Purple: I think there are two issues going simultaneously here.

1. Restaurants that fill in the form by saying 'None" or $0, or what have you, when they mean they do not allow corkage. Since the default on the form is 'not allowed', if they change that, we interpret 'none' or '$0' as meaning free corkage. Could be just a miscommunication between both parties, and we'll try and clarify that on next year's form.

2. The other issue is restaurants in states or counties where BYOB is illegal, yet they fill out the form with an obvious corkage fee - $15 or whatever. Are they lying on purpose to look more wine friendly to our readers? Or is it a simple mistake on their part? Are they offering corkage under the table, so to speak? Again, its not our policy to interpret the answer for them - if they claim they allow corkage at a fee, we run it that way. If it in fact it is illegal for them to do so - then they would need to explain themselves to their customers.

The second issue is what perplexes me - why claim corkage if you can't?

[QUOTE]Originally posted by James Molesworth:
Space: You claim to have called "every resto on the list in MA". That's 142 phone calls - quite an achievement on your part.

James - Count for yourself, there are not 142 restos listed with CORKAGE. I called EVERY resto on YOUR list with CORKAGE in MA.

I dont know any wine lovers who would just assume a resto allows BYOB and take one and expect to be allowed.

I wasnt aware there were secret codes needed to be allowed BYOB. James, could you share some of your secret passcodes with us?

I'm just curious, spacewrangler:

Do some call you "The Gangster of Love"?

maurice

No doubt 'cause he speaks of the pompitous (sp? ) of love.....

quote:

Originally posted by James Molesworth:
Purple: I think there are two issues going simultaneously here.

1. Restaurants that fill in the form by saying 'None" or $0, or what have you, when they mean they do not allow corkage. Since the default on the form is 'not allowed', if they change that, we interpret 'none' or '$0' as meaning free corkage. Could be just a miscommunication between both parties, and we'll try and clarify that on next year's form.

2. The other issue is restaurants in states or counties where BYOB is illegal, yet they fill out the form with an obvious corkage fee - $15 or whatever. Are they lying on purpose to look more wine friendly to our readers? Or is it a simple mistake on their part? Are they offering corkage under the table, so to speak? Again, its not our policy to interpret the answer for them - if they claim they allow corkage at a fee, we run it that way. If it in fact it is illegal for them to do so - then they would need to explain themselves to their customers.

The second issue is what perplexes me - why claim corkage if you can't?

Thanks for the response, James. First let me gently correct you. PURPLE is a hot mama from Texas who happens to be married to wineismylife. There is no comparison between us, and given the chance to be stranded in a mountain cabin with a cellar full of fine wine in the middle of a blizzard, PURPLE is the obvious choice.

The ambiguity bewteen no corkage, and no corkage charge is excuseable. It is also easily addressed next year with a more clearly worded application and a "fact check" prior to going to print.

A restaurant claiming corkage in a state where it is a commonly know fact that this practice is illegal presents a twofold problem.

1) It reflects poorly on the establishment, and should give your publication some serious reasons for not including them in your awards program. It's an easy check, James. Either it's legal or not. Would you list restaurants claiming that they offer bong hits on their "appetizer" list?

2) It reflects poorly on your publication, as you are the experts and we are the trusting consumers of your expertise. You are passing along bad information, and to claim that "the restaurant told us so," is just a little bit disingenuous, IMO. It just doesn't take that much time or effort to correlate the restarant's claim with the prevailing laws.

PH

quote:

Originally posted by bman:
No doubt 'cause he speaks of the pompitous (sp? ) of love.....

Ha! What does he say there in the song anyway?

quote:

Originally posted by PurpleHaze:
[QUOTE]Originally posted by James Molesworth:
Purple:
2) It reflects poorly on your publication, as you are the experts and we are the trusting consumers of your expertise. You are passing along bad information, and to claim that "the restaurant told us so," is just a little bit disingenuous, IMO. It just doesn't take that much time or effort to correlate the restarant's claim with the prevailing laws.

PH

I'll spend a night in a cabin stocked full of wine with Purple any night - if my wife were to allow it of course, jk.

Again, she hits the nail on the head with her metaphor regarding bong hits.

Given the pompous nature of James' responses (surely its not WS problem) - Im glad Im just a free forum user, not a subscriber to any of WS services.

He can spew about SOP all he wants, but it's just tacky to defend clearly erroneous listings in a magazine.

