ThePortForum.com

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!

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!

I'm in.

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?)

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.

JDAW please.

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).

Thought that I'd replied to this, obviously was having a bad day. I'm in.

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

Since no-one else has specified a date, let's firm up on Thursday December 17th.

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

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.

Booked

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

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.

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.

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.

JacobH wrote:it’s about an hour on the train from Liverpool Street to Audley End

Consider that a clue.

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!

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.

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.

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.

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

AHB wrote:Start at 1900

I just mis-read this.

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

Please note I have booked a hotel room. I think that means I would like to be upgraded from possible to confirmed!

You haved been so upgraded.

JDAW and I have also booked accommodation but do not need further upgrading.

Are we having placemats? If so, should we start declaring what we are bringing?

DRT wrote:Are we having placemats? If so, should we start declaring what we are bringing?

Oh very funny.

Today 15th July; tasting date 17th December: with 155 days to go, placemat production is not yet absolutely urgent.

jdaw1 wrote:Today 15th July; tasting date 17th December: with 155 days to go, placemat production is not yet absolutely urgent.

Do we need to create a Placemat Urgency Scale?

DRT wrote:Are we having placemats? If so, should we start declaring what we are bringing?

I am not in a position to do so, needing to either adopt or acquire. I hereby declare myself as a suitable 'parent' to adopt any 'children' in need of some love around Christmas 2009!

benread wrote:

DRT wrote:Are we having placemats? If so, should we start declaring what we are bringing?

I am not in a position to do so, needing to either adopt or acquire. I hereby declare myself as a suitable 'parent' to adopt any 'children' in need of some love around Christmas 2009!

Ben,

The reason Derek got the reaction from me that he did is that it is rather difficult to declare what you are bringing when you remember the theme. For example, the bottle that I am bringing will be "Unknown port from an unknown vintage". If you don't manage to find a bottle for yourself, I have one you can adopt (and others if anyone else finds themselves struggling). Then you can declare that you will be bringing an "Unknown port from an unknown vintage". Derek, by contrast, is bringing a bottle of "Unknown port, believed from the 1920 vintage".

It is my observation that under these circumstances, declaring what is being brought for the purposes of placemats becomes somewhat meaningless. Much easier to have "Ben's bottle" and "Alex' bottle" etc.

Alex

Please add Ray 'Cookie' Cook to the list - he has attended the last couple of bashes, and is keen to participate again..

Tom

List of attendees updated with Ray showing as Tom's + 1 for the moment.

Booked the hotel, booked the flight, so I have a GO and please put me in.

Axel

12 people have now confirmed, with Jeff+1 and 2 potential guests from elsewhere making up 4 potential applicants for the last 2 places at the table.

I thought I had confirmed already but....I'm in!!

Cookie wrote:I thought I had confirmed already but....I'm in!!

I believe that you are Tom's +1

I hope so as I have just had confirmation from another couple - which means the table is full with 14 people.

Booked a flight, booked a hotelroom and booked a port. Everything arranged and I will be there.

Axel

AHB wrote:

Cookie wrote:I thought I had confirmed already but....I'm in!!

I believe that you are Tom's +1

I hope so as I have just had confirmation from another couple - which means the table is full with 14 people.

I apologize with the delay in alot of plans that involves the wife as we've been busy with steph's situation,

I'll let you guys know by end of week!

There are many things that I like about living in Oman. Being able to sit outside at nearly midnight reading this post is just one of them. But there are a couple of things that are not so great. And not being able to attend the TPF Christmas offline is certainly one of the things I dread most.

RonnieRoots wrote:There are many things that I like about living in Oman. Being able to sit outside at nearly midnight reading this post is just one of them. But there are a couple of things that are not so great. And not being able to attend the TPF Christmas offline is certainly one of the things I dread most.

Don't worry, we'll be sure to tell you all about it. Only 36 more days to wait. I have my bottle chosen already - heavy and uneven glass, no marking on the capsule or any sign of a label. Absolutely no idea what it is, I just hope it's port!

Ronnie,

I got my bottle chosen as well and will drink my part of this to your health. Enjoy the weather there and enjoy the Port afterwards.

Axel

steph and i are going to stand aside on this tasting unfortunately as awesome as it sounds =(

Jeff - pity you can't make it, but hopefully we'll get the chance to welcome you and Steph to the UK sometime soon.

At the 1966 v 1967 tasting last week someone mentioned to me that they would like to adopt a bottle from me. Whoever it was, please drop me a PM as my memory is a little hazy.

I have short-listed several suitable candidates for the event.

Anyone needing to adopt, please PM me..

Tom

AHB wrote:At the 1966 v 1967 tasting last week someone mentioned to me that they would like to adopt a bottle from me. Whoever it was, please drop me a PM as my memory is a little hazy.

That was me. Thank you Tom, but Alex got there first.

I’m bringing a bottle about which I will know nothing except what Alex has decided to charge me for it.

I've just received the bottle that I'm going to bring - something a little different. I won't say what it is, I think I will leave it up to a guessing game.

KillerB wrote:I've just received the bottle that I'm going to bring - something a little different. I won't say what it is, I think I will leave it up to a guessing game.

Is it a bottle of HP sauce?