It is 2008!

After a well deserved rest the Lemotion Blog team is back in full force. Happy new year everyone!!!!

This is what our president had to say about 2008.

A challenging year for SA: Mbeki
2 January 2008

Despite the economic gains of 2007, the challenge of reducing poverty and inequality in South Africa persisted, President Thabo Mbeki said in his New Year's message on Monday.
Mbeki said the government would have to redouble its efforts "to increase the tempo of economic growth and job creation, to raise the floor of prosperity that must go with our democracy."

Mbeki said that in the year just ended - and the 13 years since the country's first democratic elections - South Africans had "laid a firm foundation for us to realise all these objectives."
South Africa's economy faced some important challenges in 2008, Mbeki said, including an inflation rate driven by high crude oil and food prices, higher interest rates and a sustained deficit in the country's balance of trade, "reflecting that we are importing more than we are exporting."

Despite these challenges, Mbeki said, the country had to keep pursuing "a higher rate of economic growth, driven by increased investments and improvements in productivity.
"At the same time, we must continue to strive to ensure that this growth also results in the creation of new job opportunities. Among other things, this means that we must sustain our focus on the challenge of raising the skills levels among our working people."

The government also had to accelerate access to adequate housing, affordable health care, education and basic services such as water and sanitation, and ensure that the country's social grants reached the people most in need.

The year ahead, Mbeki said, would "present our country with new tasks and challenges arising from decisions adopted at the recent 52nd national conference of the ruling party, the ANC."
At the conference in Polokwane in December, Mbeki failed to secure a third term as president of the ANC, as delegates voted overwhelmingly for Jacob Zuma to lead the party over the next four years.

The result, which came in spite of the fraud and corruption charges hanging over Zuma's head, puts Mbeki's former deputy in pole position to become South Africa's next President when Mbeki's second term expires in 2009.

It has also raised concerns that, until the next general elections in 2009, there will be two "centres of power" in South Africa.

Mbeki said South Africans had to respond to these challenges "bearing in mind the national goal our country has set itself - the goal of ensuring that our democracy remains unwavering in the pursuit of the objective of a better life for all our people."

On the international front, Mbeki expressed "our sense of outrage at the murder of the prominent Pakistani political leader, Benazir Bhutto. We sincerely hope that the government and people of Pakistan will find the strength and wisdom in themselves successfully to respond to the crisis created by the assassination of Ms Bhutto in the interest of peace and a stable democracy in their country and region.

"We also hope that the process of negotiations intended to end the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, initiated at the Annapolis Conference in the United States, will proceed vigorously to meet the 2008 deadline agreed by the leaders of Palestine and Israel."

Mbeki said he was confident confident that Zimbabwe's government and opposition leaders would "conclude their negotiations successfully" to lay the basis for free and fair elections to take place in that country and enable South Africa's "sister country to address its socio-economic challenges in unity."

The President closed off by wishing SA's national soccer team, Bafana Bafana, success in the African Cup of Nations tournament which kicks off in Ghana in a few weeks.

"Our entire nation is confident that Bafana Bafana will emulate the example set by the Springboks, who only recently won the Rugby World Cup," Mbeki said. "Once again, on behalf of our government and in my own name I wish you, fellow South Africans, a happy and successful 2008."

LEMOTIONISNING THE WESTERN CAPE

The Lemotion team has been very busy the last month hence why this blog has not been updated. So what have we been up to the last month? Well we were “Lemotionising” the Western Cape.

You kan get Lemotion Lemon & Lemotion Mandarin from the following places in and around Cape Town.

EMILY'S: CLOCK TOWER CENTRE
WATERFRONT

http://www.emily-s.com/
021 421 1133

STEVEN ROM Liquor Stores
http://www.stevenrom.co.za/
SEA POINT

Galleria Centre

76 Regent Road

Sea Point

Tel: (021) 439-6043

THREE ANCHOR BAY

Bay Point Centre

Cnr Beach Road & Stanley

PlaceThree Anchor Bay

Tel: (021) 439-1112

KLOOF STREET

Palmhof Centre

Kloof Street Gardens

Tel: (021) 426-0546

SALT RESTAURANT ~ AMBASSADOR HOTEL
021 439 7258
http://www.saltrestaurant.co.za/

CLUB TONIC:

077 23237621
http://www.clubtonic.co.za/

KLEIN GENOT: WINE & COUNTRY ESTATE
021 876 2738

BOUILLABAISSE:

