UPDATED 5/4

Planning is now open for NoVA/DC #23. Theme will be Spring Fling. It's time to shake off the winter blahs and pour something flighty, fruity, flippant, and/or fun! These are the wines that break you out of the heavy, hearty, wintry rut.

Maybe sparklies???

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Date: May 7
Time: 7pm
Host: wkdpanda
Theme: Wines and Foods that celebrate Spring

Attending:
1. wkdpanda
2. InShadows (Mexican Dip & Chips; La Sera Red Ambrosia NV)
3. hershelk
4. k1avg
5. Alaska1
6. Alaska1 +1
7. akarenee (for socializing only)
8. tripgrad (Schug Carneros Estate 2007 Brut Rouge de Noirs)
9-???. wkdpanda's +'s

Maybes:
* InShadows +1

Regrets:
* gregorylane and +1
* jwhite6114
* cjsiege
* aranderson

To deconflict the holidays...

March 9: Ash Wednesday (Lent begins. In case you want to do something Jatravartid like give up wine for Lent.)
April 17: Palm Sunday
April 19-26: Passover
April 24: Easter Sunday
May 8: Mother's Day

I am not free the following weekends/days: April 1-3, possibly April 16th (could be the 17th), May 7th, and May 13-15. Other than that I believe I am free. And I of course love the sparklies idea.

I gave up lent for wine.

Note that if this gets pushed off into May, the National Convocation of the Brotherhood of the Knights of the Vine is in Charlottesville on May 6-8 (with events in DC the preceding couple of days).

How do I get in on this gig?

krusch wrote:How do I get in on this gig?

Simply monitor this thread, and once decisions have been made about date & theme, tell us what you want to bring.

The only weekend that isn't good for me is May 14th.

Also a quick reminder to all the NoVA folks out there and beyond - this year is the 150th Anniversary of the First Battle of Manassas. They are having a lot of events to commerate the anniversary. More information can be found at http://www.manassasbullrun.com/index.cfm. (Sidenote: yup, that appears to be done in coldfusion. *shudders*) Events that might be interesting to some or maybe just me - Chapman/Beverley Mill - Adult's Night Out (Saturday, June 11), History of Baseball at the Pfitz! (July 2-4), Reenactment (July 24-25), and Civil War Christmas at Brentsville (December 11).

InShadows wrote:(Sidenote: yup, that appears to be done in coldfusion. *shudders*)

You got a problem with ColdFusion? *glare*

I'm thinking about the possibility of visiting the sis for Easter, but it's kind of a remote possibility at this point. Won't know for certain-sure until probably the week before. BUT, should y'all choose to have it that weekend and I am able to get out there, I would love to join you!

cheron98 wrote:You got a problem with ColdFusion? *glare*

nope, no problem at all. The ability to create a website in ten minutes is insignificant next to the power of .NET.

InShadows wrote:nope, no problem at all. The ability to create a website in ten minutes is insignificant next to the power of .NET.

You, sir, clearly underestimate the power of ColdFusion. Or you're only familiar with ColdFusion 6 and below

InShadows wrote:nope, no problem at all. The ability to create a website in ten minutes is insignificant next to the power of .NET.

cheron98 wrote:You, sir, clearly underestimate the power of ColdFusion. Or you're only familiar with ColdFusion 6 and below

It's so cute when techno-geeks fight ...

Virginia's loss is Maryland's gain
"David Collins, winemaker & vineyard manager for the past 14 vintages at Loudoun County’s Breaux Vineyards, has left to start his own vineyard and winery in Washington County, Md.
The move across the Potomac is a coup for Maryland, which has seen its wine industry grow dramatically in size & quality over the past decade -- yet remains in Virginia’s shadow."

*bump*

Do we have any volunteers for hosting? That will help settle the date. Maybe.

Mothers day Has our vote, Might be +2 or +3 (Mom, Friend from Alaska) Would be great.

Well no one else has chimed in soooooo I'm going to vote mothers day again. ;-) I am 90% sure I can get that off. :-) Please please please

I don't have a problem with that date - except their might be people who have family stuff planned for that weekend.

As for venue - my deck is complete, with new grill on order. If people wanted to trek out to Herndon, I could host. However, it is NOT convenient to Metro or other mass transit.

I will be out of the country on the weekends of May 7th and May 14th. However,my schedule is a a little complex coming up so have it when someone will host and I'll see if I will be around.

Shall we make a go for Mothers' Day weekend with wkdpanda as host?

If yes, should we aim for Saturday or Sunday?

(I favor Saturday. Sunday is very hard for me given the southbound traffic on Sundays.)

cjsiege wrote:Shall we make a go for Mothers' Day weekend with wkdpanda as host?

If yes, should we aim for Saturday or Sunday?

