Ths Cacao Salon: An Immersive Experience

Most NYC socializing leaves you drained. This is different.

A 2.5-hour multi-sensory experience combining a short film from Guatemala, ceremonial cacao tasting, live immersive sound, and structured conversation with curious professionals.

Think: Real dialogue. Zero small talk. Soundscapes that shift the room. People you'll actually want to follow up with.

You'll leave feeling more awake, more clear, and genuinely connected to people you just met.

What Actually Happens

5:30 PM — Arrive at FABRIK. Settle in to live soundscape (electronic fusion, curated beats by Johann).

5:45 PM — Opening film: 3-minute cinematic journey into Guatemala's cacao highlands (not a brand story — a lived one)

6:00 PM — Cacao ritual led by Sasha: Ceremonial-grade cacao tasting with history, chemistry, and culture. Live sound deepens the experience.

6:20 PM — Connection Round 1: Small groups (4-5 people). Guided prompts that skip small talk fast. You meet people beyond their LinkedIn.

7:00 PM — Pause: Seasonal fruit. More cacao. Space to integrate.

7:20 PM — Deeper Round: The room is warmer. The masks are lower. This is where something real happens.

8:15 PM — Closing soundscape + optional mingling: Stay and connect, or leave quietly glowing.

This Is For You If:

✓ You're tired of surface-level networking that goes nowhere
✓ You're building something and want to meet people who think differently
✓ You're sober-curious or want social experiences without alcohol
✓ You're an introvert who still wants real community
✓ You like structure and intelligence (curated conversation)
✓ You're drawn to immersive, sensory experiences
✓ You want one evening that actually shifts your energy instead of draining it

You'll Leave With:

• At least one conversation that changes how you think about your work or life
• Practical conversation tools you can use (prompts for deeper dialogue)
• Connection to thoughtful, driven people in NYC
• A clearer mind and creative spark
• The experience of real ceremonial cacao (not hot chocolate from a coffee shop)
• A sonic memory you'll carry with you
• A reminder that you don't have to choose between ambition and depth

What Past Attendees Say:

"What surprised me most was watching our most skeptical engineer — someone who rolls their eyes at 'feelings talk' — admit halfway through that he felt safe enough to share something he'd been carrying for months. The ritual format gave structure to vulnerability, which our high-achieving team desperately needed but didn't know how to access."
— Lucy, Project Manager

"I wanted something memorable for my partner's milestone, not just another restaurant reservation. Sasha designed a cacao experience that felt both sacred, reflective, and celebratory. Our guests are still talking about it months later."
— Peter, Founder

"What I loved most was watching Sasha and Johann work together — they're completely different people, but there's this natural humor and professionalism between them that makes the whole room feel safe. It's like walking into a warm home where you can actually relax, be yourself, and connect with others without trying so hard. Their synergy creates something really unique."
— Olga, Social Worker

ABOUT YOUR HOSTS

Sasha Sakhar (@sashasakhar_nyc) is the founder of SUGARHAUS and your guide for the evening. She started in corporate NYC (Bacardi, American Express) before leaving to study ceremonial cacao in Guatemala's highlands with Indigenous growers and practitioners. She came back to build SUGARHAUS — creating social experiences that bridge strategy and heart, ambition and presence. She knows both worlds and builds rooms where you can hold both.

Johann Bermudez (@alternabeat) provides the live soundscape for the evening. A musician, sound artist, and producer from Mexico, he works across acoustic and electronic realms, shaping sound as a living element of the space — responsive to the room and the people within it.

What's Included:

✓ 2.5-hour immersive experience
✓ Short film from Guatemala's cacao highlands
✓ Multiple servings of ceremonial-grade cacao
✓ Live soundscape throughout the evening
✓ Expert facilitation through structured conversation
✓ Fresh seasonal fruit

Why Ceremonial Cacao?

This is not hot chocolate.

Ceremonial cacao is minimally processed, single-origin cacao from a Guatemalan family farm. It contains theobromine — a natural compound that creates steady, uplifting energy (no jitters, no crash) — plus naturally occurring compounds that support openness and presence.

It doesn't numb you. It doesn't spike you.
It softens the edge between you and the room.

For centuries, cacao has been used in Indigenous cultures to support meaningful dialogue and community-building. We honor that lineage and adapt it thoughtfully for modern urban life.
https://sugarhausnyc.com/cacao

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Host or Publisher Gaia NoMaya