What to Expect from Citi at Taste of the Nations

Hello June!  With the Taste of the Nation coming to Miami in less the two weeks,  we are hearing how the tour started out with a bang when recently hosted in New York City. Citi, one of the proud sponsors of the event, set up shop at this charitable event in April 2016 and offered amazing social experiences to its card carrying members who were lucky enough to have private passes. The bank then encouraged those who engaged in the event to take to social media to share their experiences.

The Appetizers

Citi's appetizers were mouthwatering but the way they were presented was perhaps even more noteworthy. The appetizer platters were suspended from helium balloons right near the check-in counter to entice people to want to come in and have a taste. Other white balloons were placed nearby and these turned blue as people got on their social media accounts to tell people about Citi's great food.

The Drinks

Well known mixologist Eamon Rocky served up some amazing Avion tequila "Tigritas" as guests enjoyed relaxing in the lounge. As guests enjoyed their drinks, they were able to charge their cell phones, check out the 60 inch touch screen display to find out more about Citi's dining platforms and talk to brand ambassadors. At the photo booth inside the space, guests were once again encouraged to take to social media to share photos of the event as the number of meals and amount of money donated to charity was dependent on social activity of those who participated in the event.

Other Goodies

Citi set up a unique social vending machine as part of the event. Guests who posted to their social media accounts while at the machine received Citi-branded goodies such as oven mitts, wine stoppers, wine pourers, aprons and a USB loaded with recipes for tasty treats.

Get in on the Action

Taste of the Nations is coming back to Miami on June 17, 2016 and we here at SOHO Studios are hosting the event!  It will offer tasty treats, exquisite beverages and an afterparty. The event is also being hosted by Emmy nominated weekend anchor Marybel Rodriguez and Froggy from Elvis Duran and the Morning Show. For now, we and Citi are keeping its Taste of the Nation plans to ourself; however, fans can see from Citi's April offerings that the company is sure to provide a night out Miami Style that you simply won't want to miss!

Check out South Florida's Taste of the Nation on Facebook and our Facebook page  for more photos and details of the event.  

Mellow Mushroom at the SweetWater 420 Festival

Mellow Mushroom is a continual food industry provider, targeting young audiences with delectable pizza, awesome events and a unique brand image. They’re teaming up with SweetWater Brewing Company to create the SweetWater 420 Fest in Atlanta, GA. Games, prizes—and, of course, plenty of beer and pizza—await on April 20th, 2016.

The Fest

The SweetWater 420 Fest takes part in SweetWater’s environmental conservation efforts. The brand’s common statement, “You can’t make good beer without good water,” is commonly attributed to their excellent, nationwide efforts. Their Chattahoochee Riverkeeper and Waterkeeper Alliance partnership directly funds and raises awareness for the event, assisting community cleanup efforts alongside beer donations.

Intending to positively impact the community’s right to free water, The SweetWater 420 Fest prioritizes eco-friendly practices. Last year, the event reduced landfill waste by 30,000 pounds, diverting it through on-site, eco-focused activities. The SweetWater 420 Fest constantly offers volunteer-powered events, creating fun environments from pavilion restoration, park improvement initiatives, nature path reformation and venue cleanup. The Fest has currently donated over $120,000 in neighborhood and organizational funds, directed towards Park Pride, CPNO and Friends of Candler Park.

Partnerships, Outreach and Mellow Mushroom

Mellow Mushroom has expanded their brand since 1974. Their free-thinking brand image employs pizza, beer, family-operated events and grand journeys to facilitate the food industry’s growth. Greatly attached to the SweetWater 420 Fest, Mellow Mushroom’s latest franchise maneuvers will feature guest art contests, food booths and live events. The SweetWater 420 Fest is an excellent location, spanning across a large area capable of hosting a slew of activities. Of course, a multitude of branded merchandise will be available, boosting revenue alongside funds gathered from pizza and beer alone.

Mellow Mushroom also holds a unique opportunity in partnering with SweetWater Brewing Company’s other affiliates. SunTrust Bank, Happy Endings Productions, Centennial Olympic Park, Central Atlanta Progress and Park Pride have all assisted downtown Atlanta’s green lifestyle. Streetcar, too, has been involved, increasing the city’s ‘mobilized’ lifestyle. Mellow Mushroom, now, helps event happenings by prompting visitors to remove trash while planting plants and landscape throughout the event-hosting area.

The Mellow Mushroom Brand and Statement

From a brand perspective, Mellow Mushroom’s dedication to the SweetWater 420 Fest is incredibly telling. The restaurant has always been dedicated to mouthwatering food accompanies by world-friendly policies. SweetWater Brewing Company, aligned with the brand’s focus, makes an excellent partner.

Mellow Mushroom’s experimental marketing participation has granted it immersive access into the SweetWater Brewing Company’s fan foundation. Crafting unforgettable environments, the brand additionally gains from Twitter and Facebook appearances. Its ‘Fresh Tweets’ outreach program rings true to the SweetWater 420 Fest, tying up any loose ends while nodding, again, to the brand overlap between two eco-friendly entities.