(I favor Saturday. Sunday is very hard for me given the southbound traffic on Sundays.)

Reminder: VA Gold Cup is on May 7. Technically you could do both.

cjsiege wrote:Shall we make a go for Mothers' Day weekend with wkdpanda as host?

If yes, should we aim for Saturday or Sunday?

(I favor Saturday. Sunday is very hard for me given the southbound traffic on Sundays.)

I would favor a Saturday as well. Much easier to deal with then, trying to take a Monday off after the Woot gathering.

wkdpanda wrote:I would favor a Saturday as well. Much easier to deal with then, trying to take a Monday off after the Woot gathering.

PM for you.

Still waiting for confirmations that May 7 @ wkdpanda's will work. (Thanks for the offer to host, Panda!)

Don't forget that wkdpanda does *not* live near Metro. If Metro is a key requirement, someone else will need to step forward to host.

Ohhh man.... getting so close... if I can nail this down with work I will be there and bring my mom. Will be so much fun!

cjsiege wrote:Still waiting for confirmations that May 7 @ wkdpanda's will work. (Thanks for the offer to host, Panda!)

Don't forget that wkdpanda does *not* live near Metro. If Metro is a key requirement, someone else will need to step forward to host.

I will note, that I live right near the Dulles toll road, so someone could get picked up from Metro (East Falls Church), and driven out to my place in about 15 min (with $1.50 or so in tolls).

wkdpanda wrote:I will note, that I live right near the Dulles toll road, so someone could get picked up from Metro (East Falls Church), and driven out to my place in about 15 min (with $1.50 or so in tolls).

My birthday is the weekend after...one birthday I will be VERY happy to see! I wish me and +1 could come to Pandas' house for some merriment. Alas, it is not to be.

Raise a glass for me Panda...we miss you.

Seeing no further comments in the yay or nay and with the power vested in me, I hereby close the date and settle on May 7th.

Edit and PS: I'll be bringing Mexican Dip and chips.

Edit Edit: And yes cat is was before 6. Allaire still owned it. And we all know, nothing ever changes in the tech industry so my statement stands.

Put me down for a maybe on this. Side note, my birthday is the following Monday and this tasting will be roughly 1 year since the first wine.woot tasting I have attended. :-)

If there's enough interest I can make it 23.5, but my friend is having a fundraiser on May 15th to raise money for her 3-Day Walk for the Cure. She's trying to raise $3,500. She's asking friends and family and then setting up small fundraisers like this between now and the walk. Below is all of the information.

---------------------------------------------
Time Sunday, May 15 · 2:00pm - 5:00pm

Location The Curious Grape
4056 Campbell Ave
Arlington, VA

More Info Come to Shirlington to a free wine tasting for a great cause! The Curious Grape will be hosting a wine tasting to raise money for breast cancer reaserch. All bottles of wine purchased from the tasting will be 10% off, and 15% of the sales go to support me in the 3-Day Walk for the Cure! I'll have a table set up with information and a donation jar as well! Come on out and invite your friends - details on the wines being tasted to come!

--------------------------------------------

I haven't been to this place yet so it any feedback on the location is welcome as well. It looks like it'll be a selection of 5 wines for the tasting.

Another event that's always a sell-out is the Horton Vineyards Annual Pig Roast. Below are the details:

July 9 – Horton Vineyards Annual Pig Roast. Live music, meal with all the fixin’s and wine tasting make this our best event of the year. 11am – 5pm (food avail. from 11:30 – 2). $25/person includes food & glass. Paid reservations required. Info: 540-832-7440 or 800-829-4633.

There are only 100 spots left as of April 1st to this event. If you are able to, it would be nice to see a few familiar faces in the crowd.

Seeing as we don't seem to be getting much traction for this event, I am thinking about making this "+many" and holding my belated open house this weekend as well. Throw the Derby up on the big screen, and just invite lots of people.

I have a maybe +1.

InShadows wrote:I have a maybe +1.

Rgr that.

The wine I'll be bringing is La Sera Red Ambrosia NV

I'm +1 also. Too far away for wine decisions for me.

Same day as the Philadelphia Wine Festival. Gotta go local this time.

See you in August (hopefully)!

iByron

Tentatively in for this. I may or may not have my car up here by then, so I may or may not need a ride.

Put me down as a yes. And I can give you a ride if you need one.

*bump*

I think I'll bring Mumm Cuvee M Red.

k1avg wrote:Tentatively in for this. I may or may not have my car up here by then, so I may or may not need a ride.

I'm in and will be driving myself!

Now, to pick a wine...

k1avg wrote:I'm in and will be driving myself!

Now, to pick a wine...

Do you even have a driver's license? j/k

Want me to bring your Albino Rhino to the gathering?

cj, want me to bring your Ty Red to the gathering? 2 orders right?