1st Annual FTLOP Gala Port Celebration

[Roy Hersh]

Alex and Julian,

In both cases, we certainly do understand. Alex it was great to see you recently in London and I hope my article about the Cockburn's tasting you brilliantly orchestrated for the rest of us, provides you with a read that you enjoy. It was my honor to be a scribe, recording this event that flew seamlessly. I hope our weekend soiree in Seattle can achieve that level of logistical beauty.

Julian, after spending a week with you in Portugal, two days in London and six hours in NYC, all I can say is ... I hope your wife has an easy delivery and provides you with a beautiful and healthy baby.

Hopefully you will both be able to attend the 2nd Annual Gala Port Celebration, which will have a bit more planning behind it; as your being there would add an extra touch of class.

[Dave Johnson]

Roy,
Count me in. It will be fun to see most of the tasters from Kris' Colheita tasting and meet some new fanatics.
Dave

[Andy Velebil]

Dave excellant news. It will be great to see you again and drink some Port together.

[Roy Hersh]

And here I thought we had lost you Dave. Welcome back and we will be very happy to have you join us in January. I am looking forward to sharing some great Port together again!

[michael miller]

Roy,

It has been too long. I would love to come out. Let me see how things go. How about donations to the event?

Michael

[Jeffrey Karp]

Roy,

Laura and I would indeed love to come out for the 1st annual FTLOP Gala Port celebration!

Bucking the leading trend in the current poll, we chose the 3rd weekend in January as our preferred weekend although the second weekend would work just as well. There is a fair chance that our favorite football team, the NEW YORK FOOTBALL GIANTS, may make it to their second Super Bowl in as many years. If the GIANTS do make it to this year's Super Bowl held on 2/1 in Tampa Bay, I promised Laura that I would take her as last year she graciously "allowed me" to attend the GIANTS' incredible and stunning Super Bowl upset win over the then 18-0 New England Patriots. I'd be thrilled to "return the favor" and bring Laura if the GIANTS do indeed make a return visit to the big game. My family has held season tickets to the Giants since they played in our home town of New Haven, CT at the Yale Bowl, just prior to the completion of Giants Stadium in 1976. I recently took over the season tickets and am carrying on the legacy for my kids.

Please keep us in the loop. My mind is spinning in 3-D trying to decide which ports and/or Douro wines to bring and looking forward to meeting everyone already on the commited list!

Best regards to all!

Jeffrey and Laura Karp

[atlantaportnut]

i am a long time port nut and have been to many tastings with Roy in Seattle and elsewhere. I have been a long time subscriber and supporter of and i would love to participate in the tasting at the end of january. Please add me to the list and send details of what i need to do.

Todd Wilk Estroff, M.D.

[Roy Hersh]

I need to make one thing abundantly clear. Although I have yet to figure out how to shut down the poll ... it is officially over. After 17 days, nearly half the group voted for the last weekend of the month + I have issued an invite to those who subscribe to the newsletter but don't necessarily use the Forum. So consider the dates carved in stone! As you'll see below, three of them have come from the shadows to post here.


Michael M.,

Wow, a blast from Port past. 5 years man, since your last visit ... what's up with that? "Donations?" Sure you can bring the '31 Noval, '27 Niepoort and '45 Taylor. :help:
Great to hear from you and it would be super to have you join us! It will be nice to have our Forum members meet some of the great and seriously knowledgeable Port fanatics like yourself, who are subscribers to the FTLOP newsletter, but don't utilize the Forum.



Hi Jeff & Laura,

You know you two would be welcome. Now get past the Giants and come have some real Port fun and a great getaway, you deserve it. Besides, that is what TIVO is for.


Dr. Todd,

How about a trio of '48s?
Seriously, it's always a pleasure! You already know some of the gang from last year.

