Project Recycled Runway

One of TeamBuilding Unlimited's latest Team Events is Project Recycled Runway, a fun competition that taps into the creativity and resourcefulness of your group. Teams are given the opportunity to design and construct garments, walk down the fashion runway, and create a pitch for their fashions that ties back to the goals and objectives and theme of their meeting/event.

Participants are the ‘designers’ as they work in teams under time pressure using newspaper, cardboard, garbage bags, cloth, recycled accessories, glue guns, staplers, and duct tape. This is a Green Team Building Event!

The challenge is to construct a team outfit using nothing but the materials provided. Teams need to construct their garments carefully, as their models will actually need to wear the outfits during the final and fun part of the event--the Corporate Team Runway. In addition, each team needs to work together to create a unique one minute Runway "Pitch".

Teams are judged on quality, style and ingenuity, as well as model ability and spokesperson's explanation. There is never a right answer in fashion, and the final show is always surprising and entertaining. Winning designs/teams will be judged by their peers and ‘celebrity’ judges.

This teambuilding activity is varied, collaborative, creative and engaging, generating team spirit. Project Recycled Runway really gets team members working and having fun together. Fast paced, fun and varied, this event really brings together large teams.

Teambuilding Unlimited works with your teams to incorporate your group’s goals, objectives, jargon and meeting theme into the event. Our trained facilitators help with team construction guidelines, but it’s up to each team’s ingenuity to execute and showcase their designs.

Which Team will win Project Recycled Runway? And which team will be out?

Contact TeamBuilding Unlimited for more information.

Chocolate & Cheese Pairings

TeamBuilding Unlimited often pairs Chocolate with Wine, or Chocolate with Beer for a unique teambuilding/teambonding event. But now we're also offering Chocolate and Cheese Pairings. Contact TeamBuilding Unlimited for more information, but if you want to do this at home here are several hints. 

Thanks to the California Milk Advisory Board for this post on Chocolate and Real California Cheese Pairings. Use this post as a guide. Love to hear which chocolate and cheeses you pair. Photo on the right is a pairing of  Cowgirl Creamery Triple Brie & Taza 70% Stoneground Chocolate. Great combination.

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Chocolate and Cheese: Rich, bold, decadent – this pair is a savory-sweet love connection is sure to make your foodie heart race. Creating the perfect pair is easy with these dating guidelines. Foods with similar flavor profiles go together best. For darker chocolates, choose a more complex, aged cheese while sweet milk chocolates work best with buttery cheeses, like Brie. Bright, fruity chocolates are perfect with sharper cheeses and nuttier chocolates find a perfect pair in high butterfat cheeses. Want to spice things up a bit? Try pairing spicy chocolates with sharp cheeses – the intensities play off each other beautifully!

· Pair a dark chocolate with more the 80% cocoa with a delicious true Blue cheese
· Indulge in burnt caramel chocolates with a beer-soaked table cheese
· Pair a Bordeaux-style chocolate with a creamy triple crème Brie
· Treat yourself to candied orange peel and an aged Cheddar

Take the pairing up a notch with help from “Pair Savvy” a smart phone app that helps you pair the myriad of delicious California cheese varieties with the wine and beers you enjoy. The user-friendly application is free for download on most smart phones, including iPhone and Android devices, available at pairsavvy.realcaliforniamilk.com.

Wine + Chocolate: Northern California Valentines Celebrations

My company TeamBuilding Unlimited has long been known for its Chocolate Team Building, as well as its Winning Wine Team Events. TeamBuilding Unlimited also produces a combination event-- Team Wine: The Noir of Wine and Chocolate Tasting. Wine and Chocolate are the Perfect Pairing.

I plan to do an in-depth article on Wine and Chocolate Pairing, but in the meantime, here are several different Wine and Chocolate Events (not necessarily pairings) in Northern California that will jumpstart your Valentine's Celebration. Wine and chocolate is what it's all about.

February 10: "Food From the Heart"at the 1898 Ferry Building Marketplace, San Francisco. Kick off Friday night, February 10th, in the candlelit Grand Nave. Merchants and restaurateurs at the Marketplace will offer chocolate tastings and seasonal hors d'oeuvres, and local Napa Valley Vintners will pour wine. The event is free with nominal charges for food and wine samples. 
       Marketplace shops will all be open from 5 to 8 PM for Valentine shopping on Friday night. Proceeds from purchases of wine and hors d'oeuvres will benefit Slow Food San Francisco's programs such as the School Garden Projects.  

