Tanzania Tour with TOCA Trips!
Tanzania Tour with TOCA Trips! With the ever-increasing popularity of our tours in Brazil, Cuba, and Thailand, we at TOCA Trips are expanding our roster to include Tanzania in our select list of destinations. Tanzania tour. With its endlessly fascinating natural resources, we felt it would be remiss if we didn’t share our knowledge of this magical part of the world with those of you yearning to take a journey of a lifetime! Vast Natural Beauty on Protected Land Exotic and enticing, Tanzania is known as one of the best wildlife viewing locations in all of Africa. From white-bearded wildebeests to giraffes, gazelles, zebras, and more, the country is also home to Africa’s highest mountain, Kilimanjaro; as well as its deepest lake, Lake Tanganyika; and largest lake, Lake Victoria. Containing 16 national parks, along with countless bio-diverse forest and game reserves, Tanzania one of the primary African countries where you can enjoy such vast and natural beauty on protected land. Tours with a Personal Flavor TOCA co-founder Sean Gibbons lived in Tanzania as a teenager, a time that informed his youth with a sense of the preciousness of a grand landscape that fills the soul. With his deep connection to this country, Sean’s knowledge of the land and its people has imbued our tours with a deeply personal flavor. The Serengeti Our trips focus primarily on the Serengeti region, including the UNESCO World Heritage Site Ngorongoro Crater. Included in the Tanzania Tour are a range of activities such as photographic safaris, canoeing, biking, hiking, shopping, as well as cultural and culinary encounters. Accompanied by our impeccable tour guides, you will experience the magnificence of some of the area’s most impressive sites, including Arusha National Park. Smaller than many of the other local parks, Arusha is extremely accessible and teeming with wildlife inhabiting stretches of untainted countryside. Equally awe-inspiring is Lake Manyara National Park, with its breathtaking scenery offering endless photographic opportunities. The Serengeti Our trips focus primarily on the Serengeti region, including the UNESCO World Heritage Site Ngorongoro Crater. Included in the Tanzania Tour are a range of activities such as photographic safaris, canoeing, biking, hiking, shopping, as well as cultural and culinary encounters. Accompanied by our impeccable tour guides, you will experience the magnificence of some of the area’s most impressive sites, including Arusha National Park. Smaller than many of the other local parks, Arusha is extremely accessible and teeming with wildlife inhabiting stretches of untainted countryside. Equally awe-inspiring is Lake Manyara National Park, with its breathtaking scenery offering endless photographic opportunities. Stunning Overnights Offering impeccable accommodations such as Rivertrees Country Inn just outside Arusha and near to Kilimanjaro Airport, Serena Mountain Lodge in Mt. Meru, and the Ngorongoro Serena Safari Lodge inside the stunning Ngorongoro Crater, we also introduce our tourists to exciting overnights in some of the best open-air safari camps. With all of this and more, you can be sure that your visit to the land of the Masai will enrich you as much as it has inspired our TOCA team. Sharing the Joy At TOCA Trips we supply you with all you need to share the profound joy of being deeply engaged in untainted nature. There is no doubt that you will be as astounded as we are each time we visit this majestic country where description falls so far short of the experience. Join Us! For more information on TOCA Trips and the Tanzania Tour, please contact us here. www.tocaevents.com www.tocatrips.com
Sao Paulo: Brazil’s Favorite Destination for Events and Incentive Travel
Fabulous Sao Paulo is Brazil’s largest city and the most populous megapolis in the entire Southern Hemisphere. The world’s ninth largest metropolis is located in Southeastern Brazil—in the State that shares its name—and is the commercial and industrial heart of the South American giant, a country that has made great strides in the last few years to become a world economic power while helping and assisting the perennially underserved populations of its urban centers and rural areas. View of Sao Paulo Sao Paulo is also a world-renowned center for art, culture, entertainment and sophistication, unlike any other Latin American city. Practically an open air museum with neighborhoods and buildings of historical value—it ranks first among the cities that host international events in the Americas and 12th in the world, after Vienna, Paris, Barcelona, Singapore, Berlin, Budapest, Amsterdam, Stockholm, Seoul, Lisbon and Copenhagen. And according to a study by MasterCard in 130 cities around the world, São Paulo was the third most visited destination in Latin America with 2.4 million foreign travelers, who spent US$2.9 billion in 2013 (the highest among