Ballerinas are known for their elegance and poetry in motion. Anne-Tyler Harshbarger, or Anne-Tyler as she is commonly known, is no exception to this rule and has the added advantage of having the looks of a fashion model. In fact she is so photogenic that she has become the face of Atlanta Ballet with her pictures in numerous newspapers and magazines. She does get a lot of attention this ballerina.

Anne-Tyler, A Modern-Day Ballerina, Mode Lifestyle Magazine May/June 2012

Not just a pretty face, Anne Tyler has been honing her dancing skills from since she began dance training at age 4 in Valdosta, GA. She always knew she wanted to be a ballerina from a young age and was lucky to have had the full support of her parents. She later studied under Judith Hockaday, ISTD, in Swindon, England. She attended high school at North Carolina School of the Arts and spent summers with Joffrey Ballet School, New York, School of American Ballet, New York, and Hungarian Ballet Academy, Budapest. After Ben Stevenson invited her into the Houston Ballet Company she danced world premiers by Ben Stevenson, Trey McIntyre, and Stanton Welch. She has worked with noted choreographers Paul Taylor, Violette Verdy, James Kudelka, Dominic Walsh, Julia Adams, Ronald Hynd, Christopher Hampson, Michael Pink, John McFall, and Twyla Tharpe.

Anne-Tyler, Atlanta Ballet - Mode Lifestyle Magazine May/June 2012

International tours have taken her to China, Taiwan, England, Holland and Mexico. Her featured roles include Lucy in Dracula, Sugarplum Fairy and Snow Queen in The Nutcracker, Wendy in Peter Pan, Kate in Madam Butterfly, Myrtle in The Great Gatsby, Cinderella in Cinderella, and Carabosse in The Sleeping Beauty. Contemporary and neoclassical lead roles include Petal, Sinfonietta Giocosa, Shoo Pah Minor, and Ramblin Suite. As her passion for music evolved she expanded from the classical to include Electronic Dance Music, later becoming a DJ under the name “DJ Anne-Tyler”. By applying the same focus she had used in classical music to the club scene, Anne-Tyler within 6 years of her smooth mixing and unique selections, has become one of the most sought after lady DJs on the scene. DJ Anne-Tyler has now established herself in Atlanta, Houston, San Francisco, Los Angeles and Ibiza, and Spain as one of the most versatile and passionate DJs today. Her repertoire includes an array of House (deep, tech, funky, progressive, broken-beat, electro), Breaks (funky), Drum ‘N Bass (liquid funk, atmospheric, old school), and Chillout/Downtempo. As well as clubs and private elite parties, she has played large scale corporate events for Coca-Cola, Microsoft, America’s Next Top Model, National Hockey League, Atlanta Ballet, 95.5 fm The Beat, Rialto Theatre, Marriott Marquis, W Hotel, Glenn Hotel, the Georgia Aquarium, Atlanta Contemporary Arts Center, publications Six Degrees and Atlanta Peach, and numerous charity events and fundraisers.

Anne-Tyler, Mode Lifestyle Magazine May/June 2012

During the summer, Anne-Tyler heads to Ibiza, Spain, the electronic music capitol of the world. In the summer of 2008 she was a resident DJ at Ibiza’s mega-club Amnesia, deemed “Best Global Club” for many consecutive years by the Winter Music Conference in Miami. “Espuma”, Ibiza’s premier foam party, “Manumission” and “People From Ibiza” were her weekly residencies. She was also a featured go-go dancer for Paul van Dyk’s “Cream” party, Armin Van Buren’s “Armada”, and Sven Vath’s “Cocoon”.

Anne-Tyler, Mode Lifestyle Magazine May/June 2012

Despite the success she has gained as a DJ, Anne-Tyler has not forgotten her classical ballet roots. She continues to dance as an independent performing artist as well as teach private ballet lessons. Tirelessly looking for ways to express herself, she is now exploring new frontiers in music production and also acting in feature films. We are confident that wherever her future lies, she is sure to excel and will forever retain the title we have given her in MODE as the “modern-day ballerina.”