Mellow Mushroom’s offered Mellow E-Club, famous for spreading event information, will likely propose options for future SweetWater 420 Fest attendees. Social Media, in the food and brew world, is an indispensable resource. As Mellow Mushroom gears up for its newest marketing opportunities, it’ll continue adhering to the SweetWater Brewing Company state of mind—one dedicated to community, happiness and great food.

Sweets for the Sweet!

There’s nothing better than being able to feed a sweet tooth with the ultimate sweet confection of all time: Chocolate! That’s exactly what the team at the 10^th Annual International Chocolate Festival imagined when putting together their premier event, Sweets for the Sweet! A multi-day event, this party starts on January 21 as part of the pre-opening festivities. Chocolate confectioners from all over the world will converge in a venue decorated like a chocolate factory to provide educational sessions on the history of chocolate; have free chocolate demonstrations; and of course, hundreds of chocolate to taste,

A fun-filled event that will feature local performers, master chefs and chocolatiers, sponsors will set up booths with information, giveaways and other incentives. There will be an entire “kids station” decorated like the Willie Wonka Factory, where children at the event can play, understand where chocolate comes from, and make their own.

Not just for chocolate, there will be food stations set up by food trucks to keep everyone full while enjoying the chocolate. Selections like pizza, Caribbean conch fritters, frozen hot chocolate, Peruvian food, roasted corn and Italian sausage are just some of the offerings that will be a part of this event.

Closing out the festival, event goers will have an additional day of fun with a concert taking place Sunday night after the festival is done. International performers will take the stage with much fanfare to close out the festivities with a bang. Pieces from the art show will be on display to showcase the environmental education program.

Tickets for the event are already available via the Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden website for $25. Tickets for the parties will be available in November. Sponsors for this year’s event are Whole Foods Market, CocoVia Brand, Miami-Dade County, Florida Attractions, City of Coral Gables. Previous sponsors include Nestle Nesquick, New York life, Zico, Mexico Tourism Board, Johnson and Wales University, and Martex.

The mission of Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden is to save tropical plant diversity by exploring, explaining and conserving the world of tropical plants; fundamental to this task is inspiring a greater knowledge and love for plants and gardening so that all can enjoy the beauty and bounty of the tropical world.

The International Chocolate Festival is designed to learn about the life cycle of a cacao plan and the different variations of chocolate that can be made in a fun and interesting environment.

Cavalli Restaurant opens during Art Basel Miami Beach

Events in Miami are an excellent place for brand marketing, and for the fashionably fabulous, Art Basel Miami Beach is one of the not-to-be-missed events of the season in Miami. Art Basel Miami Beach features artists and art galleries from all around the world. This sets the mood for networking and attracts potential clients and business partners with similar interest.

This season during Art Basel Miami Beach 2013 Roberto Cavalli will be premiering the Cavalli Restaurant & Lounge. The restaurant will feature decor from Cavalli Home and authentic Italian cuisine from world renowned Chef Stefano Mazzi.

During the week of Art Basel Miami Beach the city comes alive with events that surround the main art fair held at the Miami Beach Convention Center. It is advantageous for new venues in Miami to open their doors in high profile locations such as Ocean Drive on South Beach, the same location as Roberto Cavalli's new restaurant.

Each year Art Basel Miami Beach reaches record attendance. According to 2012's numbers over 700,000 people in a course of five days attended Art Basel 2012. Art Basel Miami Beach features artists and art galleries from all around the world. This is the perfect time of year to introduce a new event space Miami has yet to see.

This is the number one reason why Roberto Cavalli's new lounge and restaurant is being debuted during Art Basel Miami Beach. The timing of this affluent destination's launch is part of a marketing strategy that is sure to position the new establishment into one of the top restaurant venues in Miami.

Marketing agencies from around the world know that selecting the right time to promote brand awareness is essential to success. Art Basel Miami Beach is the perfect time in Miami for brand marketing events, product promotions, and launch of a new business, like Cavalli's restaurant.

Furniture for Events

One of the important factors valuable to the success of a planning an event is furniture rentals. It plays a significant role in the assurance of a hospitable environment for your event. Select event furniture that is fitting and appropriate to the event landscape.

Recently there was a private event in Miami that included furniture and a DJ booth that levitated above the bar. Guests were surrounded by many different types of event furniture, decor and catering.

First impressions they say always last, and in every event, the first thing that guest see when they walk into your event sets the tone for the gathering. It may seem that furniture and overall staging for events are insignificant but in reality, they crucial to the overall experience of your event.

Benefits of Furniture Rental for Events

It is important that furniture placement be in alignment with your event landscape. Whether the event is a wedding, a concert, a business meeting, or a launch party, a well thought out furniture arrangement can cause a lasting impact. Furniture rental companies can help you to accomplish the furniture and staging for events that is consistent with the overall look and feel of your event.

There is a variety of furniture for events available that can reflect what it is that you want to convey with your attendees. Appropriate event furniture leaves a lasting impression and event planners will ensure that they reflect the needs of the guests at your event.

