Yes, the good Dokta is making his annual trek to Our Nation's Capital (if you're Canadian, at least) and so we will offline! The date is Saturday April 4.
Unless there are other ideas, I would suggest that we return to Bocado, provided the room is free that night. Thoughts on a theme? Blind or non-blind? Limited numbers or come one come all?
------------------- Go Bruins!! Go Tigers!! Go Pistons!! Go Lions!!
*********************** "I have drunk not to the clouding of my reason, but just so much that I can still surely distinguish the syllables with my tongue." Athenaeus
Posts: 3383 | Location: montreal | Registered: Feb 21, 2004
Personally, I do not prefer a theme, and people can just bring what they'd like. That way, there's usually a nice mix of whites, reds, and more variety.
Since I'm not sure of the total numbers yet, I'm wondering if a single bottle per person is enough to go around. On the other hand, 2 of the same (or a mag) may be difficult for many to acquire. Bman, it's your call. At the TWC, for larger groups, we have tended to break off into tables of 6 or 8. Let the masses decide.
If we are around 15 or so, then a bottle each should still give everyone a taste of everything. I think I still have those one ounce pour spouts we used at the First Growth offline at Beckta, with which we could even stretch it a bit further.
Let's start with a bottle per person, given the dearth of quality mags (I have a double mag of Yellowtail Reserve shiraz! ), and then see what our headcount is before we decide for sure.
And I'm OK with a themeless theme. How about blind vs non-blind? Whaddya think?
------------------- Go Bruins!! Go Tigers!! Go Pistons!! Go Lions!!
Originally posted by bman: And I'm OK with a themeless theme. How about blind vs non-blind? Whaddya think?
Themeless theme seems fine. However, with that, it's a bit dangerous to then go blind. We'll have no idea in what order to pour, with larger wines potentially drowning more delicate ones. Some otherwise nice wines could show very poorly in such a scenario.
my suggestion is for a blind AND no theme offline. It would be fun to try to guess what were drinking and see at the end of the night how wrong we all were.
*********************** "I have drunk not to the clouding of my reason, but just so much that I can still surely distinguish the syllables with my tongue." Athenaeus
Posts: 3383 | Location: montreal | Registered: Feb 21, 2004
Obama was just here but I think most of us would rather offline with you!
If you come, you'll beat Board-O's record for having travelled the furthest to offline in Ottawa.
And in case you're wondering, the snow should be gone and the weather well above freezing by then. If you've any questions, let me know and I can give you my private email.
------------------- Go Bruins!! Go Tigers!! Go Pistons!! Go Lions!!
DoktaP - 1 bman - 2 KSC02 - 1 vinaigre - 2 impulse - 1 or 2 Mimik - 1 (perhaps a second later in the evening.... he hopes! )
Tentative:
wine + art - 1 (or 2? ) Steve8 - 2
BTW (and steady, Mimik.... ), I have not heard back yet from Bocado and am a little concerned that they may no longer be a going concern, as sadly happens so often to nice places here that don't get a lot of press. If it warms up a bit later this week, I may walk over there at lunch and see what's what.
Meanwhile I have found another place that accepts BYO on Saturdays, has a private dining area, and in fact is a second Beckta restaurant. It's called Play, and is in the Market, across from the American Embassy so still quite central. It's much more informal - and cheaper ($42 a head plus $15 bottle corkage, so about the same cost overall as Bocado) The format is different too, it's "small plates", though we would choose six savoury, charcuterie and/or cheese plus two dessert items off the menu (which changes very frequently), served family style with everyone helping themselves. The current menu is here:
Bocado has replied and the room is available and we may even get Amy again (yes, I asked). We can order a la carte off the menu which would seem the best option rather than a fixed menu like last time. Otherwise, everything should be as it was last year.
We tried Play yesterday and it's nice and the food is interesting and original but the space is not too private and it would end up costing more. Still, it would be a good place for an informal offline some time, or post-offline, or lunch. Nice to have another good BYO option in town.
Hey Dok, no chance of anyone else from TO? winter should be more or less over, and it's been SOOOOOOOOOOO long since we've seen fut or almost anyone else from the TWC.
If anyone is spending the night or even the weekend here, there are oodles of hotel deals available, let me know and I can suggest some.
------------------- Go Bruins!! Go Tigers!! Go Pistons!! Go Lions!!
)