chromosomes…

For those who haven’t visited in a while, you may notice the new work of art on the wall.

The artist is Andrea Francois Vercingetorige Cristoforetti, a regular to doubleshot. We love his open-mindedness which provokes thought and redefines traditions, which is also reflected in his architectural design at DODECA, which strives to seek harmony with nature. Here is a bit of detail…

 
            

            

 Who said biology isn’t creative?

One of the best parts of the painting, however, is not on the wall – it’s watching our local cheese maker from Fynboshoek Cheese Farm, Alje. Amongst other things, Alje is also a geneticist, and every Tuesday when he comes in to deliver his cheese, he sips a three-quarter cappuccino and stares at the painting with a huge smile on his face. He loves Andrea’s take on CHROMOSOMES!

      

“What’s the attraction?”

Being a picturesque little seaside town in the heart of South Africa’s garden route, we had suspected things may pick up a little in Plettenberg Bay over holiday season…

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Things started getting a little busy…

Maybe it was false rumours of a free cappu-giveaway… or perhaps we were being mistaken for the national lottery ticket queue (actually around the corner), but some of the lines forming outside doubleshot over ’season’ have been simply unprecedented! We’ve been pulling so many shots, at times it felt our Kees Idrocompressor espresso machine was under more pressure than the global financial system.
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Better than the lottery jackpot?

On one of the days following Christmas, a couple who had seen the morning crowds came in a little later and asked what the attraction was. As much of a mystery to us, we replied: “Everything”. They asked for a freshly squeezed juice… smile.
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Happy holidays doubleshot…!

In learned conversation with Ooma Hilary!

This time on ‘in conversation with’ we’ve been lucky enough to find a moment, over a cappuccino, with a remarkable woman working flat-out, together with the Bitou 10 Foundation, to uplift education for all in the Plett area. ‘Mama Hilary’ is on a mission to provide structures to facilitate development in Bitou’s ten government schools. The main focus is on literacy, numeracy, curriculum leadership and school management and to provide teachers with the necessary skills, enthusiasm, passion and pride to pass this on to the scholars.

Her husband, David (who happens to be the uncle of Dave Matthews – of Dave Matthews’ Band fame), is no stranger to education himself. David started Maru-a-pula, one of THE most successful schools in Southern Africa in Gaborone, Botswana. It is an absolute success story thanks largely to partnerships both local and across the continent.

Here’s what Hilary had to say..

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1) What do people call you?
Hilary, Mama Hilary, Mabatho, Mom, Ooma

2) espresso, cappuccino, latte or flat-white and why?
three-quarter cappuccino. Because it’s Magnifique!

3) what’s keeping you busy these days?
Education renewal: transformation

4) What book/magazine is next to your bed at the moment and how is it?
“Vienna” by Eva Menasse – about the disintegration of Jewish families in Vienna before and after World War II. Beautifully written.

5) Tell us briefly about the most interesting news/ideas you’ve heard in the last week?
“That the steady and frequent flapping of the fragile wings of a butterfly over the jungles of the Amazon River Basin can affect weather patterns over Detroit thousands of kilometres away.”

6) What is your “most-played” music at the moment?
Ali Farke Toure; Bach – Goldberg Variations; & Partitas; Gotan Project c/o the two kind Karins!

7) Where are you spending most your time on the web?
Too busy to do much web visiting

In quiet conversation at doubleshot!

You may recall a few weeks ago we featured a photo-session at doubleshot with Claire Sternberg and Klaus Oppenheimer which produced some pretty innovative shots of our micro-foamed cappuccini. We managed to catch Claire ‘in conversation’ before she jetted off back to Jo’burg after the shoot…

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1) What do people call you?
Claire. Or Clazst. 

2) espresso, cappuccino, latte or flat-white and why?
Caffé Latte is my favourite. WHY? Mmm, it tastes good and mild. I don’t like very strong coffee, so for me it is the perfect drink.

3) what’s keeping you busy these days?
I spend most my time in front of a monitor with design/photography/multimedia and editing. Non-stop. I don’t know how I could survive without a computer.

Clazst lends her photography skills to the doubleshot microfoam…

4) What book/magazine is next to your bed at the moment and how is it?
Pix Photography Magazine, House & Leisure, and a book “Master of Love – Don Miguel “

5) Tell us briefly about the most interesting news/ideas you’ve heard in the last week?
I am inspired by DIY. There are so many interesting things one can do and I think it is great that I can literally do anything and everything myself and with my own hands.

6) What is your “most-played” music at the moment?
Hmmm, I’m unable to hear, so unable to follow music; but my heart has rhythm and beat.

