The Reserve Brand Ambassador and his ideas

or from one host to another

A relaxed drink at the bar can spawn some good ideas, but some of these ideas have been bouncing around my head for some time now, yet I never seemed to find the time to realize them. Then one night while having a drink at a bar I met an old acquaintance who asked me about my idea for a workshop hosted by bar-owners, for bar-owners. After a few moments of uncertainty I said to him:

Crap! I’ve been putting this off for far too long. It’s time to make this happen!

He look at me incredulously and smirked: “I can’t wait to read about it in your blog!”

So, Thomas, here you go! You only had to wait three weeks. The extensive planning resulted in splitting the workshop into two categories, and I’ve already mastered one of the events.

The idea behind the Barlife Experience Tour is to invite bar owners and bartenders to workshops of different sort. These workshops are intended to help them improve and simplify their work, and perhaps inspire them to delve deeper into the topics we discuss.

The first of these workshops was an aroma- and tasting seminar in the Lebensstern Bar, for which I have received a lot of positive feedback, which of course made me very happy. And now I would like to proudly announce some of the other topics, in the hope that you will find them equally enthralling.

Program of the Barlife Experience Tour:

The great Barmenu-Workshop
April 18, 2011 - Lebensstern Bar
Jörries Ichert & Caroline Krahmer (both trained graphic designers) will show you common pitfalls with menu design, and show you what to do and what to avoid when considering your bar menu.
This workshop is for everyone who may want to work on their menu. But let’s be honest here... who doesn’t? Let these pros help you and save you some valuable time.

The bar music expert talk
May 9, 2011 in the Suite of the NHOW Studio
Bar music is more than just background noise, the great bar music talk!
Thomas Pflanz, Tosh Dirka and a special guest talk about bar music and the idea behind it, and show you what various effects music can have. They will also make you aware of issues surrounding the GEMA as well as other legal matters in the bar business.
Music professional and bar connossieur, bartender and passionate musician, as well as a bar owner and a DJ will show you the world of bar music, and how it can improve your bottom line.

The other topics of the Barlife Experience Tour have already been conceived, but we are still looking for venues and dates. Here is something to whet your appetite:

Social-Networks aka Web 2.0, or the simultaneous curse and blessing
A panel of experts advises you on social networks, blogs and the web-launch of your own bar.

Good work practices, or work will sometimes makes you sick
A physiotherapist enlightens you about what effect your work has on your body, and what you can do to help yourself. Bartenders will tell you what happens when your back goes out, or if you simply run out of steam.
Tips on healthy work habits, the importance of which, let’s face it, only increases with age.
Fewer sick days not only mean you forfeit less revenue, but also dramatically increase the quality of your life.

The architecture of a bar is more than just a sexy floorplan
A trained woodworker and an architect show how important the designated height of your work surfaces is and how you can turn dead corners of your bar into highlights.
Also covered are things to look out for when converting your space and what building materials to choose. Bar owners talk about their build-outs and offer sound advice, which can save a lot of money.

Good bar tools need to be cared for
A workshop intended to show bar owners what to look out for when cleaning and servicing their expensive machines (ice machines, dishwashers, blenders, etc..). By which criteria should you shop for machines, and what aspects of longevity can you disregard. A pro will show you what you can do yourself, and what you should avoid at all costs. This workshop will save you cold hard cash, and considerably reduce repair costs.