My wife and I will be taking a trip throught the above regions. We've found a great inn in the Finger Lakes, a beautiful inn in which we've previously stayed in the Niagara region, and a hotel in downtown Toronto. We'll be packing plenty of special wines with us and looking for some BYO dinners. I have an attorney friend in Toronto we expect to see and I have corresponded with futronic and Slan. We'd love to meet some new VC people on this trip for dinner, winery visits, or both.

If anyone has a BYO dining tips for us, we'd love to hear it. As far the inns go, we know where we want to stay. Thanks for any input.

When is your trip? We are in Rochester. Maybe we can pull something together, especially if you are thinking about taking the ferry over.

Love to meet you. It'll be then end of this month, beginning of next month. Most likely the nights of July 28 and 29 in the Finger Lakes, 30 and 31 in Toronto, August 1, 2, and 3 in Niagara.

Board_O,

In Ithaca,

Madeline's (new American) is very good (they can be a little inconsistent, but are always good, normally very good and even sometimes great). They use Spiegelau glasses. Les Ducs (French) is also very good and might be slightly more consistent than Madeline's, although it also doesn't quite hit the highs that Madeline's can; but, at least the last time I visited, they didn't have the world's greatest stemware. I was not charged corkage at Les Ducs the last time I was there and was charged $15/bottle at Madeline's. (I have also had the corkage waived at Madeline's when sharing my wine with the server.) Unless things have changed in the past year, those are your two best bets in Ithaca and the surrounding area. And, understand, I believe that I have actually eaten at every single well respected restaurant within 30 miles of Ithaca at least once in the past 4 years.

a

P.S. As I have said elsewhere, look for Dano's to re-open in the near future. I forget the exact location, it will be somewhere out in the country right on one of the Finger Lakes (Seneca?) When it does open, I have full faith that it will immediately become the best restaurant in the area -- and will deffinitely allow BYO to one extent or another. (Disclosure: I was somewhat friendly with Dano's wife, Karen, although I haven't spoken with her in over a year.)

P.P.S. If you do decide that dinner in Ithaca is a possibility, drop me a pm. There are a couple of names it would behoove you to drop and a couple of things you should see in Ithaca if you have time.

Thanks. We won't be staying in Ithaca, but your recommendation of Les Ducs sounds good. The inn we'll be staying at has an excellent restaurant and we may only eat there once. If they don't allow BYO, we may not eat there at all.

Board_O,

Out of sheer curiosity, which inn are you staying at? If you'd prefer to PM me the name, that is cool.

I lived in Ithaca for 5 1/2 years and have visited many times since leaving, so I know the area quite well.

a

whiner, I printed out your post above. I'll PM you the details in case the royal court jester has any more midnight phone calls in mind.

Unfortunately (or fortunately), we will be out of town those dates at a family reunion in the Bahamas with Seek.

Sorry to miss you this trip. Have a great time in the Bahamas. If you have any favorite wineries in this great viticultural state of ours, I'd be happy to learn of them.

Board-O

Will just miss you - heading up to Niagara today, but will be returning on Sunday, after dropping my son off at camp at Lake Chataqua (sp?)