Cathy Leff

Miami Beach, FL – October 31, 2012 – On Halloween, the iconic Miami Beach estate once owned by notorious mob boss Al Capone transformed into a Halloween extravaganza and fundraiser complete with live entertainment, costumes, cocktails, charity gaming, and a silent auction.

The event, sponsored in part by City National Bank, was held at 93 Palm Avenue, a waterfront estate that once belonged to Al Capone. He allegedly plotted the Valentine’s Day Massacre while living there, and eventually died there in 1947. As a nod to the former crime boss, the fundraiser had a “Prohibition Party” theme, and guests wore attire that echoes the bygone era.

There was a special cocktail reception inside the home called “Gangsters, Gambling, and Greyhounds: Miami Beach Mafia in the 1930’s,” where Wolfsonian Chief Librarian Francis X. Luca gave a talk on prohibition, Al Capone, and other prominent gangsters that once lived in the area.

Event highlights also included live music, cocktails by Bar Lab for Bacardi, food by TIKL Bar & Grill, and cigars by Wynwood Cigar Factory. Guests also tried their hand in the casino area complete with blackjack and roulette as well as a high-stakes poker tournament, with all proceeds benefiting the Wolfsonian–FIU. There was also be a silent auction featuring art, vacation packages, and more from well-known names including Michele Oka Doner and Van Cleef & Arpels.

The Wolfsonian–FIU, located in the heart of Miami Beach, uses objects to illustrate the persuasive power of design to tell the story of changes that have transformed our world. The collection is comprised of over 120,000 objects from the period of 1885 to 1945—the height of the Industrial Revolution to the end of the Second World War. Visitors are encouraged to think about the power of art, design, and everyday objects in shaping the past, present, and future.

Neil Flanzraich, Cathy Leff, & Alexander Hurst

Craig Robins, Jackie Soffer, Don Soffer, Margie Robbins, & Irving Cowan

Jeff & Yolanda Berkowitz

Shareef Malnik & Gabrielle Anwar

Diane & Alan Lieberman

Ilona & Chad Oppenheim

Olga Granda Scott & Ian Rand

Chae Dupont

Cathy Leff & Chae Dupont

Alexandra Lagos & Lara Bach

Randi Wolfson, Michelle Varat, Tamara Rutter, & Ashley Melisse Abess

Ashley Melisse Abess, Olga Granda-Scott, & Rene Gonzalez

Kara Zeder & Alexandra Plasencia

Oti Roberts & Peter Corsell

Gaby Yanez & Elizabeth Kurzynski

Matt Kurzynski, Elizabeth Kurzynski, Gaby Yanez, & David Palmerola

Elizabeth Kurzynski & David Palmerola

Richie Kul, Hannes Hofmann, Sunny Neff, & Jim Neff

Cathy Leff, Alexander Hurst, & Peter L. Corsell

Chris Adamo & Randi Wolfson

Christina Frigo & Scott Cunningham

Mylinh Nguyen, Tessa Mencia, & Christina Frigo

Mylinh Nguyen, Tessa Mencia, Nick Mencia, Scott Cunningham, Christina Frigo, Nina Johnson-Milewski, & Daniel Milewski

Mylinh Nguyen & Silvia Barisione

Natalia Gubanova & John Guarino

Raul Flores

Scott Helms & Jorge Alonso

Robert Caldwell & Raul Flores

Olga Granda Scott & Doug Scott

Natalia Gubanova, Leonard Abess, Jayne Abess, & John Guarino

Irving Cowan, Margie Robbins, & Sam & Roni Jacobson

Irving Cowan, Margie Robbins, & Sam Jacobson

Tammy Klingler, Mayco Villafana, & Susan Gladstone

Claudia Potamkin & Harve Mogul

Claudia Potamkin & Jayne Abess

Constantin Gorges & Veronica Lopez Lopez

Ashley Melisse Abess & Ian Rand

Donna Lynne Carter & Mylinh Nguyen

Margie Robbins & Irving Cowan

Marcus & Lara Bach

Rene Gonzalez & Chae Dupont

Ronald Alvarez, Monica Santayana, & Omar Fajardo

Anabella, Ken, & Ana Viyella

Constantin Gorges & Veronica Lopez Lopez

Gonzalo Acevedo & Kelly Gazo

Rene Gonzalez, Nina Johnson-Milewski, Daniel Milewski, & Chae Dupont

Richie Kul, Hannes Hofmann, & Leonard Abess

Neil Flanzraich, Leonard Abess, Cathy Leff, & Jayne Abess

Oti Roberts, Peter Corsell, Betsy Cragon, Ashley Melisse Abess, Kelly Gazo, & Gonzalo Acevedo

Harve Mogul, Alesia Mogul, Veronica Lopez-Lopez, Constantin Gorges, & Maria & Willy Gomez

Max Soly, Silvia Barisione, Gaelle Darrigues, & Jon Mogul

Robert Caldwell, Alexandra Lagos, Christos Lagos, Lara Bach, & Marcus Bach

Josh Oberhausen, Aimet Oberhausen, Doug Scott, & Olga Granda-Scott

Hlillary Hertzberg & Robert Fishman

Harve & Alesia Mogul

Cynthia Vasconez & Patsy Rodriguez

Leonard Abess, & Charles & Gayle Nemeroff

Scott Cunningham & Christina Frigo

Elizabeth & Matt Kurzynski

Wade Walker, Tanya Ho-Shue, Mirielle Enlow, & Mike Kiely