LET THE FUN BEGIN! The start of a sizzling summer…

Updated: April 1, 2010

As the cold winter of 2009 ends and the bright warm summer of 2010 begins… we have new hopes, budgets, competitions, cocktails, goals, desires, dreams and friends…

Things are positive and the future, as the weather is bright. With new Flair bars opening up… Rock & Ritas, Off the Hookah WPB, etc… brings new growth and opportunities. Along with new and familiar faces here on American soil to help revitalize our cocktail culture and pump new exciting bartending blood in our needle filled veins. Great analogy lol.

Its true, with some of Europe’s and the world’s best Flair bartenders coming to work on both coasts, there is a new and much needed excitement with Flair there again. Combine that with the ever building Mixology scene and we have a recipe for a well balanced and tasty cocktail prepared in an entertaining and timely manner. What else could you ask for?

This is one of my dreams and the goals of many of us the past years… Tobin Ellis, Anthony Alba, Dean Serneels, Brian Loukmas, Cesar Romero, Simon Ford, Tony Abou-Ganim, John Lermayer, Philip Raimondo, Bobby G, Philip Duff, Graham Kimura and Cheryl Charming just to name a few… and with each and every year passing we come closer and closer to achieving this on grander scales each time. I’m excited about the coming summer… how about you?

To get more of an idea what I’m talking about, check out our ‘And Finally’ page by Mike Mclean & Xavier Alcaraz where we relive the adventures of Summer Flair 4 and the exchange of knowledge and passions at Mixology Matters. Already looking forward to September in 2010 for the next one!

From one event to another, next we move on to “Flair’s Quest” with Quest 2009! You can read the full story, video clips and more on our ‘Comp Reviews’ page. I’m still having flashbacks Ben Rose and Chris Cardone sumo wrestling outside of TGI Fridays!

Next we move on to a familiar name in Flair bartending finals… Dario Doimo. Currently in third place on the FBA Pro Tour, find out what he has been up to since his last Flairbar.com interview in March 2005 all on our ‘Interviews’ page. Dario is someone I look up to… literally! Lol.

Next we have the man with eighth place honors in the Pro division at Quest this past year… Nicholas Olliney. Watch as he shows us a cool three bottle sequence with a head stall to a tomahawk on our ‘Masterclass’ page. He still reminds me of Levi’s little brother? Lol.

From one friend to the next, Cesar Romero shares with us a life lesson he learned entitled “A Contract is Always your Best Friend” all on our ‘Articles’ page. Learn it from him rather then having to learn this valuable lesson yourself.

From Flair to Mixology… next we head over to Paris, France with Laurent Greco from Bar Academy Paris as he shares with us his “Herbal Mixology” on our ‘Flavors’ page. Loran Dehrines takes some amazing cocktail pictures.

For all of you other mixologists out there… Don’t forget to contribute to our content collector called ‘Cocktails’. This is where you can share your own Absolut Vodka and Finest Call cocktail recipes with the rest of the world and get credit for it. Have a great drink you invented? Want to share it with the rest of the world? Think it is worthy? Prove it!

Next check out one of our newest additions to our “Flairmation” family… “Flairing Freddy”. Get to know more about this character from Rob Husted (that’s me!) all on our “Flairmation” page. It made me laugh?… Lol.

Check out the “Glossary” page if your new to Flair and Mixology and your still learning the lingo. Be sure to keep an eye on it as we will continue to keep adding to this on going database of bartending knowledge.
Next we have our ‘Reader Contest’ results for our loyal Flairbar.com readers. Plus our regular features, more ‘Barware’, more pages, and more Flair than you can shake a Hawthorne strainer at.

So take some time out and enjoy a cocktail with Absolut Vodka and Finest Call, or a Bud Light Lime as you flip a Flairco bottle into a BarProducts tin and enjoy this months issue of Flairbar.com and say “Thank You” to the sponsors who keep our sport alive.