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1. LATINA GIRLS REDEFINE THE QUINCEAÑERA: As can happen when a custom from another country takes on a life of its own in the United States, girls with Latin and Spanish heritage, or other unique backgrounds, are making dramatic changes to the quinceañera, a 15th birthday celebration for girls that is steeped in tradition. They generally have unspoken, but well known, dress codes and expected rituals. New York Times: “There is a growing generation of Latinos and Latinas who are choosing to redefine what quinceañeras mean, eschewing some of the old rules and expanding the purpose of the event. It is now more common to see quinces as celebrations of identity, including for queer and transgender individuals, and quinces that honor more than the transition to adulthood. Double quinces, for example, which are held by those turning 30, are being celebrated by an increasing number of people.”

2. JAY-Z SENDS CELEBRITY FRIENDS LAVISH GIFTS WITH INVITATIONS TO SHAWN CARTER FOUNDATION GALA: What does a mega-star give his high-profile friends to entice them to attend his foundation’s first gala? Shawn Carter, a.k.a. Jay Z, faced this dilemma as only someone of his caliber could—by sending invitees a Rolex watch and a bottle of his brand of champagne, Armand de Brignac (also known as Ace of Spades). CNBC: “The Shawn Carter Foundation Gala, which takes place Friday and Saturday at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Hollywood, Florida, will include a blackjack tournament, in which Robert Rihmeek Williams, aka Meek Mill, is expected to participate, and a performance by Grammy Award winner Alicia Keys. Beyonce and DJ Khaled, among other celebrities, are expected to attend.”

3. COSTUME DESIGNERS GUILD TO HONOR CHARLIZE THERON, DIRECTOR ADAM MCKAY AT 22ND ANNUAL AWARDS: The 22nd Annual Costume Designers Guild Awards, taking place on January 28, will include tributes to actress Charlize Theron and director Adam McKay. Theron will receive the Spotlight Award while McKay will receive the Distinguished Collaborator Award during the ceremony, which will be held at the Beverly Hilton. The Hollywood Reporter: “‘Charlize Theron is a costume designer’s dream, bringing integrity and style to every character she embodies, including her roles in Long Shot and Bombshell this year,’ says guild president Salvador Perez in a statement. ‘Adam McKay is a visionary and one of the best storytellers of our time regardless of cast, genre, or platform, and the diversity of his body of work is astounding."

LOS ANGELES: Onda, a collaboration between Jessica Koslow and Gabriela Cámara in partnership with Proper Hospitality, is now open in Santa Monica. The eatery, which serves Los Angeles- and Mexico City-inspired food, is housed in a 1920s Spanish Colonial landmark building.

MIAMI/SOUTH FLORIDA: The Postcard Inn Beach Resort & Marina reopened this month with a benefit concert, raising $40 thousand for hurricane recovery efforts in Hope Town, Bahamas. The Help for Hope Town event and grand reopening of the resort’s new Raw Bar were the final steps in the resort’s restoration efforts following Hurricane Irma in 2017. Musicians from across the nation reportedly supported the event.

NEW YORK: Equality Now will hold its annual Make Equality Reality Gala on November 19 at Capitale. Author Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie will be honored while guests in attendance will include Margaret Atwood, Brandon Maxwell, Kathy Najimy, Meg Ryan, and many others.

SAN FRANCISCO: Chef Dawn Taylor-Cole has been made executive chef at the Courtyard San Francisco Downtown, which is undergoing a $30 million renovation and being rebranded as the Clancy.

TORONTO: The Toronto Film Critics Association has named Michèle Maheux, the long-serving, unsung hero of the Toronto International Film Festival, as the recipient of this year’s Technicolor Clyde Gilmour Award. Stepping down after 30 years with the festival, Maheux has been dubbed "the engine that kept TIFF running."