It was a gift – Dwyane is our brand ambassador and spokesperson. We consider him part of our 'family'." Apparently so do many other companies as well.

Name droppers & eavesdroppings: #ArtBaselMiamiBeach

Photo/Manny Hernandez

For real running Art Basel commentary, follow me on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/lesleyabravanel. For party wrap ups, this would be the place if you're into the bold faced sort of thing. Speaking of bold faced, there are plenty of those down here with more on the way. Among those, Robin Thicke, who is performing at a private Basel party Friday in the Design District and, for those longing for the Art Basel of 10 years ago, we hear the Hilton sisters are on some guest lists as well. What follows is a dispatch of sorts from the trendy trenches. Enjoy or something.

• On Tuesday night, (BELVEDERE) RED joined Ferrari and Interview Magazine in celebrating Art Basel 2011 with an exclusive bash in the parking garage at 1111 Lincoln Road.  Guests enjoyed music by DJ Solange Knowles and a surprise performance by singer Janelle Monae, who took over the stage and performed her top hits. The see and be scene set also previewed Ferrari’s signature car models, which were strategically placed around the 7^th floor parking lot. Guests in attendance included Peter Brandt, Stephanie Seymour, Wendi Murdoch, Mia Moretti and Caitlin Moe, Dasha Zhukova, Damien Hirst, Brett Ratner, Aby Rosen, a very robust Val Kilmer and other art world influencers in town for the week’s events. Overheard at this party: "After what he said [a gay slur and TMI about his alleged sexual partners], Brett Ratner will have a hard time getting a date with one of those Ferraris over there."

• The DEWAR’S-hosted MOCA North Miami/Vanity Fair Art Basel kick-off bash Tuesday night was like an old issue of W Magazine--when it was all loose papers, with NYC heavyweights including Donna Karan, who debuted her pop-up store, proceeds from which benefit charities in Haiti, Calvin Klein, Blaine Trump, Julian Schnabel, Ingrid Sischy, Sandy Brandt, Tamara Mellon, Bruce Weber, Nan Bush more. Honorees were Sischy and Brandt, of Vanity Fair and ardent Art Basel supporters. Said Sischy, "There is no doubt that Sandy is my better half." Brandt, for the uninitiated, was once married to mogul Peter Brandt, who has had a rocky marriage to supermodel Stephanie Seymour-all of whom are in town. The haves then left the have nots for a private dinner at the manse of philanthropists and NFAA trustees Sandra and Stephen Muss. Eavesdropping of the event: "There's Christian Slater. He used to be famous until he moved here and dated a local. Now he's just one of us." 

• Wednesday night proved chaotic, with the fire marshalls shutting down the entrances to the Art Basel Vernissage and the Shelborne Hotel grand reopening and Real Housewives of New York City's scene seeking housewife, Ramona Singer stopping to pose for pix. And while a slew of random celebs turned out everywhere---Luke Wilson at Vernissage once the flood gates were reopened and Alanis Morrissette with artist James Rosenquist at the Shelborne, the A-list seemed to convene at The Raleigh for the Maybach dinner and the Jeffrey Deitch MOCA LA party, including Michael Douglas and Catherine Zeta-Jones. Parasiting off their A-list glow were Paris and Nicky Hilton. Also there: Naomi Campbell. 

Photo/Meg Pukel

Photo/Seth Browarnik, duh

• Art of Night at the Shelborne celebrated Seth Browarnik's celeb photos. Among those spotted there were Ivana Trump and D. Wade's main squeeze Gaby Union.

Photo/Meg Pukel

• But back to Catherine Zeta-Jones and Michael Douglas. The couple was seen once again Thursday morning at the PULSE VIP brunch at the Ice Palace, and in the afternoon at Wynwood Walls, Goldman Properties’ outdoor street art park, featuring 40 of the world’s most famous urban artists. Jessica Goldman toured them throughout the walls for 45 minutes. Director Brett Ratner and art collector/photog Jean Pigozzi joined them. While Douglas looks fantastic, Zeta Jones, we're told is still chain smoking ciggies all over town despite her hubby's recent bout with throat cancer. The couple was also seen having a late snack at Joe's Stone Crab Thursday.

Photo/Meg Pukel

• As for Real Housewives of New York's Ramona Singer, she's in town with her hubby Mario (and photographed at left with her number one fan, Miami Herald biz writer, Brett Graff) and will be attending the Rock-n-Art Basel event tomorrow night at The Catalina, where cameras will be capturing the madness for an upcoming episode of the retweaked Bravo show.  Also spotted at The Catalina, actor Adrien Brody, who was also at WALL at the W Wednesday night, as were those Hilton sisters.

