Arts advocate Agnes Gund together with Veronique Pittman, Marian E. Davis and Sarah Arison chaired the “must attend” event of the season, paying tribute to Miami-based National Foundation for Advancement in the Arts’ (NFAA) youngARTS 2009 Gold and Silver Winners with a special performance and fundraising benefit, proving that the arts are of paramount importance to New Yorkers. Led by this power-packed quartet descending on the Baryshnikov Arts Center (BAC) and Affirmation Arts, one could say the arts may be even more important now than ever. New York’s most prominent arts advocates, philanthropists and other notables including Mikhail Baryshnikov, Eric and Perri Peltz Ruttenberg, and Gabriella De Ferrari among others, gathered to celebrate and support the best-of-the-best of today’s young artists. Pictured: Christina DePaul, Agnes Gund and Mikhail Baryshnikov.

Public Enemy was spotted at the Wolfsonian-FIU during a panel discussion hosted by Red Bull Music Academy in conjunction with Winter Music Conference on social responsibility in music. There was a brief reception with Red Bull in the Dynamo Cafe followed by the discussion in the Entry Hall. Photo by Silvia Ros.

Canyon Ranch Miami Beach hosted a star-studded pre-gala celebration for a respected Miami charity. Award-winning reggae artist Flex, American pop singer Ana Cristina, Saxophonist Alto Reed, Venezuelan singer Maria Conchita Alonso, Mexican singer Lucia Mendez, and DJ Mark Leventhal performed during an outdoor cocktail reception in Canyon Ranch’s breezy Palm Courts. Keeping with Canyon Ranch’s healthy living philosophy, guests sipped organic champagne and spirits and enjoyed the hotel’s world-renown cuisine including selections of ceviche, antipasto and miniature desserts. Pictured: Alessandra Pinson and actor Paolo Quevedo.

As fate would have it, the final day of the Sony Ericsson Open had Miami’s Anna Kournikova front and center -- but she was not playing tennis. Rather, the international superstar was helping children by participating in the second annual Nautica South Beach Triathlon, which raised $137,500 for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. Participants gathered on South Beach before dawn and ran into the Atlantic for a half-mile swim, then biked 19 miles before finishing with a four mile run. Read the Anna Kournikova and K-Swiss run for St. Jude article in its entirety. Photo by Hellmund.

As millions of people around the world prepared to ‘go dark’ in recognition of Earth Hour 2009, hundreds gathered at Miami’s landmark Bank of America Tower at International Place for a special Earth Hour kick-off party. The landmark tower – illuminated in a flood of green light – served as the backdrop for the event. The mayor and his family were on-hand to turn-off the tower’s iconic lights. Pictured: Mayor Manny Diaz with daughters Natalie and Elisa.

Alejandro Sanz, Paulina Rubio with her husband Colate and Antonio de la Rua were guests at the Bacardi suite during a Rafael Nadal match at the Sony Ericsson Open. Photo by Manny Hernandez

American Designer, Michael Kors along with Deborah Slack, Vice President and General Manager of Saks Fifth Avenue Bal Harbour, hosted an intimate reception for close friends and top clients in the newly opened in-store Michael Kors boutique. Following a champagne cocktail hour, guests previewed Michael Kors’ 2009 Fall Collection as they enjoyed lunch. Guests included notables from the Miami social scene. Pictured: Steph Sayfie, Michael Kors, Deborah Slack and Suzie Sayfie. See the complete Michael Kors in Bal Harbour photo gallery.

Paulina Rubio was a guest at the Bacardi suite during the Rafael Nadal vs. Teimuraz Gabashvili match at the Sony Ericsson Open in Key Biscayne. See more Sony Ericsson Open coverage. Photo by Manny Hernandez.

The Museum of Contemporary Art (MOCA) partnered with artist Jose Alvarez to host the opening of the Elie Tahari boutique at Bal Harbour Shops. See the complete Elie Tahari Bal Harbour grand opening photo gallery. Pictured: Elie Tahari, Bonnie Clearwater, Jose Alvarez. Photo by David Heischrek.

The Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts of Miami-Dade County re-launched the Green Room Society, its young patrons group, during a cocktail party at Mondrian, a Morgan Hotel in South Beach. 300 supporters joined the Green Room Society to kick-off a new year of programming and philanthropic initiatives that support the arts. For membership information, please visit arshtcenter.org/join. Pictured: Allie and Jen Schwartz. See the complete Green Room Society photo gallery by Manny Hernandez.