021 876 4430 DESIRE
http://www.seafooddeli.co.za/

LE BON VIVANT:
021 876 2717

REUBEN'S RESTAURANT:

021 876 3772
FRANSCHOEK

LA PINETA:

021 880 0624
STELLENBOSCH

EIKENDAL WINE ESTATE
021 855 1422

SOMERSET WEST

SMOKEY SWALLOWS:

082 659 8023
East London

FRIDAY ISLAND: BEACH BAR

LANGEBAAN
022 772 2506

BOULEVARD : FINE WINES & LIQUOR MERCHANTS
SHOP 1 OCEAN WAY
SUNSET BEACH
CAROLINE
021 551 1563

DISCOVER: FINE WINE & SPIRITS
UNIT G5 SUNRISE BUSINESS PARK,

SUNRISE CIRCLE NDABENI
021 5320990

TUSCANY BEACH RESTAURANT
CAMPS BAY
0214381213
http://www.tuscanybeachrestaurant.com/

Lemotion Night Life - 21 Dec Club Tonic

Well people it seems like mother nature has finally decided to bless us Capetonians with summer. And this means going out at night and experiencing the City or Town that you are in.

No matter where in the world you are there is just something about a city at night. I live in Cape Town and I am not sure if I am biased but to me Cape Town is absolutely the most beautiful City I have ever been to.

There is something special about a City at night. It is almost as if it is coming alive. Now I don't know if it is the flickering of lights or the lovely warm summer nights but it sure is electrifying.




So now talking about nightlife, Lemotion and Tonic will be having a SIN TILL LATE party.

Where: Tonic - 69 Long Street, Cape Town

When: 21 Dec 2007

Doors Open - 9pm

Cover Charge - R50


We hope to see you all there for a night of Hip Hop & RnB and of course some amazing Lemotion Cocktails.

What Glass do I use for what cocktail?

Most cocktail recipes suggest a type of glassware that works well with that drink and knowing a Highball glass from an Old-fashioned is important. The significance of using an appropriate glass can make or break the look of your wonderful cocktail. Also take into consideration that making a "double" or "triple" martini in a Highball glass may be fun now but you may feel differently about it in the morning. The determining factor when choosing the appropriate glass for a cocktail should be that the amount of liquid in a drink be compatible with the size of glass, that simple.
Within this growing tour of glassware I have also marked a few of the glasses as a "Must-Have" for the home bar. Use this feature to choose the essential glassware to buy for your new bar.
When shopping for glasses, don't be afraid to step out of the box. Be creative and add flare to your drinks by choosing unique glass designs like those below.

Cocktail Glass

A Home Bar Must-Have The familiar conical shape of the Cocktail Glass makes most of us think of Martinis and so it should. Martinis, other classic cocktails and neat drinks that are between 3 and 6 ounces are commonly seen in a Cocktail Glass (or Martini Glass).
Ideal for:
· Chilled chilled drinks
· Frappes
· Martinis
· All "up" cocktails
Tip- Plunge the bowl of an empty glass into ice a few minutes before preparing the cocktail for a quickly chilled glass.

Highball Glass

A Home Bar Must-Have Highball Glasses are large tumblers that hold between 8 and 12 ounces and can easily replace a Collins glass. This glass is generally used for mixed drinks that have a high proportion of mixer to liquor, such as scotch and soda, bourbon and water, etc.
Ideal for:
· Highballs
· Bloody Mary
· Other tall drinks
· Beer
· Soda
Tip-Keep your highball glasses chilled to keep tall drinks cooler longer.

Old-fashioned Glass

A Home Bar Must-Have Sometimes called a lowball or rocks glass, the Old-fashioned Glass is a squat tumbler that holds between 5 and 10 ounces. Typically used for short mixed drinks and anything on the rocks.
Ideal for:
· Black and White Russians
· Old-fashioneds
· Mai Tais
· "On the Rocks" drinks

Champagne Flute

A Home Bar Must-Have The Champagne Flute is a tall, thin, tapered glass that holds between 7 and 11 ounces and is perfect for Champagne Cocktails. The purpose of the flute design is to keep the bubbles in the flute longer; with less surface area exposed to the air, the bubbles can't escape as fast.
Ideal for:
· Champagne Cocktails
· Champagne

