Falltacular 2019--Saturday, 2/16/2019 @ My Place In The OC

Andrew_Christiansen · December 2, 2018, 11:11pm

BTW, Andrew, that is one helluva story. And the funny part, you of all 150 people I believe live the closest to the Laura’s House corporate office. What is it, a 2 min drive?

Yup, about 4-5 minutes, or about 1.5 miles. With four roundabouts and a stoplight, it’s about 50/50 you can reach the office from my house without stopping! We drive past the office on a regular and sometimes daily basis.

I actually hand-deliver a check most years, usually not until I get around to it, but this year I had no choice! We were with family in Silicon Valley over Thanksgiving, and I wasn’t on WB much, and certainly not the Offline Planner forum. For some reason I clicked on it before turning out the light, and BOOM…I ran downstairs to make out the check.

Ladera Ranch is fine, if a bit stepford-wifey, and although the schools are top-notch, the restaurants and grocery stores mostly suck. But this one thing is really cool, only to us wine dorks: I have the security of knowing I can get my Falltacular check to the desk within minutes to secure our spots!

Thanks to La Pata, you have easy access to the (much better) stores and restaurants of San Clemente!

Actually, LaPata was built to allow Baja Ladera, aka as your neighborhood of Talega, easy access for to mainland Ladera Ranch, no?

SeanHarding · December 3, 2018, 4:06am

This is my favorite post ever on WB.

ToddFrench · December 3, 2018, 5:21am

Yup, about 4-5 minutes, or about 1.5 miles. With four roundabouts and a stoplight, it’s about 50/50 you can reach the office from my house without stopping! We drive past the office on a regular and sometimes daily basis.

I actually hand-deliver a check most years, usually not until I get around to it, but this year I had no choice! We were with family in Silicon Valley over Thanksgiving, and I wasn’t on WB much, and certainly not the Offline Planner forum. For some reason I clicked on it before turning out the light, and BOOM…I ran downstairs to make out the check.

Ladera Ranch is fine, if a bit stepford-wifey, and although the schools are top-notch, the restaurants and grocery stores mostly suck. But this one thing is really cool, only to us wine dorks: I have the security of knowing I can get my Falltacular check to the desk within minutes to secure our spots!

Thanks to La Pata, you have easy access to the (much better) stores and restaurants of San Clemente!

Actually, LaPata was built to allow Baja Ladera, aka as your neighborhood of Talega, easy access for to mainland Ladera Ranch, no?

Um, for your one gas station? Or the Tilly’s?

Cris_Whetstone · December 3, 2018, 6:24am

Oh boy. Lets please have some more provincial South OC sniping from you ladies. I’m sure one of you gained a better dog stylist or botox 'n peel shop out of the deal.

Andrew_Christiansen · December 3, 2018, 7:06am

…the best is that he thinks I’m serious. That, and there’s TWO gas stations!

ToddFrench · December 3, 2018, 5:56pm

AM/PM doesn’t count

Frank_Murray_III · December 5, 2018, 11:27pm

We mailed John Luther a letter this week. The reminder to all those viewing (and lurking) is that I stand by my comment that we know each and every person that attends Falltacular. Further, the check arrived after the onset of the wait list so we’ll give him the option to wait (once he speaks to us and helps us understand how he found the event) or have the check sent back to him. FYI.

Frank_Murray_III · December 7, 2018, 12:20am

Good afternoon from a rainy Orange County. It’s a relief to see this rain and I also hope that it will be a good friend and not bother us on Falltacular weekend in February.

Now that the check donation process has quieted down, I’d like to shift focus, to put the other key pieces of the event into motion: the Volunteer Schedule and the Silent Auction. The role of the volunteer is to give me a hand and help the event flow smoothly so I assign willing volunteers to the Volunteer Schedule to take just an hour of the day to assist. The Silent Auction is another critical aspect of the event, driving 55-60% of our revenue of the event. I count on many of you to either donate items (typically wine) for the auction, or you act as a buyer of the items. Either action helps, but I need both sides of the equation and right now, I need silent auction commitments to be identified to me so I can build the auction list.

Please take a moment to use the Event File and take a look at the schedule, or think about a wine donation you can make. Please help me fill the garage with items so we can pack it with people, bid sheets, pens and really nail it again.

Send me your replies as you wish, either as a post, private message or email. Thank you all.

Frank_Murray_III · December 12, 2018, 6:52pm

Hello everyone. Just a quick update. Charlie Fu is not attending so we will move Eldon Gath and Dave Gunn from the wait list into the event. We still have a few people waiting so we will see what happens.

I will post an update spreadsheet link this week with all the new donations and wine commitments–I am behind.

brigcampbell · December 13, 2018, 12:03am

The homemade focaccia should be a golden ticket every year.

Cris_Whetstone · December 13, 2018, 2:47am

Eldon in.
Charlie out.
I’m cool with that.

CFu · December 13, 2018, 6:23am

me too

Frank_Murray_III · December 22, 2018, 4:27pm

Happy holidays to the Falltacular family. It’s been a few weeks since I posted a file update but I am up for air again and we have a number of terrific additions to the event. I want to offer a heartfelt thank you to Arnie and Lisa Caplan who have made a deep, significant donation to the event’s Silent Auction. To both of you, and for more than a decade of your support, Thank You.

We also have a # of new winery commitments, both to the Committed Wine list, as well as the Silent Auction. If you want to see the changes, you can click here >>>> Dropbox - Falltacular - Simplify your life

Thank you all and please keep the donations coming.

Eldon_Gath · December 23, 2018, 7:32am

I’m IN!! Sorry Charlie. But … sadly, all you want is my focaccia. Sigh. Well OK!! WTH. [smileyvault-ban.gif]

larry_schaffer · December 29, 2018, 4:49pm

Getting more excited folks - let’s increase the chatter here!

I’ll be bringing bread and cookies most likely . . .

Cheers!

Pat_K · December 29, 2018, 6:34pm

Last year I brought cookies from a small biz in our town. They were a big hit, so may do that again. Like to support local and to bring something that folks in the OC area can’t get there.

Our NYE will be considerably quieter than Falltacular. And that’s OK with us. To all, Happy New Year!

Blake_Brown · December 29, 2018, 6:59pm

Bringing champagne for both nights. Working on what can travel and stay fresh for 2 days as we are coming in early.

Frank_Murray_III · January 1, 2019, 6:19pm

Happy new year everyone. The Event file is updated with everything, including the Friday dinner payments from the past 24 hours, as well as updates to all the Event tabs for wineries signing on, as well as significant more auction donations (thank you everyone, and to Paul Hiyake for filling in the listing nicely). Keep donating.

Now, back to puppy duty.

Frank_Murray_III · January 6, 2019, 11:58pm

New edits to the Silent Auction, Committed Wines, Volunteer Schedule and Friday dinner wait list.

Want to thank those of you who had added to the Silent Auction, a special call-out to David Bueker, who donated 2 cases of cool climate CA pinot and chard.

We need to continue as a family adding to the garage items so we can reach out target. It’s critical for the event that each person who attends plays the role of a buyer or donor in the space. This is 50-55% of our total event revenue.

Pat_K · January 7, 2019, 12:26am

I didn’t see the David Bueker wines listed within the silent auction items. The file as downloaded lists a total of 73 auction lots. Am I missing something?

Thanks for all that you do.