Scene in the Tropics

Coal mining heir Wayne Boich, Jr. building billionaire bachelor pad on North Bay Road

There are no real estate woes for the 1 percent. According to Kevin Tomlinson's South Beach Condos Blog, three North Bay Road homes were sold for $19.6 million to 37-year-old Ohio coal mining heir Wayne Boich, Jr., who plans to knock down all three homes and build one big billionaire bachelor pad. Boich's ICON South Beach penthouse is currently under contract for somewhere in the market of $21 million, closing allegedly on September 1. Boich is CEO of the eponymous Columbus-based Boich Group of Companies, which in 2008 teamed up with Ohio utility company FirstEnergy to buy the Signal Peak Coal Mine near Billings, Montana to create Signal Peak Energy. The company is also a big donor in political circles, too, especially to Speaker of the House John Boehner, a big supporter of clean coal efforts.

From clean coal to down and dirty partying, Boich, a LIV-fixture, is best known locally for dating Tara Reid many moons ago, and for his big, star studded birthday bashes, his latest featuring DJ Avicii spinning at his penthouse. His website describes him as "a man with vision, who has a deep concern for the community, society and the environment. These combined factors make him a powerful and articulate business man."

Incidentally, one of the homes he bought used to belong to former singer, beauty queen, Florida citrus spokesperson and anti-gay advocate Anita Bryant and then husband, late Miami DJ Bob Green back in 1982.

Update: So much for the billionaire bachelor pad. Congrats go out to Boich, who, last week announced his engagement to 29-year-old Cynthia Marin. The couple, who met in Spain over two years ago, will marry next year and move into that big ol' house they're building together. Mazel tov and move on, golddiggers.

Simon Fuller, Perez Hilton & Jamie King on So Flo hunt for The Boy Band for the Next Generation

Move over Menudo. New Kids on the Block? Next. 'NSync and Backstreet Boys? Too busy covering up their grey.  Get ready for The Boy Band for the Next Generation, the brainchild of gossip blogger Perez Hilton, pop music tour director Jamie King, and American Idol's Simon Fuller. A casting call for this elusive search will take place today through Sunday at the MyStudio HD Recording Studio at Sawgrass Mills from 10 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. now through Saturday and from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Sunday. But it's not for everyone. If you're more like Glee's Mr. Schuester than Justin Bieber, stay home. They're looking for "undiscovered talented teeange boys between 12 and 15 who are both excellent singers and dancers." Oops, that leaves out Bieber-types, too. For several reasons, namely that he's 16.  Contestants will create 2 videos demonstrating their abilities. The winner will get to join the band and date a Kardashian receive fame, fortune and tabloid ink. For more info, click here. Good luck.

Take two: Bravo tries again with Miami Social Club

As we've said so many times, Bravo is not filming The Real Housewives of Miami. Finally putting that rumor to rest is the announcement of the voyeuristic network's new series, Miami Social Club (working title), starring, among others, Lea Black (wife of famed attorney Roy) and, in this scene at the Original Penguin store over the weekend, Black's right hand man Jason Clarke and drag diva Elaine Lancaster with a cameo by Dennis Rodman. Motley Social Club's more like it. Casting for this started way back in June of last year with all sorts of names in bold stepping up for their chance at having every tabloid dig for skeletons in the deep, dark recesses of their closets the big time. As for the rest of the guinea pigs publicity hounds castmembers (the network tells us because it's "just a pick up," there are no official cast announcements or details on air dates as of yet), according to our reality show rat they are: public relations professional/erstwhile socialite Marysol Patton, Christy Rice (ex wife of former Miami Heat player Glen Rice), Alexia Echeverria (executive editor of Venue Magazine), socialite and gallery owner Adriana Sidi (also known as Adriana de Moura), and Larsa Pippen (wife of NBA's Scottie). The official word on the series is as follows: "This new docu-series follows Miami's social elite--a glamorous circle where money, hard work, status and beauty rule. Get a fascinating fly-on-the-wall look at life on the sizzling hot Miami scene. MC Filmworks is producing this series for Bravo with Michael McNamara, Sheri Maroukfkhani and Jack Tarantino as executive producers." Our sources also tell us this show has absolutely nothing to do with that other failed experiment show with the words Miami and social in it. To nobody's surprise, that one has not been renewed. Let's hope they get it right with this one.

