Restaurant owner adopts Kendall school for garden project
Downtown Dadeland’s The Brick Miami restaurant has taken a new step in the practice of serving local farm-to-table food.
Owner Corey Bousquet is now helping kids get into the dirt and grow: He recently adopted Leewood K-8 Center in Kendall for the school garden project.
Bousquet’s mission is to reconnect students with their food by teaching them how to plant, harvest, and cook what they have grown themselves. The nonprofit Slow Food Miami is also involved in the project.
“Through the garden we are able to educate local youth on the importance of fresh food and sustainable practices,” Bousquet said. “It gets the students outside with hands-on learning that is critical for their development.”
The official planting day with the students was Oct. 9. Future plans for the ongoing school garden curriculum, for selected grades, are visits to the school from the chefs of The Brick and a recipe competition.
“At The Brick, we are deeply rooted in our community. We source from local farmers and now we have a direct impact in our schools. I take pride in teaching our youth the importance of growing their own food, and enabling them to take ownership of the growth of a seed from start to finish,” Bousquet said.
“Through this project, they will also have the opportunity to see something they harvested featured on the menu at our restaurant.”
After the school project was announced, Bousquet took on the construction of the garden himself with help from some of The Brick staff.
“Slow Food Miami offered to build the garden, but I wanted The Brick and myself to be as hands-on as possible. I take pride in knowing that we built it from the ground up,” Bousquet said.
“Being a part of our community and having a direct impact is very important to me. And what better way is there for us at The Brick Miami than to bring the farm-to-table experience into a school, teaching our youth through their own school garden the importance of the environment, vegetation and simply fresh food.”
The popular restaurant is tucked into the Downtown Dadeland complex across from Dadeland Mall. Bousquet and his friendly staff and hardworking chefs proudly offer fresh, local and sustainable ingredients in all of their dishes.
The address is 8955 SW 72nd Pl. and the restaurant offers free parking in the complex’s underground lot.
Learn more about volunteering with Slow Food Miami at slowfoodmiami.org. And check out the latest seasonal foods at The Brick Miami at thebrickmiami.com.
Patently Impossible Project
On Nov. 1, law students, lawyers, leaders of law firms, judges, creatives, engineers, inventors, accountants, legal professionals, bankers and guests will gather to cheer on teams assigned to assemble an invention to be patented.
Organizers say you don’t need to be an intellectual-property attorney to attend this innovative event and have fun. Everyone is invited to attend, mix and mingle with the who’s who of the legal community.
Your donations support Dade Legal Aid’s Child Advocacy Project that helps foster youth with staff and pro bono attorneys. General admission is $25 in advance, $40 at the door if space permits. Students pay $20, and judges get in free. To build an invention, put together a team for a $100 donation. This is a 21-and-over event.
For tickets and sponsorship go to dadelegalaid.org. Register a team by writing to jrv@friedlandvining.com.
The ninth annual Patently Impossible Project is presented by Dade Legal Aid, Friedland Vining, Dade County Bar Association Intellectual Property Committee, and Put Something Back Pro Bono Project. The event is 6 to 9 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 1, at De La Cruz Collection, 23 NE 41 St. Call 305-579-5733 ext. 2252 for more details.
The Wonderland Ball
The Young Patronesses of the Opera will present a night of dinner and dancing starting at 6:30 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 3, at Four Seasons Hotel Miami, 1435 Brickell Ave. The arts group has a 63-year history of providing opera education to schoolchildren in South Florida. The fundraiser also helps the Florida Grand Opera.
Miami’s opera lovers will “walk through the looking glass into a whimsical world of wonder” at the event that will feature an expansive silent auction with over 200 items including many cruises.
“Proceeds from the ball help us raise money for our opera education programs that reach over 20,000 students in Miami-Dade and Broward Counties each year,” Young Patronesses of the Opera President Lise-Marie Wertanzl said in a release. “Every year our ball raises pivotal funds that help us keep our programs alive so we can continue funding our mission for many more years to come.”
The Wonderland Ball co-chairs are Violeta Cepeda, Michele Reese, Patty Scerpella, Barbara Waters, and Nicole Unternaehrer. Learn more at ypo-miami.org/gala. Tickets are $400 each and attire is whimsical black tie.
The Ultimate Bazaar
Try to get to this big event that helps raise funds for cancer research at the University of Miami, Miller School of Medicine and Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center.
At the Ultimate Bazaar, you’ll find top-of-the-line clothes, handbags, jewelry, accessories, toys, art, home goods, collectibles, plants, holiday décor and much more. Everyone is welcome at the annual fundraising event hosted by the Woman’s Cancer Association of the University of Miami, Barton Ravlin Chapter.
Doors open at 9 a.m. and you can shop until 3 p.m., Saturday, Oct. 27, at the Coco Plum Woman’s Club, 1375 Sunset Dr. For more, write to event coordinator, Sara Lee Sanderson at writenow@bellsouth.net.
Free Halloween Star Party
Skygazers can join the Southern Cross Astros for a free Halloween Star Party 7 to 10 p.m. Friday, Oct. 26, at the Fruit & Spice Park, 24801 SW 187 Ave., Homestead.
This time of year, you can see bright Mars, Saturn, Jupiter and more in the skies through the Astros’ high-tech telescopes. The park will offer tram rides and festive activities. Wear your costumes. This is a fun event for everyone. Call 305-247-5727.
This story was originally published October 17, 2018 at 7:10 PM.