Amazing April


Tuesdays in April CANCELLED
11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.
Ms. Cheezious® Food Truck
Ms. Cheezious, voted Best Food Truck in Miami, rolls out your favorite comfort food - grilled cheese sandwiches like mom used to make, only not quite as innocent! Try dipping your favorite grilled cheese in a steamy bowl of savory tomato soup. Menu items include hot, grilled sandwiches, soups, chili, and fries; take your pick, Ms. Cheezious® promises to keep you coming back for more. As a special bonus, Ms. Cheezious® will be leading the Ben & Jerry's ice cream truck to the Garden on April 16th to give out free samples of their new summer flavors. What's not to love about the great outdoors, award-winning hot food, and free ice cream?



 
Wednesday, April 10 
11 a.m. to 4 p.m.  
Final Garden Market for the Season

Thank you everyone for supporting us this Spring! This will be the FINAL Garden Market this season as we get prepared for re-opening in the Fall, so come and get your mid-week produce and smoothies while you can! The final free gardening workshop will be at 11 a.m. on Aromatherapy and Essential Oils! Patricia Phang Sang Chase, a Reiki Master, Ancient Tibetan Healer, and certified Tse Dup Yang Bod Lopon teacher (don't know what any of those titles mean? Come find out!) will be talking about the most popular essential oils, how and what they are used to heal, and how you can apply the knowledge in your daily life. The orchid exchange and 12:30 yoga class will continue every Wednesday. These 45 minute sessions are FREE for members with a suggested $10 donation for non-members. 


Tuesday, April 9
Noon to 2 p.m.
Green Book Club Discusses The Yearling
Meet new people, become a better reader, and experience books in a whole new way. This group reads and discusses environmentally-themed books chosen and read during the month preceding each meeting. April’s read is The Yearling, by Marjorie Kinnon Rawlings. A heralded work and Pulitzer Prize winner, this book tells the story of Jody, his pet deer named Flag, and his family as they struggle for survival in Northern Florida in the late 19th Century. Meetings are the second Tuesday of each month. Newcomers are always welcome. Contact Benjia Morgenstern at benjiamo@the-beach.net for more info.




Wednesday, April 10 and Tuesday, April 16
11 a.m. to 2 p.m. 
Volunteer Recruitment Days
Tour Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden for free! Anyone interested in volunteering at the Miami Beach Botanical Garden this year is invited to our informational session on Wednesday, April 10th at 11 a.m. The group will meet at the main entrance and walk the garden as we talk about volunteer opportunities, our membership program, and the plants within the landscape. Interested participants who sign up for a 10 hour commitment volunteering at our garden before the end of 2013 are invited to tour Fairchild for free on April 16. Limited spaces available! Contact membership@mbgarden.org to reserve your space.





Saturday, April 13
10 a.m. to Noon 
Free Lecture: Landscaping 101
Do you want to redesign your yard this spring but feel completely lost? Come learn the secrets of the landscaping trade and how you can apply them to your own property. Don’t spend money paying someone else to do what can be a rewarding and creative personal project. We will talk about microclimates that are created within a typical yard space (or apartment balcony) and what plants do well in what areas. Attendees are encouraged to come with sketches of their property to discuss their individual needs and gardening goals. 



Sunday, April 14
11 a.m. to 2 p.m. 
Tropical Brunch
Les Dames d’Escoffier host a feast among the foliage with culinary creations from Bianca at Delano, Mast Academy, Miami Culinary Institute, Nespresso, Oceanaire Seafood Room, Smith & Wollensky, Sweet Art by Lucilia, and other local standouts. Proceeds from the brunch will support Les Dames educational and scholarship programs in Miami, as well as the newly-installed culinary Garden at the Miami Beach Botanical Garden. For tickets, visit www.lesdamesmiami.org , call 877-467-7725, or email reservations@lesdamesmiami.org.