[Todd Pettinger]

Well, it is official, my wife is the best. She was not only okay with me going, but going to try to surprise me with the tickets for an Xmas gift... <sigh>

Until she realized which weekend we were talking about. Turns out that my mother-in-law is getting married that Saturday and as I am Master of Ceremonies for the reception, it would be impossible to miss. Although I tried the "but it's her second marriage honey, it's not like she needs me there!" line, I was met with threats of life and limb. Plus, having given the commitment to Adele, I could not skip out on here for any reason.

So, the sad news is that I will definitely have to miss the 1st Annual FTLOP Port Gala, much to my dismay. I was so looking forward to it, particularly since there was the possibility of a double Mag of Taylor 77 being there. Sean, maybe you could bring that to the 2nd Annual FTLOP Port gala???

So Roy, when will the 2nd Annual FTLOP Port Gala be held? Lets start looking into weekends now, because once I have THAT date in the calendar, it will be a LOCK. (my son;s birthday is Jan 29th, so if we can, let's try to avoid the last weekend in January!!!)

Have fun everyone, I am discouraged that I will miss meeting up with so many of you that I was looking forward to. It sounds like an incredible event.

Todd

[Luc Gauthier]

Todd ,
look on the bright side , at the wedding you'll have an oPORTunity to educate the masses
I know its not much of a consolation but look at this way , at least you wont have the missfortune of visiting Roys porcelain god

[Glenn E.]

That's a bummer, Todd, I was looking forward to meeting you!

[Julian D. A. Wiseman]

Todd makes a fine suggestion. Choose now the 2010 date. People can accept, and block diaries. Later they can tell their wives that they have promised to attend, and that great-step-aunt-Edna-in-law can move her birthday or tolerate the absence of her great-step-nephew-in-law.

[Roy Hersh]

Julian,
I will be happy to do so but most likely it will be discussed in person with the participants of this year's event. I can say this ... the FTLOP annual event, will remain in January every year.

Hopefully in the future, I will be able to announce the annual PORTraits contest winner at this event and give out the prizes there too. Now that would be really cool!



Todd,

I am so very sorry you are going to miss this year's event and in all honesty, I think your wife is great for planning that wonderful surprise with the tickets! It was great to hang out with you on Friday night at both the 1994 tasting as well as the "after party" at Royal. There will be other opportunities for you to come down this way in 2009 and certainly the 2nd annual gala event in 2010.



To all,

Starting next week, we'll finalize the guest list and I'll work on a hotel in earnest, now that I have a good idea of the 3 venues. More news soon. The themes and Ports/Douro wines to be brought will also be discussed in the very near future, so please bear with me as I just returned to the USA.
:hello:

[Glenn E.]

...so please bear with me as I just returned to the USA.

Aw come on, Canada's practically the 51st state! It's not like you went somewhere where they speak a foreign language... like England, for instance.

[Luc Gauthier]

Now , of course , If Roy had been in the country of Québec , where a foreign language and culture dominate , you couldn't say "almost a 51st state".
But Fred, Patrick, Steve, Paul and yours truly dig quality Port .

[Rich N.]

Put me down as an attendee!

Rich N.

[Andy Velebil]

Wow! what a great group that is getting ready to decend on the great City of Seattle...if only it knew what it was in store for :devil: :help: I hope more are able to make it to the fun!

[Todd Pettinger]

Fred, Luc, Paul,

We'll all have to plan to make it for the 2nd Annual Gala... if you aren't already making it for the first! I'd love to meet you guys and what better occasion? The "Canuck Connection" will have to show our Yank buddies how to truly do it up!!! (No visitations to the porcelain gods Luc!!! I will expect a year of hardcore training to prepare for this event!)

Todd

[Roy Hersh]

Well I know of at least ONE Canadian member who will be joining us. Now if only he would occasionally post (more often) on this Forum! Beeken I be speakin' of you! :hello:


Rich, I am very pleased you will be with us. For you this will be like just another few days of the Port Harvest Tour you recently completed. The wines shall be spectacular and I hope you will enjoy sunny Seattle. :help:

[Luc Gauthier]

Fear not Todd , I've been training since "the Boston Upheavel"
Things are looking up