The Seaside Town of Sitges
There is nothing more wonderful than becoming familiar with parts unknown! At TOCA we love the excitement and mystery of travel, and making discoveries that we can share with our readers is just another way we can help to expand borders. Our TOCA Events Brand Interface Director, Fabio Pamplona, recently came back from a trip to Barcelona, extolling the virtues of a small seaside town called Sitges just a hop, skip, and a short train ride away. With its 17 beaches, you can easily spend the day in Sitges, or better yet, book your entire trip there and then pop over to Barcelona to get a smattering of city life before heading back to deep seaside reverie. A True Vacation, Spanish Style Visiting Sitges means sunbathing, swimming in the azure waters of the Mediterranean, and enjoying the pleasures of a true vacation, Spanish style. With beaches for everyone you’ll find the gamut, including family friendly, gay friendly, and nudist friendly, assuring you that Sitges is a place where everyone feels comfortable and welcomed. Choose a beach close to town where you can people watch and enjoy the company of many, such as Platja de La Fragata right in front of the main church. Or, a bit off the beaten track, you can find a more secluded environment such as Platja de Terramar or Platja de las Aniquines to the west. People Watching and the Allure of Cafe Life Taking a bit of a respite from the sun, you can walk the famed Passeig de la Ribera with the old city on one side and the sea on the other. As wildly passionate cafe lovers, we at TOCA are like iron filings to the magnet of an attractive cafe, and on Sitges there are many. Stop in one of the many local cafes to people watch as you sip a refreshing drink in the breeze. Parc del Garraf From the island you can take some wonderful pilgrimages to the many points of interest nearby. There’s a great national park just inland from Sitges called the Parc del Garraf. With its arid landscape, you get a real sense of the area’s beauty through the flora and fauna, with a stunning backdrop of indigenous calcareous rock formations. The Wine Tour at Castell de Vilarnau Fabio was particularly taken with the excellent wine tour he took to the Castell de Vilarnau. With so many great cavas, it is no wonder that the Catalunya region boasts some of the greatest wines in Spain. Founded in 1986, Castell de Vilarnau’s guided tour includes observing the different stages of production the grapes go through, along with the requisite tastings, and of course, a chance to dine at the great restaurant there. The Monastery at Montserrat An impressive property with majestic views, you can see the monastery at Montserrat from Vilarnau. Montserrat was founded in 1025, becoming a strong destination for pilgrims and visitors as they heard stories of miracles taking place there. With its breathtaking mountain vistas, you can walk there on well trodden paths, or take the funicular to the top. And while you’re there and if you get the chance, listen to the Basilica choir so famous for their Gregorian chants and other types of religious choral music. Finding What’s Right for You Whether you want to relax and do next to nothing or be an active participant in all that Sitges and its environs have to offer, you will find exactly what’s right for you on and near this gorgeous Mediterranean paradise. Contact Us For more information on great destinations for enjoying a vacation or holding your event, contact us today: www.tocaevents.com
The Fine Art of Event Lighting
Lighting creates an atmosphere. When it’s right, it ignites the emotions, sets the mood, and offers direction. Just think of the full moon in a midnight sky shining over a lake. Creating the ultimate romantic setting, it also asks us to look out at the world as we connect with the beauty of nature. Making an Idea Come Alive When it comes to an event, lighting is a powerful design tool that can make an idea come alive. At TOCA, our goal is to create a lighting scheme that is in tune with the surroundings, whether it is used for general illumination, or as an accent or decorative element. When lighting can be layered, using all of the above, the perfect ambiance can be achieved as all falls into harmony. Different Kinds of Lighting General lighting fills up a particular space with overall visibility, such as when we turn a light switch on to see what’s in a room. Accent lighting is directed at a specific area, where we want to direct attention to a particular object or objects. Decorative lighting comes in the form of varying types of small lighting devices, such as table lamps, wall sconces, and even candles. Outdoor Illumination Often we are asked to create exterior lighting, especially when we want to add character to a specific area. This type of lighting can be quite crucial to an event where activities are going on outdoors, as the direction of light will instruct guests where they should be, encouraging them to enjoy certain areas rather than others. Outdoor lighting opens up an event even as it creates a contained