the cities in the region). Some of the most relevant annual events include the Sao Paulo Biennale, Brazilian Grand Prix, Sao Paulo Fashion Week and the ATP Brazil Open, as well as the largest gay pride parade in the country, which draws over one million visitors every year. Ibirapuera Auditorium TOCA Events, with offices in Miami and Rio de Janeiro, boasts a comprehensive team of expert curators, tour guides, planners and fixers in bustling Sao Paulo, who bring you up-to-date insight into the latest developments in this unique city. Knowing the city and its inhabitants so well, TOCA Events is poised to be your best all-inclusive provider to organize your next incentive experience in the most cosmopolitan city of one of the most beautiful and emblematic countries on the entire planet. Ibirapuera Park In 2014, CNN ranked nightlife in São Paulo as the fourth best in the world, behind New York, Berlin, and Ibiza. Although we do not know the criteria used by our partners at CNN, we agree that the paulistanos (as the locals are known) are unique, outgoing, sophisticated, and have built a city worthy of our admiration, even in a country with one of the most legendary architectural legacies of the 19th and 20th centuries. Avenida Paulista Starting from the iconic Avenida Paulista, home to the city’s most emblematic monuments, such as the Latin American Memorial, Ibirapuera Park, Museum of Ipiranga, São Paulo Museum of Art, and the Museum of the Portuguese Language, the city radiates towards some of the most relevant business centers that host headquarters of major corporations, banks and financial institutions, organizations whose arms reach the rest of the continent and beyond, including the largest stock market in Latin America. Terracoitalia restaurant One aspect of this fantastic city that seems to escape most history books is the fact that this is one of the most multicultural enclaves in the world, especially in South America. The city holds the largest population of persons of Italian descent in the entire world—more than Rome. Sao Paulo is also home to large Arab and Japanese communities. Mani restaurant Know for a penchant for luxury and excess, Sao Paulo hosts the leading fashion brands and cultural institutions. The Jardins neighborhood is regarded as one of the most sophisticated spaces in town with a broad variety of hotels and restaurants, including the award-winning D.O.M., considered one of the World’s 50 Best Restaurants by San Pellegrino and Restaurant Magazine. Morumbi Since the city hosts 75% of the trade fairs and conventions in the country, the TOCA Events team of destination management professionals are consistently engaged in offering the highest level of creativity, quality and service to its growing global clientele. The city has become one of our favorite destinations for sports marketing, business sessions, incentive travel, and evening events produced with special attention to all the logistical details that lead to unforgettable experiences. www.tocaevents.com
Florida Everglades
The Florida Everglades start at the Kissimmee River, which discharges into the vast but shallow Lake Okeechobee. In the wet season, the water leaving the lake forms a slow-moving river 60 miles wide and over 100 miles long, flowing southward across a limestone shelf to Florida Bay at the southern tip of the peninsula. Along its journey to Florida Bay, the water from the lake brings life to different environments that conform an intricate labyrinth of interdependent ecosystems including cypress swamps, the estuarine mangrove forests of the Ten Thousand Islands, tropical hardwood hammocks, pine Rockland, and the marine environment of Florida Bay. Each is hauntingly beautiful in its own way: landscapes that cannot be replicated anywhere else. This fascinating corner of the planet is life giving and life affirming, a primordial landscape that should be protected. Pahayokee—Seminole for Everglades—was a pristine environment where the swamps and forests were not obstacles but a natural bounty. Calusa, Tequesta, Miccosukee, Seminole, and later Gladesmen occupied and lived off the land. The Calusa maintained a highly organized society and left behind many traces of their civilization, including large-scale architectural shell works, shell tools, carved wood, and long distance canoe trails. After the native population was exterminated by wars or exotic illnesses, Florida’s land boom promised cheap swamp land for agricultural or community development. That decision doomed the Everglades. In her seminal monograph The Everglades: River of Grass, Marjory Stoneman Douglas attempts to redefine the modern perception of the Everglades from a worthless swamp to a life-giving river. The resilient southern end of this unique ecosystem is what we know today as The Everglades Natural Park. Declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO, the park’s mission is to