Anne-Tyler, Atlanta Ballet - Mode Lifestyle Magazine May/June 2012

By Geneviève Badeau
Cover Photography: Jenn Hoffman
Digital Post Production: Eric Brockob Design
Model/Artist: Anne-Tyler Harshbarger
Makeup/Hair: Leslie Rodriguez
Additional Photography: Charlie McCullers
Shot on Location: Atlanta Ballet

For More Information: info@ModeLifestyleMagazine.com
www.modelifestylemagazine.com

As a talented performer she has enjoyed a successful career both as an actress and a model. Athina was born in Berlin-Germany of Greek descent and then lived five years of her childhood in Egypt.

Athina Klioumi - Mode Lifestyle Magazine

She has lived most recently in Venezuela where she is currently filming a feature film. Her husband, Eduardo Marturet, is a celebrated conductor for the Miami Symphony Orchestra, so they are frequently in the US. “Living in Egypt for 5 years from age 12 – 17 shaped me a lot. I learned how to belly dance, practice martial arts and ride horses in the dessert. I also did my first TV commercials there and my first beauty contest,” said Athina. She already spoke German and Greek but then learnt Arabic, English and French. She remembers that period as an adventurous and romantic time, reveling in having friends of many different cultures.

Actress/Model Athina Klioumi in Mode Lifestyle Magazine

She has had many people that have influenced her life. There was Hoda Hodaya, her first Karate teacher in Egypt. “From Hoda I learnt that it was possible for a woman to be both elegant, feminine and yet strong,” said Athina. Hoda’s husband was a film producer and this led to Athina and the other students she trained with to be filmed and to participate in shows. It was a good introduction to the movie business. But Athina’s performing journey started even before that at age seven. She had a notable performance on stage at this tender age in Hansel and Gretel as the witch. She was in Germany at the time and had a very supportive teacher that she was very fond of and that was also very fond of her. Spiritually, her mother was a major influence in her life. At age 12 when their family moved to Peru she followed her mother’s example and started doing yoga and meditation. She also became interested in alternative energy and began studying homeopathy. These pursuits became a way of life for her, which she has continued till this day.

Soon after her family moved to Venezuela, a producer noticed and stopped her in the street. This time she went into modeling and acting professionally. She took drama classes and started working right away. It was then that Athina was sent to the model pageant in Miami to represent Venezuela. She triumphed and achieved one of the highlights of her modeling career by winning the prize for “The Most Beautiful Face In The World” for Venezuela.

Featured Actress/Model Athina Klioumi - Mode Lifestyle Magazine

Although Athina is still very much active as a model and an actress, these days she is also kept busy helping out her husband in the Miami Symphony Orchestra. She even sometimes performs with the orchestra and thoroughly enjoys it. Athina has reached the stage in her career now when she is able to choose the projects she wants for the enjoyment, be it as an actor, model or producer. “My life goal is to always be in balance, remain very healthy, and to enjoy my life with my husband and the people I love,” Says Athina.
………..
Images courtesy of Club Magazine Venezuela [@clubmagazine]

Photography: Aníbal Mestre [mestre.anibal@gmail.com] / Fashion Editor: Carlos Flores León-Márquez
Model: Athina Klioumi [@athinamarturet] / Styling & Production: Anita Carli / Clothing: Alberto de Castro [@alberto02]
Makeup: Marianne Vegas Brandt [@MarianneVegasB]/ Hair: Francis Novoa [@francisnovoa1]
Post-Production Editing: MODE Studio

………..
For more informatio: info@ModeLifestyleMagazine.com
www.modelifestylemagazine.com

Claudia Diesti - Mode Lifestyle Magazine Mar/Apr 2012

Born in Bogotá Colombia, Claudia Diesti is the middle of three girls. Her mother was a traditional stay-at-home wife and her father was an attorney and later a local judge. Claudia gives credit to her strong determination and drive for education to her father. He was a strict but loving man who grew up in a time of political unrest in that country and at a very young age was the sole survivor of a mass execution of all the men in their village. All the men were rounded up and taken to the woods where they were shot on a ground. “My father was in the center and they did not check to see if anyone survived. He waited then ran back home,” said Claudia.

