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SPORT

Miami Beach Polo World Cup X Photograpy by The Polo Life

FEB-MAR 2014

ow in its tenth year, the Miami Beach Polo World Cup is the first event of its kind in the U.S. and one of the most prestigious sporting events on the social calendar, taking place April 24-27, 2014, on the sands of South Beach behind The Setai hotel. The four-day, globally renowned sporting event, considered the most coveted of its kind, features top polo players from around the world competing in two tournaments for both men and women. The South Beach Women’s Polo Cup takes place on Thursday, April 24th featuring eight women teams in a one-day series of round-robin championship matches. Last years winning team of Cecelia Cochran and Alicia Harden will defend their title as 2003 champions, while competing against the highly touted Pamela Flanagan, Cristina Hosmer, Tiffany Busch, Stephanie Kraml-Suttle and Lynn O’Connor, among others, who are all expected to play in this years tournament. The Miami Beach Polo World Cup X a three-day men´s tournament, now in its tenth year, starts on Friday, April 25th through Sunday, April 27th. Six teams will include some of the world´s top-ranked players, including England´s Jamie Morrison, Holland´s Vincent Mesker, past Miami Beach and Chicago Beach Polo winner, Guille Usandizaga from Argentina, Costa Rica´s Luis Escobar, 2009 MVP

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John Gobin and last year´s MVP, 9-goaler Kris Kampsen. “This year´s Miami Beach Polo World Cup is our 10-year anniversary and we are very proud to reach this exciting milestone”, said Bruce Orosz, president and co-founder of The Polo Life, LLC.

"More than 10,000 people attend the Miami Beach Polo World Cup over four days each year" “All eyes are on this year´s tournament as we continue to expand our Beach Polo concept internationally. We thank all o four patrons, sponsors and supporters with helping to take our vision for The Polo Life to new heights. “ More than 10,000 people attend the Miami Beach Polo World Cup over four days. The tournament attracts professional polo players from as far as Russia, Switzerland and Malaysia, as well as the very best from South America

info General admission to both competitions and adjacent retail village is free, and concessions will be available to purchase. A limited number of VIP tickets are available that allows entrance to the shaded Grandstand, where complimentary food and beverages are served. Ticket prices are $100 for Thursday, April 24th and $130 for Friday, April 25th through Sunday, April 27th. Children 12 to 18 yearsold pay half the adult ticket price and children younger than 12 years-old receive free admission. A percentage of all ticket sales will go to Big Brothers Big Sisters of Greater Miami, the tournament¹s official charity partner. A three-day VIP pass can be purchased for $375. A four-day VIP pass can be purchased for $450. For more information or to purchase tickets, visit: www.miamipolo.com or call 305-538-3809.

FEB-MAR 2014

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DEC- JAN 2013/14

COVER

Text Lera Gavin Photography Bob Metelu & Dania Graibe

Dwyane

Wade Man of Many Roles

“Wade is that rare breed of basketball player who has learnt the valuable lesson that helping others is the one of best ways to heal yourself.”

and a millionaire many times over, a much sought after spokesperson for companies as diverse as T-Mobile, Gatorade and cookie makers Pepperidge Farm, but that’s not all he is. As well as a fashion icon (Esquire named him the best dressed NBA player and Forbes magazine voted him one of America’s best dressed athletes) and an outspoken advocate for social justice (he appeared on the cover of Ebony magazine wearing a grey hooded sweatshirt to protest the Trayvon Martin killing), he’s also a philanthropist (the Huffington Post named him “number one featured doer” for his charitable work). His Wade’s World Foundation has hosted Christmas parties for underprivileged kids, organized free basketball camps and raised money for earthquake victims in Haiti. But Wade insists that the most important role he plays is that of a doting father to his two sons, six year old Zion and eleven year old Zaire. Wade won sole custody of the two boys in 2011 after a messy and highly public divorce from his childhood sweetheart. In his recently

DEC- JAN 2013/14

wyane Wade has achieved success against some of the longest odds possible. The Miami Heat shooting guard was born dirt poor in 1982 on Chicago’s notorious gang-infested South Side and in his early years he subsisted on government handouts.This was a time when the crack cocaine epidemic was beginning to devastate inner city neighborhoods across America. One of the early victims of this drug scourge was Wade’s mother, Jolinda, who sold cocaine to feed her habit. Lost to the crack pipe, she was unable to look after her son, so Wade was raised by his beloved sister Tragil, only five years older than him. After his mother was sent to prison for dealing cocaine, Dwayne went to live with his father, Dwyane Sr., a former army sergeant and strict disciplinarian who Wade credits with setting him on the road to eventual basketball stardom. Wade was ten years old. In a remarkable turnaround in fortune, today life couldn’t be sweeter for the NBA superstar. He’s one of basketball’s most valuable players

