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From Brickell and Downtown to Edgewater and Midtown, socially distanced balcony parties were all the rage during lockdown in Miami. Neighbors who had never met before the pandemic became fast friends and quickly realized we are truly all in this together.
Curator of The Flohemian and Insta Tour Guide Mandy Mizell took some time out to relax and read an issue of Brickell Magazine.
Omaar & Stephanie Yemini went viral for all the right reasons when more than 4 million viewers and counting got to share in their very special gender reveal celebration on the balcony of their Edgewater condo. “There was so much uncertainty that created a time of change and unusual circumstances,” they say. “It was a really nice reminder of positivity and happiness.” If you can’t tell by the reveal photo, it’s a GIRL!
When their dream wedding at Villa Woodbine in Coconut Grove was cancelled due to lockdown orders, Attorneys Jamie Webner & Ben Katz had an idea — a Zoom wedding! More than 150 virtual guests joined them on their balcony as Jamie’s recently ordained sister officiated the ceremony and their nextdoor neighbors witnessed from their own balcony a few feet away
Luxury Real Estate Advisor Matt Van Wie kept his spirits high with breathtaking vistas from home as he mapped out his plans for the rest of the year.
Bikini Designer Liliana Montoya enjoys a morning meditation from her balcony
Freelance Journalist Emily Piltzer indulges in a good read while catching rays and breezes high atop her condo building.
Putting her certified Mensa IQ above the 99th percentile to good use, our Lifestyle Editor Estrellita S. Sibila solved countless puzzles during quarantine, including this challenging mermaid-inspired gold-laced 1,000-piece jigsaw.
Creative Consultancy and Digital Influencer & Marketing Entrepreneur Iman Hasan enjoys working out alongside her new family member, Lady Bug, whom she recently adopted
Although shopping sprees were few and far between, Brickellite Prisila Salas, who was crowned Miss California Brazil USA in 2018, kept it stylish during quarantine
Miami’s Star’s All-Stars got together for an interactive virtual wine tasting hosted by Vinya Wines, experiencing the joys of culinary tourism through their laptops. Participants included: Real Estate Attorney & Philanthropist Estrellita S. Sibila; Serial Investor & Entrepreneur Olga Arguello; Luxury Event Producer Monica Pardo; Eat Me Guilt Free Founder Christie Besu; Museum of Graffiti Co-Founder Allison Freidin; Makeup Powerhouse Grace Aguado of Your Face By Grace; and renowned Hospitality Juggernaut & Socialite Kara Lundgren.
Our Associate Editor Francesca Cruz continued her mission to inspire the next generation to give back by baking hundreds of homemade chocolate chip cookies with her 8-year-old niece Alessandra Peña to deliver to first responders working at Tenet Health hospitals throughout South Florida. Little acts of kindness can make a BIG difference.
To express his creativity during COVID, Global Sports Clothing Brand Entrepreneur Werner Brill got inspired by colorfully customizing a designer Coach backpack in his studio
Hard at work on her Soulmates Collection and new facial mask line, Artist, Designer & Entrepreneur Isa Zapata has been hard at work in her Brickell studio during COVID
Cecilia Dubon Slesnick is usually an active realtor in Miami but when the pandemic hit, she pulled out her brushes and started painting again for an hour a day. Since April Fools’ Day (no joke!), she has gone live on Facebook and posted her daily sessions, which recently surpassed 100 drawings. “It’s been a really fun, cathartic experience,” she says. “I plan to keep going until my kids are back in the classroom at school!
In between virtual learning and staying in touch with her friends from a distance, Calypso finished Vol. 1 of the Museum of Graffiti’s Stay Home Graffiti Coloring Book.
When your mom is one of the world’s foremost craft authorities of Damask Love proportions (and a Brickell Magazine Top 20 Under 40 alumna) and your dad is a stylish high-powered trial attorney (who once graced the cover of Brickell Magazine ’s Best Dressed Issue), there’s a lot of pressure to get noticed. Well, Marcus Kemp-Gerstel figured out a way by turning an entire wall in their Brickell apartment into a giant museum of art. “He’s been working on it since the beginning of quarantine,” his parents say. “Every day he colors a few pages and only the best ones make it onto the wall!”