7) Where are you spending most your time on the web?
Facebook and reading news on news24.co.za

Obamamania hits doubleshot…

Today at doubleshot, there was overwhelming joy at Barack Obama’s election as President of the USA. Many hope, that Obama will be a powerful example to politicians here at home…

“hmmm… if only this was a doubleshot latte”

The US President-elect is a coffee-drinker himself (must be the Kenyan side of the family showing through). Rumour has it Barack has moved swiftly to prioritise a South African business-trip to allow himself the chance to pop in and sample some of doubleshot’s finest, inbetween meetings with JayZee…

Kenya, as it happens, seems to be celebrating Obama’s victory almost more than the Americans themselves. Today (Thursday 6th) has been declared a public holiday in the African country, and last night the makers of the local ‘Senator‘ beer launched a limited-edition ‘President‘ brew to commemmorate the event!

In conversation – the guy with the French bulldog…

[ Ed's note: today we start a new and ongoing series, "In conversation". We're going to set about trying to find out what makes some of the people of the doubleshot coffeebar tick, and bring our findings to you here on godoubleshot.com... ]

1) What do people call you?
Ryan. Or the guy with the French Bulldog!

2) Espresso, cappuccino, latte or flat-white and why?
Pink cappuccino! – A delicious size cappuccino in a special pink cup used only by me & Plett’s famous Ballerina!

Ryan, in conversation…

3) What’s keeping you busy these days?
An exhibition of my paintings.
My dog.
Community Art Studio
Tai Chi
Drinking coffee (here of course).

4) What book/magazine is next to your bed at the moment and how is it?
Hello magazine! And some other very deep books on meditation!

5) Tell us briefly about the most interesting news/ideas you’ve heard in the last week?
- Karin & Karin closing Doubleshot for a week & coming to Johannesburg for my exhibition
- Putting up a sign at Doubleshot for my dog
“Buy Balanchine a Biscotti – only R4!”

Balanchine… a good taste for biscotti.

6) What is your “most-played” music at the moment?
Coco Rosie
Anthony & the Johnsons. Although silence is also good at the moment…

7) Where are you spending most your time on the web?
I’m a techno-phobe!

Photo session at doubleshot

Claire Sternberg, a photographer from Johannesburg, met with Plettenberg Bay’s photographer, Klaus Oppenheimer, at doubleshot, to shoot and document more than  just espresso shots.

 Photos by Claire Sternberg

latté art free pour!
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 Claire Sternberg, photographer and graphic designer at doubleshot

VIP visit & time for a break… (31/08/2008)

Doubleshot sibling, Ingy, and Trevor, came to doubleshot for the first time this weekend. Quite a celebration which took months in the making! Of course, the chance of bumping into Robinson Crusoe’s lead actor, Philip Winchester, a regular to doubleshot on his rare days off the set, was an added attraction. Missed this visit, but perhaps on the next…

Ingy and Trevor in the house!

Doubleshot VIPS getting into the vibe!

We both desperately need a break after an extremely busy last couple of weeks. Someone asked us if we ever imagined doubleshot would turn into this “wild animal” that it is, as popular as it has become… laugh!

Jessie & Aimee… some other “wild animals” of doubleshot!

In the house… (21/08/2008)

This is the crew from Emily Moon restaurant, who frequent doubleshot, taken shortly before Mox (far left) and Frank (far right) headed off to Australia in search of the perfect Oz flat-white. 10 days into their 6 month journey, Mox and Frank packed their bags and took the next flight back to doubleshot.
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Also in the house was Helmut, a handyman from Germany, contemplating his fertility and role in creation. The “artefact” is an ode to Duchamp, created by Marty Reddering, a local carpenter in town, also as a response to Carol Levin’s “LIFE”, created out of sequins and depicting femininity…

Interesting ice-creams… and the ‘francchiato’! (21/08/2008)

We’ve been experimenting with two more ice cream flavours: ristretto&orange, and ristretto-green olive. Both are delightful, the latter bringing the most surprises to the undiscerning. Many imagined they were tasting figs, dates or peanut-butter, and everyone loved it. Even dyed-in-the-wool olive haters, like John of Emily Moon Restaurant, couldn’t believe they were drooling over the creamy coffee-olive combo.

Not a bad reaction from a dyed-in-the-wool olive hater!

Frank is a good mate of John’s who couldn’t believe that John was actually eating olives! Frank has founded his own doubleshot creation, now called a “Francchiato”, which is obviously a doubleshot macchiato, but served in a cappuccino cup, with an extra serving of micro-foamed milk foam.

Frank…

Now we’ve just got to think of a suitable name for the ice-cream so as not to scare off little red-riding-hoods before they’ve tried it. Does anyone have any good ideas?