Always the inquisitive one, she had felt the drive to educate herself, even from a tender young age. She says, “I was one of the few girls in a private school that absolutely loved going to classes. Top grades did not come easily as I was the type that needed to study but I loved it. I was the teacher’s pet who sat at the front of the class and never played around. Teaches liked me but I was not so popular with other students. The scenario was the same at home because I always sought my parent’s approval and enjoyed spending time with them as we would sit home on Saturday nights sewing. My father would buy a shirt he liked but then would redo the collars and proceed to custom fit it himself. My sisters were quite the opposite and loved to go out with the boys from school, which my father did not allow, and I would be the one to tell on them.”

It was during her high school years that she began developing a lot of health issues including asthma and problems with her teeth. “After going through many torturous surgeries I descried that I wanted to become a pediatric dentist as felt I could help young children better than many of the doctors I had to deal with. “
Right after high school Claudia began attending a very good dental school. “I loved being right back into school and was doing well. A few years into school my oldest sister introduced me to Gonzalo who was friends with her boyfriend. I really didn’t want to date anyone but because my father would not let her go without me I gave in,” said Claudia. Gonzalo kept pursuing her and later they decided to get married. “I knew he was trouble but everyone seemed to be OK with him so I let others determine what I should have done for myself. Things did not start well. Gonzalo was very jealous and began resenting my attending college.” At first it was just arguments, but later he became more aggressive and forbade it. Claudia remembers that period as a very difficult time because it started becoming much more abusive and violent. “I knew nothing was going to get better when one day he sat me down and drew a circle on a local map. He then explained that without his permission I was never allowed to go outside that radius! I knew from that day I was a prisoner in my own home! I could deal with the screaming and being hit but I didn’t know if I could handle much more,” she said. She did deal with things quietly as she felt a good traditional wife should, especially since she knew other women that were going through the same issues in the area. In 1988 she became pregnant. “I thought things might change but I remember when I told him the news he said coldly, ‘I can’t love something I don’t know yet.’ Although I didn’t want to admit it I knew that my child’s fate would end up the same as mine…unloved and unhappy.”

Claudia was saddened when her husband was not there for the birth of their child and about the idea that he seemed unhappy that it was a beautiful little girl. “Unfortunately as the years went by he became much stricter in what Monica (our daughter) and I were allowed to do. He felt that little girls should not be outside playing in case they got hurt so he made sure that she did not go outside much. I remember many times where Monica and I would watch the children in the neighborhood play outside through a window that faced the front. The two of us would laugh and enjoy what we could but it killed me inside when she would ask, ‘Can we go and play with them?’ I would just say yes, maybe tomorrow, but I knew that he would be furious if he found out so I never risked that.”
Monica became unwell because of the lack of exercise and social interaction. After examining her a doctor said that there was really nothing irreparable wrong with her and that her posture looked like that of someone who was atrophying because lack of exercise. The doctor also said that mentally he could see that something must be wrong at home. “I began denying everything he said but inside I knew then what I needed to do. I talked with my father and began a plan to leave for America. With my parents help I was able to trick my husband into signing papers that would allow Monica to leave the country. I convinced him that I needed to take Monica to the US for a few weeks because of her health.” She continued, “Never did he suspect that I had said my goodbyes to my family and had no intention of ever coming back! I clearly remember him looking at me like he wanted to hurt me more than he had ever done before and saying, ‘I’ll deal with you when you come back.’” Visibly shaking, Claudia said that she does not remember ever being as scared as she was on that plane. Until she was in the air she felt that there was some chance he could stop the plane before it took off. Once in the air the gravity of what she was doing began to hit her but she did everything she could not to cry in front of her daughter.

