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Miami Herald
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- Miami Herald
Orlando Bloom is officially single. Signs were there in Miami months ago: report
If stateroom walls could talk.... In the wake of news that Katy Perry and Orlando Bloom officially ended their engagement, some folks aboard a cruise ship a few months ago may have already known something was amiss in their relationship. An insider close to the situation told Page Six that Bloom was already acting single while on board MSC World America, which made its inaugural sailing from Miami last April. Bloom, along with Drew Barrymore, is a brand ambassador for MSC Cruises' new flagship. The actors participated in a naming ceremony at the new MSC Miami Terminal, then embarked on a three-night inaugural trip to Ocean Cay MSC Marine Reserve, the cruise line's island in the Bahamas. Apparently, Bloom really enjoyed the high-seas gig. The insider also noted that the 48-year-old, who shares a 4-year-old daughter with Perry, was flirting up a storm in plain sight. 'He's been not subtly out and about,' dished the source, who added Bloom whooped it again a month later during the Miami Grand Prix festivities at Hard Rock Stadium. In June, rumors of trouble with Perry and Bloom began, with insiders saying that the couple was waiting to announce the split until Perry's tour was over. ('Lifetimes' hits Amalie Arena in Tampa, Fla., Aug. 22, and Miami's Kaseya Center the following night.) Before the July 4 holiday weekend, the exes issued a statement via UsWeekly: 'Orlando and Katy have been shifting their relationship over the past many months to focus on coparenting,' it said. 'They will continue to be seen together as a family, as their shared priority is — and always will be — raising their daughter with love, stability and mutual respect.' They seem to be staying true to their word. The coparents were spotted on a different ship over the weekend. That would be Bezos' $500 million megayacht off the Italian coast. Perry and Bloom were photographed living the good life (along with Daisy) courtesy of the Miami Beach-based Amazon founder and his new bride. Bloom attended the Jeff Bezos-Lauren Sanchez wedding in Venice last month stag, likely because Perry's tour had her in Australia around the date. But it appears Perry, who traveled to the boundary of outer space on the Blue Origin flight with Sanchez on April 14, didn't want to miss the after parties.
Miami Herald
06-06-2025
- Business
- Miami Herald
Popular Latin American chain closes restaurants, files bankruptcy
The casual dining sector has faced a number of economic issues over the last two years that have led to several restaurant chains closing hundreds of locations, and in some cases, filing for bankruptcy. The major challenges include huge debt obligations that have become unmanageable, as interest rates increased after the Covid-19 pandemic. Don't miss the move: Subscribe to TheStreet's free daily newsletter Also, rising inflation over the last three years has resulted in higher costs of labor and food products, which in turn forced restaurants to raise their prices to the dismay of consumers. Related: Iconic San Francisco restaurant closes permanently after 40 years Changing attitudes of customers toward spending on restaurant meals, as prices have risen, have also taken a toll on the restaurant industry. The most significant distressed restaurant chain to close locations was seafood chain Red Lobster, which filed for bankruptcy in May 2024, closing about 187 restaurants. The dining chain emerged from Chapter 11 in September 2024 and now operates about 478 locations in 44 states. Italian restaurant chain Buca di Beppo closed 18 locations last year before it filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection on Aug. 4, 2025, to reorganize its business with the support of its lenders. The restaurant chain on Nov. 4 won approval to sell its 44 remaining corporate-owned restaurants to its lender Main Street Capital Corp., with a credit bid of $27 million. Bar and grill chain TGI Fridays had 161 U.S. locations when it filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy on Nov. 2, 2024, to reorganize and closed 76 locations. The restaurant chain listed 85 U.S. locations on its website in April. Mexican restaurant chain On The Border Mexican Grill & Cantina had about 120 locations at the beginning of this year and closed or vacated 40 non-performing stores on Feb. 24 because of problems with rent and/or financial performance. On The Border filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy on March 4, 2025, with plans to sell its assets to its prepetition bridge loan lender. Miami Beach-based CHG US Holdings, which operates 18 Planta restaurant locations across the country in cities such as New York, Chicago, and the Los Angeles area, filed its petition on May 12 in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of Delaware. The debtor has closed restaurants in West Palm Beach, Fla., South Beach, Fla., and Brooklyn, N.Y., since filing for bankruptcy. Finally, popular New York-based Peruvian restaurant chain Tu Casa has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy and closed half of its locations. Related: Another popular pizza dining chain files Chapter 11 bankruptcy The restaurant chain's affiliate, Don Kew Inc., filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection on April 4 for a restaurant, Hangar Bar & Grill, in Kew Gardens, Queens. More bankruptcy: Iconic auto repair chain franchise files Chapter 11 bankruptcyPopular beer brand closes down and files Chapter 7 bankruptcyPopular vodka and gin brand files for Chapter 11 bankruptcy The debtor listed up to $50,000 in assets and $100,000 to $500,000 in liabilities, which include tax obligations owed to the New York State Department of Taxation that prompted the bankruptcy filing. Tu Casa Restaurant Corp. and two affiliates, Tu Casa #3 Restaurant Corp. and Tu Casa #4 Restaurant Corp., filed for Chapter 11 protection on May 30 in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Eastern District of New York, seeking to reorganize. Tu Casa, which was established in 2004, expanded its chain to four restaurants in the Queens, N.Y., communities of Kew Gardens, Forest Hills, Richmond Hill, and Astoria, before closing the Richmond Hill and Astoria locations. The restaurant specializes in Peruvian rotisserie chicken, Peruvian fried rice, Peruvian linguini, and various seafood dishes featuring salmon, sea trout, red snapper, and shrimp. Related: Popular casual restaurant chain files for Chapter 11 bankruptcy The Arena Media Brands, LLC THESTREET is a registered trademark of TheStreet, Inc.