preserve and protect the unique and abundant flora and fauna within its jurisdiction. Everglades National Park covers between 1 and 1.5 million acres. It is the largest subtropical wilderness in the US. hosting an incredibly rich mixture of plant and animal habitats. It is also a beautiful place to visit, an invitation for our children to discover the incredible power of nature, the beauty of a glorious sunset over Flamingo–the southernmost town on the Florida mainland–or the enchantment of endless rainbows during the rainy season. Photo safaris are equally as attractive since many of the species of plants and animals are endemic to the area and cannot be found anywhere else. Feel free to canoe through he haunting cypress swamps observing the broad variety of birds, medium and large mammals like the elusive Florida panther, and, of course, the ubiquitous American alligator and American crocodile. While most of the park is remote and inaccessible, there are plenty of spots within a few minutes from Miami or Naples, where you can get a feel for the “River of Grass”. The Park has three main entrances: Shark Valley, near Miami; Royal Palm in Homestead, and Everglades City in Florida’s West Coast. Each will lead you to a different, unforgettable encounter with nature, something we all need to do more often. The best way to see the park is to take the time to walk the boardwalks and trails along the main park road to join in ranger-led events. Naturalists give talks, and lead hikes, canoe trips, tram tours, and campfire programs, as well as narrated boat tours to explore the pristine Ten Thousand Islands and coastal mangrove. I remember that as a child growing up in Miami, I thought of the Everglades as civilization’s frontier. On one side there was progress, roads, malls, suburbs—our habitat. Beyond the city limits lay myth and lore, a land of monstrous lizards, giant serpents, mystery, and ghosts. I was disconnected from my immediate natural environment and devoid of the fundamental connection and sense of pride and ownership of the place where I lived. This shared belief contributed to the neglect of the glades. In the Everglades, there are not epic vistas or high snow covered peaks. This park is more intimate, more personal, unique, and discreet, but its overwhelming beauty will change your life. If you are not comfortable venturing into the Everglades by yourself, there are several operators that will take care of all your needs and concerns. These include Dragon Flies Expeditions with a comprehensive Everglades Backwater Tour. And if you think the Everglades are only about nature and not art, we invite you to visit Clyde Butcher’s Big Cypress Gallery located on 13 acres in the middle of the Everglades on Tamiami Trail. Butcher is an award-winning photographer and environmentalist who has produced some of the most iconic images of the river of grass. As it has been since the mid 19th century, the Everglades face continuous challenges. The latest problem is the growing population of invasive species like Burmese pythons, purple swamp hens, Cuban frogs and Australian pines, among others. This is the result of an ill-regulated exotic pet trade. These species compete with native plants and animals for resources and habitat. The expansion of the sugarcane industry, other agricultural endeavors, loss of habitat to real estate development, and supplying clean water to mores than 7 million South Floridians are stress factors that have to be dealt with if we want to protect this environment. Some call the Everglades a fragile ecosystem. We call it the most resilient treasure in the southernmost corner of the United States. www.tocaevents.com
Fiestón and Our Commitment to Sports Hospitality
We’ve mentioned before that TOCA Events knows how to throw a party. But how about a party for a thousand people or more? Handling an enormous event requires an understanding of sports hospitality that includes the art of bringing sports, entertainment, and the public together in a true spirit of celebration. One of the best examples of how we show our stuff is for the Univision Deportes Fiestón events, and we have produced quite a few. From Phoenix to Dallas, L.A., Houston, and our latest event for theJuly 2015 Dallas SuperCopa MX and Campeon de Campeones , we help to make sports into one big festival that brings excitement to all. With popular anchors like Alejandro Berry, Jorge Calvo, and Aly Villegas, and soccer legends such as former Mexican National Team player Ramón Ramirez who delighted fans at Fiestón Phoenix, and Enrique Borja who came to our latest Dallas event, fans are already excited, even before the games begin. Add to this a giant screen where people can see their favorite teams play’ up close and personal,’ its easy to see how these live events capture a spirit that embodies everything that is great about sports. Entertainment is key for an event like Fiestón. We’ve