Collins Glass

A Collins Glass is an optional addition to the home bar as it is interchangeable with the highball glass. Used primarily for any Collins drink, it is a narrow tumbler that holds between 8 and 12 ounces.
Ideal for:
· Tom Collins
· Zombies
· Long Island Iced Tea

Irish Coffee Glass

The Irish Coffee Glass replaces the average mug for good-looking hot cocktails. This footed glass mug holds between 8 and 12 ounces and is made of heat-resistant glass.
Ideal for:
· Hot Buttered Rum
· Hot Toddy
· All hot drinks

Hurricane Glass

A Hurricane Glass is typically used for frozen and blended cocktails. The distinct pear-shaped curve of this glass is reminiscent of vintage hurricane lamps and holds between 10 and 12 ounces.
Ideal for:
· Frozen Piña Coladas
· Coco Coladas
· Blended cocktails
· Frozen cocktails

Margarita Glass

This is the perfect and true way to serve a Margarita. The wide bowl of the Margarita Glass is usually 5 inches in diameter and makes for easy rimming with salt. While normal sized glasses hold between 12 and 20 ounces the Super Margarita Glass is available and will hold up to 60 ounces of liquid for the ultimate Margarita party.
Ideal for:
· Margaritas

Shot Glass

A Home Bar Must-Have
The shot glass is one of the best known glasses in any bar. The size of Shot Glasses available varies greatly but the average shot is 1 1/2 ounces. A "short shot", or "pony shot", is another common size that holds only 1 ounce. Typically a Shot Glass is made of a thick glass, especially at the base. This thick glass is meant to absorb the shock of being slammed on a table or bar, something that often happens after a person consumes its potent contents. Novelty and nostalgic Shot Glasses are collector's items that often display promotions for events, places and company brand names. The more interesting novelty glasses depict cartoons, humorous situations or sayings.
Ideal for:
· Shooters
· Playing the "Quarters" drinking game

The History Of Cocktails

Now that it is summer, or so they say but all the cloudy rainy days we had makes me wonder, but needless to say it is cocktail time!!! Now that you have all the amazing recipes to use with your Lemotion..... get started and enjoy.

But where did it all start? Today we are looking at the history of cocktails.

Cocktails exude the word ‘exotic’ - the very name Pina Colada conjures up images of relaxing on the beach in a tropical paradise. This and the fact they are fun and versatile is probably the reason that they’ve become so popular. They’re great for parties or smaller, more manageable get-togethers and the combinations of spirits and juices are endless, so have fun experimenting!
The origin of the name 'cocktail' is not certain, though many explanations have been suggested - some romantic, some gruesome, most no doubt unfounded...

One story goes that Betsy Flanagan, owner of a New York guest house, served her speciality drink Betsy's Bracers. The bar was visited by American soldiers during the War of Independence, and one night they were celebrating as Betsy prepared them a meal made from chickens. They decorated their glasses with feathers and toasted Betsy's drink: "Here's to the divine liquor which is as delicious to the palate as the cocks' tails are beautiful to the eye." To which one officer replied: "Vive le cocktail!"

Some say the name originated in England - horses of mixed origin would have their tails docked to distinguish them from thoroughbreds, and were known as 'cocktailed' horses. Familiar with the term, Dr Johnson (inventor of the dictionary) mixed his friend Boswell a drink of wine laced with gin. He told him: "...to mix spirits to wine smacks of our alcoholic hyperbole. It would be a veritable cocktail of a drink."

A more likely suggestion is that cocktails were developed during prohibition to hide the taste of the low-grade illegal spirits which were being produced in the hills and basements of the US. As time went by and laws changed, cocktails became fashionable in Europe where eventually fine spirits were incorporated to give a whole new dimension in taste and purpose.

Lemotion went to see Rent at the Artscape

Happy Monday everyone!


Lemotion had the privilege to go and see the stage production of the hit Broadway musical Rent currently on stage at the Artscape Theatre in Cape Town. All I can say is wow!!! The show was absolutely amazing!!!

For those of you who have not seen the show I will give you a brief rundown of the plot without giving too much away.


Benny is Mark & Roger's former roommate. With the help of his wealthy new father-in-law, Benny has bought the building in which mark and Roger live, and the lot next door that is inhabited by a group of homeless people. Benny wants to build a high-tech cyber-arts studio on the property. Towards this end, he plans to clear the homeless from the lot and evict all the tenants from the building, including Mark and Roger.