Uniformity is one form of attraction on furniture rentals.  Depending on the occasion, it is eye-catching to see that chairs and tables are of the same design and color, making it more appealing for guests to just sit down and enjoy the event, or to have an appropriate place to set down a drink. Opt for a furniture rental company who is experienced with a variety of different event conditions.

Furniture rentals for events may also include catering equipment. Many events serve hors d'oeuvres and almost all events serve drinks. In order to save time and effort, furniture rentals can be very much in handy for catering equipment as well. Catering equipment may also include linen, cutlery and utensils. Be sure to check with your catering service to see what event furniture you will need to source on your own.

When renting furniture for events, do what you can to return the furniture in the same condition as you rented it. Before accepting the furniture for events from the vendor it is the duty of the host to double-check the condition of the furniture. Also, make sure that you understand thoroughly what is in each clause in a rental agreement. See to it that you pay the amount commensurate to the quality of the furniture rentals. Always make it a point to ask all the doubts that you have to ensure a good negotiation. Be smart enough to have clear answers to all your questions to avoid misunderstandings in the future.

Furniture rentals for events are, no doubt, always a part of any successful organized event. The desired appearance makes it possible through furniture and event staging, and truly is a reflection of the event as a whole.

Event Catering

Catering is the professional preparation and serving of food and beverages. Event planners find it a convenient method of advancing their guest’s hospitality needs. The business is booming – and why not – the hospitality industry has upped its game. But what does event catering entail? What are the expected industry minimum standards? Well, like all businesses, it requires professionalism and meticulous planning. Without a good team, event catering will be a bad experience for the person organizing it.

A great example of an event where you can find a wide variety of catering for events in Miami is The South Beach Wine and Food Festival. The Wine and Food Festival is four day culinary extravaganza that features wine and cuisine from all over the planet.

Below are the various stages of an event catering process.

Cooking and Delivery

To be successful at event catering, caterers need to be adept at food preparation and cooking. To be a professional cook or chef, you need to have under gone at least 3 years training in a food and hospitality college. Hygiene when cooking food cannot be gainsaid. The most successful event catering business is the one that observes personal hygiene almost to the level of eccentricity. You need to have the necessary cooking utensils such as cooking pots, cooking pans, cooking sticks etc. Good cooking is one thing, delivering the food in a hygienic and professional manner is another. Food delivery is a nightmare if you do not have the right equipment. You need to have automobiles that are sanitized, good packaging utensils and crockery, and refrigerated vans for perishable vegetables and drinks. You need to be able to deliver the food in time, serve in time and clear out the event venue in time. Event catering is a time conscious business.

Staffing Logistics

Event catering should be an organized affair. You will need to have the kitchen staff, the transportation staff, the waiting staff, managers, suppliers of food materials to the kitchen, event decorators as well as cleaning staff. As an owner of an event catering business, you will be expected to handle this staffing logistics with ease. Before taking up an event catering job, this entire staff must be in place. Failure to have the necessary staff is planning to fail.

Event Venue Preparation and Serving

Most companies that outsource event catering services expect the catering firm to decorate and arrange the venue as well as serve the guests. From event themes and colors to table arrangement and fixing a temporary bar and kitchen, a manager at a catering firm is expected to have the event venue ready. Note that event catering is not a business for the faint hearted or the disorganized. It is a business for people with excellent planning capabilities. To handle the large number of people and logistics, you need to have management skills and high emotional quotient. You will need to be able to balance competing egos with your business agenda. From arrival times of the various event guests to meal times and beverages servings, a caterer will have his hands full. Always remember to ask what kind of guests will be attending the event. You do not want to be caught off guard by having guests that are vegetarians, teetotalers, or those that are restricted by their religions from taking certain foods. Event catering is a highly complex and demanding business, yet being involved in it is both exhilarating and involving.

Google Glass and the future of event planning

People love attending great events but often, once they are there, think little about all the hard work that has gone into preparing the site and elements for the big night. However, planning your event requires a wealth of organization skills to promote a successful date. On the competitive scene of South Florida, just acquiring a venue in Miami that meets all your needs takes a true commitment to parsing the value of each one that is available. Having a good team around you will only go so far if you do not have things in order for yourself.

Using event planning tools is vital in today’s connected world of social media and mobile technology. People look to their smart phone for updates regarding the topics that interest them and these numbers are only going to rise. As time goes by more technology is becoming integrated to this "internet of things" such as our cars, watches and TV. Soon many of us will be walking around with a collection of tools that enable us to perform tasks that otherwise would have taken a desktop computer. In some cases there is no prior equivalent product on the market.

Google Glass is a new offering from the tech giant that has been getting a mountain of press over the last 6 months. The question is, how can it help manage your date at an event space in Miami? Well, first this is a wearable technology too! They are essentially Internet capable glasses. So, as opposed to hawking your cell phone all the time, interrupting conversations or becoming totally distracted by a new email message, we can have a constant flow of data that is directly in view at all times. While some people might imagine this to be the next step towards Borg singularity it just might be the tool you have always wanted as an event planner or event promoter.