saut
Grape Fermenter
Posts:523
 | | 11/04/2006 10:32 PM |
| Well, like many folks, I don't need an excuse to go to Las Vegas. Taos looks fun too, my folks went when I was young and all I got was the t-shirt.  | | | |
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Joe Barsky
Grape Stomper
Posts:169
| | 11/07/2006 12:48 AM |
| Quote:
Quote:
Quote:
What about meeting in the middle?
Alamogordo, NM?
You laugh. Is this close enough?
I'd bet we could have one hell of a party!
DavidN,
Doc's was an amazing lucky spot that Gail and I hit by chance on our one day in Taos last year (there was no snow in the end of December ) The photo on the top of the restauant tab on your link shows the Doc's Famous Chile Relleno Platter Green chile sauce, rice, beans, salsa fresca, pepitas & goat cheese cream- $11. Gail ate half of my entree as it was huge and delicous! AND they had a great wine list. We drank a 2002 Lavantureux Petite Chablis and loved it with the acidity cutting right through the sauces and shocking my tongue to contrast the heat of the peppers.
One of our best meals in NM. I would stay here if we returned. Too bad the Taos 2007 wine event is the same weekend as our niece's wedding...
Joe | | | |
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Robert Prosperino
Brewster, NY
Barrel Sampler
Posts:2483
| | 11/12/2006 11:33 PM |
| | Trying to keep this thread going, I'm not sure that we have come to a consensus on place (or date) yet. | | | |
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Paul_H
San Francisco
Grape Puncher
Posts:890
| | 11/13/2006 12:03 AM |
| Why don't we have have a vote, with ranked choice voting to ensure a winner?
Here are the venues suggested so far (plus three more for good measure):
- Las Vegas, NV
- Dallas, TX
- Austin, TX
- Taos, NM
- Reno, NV
- Chicago, IL
- New York City, NY
- Ojai, CA
Vote for three, in preferred order.
My votes:
1. Taos, NM
2. Ojai, CA
3. NYC | |
http://www.sweetandsourspectator.org | |
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kpak
Alaska
Wine Thief
Posts:2968
| | 11/13/2006 8:24 PM |
| For me, dates are more important than location.
I'll go almost anywhere... | |
The difference between genius and stupidity is that genius has it's limits...
ps - friends don't let friends eat farmed salmon. | |
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Pete Marsh
Left Coast
Barrel Racker
Posts:1520
| | 11/14/2006 2:01 AM |
| Quote:
For me, dates are more important than location.
I'll go almost anywhere...
Same here.
Pete and Barbara | |
I've learned that wherever I go, the world's worst drivers
have followed me there. | |
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Claret
Reno, NV
Grape Sorter
Posts:249
| | 11/14/2006 3:48 PM |
| | Another vote for Reno. | | | |
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David Niederauer
Los Gatos, CA
Master Sommelier
Posts:15756
| | 11/15/2006 6:36 PM |
| Quote:
For me, dates are more important than location.
I'll go almost anywhere...
Me too.
Ojai would be fantastic but it is sure far away from everything.
All you need now is more suggestions but:
Monterey/Carmel
Santa Barbara | | | |
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Paul_H
San Francisco
Grape Puncher
Posts:890
| | 11/15/2006 7:30 PM |
| Quote:
Ojai would be fantastic but it is sure far away from everything.
Ojai is a six-hour drive from San Francisco, and a 90-minute drive from LAX with really nice accomodations at the Ojai Valley Inn and Spa and lots of other B&B possibilities.
We could work on getting the patio atSuzannne's. | |
http://www.sweetandsourspectator.org | |
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David Walker
Barrel Sampler
Posts:2284
| | 11/15/2006 8:47 PM |
| What about Philly? I'm sure j_b knows some restaurant people who could take care of us.
