Scene in the Tropics

Philippe vs. Mr. Chow: culinary Hatfields and McCoys?

 

The tension between enemies and soon to be neighbors Philippe and Mr. Chow has gotten a lot more serious than we thought. According to a lawsuit filed yesterday in Florida Federal Court by Alan Kluger of Miami-based law firm Kluger Kaplan, restaurateur Mr. Chow is chop-suing nemesis Philippe Chow, whose eateries---including South Beach's Philippe--- Mr. Chow contends are a rip-off of his menus and his trademarked good name.  Michael Chow, the original Mr. Chow, has been furious with Chak Yam Chau ever since the former "food chopper" for Chow resigned in 2005, changed his name to Philippe Chow and opened restaurants in New York, according to the trademark-infringement lawsuit. According to Kluger, the final straw came in 2008, when Philippe opened a Miami outpost at the Gansevoort Hotel, 100 yards from a long-planned location that Mr. Chow will open next month at the W on South Beach. Said Kluger “Simply put, Philippe is just not who he says he is!  When Philippe resigned from his job as a food chopper (he was never a chef) in 2005, he signed his resignation as Phillip Chau.  He now goes by the new name Philippe Chow.  Furthermore, Philippe has purchased sponsored links on Google for "Mr. Chow" so that when the real MR. CHOW is searched for, Phillippe's name and link comes up as Mr. Chow.  Phlippe is a fraud!”  Our request for a comment from the Philippe side of things has yet to be fulfilled.

Here's a link to download the 33 page complaint--a legal Chinese menu of sorts-- filed on July 8: Download M0648488

The fault of the house of Usher?

We hear that R&B star Usher, who is the sole musical headliner at the much anticipated Victoria's Secret fashion show at the Fontainebleau on November 15, tried unsuccessfully to get into Miami doctor Lenny Hochstein's Sunset Island Halloween party Friday night because it was so packed. According to a spy, "It was such a madhouse at the door and Usher couldn't get in." Spy also tells us that if Hochstein knew Usher was there, of course they would have let him in. Or perhaps it was just someone in a really convincing costume?

We May Not Be the Friendliest or the Smartest, But We're the Most Beautiful

So much has been made about how awful and ugly Miami drivers are, but now, thanks to a new Travel and Leisure online survey of 125,000 people, Miami's residents have been voted the most beautiful people in the country. The survey ranked 25 cities in 45 categories ranging from most affordable to friendliest denizens. Hey, we'll take what we can get. Ranked least attractive, sadly: Philadelphia.

The Real Governor of Florida

Where does a potential VP candidate go for some low key R&R? Why, Real Housewives of New York City star Jill Zarin's Hamptons beach home, of course! That's right, our very own Governor Charlie Crist and travel buddy girlfriend Carole Rome spent the weekend at Zarin's Hampton's home this past weekend. Apparently Zarin and Rome are, like, bff. Crist needed the restful weekend to recover from knee surgery, which he had last week. Oh, to be a fly on that wall.

Finally! And Brad Pitt News, Too!

Ok, so he wasn't physically in Miami yesterday, but Brad Pitt was at the third annual Design Miami/Basel event in Switzerland yesterday, where he bought 2 Max Lamb Bronze Poly Chairs and the "Family Lamp" (how apros pos) by Atelier van Lieshout. The chairs cost $25,000 each. The lamp? Priceless.

Pictured: Pitt and Ambra Medda, director of Design/Miami.

Photo: Design Miami/James Harris.

Queen Latifah and Friends at Cafe Martorano

   

Christina Milian was at Cafe Martorano Saturday night having dinner with her music producer boyfriend Andre "Dre" Lyon, his music partner Marcello "Cool" Valenzano, and Queen Latifah.  At another table: Scottie Pippen. While Milian and Dre stayed put at the table, holding hands and kissing, Queen Latifah walked around saying hi to everyone and hanging mostly at Pippen's table. In case anyone wasn't sure who Latifah was, there were cheat notes in the form of Houseguest and Taxi movie clips playing on all the restaurant's screens. More apros pos would have been Chicago.

Photos: Ralph Notaro/NDM Images

Straight Up, On the Rock Bands

Paula Abdul is crazy for fashion. The American Idol judge contacted Miami-based designer Lee Dahlberg to request celebrity-loved fashion accessory Rock Bands to be custom-made for the top 24 contestants on this year’s American Idol. After meeting at this year’s Super Bowl, the pop-star and American Idol judge fell in love with the brand and had to have them on the show. Dahlberg designed individual Rock Bands with the specific Idol contestants in mind, personally signing each band. The cuffs were worn by both finalists Ramiele Malubay (who we think is getting the axe tonight) and Brooke White on last week's show, and are set to appear in the remaining episodes of the season. Even after appearing on The Big Idea with Donny Deutsch it seems Rock Bands might be facing their toughest judge yet, Simon Cowell. 

Snapple and South Beach to Blame for Sarah Silverman's Behavior

When we reported a few months ago that Sarah Silverman and Matt Damon were filming a special, uh, tribute at the Delano for Silverman's boyfriend Jimmy Kimmel's 40th birthday party, we received a frantic call from an ABC publicist who pleaded with us not to publish it, because it was a surprise for Kimmel. We obliged, but what a surprise it was when the video, titled "I'm F*cking Matt Damon," aired on You Tube and got over 2 million views so far. Even more shocking is that Silverman hints that Snapple may have had something to do with her f*cking Damon. The folks at Snapple feel real bad about their role in the sordid affair and sent the following letter to Kimmel:

Hey Jimmy,

Heard that you found out about Sarah f*cking Matt Damon.  Sorry you had to find out that way and that my sublime flavor blinded you to Sarah's philandering ways.

In an attempt to console you, here's a whole lotta me for you to enjoy. Hopefully it will numb the pain. In fact, if your viewers want to share their girlfriend/boyfriend is f*cking someone else story on air , they can have a case of me too…

Anyway, keep your spirits up. It's not like she was f*cking Ben Affleck or anything. Now that would have been embarrassing.

Diet Snapple

And the Coolest Parents Award Goes To....

Some lucky Miamians scored tickets to the Hannah Montana concert at the American Airlines Arena last week with a little help from their famous friends. Among them, Ingrid Casares, who received 9 tickets to the show thanks to a request from Casares' pal Madonna, who put in the request herself. Conveniently we managed to get our  hands a mass email sent by Hannah Miley Montana Cyrus' manager listing all celebrity VIP ticket requests. South Florida resident and rocker Scott Stapp and his wife Jaclyn also received tix--but on their own merit, not Madonna's.

SET Loves New York

Celebs packed the house for Tenjune's pre-New Year's Eve party at SET on Sunday night. Adrien Grenier, in head to toe white pants and top, hid from photographers as he snuck in with a mystery blonde, forgoing a bottle of vodka at his table and instead requesting a bucket of Knight's Head beer on ice.  But it was "I Love New York's" Tiffany Pollard who really made the  night amusing. Pollard arrived with her TV love , "Tailor Made" and, says our source, "Sucked face while drinking Tanqueray and tonics, later swigging directly from a bottle of Dom Perignon which Tiffany moved on to spray on Tailor Made as he shook his booty." The source adds that the couple seem truly in love as they continued to "suck face in the corner all night."  Also there acting normal,  Sofia Bush, sporting her new cropped hairdo, as was singer Eve, who held court at the table in front of the DJ booth with a gaggle of gal pals dancing to Jay-Z and Bob Sinclar as a single Nick Cannon looked on.