DEC- JAN 2013/14

published autobiography, A Father First, Wade writes: “I’m a father first and everything else after that.” Just as inspiring as Dwyane’s story is what became of his mother. After getting out of prison in 2001, she turned her life around by quitting drugs cold turkey and studying to become a Baptist preacher. Now, grateful for a second chance, Jolinda is a constant presence in her son’s life, the mother to Dwyane she couldn’t be when she was a homeless junkie. As Jolinda often says of her son: “Dwyane’s life is bigger than just basketball.” Recently, Le City Deluxe sat down with the dapper NBA superstar to talk about his life on and off the court, his hard-scrabble early years and his desire to be more than simply a highliving baller. The first thing we wanted to know was what was it like growing up in a war zone. “Like every kid growing up in the south side of Chicago, it had its good and bad points, but every experience was a lesson,”says Wade.“Basketball was one of those outlets that allowed me to remain focused on the positive things while helping me realize my dreams.” If you examine the sociological circumstances of his upbringing, Wade should be behind bars, drug-addicted or dead by now. How did he manage to ignore the siren call of the streets that nearly destroyed his mother? How did he manage to avoid the fate that befalls so many young black men from poor neighborhoods? Wade claims it was his father’s influence. “He was my first coach,” he says. “He was the one who really got me into basketball.He taught me perseverance and athleticism at an early age, and since then, I've never stopped. If you look at the statistics, I’m not supposed to be here right now but I am and I’m immensely proud of that. My father is a big part of the reason why.”

“I was inspired to start my own foundation because as a little kid I remember looking into my community and seeing the need for mentors and role models."

DEC- JAN 2013/14

As well as his father, another source of inspiration growing up was fellow Chicagoan Michael Jordan. “His will to win and how he consistently broke records and helped lead his team to championships is something that, still to this day, inspires and motivates me,” says Wade. Another thing that Wade is immensely proud of is the Wade‘s World Foundation, which he started in 2003 to give back to the community. What motivated him to start his own foundation? “I was inspired to start my own foundation because as a little kid I remember looking into my community and seeing the need for mentors and role models. I noticed the trend of no one really coming back to us to motivate us and inspire us, to say "You can do whatever you put your mind to do." So, I always told myself that if I was ever put in a position to give back, that I would. Starting the Wade's World Foundation was that way to give back and be a role model to those on the South Side of Chicago and in other underserved areas.” What has been his most meaningful moment as a philanthropist? “As a philanthropist, every day and moment is meaningful,” he says. “With each and every event we host or program we put in place-whether it's a concert we put on at a local park or a talent showcase, we help kids get inspired and give them the opportunity to pursue their dreams. With the support of my family, having faith in God and believing in myself, I was able to live out a dream and I want to encourage others to do the same.” Wade is that rare breed of basketball player who has learned the valuable lesson that helping others is the one of best ways to heal yourself

SEPT-OCT 2013

SPORT

Revealed Le City Deluxe Unveils Sophisticated Rides of Miami’s Most Illustrious Athletes

Adeiny Hechavvaria With His White Porsche Panamera

LuxE CaRS Of MiaMi MaRLinS PLayERS

SEPT-OCT 2013

iami is a place that is mecca for everything grandeur. It is also a domicile to some of the most notable sports teams like The Heat, Miami Dolphins, and Miami Marlins. With handsome incomes that rival the paychecks of Hollywood’s luminaries, Miami’s professional athletes are superstars of their own caliber. Raking in millions from contracts with the biggest sports teams and profitable endorsement deals, some of these celebrated sportsmen love to indulge in luxury. Le City Deluxe, had the pleasure of photographing luxe autos of Miami Marlins’ Plácido Polanco and Adeiny Hechevvaria. Adeiny Hechevvaria, a 24 year old professional baseball player from Cuba has already made a name for himself in the Major League Baseball. In 2012, halfway through his $10 million 4 year contract with Toronto Blue Jays, Hechevvaria became a part of the team’s active roster due to his first-rate batting average of .312. In November of the same year, Adeiny Hechevvaria was traded to the Miami Marlins. Celebrating his move to the Magic City, Hechevvaria splurged on a luxurious, glossy white, four-door Porsche Panamera that was first unveiled at the 13th Auto Shanghai International Automobile Show in Shanghai in April of 2009. Dominican-American third baseman for the Miami Marlins Plácido Polanco, shares his teammates’love for extravagant automobiles. In 2007, Polanco who played for MLB teams like St. Louis Cardinals and the Detroit Tigers, set a major league record by playing 144 consecutive games without an error. On December 20, 2012, the Miami Marlins recruited the talented baseball player and signed Polanco on to a one-year contract that is worth $2.75 million, making him the second-highest paid player on the team. To commemorate his deal with the Marlins, Plácido Polanco treated himself to a customized Mercedes Benz AMG. Polanco’s favorite feature? “Black Bison” fenders that encase his 22 inch Savini Monoblock wheels

SEPT-OCT 2013

Placido Polanco With His Customized Mercedes Benz AMG

SEPT-OCT 2013