December 17th - TPF Christmas 2009 Offline

Organise events to meet up and drink Port.
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Alex Bridgeman
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December 17th - TPF Christmas 2009 Offline

Post by Alex Bridgeman »

Summary Edited for Convenience
Date - Thursday 17th December
Venue - The Bell, Wenden's Ambo, CB11 4JY
Time - Start at 1900, finish around 0000
Theme - The Unknown Shipper and His Peculiar Friends
Form - Steak Dinner, followed by port. Vegetarian steak may be available.
Bring - £20-25 and a bottle of decanted unknown port; a bottle of peculiar port is optional
Who - 14 places available; so far confirmed THRA + 1 (who we think is Cookie), AHB + 1, DRT + 2, JDAW, ARK, WS1, SRG, BMHR, JGH, AP; Gman + 1 have confirmed that they will not be able to make it

ORIGINAL POST
Having seen mention of this on a couple of occasions in other threads, I've decided that it's time to start discussing dates - there are only 225 shopping days before Christmas (including today).

I'd like to request a Thursday night, as this works well for me and I can tie it in with a visit to my team in Felixstowe before driving back to the office. December 10th and 17th would be the obvious two dates.

Tom - would you be happy to host at the Bell again? They look after us so well.

Theme - any objection to the traditional "The Unknown Shipper and His Peculiar Friends"?

Oh yes, and I'd like to reserve one of the seats round the table please!
Last edited by Alex Bridgeman on 09:10 Wed 02 Dec 2009, edited 7 times in total.
Top Ports in 2023: Taylor 1896 Colheita, b. 2021. A perfect Port.

2024: Niepoort 1900 Colheita, b.1971. A near perfect Port.
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benread
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Re: TPF Christmas 2009 Offline

Post by benread »

I would love to attend too please! Will depend on agreeing child care cover once a date is agreed though! (And adoption of a suitable bottle I suspect!
Ben
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DRT
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Re: TPF Christmas 2009 Offline

Post by DRT »

I'm in.
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g-man
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Re: TPF Christmas 2009 Offline

Post by g-man »

Actually, can you put me down for tentative + 1 (the wife n I are planning a trip to the UK or would this be guys only?)
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Alex Bridgeman
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Re: TPF Christmas 2009 Offline

Post by Alex Bridgeman »

It's certainly not guys only - Steph would not be the first lady to grace the Christmas table with her presence, but we have not yet managed more than one.

If you can manage to coincide your visit to the UK with the Christmas Offline, that would be wonderful. It's also a really nice part of the country to spend a few days exploring.
Top Ports in 2023: Taylor 1896 Colheita, b. 2021. A perfect Port.

2024: Niepoort 1900 Colheita, b.1971. A near perfect Port.
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Re: TPF Christmas 2009 Offline

Post by jdaw1 »

JDAW please.
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JacobH
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Re: TPF Christmas 2009 Offline

Post by JacobH »

I’ll do my best to attend, too. (Though it may be a bit dependant on bottles; I think I’ve acquired a peculiar but not an unknown).
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KillerB
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Re: TPF Christmas 2009 Offline

Post by KillerB »

Thought that I'd replied to this, obviously was having a bad day. I'm in.
Port is basically a red drink
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uncle tom
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Re: TPF Christmas 2009 Offline

Post by uncle tom »

Tom - would you be happy to host at the Bell again? They look after us so well.
It would be a pleasure. As soon as we can firm a date, I'll drop in to make the booking.

Tom
I may be drunk, Miss, but in the morning I shall be sober and you will still be ugly - W.S. Churchill
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Alex Bridgeman
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Re: TPF Christmas 2009 Offline

Post by Alex Bridgeman »

Since no-one else has specified a date, let's firm up on Thursday December 17th.
Top Ports in 2023: Taylor 1896 Colheita, b. 2021. A perfect Port.

2024: Niepoort 1900 Colheita, b.1971. A near perfect Port.
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uncle tom
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Re: TPF Christmas 2009 Offline

Post by uncle tom »

Good by me, if no-one objects before 6pm today, I shall take a little exercise and walk the two miles over the hills to make the booking.

Tom
I may be drunk, Miss, but in the morning I shall be sober and you will still be ugly - W.S. Churchill
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Alex Bridgeman
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Re: TPF Christmas 2009 Offline

Post by Alex Bridgeman »

It now being after 6pm, I declare the TPF Christmas Offline to be scheduled for Thursday 17th December. I shall see if any of the guests I try to persuade to attend each year will be available.
Top Ports in 2023: Taylor 1896 Colheita, b. 2021. A perfect Port.

2024: Niepoort 1900 Colheita, b.1971. A near perfect Port.
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uncle tom
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Re: TPF Christmas 2009 Offline

Post by uncle tom »

Booked
I may be drunk, Miss, but in the morning I shall be sober and you will still be ugly - W.S. Churchill
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WS1
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Re: TPF Christmas 2009 Offline

Post by WS1 »

If possible I would like to attend as well. Since I have not been at the Bell before, may I ask how difficult it is to get there and back from/to London?

regards

WS1
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Alex Bridgeman
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Re: TPF Christmas 2009 Offline

Post by Alex Bridgeman »

WS1 wrote:If possible I would like to attend as well. Since I have not been at the Bell before, may I ask how difficult it is to get there and back from/to London?

regards

WS1
It's not too difficult to get there - I think that Jacob did it by train last year.

