Social Miami: Social Eyes

A Grand Opening Preview at the Mandarin Oriental Miami

Carnival Center for the Performing Arts celebrated ¡Abriendo Puertas! with a festive evening of cocktails, hors d’oeuvres and music at the Mandarin Oriental Miami. The event, presented by Carnival Center for the Performing Arts and sponsored by the Mandarin, brought together some of South Florida’s most prominent arts and business leaders, particularly those in the Latin community.

Michael Hardy, the Center’s president and CEO, greeted the crowd and introduced Pedro Martin, CEO of Terra Group, the evening’s host. Martin spoke about the excitement surrounding the Center’s much-anticipated opening and introduced Emilio Estefan, the producer of the Concert for Miami, the first night of the Center’s Grand Opening festivities. Estefan also announced that Broadway Tony Award-winning star Bernadette Peters and legendary music producer Quincy Jones will be among the stars who join Gloria Estefan at the Knight Concert Hall on October 5.

Guests at ¡Abriendo Puertas! included: Hardy; Martin; Sherwood M. "Woody" Weiser, chairman of the board for Carnival Center Foundation, and Carnival Center Trust board member Judy Weiser; Frank Amadeo, president of Estefan Enterprises; Horacio Aguirre, president of Diario las Americas; Adrienne Arsht, chairman of TotalBank; Alberto Ibargüen, president and CEO of The John S. and James L. Knight Foundation, and Susana Ibargüen; Scott Silver, president of Grouper Financial, Inc. and Grand Patron Sponsor of the Center's Opening Weekend; Edie Laquer of Laquer Corporate Realty Group; Rosa Sugrañes, chairman of Iberia Tiles; Judy Drucker, president and founding artistic director of the Concert Association of Florida; and Jesús Díaz, Jr., publisher of The Miami Herald and El Nuevo Herald.

Live music from Bobby Ramirez and his Latin Jazz Ensemble entertained more than 200 guests as they enjoyed delectable Asian-inspired hors d’oeuvres. Always Flowers provided the floral décor and guests received designer fragrance gift bags courtesy of Saks Fifth Avenue – Dadeland.