There’s a brand new and unique Halloween adventure—a Havana Haunted Mansion. I just bought tickets to the Miami Beach Salsa Fest, one of many events celebrating the National Hispanic Heritage Month. Great news for Miami Beach— Regal Cinema has renewed its lease on Lincoln Road. I also thought I would share the interview I had with Leeann Lavin, the host of “Ladies Who Lunch Conversation.” And I wish you all a wonderful long holiday weekend and the unofficial bye bye to summer.

Sept. 15-Oct. 31. Step Into the World of Havana Haunted Mansion

I have to see if my friends have the nerve to go on this adventure with me. I’m anxious to try something thrilling this Halloween. The advertisements for Havana Haunted Mansion make you feel it’s only for the brave.

The ads say, “Experience the night of captivating entertainment, enjoy a mesmerizing theatrical show, sip on unique cocktails, and navigate the ghost’s challenges.”

I must admit that I go out of my comfort zone quite a bit but I don’t know if I have to go out of my way to make myself a nervous wreck just because I am curious what this is all about. It could also turn out to be a calm, fun night that was more hype than scary action.  The event features “live performances, immersive adventures, and unforgettable moments in the heart of Miami!” Not sure what that means but I will soon find out.

The Haunted Mansion Cocktail Experience takes place from September 15 – October 31, 2023. GET THE DETAILS.

Sept. 14. Miami Beach Salsa Fest

Featuring Tito Puente Jr. and Melina Almodovar, this is going to be a very lively evening because the upbeat Latin music will cause many to jump to their feet and dance in the aisles. Everyone will be smiling and shaking their bodies to music that has been popular for generations. The event is being staged on the grounds of the Miami Beach Botanical Garden, 2000 Convention Center Dr.

The garden is a 2.6 acres urban green space in Miami Beach that features a Great Lawn area for corporate and social events. The entire area has night-time lights, especially the entrance gate, and pathways.

This concert will be benefitting AYUDA, a non-profit community-based 501(c)3 organization serving adolescents, adults and elderly in South Florida since 1977. To learn more about AYUDA Inc. visit Ayudamiami.org.

Regal Cinema Renews Lease

Whew, that was a close one. After being told a year ago that Regal, the country’s second largest cinema chain, was going to close its theater on Lincoln Road, the decision makers changed their minds. Regal is the largest cinema in Miami Beach. We also have boutiques: the O Cinema and the Rooftop Cinema Club.

The Miami Herald broke the story with these details. “The cinema giant renewed a lease in August for its Regal South Beach location at 1120 Lincoln Road Mall with Los Angeles-based landlord BH Properties, according to the real estate investment firm’s president Jim Brooks. Regal anchors the four-story, 253,168-square-foot building on the prime corner of the Miami Beach outdoor mall. The deal is a change of course after the cinema company announced in January it would close the location along with 38 others across the country.

“Regal’s announcement about closing some locations came after its parent company, Cineworld, filed for Chapter 11 in 2022. Movie theaters struggled to compete for years with the growing popularity of streaming companies like Netflix. Many cinemas struggled during the pandemic with the added challenge of social distancing and lack of blockbusters. For Regal, Brooks said he believes they saw value in staying in South Beach.

“There is demand for the cinema experience. Regal had an interest in remaining,” Brooks said. Although he confirmed the renewed lease with Regal, Brooks declined to comment on the expiration of the new contract and other lease terms.”

Personally, I would love to know the length of the lease. The entire movie theater complex, which is situated on Lincoln Road and Alton Road, makes that area of Miami Beach, very vibrant. It becomes a serious entertainment center with pizza parlors, ice cream shops and candy stores.

That’s the way it was for years. Once the pandemic hit, everyone closed shop. As we all know, that was the case with many retail shops. Thank you, Regal, for leading the way. Little by little, Miami Beach will be jumping again in this part of town.

My “Ladies Who Lunch Conversation”

I thought I would share the interview I had with Leeann Lavin, the host of “Ladies Who Lunch Conversation.” It’s a videocast where Leeann interviews woman over 50 about their careers and future aspirations. Leeann asked me how my husband and I made the transition from New York City to Miami and, how and why, I continue to have a heavy schedule of activities in my senior years.

I was so honored to be her guest because Leeann is an accomplished horticulturist, entertaining and garden artist, painter, landscape and tablescape designer and blogger. I really have little knowledge in these areas but we used to work together in the world of public relations so I guess she felt I could encourage other women my age to get out of their comfort zone and try new things.

Leeann was one of the most creative AE’s ever employed at HWH PR, my PR agency. It was at the beginning of her career yet she outwitted me every day.

This was my introduction to her show.

“Listen and watch as Lois shares her honest anecdotes about her decades owning a major public relations firm with her husband, Eliot, building brands in the tech sector; her extraordinary networking genius, and moreover, her lust for learning, pursuing new adventures, passion projects, and community ~ that she’s accomplished in her self-described “senior years” ~ mainly through art and travel… Here’s a lesson in aging.”