Marks former lover, Maureen, schedules a performance protest of Benny's scheme for midnight on Christmas Eve. Benny offers a deal to Mark and Roger: If they convince Maureen to stop her protest, they can stay in the building rent-free.

At the end of Act 1, Maureen's performance goes on. A riot erupts in the lot, which Mark videotapes. Then Benny pad-locks the building, locking all the tenants.

Act 2 begins on New Year's Eve as Mark Roger and friends attempt to break into the building. The rest of the act follows the events of the year....

Guys this show is really amazing and a must see.

Lemotion hits Cape Town International Airport

It is with great pleasure that we announce that lemotion is now available at Cape Town International Airport.

Now, when you rush off to the airport forgetting all your gifts on you unmade bed you can buy Lemotion Lemon & Lemotion Mandarin at Cape Farm Stall & Wine Emporium at domestic departures.

I spoke to Herman Pretorius, managing director, of Airport Retail Concessions Cape who owns among many others the Cape Farm Stall & Wine Emporium today. They are opening a similar store at the duty free shopping centre at International Departures of Cape town International Airport soon. Hopefully Lemotion will be sold there as well soon, which means Lemotion will be going global. Watch this space we will keep you posted.

LEMOTION looks at South Africa's national symbols

By now we all know how wonderful and refreshing Lemotion is plus the Lemotion logo is a common sight for our regular readers. But how much do you know about South Africa’s national symbols.

What's that image that appears on your birth certificate, passport and one cent coin? What does !ke e: /xarra //ke mean? (Whose language is that?) What do the springbok, blue crane, galjoen, giant protea and real yellowwood have in common?

Here's a quick guide to the national symbols of South Africa, from the anthem, flag, coat of arms and national orders to the animals and plants the country holds dear.

National anthem

South Africa's national anthem of is a combined version of Nkosi Sikelel' iAfrika and Die Stem van Suid-Afrika (The Call of South Africa in English). The words of Die Stem were written by CJ Langenhoven in 1918, and the music composed by the Reverend ML de Villiers in 1921. Nkosi Sikelel' iAfrika was composed in 1897 by Enoch Sontonga, a Methodist mission school teacher.

National flag

The national flag of the Republic of South Africa was adopted on Freedom Day, 27 April 1994, and first flown 10 May 1994 - the day Nelson Mandela was inaugurated as president.
The central design of the flag, beginning at the flag-pole in a V form and flowing into a single horizontal band to the outer edge of the fly, can be interpreted as the convergence of diverse elements within South African society, taking the road ahead in unity.

National coat of arms

South Africa's coat of arms, or state emblem, is the highest visual symbol of the state. Its central image is a secretary bird with uplifted wings, a sun rising above it. Below the bird is the protea, an indigenous South African flower, representing the aesthetic harmony of all cultures and the country flowering as a nation.
The ears of wheat are emblems of the fertility of the land, while the tusks of the African elephant symbolise wisdom, steadfastness and strength.
At the centre stands a shield signifying the protection of South Africans, above which are a spear and knobkierie. These assert the defence of peace rather than a posture of war.
Within the shield are images of the Khoisan people, the first inhabitants of the land. The figures are derived from images on the Linton Stone, a world-famous example of South African rock art. The motto of the coat of arms - !ke e:/xarra//ke - is in the Khoisan language of the /Xam people, and means "diverse people unite", or "people who are different joining together".

National orders

National orders are the highest awards that a country, through its President, bestows on its citizens and eminent foreign nationals. The President as the fount (holder, cradle, main source) of honour in the country bestows these orders and decorations and is assisted by the director-general in the Presidency, who is the chancellor of national orders.

The Order of Mapungubwe is awarded for excellence and exceptional achievement.
The Order of the Baobab is awarded for distinguished service in business and the economy; science, medicine, technological innovation; and community service.
The Order of the Companions of OR Tambo is awarded to heads of state and other dignitaries for promoting peace, cooperation and friendship towards South Africa.
The Order of Luthuli is awarded to South Africans who have made a meaningful contribution to the struggle for democracy, human rights, nation-building, justice and peace, and conflict resolution.
The Order of Ikhamanga is awarded for excellence in arts, culture, literature, music, journalism and sport.
The Order of the Mendi Decoration for Bravery is awarded to South African citizens who have performed extraordinary acts of bravery.