Claudia Diesti - "I wanted to learn as much as possible" - Mode Lifestyle Magazine Mar/Apr 2012

Upon arrival in Miami she moved in with her sister and the sister’s husband into their one bedroom apartment in downtown. “They really helped me cope and get through the first few days that were really tough. They loved Monica so much that shortly after we arrived they said we needed to find a good school for her. We found a small apartment in Wellington, which had the best schools around. With their help I found work cleaning homes in Palm Beach Island. It helped pay some of the bills but I knew I now had the chance to do something I really wanted to. Although I loved dentistry I knew it would be difficult trying to transfer school credits from my country to the US so I began looking at different career ideas.” Back in Colombia Claudia had a friend from school whose family owned several cosmetology schools. She remembered how excited the students looked, how there was so much energy and how much they seemed to enjoy their work. With only one car between them, her sister began driving her around as they looked at different cosmetology schools. “Although I liked several I knew I couldn’t afford most of them,” said Claudia. “Then we meet a very kind teacher who owned a small school in West Palm Beach. He could see I so desperately wanted to attend even though I did not have all the funds necessary.” The teacher came up with the idea that Claudia could clean the school after classes as a way to help pay for her tuition. “I was more than happy to do this! So I cleaned homes in Palm Beach during the mornings, headed to classes in the afternoon and then I would clean the school at night.” The arrangement worked for a while. School would take her longer to complete but it was her only option. It was around that time that she began experiencing a lot of pain in her stomach. She tried to deal with it as much as she could on her own but eventually had to see a doctor. That was when she learnt that she had endometriosis, a painful female health disorder that occurs when cells from the lining of the womb (uterus) grow in other areas of the body. She had surgery shortly after but the recovery was slow. Gil, the school’s owner, kindly kept their arrangement to give her a few months to recover before returning. “He could see how much I loved school,” said Claudia. She continued, “Some of my first words in English were ‘more work please!’ while other students looked for ways to get out of doing things I was doing as much as I could.”

Over the next five years Claudia would have six surgeries, the last one ending with a total hysterectomy. But in between the health issues things were going very well for her at school. Her drive was really getting her some attention and a sales rep from L’Oreal Professionnel noticed her work. In 1998 she met Dan, a divorcee from upstate New York, through a friend of her brother in law.
“My sister and her husband thought he was nice but I was very much focused on finishing school and being a good mother to Monica. I kept thinking he could turn out like my last relationship and so I was not as nice to Dan as I could have been at first. He seemed very sweet and he and Monica really got on so well. I knew she needed a father and he loved being with us. He would come to the school at night to help me clean as he could see it was not physically easy on me. It’s funny looking back as neither one of us thought that hairdressing would lead to all this,” Said Claudia. Dan didn’t think much of fashion or hairdressing due to the fact that his ex-wife was a former hairstylist that had switched to becoming a doctor after their divorce. Now Dan was dating someone that was originally going to become a doctor but was now working at becoming a hairstylist. They got married just before she finished school and together moved into an apartment not far from where she first moved to in Wellington. Dan worked for FP&L and Claudia began assisting at a hair salon in Wellington. “I was the only Latino working there at that time and with my thick accent didn’t feel like I really fitted in,” said Claudia. She persevered, working hard trying to get noticed. One day whilst working at the salon Claudia was in the back and the owner was mixing some hair color. When he turned around a small amount of yellow on the shelf above fell into the mix and Claudia quickly told him “some yellow has fallen into your color!” His curt reply of “Can’t you people say yellow properly?” before walking away made Claudia realize right then that it was time to leave! “Whether it was my thick accent or something else it was not going to work out there,” said Claudia. She continued, “I came home that night devastated. I’m not the emotional type but I cried to Dan about how much I wanted to show Gonzalo that he was wrong! I was not a ‘nothing without him.’”