• Brody was also seen late Thursday afternoon at Pulse as were, most randomly, Jane Seymour and Diddy in  a sling--separately--we think. 

• At the uber A-list Dom Perignon dinner at The Dutch at the W South Beach Thursday hosted by W developmer Aby Rosen and his socialite shrink wife Samantha Boardman, we witnessed all walks of life, from Vanity Fair's Bob Colacello, Work of Art host China Chow, socialite Blaine Trump, and Andre Balazs, to the very ubiquitous headband sporting Paris and Nicky Hilton. Incidentally when those two walked in, the men standing with Pat Riley and Micky Arison started snapping photos with their cells. The Hilton star quickly faded when Michael Douglas and Catherine Zeta-Jones walked in and schmoozed and eventually sat with Arison and Riley, among some other heavy hitters from NY. The party later moved to Wall at the W, hosted by, among other folk, ex Paris Hilton beau Stavros Niarchos. Among the eavesdroppings we caught at this very loud, crowded event included the fact that Twist was the de rigueur spot for NYC elite to after party during Art Basel and this little gem from a dandy looking man wth a British accent, "So many ****ing ***ots on South Beach and not one has hit on me. It's ok, though, they're only after money." Not at the dinner but at the after party at WALL: Sean Penn. As we exited the dinner we saw actress Gina Gershon schmoozing with W hotel staff.

Photo/Manny Hernandez

The following photos of the Aby Rosen dinner at The Dutch are by Billy Farrell/BFAnyc.com

•On Friday, it was back to the W for a party at Mr Chow hosted by gallerist Andy Valmorbida, record exec Jimmy Iovine, Sean “Diddy” Combs, in collaboration with VistaJet, celebrating the art book Culo by Mazzucco, a fancy Art Basel way of saying 'ass' by a famous fotog. Anyway, this party was undoubtedly the Star Wars bar of Basel, with the motliest of crews yet, from NSync's Lance Bass and Girls Gone Wild's Joe Francis to, yep, those sisters, who seem to have cloned themselves in order to attend every. single. toilet lid opening party. Diddy was somewhere in there, too, as was Will Smith and actor Adrien Brody. A press release also says that Robin Thicke was there, but he was down in the Design District performing at the Casa FENDI Beats By Dre event. Soundtrack was stellar, crashers were aplenty. Oh, and Naomi Campbell entered through the back entrance by the garbage. Because she felt like making an entrance. There were so many scene suckers in Mr Chow that the best place for air was, ironically, the smoking section. The following pix from the party are from Getty.

•Adrien Brody, incidentally, may be the only celebrity to have actually spent a dime this past weekend and bought, wait for it, art, spending upwards of $20,000 for this piece by up and coming street artist Alec Monopoly at Avant Gallery. Brody, meanwhile, may be our fave celeb thus far: while hanging out poolside Friday at the Delano for the Visionaire party, Brody, bombared by photographers was overheard saying "I'm not doing this," as he fled the scene. Those who were doing that, however, included Bass, actor Brian Greenberg of How to Make It in America, and Grey's Anatomy's Jesse Williams.

•Selling his own art was Nas, who, while performing “Made You Look,” at Ricochet Thursday night for the Spotify event, picked up the paintbrush and crafted his first ever masterpiece. The painting, auctioned during the show, sold for $14K, with all proceeds going to charity.

•Meanwhile, while his famous friends were busy Baseling, Cee-Lo Green spent Friday night bowling at Lucky Strike with friends. Art Basel? Forget you.

•A very robust Val Kilmer checked out the new collection of Phulga magical flea sculptures at Miguel Paredes' Wynwood gallery with 3 females on Friday night.

•Chicago-based artist Dzine converted a room in The Standard Hotel to replicate his living room growing up, where his mother would take nail appointments. Among those seen having their nails done: Academy Award-winning actress Tilda Swinton, whom we'd love to actually see photographed against a neon background next to George Hamilton. (Photo: Dzine's Imperial Nails Presented by Perrier at The Standard Spa/Chris Mosier-SocietePerrier).

• Moby and Will Smith were both seen separately at Art Miami. Smith, who knew, is an art fan was seen Thursday night at the Claire Oliver Gallery at Art Miami, where he was tooling around with fair director, Nick Korniloff.