Getting back may be a bit more difficult if you want to get back the same night. Although, if you needed to, you could probably organise a taxi to Stansted Airport and then use the Stansted Express to get you back to London even in the small hours of the morning. However, my advice would be to stay the night in a local hotel and then to catch the train back into London the next morning.
Top Ports in 2023: Taylor 1896 Colheita, b. 2021. A perfect Port.

2024: Niepoort 1900 Colheita, b.1971. A near perfect Port.
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JacobH
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Re: TPF Christmas 2009 Offline

Post by JacobH »

Getting there is fine; it’s about an hour on the train from Liverpool Street to Audley End and then about 5 minutes walking (though check the map beforehand as it’s completely dark when you arrive). I think there are a couple of trains an hour.

I’d also suggest staying in a hotel as the last train leaves at 2310 and gets back to Liverpool Street at 0018.
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Ghandih
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Re: TPF Christmas 2009 Offline

Post by Ghandih »

Hello everyone,

Could I also express interest in attending? Sounds like a fine occasion, as ever.

Ghandih

PS As usual I don't know where to suggest this, so I'm just leaving it hanging in a post scriptum in the hope someone will notice and cope: could I request that someone with The Power adjusts the names of these threads once the date (for sure) and the venue (maybe) have been nailed, so that occasional visitors such as myself can more quickly ascertain what's going on, where and when? That would be helpful. Gh.
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Re: TPF Christmas 2009 Offline

Post by jdaw1 »

JacobH wrote:it’s about an hour on the train from Liverpool Street to Audley End
Consider that a clue.
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JacobH
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Re: TPF Christmas 2009 Offline

Post by JacobH »

jdaw1 wrote:
JacobH wrote:it’s about an hour on the train from Liverpool Street to Audley End
Consider that a clue.
:?: It’s is a legitimate contraction of it is; Audley End is the nearest station to Wendens Ambo; and it take about an hour to get there from Liverpool Street...Another clue, please!
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Alex Bridgeman
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Re: TPF Christmas 2009 Offline

Post by Alex Bridgeman »

Ghandih wrote:PS As usual I don't know where to suggest this, so I'm just leaving it hanging in a post scriptum in the hope someone will notice and cope: could I request that someone with The Power adjusts the names of these threads once the date (for sure) and the venue (maybe) have been nailed, so that occasional visitors such as myself can more quickly ascertain what's going on, where and when? That would be helpful. Gh.
In theory, the sticky on this forum will be updated with dates and times and things as they firm up; but I confess that I have been rather busy the last few weeks and have been remiss in keeping it up to date.

When I do issue an update, I will try to get into the habit of posting a reply to say so to make sure the thread is flagged as having a new message.
Top Ports in 2023: Taylor 1896 Colheita, b. 2021. A perfect Port.

2024: Niepoort 1900 Colheita, b.1971. A near perfect Port.
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Re: TPF Christmas 2009 Offline

Post by jdaw1 »

JacobH wrote:
jdaw1 wrote:Consider that a clue.
:?: It’s is a legitimate contraction of it is; Audley End is the nearest station to Wendens Ambo; and it take about an hour to get there from Liverpool Street...Another clue, please!
The ‘clue’ to was to Ghhhandih, as your post answered his question. Not criticism of punctuation was implied.
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JacobH
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Re: TPF Christmas 2009 Offline

Post by JacobH »

jdaw1 wrote:
JacobH wrote:
jdaw1 wrote:Consider that a clue.
:?: It’s is a legitimate contraction of it is; Audley End is the nearest station to Wendens Ambo; and it take about an hour to get there from Liverpool Street...Another clue, please!
The ‘clue’ to was to Ghhhandih, as your post answered his question. Not criticism of punctuation was implied.
Opps. Sorry, being rather too paranoid. :oops:
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Alex Bridgeman
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Re: TPF Christmas 2009 Offline

Post by Alex Bridgeman »

I have updated the first post in this thread to provide a summary of the arrangements.

Could all who have said they would like to attend or might like to attend please make sure that I have your status correct and / or post an update to whether you can attend or not.

Thanks,

Alex
Top Ports in 2023: Taylor 1896 Colheita, b. 2021. A perfect Port.

2024: Niepoort 1900 Colheita, b.1971. A near perfect Port.
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Re: December 17th - TPF Christmas 2009 Offline

Post by jdaw1 »

AHB wrote:Start at 1900
I just mis-read this.
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Re: December 17th - TPF Christmas 2009 Offline

Post by DRT »

jdaw1 wrote:
AHB wrote:Start at 1900
I just mis-read this.
No, you didn't - it normally starts with a vintage much older than that :wink:
"The first duty of Port is to be red"
Ernest H. Cockburn
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