BWE '11: Going to California?

JimHow · Post by **JimHow** » Tue Sep 07, 2010 12:16 am

Spend my days with a woman unkind
Smoked my stuff and drank all my wine
Made up my mind, make a new start
Goin' to California with an achin' in my heart
Someone told me there's a girl out there
With love in her eyes and flowers in her hair

At the Chicago '10 convention we talked about possibly taking the BWE road show to either Dallas, where Howard and Lisa would help to organize things, or San Francisco, where various BWEers are based.

Sounds like Werner has done some initial research into possible venues in San Francisco.

We should probably start crystalizing plans. Myself, if I had to vote right now I would probably pick the City of San Francisco. (Not necessarily wine country.) (I would even be up for another cross-country excursion but I'm keeping an eye on my dad's health, I'm not sure I can get away for two weeks.)

The weekend we have been scheduling it on in recent years has been around April 1st, which would fall on the following dates in 2011:

Thursday, March 31, 2011
Friday, April 1, 2011
Saturday, April 2, 2011
Sunday, April 3, 2011

Do we know what dates the religious holidays fall on next spring? Are there any other potential scheduling conflicts?

Jim

Blanquito · Post by **Blanquito** » Tue Sep 07, 2010 12:56 am

I second the idea, San Fran in 2011!

Those dates work well for my academic calendar.

SF Ed · Post by **SF Ed** » Tue Sep 07, 2010 1:23 am

Works for me. I'd also be happy to help being one of the organizers.

SF Ed

JimHow · Post by **JimHow** » Tue Sep 07, 2010 1:28 am

Sounds good!

stefan · Post by **stefan** » Tue Sep 07, 2010 1:08 pm

I hope it will be later this year. Jan and I will be in Cambridge, England, until April 7.

stefan

DavidG · Post by **DavidG** » Tue Sep 07, 2010 5:45 pm

I'll be returning from 2 weeks abroad that week and will be playing catch-up in the office. My travel schedule is a bear this year - and next - mostly with academic stuff that is difficult or impossible to duck. I will follow the developments and try to free up time once a final date and place is picked but at this point it would be hard to say which weekend in the spring, if any, might work.

Jay Winton · Post by **Jay Winton** » Thu Sep 09, 2010 2:00 am

can't we do it later when the weather is nicer?

I left my home in Norfolk Virginia,
California on my mind.
Straddled that Greyhound, rode him past Raleigh,
On across Caroline.

Stopped in Charlotte and bypassed Rock Hill,
And we never was a minute late.
We was ninety miles out of Atlanta by sundown,
Rollin' 'cross the Georgia state.

We had motor trouble it turned into a struggle,
Half way 'cross Alabam,
And that 'hound broke down and left us all stranded
In downtown Birmingham.

Straight off, I bought me a through train ticket,
Ridin' cross Mississippi clean
And I was on that midnight flyer out of Birmingham
Smoking into New Orleans.

Somebody help me get out of Louisiana
Just help me get to Houston town.
There's people there who care a little 'bout me
And they won't let the poor boy down.

Sure as you're born, they bought me a silk suit,
Put luggage in my hands,
And I woke up high over Albuquerque
On a jet to the promised land.

Workin' on a T-bone steak a la carte
Flying over to the Golden State;
The pilot told me in thirteen minutes
We'd be headin' in the terminal gate.

Swing low sweet chariot, come down easy
Taxi to the terminal zone;
Cut your engines, cool your wings,
And let me make it to the telephone.

Los Angeles give me Norfolk Virginia,
Tidewater four ten O nine
Tell the folks back home this is the promised land callin'
And the poor boy's on the line.

JimHow · Post by **JimHow** » Thu Sep 09, 2010 2:19 am

The weather is always nice in California, Jay....

Hey I'm flexible, but I'm warning you guys, this is an issue we have dealt with before. Once we start getting later in the spring I think you're going to find there are more rather than less scheduling conflicts....

Chasse-Spleen · Post by **Chasse-Spleen** » Thu Sep 09, 2010 6:40 am

I guess I can understand why you guys don't want to have the convention in New York anymore...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lEE4xxRxJ6A

-Chasse

stefan · Post by **stefan** » Thu Sep 09, 2010 8:04 pm

Yeah, Jay!

Jim just wants to have it on his record that he has attended more BWE conventions than Lucie and I.

JimHow · Post by **JimHow** » Thu Sep 09, 2010 8:44 pm

Au contraire, Stefan, I would not think of scheduling it at a time that you and Lucie cannot attend.