• Jumping on the Basel-bandwagon was the big birthday bash of songwriter/producer Rico Love, whose Friday night party was co-hosted by Usher, who, uh, generously gave away one of his 900 Grammys as a gift. Among those there: Mary J. Blige, Deborah Cox, Chris Bosh and Clinton Sparks. (Photo/David Manero Restaurants)

 
• As much as this image makes us want to watch Growing Pains reruns, Robin, the son of Alan Thicke, brought the house down at the Fendi Casa Beats by Dr. Dre (not there) party in the Design District in a way that would make devout Christian Kirk Cameron blush. (Photo/Patrick McMullan)

Willing Real Housewives of Miami harder to find than bin Laden & Waldo

Almost three weeks after we originally reported that casting agents were having an impossible time filling some vacant slots on the second attempt at The Real Housewives of Miami, sources tell us that yet another wave of wise women have declined the dubious offer to appear on the show. Seems like the casting crew is going through all of the city's illustrious publications and contacting everyone who appears in them in various incarnations from staffers to pose striking socialites--in other words, pretty much everone and everything but the font and those annoying subscription cards. One woman told us she was contacted twice, even after adamantly refusing the first time.  "They're calling everyone," she wrote in an email. "It's embarrassing." Sounds like the only way they'd fill the vacancies was if Michaele Salahi, Jill Zarin and all the other Housewives castoffs just moved to Miami. But that won't happen, plus, the name Desperate Housewives is already taken.

An offer most have refused: to be the next 'real housewife' of Miami!

When it comes to our telegenic, yet ratings-challenged city, Bravo just won't leave it alone. After firing the first casting crew responsible for the worst TV chemistry since Rock Hudson and Susan St. James
in McMillan and Wife several months ago, the network has been on a relentless, hardcore, yet thus far futile quest to fill a few vacant slots left by Christy Rice (whose ex baller hubby Glen has eclipsed her once again thanks to his allegations of scoring with Sarah Palin) and Larsa Pippen, two of the Real Housewives of Miami freshman class. After today's alleged mass firing (Jill Zarin, Alex McCord and Kelly Bensimon are supposedly out) at The Real Housewives of NYC, there could be more openings to fill.

If TV viewers are lucky, all spots will remain vacant and it will just go the way of that last reality show hangover, Miami Social, but casting agents are persistent and combing our city for a few women insane enough to feign camaraderie with the other ladies and have a camera crew follow their oft-staged and more oft-than-not mundane exploits (cooking party, anyone?). From what we hear, no one wants anything to do with it. Can you blame them? If you ask the casting agents, however, they just haven't found the right ones. We did contact them for comment but we're sure they have to pass it by their TV bosses for approval. But what do you think they're gonna say?

In addition to a bizarre, random Twitter campaign, here's the email that's been sent all over town, from publicists' in boxes to journalist tool Help A Reporter Out (HARO) and, at this point, we'd not be surprised if it was plastered on some bathroom walls: "Major Cable Network is seeking fabulous, glamorous, affluent, women and their families in Miami! Email: miamiwomencasting@gmail.com for additional information." The casting agents are cold calling, too. Said one local publicist, "They called our offices yesterday saying, 'You never know, you might be the next housewife.' Uhh, no thanks."

We also spoke to one of those "fabulous, glamorous, affluent women," one who asked us not to use her name, who said, "Someone, I guess, recommended me to them and they called me out of the blue and begged me to consider doing it. I saw two episodes of the first one and was mortified for them. Who in their right mind would ever?" Well, lots of women, and that's what the casting agents and the network are banking on. Someone feisty enough, funny enough or downright crazy enough to do such a thing and to pull off the impossible and prove to us naysayers that a season two isn't the television equivalent of Dirty Dancing: Havana Nights.

Faux real: Jersey Shore's Situation with Boca Tanning Club

While the Jersey Shore's Mike "The Situation" Sorrentino may not be the poster child for Reading Is Fundamental or even Rosetta Stone, he is one of the most orange-hued quite the proponent of the fake and bake, which is why it makes sense that he is now a partner in Boca Tanning Club, the 24-hour franchise in NY, Florida and Texas.

“We are thrilled to have Mike “The Situation” Sorrentino join the Boca Tanning Club team as a partner in the company and we couldn’t be more excited about his enthusiasm and commitment to expanding the Boca Tanning Club brand nationally,” said Jen Boronico, owner of Boca Tanning Opportunities, Inc. “Mr. Sorrentino believes so much in the BTC concept that he has plans to open several of his own BTC franchises!”