Dan was a little shocked when Claudia soon told him that she wanted to go to Canada to train under the world renowned Martin Parsons. “I remember Dan’s face when I said the class was $700 plus the airfare and hotel! All he said at first was ‘it’s only hair. How much more can you learn about hair?’ We had very little money at the time but we did have one credit card. Dan felt so bad because of how much it meant to me that he quickly agreed to me going. I returned from Canada a very different person! Dan noticed my smile as soon as he met me at the airport. I loved the idea that there was so much more to learn, like a whole world of opportunities was now open to me,” exclaimed Claudia. She started attending as many local classes as she could and put aside some money so she could attend class in Toronto again. “I was addicted to education and it felt like I was back in college,” said Claudia. “In the meantime I began to charge a little more in my work but the owner came over and in front of my client told me to reduce the amount. Within two weeks I was setting up at another salon!” The previous owner had told Claudia when she left that people came to the salon because of him and that none of the clients would fallow her. “Within three weeks about 75% had followed me to the new location,” smiled Claudia

Claudia Diesti - "I am lucky to have trained with the best" - Mode Lifestyle Magazine Mar/Apr 2012

On her return from her second trip to Toronto Dan had a gift for her. It was a photo scrapbook and he had added the few photos Claudia had taken on her trip to Canada. “I can clearly see him kneeling on the bed saying that one day that one inch binder album would be full of pictures from all the classes I would attend around the country. Well that was in 2000. Today I have two three inch photo albums full of pictures from cities across the US, Canada, London, Bologna, Milan, Paris and Taiwan,” said Claudia. In 2005 she began focusing on a cutting style from Taiwan that uses an ambidextrous system in which the shears have the ability to interlock and using certain principles allow the stylist to cut quickly and with results that can not be easily achieved with the single-handed cutting methods. After a few years she became one of just a handful in the US trained in this Oriental system, which along with her passion and drive, introduced her to great artists in Miami. This led to her working runway shows and editorial photo shoots. After her daughter Monica finished school she was thinking of becoming a translator as a career. However, the excitement she had felt around her mother in the beauty industry made her decide to join that instead and she received her license in 2009. Mother and daughter started working work side by side in a private room Claudia had built for her exclusive clients from around South Florida. “Most of my clients are well-to-do business women and equestrians who, even in this economy, come from as far south as Miami and as far north as Vero Beach. I am blessed that I am presently booked up about a month in advance,” said Claudia happily.

The thing that is very clear when speaking with Claudia is how much she values the training she has received and the importance she places on continuous education. “I remember two famous quotes that have kept me grounded and always ready to learn what’s next. The first is Isaac Newton’s ‘If I have seen farther than others it is because I have stood on the shoulders of giants.’ Then there is Lynn Jennings’ ‘If I’m not out there training someone else is.’ Those two quotes always remind me that I owe everything to the great artists that educated me and that if I don’t continue to train I can lose everything.”
Claudia’s one great dream now is to work a runway show for Versace at New York Fashion Week. Then she would feel that she could finally put the ghosts of her past to rest satisfied that she has turned a life seemingly destined for misery into one of success and hope for the future.

Claudia’s The Eclipse Salon is located at 3975 Isles View Dr off Lake Worth Rd in Wellington Florida. www.stylesbyclaudia.com

For more information: info@ModeLifestyleMagazine.com
www.modelifestylemagazine.com
Interview by Alexander Michaels

Actress Athina In the Movie "In The Mode"

Athina was born in Berlin-Germany of Greek descent and then lived five years of her childhood in Egypt. She has lived most recently in Venezuela where she is currently filming a feature film. Her husband Eduardo Marturet is a celebrated conductor for the Miami Symphony Orchestra so they are frequently in the US. “Living in Egypt for 5 years from age 12 – 17 shaped me a lot. I learned how to bellydance, practice martial arts and ride horses in the dessert. I also did my first TV commercials there and my first beauty contest,” said Athina. Her modeling highlights include winning the prize for “The Most Beautiful Face In The World” in a 1989 model Pageant in Miami where she represented Venezuela.