Ok, I guess I didn't follow the rules:
1) NYC
2) Philly
3) Hartford
As certain events have unfolded for me since this was first discussed, an East coast dinner works best for me. | | | |
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Winetex
Austin, Texas
Master of Wine
Posts:10801
| | 11/15/2006 10:21 PM |
| The reality is that if you want people to fly to the event it should be on the easy side to get to. Sorry but Taos, Ojai and a few of the others just don't make it on that criteria. There is nothing more fun than flying for several hours then having a long drive on the other side of it. Just my two cents. Plus it makes it easier on the spouses and significant others if there is lots of stuff to do when you get there (ie a destination type place).
And the west coasters should try to fly some place.
The best offlines that we've attended have been in the following places: Seattle, Chicago, Napa/Sonoma, San Francisco, New York City, Las Vegas and New Orleans.
And possibly the most important part is the event driver(s). For without that person or people nothing happens. And so far no one is jumping on that role. | | | |
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David Niederauer
Los Gatos, CA
Master Sommelier
Posts:15756
| | 11/17/2006 1:04 AM |
| Quote:
We could work on getting the patio atSuzannne's.
Been there. Done that.
We had a dinner for 50 people there a few years back. Very nice place and very nice people.
Ojai is a golf-spa-arts place. And the chief mixologist at the Inn has his Phd in Martinis. | | | |
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kpak
Alaska
Wine Thief
Posts:2968
| | 11/27/2006 2:05 AM |
| Quote:
And possibly the most important part is the event driver(s). For without that person or people nothing happens. And so far no one is jumping on that role.
Still no one jumping.
If you all would come to Alaska, I'd volunteer in a heartbeat... | |
The difference between genius and stupidity is that genius has it's limits...
ps - friends don't let friends eat farmed salmon. | |
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saut
Grape Fermenter
Posts:523
| | 12/03/2006 7:42 AM |
| | How about Yountville? It's an hour and a half drive from SF, there are a few great places to stay, and I think we all could find something to do in the Napa Valley. Thoughts? | | | |
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David Niederauer
Los Gatos, CA
Master Sommelier
Posts:15756
| | 12/03/2006 5:19 PM |
| I think going to wine country would be great.
I would suggest the Sonoma though because lodging would be half the cost in Santa Rosa. We did an event in October at Vintner's Inn and it was a great venue. It is located near wineries. Martinelli is about a mile down the road. There are also several "budget" hotels within a couple of miles. John Ash did two fantastic meals for our group also. And I'd bet we could get at least a dozen vintners to come to the dinner. I'd suggest we did a two-nighter and have one of the dinners at a winery. We did Papapietro-Perry and it was a super supper. I think these Pinot people would love to host us. We could do some group tours also.
I'd help setting up the dinners and tours. Somebody else would need to negotiate with the hotel for group rates. Everyone would be on their own to make their reservations.
There is air service from San Francisco to Santa Rosa. The airport is about five miles from the Vintner's Inn. | | | |
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David Niederauer
Los Gatos, CA
Master Sommelier
Posts:15756
| | 12/03/2006 5:25 PM |
| | The Vintner's Inn is located on the road to Calistoga. It is 20 minutes at the most from Santa Rosa to Calistoga if one wanted to drive over to the Napa Valley. | | | |
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wineismylife
Arlington, TX
Master of Wine
Posts:12265
| | 12/03/2006 7:19 PM |
| As with any event like this it'll go absolutely nowhere unless one person steps forward, takes charge, sets a date, agrees to make the arrangements and let's the chips fall where they may.
Volunteers? | |
Joe
-----
Wine is like potato chips around me...if it's open, it's gone. | |
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BellaDonna
Barrel Racker
Posts:1890
| | 12/04/2006 5:50 AM |
| My vote:
1. Napa
2. NYC
3. Vegas
I'll volunteer...can't guarantee many responses...but I will try. | | | |
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hudamang
CALI
Grape Sorter
Posts:212
| | 12/04/2006 7:31 AM |
| | I can make it out to Napa Might be easier on the budget than elsewhere, especially with the upcoming wedding in the summer. Yikes. | | | |
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Al_ksyrah
Barrel Filler
Posts:1046
| | 12/04/2006 3:13 PM |
| See David's earlier post re Sonoma vs Napa, I'd agree that Sonoma would be preferable.
-Al | | | |
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