atmosphere. It also ensures a safe space for guests, providing them with confidence to see in the dark. Opening Up and Defining Space Our TOCA lighting experts are always looking for the ideal way to open up and define space, whether it is an outdoor or indoor venue. Highlighting installations while also providing the right amount of light to get the most out of photography for a special event is crucial. Impacting the Quality of an Event Good lighting will always impact the quality of an event. A good lighting designer will first assess the possibilities in a given environment and then go to work to find just the right combination of direct and ambient elements. LEDs One of our favorite sources of light comes from LED lighting, which has really taken off as a way to illuminate events over the past several years. In the beginning, using LEDs was expensive and not so easy to control. This has all changed as the art and science of LED illumination has evolved. The beauty of LEDs is that their color output is absolutely terrific for achieving optimum impact. And because they never get hot, they are so much safer to use than conventional lights, eliminating risk at events. LEDs also consume a fraction of the energy generated by traditional incandescent lights, allowing for a longer life and more efficient power requirements. Reducing the Carbon Footprint One of the best aspects of using LED lighting is that they help reduce the carbon footprint, which is what we at TOCA stand for as we seek out the most environmentally sound practices for every event we create. Providing Our Clients with the Best Atmosphere At TOCA, we hold the art of illumination in high regard as we strive to give our clients the very best atmosphere in which to hold their event, no matter if it is a corporate get-together, an art opening, a sporting extravaganza, or a gala party. Contact Us For more information please contact us at: www.tocaevents.com [:pb] Lighting creates an atmosphere. When it’s right, it ignites the emotions, sets the mood, and offers direction. Just think of the full moon in a midnight sky shining over a lake. Creating the ultimate romantic setting, it also asks us to look out at the world as we connect with the beauty of nature. Making an Idea Come Alive When it comes to an event, lighting is a powerful design tool that can make an idea come alive. At TOCA, our goal is to create a lighting scheme that is in tune with the surroundings, whether it is used for general illumination, or as an accent or decorative element. When lighting can be layered, using all of the above, the perfect ambiance can be achieved as all falls into harmony. Different Kinds of Lighting General lighting fills up a particular space with overall visibility, such as when we turn a light switch on to see what’s in a room. Accent lighting is directed at a specific area, where we want to direct attention to a particular object or objects. Decorative lighting comes in the form of varying types of small lighting devices, such as table lamps, wall sconces, and even candles. Outdoor Illumination Often we are asked to create exterior lighting, especially when we want to add character to a specific area. This type of lighting can be quite crucial to an event where activities are going on outdoors, as the direction of light will instruct guests where they should be, encouraging them to enjoy certain areas rather than others. Outdoor lighting opens up an event even as it creates a contained atmosphere. It also ensures a safe space for guests, providing them with confidence to see in the dark. Opening Up and Defining Space Our TOCA lighting experts are always looking for the ideal way to open up and define space, whether it is an outdoor or indoor venue. Highlighting installations while also providing the right amount of light to get the most out of photography for a special event is crucial. Impacting the Quality of an Event Good lighting will always impact the quality of an event. A good lighting designer will first assess the possibilities in a given environment and then go to work to find just the right combination of direct and ambient elements. LEDs One of
Helping Today’s Executive Stay Fit and Tension-Free with Body Activation
Have you ever caught yourself slumping over your computer, spine curving as you enter the umpteenth hour at your desk? What about that shoulder/neck crunch that often happens when you’re on your smart phone? Are your spine and neck reflecting these repeated positions with a dull ache and limited range of movement? Technology, though liberating in so many ways, has also caused us to become less active than ever as the Internet draws us in, even after our working day is over. Unconscious Habits Most of us are not aware of how our unconscious habits affect us over time. And what about the tensions we hold in our bodies without realizing them? Just take a look around you next time you are sitting on a train and you will notice someone with one foot necessarily flexed as the leg crosses over the other, blocking blood flow and creating undue