Thursday, April 18
8 p.m. to 9 p.m.
Brazz In Brazz Out
Brazz In Brazz Out: In the Garden will experiment with great scenic sets naturally in place. How would a dance look under a tree? What kind of visual impact would a dance have for an audience as dancers weave around and compose a scene with garden sculptures? August Soledade Brazzdance will perform select company repertory in various outdoor sites within the Garden. This event is free!





Friday, April 19
8:30 p.m. 
Pachamama Environmental Dance
This homage to Mother Earth is a precursor to our Mother Earth Day celebration on Saturday the 20th. Afro conTempo and the Miami Dance Festival present Pachamama: A production that explores the connection between Peruvian culture and nature through movement. Inspired by Peru’s Amazon jungle, Andes Montains, and the Pacific Coast, this production will take you on an epic journey inspired by the natural rhythm that surrounds our lives. Pachamama explores how nature inspires Peruvian culture, taking the audience on an exotic voyage through fire, rhythm, and artistic dance. Click here for a video clip and to purchase tickets!




Saturday, April 20
11 a.m. to 6 p.m. 
Mother Earth Day
This free celebration brings Mother Earth into the spotlight with an all-women dance and drum ensemble Venus Rising, an environmental art reception by Art at St. Johns. and an electroacoustic performance by mother/daughter duo La Berge Dramm at 5 p.m. Starting at 11 a.m. the Garden will host children’s recycling and art activities, as well as earth-friendly vendors and natural food choices. Click here for a schedule of events. After the music performance, grab a coffee and walk over to Lincoln Road to check out the New Music Miami performance at 7:30 p.m. in the 420 building.



Tuesday, April 23
9:30 a.m. to Noon 
Flower Arranging Workshop: Expressive Designs
Spend the day learning from accredited floral designers from the Florida Federation of Garden Clubs, who combine lectures, demos and critiqued hands-on workshops to develop an understanding of the art of flower arranging. This class focuses on conditioning and transporting plant materials for display at a flower show. The demo will be on expressive and interpretive design. This is one unit of a six-part floral design study hosted by the Miami Beach Garden Club.  Class costs $28 to attend and bring home your work of art. To register, email Nina Worth at ninanevanu@gmail.com, or call (305) 532-9987.





Thursday, April 25
7 p.m. 
Free Dance Performance
The Momentum Dance Company presents an environmental dance performance interacting with the Garden’s natural environment. The dancers will create a unique dance collage with special guest artist: percussionist J.J. Freire. Free admission and cash bar.





Sunday, April 28
9:30 a.m. to Noon 
25th Annual AIDS Walk Miami
AIDS Walk Miami is a 5K (3.1 mile) walk-a-thon fundraiser benefiting Care Resource, South Florida’s oldest and largest HIV/AIDS community organization providing services at their Fort Lauderdale and Miami offices to over 15,000 South Floridians affected/infected with HIV/AIDS. The fundraiser also benefits Food For Life Network Food Bank providing meals and groceries, as well as nutritional counseling and education, to eliminate malnutrition and starvation in children and adults living with HIV/AIDS. In addition, this annual fundraiser serves as a vital vehicle to raise awareness and funds to combat the effect HIV/AIDS continues to have on the South Florida region.

The Miami Beach Convention Center will be hosting registration and opening ceremonies starting at 8 a.m. AIDS Walk Miami begins promptly at 9 a.m. rain or shine. The walk is followed by a celebration at the Botanical Gardens with a surprise live performance sponsored by MTV Staying Alive Foundation, DJ music by Aulden Brown, complimentary massages, complimentary beverages, adopt-a-pet services, and many more goodies.



