BWE Maine '09

JimHow · Post by **JimHow** » Tue Jan 27, 2009 1:12 am

I've been conceptualizing a BWE weekend in Maine for years now. We've had some BWEers come to visit me in the past couple years, including Nick/Marie-Claude and Rick/Kathy.
I can accomodate 12-16 people in my dining room and I have two extra bedrooms in a nice private, wooded Maine setting, and there are some clean, inexpensive hotels nearby. I envision a Thursday night dinner where we raid the cellar at my house, and then head for Boothbay Harbor or Bar Harbor for Friday to Sunday for Maine lobster and seafood cuisine and fine wines. A good time to visit Maine is the weekend after Labor Day in September, when the weather is still good but many of the tourists have departed (although, Labor Day is late this year). It is minus 11 degrees tonight up here now and I wish I were on Miami Beach, but in the summer Maine is the most beautiful place on earth. In any event, I just thought I would put the idea out there if anyone is interested, and perhaps we can revisit the possibility later this summer.

dstgolf · Post by **dstgolf** » Tue Jan 27, 2009 2:11 am

Well Jim Danielle and I did swing through Boston Maine and New Hampshire last Fall. Cetainly enjoyed our three days in Maine. Saw the Bush compound in Kenebunkport and enjoyed a few lobster roll along the way. Fresh lobster boil was disapponting by comparison to PEI experience. Portland was neat by the lighthouse and port. White mountain Inn and Mount Washington nice to see. Great colours through the Fall but I must say they couldn't hold a kettle of fish to the colours back in the Eastern Townships of Quebec on the way home. Stunning! Too bad we couldn't hook up this time through but if there is something planned for the fall wth enough notice things could be arranged.

Danny

PatrickDL · Post by **PatrickDL** » Tue Jan 27, 2009 2:28 am

Hey, if Danny and Dani are going we wanna be there! Been too long since we've seen them and been too long since we've been to Maine (04 IIRC.) Now that SWMBO has retired we can do the leisurely drive instead of flying... P

JimHow · Post by **JimHow** » Tue Jan 27, 2009 2:41 am

Danny, you ended up coming to Maine? I think I was out of the country the week you came up.
We'll have to make sure we do it next September, we'll show you and PatrickDL and another dozen or so BWEers a good time!

JEP_62 · Post by **JEP_62** » Tue Jan 27, 2009 2:10 pm

JIm,

I think that's a great idea. I've met some good people and made some great friends because of BWE, mostly in the Boston area. I would love to put faces to some of the BWE members from other areas too. Unfortunately, I never seem to able to make the yearly BWE convention but shooting up to Maine for a weekend should be easy enough.

Andy

JimHow · Post by **JimHow** » Tue Jan 27, 2009 2:39 pm

Would love to have you Andy... I'm gonna put some thoughts together over the coming months and we'll see if we can get some options together for a late summer weekend.

Michael Malinoski · Post by **Michael Malinoski** » Tue Jan 27, 2009 3:35 pm

Well, I couldn't let Andy go up on his own... It would be nice to meet, you, Jim, and I love the area, of course. I went to school up there and my wife also has lots of connections to the Bar Harbor area. Combining all that with wine is naturally appealing.

-Michael

JimHow · Post by **JimHow** » Tue Jan 27, 2009 3:40 pm

Would love to have you up here, Michael!

Daytonnc · Post by **Daytonnc** » Tue Jan 27, 2009 5:35 pm

Jim: if there is any way we can make it we would love to come up to Maine! I've been trying for years to get Rob to go to Maine - It is so beautiful up there and it would be fun to see fellow BWE'ers as well! By August/September I will be so ready for a vacation.

Susan Dayton

JimHow · Post by **JimHow** » Tue Jan 27, 2009 5:38 pm

i won't take "no" for an answer, Susan!

Daytonnc · Post by **Daytonnc** » Tue Jan 27, 2009 5:40 pm

Sounds like a plan!!