JimHow · Post by **JimHow** » Fri Sep 10, 2010 12:11 am

So when are we doing the conention then?

stefan · Post by **stefan** » Fri Sep 10, 2010 2:02 am

We can make any weekend after April 10 until the end of May.

RDD · Post by **RDD** » Fri Sep 10, 2010 1:05 pm

Chasse-Spleen wrote:I guess I can understand why you guys don't want to have the convention in New York anymore...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lEE4xxRxJ6A

-Chasse

I can't understand why you guys from New York never venture to other cities for conventions. Of course there are a few exceptions to prove the rule.

Michael-P · Post by **Michael-P** » Sun Sep 12, 2010 2:05 pm

Coming from Dubai, the East Coast (NY, Boston, DC, Miami, etc) are easier.

But since "home " is still San Francisco, I'm OK with that too.

Just let me know the dates and location and I'll be there!

Michael-P

aimeedogdogdog · Post by **aimeedogdogdog** » Wed Sep 15, 2010 12:39 am

We have it all here in SF! We could arrange something fun to do during the day, like taking a boat trip to Angle Island and take a walk there in the morning, picnic at the beach for lunch, going for tea tasting in the afternoon (yes, Tea, not wine.. LOL. Ok, or wine tasting if you so insist.), going for an opera or symphony in the afternoon (I'll have to check. I am sure some symphony at Davis Sunday afternoon), wine shopping at Wine Club, K&L, Wine House, etc. or pay a visit to China town, the fisherman's wharf, checking out the Golden Gate Bridge, Golden Gate Park(walking, joggling, biking, boating in the lake, or just sitting around and having a picnic), Art musium, local funky spots... on and on. There are plenty of great restaurants and food around, like Slanted Door, the Taylor's for their tuna burgers, steak house, crab house, oysters and muscadets at the pier in the afternoon...

Well, just let me know.
Werner

JimHow · Post by **JimHow** » Wed Sep 15, 2010 12:46 am

We need to pick a weekend!

aimeedogdogdog · Post by **aimeedogdogdog** » Wed Sep 15, 2010 1:15 am

Why don't we start it first? All weekends are open to us for now. What's your situation, Jim?

Would the weekend " April 28th - May 1st" work for everyone?

Werner

Blanquito · Post by **Blanquito** » Wed Sep 15, 2010 5:59 am

Do you mean April 28th - May 1st, Werner?

If so, that works for my schedule. Any time around then is good.

aimeedogdogdog · Post by **aimeedogdogdog** » Wed Sep 15, 2010 6:42 am

Thanks for the catch, Pat. I have made the corrections.

Werner

aimeedogdogdog · Post by **aimeedogdogdog** » Tue Sep 21, 2010 6:38 pm

I re-read the other thread, and also contacted some of the west coast BWEers. It looks like we have the following potential attendees if we move the dates to the weekend of April 21st - April 24th:

Ed and Lisa
MichaelP (and ?)
CabFan and Victoria
Chris and Werner
Bill and Linda (if we move the dates to April 21st - April 24th?)
Jim
Patrick
Stefan and Jan

The usual suspects need to confirm?
David and Nancy (waiting for their response)
Stuart and wife
David(?)
Jay and wife (they want dates in May or June)
Rick and Kathy
others? (Ark and Kathy, Jon....)

Werner

JonB · Post by **JonB** » Tue Sep 21, 2010 7:57 pm

I'd like to come, and if there's available spaces might invite another friend or two. April 22-24 is Easter weekend, and I'll have to clear it with my superior if this is the chosen date.

William P · Post by **William P** » Tue Sep 21, 2010 10:07 pm

I will be out of state between April 28 and May 13. However, you should not book around my schedule. Also we should not book over easter for family and hotel booking reasons ( airfare too). Book what is most convenient for the regulars, they deserve it more.

JimHow · Post by **JimHow** » Tue Sep 21, 2010 11:19 pm

I'm not sure whether I can make it this year, Werner, but for sure you do not want to book it over Easter.

aimeedogdogdog · Post by **aimeedogdogdog** » Wed Sep 22, 2010 3:46 am

Oops, I didn't know the weekend of April 21st - April 24th was Easter. Ok, then we need to choose a different weekend. I really have no idea what's the best weekend for most of us, but no one puts out a date, so let's try and correct, and here it is:
The weekend of May 19th - 22nd?

