NO.8
AUGUST 2018
AUGUST 2018 The Peridot issue:
Luxury Chamber 9 Year Anniversary Lamborghini Champagne Luxury Cruise Options with Frankie Blankenship Dawn V. Gilmore Nicklaus Childrens Hospital Roger Plevin and the 007 Miami Dolphins Party Luxury Chamber Expands Harvest Seasonal Grill The Delray Soiree
Man & Woman of the Month: Joe D'Amico & Irene Yovu
FOUNDER | Jay Shapiro Luxury Chamber Media Group jay@southflorida.in
Assistant to the Editor | Kolleen Poirier kolleen@southflorida.in
Fashion Editor | Juliana LaBonte juliana@southflorida.in
Travel Editor | Frankie Blankenship
Business Editor | Cindy Ragan
Real Estate Editor | Venus Proffer
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Allen Kopelman, Frank LoRe Jr., Venus Proffer, Eirini Kalaitzopoulou, Suze Francios, Kris Victoria
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Contrasting Elements: OPA LOCKA Miami's New Concours Club to Offer Membership at $350K
Concours Club Artists Rendition
Miami, a city famous for its mind-numbing traffic and slow-cruise culture, is lately looking like the best city for cars in America. Soon after Formula One won its bid to hold a race there next year and Grand Basel announced it’ll have an automotive event there in February, two developers have solidified plans to build a $220 million racetrack and private members club just 11 miles from Miami’s artsy Wynwood district. Set to open at Miami-Opa Locka Executive Airport in May 2019, The Concours Club will offer more than 2 miles of racetrack designed by Alan Wilson, plus an infinity pool and jacuzzi, full spa and a hammam, wine and cigar storage, restaurant and bar, and full concierge services. “The amenities are what set us apart,” said co-founder Neil Gehani. “We want to be sure we bring in the right people, and then we want to keep everyone here once they get here.” Gehani and co-owner Jay Pollak will offer 40 founding memberships costing $350,000, with no annual dues. Founding members will then invite friends and colleagues to buy “legacy memberships” capped at 150 people. Those will cost $125,000 plus annual dues. Corporate memberships may be offered shortly after the initial opening. If that all sounds like a steep ante, it is. But it’s consistent with the pricing of other private tracks around the world such as the Thermal Club outside Palm Springs, Calif., and the Monticello Motor Club, set in the lush Hudson Valley of upstate New York. And, to put it in perspective, it’s less than the cost of even one of the cars—a Pagani Zonda costs $1.4 million, for instance, and a Koenigsegg Agera costs $2.1 million—owned by the prospective members, who will be a mix of wealthy international collectors and local, well-connected driving enthusiasts.
Man & Woman of the Month - August 2018
Joe D'Amico & Irene Yovu Joe D'Amico is a car industry veteran who owned and partnered
Irene Yovu’s busy schedule keeps her in perpetual motion, but she
with several car dealerships and automotive industry companies
always finds time to support those in need. When she was introduced
and professionals over the years including Reynolds & Reynolds,
to Glam-A-THON™, she knew immediately that working with
Massey Yardley, Don Kott, Dan Agan and many others.
powerful women who are making a difference in the community, and doing it in high heels and lots of bling, resonated with her spirit of
Joe is originally from Pittsburgh, PA and comes from an Italian-
giving.
American background. He worked in Finance in London England and he is also a Purple Heart Honored Veteran who
Irene earned a Bachelor of Arts Degree from Pratt Institute in
served his country proudly in the Vietnam war and comes from a
Brooklyn New York, and an Associate Degree in Hotel and Food
strong military family.
Management from Paul Smith’s Jr. College, Paul Smiths, New York.
Joe works together with Irene who is his soulmate. He brought her to the Mayo Clinic in Minnesota out of the desire for
She consciously strives to treat others with kindness and grace, and
"NOTHING BUT THE BEST" and she means the world to him.
spreads the gift of friendship easily and often. She relishes her involvement in Temple Adath Or in Davie, theater arts, spiritual
Together they work hand in hand to make the world a better place
growth.
and they dedicate most of their free time to Glam-A-THON™
After a successful 25 year career in sales & marketing in the grocery
which is a breast cancer non-profit that donates funds directly to
industry, Irene is enjoying her ultra-active retirement filled with
the victims. Irene's Birthday is in August and there is nothing Joe
friends, travel, philanthropy and her glamorous 7.5 lb Persian cat,
would like for you to do more than to make a direct contribution
Maggie. Irene celebrates four blinged out years on the Glam Board.
in her name: https://strut.everydayhero.com/us/irene
Debbie's Dream Foundation Hosts Its 2018 Board Appreciation Reception and Installation Ceremony DDF welcomes five new and distinguished board members to contribute to its mission of raising awareness of stomach cancer and funds for research
DDF hosted its annual Board Appreciation Reception and Installation Ceremony on July 19, 2018, at the DDF headquarters in Plantation, Florida. The ceremony was held to induct a new class of influential professionals to serve on the Board of Directors for DDF. Attendees included current and past members of DDF's Board of Directors, Corporate Advisory Council, Scientific and Medical Advisory Board, and Honorary Board.
DDF Board members (l to r) Elkin Alfred, David Kubiliun, Esq., Noemi Sanchez, Jill Ginsberg, Esq., Pat Campola, Marsha Levy, Michael Ehren, Esq. (President), Madelyn Zelman (Secretary), Tamar Shatanof, MS, Jonathan Perillo, Michael Brin, CFP, MBA, Liz Gassew, RN, Cynthia Peterson (Vice President), and Libia Scheller, PhD, MBA
Guests of the reception enjoyed dinner and networking, and later participated in a ceremony recognizing current, incoming, and transitioning DDF board members. The newly installed members include Pat Campola, President and Founder of Campola Consulting and DDF Patient Resource Education Program (PREP) mentor; Jill Ginsberg, Board Certified Elder Law Attorney at Ginsberg Shulman Attorneys at Law; Christy Leonard, Data Manager at Perspecta and DDF North Carolina East Chapter Co-Founder; Tamar Shatanof, Certified Public Accountant and DDF's founding treasurer; and Mitchell Starr, Partner at Bienenfeld Lasek & Starr, LLC. Each board member serves a two-year term advising, governing, overseeing policy and direction, and assisting with leadership and general promotion of DDF as to support the organization's mission.
ZUCCARELLIS
WEST PALM
Frankie Blankenship (877) 4-VAYCAY
frankie@frankietravel.com
August 2nd 2018 - Associations Night with Miami Dolphins Luxury Chamber was invited to a night of cocktails and networking with Miami Dolphins Legends OJ McDuffy and John Offerdahl. Some of the prominent members in attendence included: Frankie Blankenship with Cruise Planners, George Khoury with GK Realty Brokerage, Khalilah Camacho-Ali, Venus Proffer, Jay Shapiro, Barbora Kassdikian, Harvard Professor Dr. Jerald Feinstein, Chef Irie, Karel Grimberg, Joe D'Amico and Irene Yovu