Nifty November

Sunday, November 3
4 to 8 p.m.
Picante-With the South Beach Chamber Ensemble
Join the South Beach Chamber Ensemble in another performance in beautiful spaces. This concert, entitled "Picante" features music from or inspired by Cuba, Brazil, Argentina and Venezuela. Manisero Fantasy, based on the Cuban folk song, "The Peanut Vendor" was written for the South Beach Chamber Ensemble by Al Torrente in 2012. This will be the southeastern US premiere. Also being performed is Heitor Villa-Lobos String Quartet #3. Villa-Lobos has been described as the single most significant creative figure in the 20th-century Brazilian art music. Next is Argentine icon Astor Piazzolla's Tango Ballet. The last piece will be aldemaro Romero's famous Fuga con Pajarillo. A Venezuelan composer, conductor, pianist and orchestra founder, Romero based this work on folkloric themes mixed with classical tradition, taking the joropo, a native Venezuelan dance, to a whole new level. Tickets are available online or at the door: $25 adults, $15 seniors and students. Purchase tickets here.



Thursday, November 7
6 to 8 p.m.
Herbal Cocktail Workshop With Laura "La Diva Cucina" Lafata
Join Laura "La Diva Cucina" Lafata as she brings her knowledge as a mixologist and culinary entertainer to the Garden and demonstrates two garden-to-glass cocktails you can serve at your next party. Creating a drink with garden-fresh herbs is more than a trend, it's the new standard. This workshop will also teach you how to create a "shrub" from fruit and herbs, one of the hottest cocktail trends happening right now.

Laura Lafata is a hospitality veteran with over 30 years experience and has been cooking since she was nine years old. She has worked as a personal chef, creative mixologist, spirits educator and waitress at upscale restaurants, clubs and bars across the country and in Australia. Laura also enjoyed a dual career as a sales and marketing executive in a variety of industries for over 20 years. Laura is the president of her culinary team-building company conducting cooking classes for corporate and private events. She is also an active member of Les Dames d'Escoffier.

La Diva will offer recipes, training and tips for two vodka drinks and a gin drink showcasing mint, kaffir lime leaf and lemongrass. These herbs will be plucked straight from the Miami Beach Botanical Garden's edible garden, sponsored by Les Dames d'Escoffier for your tasting pleasure. Samples will be served from all drinks with a glass of your choosing made available after the workshop to taste alongside appetizers courtesy of Les Dames d'Escoffier, Miami's leading organization of women leaders in food, wine and hospitality. Class is $15 for Garden members, $20 non-members. Register here!


Monday, November 11
9:00 a.m. to Noon and 1 p.m. to 3 p.m.
Girl Scout Gardening Day
Join us for a fun filled day where scouts can learn about gardening and earn a garden patch. The members of the Miami Beach Garden Club will work with the Girl Scouts on the different stages of gardening from planting the seeds all the way up to harvesting the fruits (and vegetables) of your labor. These fun activities will give each scout an insight to the importance of gardening and give them a chance to earn a unique garden patch. Event costs $5. There will be a morning and an afternoon session. 

To RSVP contact Troop Advisor 272 Cindy Hill at 305-496-4591.


Wednesday, November 13
11 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Green Book Club Season Kickoff Meeting
The Green Book Club returns for its seasonal program at the Garden, with meetings the second Wednesday of the month from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the Butterfly Room. Come join the members for an informal discussion on the summer read: The Garden of Evening Mists by Tan Twan Eng. It is a story centered around a small formal Japanese garden in the Highlands on the Malaya Peninsula after WWII. The central characters are dealing with memory loss after the war and their stories unfold amidst the landscape. Books will be chosen to read for upcoming meetings. New members are always welcome to bring a lunch and join the discussion.

 


Thursday, November 14
4 to 6 p.m.
Free Japanese Cultural Presentation
Miami Beach is celebrating 55 years of friendship with our Japanese sister city, Fujisawa. Enjoy a free tea ceremony, flower arranging presentation, and traditional dance performance. RSVP with dianafontani@miamibeachfl.gov

Friday, November 22
7 to 10 p.m.
Surfrider Outdoor Film
The Garden is proud to partner with the South Florida Surfriders, a non-profit organization dedicated to the protection of the oceans waves and beaches through anti-plastic campaigns, beach cleanups, legislation reform and more. Join the Surfrider Foundation as they kick off the new season with an outdoor screening of 3 Killas y un Kiwi, a kickstarter film highlighting pro female surfers from Latin America, including Sofia Mulanovich, the first Peruvian ever to win an Association of Surfing Professionals World Championship Tour event. There is some talk that the filmmaker will be attending this Miami premiere, as well as one or two of the surfers in the film. Stay tuned!
Saturday, November 23
10 a.m. to Noon
Saturday Seminar: Going Bananas!
Are you bananas for bananas? Have you ever thought about starting your own crop, or experimenting with a plant or two on your balcony? Join us in our monthly learning series for a seminar on growing bananas with Ian Maguire. Ian Maguire is a Homestead, Florida native and has a bachelor's degree in Fine Art from Florida International University. He and his family are the owners of Maguire's farm, a one-acre banana farm in Homestead, FL established in 2008. Ian works full time as the biological scientist for Dr. Aaron Palmateer's Florida Extension Plant Diagnostic Clinic located at the Tropical Research and Education Center (TREC). Ian's discussion on bananas will cover the basics of starting a small banana farm, description of cultivars (FHIA 1, 2, 18, 18 and Mysore), banana biology, marketing and challenges of growing this tasty crop in South Florida. During the seminar we will be passing around banana flavored munchies, as well as samples of banana beer!

Sunday, November 24
11 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Botanical Bazaar
Support your local economy and find everything you need in one place at the Botanical Bazaar, Sunday November 24 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. This annual fair held in the Garden features local artisans selling botanically themed and plant-derived wares such as body scrubs, candles, handmade paper, flowers and more. This year also features a local band playing live music and a farmer's market.
The farmer's market features fresh breads, jams, honey, granola, herbs, and salad greens from SoFla foodie favorites such as Zak the Baker and Laurie's Pantry. There will also be a yoga class at 1 p.m. in the Banyan Room and food trucks selling hot lunchtime munchies. Leashed pets are encouraged. Click here to RSVP! To apply as a vendor call 305.673.7256 ext. 201.

Wednesdays through December 11
3 to 5 p.m.
Free After-School Art Program for High Schoolers
Learn to paint, draw and sculpt for free during this 8 week program at the Garden. High school age students will get to practice acrylic and watercolor painting techniques with a curriculum that focuses on still life and nature. Tour the gardens with our Horticulturist Benoit Jonckheere and receive an introduction to art history with artist, teacher and board member Winsome Bolt. Students will get to design pieces using natural materials as mediums and create a semi-permanemt outdoor sculpture from recycled items to be displayed in the Garden. This is a great chance for aspiring artists to develop their art portfolio for college or a career path. Some materials supplied. Sponsored by Miami Dade County. Register here.
Wednesdays in November
12:30 to 1:30 p.m.
Hatha Yoga Class
These relaxing lunchtime yoga sessions are FREE for members with a suggested $10 donation for non-members. The class encompasses a blend of strengthening, stretching, and relaxation. Our instructor Terra-Nova trained at the Green Monkey yoga studio in South beach and has studied a wide range of yoga forms and philosophies from Ashtanga and Vinyasa, to Iyengar and Kundalini. Students of all experience and levels are invited to pursue a higher state of consciousness and refresh the mind and body. Mats are available on a first-come, first-serve basis.


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