Tuesdays in February
3 p.m. 
Strong Women Strong Girls Afterschool Programming
This free, national mentoring program empowers 3rd through 5th grade girls by connecting them with college women. For more information, visit www.swsg.org or contact Program Coordinator Meryl Leventon at 305-606-0513 or mleventon@swsg.org



Thursdays in February
6:30 p.m. in the Butterfly Room
Toastmasters Weekly Meetings
To polish your professional presentations, engage in social circles with greater ease, or champion a community cause, effective communication is essential. Toastmasters is an international non-profit organization with nearly 235,000 members. No matter what your experience, you will take something of value away from each meeting. Guests are always welcome to attend for free. Come find out what makes or breaks a great speech as these weekly meetings. To join and learn more, visit www.miamibeachtoastmasters.com

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Miraculous March


Wednesdays
11 a.m. to Sunset

The Garden Market
The Garden Market is a weekly farmers market that takes place rain or shine every Wednesday. Vendors from The Market Company will be selling local fruits and veggies, pastries and breads, candles and soaps, and much more. The Market is not just for shopping however. Weekly yoga classes are held at 12:30 p.m. These 45 minute sessions are FREE for members with a suggested $10 donation for non-members. Click here for the instructor's bio. Weekly gardening workshops will also be on the agenda, at 11 a.m. and again at 4 p.m. The March 13 workshop is on basic pruning and tree trimming with Benoit Jonckheere, our very own horticulturist. Lastly, the Garden hosts a plant sale and an orchid exchange all day: Trade in your current orchid for $5 off your purchase of a new one in bloom.



Sunday, March 3
2 p.m. to 6 p.m.
Frozen Music-Picnic 3, by Subtropics
The Garden transforms into a soundscape for experimental music played throughout the grounds. You are invited to bring a blanket and some food, sit in the lawn, and enjoy the sonic activation of the space. Live audio samples are improvised upon to reflect the unique properties of the garden, and explore otherwise hidden sound sources, resonances, and auditory history. Click here for more info and the history of this unique project. This event is FREE!







Thursdays, March 7 and 14
6 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.
WordSpeak Poetry Slam
Tigertail productions hosts this open mic and poetry slam. WordSpeak is a project designed for teens by Dasha Kelly, a writer, artist and entrepreneur who knows that words are powerful tools for self-expression and for changing the world. Kelly will host the March 7 open mic at the Garden, and Teo Castellanos will host the March 14 event.  All Miami-Dade teens are invited. The slam is the first in a series of competitions to win a place on the Miami Wordspeak team that will travel this summer to the Brave New Voices International Youth Poetry Slam Festival in Chicago this August. These events are FREE!
"This team has helped me grow spiritually and intellectually. I'm surrounded by geniuses with diverse personalities and they all have a way with pushing you to be greater than you already are. I am forever grateful," says Giovanni Garced, a 2011 WordSpeak team member.


Dasha Kelly will also give a reading and perform free for the general public at the Coral Gables Books & Books, 265 Aragon Avenue, on Friday, March 8 at 8:00 pm. This event is FREE!
  



Tuesday, March 12
Noon to 2 p.m.
Green Book Club-A Walk in the Woods 
Meet new people, become a better reader/writer, and experience books in a whole new way. This group reads and discusses environmentally-themed books chosen and read during the month preceding each meeting. March's read is A Walk in the Woods, by Bill Bryson (1911). Meetings are the second Tuesday of every month. Newcomers are always welcome. For more information, contact Benjia Morgenstern at  benjiamo@the-beach.net


 
Saturday, March 16
10 a.m. to 3 p.m. 
12th Annual Tour of Miami Beach Gardens
Join us for exclusive tours through the private gardens and hidden oases of Miami Beach. This opportunity to see behind the gates and into the backyards of the Beach's most intriguing landscapes will inspire and astound. The tour is a wonderful way to learn what grows best in our coastal, sub-tropical climate, and to see what you can try in your garden this season (or what you wish you could try if you're a northern neighbor). Each homeowner's landscape and gardening style is distinct and personal, offering refreshing respite from the hustle and bustle of daily activities here on the Beach.

During the tour and until 5 p.m. the Garden will host auxiliary events at 2000 Convention Center Drive, including the traditional Jems & Junque rummage sale, food trucks, a silent auction, and live music. Come discover the city from a gardener's perspective, at the one and only Miami Beach Garden Tour! Click here to register for the event. ($25/members, $30/non-members).