marveled over mobs of girls sobbing over Mexican pop star Luis Coronel and thousands of fans going crazy over the band, El Dasa. We’ve watched people connect with each other over refreshments in the beer gardens, and we’ve been endlessly enchanted by kids of all ages playing with each other as they bond over common ground. Free admission assures that everyone can enjoy the Fiestón events, which is something that we at TOCA uphold as the perfect way to bring people together. We believe that sports hospitality is based on creating an atmosphere of celebration, excitement, sharing, and pure, unadulterated fun for everyone… and this is the spirit with which we help to build these magnetic events. TOCA Events makes sure that with every sporting event we produce everyone comes away with something special. Whether it is free books for children, a chance to interact with celebrities, play games, or just hang out in the sun, the final goal is to allow guests to spend a great day together and create a perfect memory. Creating a positive atmosphere for families and fans is a way to promote good feelings all the way around, giving everyone the chance to share their experiences with their friends at home. We carry this belief into all of the productions we create at TOCA Events, where every member of our team is dedicated to creating a celebratory event that stands out and leaves people feeling uplifted. With so many more sports events on our plate, we are delighted that we can bring a festive spirit to every production. At TOCA, we believe that infusing people with the spirit of unity and joy is one of the best ways to make the world a better place. For more information on TOCA Events sports hospitality: www.tocaevents.com
Our Green Connection
As a leader in the event production industry, we at TOCA Events feel very strongly about setting an example when it comes to green consciousness. Our choice is to be on the side of sustainability, setting an ethical example that embraces the preciousness of our environment. Going green has become a common phrase in our industry, starting in the 1990’s when we began to hear more about the shadowy implications of climate change. Many businesses have taken this seriously, while others merely do “lip service” to the concept, or simply ignore the increasing examples of global warming. Even if you disregard the growing evidence that our planet is in trouble, it is hard to accept any argument that does not support sustainability and the development of holistic practices that respect our natural resources. TOCA maintains that a protocol in consideration of the environment is what makes the difference when it comes to offering the best possible service to our clients. As important as location, talent, aesthetic value, and the highest level of professionalism, is a dedication to fair practices, energy conservation, the correct use of natural resources, and overall care for the environment from inception to the completion of every event. Maintaining a green connection is part of our marketing philosophy, as well as our policy and principals. Educating through example, we at TOCA believe that our green attitude affects not only our clients, but the event production industry itself. By choosing vendors who support sustainability, by working with large groups who are imprinted by the impact of how we model our events, we help to build awareness. We live in a world of over-consumption. Marketing and competition keeps consumers consuming, often without thinking about the difference between what is essential vs what is wasteful. At TOCA Events, we believe in giving our clients a sense of magnificence and abundance with every event we produce, and we have mastered the art of doing so without disrespecting the balance necessary to maintain the utmost respect for our natural resources. A green connection no longer means that operational and production costs are higher. Today, it is actually a way to lower expenditures while at the same time providing a competitive advantage over competitors who are not paying attention. We find we are actually saving through the reduction of energy, observing smart waste management practices, and applying an intelligent use of the supply chain. At TOCA we have attracted an extremely high quality team partially because of our green policies, as each member feels good about contributing to a company that enforces conscious environmental practices. In terms of the public sector, our green connection has greatly contributed to our brand image, as clients prefer to be associated with caring practices. Looking to the future, we are excited to implement new innovations that certainly will keep us at the forefront of the event production industry. To learn more about our environmental practices and how to enjoy them at your event, please contact us today www.tocaevents.com
Gallery Weekend in Berlin