National animal

The country's national animal is the springbok, which also gives its name to the South African rugby team - fondly (and sometimes not so fondly) known as the Boks.
The springbok (Antidorcas marsupialis) gets its common name from its characteristic jumping display - pronk in Afrikaans. The animal stands 75cm high and weigh about 40kg.
Both sexes have horns, but those of the ram are thicker and rougher. The species has adapted to dry, barren areas and open grass plains, and so is found in the Free State, North West and Karoo up to the west coast. They move in small herds during winter, but often crowd together in bigger herds in summer.

National bird

The national bird of South Africa is the blue crane (Anthropoides paradisia), the distribution of which is almost entirely restricted to the country. Standing about a metre tall, the bird is a light blue-grey, with a long neck supporting a rather bulbous head, long legs and elegant wing plumes which sweep to the ground.
Blue cranes lay their eggs in the bare veld, often close to water. They are common in the Karoo, but are also seen in the grasslands of KwaZulu-Natal and the highveld, usually in pairs or small family parties. Although usually quiet, the blue crane can emit a distinctive high-pitched and rattling croak which can be heard from some distance.
National flowerThe giant or king protea (Protea cynaroides) is widely distributed in the south-western and southern areas of the Western Cape, from the Cedarberg up to just east of Grahamstown. South Africa's national flower is the largest of the proteas, which make up an important part of the Cape Floral Region, a major global biodiversity hotspot and a Unesco World Heritage site. The proteas also give their name to South Africa's national cricket team.

National fish

South Africa's national fish is the galjoen (Coracinus capensis), which is only found along the South African coast. It keeps to mostly shallow water, often found in rough surf and sometimes right next to the shore, and is known to every angler as a game fighter. Near rocks, the colour of the galjoen is almost completely black, while in sandy areas the colour is silver-bronze.

National tree

The yellowwood family is ancient, having grown in this part of Africa for over 100-million years. The real yellowwood (Podocarpus latifolius), South Africa's national tree, is found from Table Mountain, along the southern and eastern Cape coast, in the ravines of the Drakensberg up to the Soutpansberg and the Blouberg in Limpopo.
In forests, the trees can grow up to 40m in height with the base of the trunk sometimes up to 3m in diameter. But trees that grow in unsheltered places such as mountain slopes are often short, bushy and gnarled. The bark of the real yellowwood is khaki-coloured to grey when it is old, deeply split and peels off in strips. The crown is relatively small in relation to its height and is often covered with grey lichen.

Lemotion - Hangover Monday

If your weekend was a bit of a bender due to too much Lemotion cocktails then this is for you

Supplies Needed to Remedy a Hangover

Today, it's all about hangover remedies and prevention, and for this recipe, here's what you'll need:

1000 milligrams vitamin C
one B complex vitamin
600 milligrams N-acetyl-cysteine or "NAC"
400 milligrams Ibuprofen
one over-ripe banana
5-6 frozen strawberries
1/4 cup wild blueberries
1/4 cup frozen or fresh pineapple
about 1 1/2 cups cold vanilla soy milk
1/2 cup orange juice
a dash of salt
a dash of cayenne
about 100 ounces clear, filtered water

Reasons for a Hangover

There's a huge body of medical research that delves into why you feel one particular set of symptoms or another when you're hung over, but basically it boils down to this: alcohol is toxic to just about every major organ in your body. While your system is well-equipped at dealing with small amounts of alcohol, over-consumption forces your internal processes into all sorts of imbalance. But none of this information is gonna help cure your pounding head, so on we go.

Prepare the Vitamins and Pain Relievers

Start by setting aside the vitamins C and B, which are essential vitamins your body is likely depleted of. Also set aside the NAC, a powerful antioxidant, and the ibuprofen. Taking vitamins or pain relievers on an empty stomach can cause discomfort in a perfectly functioning, healthy body, so let's blend up our shake first.

Blend All of the Ingredients

Combine all your ingredients in a blender, from the banana to the cayenne. And don't try to fit in the 100 ounces of water, either into the blender or your stomach just yet, Drunky. The fruit contains fructose, which is a healthy form of sugar, and the banana is a natural antacid that can help with your nausea. The salt will keep you safe from the rare but potentially dangerous hyponatremia, and the cayenne is just an all-around natural bad stuff butt-kicker. Once you've got it all in, blend away and pour yourself a glass.

Drink the Shake

Take it easy with this one. Don't force anything into your body that doesn't want to go there, although this stuff is oddly delicious.

