The New York City offline curmudgeon thread

[J a y H a c k]

Where have all the big New York City Offlines disappeared to, you ask? Well, let's see. Abooboo left town. Then Leo left town. I got old and I have enough wine dinners without having to figure out a way to meet all the rest of you. Mark whose last name I forget (Franks? of the Lugeresque dinners) got tired of herding cats. Time for some of you young whipper snappers to step up.

Now back to our regularly scheduled programming.

[Peter Kleban]

After a kvetch like that (from anyone, young or old) my grandmother used to say "another country heard from".

[Brent C l a y t o n]

The organized chaos is not as fun as it used to be. Fewer people and more focused themes tend to be more enjoyable.

Let’s face it, for certain individuals/groups it’s also about being with the ‘right’ people and the ‘right’ bottles.

[J a y H a c k]

After a kvetch like that (from anyone, young or old) my grandmother used to say "another country heard from".

Another COUNTY - as in late returns from Cook County.

[Peter Kleban]

No, she used country. Like a debate in the UN. Look on Google, it can go either way.

[Dan Hammer]

The organized chaos is not as fun as it used to be. Fewer people and more focused themes tend to be more enjoyable.

Let’s face it, for certain individuals/groups it’s also about being with the ‘right’ people and the ‘right’ bottles.

Oh, like, the wine chaos at Di Fara's (annual Fat Tuesday offline).

It would be fun to have some of those Manhattan types attend. Maybe some of their fancy French wines really do taste good.

Look in the offline forum for info on Di Fara. You can see the eclectic collection of wines.

[Dan Hammer]

Peter, I haven't seen you since PDH. You're invited!

[Steve L Gellman]

Used to put together some but no longer working in the city

[Brian Tuite]

The guy who buys Popeye’s Chicken sandwiches and saves them until we are at 30,000 feet over some flyover States before opening them up to eat.

[Sh@n A]

I posted one for 2014 Produttori Riservas... maybe it is the crickets who are the problem...

[Dinesh Goyal]

Have missed last two events that Sh@N organized but looking forward to Produttori tasting.

Would love to attend a few more, I am not getting invited to enough of them. Barolos, Burgundies, Bordeaux, Etna Rossos and so many other regions to explore.

[Jonathan Sirot]

Have missed last two events that Sh@N organized but looking forward to Produttori tasting.

Would love to attend a few more, I am not getting invited to enough of them. Barolos, Burgundies, Bordeaux, Etna Rossos and so many other regions to explore.

Dinesh please come join the event I just posted at Peking Duck House. It will likely be October or might get pushed into Nov depending on response.

[Craig G]

When I showed up to a New York offline, Jay finished his Cayuse before I made it to the restaurant.

[Gregory Dal Piaz]

I left NYC a few years ago, took my party with me, but I do miss getting together with so many like minded geeks. It's an incredibly special part of living in the city. Here I am less than 90 minutes away and organizing an offline in these parts has so far proved to be a futile exercise. So we drink alone! Now get off my lawn.

[J a y H a c k]

When I showed up to a New York offline, Jay finished his Cayuse before I made it to the restaurant.

Which Cayuse. I usually bring those to football games because they stand up to the weather and all the smoke from 1,000 grills.

[Mike Grammer]

And, since it was you, Craig, it is only fair that Jay saved the plonk for you to taste

[Ian S]

Thread Posted a month or so in advance:
"NYC offline at XXXXX on XXXXX"

Immediate Responses:
"Put me down for this!"
"I'll attend"
"Sounds great! Add me to the list."
etc. etc. etc. for about a dozen and a half members

As we get closer to the event:
"Can't make it."
"Something came up."
"I have to bow out."
etc. etc. etc for about a third of the members who responded that the would attend

Day before the event, a post by the host:
"Two last minute cancellations - who wants in?"

Night of the event:
2 or 3 more no-shows



Can't for the life of me figure out why nobody wants to schedule / organize these NYC dinners anymore.