Can the following people still make it?
Ed and Lisa
MichaelP (and ?)
CabFan and Victoria (Peter said they would almost be sure to be there)
Chris and Werner (we are fine)
Bill and Linda
Patrick
Stefan and Jan
Jay and wife
Jon and wife and friends

Others?

Not sure what it means without Jim in the BWE convention (the BWE 10th convention). But whatever the majority decides, I am fine with it, even it means we would have to skip a year.

Werner

sdr · Post by **sdr** » Wed Sep 22, 2010 1:00 pm

For a BWE convention, I'm available 52 weekends a year.

aimeedogdogdog · Post by **aimeedogdogdog** » Wed Sep 22, 2010 3:46 pm

sdr wrote:For a BWE convention, I'm available 52 weekends a year.

Now that's the true BWE spirit. BRAVO, stuart!

JCNorthway · Post by **JCNorthway** » Wed Sep 22, 2010 4:59 pm

I know that Stefan is not available until after April 10 or so. But since the weather in SF can be quite nice in the Feb/Mar period, perhaps we could arrange it earlier in March sometime. We'd need to find out when Stefan leaves, and if others would be available earlier. I am just concerned that when you get into the April/May period, a lot of other activities may start to interfere. That said, Paula and I are pretty flexible right now. It will just come down to economics when the time arrives.

Jon

JimHow · Post by **JimHow** » Wed Sep 22, 2010 7:04 pm

Ok you guys talked me into it.

I'm in!

William P · Post by **William P** » Wed Sep 22, 2010 11:24 pm

March is great for me.

stefan · Post by **stefan** » Wed Sep 22, 2010 11:31 pm

Jan - April 11 are out for me as I will be in Cambridge (UK, not Mass.).

aimeedogdogdog · Post by **aimeedogdogdog** » Thu Sep 23, 2010 3:44 am

I am glad you jump in now, Jim. I was thinking the whole day I would ban you from the 2011 BWE convention if you state it so later on (or at least a 7-day ban from posting on the BWE website).

What a relief!

Can we then try the weekend of May 19th - 22nd again? We just need folks to check if it's likely for them to make it.

Werner

stefan · Post by **stefan** » Thu Sep 23, 2010 2:17 pm

>>
Can we then try the weekend of May 19th - 22nd again?
>>

That would be perfect for us as we will be in Berkeley for T's graduation on the morning of May 21.

Blanquito · Post by **Blanquito** » Thu Sep 23, 2010 11:44 pm

Works for my schedule.

Comte Flaneur · Post by **Comte Flaneur** » Fri Sep 24, 2010 12:35 am

Chasse-Spleen wrote:I guess I can understand why you guys don't want to have the convention in New York anymore...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lEE4xxRxJ6A

-Chasse

That is my favourite Sex Pistols song Chris but the studio version is definitely better

I will try to make it to my first convention because:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SUfjc3yJ ... re=related

jal · Post by **jal** » Fri Sep 24, 2010 1:17 am

Jill and I would love to come if the date stays May 20-21

Blanquito · Post by **Blanquito** » Fri Sep 24, 2010 1:28 am

We're gonna hold you to it, Ian! It's lots of fun with great company and wines (of course), and San Fran is a great city.

Look, if Michael P plans to come all the way from Dubai, it must be worth it!

I'd be up for a Napa or Sonoma day trip, too.

Jay Winton · Post by **Jay Winton** » Fri Sep 24, 2010 2:42 am

I think, think the May 20 date will work but I admire everyone who can commit to a date many months away. It's our 21st anniversary today-we didn't drink anything breathtaking and we dined at one of our favorite places here in Rehoboth Beach, DE. A decent 05 Barbaresco and a nice meal with a visit to the ice cream store afterwards, just the thing to maintain my lithe figure. Now, I listen to Gordon Lightfoot sing the Canadian Railroad Trilogy-a favorite songwriter and performer. A glass (or two) of the 2005 Carmes de Rieussec Sauternes is a pleasant accompaniment. The beach in September is a nice place to be.

stefan · Post by **stefan** » Fri Sep 24, 2010 12:31 pm

Happy Anniversary, Jan & Peggy. Enjoy the beach and each other.

aimeedogdogdog · Post by **aimeedogdogdog** » Fri Sep 24, 2010 3:14 pm

Thanks for the response, guys!

Here is a list of potential attendees who have expressed interest in coming to the 2011 BWE convention in San Francisco on May 19 - May 22:

Stuart and wife
Stefan and Jan
CabFan and Victoria
Chris and Werner
Ian
Patrick
Jay and wife
Jal and Jill

We need more folks to respond.

Werner