Axios
06-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Axios
The Rhythm Foundation seeks contract extension to continue programming at Miami Beach Bandshell
When I meet new folks in Miami, it usually goes something like this: "I live in North Beach — about a 10-minute walk to the Bandshell." It's a quick way for folks to orient themselves; the unique structure can't be missed. Why it matters: The venue, built in the 1960s and included in the National Register of Historic Places, is not only a recognizable landmark, but a cornerstone of the North Beach community and pillar of Miami's music scene. And with luxury projects redeveloping the neighborhood, the venue is integral to maintaining the North Beach feel. Driving the news: The Bandshell's management arm, the Rhythm Foundation, later this month will ask Miami Beach commissioners to extend its contract for another nine years. The Miami Beach-based nonprofit's current agreement is through 2029. What they're saying: An extension, according to the Foundation's team, would allow for long-term planning and to be "better positioned to seek multi-year funding from foundations, corporations and private individuals." Flashback: Since the 1960s, the venue has hosted concerts, televised shows, dance nights, private events, movie screenings and even roller skating events. In 2009, it underwent major renovations, and later, in 2015, the city sought a professional management company and chose the Rhythm Foundation, which had been bringing live music and cultural programming to the beach since the late 1980s. Today, the Bandshell remains a gathering point for residents, both for ticketed shows and free, accessible community events — with much of the programming linked to the Rhythm Foundation. Zoom in: In the 2014-15 season, the Foundation hosted 26 events and attracted 9,100 guests. In the 2023-24 season, that number jumped to 148 events with more than 79,300 guests, per the organization. The season runs from September to July. The venue "goes dark" in August. Zoom out: With 55 nonprofit partners, the Foundation supports its mission of providing cultural experiences to the community by offering free shows and events. The annual lineup includes the North Beach Social, a free, monthly concert featuring Miami-based bands, and Arts in the Parks, a five-part, free event that highlights music, theater, dance and choir.
