Despite a half-hour rainstorm and 95 degree temperatures, more than 200 guests still showed up to enjoy the Starbucks Samba Summer Social at the Miami Art Museum (MAM) on June 27. Chanel, a Mega 94.9 FM on-air personality, was the M.C. of the event, which raised money for the museum and successfully premiered two new Starbucks flavors (all the while celebrating Hispanic culture).
The evening began with City of Miami police chief John Timoney breaking in the Fender Blender, otherwise known as the Byerley Bicycle Blender (B3)—a bike that uses an Oster blender to churn out smoothies at a swift 10,000 rpm. This machine, which was purchased and supplied by Starbucks, was available to all attendees as long as they gave a pre-ride donation to MAM. Through this medium, $62 was raised for "MAM In The Neighborhood."
"That's the reason we decided to do this event: to help out the community and show our support," explained Starbucks' district manager Ron Santos.
Through Santos, the Starbucks Coffee Company hired rbb Public Relations' chief executive officer Christine Barney, president Lisa K. Ross, and the rest of the firm, who transformed MAM's plaza with ten recliner hammocks and a dozen open crates filled with bananas, coconuts, limes, oranges, and pineapples. Also responsible for promoting the event, rbb delivered invitations to media and V.I.P. groups with innovative style. The invitations were clear Starbucks venti-sized cups filled with tangerines, limes, and carnival beads—complete with the company's signature green straws—and featuring Grammy-nominated musician JD Natasha's CD as the cup's coaster. This tied in the launch of the new fruit-based drinks (and the reason of the event) with this celebration of Latin culture, which was represented through the music and the carnival mementos.
The subtle decor wasn't the only thing inspired by the tropics. Entertainment by Gil Santos Productions included a group of Brazilian batucada drummers who performed while capoeira dancers showcased their style of break-dance-meets-martial-arts-meets-gymnastics, wowing the crowd into a photographic frenzy. After a five-minute routine, samba dancers took their place and paraded their beat-specific style around the plaza, before commencing in front of the empty musical stage.
Next, a samba dance contest ensued between several willing guests. The winners of the brief dance-off were two local women who split the $250 cash prize. All other participants were treated to five-dollar Starbucks gift certificates.
All the while, guests were helping themselves to the two newest non-fat Starbucks juice blends, Pomegranate and Tangerine Frappuccino, as well as the corporation's café con leche samples. Santos also provided salgadinhos, or Brazilian appetizers. These consisted of empadinha, a small salty pastry, and two deep-fried dishes, kibe (lamb meatballs) and coxinha (dough with chicken filling).
The night ended with JD Natasha and her band, who were hired through the William Morris Agency LLC, taking the stage to perform four songs from her acclaimed debut album, Imperfect-Imperfecta.
—Albert del Toral
Photos courtesy of Alberto Tamargo of AET Photo.
The evening began with City of Miami police chief John Timoney breaking in the Fender Blender, otherwise known as the Byerley Bicycle Blender (B3)—a bike that uses an Oster blender to churn out smoothies at a swift 10,000 rpm. This machine, which was purchased and supplied by Starbucks, was available to all attendees as long as they gave a pre-ride donation to MAM. Through this medium, $62 was raised for "MAM In The Neighborhood."
"That's the reason we decided to do this event: to help out the community and show our support," explained Starbucks' district manager Ron Santos.
Through Santos, the Starbucks Coffee Company hired rbb Public Relations' chief executive officer Christine Barney, president Lisa K. Ross, and the rest of the firm, who transformed MAM's plaza with ten recliner hammocks and a dozen open crates filled with bananas, coconuts, limes, oranges, and pineapples. Also responsible for promoting the event, rbb delivered invitations to media and V.I.P. groups with innovative style. The invitations were clear Starbucks venti-sized cups filled with tangerines, limes, and carnival beads—complete with the company's signature green straws—and featuring Grammy-nominated musician JD Natasha's CD as the cup's coaster. This tied in the launch of the new fruit-based drinks (and the reason of the event) with this celebration of Latin culture, which was represented through the music and the carnival mementos.
The subtle decor wasn't the only thing inspired by the tropics. Entertainment by Gil Santos Productions included a group of Brazilian batucada drummers who performed while capoeira dancers showcased their style of break-dance-meets-martial-arts-meets-gymnastics, wowing the crowd into a photographic frenzy. After a five-minute routine, samba dancers took their place and paraded their beat-specific style around the plaza, before commencing in front of the empty musical stage.
Next, a samba dance contest ensued between several willing guests. The winners of the brief dance-off were two local women who split the $250 cash prize. All other participants were treated to five-dollar Starbucks gift certificates.
All the while, guests were helping themselves to the two newest non-fat Starbucks juice blends, Pomegranate and Tangerine Frappuccino, as well as the corporation's café con leche samples. Santos also provided salgadinhos, or Brazilian appetizers. These consisted of empadinha, a small salty pastry, and two deep-fried dishes, kibe (lamb meatballs) and coxinha (dough with chicken filling).
The night ended with JD Natasha and her band, who were hired through the William Morris Agency LLC, taking the stage to perform four songs from her acclaimed debut album, Imperfect-Imperfecta.
—Albert del Toral
Photos courtesy of Alberto Tamargo of AET Photo.
To kick-off the evening, police chief John Timoney took the "Fender Blender" for its inaugural spin.
A capoeira dancer entertained the crowd on the Miami Art Museum plaza.
Brazilian appetizers were lined up in hot plates to feed the crowd.
Racy samba dancers were on hand to teach the crowd the proper way to shake their hips.
A dance contest featuring 30 guests saw two people upstage the rest and split the $250 cash prize.
Grammy-nominated JD Natasha hit the stage to perform in front of the very hot crowd.