February 10: 6-9 p.m. Rock Wall Wine Company, Alameda. Via Amore! Viva Wine! Rock Wall Wines, treats and chocolate.  www.rockwallwines.com

February 11: 12- 5:00 pm. Domenico Winery, San Carlos. Winter Wine Festival & Chocolate Festival. 6 wineries pouring their wines at Domenico Winery....Jazz Cellars, Muccigrosso Vineyards, Naumann Vineyards, Pinder Winery & Travieso Winery! Each winery will pair their wines with chocolate in celebration of Valentine's Day. For more info.

Feb 11-12, 10am-5pm: B.R. Cohn Winery, Glen Ellen Wine and chocolate lover celebration for Valentine’s Day. Mention the phrase “my special Valentine” to receive a complimentary tasting. There will be a chocolate fountain with dipping delights paired with a heavenly Cabernet Sauvignon.  B.R. Cohn Winery, 15140 Sonoma Hwy, Glen Ellen www.brcohn.com

Feb 11-12, 10am-4:30pm: Kenwood Vineyards, Kenwood. Cabernet & Chocolate
Kenwood Vineyards is offering a sweetheart of a deal on their Artist Series Cabernet Sauvignon. Taste their current vintages paired with dark chocolate. Kenwood Vineyards, 9592 Sonoma Hwy, Kenwood. www.kenwoodvineyards.com

February 11, 1-4pm: DeLoach Vineyards, Santa Rosa, A Zin Affair to Remember. A Zin-extravaganza that  includes Vertical Zin tastings, gourmet chocolate, local artisan cheeses, raffle prizes, case specials, and music. DeLoach Vineyards, 1791 Olivet Rd, Santa Rosa www.deloachvineyards.com

February 11 & 12, 12-5 p.m.: Mountain Winery, Saratoga. The Wine & Chocolate Event.  WINE & CHOCOLATE TASTINGS: Empanadas with Spicy Chocolate Dipping Sauce ~ Paired with The Mountain Winery Zinfandel, Chocolate dipped Cured Peppered Bacon ~ Paired with the Mountain Winery Merlot, Chocolate Pizza Nutella, Dried Fruits and Nuts ~ Paired with the Mountain Winery Syrah, Chef Sidoti’s famous brownie – Paired with the Mountain Winery Cabernet Sauvignon. Go here for more info.

February 11, 11-5 p.m: "In Love with Redwood Valley, A Day of Wine, Spirits and Chocolate. Mendocino. Third annual chocolate and wine extravaganza. Professional chocolatiers will present tastings of exquisite dark and milk chocolates, truffles, dipped strawberries, heart-shaped cakes and more, paired with Redwood Valley's dark, rich ports, cabernet sauvignon, petite sirah, muscat canelli and world-class liquers and brandies.  Click here for more info.

February 11-12, 11 am -4 pm: Lodi Wine & Chocolate Weekend. Travel from winery to winery while taking in each of the winery’s hosted activities such as wine and chocolate pairings, live music, barrel tasting and cellar tours.  Go here for more info. 

February 11: 1-3 pm: Silverado Vineyards, Napa, Wine & Chocolate.  Anette's Truffles paired with Silverado Vineyards wines. A true wine/chocolate pairing. For more info, click here.

Wine & Chocolate Tasting Team Event

TeamBuilding Unlimited has long been known for its  Chocolate Team Building, as well as its Winning Wine Team Events.  TeamBuilding Unlimited also produces a combination event-- Team Wine: The Noir of Wine and Chocolate Tasting.

This event is a combination of two great tastes! Chocolate and Wine—to die for... Participants are given an opportunity to taste, sample and rate different Wines paired with great chocolate with different percentages of cacao. As participants sample each wine, they will use the five "S," seeing, swirling, smell, sip, and maybe spit, to compare colors, flavors and tastes. Teams will be given a chance to make comments, to keep score and to rate the wines and chocolates that they have tasted, as well as how they pair together.

Perfect for Team Events, Appreciations, or a Social Function!

Contact TeamBuilding Unlimited for this ultimate event!