Miami Herald
24-05-2025
- Business
- Miami Herald
Bankrupt restaurant chain starts shuttering locations
Bankruptcies and store closings seem to be all over the news this year - a trend that was happening even before President Donald Trump announced his tariffs plan on April 2. The looming impact of tariffs has spooked many businesses. Unfortunately, their fears are rational. With the pressure of new levies on both large and small businesses, it's almost certain that we will see many forced to either downsize or throw in the towel this year. Don't miss the move: Subscribe to TheStreet's free daily newsletter While some stores are such staples that it's hard to imagine them closing, for some it's happening anyway. Joann, a fabric and craft store that customers have loved since its opening in 1943, was forced to declare Chapter 11 bankruptcy twice in the last year and is in the process of closing all its stores, a process that should be completed by May 31, 2025. Related: Beloved retailer in Chapter 11 bankruptcy angers customers Another company that declared Chapter 11 this year is 23&Me, which announced the news in mid-March. The DNA company once had a valuation of $6 billion, which is a far cry from the $256m Regeneron Pharmaceuticals paid for it earlier this week. While a Chapter 11 bankruptcy doesn't always mean the end for a company, it does mean it needs a way to restructure its debt. In some cases the companies sells its assets to do this, as 23&Me did. In others, the best way to handle it is to simply close all the locations if the company is a chain. And that's exactly what one casual restaurant is doing now, after declaring Chapter 11 bankruptcy in May. Image source: Ebener/picture alliance via Getty Images National vegan restaurant chain Planta has closed the first of its locations only a few weeks after filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy. The first location to close is the West Palm Beach location at CityPlace, which officially shuttered on May 20. "Assistant manager Jessie Gregory, who had worked at the West Palm Beach location for over two years, said they were informed on Tuesday, May 20 that they were closing and that it would be her and her coworkers' final shift," per a report in The Palm Beach Post. "Gregory said they had received no warning and despite the bankruptcy filing reported May 12, the buzz at the CityPlace restaurant was that they'd be 'staying open,' she said." Planta has also closed its South Beach location and the Williamsburg location in Brooklyn, New York, according to the website. Related: Historic college suffers complete financial collapse after bankruptcy The plant-based chain previously operated in 18 locations in seven states, including Florida, Chicago, Atlanta, Washington, D.C., Maryland, Los Angeles, and Toronto. Planta has not announced what will happen to the locations that are still operating. Planta, which is owned by Miami Beach-based CHG US Holdings, cited its reason for the bankruptcy as "inflationary pressures on input costs and consumer pullback as driving factors behind its bankruptcy," according to a court filing. "The debtor's largest unsecured creditors include landlord 8461 Melrose Avenue, owed over $613,000; law firm Saul Ewing Arstein & Lehr LLP, owed over $316,000; landlord 13 W 27 Leasehold LLC, owed over $203,000; landlord Friedman Properties, owed over $180,000; and Baldor Specialty Foods, owed over $176,000," reports TheStreet's Kirk O'Neil. Related: Home Depot local rival closing permanently after 120 years The Arena Media Brands, LLC THESTREET is a registered trademark of TheStreet, Inc.
New York Post
09-05-2025
- Business
- New York Post
'Balkan beauty' hedge funder banned from US over immigration 'lies'
A glamorous, jet-setting Miami hedge funder known for her Instagram selfies has been banned from US soil for five years — after she admitted to immigration officials that she had been working in the country illegally, The Post has learned. Jasmina Midzic — listed as a managing director at Typhon Capital Management with a habit of posting photos of herself dressed in pricey outfits and skimpy bikinis in exotic locales — was put on a plane back to London from Los Angeles this past Sunday, sources close to the case told The Post. That was after the 36-year-old Croatian national, who holds British permanent residency, made a botched attempt last Saturday to attend the Milken Institute Global Conference, an LA summit for the financial elite whose guests included Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, Elon Musk and Jill Biden. 10 Midzic documents her jet-setting lifestyle on her Instagram account with her regular lavish trips abroad. Instagram/jasminamidzic 10 She made a thinly-veiled reference to the immigration row on social media. Instagram/jasminamidzic Midzic's now-private Instagram account — which she used last Halloween to show off a provocative nurse's costume paired with red lingerie — lists her official residences as London and New York. Over the weekend, she confessed to authorities that she had been illicitly working in her $13,000-a-month job for her Miami Beach-based firm on a visitor visa, multiple senior officials said. A source close to the Balkan beauty said she was back in Britain on Monday. Late Wednesday, she posted a pouty-lipped Instagram selfie from London's swanky Mayfair district, dressed down in a baseball cap and sports jersey. 'It ain't about how hard you get hit, it's about how hard you can get hit and keep moving forward,' she wrote in the post. 10 Midzic had planned to attend the swanky summit at the Beverly Hilton, a regular shindig for the global financial elite. Facebook/Milken Institute Contacted by The Post on Friday, the investor relations specialist denied any wrongdoing in an emotional interview. 'My friends are judges and prosecutors in the US, I would not break the law,' she sobbed over the phone. 'This is horribly violating my rights on so many levels.' Midzic said she was detained at LAX for 26 hours before being flown back to London Heathrow Airport. 