Take the Vitamins and Drink Water

Once you've got a few swallows down, pop your vitamins, NAC, and ibuprofen, and be sure to follow your shake with a full glass of room temperature water. Next to air, water is the number one substance essential for human survival. Make sure that throughout the day, your mantra is this: hydrate, hydrate, hydrate.

The New Lemotion Website went live today

Today is a very proud day for us. The new Lemotion website went live and looks amazing. This blog can now also be accessed from the website. Have a look and give us your comments.

http://http://www.lemotion.co.za/

Special thanks goes to Rozanne Olivier of iDistribute for designing the site. Well done Roz it looks amazing.

Should anyone want to make use of Rozanne's services please feel free to contact her on rozanne@idistribute.co.za

Lemotion at Emily's in V & A Waterfront Cape Town

You will be glad to know that you can now get Lemotion at the world renowned Emily's restaurant in the Clock Tower of the V&A Waterfront in Cape Town.

Emily's first opened its doors as an informal little bistro, which over time became an integral part of the restaurant scene at the Cape. It is almost obligatory for any culinary enthusiast or food lover to meet both Peter Veldsman and Johan Odendaal and dine at Emily’s. Peter, author, knowledgeable and superb food writer, restaurateur and wine lover is known throughout the length and breadth of South Africa. While, Johan's fascinating style of cooking using a variety of eclectic, often exotic ingredients, is always a talking point and creates a frisson of excitement.

Since relocating to the Clock Tower, Emily's with a spacious, cream and soft gold interior, overlooking the harbour and out to sea has evolved into one of South Africa's finest and most individual restaurants with a positive and definite food philosophy centred around an Afro-Euro-culture. Each plate, a canvas drawing on flavours from throughout the African continent.
Emily's has gathered a plethora of awards prominent among many; Diners Club International winner of Platinum and the rare Diamond awards.

Johan Odendaal - Executive Chef

My philosophy of cooking is simple: let the ingredients speak for themselves. I am set on flavour and do not follow trends by other chefs, nor do I copy them.I am in love with the flavours of Africa and proud to be a South African "boere-boy".Often I combine hot and cold on the same plate and frequently contrast flavours or do a counterpoint of similar flavours in order to create a complex canvas.My only criterion is the freshness of vegetables,salads, fish and sea food and, by contrast, meat which is well matured. I have sourced suppliers of repute and both Peter and I are prepared to pay extra for quality. We fly ingredients in from St. Helena, Namibia,Zimbabwe and the African East Coast.I do not pre-cook. I do not fast-cook in a microwave oven. I do not re-heat frozen foods. I do not buy in.Everything on the menu is prepared in my kitchen and it requires time.The restaurant caters for vegans,demi-, lacto-, ovo- and lacto-ovo vegetarians.Here at Emily's the food is not waiting to be served, instead, dear guest,you must be prepared to wait for the food.

I WISH YOU "SMAAKLIKE ETE"

The Lemotion Socialite

As mentioned last time Rozanne Olivier of iDistribute took some great pictures of Lemotion in action at Shaker Bar School. Anil Sabharwal has also created a wonderful new Lemotion cocktail, called The Socialite.

The recipe for The Socialite is as follows

The Socialite
Glass – Tall / Collins
Garnish – Lemon knot

4 lemon chunks
2 spoons vanilla sugar
37.5ml vanilla vodka
12.5ml Lemotion lemon

Method – Add lemon chunks and vanilla sugar to the bottom of the glass and muddle till all the juice is extracted from it. Add vanilla vodka, Lemotion and crushed ice. Stir well and top with more crushed ice if necessary.

As mentioned before Lemotion is great with ice cream as well as fresh fruit. Try it out.

Please have a look at our little quiz on the right about the Lemotion flavours.

Lemotion photo shoot at Shaker Bar School

Lemotion had a photo shoot at Shaker Bar School, 19 Dorp Street in Cape Town yesterday evening. What a great time we had. It gave a me bigger appreciation for the guys and girls who always pour me my Lemotion Cocktails in clubs and bars in and around South Africa. It was great seeing the hard work that goes into developing new drinks, the styles it is being poured (bottles flying around all over the place) and it is made to look so easy.

What Are the Shaker Bar Schools?
Shaker Bar Schools operate three training academies - Cape Town, London and Birmingham. Established in 2001, the Shaker Bar Schools are the leading bartending schools in South Africa & the UK, dedicated to providing bartending, cocktail & flair related educational courses.