tension in the calf muscles and ankle. Tension and Breathing And what about the tension in your spine, perhaps especially your lower back? Once you put your attention there you begin to feel how much stress you hold in this area. And then of course, your breathing. Do you inhale and exhale fully, or are your breathes shallow and short? Heightening Physical Awareness Body Activation is a new fitness protocol that teaches the body to apply energy to a given area when it is required and how to relax the areas that are not specifically in use. The exercises are designed to heighten physical awareness while creating an optimum sense of balanced physicality.Through a system of exercises that helps you observe where you are holding stress, you are given the tools to dissolve this tension so that you can release the body, gain more mobility, and let go of pain. Healing the Body As we observe our unconscious habits, they begin to dissolve. As we release areas where we are tensing our muscles, we start to feel the delicious and healing sensation as oxygen and blood circulate more freely, which of course is so essential to health and vitality. Becoming More Flexible and Toned Created for anyone who hopes to become more physically and mentally efficient, Body Activation is designed to help your body and mind become more flexible and toned. As you feel the immediate benefits of the exercises, you will notice that you look and feel more refreshed and poised as greater circulation is provided to the digestive, circulatory, and nervous systems. Sharpening Focus When the body is at ease, no matter what you are doing, the mind follows. By placing you in a state of calm and clarity, Body Activation helps you to discover your body and mind anew as you engage in exercises that help you make more space inside the body in order to move with the utmost of efficiency. And with more space comes an increase in oxygen and blood flow to the brain, eliminating headaches and inviting greater mental focus that will keep you on track throughout the day. Guiding You Towards Optimum Form Body Activation creates more space in the body by elongating the spine and areas around the joints. By paying attention to the positive function of gravity, the bones are motivated to move in ways that allow the muscles to relax and fall into place without stress. Strengthening and toning the body at the same time, Body Activation guides you towards your optimum form, no matter what your frame or age. Releasing Restrictions Training the body to enjoy the widest range of motion by releasing restrictive tension through intelligent movement sequences, you will achieve a maximized range of motion though conscious bending, stretching, and strengthening exercises. Coordinating with the breath, Body Activation invigorates the body while helping to release pain due to poor physical habits. A Scientific Approach A scientific approach to physical and mental wellness, Body Activation comes from deep investigation of physical movement. Creator Michele Kadison’s over 30 years of work in dance, fitness, and therapeutic exercise has given way to this new protocol that provides immediate results and deepens over time. With Body Activation incorporated into your daily routine you have a chance to completely reverse the affects of a sedentary, stressful life. Body Activation in the Office Over the years Ms. Kadison has brought Body Activation into many office settings in order to increase productivity within the working environment. It is proven that this protocol helps to increase each individuals’ potential for feeling better, which a major factor in achieving success. Your Break-Away Event TOCA Events embraces the precepts and results of Body Activation, encouraging clients to incorporate a session as a break-away event within their business sessions, as well as a consistent protocol added to the regular work week. Contact Us For more information: www.tocaevents.com
How to plan an event
How to plan an event A DAY IN THE LIFE OF AN EVENT COMPANY In this article we show you how to plan an event. Creating an event is a many layered thing. No company knows this better than TOCA. From sports hospitality to experiential activities, corporate incentive settings, sponsor-based fabrications, and more, our mission is to construct a unique and exciting experience for everyone involved. Capturing the Client For the TOCA team, creating an event is all about communication. Our success begins the moment we start building a relationship with our clients. Of paramount importance, we get to the heart of what they wish to achieve and what they hope their attendees will take away once the event is over. If you want to know how to plan an event, pay attention. This the key to penetrating the desires of our clients. We make it our business to set up a comfortable and open dialogue where we can pinpoint the essence and spirit of the event at hand, enabling us to ultimately create the perfect blueprint for a successful experience. Creating the Proposal Once we understand the needs and objectives of