Nicklasss · Post by **Nicklasss** » Tue Jan 27, 2009 6:08 pm

Hi Jim,

with the baby this year, this was one of the plan for us, going to Maine this summer. If you plan a weekend of wine tasting, we'll attend, the 3 of us. Let us know if it works. I'll keep the 1990 Lynch Bages for that occasion...

Nic

JimHow · Post by **JimHow** » Tue Jan 27, 2009 6:11 pm

Nic, I think this is going to turn into a spectacular weekend, we'd love to have the three of you! I'll give you, MC and Simone first dibs on the bigger space bedroom if you want.

Michael McNamara · Post by **Michael McNamara** » Tue Jan 27, 2009 7:02 pm

I would love to a BWE event in Maine.

Regards,Mike

JimHow · Post by **JimHow** » Tue Jan 27, 2009 7:05 pm

We'll uncork some Lynch, Mike!

JimHow · Post by **JimHow** » Tue Jan 27, 2009 7:19 pm

I'm glad to see Mike McNamara back on board, I'll never forget when we taught that wine class at Harvard, Mike leading a tasting of the '89 Lynch Bages in front of a class of Harvard undergraduates, describing all of its nuances, was one of my greatest wine experiences. It was absolutely brilliant, and the response of the students you just had to behold, it was really remarkable. Man was that bottle of '89 Lynch singing that afternoon!

ericp · Post by **ericp** » Tue Jan 27, 2009 9:29 pm

Jim, we'd love to come but can't plan that far out for weekend sitters. If space permits, we can revisit in the late summer and see if either of the grandmas can help out.

I remember well my stint as professor vineritus at Harvard. We had a great Thai dinner afterward with a bunch of wonderful 01(?) Rieslings. That was a fun night.

JimHow · Post by **JimHow** » Tue Jan 27, 2009 9:33 pm

Professor Peterson: Hope you can make it, I haven't seen you guys in ages! In fact, last time may have been the Harvard class.

ericp · Post by **ericp** » Tue Jan 27, 2009 9:42 pm

Hopefully we can get together in Boston in 09 as well. Maybe we can see you after one of your Red Sox day game visits for an evening of Vin de Bordeaux.

Michael Malinoski · Post by **Michael Malinoski** » Tue Jan 27, 2009 11:08 pm

There is an idea with some definite merit! I'd be happy to invite myself and to offer services for planning something.

roadfork · Post by **roadfork** » Tue Jan 27, 2009 11:58 pm

Jim,

I am in .... six plus month is how long I need to plan ahead.

Cheers, Albert

JimHow · Post by **JimHow** » Wed Jan 28, 2009 12:01 am

Welcome aboard Albert! I hope to see you, Michael, and all the Massachuchians in both Maine and Boston in '09!

roadfork · Post by **roadfork** » Wed Jan 28, 2009 12:09 am

Jim,

Just let me know when in BOSTON - I will let Mike plan where and I will make sure that Mass..ians will show up. February already pretty much filled up for me - we can do March, with '80s theme. I am sure I can tickle your fancy.

... and of course thank you for website!

Cheers, Albert

JimHow · Post by **JimHow** » Wed Jan 28, 2009 12:20 am

It has been too long, we'll do it in the not too distant future.

Daytonnc · Post by **Daytonnc** » Mon Apr 06, 2009 6:01 pm

I am glad to see that BWE 09 in DC was such a success. We would have loved to be there but family issues kept us away. We miss all of you and look forward to seeing you again soon!

I pulled this up as I know Jim was talking of a Maine weekend in end August, beginning of September. I have been checking flights and have found that the weekend before and the weekend after Labor Day have some pretty good deals. (For us 158.00 round trip from Charlotte) I hope that BWE Maine is still on the table!!