Back in the 1920’s, Berlin was the unequivocal capital of arts and culture in Germany. Movements like Neue Sachlichkeit (New Objectivity) and Secession, along with artists such as Max Beckmann, Käthe Kollwitz, and Edvard Munch, were a part of a scene that drew some of the most innovative creators into the city’s arms. Then came the long years during and after the war until the 1970’s and 80’s brought attention to art once again with an energy that included West Berlin’s Junge Wilde (Young and Wild movement). Since the Berlin wall fell in 1989, the city has enjoyed yet another Renaissance, with artists flocking from all over the world to experiment, show their work, and find inspiration from an atmosphere so open to creation and acquisition. From painting, to sculpture, photography, performance art, and installations, there is a constant buzz around the ongoing exhibitions, biennials, art trade shows, and grand events like the Documenta show in Kassel, which takes place every five years. In Berlin there is a huge opportunity for collectors, curators, and visitors to take in a scene that is intense, alive, and always evolving. Supporting the scene are an enormous quantity of exhibition spaces that include former factories, breweries, churches, boiler rooms, tower blocks, and office buildings that have been converted into galleries and work and living spaces for artists. Many of the spaces that were vacated by businesses after the wall came down became available for use through the initiative of organizations like Kulturwerk and the Berlin Senate. This unprecedented support for artists is what makes Berlin so unique. With over 150 not-for-profit and self-funded artists’ spaces all over the city, it is no wonder that Berlin is a mecca for artists who cannot afford to create work in other renowned cities across the globe. Current statistics say that there are over 20,000 international artists now living in Berlin. Grant programs to support studios are prevalent, giving way to more than 830 subsidized artists’ studios and studio apartments. With excellent grants, such as the DAAD artists program and Kunstlerhaus Bethaniene, international artists can get assistance for coming to the city to both create and show their work. The National Galerie is another supporter of contemporary art, giving prizes to young artists since 2000. Art collectors in Berlin also do their part to help to create studio spaces in obscure spaces, such as abandoned crematoria and even a former Communist party carpark. Putting their private collections on public display, may of these collectors create exciting events, such as Christian Boros’ show that was housed in a former WWII bunker. Another exciting venue is in the Hamberger Bahnhof where Heiner Bastian’s collection features works from the “art brut” movement, including pieces by Joseph Beuys, Damien Hurst, Anselm Kiefer and more. As a center for contemporary art, one feels a special vitality in the air, with a youthful and vigorous scene that is a given for a city that prides itself on a sophisticated forward-mindedness. There are a plethora of galleries in Berlin neighborhoods such as Mitte, Kreuzberg, Potsdammer Strasse, Charlottenburg, and even various apps like EyeOut Berlin and INDEX Berlin that follow the art trends throughout city. The 11th Gallery Weekend Berlin begins on April 30 and runs through May 4. Founded as a private initiative amongst local Berlin galleries, this year has 47 of them exhibiting works from both new and established artists. http://www.gallery-weekend-berlin.de/ www.tocaevents.com
The Excitement of Fieston
Having created several events for FIESTON, we at TOCA Events are always excited when we are asked to sign the next contract. An event that attracts thousands of people of all ages, we become just as swept away as everyone else when the gates open and the day begins. With FIESTON Cicero and FIESTON L.A. under our belts, our latest FIESTON has us in Phoenix, Arizona. Here we are continuing our multi-contract with Univision Communications to produce the FIESTON Liga MX live viewing event, coming up on April 26th, 2015. As the broadcast network for Liga MX, Univision is bringing this public event to Phoenix for the first time, working in collaboration with host venue Chase Field to cross promote the Liga MX with Phoenix’s major league baseball team, the Arizona Diamondbacks. Joining forces with Chase Field’s Hispanic Festival, we at TOCA Events are helping to create an exciting family-oriented experience that is open to the general public. In addition to a live viewing of the much anticipated Chivas vx America soccer match, FIESTON Phoenix will offer something for everyone. From the 3×3 soccer pitch, painters, and interactive games for kids, to the Coors Beer Garden, Tequila Tasting, and a range of performances including folkloric dance, Mariachi and live bands for adults, this will be a thrilling and fun-filled day that will