'They didn't listen because I am a white European and I work for a hedge fund,' she claimed. 'They got very offended that I don't want American citizenship.' Midzic also held a management role at Typhon's sister firm, JurisTrade, a litigation finance firm that specializes 'in connecting law firms, claim owners, and investors.' James Koutoulas, the founder of both firms, also hit back at the accusations, saying that his senior executive 'did not break any immigration laws.' 10 Midzic is now back in London and she plans to go to the US embassy to correct what she called 'a misunderstanding.' Instagram/jasminamidzic 'If they want to smear her, then I will see them in court,' said Koutoulas, whose Typhon firm drew SEC scrutiny after launching the anti-Biden 'Let's Go Brandon' coin. But Tricia McLaughlin, assistant secretary at the Department of Homeland Security, told The Post that officers booted Midzic because she 'had violated the terms of her admission under her B1/B2 visa.' 'Immigration laws must be followed — those seeking to work in the United States must do so through legal and lawful means or face the consequences,' McLaughlin said. US government sources, speaking on condition of anonymity, said officials became suspicious about Midzic's frequent trips to the US and pulled her aside for questioning after she landed at LAX on Saturday. 10 Midizc was sent back to London after being denied entry to the United States. Instagram/jasminamidzic The officials said the fit financier then confessed that she had not told the truth when she had arrived in the US on her regular jaunts to this side of the Atlantic, and she could not provide proof of her right to work in this country during her fiery exchanges with CBP staff. 'This visa is for enjoying our beautiful country. It's for visiting Hollywood or Disneyland,' a senior source close to the case said. 'She admitted that she was working. Immigration law applies to everyone, whether you are a construction worker or a hedge fund manager.' Midzic 'applied for an L1 visa in 2023, but it was denied.' an insider added. 'She stated that she was engaged in unauthorized employment for Typhon Management since 2021 and JurisTrade since 2024.' 10 Midzic has kept a residence in Britain for just over a decade and has what is known as 'leave to remain': the UK's answer to green card status. Instagram/jasminamidzic The Post has not been able to verify which airline she used to travel to LA. CBP regulations state that those denied entry must be returned on the next available seat on the carrier they used to arrive. 'She lied, and this will hurt her reputation forever,' said one high-level source, who was not authorized to speak to the media. 'It's a self-inflicted wound.' All comments made by anyone going through a US immigration check are made under oath, which are also known as sworn statements. 'She was on a retainer for both companies to the amount of $13,000 a month,' the source close to the case said. 'She was coming to the US to raise capital and meet clients for both companies in her role as a managing director.' 10 Midzic was pulled aside at Los Angeles airport when officers became suspicious about her recent visits to the United States. MichaelVi – Officials told The Post that only a federal judge can issue a formal deportation order, but CBP officers have the legal power to refuse entry to a foreign national 'knocking at the door' of the United States. Anyone hit with 'a denial of entry order' can appeal at a US embassy abroad if they provide sufficient evidence that the diktat was unfair and wrongly issued. Social media posts show that Midzic has been a regular at the annual Milken conference at the Beverly Hilton, having posed with Jefferies CEO Rich Handler at the forum in 2023. Elsewhere, she is seen frolicking with friends at the luxurious Swiss ski resort of St Moritz, and three weeks ago she landed VIP grandstands seats alongside for the Bahrain Formula 1 Grand Prix. Another string of videos from London entitled 'Home?' shows her at private members club 5 Hertford Street. 10 Midzic landed VIP seats for the Bahrain Formula 1 Grand Prix just a few weeks ago. Instagram/jasminamidzic Sources close to Midzic claimed that she even planned to leverage her contacts inside the Trump administration to try and get the five-year ban overturned. Hotshot New York immigration lawyer Michael Wildes, who represented First Lady Melania Trump and her family, warned foreign nationals that CBP officers are acting with 'bravado' after the election of President Donald Trump as they crack down on possible illegal entries. 'The frequency of visits is what raised an eyebrow. This was a very easy clip,' Wildes told The Post. 'The government will have very little appetite to accommodate her for more sophisticated visas.' 10 Top attorney Wildes represented First Lady Melania Trump and her family. Courtesy of Michael Wildes The star attorney, whose father represented Beatles frontman John Lennon, added: 'They probably nailed her on her own admissions, or she had emails or materials on her person that showed she was brazen about her status. 'Had she had the judgment to get good counsel, she would have avoided this fiasco.' An SEC filing shows Midzic also enjoyed a spell at the Swiss crypto firm Seba Bank, now known as Amina, as the company's director of client management in the tiny, low-tax canton of Zug, a hotspot for Europe's uber-rich. 10 Midzic also spent time working in investor relations in the UK and Switzerland. Instagram/jasminamidzic She also had stints in investor relations in London with Taylor Rafferty and ZPX Venture Capital, the April 15 filing states. Typhon Capital Management describes itself as a 'multi-strategy hedge fund' that was founded in 2008 by CEO Koutoulas, a former commodities trader and attorney. The Gary Gensler-led SEC under the previous administration said last year that it was 'investigating whether Koutoulas or entities he controlled violated the federal securities law' in the launch of the Let's Go Brandon coin. The probe has since been closed.
