With Christmas less than one week away, I decided to check out something completely different for the holidays. On Sunday night I went to DAYGLOW, the “World’s Largest Paint Party,” which took place at the Miami Beach Convention Center. Named the most unique event of 2010, sold out in over 15 cities (including New York, Los Angeles, San Diego, Chicago, Cancun, London and Paris) and showcased at the Ultra Music Festival, DAYGLOW was sure to impress me. Also, DJ Robbie Rivera, The Devil from Acapulco, David Solano and Willie Morales were supplying the music, making it a sure formula for fun. A 30-foot HD screen on the stage displayed cool, animated videos while a digital clock counted down the time for the “paint blast” to begin.

Everyone was dressed in white, forming a sea of white party animals, a giant white canvas for the show. Suddenly, when the clock struck zero, a dozen performers with massive pump guns sprayed the audience with day glow pink, yellow, orange and green paint. The crowd roared with glee as they got covered from head to toe in multi-colored day-glow paint, turning everyone into electric Christmas trees under the ultra-violet lights.

It was fun to watch from a distance, but I had another party to go to so I wasn’t in the mood for paint in the face! It was great to hang with the next generation of “Burners” (those who attend the annual art festival in the Nevada desert each summer) since most in attendance were under 21.

Life at best is short. PARTY TILL YOU DIE! 
-Sir Ivan aka Peaceman
“The Party King of the World”

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Every Sunday afternoon, the faithful party animals of Miami Beach congregate at La Piaggia, a high-end French restaurant, bar and swimming pool situated at the foot of The Murano, an exclusive residential tower with breathtaking views of the ocean.

The club maintains the same vibe and clientele as Le Voile Rouge in St. Tropez (where the rich and famous go for brunch) because they were created by the same man, Robert Pascal, the “HIGH PRIEST” of the “GOOD LIFE.” He knows what his customers demand – great food, great style, great music and a great crowd. The chef is amazing, (the Chinese chicken salad is legendary), the fashion shows are sexy as hell (the girls are often wearing sheer outfits), songs by French producers David Guetta and Bob Sinclair are always playing and the crowd is eclectic, (some of the most powerful business people in the world are present).

Every table has a giant bottle of a particular rose wine made famous by the French Riviera. Consequently many of the tables wind up with party girls (and occasionally a party boy) dancing on top of them. While many of the heavy-hitters from all over the world prefer having their regular pew (table) each week, I prefer to float from table to table greeting everyone and preaching the gospel… or should I say, the gossip.

(Left: La Piaggia in Miami Beach; Right: Le Voile Rouge in St. Tropez)

Life at best is short. PARTY TILL YOU DIE! 
-Sir Ivan aka Peaceman
“The Party King of the World”

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Art Basel, which takes place during the first week in December in Miami Beach, is the biggest art show in the Western Hemisphere. Between 40,000 and 50,000 people visit the galleries, showrooms and displays of hundreds of artists from around the world.

But yet, Art Basel is a mainstream art experience and everyone is looking to sell their art and make money. Burning Man, Labor Day week in the desert of Nevada, is the biggest underground art party in the Western Hemisphere. The difference being that all the art is made just for art’s sake and to enhance the Burning Man experience which is to create a different and better world than the one we live in for a one-week period. No one is selling anything (at least not during Burning Man).

So imagine my excitement when I went to 4949 Pine Tree Drive, the home of investment genius, Bill Dean, when I found the Art Tribe Camp from Burning Man producing the party and filling the waterfront estate with Alex Grey paintings and videos. The members of Art Tribe dress like gypsies or pirates and stood out against the mainstream-dressed crowd full of people who own fancy galleries on the Upper East Side or SoHo. Still, the mainstream audience really loved the “Burning Man” vibe.

There is no need to take LSD if you want to experience an amazing trip with psychedelic colors. All you have to do is stare at the paintings or videos by artist Alex Grey (who works under the influence of LSD), to appreciate the visual sensations that LSD offers.

What a blast to have an underground LSD-inspired art show at a gorgeous multi million-dollar mainstream mansion on the water. Nice to offer a freaky flavor of art during Art Basel.

When Frankenstein meets Dracula, the only thing they have in common is that they’re both monsters. Similarly when art Basel meets Burning Man the only thing they have in common is that they’re monster-sized art exhibitions… and the mash-up is incredibly entertaining.

Life at best is short. PARTY TILL YOU DIE! 
-Sir Ivan aka Peaceman
“The Party King of the World”

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For almost 30 years, the Thanksgiving weekend White Party at Vizcaya in Miami has been the largest annual gay fundraising event in the world to help in the fight against AIDS.

I wore white shoes, white slacks and a white peace cape (naturally). My date wore a super sexy white miniskirt, a white corset, white fishnet stockings, and a white garter belt (naturally). The thousands of other guests came as all-white cowboys, Indians, clowns, dancers, swans unicorns, angels, devils, divas, or sailors (don’t ask, don’t tell). Others came as all white: princes, princesses, cats, dogs, mice and more.

The white cause is the right cause – to eliminate AIDS all around the world – a thought as pure and white as the driven snow (real snow being perhaps the only white thing that can’t be found at the white party in Vizcaya on Thanksgiving weekend).

While the costumes were truly amazing, each individual white outfit seemed insignificant to me. What impressed me was that the group as a whole reminded me of an army of white knights on a noble quest to help the world eliminate the pain and suffering caused by AIDS. It may have seemed as though everyone was just there to have a good time and dance the night away, but each guest gladly made a donation to dine and dance, a donation that has contributed to healing the world year after year.

This night was historic! It was not the final white party ever, but it was the final white party to take place at Vizcaya (costs have become prohibitive at one of the most incredible properties in the world). See you next year, wherever the beautiful white doves of peace and love decide to build their new party nest. 

(Photo Credit: Charlotte Libov)

Life at best is short. PARTY TILL YOU DIE! 
-Sir Ivan aka Peaceman
“The Party King of the World”

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Nope. Miami Beach. Villa Vecchia on exclusive Pine Tree Drive, was the scene of an amazingly beautiful charity party to benefit the Gloria Estefan Foundation and St. Jude’s Hospital. With a magnificent Italian-style mansion on the water as the backdrop and a runway show by Italian design genius Roberto Cavalli (who was there in person), you really felt like you were transported to the Italian Riviera.

Hard to believe, but Miami Beach has homes every bit as beautiful as Sardinia. But what makes it even better than Europe is that it’s only a few hours away from New York and has sunny weather year round. Still not convinced Miami Beach can be more Italian than Italy? Go to Danny Devito's restaurant and try the homemade meatballs -- the best you'll ever have in your life. Mama Mia!

Life at best is short. PARTY TILL YOU DIE! 
-Sir Ivan aka Peaceman
“The Party King of the World”

CONNECT WITH SIR IVAN ONLINE
SIRIVANMUSIC.COM / FACEBOOK / MYSPACE / TWITTER

SIR IVAN'S ALBUM I AM PEACEMAN AVAILABLE EVERYWHERE

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