ignite the entire Phoenix community. Reaching Univision’s international audience, the event includes pre-game and halftime segments that will be broadcast to live from the Univision Sports Desk, situated in the center of the event footprint. The broadcast will be hosted by renowned presenters Jorge Calvo and Alejandro Berry of the popular show, “Fantasticos del Frio.” The two will be joined by star soccer player Ramón Ramírez, one of the greatest Mexical league and national team players who retired in 2000. Ramírez will be at the Sports Desk with the two hosts providing insights and commentary, and will also be available for autographs and photos with guests at specified times throughout the day. FIESTON culminates with a live performance by none other than the young Mexican superstar, Luis Coronel. With hits like “Será Mas Facil” and “Escápate,” Coronel won the Latin Billboard Artist of the Year in 2014 and Regional Mexican Artist of the Year in 2015 and is bound to set the field on fire with his charisma and talent. As with all of the FIESTON events, we are expecting an extremely large turnout in Phoenix, with families and especially kids immersing themselves in the experience. In the past we’ve seen between 4,000 – 8,000 guests attend FIESTON, and we are projecting that FIESTON Phoenix will be no exception to the rule. FIESTON Phoenix is open to the general public from 11am to 7pm on April 26th at the Chase Field Plaza located at 401 East Jefferson Street, Phoenix. www.tocaevents.com
Color in Design
One of the most important elements in creating a specific ambiance is how we use color. Whether in the home, for a party, a conference, or in advertising, selection of the right colors is key in creating the right emotion. Color activates the emotions To most of us, specific colors evoke certain feelings, even if we don’t realize this on a conscious level. Take the color red. Red can be understood as sexy, passionate, warm, inviting, positive, sophisticated, and sometimes dangerous. We often associate green with tranquility, warmth, and renewal, as well as with money and thus prosperity. Black is dramatic when placed in the right context, and white always depicts purity, cleanliness, and clarity. At TOCA Events, we are acutely aware of how important color combinations are for creating the right tone for a specific event. For us, understanding the type of impact our clients wish to create, as well as the results they hope to achieve, is the basic key to creating an environment that works. In this regard, choosing the right colors is the absolute foundation for transmitting the feeling that clients wish to evoke for their attendees. There is a very specific vocabulary of color, which starts with the color wheel. Thanks to the work of Sir Isaac Newton, who discovered that colors formed a spectrum after bending light through a prism, we have the circular color wheel that starts with red and goes to orange, yellow, green, blue, purple, and then back to red. The wheel consists of primary, secondary, and tertiary colors, where primary colors can be mixed together to create secondary colors, which in turn can be mixed together to create tertiary colors. The wide variety of color schemes makes for a wonderful opportunity to find just the right hues for every emotion, which is something any artist will tell you. Along with color combining, there is color saturation, which is the purity or brightness of a color. When it is clear and bright, it is considered highly saturated. When there is a more muted tone, it is considered to be less saturated. We also can talk about tone, which is when colors are modified by the addition of white or black. Here light tones or tints are created by mixing a given color with white, while dark shades are made with gray or black. Combining colors and paying attention to saturation and tone is what creates optimum impact when creating an event. Our job at TOCA Events is to identify the mood and then follow suit with colors that work well for the message. Through good planning, the right colors will impact ideas, messages, interest, and emotion, which all come together to make a statement that works with subtle strength. A TOCA we are intrigued by both the science and art of using color. We are fascinated by the way colors are made, as well as what color symbolizes, and recognize what a powerful tool color is in changing the way we think, act, and react. Playing a vital role in our world, color has the power to soothe or irritate, calm our appetite or raise our blood pressure, change the look of an ordinary space, and define who you are or what you represent. Through the right use of color, we can create an instant change in perception. At TOCA, we believe that finding the right colors to express the personality and intention of the moment is an art form, which adds another dimension to the pleasure we get in working with our clients to create an environment that is consistent with the unspoken message within their event. www.tocaevents.com