For more information contact: info@inthemode.org

www.inthemode.org

Mode Lifestyle Magazine’s President Alexander Michaels announced on Monday that final agreements have been reached for the start of the 2012 schedules for Mode Lifestyle TV. The show will reach 1.58 million homes in South Florida and air on the ION Network (WPXM-Miami).

Schedules:  10am Saturday Mornings

For more information visit: www.modelifestyletv.com

Versace at the Bossini Fashion Show

Guests at the event will include prominent Silicon Valley CEOs and celebrities, as well as Versace Executive Vice President and other high-ranking Versace executives from their New York office. Executives from Mode Lifestyle Magazine, the official media sponsor for the show, will also be attending the March 31^stevent to be held at the celebrated Regency Center.

Bossini, a Santa Clara-based luxury retailer of high-end clothing for men and women, is the largest authorized Versace dealer in Northern California. According to Bossini Principals, Anjum Sandhu and Fazel Mojadidi, “We are very excited to be hosting this exclusive event. Versace is one of the fashion world’s premier designers. The quality, craftsmanship, and unique designs make for an amazing collection this season.” Patrisha Bailey of Mélange Productions said, “We are very excited to be working with MODE Lifestyle Magazine on this project.” Leila Hauck, Mode Lifestyle Magazine’s Vice President of Marketing Development continued, “it has been a real pleasure working with such a wonderful team and we are sure this signature event will be a great success.”

For more information contact MODE at info@ModeLifestyleMagazine.com

Alternatively you may contact Bossini at jeff@bossiniusa.com

Paris Felinni - Public Relations Executive Mode Lifestyle Magazine

Paris Felinni has a new position as Public Relations Executive for the new range of services that Mode Lifestyle Magazine is releasing in 2012. This includes Sponsorships for Mode Lifestyle TV and Mode Lifestyle Magazine as well as promotion of the new Mode Connections VIP membership services (www.modeconnections.com). Paris has been with Mode since 2009 and comes with a varied background in business.

The daughter of a well-known economist that has authored over 80 books, Paris has worked in the music industry as a sound engineer and composer and has worked in the TV industry as a Newscast Director in New York. She is also an accomplished Software Development Executive for social networks. “Her skills set make her very suitable for the new position with MODE and we are very happy to have her as part of the family,” said Alexander Michaels, President of Mode Lifestyle Magazine.

For more information please contact MODE at editor@ModeLifestyleMagazine.com.

Iren Gasparyan - Mode Lifestyle Magazine's Associate Fashion Editor

Mode Lifestyle Magazine continues the expansion of its editorial team with the recent addition of Iren Gasparyan as an Associate Fashion Editor.

In her humorous and insightful upcoming MODE article on women’s infatuation with shoes she writes, “Shopping for shoes is an exhilarating experience! The shoes are about you and how you feel when you wear them. When you have a fabulous pair of shoes, you wear it with confidence.”

Iren’s fashion experience comes from having been in the fashion and shoe business since 1997 and having worked as a General Manager & Buyer for Los Angeles based XTC and LUSH boutiques. In her positions with XTC and LUSH her responsibilities included designing and developing private labels with various shoe manufacturers.

Iren has also worked as a fashion stylist and assisted actresses and celebrities to select shoes and accessories for Red Carpet events throughout her career.

For more information please contact MODE at editor@ModeLifestyleMagazine.com

I was first introduced to the affable Philip Ross Munro by the also very talented photographer Natasha Kertes in 2011. The late night visit to his gallery/warehouse/art-workshop in Miami was a most enjoyable event, not only because of the incredible range of work on display and the history behind each piece, but more so because of the welcoming nature and constant smile on the face of this really nice man.
A graduate of the Ecole Nationale Superieure des Beaux Arts in Paris, Philip also has a background in Engineering from McGill University in Montreal and in Digital Media from City College in San Francisco.