Meet The Instructors

Adam Freeth (Founder)
Founder and Managing Director of Shaker UK. Adam set up Shaker as part of a BA and MSc in Business Management, coupled with his bartending exploits throughout Europe. With over a decade of experience throughout the bar industry, he has developed Shaker into one of the UK's foremost authorities on bartending and training. Having tended bar for the rich & famous, Freeth has also appeared on television as an authority on drinks and has appeared in national and trade press.
Freeth has been responsible for training over 2000 bartenders over the last 6 years, and has travelled worldwide with the International Bartenders Course.

Nickname: Charlie
Shoe Size: 11
What do you do?: Everything
What do you like?: Travelling and my mountain bike
What don't you like?: Driving
Fav Tipple: Gin & Tonic with fresh lime
Fav Cocktail: Daiquiri Classic
Fav Record: Depends on my mood
Fav Film: The Goonies
Happiness is: Cycling
Hero: My Bro & Jerry Thomas
Where would you rather be?: Chapmans Peak Cycling
What do you know?: Beer is regarded as a staple food in Bavaria

Anil Sabharwal (Co-Founder)

Anil was pivotal in setting up the Shaker Bar School and Flair School in the UK and has trained more than 2000 budding bartenders since 2001. As a competition bartender, he has been a competition finalist many times, including winning TGI Fridays Birmingham flair comp, Roadhouse World Flair finalist on several occasions, Northern Flair League champion (2004) and National Bartenders' Challenge (2000), which he won. His flair training has taken him worldwide. He is currently ranked among the best flair bartenders on the planet. A real bartenders' bartender, you will rarely see Anil not working a shift or flairing. Anil now heads up Bar School & Event operations in Cape Town .

Nickname: Er...Anil?
Shoe Size: 8
What do you do?: Run Cape Town Operations
What do you like?: Flairing and 700's
What don't you like?: People who don't say please
Fav Tipple: Quite enjoy a nice glass of red with fresh lime
Fav Cocktail: Sailor Jerry Mojito
Fav Record: Depends on my mood
Fav Film: Shawshank Redemption & Anchorman
Happiness is: Making people smile
Hero: Spiderman
Where would you rather be?: Chilling in the Lordy Mansion watching the sunset
What do you know?: Apparently, 3 out of 4 people make up 75% of the population

Simon Clarke
Simon joined the Shaker crew in 2005 having learnt his trade in some of the best (and worst!) bars in Birmingham. He has spent the last 5 years amassing a wealth of knowledge & passion for the hospitality industry and has been a religious attendee of the Birmingham Association of Bartenders weekly education sessions for nearly 3 years. Simon is a formidable & innovative competition entrant, having either placed or won in nearly every competition he's ever entered. He has now turned his attention to imparting this wisdom to Shaker students across the globe, and his infectious enthusiasm makes Si an exceptional & inspirational trainer.

Nickname: The Bear
Shoe Size: 13, I also wear very large socks
What do you do?: Training
What do you like?: I like scotch, scotchy, scotchy, scotch...
What don't you like?: Anyone that upsets my woman
Fav Tipple: Large measures of bourbon
Fav Cocktail: Espresso Martini, hold the Kahlua
Fav Record: The Tracy Chapman Collection
Fav Film: The Cinderella Man
Happiness is: Waking up to views of Table Mountain, every single day
Hero: Johnny Wilkinson
Where would you rather be?: Nowhere
What do you know?: I don't know much, but I know I love you...

Jennie Saunders

Jennie joined the Shaker crew in 2006 as part of the management team. Jennie has been involved in events since then and has joined the Bar School training staff. She has placed 1st in the Birmingham Association of Bartenders competition and 2nd in the Ketel One Bloody Mary regional heats in 2006. Jennie has a broad base of experience in pubs, clubs, 4* hotels, cocktail lounges and fine dining restaurants. She has also, over the last 5 years, occupied the role of bartender, waitress, chef, and manager and has a real passion for and understanding of all things hospitality.
Nickname: Jaffa
Shoe Size: 7, (or 8 when I'm telling the truth)
What do you do?: Quite a lot, actually
What do you like?: Ostriches...an extraordinarily versatile pet
What don't you like?: People that don't care
Fav Tipple: This week, I 'ave mostly been drinking wine...beefy Austrians & Germans
Fav Cocktail: Appletons Extra Old Fashioned with a lime twist
Fav Record: Cat Stevens - Moonshadow
Fav Film: Leon - makes me cry like a baby every time
Happiness is: Sunday mornings with newspapers, a fry up, coffee, and the Bear
Hero: My Daddy & my wee brother Adam
Where would you rather be?: In the kitchen
What do you know?: Less than I will tomorrow but more than I did yesterday