A Private Fashion Day in Rio with TOCA Events
As masters of special event production, TOCA Events struck gold once again with a special fashion extravaganza for VIPS in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. With offices in two of the hottest capitals in the world, Miami and Rio de Janeiro, TOCA Events made the most of two hours on a Saturday morning, treating high-profile guests from the USA to festivities that delighted the senses and inspired the soul. With their knack for always being in the know, TOCA chose the super trendyDona Coisa store for their exclusive event. Right near the Jardim Botanico in one of the most coveted neighborhoods in Rio, guests were treated to a private fashion show with exquisite clothing, jewelry, and accessories created by some of the top contemporary Brazilian designers. Because the store was closed to outsiders, the VIPs could comfortably browse the store, also enjoying sumptuous displays of native cosmetics and other unique offerings that captured the best of Brazil’s artistic climate. No wonder the invitees were in seventh heaven at this luxurious Brazilian event, with full attention give to them by handsome barmen, a personal shopper, manicurist, make-up artist, and photographer. Sipping mimosas, shoppers chose outfits, basked in beauty treatments, and mingled amongst each other. Great music deejayed by one of Rio’s best accented the morning, making the event another hit for TOCA Events and proving that the company indeed deserves the accolades and recognition it gets for throwing great parties coast to coast. Contact Us For more information on TOCA Events, contact us at: www.tocaevents.com
Spreading the Joy at TOCA Events’ “Top Flight” Baking Class
Yes, TOCA Events produces grand corporate parties and large scale entertainment, but we’re also known for our intimate gatherings, thanks to our impeccable design team. Our “top flight” baking class, hosted for the Univision World Cup program in Rio de Janeiro in 2013, is a perfect example of bringing people together over delicious food and wine. Four Days of Delight in Brazil Univision’s plan was to fly in 120 top VIP guests on a charter flight in order to watch the World Cup final game live. Treating these CEOs and high level execs from Univision’s sponsoring companies to four days of delight in Brazil was a natural for TOCA Events, and we were immediately brought into the mix. Keeping Everyone Entertained and Engaged Along with their spouses, leaders from companies like Coca Cola Pepsi and Johnson & Johnson were given platinum treatment as they participated in activities devised by our design and entertainment wizards at TOCA. With a mission to keep everyone entertained and engaged in a unique event, we decided on a particularly enjoyable idea that would get them involved in the kitchen! Baking Brazilian Style There was no doubt that a Brazilian baking class with Chef Elen Casagrande from the Escola do Pão in Rio would be a surefire hit. Twenty five of our guests participated in a high-spirited, interactive three-hour experience, dipping their hands into flour as they joined a hands-on demonstration making mouthwatering pão de queijo (100% gluten-free traditional cheese bread made from yucca starch and cheese), pizza, and several to-die-for Brazilian desserts. Creating a Meal to Remember There is nothing quite like sitting down to enjoy a lunch that you’ve helped to make. Bonding in the open kitchen, executives and their partners followed Chef Elen’s instructions dutifully as they kneaded dough, cut tomatoes, and did everything else to create a meal to remember. In true Brazilian spirit, the mood was set, along with the table, and under our Chef’s knowing eye and brilliant coaching, it wasn’t long before mouths were watering and everyone was ready to enjoy the fruits of their labor. Letting Their Hair Down Of course food is almost nothing without accompanying wine, and our TOCA Event wine experts were on the case, offered a tasting of fine South American whites and reds to top off the experience. With the pure pleasure of cooking, eating, and imbibing, everyone let their hair down as they enjoyed sitting at table with friends old and new. Spreading the Joy Taking place in the famous former home of one of Brazil’s most important writers, José Lins do Rêgo, the location was the perfect match for an exquisitely choreographed afternoon, if we say so ourselves! Proud that we could provide our clients with smiles, happy bellies, and great Brazilian recipes that they can recreate for friends at home, we realized once again that this is why we started TOCA back in 2010. Creating pleasure and spreading joy is what we do best, whether it is for just a few or a cast of thousands! Contact Us For more information on TOCA Events, contact us at: www.tocaevents.com