Current list:

futronic
KSC02
wine+art
just a skosh
DoktaP
Een (2)
Festiva
Longboarder
Gentleman farmer
otisabdul
wineismylife
PURPLE
steve8
Lentini
Anwar
Trigirl
grossie
PurpleHaze
VT2IT (2)
ArieS
Redline325 (2)
Vino Me (2)

Waitlist:

Scubarex
Lady M (PH's Chi-Town friend)

Tentative Waitlist :

Stefania Wine (1 or 2?)

PH

It doesn't have to be solely Masseto, Redigaffi will do also.

2 please. It's going to be a little weather dependant, hopr for lots of good sunny construction days.

quote:

Originally posted by PurpleHaze:

quote:

Originally posted by futronic:
From a logistics perspective, everyone already knows my opinion. Someone needs to make a decision, otherwise this will languish until the week before (of) the dinner(s).

Anyway, my attendance still depends on my teaching schedule, so who knows - maybe you guys won't have to put up with me this year!

It won't languish, trust me! So do you have some specific guidelines on how to sort this out? I mean, we can't all pick who we want to sit with and what we want to drink. That wouldn't make any sense. We do have several months to work this out.

When will you know your schedule, fut? It would be nice to put up with you 4 years straight!!

PH

I think the first order of business is to find a venue that will be able to handle 26-28 people and is BYO *and* has good food. That's going to be the most difficult part.

Then, once you've got the venue confirmed, figure out what sizes the tables can be (from the resto). I still strongly suggest tables of 6-8, so everyone gets a good pour.

Step 3 - put everyone into a hat and draw lots.

Step 4 - put those people in contact with one another via email, and have them organize their wine for the table. It can still go toward the larger theme.

What do you think?

Edit: As for my schedule, I would hope to have it at some point over the next few weeks.

quote:

Originally posted by Vino Me:
Top 10 wines I'd most like to see (in no particular order). I leave the vintages up to whoever brings the wines provided they use good judgement:

Romano Dal Forno Amarone della Valpolicella
Gaja Barbaresco Sorì San Lorenzo
Gaja Barolo Sperss
Maculan Acininobili
Tenuta San Guido Bolgheri Sassicaia
Tenuta dell'Ornellaia Masseto Toscana IGT
Roberto Voerzio Barolo Capalot Delle Brunate Riserva
Bruno Giacosa Barolo Riserva Le Rocche del Falletto di Serralunga d'Alba
Giuseppe Quintarelli Amarone della Valpolicella Riserva
Ciacci Piccolomini d'Aragona Brunello di Montalcino Vigna di Pianrosso

VM

Your challenge, VM, is to source these for an average cost of $13/bottle. Think you can keep your batting average going?

Another venue suggestion: Think Cafe
Amazing Italian place in west Bucktown. IMHO the best BYOB in Chicago. It's not a large place so we'd have to verify they can fit a group our size.

http://www.think-cafe.com

I like Think Cafe, but I can forsee a couple of issues 1)It may be too small to get 26 in one room 2)I doubt they'll want us to take up the restaurant for the whole night, which means this thing will probably have to start late.

I vote for Otis cooking dinner for everyone. Anyone who has had him cook for them knows what a good chef he is. Since Otis is out of town right now I think we should take a vote on this measure immediately so that he can start planning his menu as soon as he gets back.

quote:

Originally posted by PurpleHaze:



I'd love to be at a table with skosh, Een, PURPLE, Trigirl, Mrs. Vino Me, Mrs. Redline, mona lisa vito and Mrs. VT2IT for the whole evening with all the aged Brunello, Barolo and Super Tuscans while you guys down ArieS tired Ruffinos and a case or two of Pinot Grigio, but it just wouldn't be fair to the rest of you suckers!

Thoughts?

PH

Or we could do by football teams, PURPLE, wiml, w+a and I representing the Boys and the rest of you peeps representing whoever (it doesn't really matter ).

The only football team that's important is Juventus (well, and the Azzurri, but that's different).

Juventus? Those damn cheaters. The Rossoneri of AC Milan you mean, right?

Isn't that the team that crashed out of Coppa Italia yesterday, and even though they have three games in hand sit 12th in the Serie A table? Yeah, I thought so.

They better win Champions League or they won't qualify next year.

Grossie has a great plan.

Poor Otis..... I can't imagine that he's recovered from the CDP yet!

I know that Een is quite fond of a place called Campagnola. She's quite close with the owners and staff, and they have a large private room that we could use.

PH

quote:

Originally posted by PurpleHaze:
I know that Een is quite fond of a place called Campagnola. She's quite close with the owners and staff, and they have a large private room that we could use.
PH

Leave it to Een!

IMHO, Campagnola looks like just the ticket!

Otis' place sounds GREAT, but this just might let Otis enjoy the evening as well.

Campagnola is indeed a very good restaurant, and if Een has an in there that sounds good. My only reservation is that it's in Evanston. While it's the closest suburb to Chicago, it is not in Chicago. By car it's probably 25-30 minutes from downtown. Now, who wants to drive? Cabs are possible, and Chicago cabs will take you to Evanston but can get a little expensive.

It's easy for me to get there so I don't object on a personal basis, I'm just keeping our out-of-town guests in mind.

Good point grossie. However, that didn't stop us from hoofing it out to Otis' place, past the airport last August.

At that time, MLV arranged a van to take us out as a group and we all taxied back into town after. Splitting up the cost, it was pretty reasonable.

MLV- Would you still have the number to that service?

Een- Are you certain BYO is no issue with Campagnola?

This message has been edited. Last edited by: KSC02,

quote:

Originally posted by grossie:
Cabs are possible, and Chicago cabs will take you to Evanston but can get a little expensive.

Most of us are flying into town. Anyone who bitches about cab fare should be pummelled with a shovel.

PH

quote:

Originally posted by KSC02:
Een- Are you certain BYO is no issue with Campagnola?

Een is probably busy studying, KSC... I am sure that this will not be a problem. Trust me!!

Another possibility she mentioned, but was unsure about corkage was www.blackbirdrestaurant.com.

PH

Both recommendations of Een seem very nice. However, given the 'theme' of the fest, my nod still goes to Campagnola, personally.

Hey, just saw this thread now (thanks Grossie!). If you guys can put me on the waiting list for 2, that would be great ! Otherwise, no big deal!

Grossie, I also have misgivings about Campagnola because of location. However, Since it is very much our home away from home I have an inkling they'd wave corkage for us. I'm going to talk to Steve, the owner, tonight at dinner and then I'll get back to PH.

update my wait to two (2)people, thanks

quote:

MLV- Would you still have the number to that service?

But of course...

www.relaxwedrive.com
800.686.5986

Updated list:

futronic
KSC02
wine+art
just a skosh
DoktaP
Een (2)
Festiva
Longboarder
Gentleman farmer
otisabdul
wineismylife
PURPLE
steve8
Lentini
Anwar
Trigirl
grossie
PurpleHaze
VT2IT (2)
ArieS
Redline325 (2)
Vino Me (2)

Waitlist:

Lady M
Scubarex (2)
Stefania Wine (2)
french16 (2)

PH