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FOAM NEWS STEAMING UP AROUND THE COFFEE WORLD SCHOOL IS IN SESSION AT VISIONS Visions Espresso Service's Coffee Enhancement Lab (the CEL) is gearing up for some quality classes scheduled for this spring and summer at the Seattle location. Led by Cole McBride, Director of Education, sessions will cover such topics as coffee botany, coffee science and more, along with the regularly scheduled brewing and espresso classes for both beginning and advanced baristas. Further, private, custom and on-site trainings are available for cafés that need help with not only improving their coffee programs but tightening up on waste of product and time. Topics covered include keeping up with current trends and techniques, focusing on staff education and growing and expanding professional coffee knowledge. Barista events are being planned in the near future at Visions in the CEL. For a full listing of current classes and events go to www.visionsespresso.com. Created by Visions Espresso as an educational coffee laboratory, the Coffee Enhancement Lounge (CEL) offers introductions and demonstrations of coffee equipment and techniques. EAST COAST BARISTA CAMP DATES ANNOUNCED Given the barista community's hunger for coffee education and the desire to build on a cooperative spirit, it wasn't a surprise that the first Camp Pull-A-Shot, organized and produced by the Barista Guild of America (BGA) was such an enormous hit when it debuted in Santa Barbara, Calif., in October of 2011. Close to 200 baristas descended on a rustic cabin campsite on the Santa Barbara coast to spend three days together intensively learning about espresso, service, café culture, coffee origin, and more. The days were long and the material presented dense—and no one would have had it any other way. The first Camp Pull-A-Shot was such a hit that plans went into action immediately following it on the 2012 session. And in October of 2012, Camp—held at the same location in Southern California—was a sold out success. Not only has the content and quality of instructors been of the highest quality, but Marcus Boni, who organizes the event on behalf of the BGA, made sure that it was accessible to baristas—essentially, it needed to be relatively inexpensive for baristas to afford it. And Marcus delivered. Camp was between $500 and $600 in the first two years, which included room, board and all workshops and classes. Attendees came away saying it was an incredible value. The only complaint to come out of the first two Camp sessions, in fact, was that there needed to be more Camps, and in more locations. Specifically, baristas wanted to see an East Coast version of Camp Pull- A-Shot for those who wanted to attend but who couldn't swing the airfare and the time associated with cross country travel. Marcus and the BGA are thrilled to announce that the inaugural BGA East Coast Camp Pull-A-Shot has been scheduled for June 4–7, 2012, at the Mountain Lake Conservancy and Hotel in Pembroke, Virginia. Check out the website for this outstanding location—does it look familiar? If you've ever seen the cult classic Dirty Dancing, it should! 16 barista magazine Mountain Lake Conservancy and Hotel was the set location for the Patrick Swayze and Jennifer Grey 1987 hit movie. (And so you just know there's going to be some barista dance action going on at Camp at some point!) "Right now we have 167 total beds on reserve with the ability to add more if necessary," says Marcus. "Pricing will match West Coast (Camp) pricing, but (will be) specific to the venue accommodations options." Stay tuned to the BGA's website, baristaguildofamerica.net for registration and more information.