Quick question for BWE New Yorkers

[JimHow]

I'm planning on picking up a certain bottle of wine at the Wine Connection in Pound Ridge. Is this something I'm going to need my car for or will I be able to obtain some sort of public transportation?

Map Quest says it's 50 miles from NYC, so I'm assuming the answer is no?

Also, I'll be at the Jude Law Hamlet performance tomorrow night on Broadway til about 11, I'm probably not free after that but are any BWEers planning on staying up late tomorrow?

[Comte Flaneur]

Jim - I go there a lot and you need your car - it is in the back of beyond about ten miles from where I live in Stamford.

From the City the best route to take is probably the Merrit Parkway

It is a good store, though I sent back my five remaining bottles of Lagrange 1996 because they were all slightly corked

[JimHow]

Comte, can you pick up the '89 Lynch they have sitting at the front counter? It's going to make the difference between whether I fly down (comfortable 50 minute flight) or drive down (grueling 6.5 hour ordeal)!

[jal]

If Ian can't go, I can swing by Saturday before heading to NYC, it's about 20 minutes from my house. Let me know.

[JimHow]

That would really help, Jacques, I need to decide first thing in the AM whether I am going to drive down or fly down on the quick Jet Blue skip and a hop to JFK. The only reason why I would drive down is that that store is off Rt 684, on my way towards the Saw Mill Parkway. I always hate to ask for favors, but this would save me about twelve painful hours of driving this weekend. I'll plan on flying down, if you guys can't get to Pound Ridge I'll find a way to get there. Thanks, Jim

[Comte Flaneur]

Jim/Jacques - it is not a problem at all I can pick it up - it is a quick 15 minute blast from my house - I will pick it up tomorrow night but am working latish (they close late too) - so if not I will pick it up on Saturday morning - the guy I speak to there is Steve O'Sullivan - he knows me well.

[JimHow]

That would be awesome, Ian, it is all paid for, I'll call them in the morning and tell them that you'll be picking it up. I really appreciate it, this is going to save me from a major travel burden this weekend. Thanks, Jim

[Comte Flaneur]

It is my pleasure Jim

Is it OK to double decant it in the early afternoon?

That is my plan with the Mish and the Rothschilds

[JimHow]

Yes, we should decant at the same time as all the others.
The guy on the phone told me the bottle looked in good shape, high fill, etc.
Let's get it on!!!!

[PappaDoc]

Jimbo,

Couldn't you get a Jet Blue into White Plains/Westchester Airport? JFK might be best for you, I'm just curious.

PD

[JimHow]

PD, I'm actually taking US Airways into LGA.
Our options are somewhat limited up here in the backwoods.

[hautbrionlover]

Jim: I am not only anxious to read the reviews about this tasting/competition, but I'd really appreciate a review of Jude Law's Hamlet. Do you offer theatre critiques as well as wine?

And why would any NY BWEers be up late tonight? Oh yeah, there's still baseball in New York, isn't there?

[stefan]

Not a review, HBL, but an endorsement: Lucie and I saw Hamlet last Saturday and enjoyed it very much. Law has an interesting portrayal of the great Dane; quite angry. Ron Cook's is wonderful as Polonius, with none of the trivialization that you often see, and Peter Eyre is terrific in his roles. The actress playing Ophelia does a terrible job, IMO; the one really weak performance. The Rosencrantz & Guilderstern characters are average at best. Geraldine James is just OK as Gertrude. However, the other supporting roles are done quite nicely.

stefan

[JimHow]

Hamlet was wonderful. A very quick 3 hours. I highly recommend it. Other than the contemporary clothing and the subtle music (neither of which interfered with the play), I thought it was a pretty traditional Hamlet. I've seen the play performed five times over the years by some pretty heavy duty actors, and I thought Jude Law's rendition was outstanding, second only to Derek Jacoby at the Old Vic in London in '79. Contrary to some of the experts, I didn't think this Hamlet was any more or less angry than the rest. I mean, it's an angry role. His father has been murdered and his mother is sleeping with the murderer. Of course he's pissed! It helps that Law seems likeable by nature and has those boyish rough and tumble good looks. We need to "like" Hamlet. I have no idea why the set and clothing were contemporary, I saw no way that enhanced or detracted from the story. But at least it wasn't overdone. I saw Natalie Dessay in La Sonnambula at the Met last spring, with the cellphones and leather jackets, etc., it was totally ridiculous. They nailed the humorous scenes in Hamlet last night, the gravedigger scene was brilliant and Polonius was very strong, very witty. Ophelia was fine, maybe not traditional but her singing voice was very pretty. I was not as enamouted with Gertrude as the critics, she just didn't do it for me. There was actually laughter in the audience during her death scene. Overall, though, two very enthusiastic thumbs up! Jude Law was brilliant!

[rjsussex]

Your limey friend Richard was Hamlet as an Oxford postgraduate. A friend at the time, who later became a Famous Actor, said of the performance: 'You were quite good in Act 5'.

That's what friends are for.

Richard

[JimHow]

Wow! We have a Hamlet amongst us!

[rjsussex]

Sorry: should have added that my friend was using 'quite good' in the UK not the USA sense - ie 'not very good',ie 'good enough' (and by implication 'bloody awful in Acts 1, 2, 3 and 4')

!

R