[J a y H a c k]

Thread Posted a month or so in advance:
"NYC offline at XXXXX on XXXXX"

Immediate Responses:
"Put me down for this!"
"I'll attend"
"Sounds great! Add me to the list."
etc. etc. etc. for about a dozen and a half members

As we get closer to the event:
"Can't make it."
"Something came up."
"I have to bow out."
etc. etc. etc for about a third of the members who responded that the would attend

Day before the event, a post by the host:
"Two last minute cancellations - who wants in?"

Night of the event:
2 or 3 more no-shows



Can't for the life of me figure out why nobody wants to schedule / organize these NYC dinners anymore.

You just need street cred as an organizer! After a while, you get to know who are the regular no shows. I'm going to do one once the calendar turns and we'll see what happens. "Red Meat With Big Red Wines." I will bring some big red wine that I not longer buy because they sold out to "The Man." Schrader or Outpost True. Wines from the Loire will be prohibited, so maybe that will be an enticement.

[Juliec]

Ian... only in nyc can you have an offline when you have a major snow storm. It left 20 inches in colorado. Ny area is better protected only by mta aka subway. You must live in the west coast.
Also holidays are a tough time. Ppl have lives, life and work happen. It's easy to have a phd in problem identification. Harder to be part of the solutions crew.

[Ian S]

You just need street cred as an organizer! After a while, you get to know who are the regular no shows. I'm going to do one once the calendar turns and we'll see what happens. "Red Meat With Big Red Wines." I will bring some big red wine that I not longer buy because they sold out to "The Man." Schrader or Outpost True. Wines from the Loire will be prohibited, so maybe that will be an enticement.

Is "street cred" still a thing with the "Whippersnapper" Millennials? I'm surprised someone under 40 hasn't replied with their bog-standard "OK Boomer. " retort. It's bad enough that us fogeys find excuses to not meet. The Moppets would probably rather not go out at all, but instead simply text about the wine they drank or post it on one of their social media sites.

[Ian S]

It's easy to have a phd in problem identification. Harder to be part of the solutions crew.

Julie - a fair assessment. But identifying the problem is the first step to solving it. You can't solve people though.

[Victor Hong]

Ian... only in nyc can you have an offline when you have a major snow storm. It left 20 inches in colorado. Ny area is better protected only by mta aka subway. ....

Not if the offline happens at Fairway.

[Ian S]

Maybe the title should be amended to "The New York City Offline Excuse Thread".

[Dan Hammer]

Maybe the title should be amended to "The New York City Offline Excuse Thread".

You're not allowed to post anything negative, or act childlike, until you're a Berserker in good standing. This happens after you're here for one year.

As an organizer of the annual Di Fara's offline, people are added / dropped off the list all the time. It goes with the territory. I don't take offense to it.

You're more than welcome to post one of these events. It's not easy figuring out where you want to eat, how many can attend, and what the theme is (if any).

I recently attended an offline with one other Berserker. You don't need 10 or 25 attendees to have a good time and drink nice wine. As a matter of fact, we were able to enjoy what we brought.

With the birth of a new grandson, I can't figure out why I felt to need to be curmudgeonly, but it sure was fun.

[Ian S]

You're not allowed to post anything negative, or act childlike, until you're a Berserker in good standing. This happens after you're here for one year.

Sorry mate, didn't know that there were unwritten rules. I promise to try to leave the black hat on the Berserker Shelf until I qualify.

[Dinesh Goyal]

It's easy to have a phd in problem identification. Harder to be part of the solutions crew.

Julie - a fair assessment. But identifying the problem is the first step to solving it. You can't solve people though.

Ian, looking forward to you taking the second step.

[Mike Reff]

It's easy to have a phd in problem identification. Harder to be part of the solutions crew.

Julie - a fair assessment. But identifying the problem is the first step to solving it. You can't solve people though.

Ian, looking forward to you taking the second step.

Those in glass houses....Nice move Dinesh

[Ian S]

Those in glass houses....Nice move Dinesh

I have my own cyberstalker!

[Victor Hong]

Will each Noo Yawk offline planner now be called the referee?