This latest gig will be among many of Sorrentino's money making endorsements and endeavors, including a fragrance and his own line of Valtrex men's formalwear.

Hulk Hogan to celebrate bday with unveiling of daughter's birthday suit PETA pic

It's been a while since we've heard anything about Brooke Hogan, but she's back in town this time shooting a nude campaign for PETA, which is admirable and stuff, but there's something a little too John and Mackenzie Phillips about her dad, Hulk, appearing at the unveiling of his daughter's nude pic as he will do at Cafeina on Thursday night, which also happens to be his birthday. At least she's not jumping out of the cake naked. Says a rep, "the photos at the exhibit are very sophisticated and classy and just give the illusion of nude or the perception of nude, but of course to get these shots, the shoot itself is fully nude." The photo is part of an exhibit, also featuring some local gals, called Women in Cages, which isn't the title of a new reality show about women on reality shows, but, rather, about the politics surrounding the treatment of animals. Again, they mean actual animals and not Jersey Shore cast members.

Octomom To Prove She's a Fit Mother--in a So Flo Boxing Ring

 
As hangers-on and reality show rejects eagerly anticipate the possible arrival of Casey Anthony, who, in a jailhouse letter once wrote that she was thinking of moving to South Florida "when" she got out (how prescient of her), the woman guilty of the antithesis of infanticide, Nadya "Octomom" Suleman, is planning a trip to Fort Lauderdale where she will step into a boxing ring in an attempt to ridicule feed her ego accessories meal tickets 14 hungry children. Suleman will be at The Ocean Manor in Fort Lauderdale  at 6 p.m. August 20 where she will battle an as yet unknown. In fact, if you're really desperate for attention, you can sign up to fight her by sending an email to celebrityboxing@live.com. We're sure that will make your own mothers proud.

Twitter sex symbol Anthony Weiner & wife celebrate 1st anniversary at Prime 112

So where do the famous--and infamous--go when they want to be seen, even if it's under the spotlight of shame? Why, Prime 112, that's where. And that's exactly where ex NY congressman Anthony "I'm a Sex Symbol on Twitter" Weiner and pregnant wife Huma were seen Saturday night celebrating, or so it seemed, their one year wedding anniversary. But it wasn't so romantic. The Weiners were joined by another couple. Mrs. Weiner, says our snitch, "looked very happy" and it wasn't just the pregnancy glow. Following their dinner behind closed curtains in the private wine room, the Weiners parted from their friends, said hello to stalkers those who still don't think Weiner's a total tool   recognized them, and walked "hand in hand down Ocean Drive." The night would have been even more staged gross unsettling  quintessential South Beach had the Weiners walked by a recenly acquitted Casey Anthony en route to her release party at LIV. 

Guess? who? Not Lady Gaga, say fans

 

It was the Tweet heard round the Twitterverse--"OMG (thanks, Oxford), Lady Gaga is on Lincoln Road!!!!!!!!!!!!" And before you had a chance to laugh, it was followed up by another Tweet saying she was not only on South Beach's most populated commercial thoroughfare the morning after performing in Vegas, but she was shopping at Guess? Many things have been said about this Lady Gaga phenomenon, you know, that she's a Madonna ripoff  whole is she a he or a she thing, among other things, but most people and her fans are in agreement about one thing: the musical slash fashion enigma would never be shopping in Guess? That said, it didn't stop the clothing store from jumping on the opportunity to promote the unconfirmed sighting, sending out the above picture with the following item:

Spotted – Lady Gaga along with her assistant and five security guards were seen shopping at the GUESS by Marciano Lincoln Road store on Sunday, March 27 at approximately 12:15 pm. The crowd was getting so out of control that security needed to shut down the store so Lady Gaga and her assistant could browse the latest deliveries. After trying on an assortment of dresses and skirts, Lady Gaga purchased the Lucy Lace Skirt before exiting the store.

Here's the skirt. Says one Gaga insider, the only way this person was born, (sorry, we couldn't resist), was as a born imposter. "Nope..that's not Gaga....that's some tacky ho... plus Gaga would never be at Guess...she just modeled at the Thierry Mugler fashion show in Paris." If there were camera crews there, maybe it was for the Lady Gaga Lifetime movie? Someone should introduce faux Gaga to that faux Rod Stewart who seems to have found his own sort of fame around town. We're pretty sure he's shopped at the Guess? store, too.