For Fifty Bucks, Loftin's Casa Es Su Casa

Ever wondered what really goes on inside Casa Casuarina, a.k.a. the Versace mansion? Now, for $50, you, too, can get a piece of the alleged action as owner Peter Loftin opens his house up for the Magical Mystery Mansion Tour, where from August 18-September 30, strangers can stroll the manse in a 45 minute guided tour. What gives? Does Loftin need the money? We asked publicist Susan Brustman what the deal was and she told us "Revenues go back to Casa Casuarina, to help offset costs of maintaining the property and keeping it pristine and beautiful. They can make the profits from a month of tours on one or two paid events. We're just so happy they're opening to the public, offering something new, educational and breathtaking to tourists and locals on Miami Beach." In these tough times we can't think of anything better to do with fifty bucks than to tour someone else's house, can you?

Soffer Had Prince, But Jamie Foxx Had a $1500 Birthday Cake and Steve Urkell

Jamie Foxx had his cake and ate it too at his 40th birthday party in The Florida Room at the Delano Saturday night. Foxx's team placed a last minute order Friday, with edits running through late Saturday afternoon, for an over- the-top birthday cake from Fort Lauderdale boutique bakery, We Take the Cake. The four layer red velvet cake, Foxx's fave, replicated the movie poster of the party's theme, New Jack City, along with the New York skyline, Foxx's portrait and the logo of the party sponsor, Belvedere Vodka. The cake (see photo), which cost $1500, was served to a stellar list of guests, including Dwyane Wade, Fat Joe, Timbaland, Sean Paul, Busta Rhymes, Pharrell Williams and Jaleel White, aka Steve Urkell. Having Prince perform your birthday party=$2 million. Having Urkell as a guest? Priceless. Sorry, we couldn't resist.

A Near Miss: Timbaland vs. Storch

 
Rival producers Timbaland and Scott Storch had a near run in Monday night at BED's Motley Bird-sponsored Secret Society party.

 
Both were with their respective entourages, lounging on beds on separate sides of the club.  They sipped on Motley Bird energy drinks and vodka for a good two hours before even noticing that the other was also there.

After a few final sips of his cocktail, Timbaland and crew finished up and headed out in a black Mercedes Benz. No exchanges were made. Whew. Close call. 

It Wasn't Easy But Sharon Stone Made Many A Wish Come True

A stunning Sharon Stone charmed the starstruck crowd at the Make-a-Wish gala at the Hotel InterContinental last night--especially when she put on her best Hollywood face and called the monied crowd cheap after a struggle to collect high bids during a live auction. Despite the pulling teeth aspect, Stone, who gave a moving, Oscar-worthy speech about her experience with sick children in her work as an AmFar crusader, managed to pull out a massive tally--something like triple what was raised last year thanks to the sales of two Ferraris at $240,000 each, and Stone's own Rolls Royce, which went to lawyer and fundraiser Jim Ferraro for about $160,000. The InterContinental Make-A-Wish Ball net $1.5 million this year--- a huge jump from the $900,000 it raised last year. When she wasn't hitting up the crowd for cash, Stone mingled with friend and gala chairman Shareef Malnik and even posed for pix with pushier folk, including this blogger, who told the actress how stunning she looked and wished her luck with the tough crowd. "Oh, don't you worry," she laughed. When one man approached the actress saying he'd love to discuss the finer points of Basic Instinct, she smiled and said, "Um, let's not," as she moved on to work the crowd. Meanwhile, those with a more critical eye were more focused on Stone's skin tight unitard number. "The word is out that Sharon Stone has camel toe," said one ball-er, who hadn't yet seen the actress. Tough crowd, indeed.

Photo, right: Manny Hernandez 

Nick Cannon All Fired Up

Nick Cannon hit the turntables as part of his MySpace music tour Friday night at Prive.  He seems to have bounced back from his recently broken-off engagement with Victoria's Secret beauty Selita Ebanks quite quickly. Says our spy, "He arrived and departed hand-in-hand with the same mystery lady - a leggy beauty who looked a lot like Selita. She sat tableside as Nick spun for more than two hours, making eyes with him all night."

Forbes' #451 at Epicure Today

Seen around noon today: Mexican billionaire Emilio Azcárraga Jean ($2 billion according to Forbes), strolled out of a black Porsche with Mexico City plates and into Epicure to do a little shopping.  Jean, CEO of Televisa, looked like he had had a rough night of partying—slumming in his shorts.