Sure, like anything else in print, there are bound to be a couple inaccuracies, misspellings, etc. This issue will be great in a few months for kindling.

spacewrngler,

"I wasnt aware there were secret codes needed to be allowed BYOB. James, could you share some of your secret passcodes with us?"

you have to be a 33rd degree mason or channel albert pike

Do you realize the serious, world altering implications of this? Some of you may actually have to buy wine in a restaurant. . .AT FULL PRICE. . .my goodness, how will you go on?

quote:

Originally posted by spacewrangler:
Given the pompous nature of James' responses (surely its not WS problem) - Im glad Im just a free forum user, not a subscriber to any of WS services.

HAVE A LITTLE RESPECT WRANGLER.

James is a highly respected contributor to this forum and we paying customers are staying around in large part because the WS Editors are now contributing their valued and worthy insights.

You can find fault all you want - that's a very easy game to play. Help make it better, or just stay away.

quote:

Originally posted by cdr11:
Do you realize the serious, world altering implications of this? Some of you may actually have to buy wine in a restaurant. . .AT FULL PRICE. . .my goodness, how will you go on?

Cdr - money isnt the issue at all. Please drive thru.

quote:

Originally posted by StarV100:

quote:

Originally posted by spacewrangler:
Given the pompous nature of James' responses (surely its not WS problem) - Im glad Im just a free forum user, not a subscriber to any of WS services.

HAVE A LITTLE RESPECT WRANGLER.

James is a highly respected contributor to this forum and we paying customers are staying around in large part because the WS Editors are now contributing their valued and worthy insights.

You can find fault all you want - that's a very easy game to play. Help make it better, or just stay away.

I dont think he's offered anything worthy.

What has James pointed out that has been of value to my finding about 14 errors in their "excellence" issue?

Respect is due. Do not ignore this, grasshopper or you may be swatted like a bug and forgotten like a virus......

PH

the star says:"HAVE A LITTLE RESPECT WRANGLER. James is a highly respected contributor to this forum and we paying customers are staying around in large part because the WS Editors are now contributing their valued and worthy insights.

You can find fault all you want - that's a very easy game to play. Help make it better, or just stay away."

brownish nose...strong barnyard aroma

are you making a feeble attempt at bannishing spacewrangler?

does only the company line make things better?

or does freedom ring true?

quote:

Originally posted by PurpleHaze:
Respect is due. Do not ignore this, grasshopper or you may be swatted like a bug and forgotten like a virus......

PH

Why are you responding to this obvious troll and troublemaker? Or that sfiorare "serge" clone? What a tremendous waste of time PH. Move along, nothing to see here.

yeah

keep your head down

and stay in line

quote:

Originally posted by wineismylife:

quote:

Originally posted by PurpleHaze:
Respect is due. Do not ignore this, grasshopper or you may be swatted like a bug and forgotten like a virus......

PH

Why are you responding to this obvious troll and troublemaker? Or that sfiorare "serge" clone? What a tremendous waste of time PH. Move along, nothing to see here.

I guess because I'm the guy who always ends up confronting the bad drunk, the loudmouth wife beater and the neighborhood tool. It's what I do. I'm moving on, now. Thanks for the perspective wiml....

PH

mo

quote:

Why are you responding to this obvious troll and troublemaker? Or that sfiorare "serge" clone? What a tremendous waste of time PH. Move along, nothing to see here.

You're right. Time to move on.

toe the line boys

quote:

Originally posted by sfiorare:
toe the line boys

sfiorare...what do you do for a living? work / job-wise?

I will be getting legislation introduced in the State Legislature next year to permit corkage. It will probably be a county by county thing, exempting counties from the prohibition. I'll work on Baltimore City and Baltimore County. Gentleman Farmer---no point in working on Harford County since there aren't any decent restaurants there anyway. Purple Haze and Klymkev, you have Montgomery county. I'll get you in touch with a legislator there if you don't know one.
Comet Spider can help with Baltimore County and Festiva, you have Howard County.
I got a letter from Governor Bobby, who says that if the law makes it to his desk, he'll think about whether or not to sign it. Rather uncommittal. (Of course, the national flower of most politicians is the hedge).

Anyway, the fancy hotel in Paris only cost $650 a night with the air conditioning. If I am going to sweat in bed, it will be for the RIGHT reason!

sfiorare...what do you photograph? Who are your clients? Newspapers? Magazines? Weddings?