our prospective client, we go to work on the proposal. This is where we cover all the necessary elements in how to plan an event, such as: transport security staffing hotels business sessions 3-D imaging and animation break-out components such as small meetings, coaching sessions, and the like activities team building entertainment evening receptions dine arounds where clients can feel the pulse of the city daytime activities spouse programs After determining exactly what is needed, we submit our user-friendly package with descriptions, graphics, and an itemized budget. Shifting Into Gear Once the client signs off on our proposal, we then move on to pre-production mode, shifting into high creative gear where each of our departments addresses their respective area of expertise. Keeping in mind the necessary calls to action that are essential to our client’s campaign, this is where the collaborative process is at its highest pitch. It is at this point that our team comes together to create the final design, with suggestions and revisions resulting from the synergy of TOCA’s collective creative vision. The Critical Path Mapping the progress of our productions and staying true to our critical path is where all of the details combine with the bigger picture. Having carefully defined each of the many and diverse moving parts that make up an event, we are now ready to mobilize onsite production and organization, which includes our vendors, set designers, stage direction for business meetings, entertainment talent …and so much more. The Psychology Behind a Great Event Creating a great event has to do with psychology. At TOCA, our passion is to put everyone involved deep inside an exceptional experience, no matter what the content. Once we understand what our client hopes to achieve, we direct all of our moving parts into action to fully and effectively fulfill that vision. And with a cross-cultural team that includes creative minds and designers from the United States, Brazil, Asia, and Europe, we are proud of a staff that is sensitive to the nuances of varying cultures. This ensures that every event is created with a tone that is always right. The Arc and Balance of the TOCA Touch Because every TOCA event is custom designed, we take the time to configure the perfect arc and balance between business-related activities and diversion. And of course, we are always in service to our client’s image, making sure that the messaging, branding, and scripting is all of one piece. Working closely with our clients’ leadership, our job is to make their vision a reality, always with the unique and exciting TOCA touch. Contact Us For more information, take a look at our website at: www.tocaevents.com/contact-us [:pb] Creating an event is a many layered thing. No company knows this better than TOCA. From sports hospitality to experiential activities, corporate incentive settings, sponsor-based fabrications, and more, our mission is to construct a unique and exciting experience for everyone involved. Capturing the Client For the TOCA team, creating an event is all about communication. Our success begins the moment we start building a relationship with our clients. Of paramount importance, we get to the heart of what they wish to achieve and what they hope their attendees will take away once the event is over. Paying attention. This the key to penetrating the desires of our clients. We make it our business to set up a comfortable and open dialogue where we can pinpoint the essence and spirit of the event at hand, enabling us to ultimately create the perfect blueprint for a successful experience. Creating the Proposal Once we understand the needs and objectives of our prospective client, we go to work on the proposal. This is where we cover all the necessary elements, such as: transport security staffing hotels business sessions 3-D imaging and animation break-out components such as small meetings, coaching sessions, and the like activities team building entertainment evening receptions dine arounds where clients can feel the pulse of the city daytime activities spouse programs After determining exactly what is needed, we submit our user-friendly package with descriptions, graphics, and an itemized budget. Shifting Into Gear Once the client signs off on our proposal, we then move on to pre-production mode, shifting into high creative gear where each of our departments addresses their respective area of expertise. Keeping in mind the necessary calls to action that are essential to our client’s campaign, this is where the collaborative process is at its highest pitch. It is at this point that our team comes together to create the final design, with suggestions and revisions resulting from the synergy of TOCA’s collective creative vision. The Critical Path Mapping the progress of our productions and staying true to our critical path is where all of the details combine
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
[:en] 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 [:pb] 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