Myles Cunliffe

Myles is a drinks mogul. After 7 years of working in a multitude of different venues from Babington House, Blanch House, Fifth Floor, event work for some of the countries top agencies, his vast knowledge of all things wet surpasses most in the industry. In 2004, Myles gained 3rd place in the UK's largest mixology competition and graduated with a HND in wine studies from Plumpton College, Brighton University.
Myles has been a trainer with Shaker for 3 years and heads up the London Bar School. He is currently studying for the WSET Diploma.
Nickname: Milo
Shoe Size: 11
What do you do?: I teach the art of inspiration and run London Ops
What do you like?: Rum, my wife, wine, fishing, braai on the beach, not in that order. Just an easy life!What don't you like?: Being late, being rubbish at flair
Fav Tipple: At the moment, I enjoy everything
Fav Cocktail: Green sangrita & Tequila
Fav Record: Faithless, Miss You Less See You More
Fav Film: Taxi, (the French one)
Happiness is: Weekends off with the family

Rozanne Olivier of iDistribute took some amazing pics of Lemotion in action. This I will show you next time with some excellent new cocktails for the warm summer days.

Lemotion for dummies

Blogging has taken the world by storm. With over 70 million weblogs in mid 2005 and that was 2 years ago, just imagine how many there are now in 2007. Just like blogging has becoming a fast growing phenomenon so is Lemotion taking the party world by storm.

In order to make this blog perfect and reach as many readers as possible, plus this is all brand new to me, I have purchased the book Blogging for Dummies. Because up until three days ago I have never even heard of blogging let alone know what a blog is

So watch this space and see it improve.

If you have any ideas on how to make this blog better please give me your comments.

I am off to have a photo shoot with Lemotion, trying out new cocktail ideas so soon I will tell you all about it.

South Africa - Alive with Posibilities

Now that the Rugby World Cup is over, but by no means forgotten. The Boks are traveling through the country saying thanks to all the support they got from the nation and showing off The Webb Ellis cup they brought home with them. Lemotion wants to today look at the Soccer World Cup being hosted by South Africa in 2010. More specifically some of the amazing Stadiums that are being built around the country.

Matches for the Soccer World Cup 2010 will be played in 9 cities around South Africa.
They are Cape Town, Port Elisabeth, Durban, Bloemfontein, Nelspruit, Johannesburg, Pretoria, Rustenburg and Polokwane.

Just look how amazing it all looks, if the spirit of this country was as big as it was during the Rugby World Cup over the past month imagine what this country would be like in 2010. It is going to be mind blowing



Greenpoint Stadium - Cape Town

Greenpoint Stadium in Cape Town, Western Cape, is to be specially built for 2010, with a retractable roof and a capacity of 70 000. It will host six first-round matches, one second-round, one quarter-final and one semifinal match.(Image: South Africa 2010 Local Organising Committee)



The King Senzangakhona Stadium - Durban

The King Senzangakhona Stadium in Durban, KwaZulu-Natal, is to be specially built for 2010, with a capacity of 80 000. It will host six first-round matches, one second-round, and one semifinal match.(Image: South Africa 2010 Local Organising Committee)



The Nelson Mandela Stadium - Port Elisabeth

Artist's impression of the 50 000-seat Nelson Mandela Stadium in Port Elizabeth, Eastern Cape. It is to be specially built for 2010 and will host five first-round matches, one second-round match, one quarter-final and the third-place playoff. (Image: South Africa 2010 Local Organising Committee)



The Soccer City Stadium - Johannesburg

The Soccer City stadium in Johannesburg is to undergo a major upgrade for the 2010 tournament, with a new design inspired by traditional African pottery and a revamped capacity for 104 000 football fans. The stadium will hold the final and opening matches, five first-round matches, one second-round match and one quarter-final.(Image: South Africa 2010 Local Organising Committee)



But probably the best thing about the Soccer World Cup being held in South Africa in 2010 is that Lemotion will be there in full force to Sheer on Bafana Bafana all the way.

So you have 3 years to perfect your recipes for Lemotion Cocktails so let us see what cocktails you come up with. Send them to us and we will try them out as well.