Bordeaux Wine Enthusiasts

Trying to plan my opera season!
Are we contemplating doing the annual convention later in the spring again this year, like we did this past year? Mid-May we did it this past year.
Also, if NYC is too logistically difficult, any thoughts on whether DC is an option? (I hate to keep imposing on Dave, Tom, Chris, Jay, etc., etc., but you guys are so good at it! )

Probably May is out for me.

Why not Texas?

I think it is the east coast's turn, Stefan. Plus, we generally prefer to keep the convention in the country.

LMAO.

Alex.

Jim, if, as looks possible, the country accepts another Texas guv as prez, the USA might secede from itself--then where would we hold BWE conventions?

That man is from a different planet, rather than a different country.

Okay I'm going to go ahead and book my spring opera schedule.

happy to assist if everyone wants to return to DC.

Sounds like May is out this year.
We can do it the weekend of March 31st, which is the weekend we've usually done it in the past.
Or we can do it the weekend of April 21st.

I'm not available the weekend of April 14th, and the weekend of April 7th is Easter weekend.

Or we can skip the convention this year if there is not enough interest.
Also, I'm beginning to think NYC may just be too difficult logistically.
Should we consider going back to DC if we do it?

I am happy to help organize if people want to do it in DC.

March 31st is open for me.
I will be in Chicago the weekend of April 21st.

There are probably less expensive venues than Charlie Palmer, though they did do an awfully nice job the last couple of times.

I feel guilty about always imposing on the Mid-Atlantic subchapter, David, but you guys do such a great job! We still have plenty of time to make a final decision, but I wonder how the March 31st weekend in DC works for people.

I think March 31 works for us.

should be ok for us as well.

March 31st looks good for me.

I was hoping to attend this year. March 31st weekend won't work. The Masters week starts on April 2nd and I've waited 54 years to get tickets. I've been promised tickets for my 55th! I can't pass up an opportunity to walk around golfers heaven. It's on my bucket list so I'll have to decline if it's March 31st.

Danny

It's not Texas' turn because we had it....never.
Lisa and I will go where-ever you all decide. But I have a great place in Brooklyn if we do NYC.

hm$

I'm up for Texas or NYC too.

I am good for anywhere anytime.

Although I like DC, and have many friends to visit there, and Palmer does it well for us, I think we should go somewhere else: NY, Texas, Boston, etc. But happy wherever the group decides.

Michael-P

Boston is not an option because corkage is illegal in Massachusetts. I'm not in favor of drawing dozens of people from around the world to attend 3 days of illegal wine dinners.
NYC would be great but it takes local people to take the lead and organize these BWE events.
Dallas would be interesting and I'd like to get there at some point, but it is a little "out of the way," similar to Miami, where we had our smallest group, I think we had about 23 participants there. The last two conventions have been in Chicago and California. Probably the largest number of active BWEers is on the east coast.
DC has a lot going for it:
Great food and wine culture.
Reasonable hotel rates.
Active local group of BWEers who have successfully organized events before.
NYC would be great. Who is going to locate a venue there, negotiate contracts and menues, etc.? Who is going to be treasurer?
Who is going to organize the Thursday and Friday dinners?

I agree we should not have it in a place where people are not willing to organize it or a place people aren't excited to go.

hm$

Danny,

If the Masters week starts on Monday, April 2nd, how hard can it be to find your way to BWE a couple of days earlier on your way south? (Just kidding, mostly - I understand what on-call weekends can be like.)

Tom

PS - Wonderful news that you're going to Augusta!

I can help if its in NYC, as I have family there and visit quite often, plus some local contacts.

I think the theme of BWE '12 should be:

"A celebration of Parker's 99+ point rating of the 1989 Lynch Bages."

I say: Dallas '13.

Dallas '13 sounds good...will all of the wines have smoky flavors?

Geez, Dallas '13 will be the 50 year anniversary of Dallas '63.
I wonder what the world will be like in Dallas in the spring of 2013, in the age of President Perry?

Worse than 1984, I fear.

Bar Harbor, Maine, in late May? Great food, great natural surroundings.

But Jackdaw, at the restaurant, you have to hide yourself to pour your 1989 Chateau Lynch Bages... I know what I'm talking about as I had a special mission with agent How there, and we had to bring bottle in a backpack, pour that Sauzet Puligny in the glass hidden under the table...

Nic

In 1999, I said that the (one) upside of Shrub's election to the Presidency was that Texas could not possibly do worse for a Governor. I sure won't make that mistake again.

hm$

Nicklasss wrote:But Jackdaw, at the restaurant, you have to hide yourself to pour your 1989 Chateau Lynch Bages... I know what I'm talking about as I had a special mission with agent How there, and we had to bring bottle in a backpack, pour that Sauzet Puligny in the glass hidden under the table...

Nic

LOL!!

Sadly Nicolas is not joking, Jackdaw, the laws are very Prohibition-era up here.

Do we have a city yet?

Do we have a date yet?

I need to get the camels packed for the trek across the desert....

Michael-P

Please michael, don't forget to choose a female camel, or your trek across the desert will seem very very long...

Nic

As Benevolent Dictator, I am officially declaring the 2012 BWE dinner to be held in Washington, D.C., on the weekend of March 29, 2012, to April 1, 2012, with the main convention dinner being held on Saturday, March 31, 2012.

The convention dinner will officially be called:

The 2012 BWE Jean-Nicolas Maltais Honorary Dinner.

The theme for the dinner will be:

"Wines that Nicklasss likes."

An excellent, excellent, decision. Your wisdom transcends time and space, o benevolent dictator.
See you there.

You humble toadie,

hm$

Lucie and I are looking forward to another great BWE convention.

the vinos will be happy to help but I suggest we get going on this so we can get good venues for our dinners. I assume hm$ will be coordinating the hotel search?