Philip Ross Munro - Mode Lifestyle Magazine Profile Jan/Feb 2012

In most countries he is better known as an accomplished painter, however, in Miami, where he generally resides, he is most noted for his photography of underwater figures. It is during the last twenty years of an over thirty year career that Munro has been shooting underwater images in natural bodies of water; often in uncontrollable situations, and working with everyday people instead of professional models. His work is like a study of the human form in its most elegant, sensual and beautiful state, underwater, and yet each image has a strength, a vitality that seems to pull you to it. Should you ever meet with Philip or go to one of his galleries ask him about a certain portrait he did long ago that he showed me of a tenaciously strong and strikingly beautiful woman. That one was definitely a treat.

……..
Philip Ross Munro is represented in America by Tulla Booth Gallery in Sag Harbor NY, Tumblety Howell in Ocean Grove New Jersey, Aldo Castillo Gallery, Naples and Kavachnina Contemporary in Miami.

For more information you may contact us at info@ModeLifestyleMagazine.com

By Sarah Curtis
Photography By MODE Studio

Thomas Kramer’s larger than life persona has always made him a good candidate for interviews. So of course sooner or later the MODE team had to do an interview of this entrepreneur that has had such an impact on Miami luxury building development.

MODE Interviews Thomas Kramer at His 5 Star Island Office - Jan/Feb2012

Thomas Kramer (nicknamed TK by his family and friends) was born in Frankfurt/Main (Germany). His father Willi Kramer, a successful stock trader, was TK’s greatest idol and his mother, Ingeborg, his biggest fan. Thomas has two younger siblings, Sylke and Olaf. As the oldest son, TK naturally always took care of each family member and quickly became the social leader, especially when things didn’t go very well! He studied at the Bad Soden Elementary School and later at the Eichwald Secondary School, also in Bad Soden.

MODE Interviews Thomas Kramer - Properties He has Helped Develop - Jan/Feb2012

At the age of 13, TK earned his first taste of money by publishing the school newspaper “ACTION 72″ which he credits with triggering his interest in politics. At 14, he ran for the board of the political party “Junge Union Hessen”. TK’s parents saw his political activities as potentially dangerous (thanks to the then politically turbulent times) and decided to send their son to the “Elite Boarding School Schloß Salem” (or Schloss Salem) – for the good of the family and the peace of the republic!
At the boarding school in Salem, TK looked for new areas of interest, as his “red enemy” was gone from his immediate environment (80% of the students in Salem were center-right oriented!). During a school project, he became fascinated by the fact that so much money could be earned by the simple rise and fall of shares in the stock market. Thus, he began to invest his money in stock options and futures, following the advice of his dreams, and quickly increased his wealth beyond his imaginations.

His first TRADING OFFICE was the only public call box at the boarding school in Salem and he spent his breaks there calling in stock exchange orders. As a result of this forage into entrepreneurship TK made his first million D-marks at the age of 17! After completing his schooling, TK studied at the Johann von Goethe University in Frankfurt and later at the Harvard University in Boston.

MODE - Thomas Kramer and Alexander Michaels at His office In 5 Star Island - Jan/Feb2012

Following his father’s example of success as a stock trader and with his help, at the age of 18, TK moved from Boston to New York and traded on stock exchanges across the world! At the beginning of the 1980’s, he worked as a trader sharing an office on the 102nd floor of the World Trade Center with Shearson American Express who did his clearings. Over the next few years TK watched how the southern tip of Manhattan gradually expanded and grew out of landfill and skyscrapers seemingly sprouted from nowhere. Today this new district is known as “Battery Park Plaza” and it became a major milestone in TK’s future!

In 1985, he moved to Munich, following his then girlfriend Alexandra von Rehlingen. In 1987, TK correctly predicted one of the biggest stock market crashes of all time months before it actually happened and became one of the super-rich and famous overnight. After the end of his relationship with Alexandra, TK met his future wife, Catherine Burda, and married her in 1989.

In 1990 TK made his formal entry into the real estate market. Searching for a super-apartment in New York, he inevitably encountered the Trump Tower on 5th Avenue. He disliked what he described as Trump’s small kitchens, closets and showers, even in the 10-million-dollar penthouse. TK expressed his dislike to the real estate agent who immediately called “The Donald” for help. Donald Trump tried to explain to TK why it was impossible to sell these ideas to an average consumer. TK was impressed by Trump even though they disagreed, and they soon became friends, and competitors.