Susan Dayton

JimHow · Post by **JimHow** » Mon Apr 06, 2009 6:37 pm

There is a lot of interest in Maine '09, susan, we are definitely doing it this year. Right now we are leaning towards the weekend after Labor day but we're going to do a little more research and hope to finalize those dates soon.
We missed you guys in DC, it was an awesome weekend.
Hope to see you in Maine though!
Jim

gmarie · Post by **gmarie** » Mon Apr 06, 2009 6:48 pm

Hi Jim-
It was great seeing you in DC.
Tom and I would love to come to Maine in the Fall- That weekend is the beginning of a vacation we are planning.
Tom is flying out to Colorado right now. He'll be in touch.
Gail

Jay Winton · Post by **Jay Winton** » Mon Apr 06, 2009 7:52 pm

I seem to remember the week and weekend after Labor day being discussed. Peggy has to be in Boston for business anyway that midweek so we could head from there. Of course, this may not work with everyone but throwing it out there to keep the discussion going.

DavidG · Post by **DavidG** » Mon Apr 06, 2009 8:57 pm

Pick the dates and we will do everything we can to come. Peggy and I need a vacation and if it's after Labor Day Amanda will be back in school so it will probably work for us.

JimHow · Post by **JimHow** » Mon Apr 06, 2009 9:10 pm

I think Peggy Winton is in Boston til Thursday after Labor, so the weekend following would work best for them. I just need to check on a couple things first to see if certain places will still be open, etc. But nonetheless, that's a beautiful time of year in Maine.

Tom In DC · Post by **Tom In DC** » Thu Apr 09, 2009 6:41 am

That weekend after Labor Day weekend (Sept 12-13, plus or minus) would work well for us.

JimHow · Post by **JimHow** » Thu Apr 09, 2009 11:37 am

That sounds like the best weekend.
A few things to keep in mind:
1. Labor Day is late this year-- Sept. 7th, I believe. September is usually a beautiful, warm month in Maine, but in New England things can become cold and rainy pretty quickly.
2. After Labor Day most of the tourists leave the state which can be a good thing but it also can mean that things start to close up on the coast. Last year Rick and Kathy came to Maine during the week after Labor Day (which was a week early than the week we are planning), and the weather was perfect, restaurants and attractions were still open, etc. We were fortunate because the boat ride and lobster clambake out on Cabbage island was still open that one last weekend.
3. Maine doesn't allow corkage. I live about an hour from the coast-- I would love to have everyone over for an evening where we can raid the cellar if people are up for it, I have a lot of room at my house plus there are a couple clean low priced hotels within five miles, plus I can arrange for transportation. We need to find a place on the coast where we can drink wine for a couple evenings.
I'm very flexible, but there are some logistics that would need to be addressed. But I think it has the potential to be a great BWE weekend, the coast of Maine is spectacular!

Daytonnc · Post by **Daytonnc** » Thu Apr 09, 2009 4:10 pm

Rob and I are definitely in. I've told him not to make any other plans around that weekend. We will be flying in to Portland and driving from there. We are so looking forward to a Maine Getaway!!!! (and to seeing friends)

Jay Winton · Post by **Jay Winton** » Tue Apr 14, 2009 5:18 pm

Southwest is offering $49 fares each way to Boston from BWI

Jay Winton · Post by **Jay Winton** » Tue Apr 14, 2009 8:40 pm

Our flights are booked. We'll drive up from Boston on Thursday the 10th and leave the following Monday the 14th. Hope this works for everyone but the fare was too cheap to pass up. Let the games begin!

JimHow · Post by **JimHow** » Tue Apr 14, 2009 8:48 pm

Sounds like a plan!

William P · Post by **William P** » Tue Apr 14, 2009 10:38 pm

I see how the ecomony is doing. A short fall vacation to Maine could be an excellent adventure.

Bill

JimHow · Post by **JimHow** » Tue Apr 14, 2009 10:48 pm

We'd love to see you up this way Bill, it's a beautiful time of year in New England.

William P · Post by **William P** » Wed Apr 15, 2009 12:19 am

Jim what airport do you fly into?

JimHow · Post by **JimHow** » Wed Apr 15, 2009 12:28 am

Boston and Manchester are two hours away, Bill, Portland is 40 minutes but is usually more expensive. I personally prefer Boston.