BARISTA PARTY ANTWERP

Dear baristi,

We are proud to announce this party news…
During the SCAE COFFEE FIESTA in Antwerp, May 18-20, 2007
There will be a unique barista party.

Because of the friendship between Belgium and The Netherlands we decided do organize something nice together. Our Dutch team (Michel Alleborgh/Pavoni – Jasper, Kimbo coffee – Albert, Blanche Dael Coffee Lovers and me) and the Belgium team (Peter, Viva Sara, Pascal, Kimbo coffee) put the hands together and voila, the party is there.
It isn’t as easy as it looks but no worries’.

Louis Claus pouring blindfolded latte art during the last barista party in Amsterdam…

The plan is to invite all barista and their teams etc on Saturday 19th.
We have found a nice “rock & roll” location in the centre of Antwerp.
And the party will be simple and “rock & roll”. I remember the karaoke party in Seattle. That was what we like. Drink beer, sing international duets and have fun.

The main reason to do it this way is to try to bring all nations together in the same bar. I have visited lots of WBC events and I’m always enjoy the evening program. But the problem is that nobody can find each other. So what we did is ask the SCAE to bring our party in the official evening program guide. I have some good hope that they will. The man in charge here is Jens (NBC) and he knows how to bring people together!

Lots of sponsors are willing to help us. We don’t need much but it’s nice to know that for example the MINI Dealer likes to bring baristi from A to B. They sponsor a few cool MINI’s to transport you from the Gala diner in the Hortus to the party location. I’m really looking forward to see how that looks. And of course we have a DJ. We are negotiating at the moment with one of the the best DJ’s in Belgium. It would be a nice idea to do a Barista DJ-JAM.

If you have any suggestions to make more party at the party please mail me at jveldkamp@decs.nl
And at the same time please let me know if you like the idea!!

Hope to see you there and please tell everybody in your world that there is a Dutch/Belgium barista party on Saturday 19th.

More details will follow!

Take care, Jeroen

Ultimate Barista Bag

Hello all,

I would like to inform you about an ultimate barista gear I’ve found.

I am traveling a lot. International but most times national.
And every time I’m bringing lots of things with me.
Grinder, milk jugs, tamper(s), laptop, camera, papers, agenda etc.

And to transport this on a save, relax and trendy way I’ve been searching for a long time for the perfect barista bag.

And now I’ve found mine. This bag use to be a DJ bag. And we are kind of DJ’s don’t we? Lot’s of our colleagues like Tiësto, Paul van Dijk, Carl Cox, Lisa Lashes etc use these trolleys.
These trolleys are designed to travel easy and relax with vinyl, cd’s etc. But also with clothes and laptop’s and so on.

But most of all it has the looks. Everywhere I come I receive compliments about the trolley.
So I decided to contact the producer and ask him if I can bring those trolleys into the barista scene. They are very happy with that initiative and here they are.

New 3-stage internal trolley system with a comfortable soft rubber grip-

Smooth rolling in-line wheels with precision quality bearings-

Large surface kick plate and reinforced wheel housing for impact protection-

Water resistant nylon- Electroplated zippers and integrated combination lock-

Larger side and front pockets provides convenient storage for headphones, magazines and accessories

If you are interested in this trolley for your daily transports between home, customers and work, please mail me at jveldkamp@decs.nl and I will give you the right addresses.

And no I don’t make money on this. It’s my mission to help each other and protect you all for diseases by carry to much stuff everyday!

Take care, Jeroen

Like father like Son

Hello all,

This picture came to me by internet the other week.
Do you recognize this young barista?
No you’re not drunk! It’s true it’s the son of the most famous Belgium men
in the Netherlands. It’s the son of my colleague and friend Peter Deprez.
Peter and his family own the beautiful roastery “Viva Sara” in Belgium.
And most of all Peter won two times the Belgian barista championships.
This year he will compete against our Rose in Tokyo.

We are kind of soul brothers. We both won the 1st two national championships in our country.
And we’re both trying to be a barista ambassador in out country.

On the photo I like to introduce you to Mérten Deprez. He’s wearing one of the smallest barista aprons in the world.

And the rumour goes that little Mérten is already able to make some latte art…!!!???

take care, Jeroen

Moustache

Hello all,

During my Sydney week I had a lot of fun with the Mecca Clan!!
Our first meeting was a strange one.
When I entered the Mecca bar I saw a man with a familiar face.
I did recognize him but I didn’t remember where from…
But still there was that familiar face, but…. There was something strange.
Then I new it was Paul. But with a WHAT? A moustache??
So I said to my college: See, I told you.. Sydney is trendy and modern See?

During that week I saw a lot of baristi witch moustaches and I knew it for sure…
Sydney was so hip and cool.

Then after a week something happened. All the barista looked as naked as naked portafilters.
All of them shaved their moustache of. Then I asked WHY???

Here’s the reason: it was MO-vember. They all had moustaches for Cancer. What a nice and rock & Roll initiative.

This month in the Netherlands is Moustache month. So I decided to mail a lot of mail barista and coffee lovers and asked them to join me.

I offered to send me a photo every week and I will publish it on my blog.

I already received 1 reaction. I promised to let grow my moustache if there are a few enthusiastic….

If we have a few I will ask Sara Lee and other company’s to sponsor…

To be continued!

Take care!