During a vacation in Miami Beach, TK took a helicopter ride over South Beach on New Year’s Eve 1991/1992 and, quite out of the blue, was struck by a stunning vision of the future. That vision was to create a New York’s Battery Plaza on the southern tip of Miami Beach where the inauguration of the original city of Miami Beach took place in 1913 with it’s northern border, 5th street. Within weeks he had moved to Miami and, as is often said, the rest is now history. The realization of his vision would lead to the lasting legacy for which TK is well known.

The TK Towers of South Pointe:
- Portofino
- Apogee
- Murano
- Murano Grande
- Icon
- Yacht Club
- Continuum Towers

At the same time, TK created the exclusive Star Island community out of Miami Beach’s former garbage dump. TK’s crown jewel was the creation of his private residence “5 Star Island”. Following the path his vision had laid out for him he also invested in numerous restaurants and clubs throughout Miami Beach and became the founding investor of the world famous Ocean Drive Magazine.

In 1992 TK’s daughter Joya was born. Joya moved to 5 Star Island in spring 2011, after completing her schooling in Aiglon, Switzerland. From 2011 Joya has continued her studies in Miami and at the same time stars with her father in their own US reality TV show.

All has not been roses though for the real estate mogul. In 1995 he wife Catherine divorced him and everything seemed to go downhill from there for almost 10 years. After his “Total Burnout” TK conducted a “Self-Cleansing” program and stopped drinking alcohol. His goal was to transform himself into the man that he felt he really was.

TK is a noted philanthropist and the Thomas Kramer Foundation has supported many local and international charities donating millions of dollars to aid organizations such as: Make-A-Wish, Kristi House or Red Cross. He often donates the use of his Star Island estate for charity events like the “Give a Lift for Paralysis Benefit” gala, hosted by Paris & Nicky Hilton.

Today, he is a global networker with over 100,000 friends and fans on Facebook, and 110,000 Twitter followers. He has set up a new real estate brokerage firm, “TK Global Realty,” that focuses on high-end properties. He is also currently in the planning stages of a big international real estate project and has launched TK’s Miami App, a leading concierge service. He keeps healthy by going on bicycle-tours with friends, gym workouts in his own fitness-center, paddle boarding in summer and skiing in winter. In his leisure time, TK spends a lot of time in his big kitchen at 5 Star Island, where he loves to cook for family and friends.

Thomas Kramer is definitely one of those characters with a strong personality that often lands him in trouble. But at least one thing’s for sure, no one can deny that he has not led a boring life and that he has definitely had a big influence on the look of the new South Beach.

HONORS & AWARDS:
* Miami Beach Police Athletic League (1992 & 1995)
* Miami Beach Development Corporation (January 1993)
* The City of Miami Beach Appreciation Award (February 1993)
* Miami Beach Police Department Appreciation Award (March 1994)
* South Beach Latin Chamber of Commerce (October 1995 & 1996)
* Greater Miami Chamber of Commerce, Trustee Membership (1996)
* Lincoln Theatre Appreciation Award (1997-1998)
* Association for Retarded Citizens (2002)
* Metropolitan Dade County Appreciation Award, Golden Key to the City (2002)

NEWSPAPER CLIPPINGS:
* “The Man Who Made South Pointe” – Ocean Drive Magazine, January 1999
* “A Changing Portfolio” – The Miami Herald, 28th November 2000
* “Kramer Profits Big” – The Daily Business Review, 18th July 2001
* “No Party Rentals in Miami Beach? Really?” – New York Times, 5th April 2011
* “Visionary or Villain?” – Sun Post, 26th May 2011
* “Scheingefechte” – SüddeutscheZeitung, 9th July 2011

The full article is in the January/February 2012 Edition of Mode Lifestyle Magazine. For more information contact us at info@ModeLifestylemagazine.com