Tuesday, March 19
9:15 a.m. to 3:15 p.m.
AARP Driver Safety Course
This 6 hour class is accredited with AARP as a refresher course specifically designed for drivers 50 and older. Why take the course? One word: Discount. Save valuable money on your insurance by learning how the roads and drivers on it have changed over the years. Click here to read the top reasons why you should take the course. The course will be held at the Garden at 2000 Convention Center Drive, and is only $12 for AARP members, $14 for non-members. To reserve your spot at this one-day-only course, call 305-466-5725.



Thursday, March 21
7:30 p.m.
New Music Miami ISCM Festival Concert 5
Music for electric viola: Featuring guest virtuoso violist Martha Mooke. Also performing the FIU FLEA Laptop Ensemble; Music by Leon, Singleton, Mooke, Garcia, others. This event is FREE!



Friday, March 22
12 p.m. to 4 p.m.
Miami Beach Women’s Conference: “Lunch in the Garden”This event is the second half of the Miami Beach Women’s conference: Lunch! After the free morning session from 8:30-11 at the Convention Center, come across the street for food, friends, and a silent auction. For more info and for tickets, visit the women's exhibit website.  $30 in advance, $35 at the door.



Saturday, March 23
10 a.m. to Noon
Beginning Beekeeping
We have a new speaker for this lecture! Inese Bunch of Bunch Farm in Kendall will be answering all your questions pertaining to beekeeping on the Beach. The Bunch's are committed to keeping their apiary as green as possible, and will teach you their tips and tricks to raising your own colony of bees. Inese is involved in the University of Florida's Master Beekeeping Program, and has practice speaking to audiences through her beekeeping socials that she holds to educate others on this interesting hobby. Beekeeping is a homesteading skill that can provide you with your own honey and wax. Even if you do not plan on ever owning your own hive, this talk will answer questions about why bees are disappearing, and what you can plant in your garden to bring them back. This event is FREE!



Tuesday, March 26
9:30 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Floral Design Class-Horizontal Designs and Table Settings
Spend the day learning from accredited floral designers from the Florida Federation of Garden Clubs, who combine lectures, demos, and critiqued hands-on workshops to develop an understanding of the art of flower arranging. This class is the fourth unit of a six-part floral design study hosted by the Miami Beach Garden Club. The unit focuses on horizontal arrangements and displaying functional and exhibition table settings coordinated with these arrangements for flower shows. Class costs $28. To register, email Nina Worth at ninanevanu@gmail.com, or call (305) 532-9987.



 

Sunday, March 31 (Easter!)
10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Japanese Spring Festival 
This free family event celebrates the Easter holiday, and the culture that inspired our Japanese Garden. Come listen to the deep beats of the Fushu Daiko Taiko drummers (performance times at 12:00, 1:30, and 3:00 p.m.) taste traditional Japanese cuisine, learn calligraphy and origami, decorate kites and fans, and release your own “koi” fish into the pond! We will also give a water lily and lotus planting demo at 2 p.m. for anyone looking to put a little zen in their garden. Sara Sheffman of Sarah Sheffman Photo Art will be offering a  family photo opportunity just in time for Easter. Check this event's facebook page for updates and let your friends know you're going. This event is FREE!



Every Thursday
6:30 p.m.

Toastmasters Weekly Meetings
To polish your professional presentations, engage in social circles with greater ease, or champion a community cause, effective communication is essential. Toastmasters is an international non-profit organization with nearly 235,000 members. No matter what your experience, you will take something of value away from each meeting. Guests are always welcome to attend for free. Come find out what makes or breaks a great speech at these weekly meetings! To join and learn more, visit www.miamibeachtoastmasters.com 




 Every Tuesday
3 p.m.

Strong Women Strong Girls Afterschool Programming
This free, national mentoring program empowers 3rd through 5th grade girls by connecting them with college women. For more information, visit www.swsg.org or contact Program Coordinator Meryl Leventon at 305-606-0513 / mleventon@swsg.org.




 

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