I think you made the right decision to postpone Falltacular given the uncertain state of the pandemic. Given your creativity in raising money for Laura’s House, I imagine you will come up with more ways to support this important charity. Take care.
The community will always be there to support you Frank when it can be done safely. In the meantime have a great holidays
Frank - Whatever you decide is fine with us. After a Wineaux from San Diego tried to trick me into shipping a dozen bagels to him instead of the Jeff Ghi in Dallas earlier today, I was thinking that what you really need in the BYOF department is a case of fresh New York bagels. AND a slab or two of my home made gravlax wouldn’t hurt, I suppose. Not that I want to influence your decision on whether to have the event. 
Jay, I will be happy to have you and the bagels, for sure. I just need COVID to settle down.
My first introduction to WB, before I even joined online, was Falltacular at Frank and Jill’s home, invited by Paul Hiyake. I recall a very personal event where we all brought food, Jim Salvito turning out gorgeous things off the backyard grill, lovely opportunities to taste, a silent auction I contributed a special magnum to in the garage, and ohh that pretty Talavera collection (I was a collector, too, the De La Reyna dishware…). And a stunning catalogue of the wines. Wish I still had my copy (burned in the fire along with the Talavera and so much memorabilia…) There was certainly a cash $ amount for the fundraising side of it, but the camaraderie and shared personal contribution by all (food, wines, organization, design, cooking, pouring) is what —to me—made the occasion special. And imprinted a sense of what WB is about…
I feel BerserkerDay used to be the same—vintners giving up their margins for winelovers who like to chat writing about what they love, an auction to support the administration. I struggle to see the public-company “growth” model infecting all of it—pay to play now for BDay and celebrating size and numbers vs the unique “bargain” and shared experience of those really into wine and their other common interests.
But I understand the difficulty in that I wouldn’t want >100 people at MY house, so for Fallracular, the culling must be done… If the price of a ticket is high, like the cash cost now to sell to core Berserkers on the 26th, the fun of contributing an auction item is reduced. Will the overall take be higher? Maybe, but the uniqueness and personality of each year takes a hit.
I sure hope you are feeling great, Frank!
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Emily,
Thanks for your thoughts - and I echo them exactly. The beauty of Falltacular is that the ethos of the event has remained strong and front and center - and even though the number of folks - and wines - has increased over time, that sense of comraderie and community you so loved still remains strong in the event . . .
And when Frank and Jill are ready to embark once again, I will certainly be there - and will look forward to that comraderie, to the hugs of those I have seen in person for so long, to the wonderful foods contributed by so many, to seeing Margaret and her staff once again and realizing that all of us are using what we love to do (make and enjoy wines) to raise such needed funds for an organization that does such great things for so many.
Cheers.
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My comments was not meant as a criticism or to rush you. I applaud your cautious approach.
Even though I have moved across the country, I fully plan to hop on a plane and join the celebration when we’re able to have Falltacular again.
Thank you guys for the continued support here. I too want to get this going again.
Maybe we should try to run a TN version ![[cheers.gif]](/uploads/db3686/original/2X/0/0ff9bfcdb0964982cd3240b6159868fbdf215b1a.gif "cheers"){kind=small}
Mini Falltaculars across the country. With zoom laptops set up to chat among them. My house would work out well because to date, there is still no furniture, lol. Easy to set up tasting tables! Your place, Sean, likely more comfortable!
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Folks, I want to see Falltacular happen. Yeah, COVID remains amongst us all, but in my reality in how I see this thing, it is here to stay. Boosted or not, isolated or not, people are still getting this thing, others are not. This is my truth, it may not be yours, I don’t judge yours but if it matters I vax’d again in May before I flew over to Champagne but who knows why some people get this thing, others do not. I’m not a doctor, and I’ve seen enough ambiguity in all of this to know I cannot control it.
My point? I want to raise some money for Laura’s House. We didn’t have the event in 2021, and the normal event timing for 2022 would have been 6 months ago but here were are, and the holidays will be upon us all soon. And just because COVID still exists, so too does domestic violence and the work for Laura’s House. There is no vaccine for a woman getting the crap beat out of her, or her kids witnessing that violence or abusive verbal abuse (if she is lucky enough to avoid the physical abuse). And yes, men are being beat up still too, by their partners and all together, I need to do my part.
20 wineries have already told me they will support an October event with wine. And many of you will too is my guess.
So I ask you, will you come to a Falltacular event at my home, just like normal, in late October? Likely a date of Saturday, October 22nd. I have no idea if I will need to turn on my proposed attendance changes that I had designed in early 2020, so that may enter the picture. I just need to know if you will show up.
I will not be asking for vax proof, based on my rationale above. I would expect that most of you are vax’d (I know very few people in my life who are not) so you need to account for that risk if you show up. This is reality.
So, will you come? All I ask is that you post if you would attend so I can assess if there is interest to do Falltacular.
Thank you.
Dana and I will be there in support of this most important event. Will it be the same as before? Nothing will be, so let’s figure out how to make this happen to benefit those that need this support.
I already responded in the Facebook page. Wouldn’t miss it.
Date may be tough for me to attend in October but my check to Laura’s House will be able to make it.
Happy to support the mission behind Laura’s House.
Frank - thank you and Dr. Jill for all your good work.
Unless something unanticipated comes along, I would plan to come, with so much thanks for staying the course here, Frank
I would LOVE to come. Like Emily, I can open my home sometime too if ever interested!!
Everyone, thank you for the prompt and supportive replies. I have a meeting with Margaret Bayston of Laura’s House to discuss the details and I will get back to you all in a week or so. Please, for now, calendar this date and start thinking about what you can include in the auction. For those who cannot attend but who would wish to help, you are encouraged to make an online donation at the Laura’s House website (https://www.laurashouse.org/). Put a comment into the note field that you are donating on behalf of Falltacular so we can track the support. I am also exploring a Friday BYOB dinner on 10/21 with Danielle Kuhn to be held at https://gianadanapoint.com/ in Dana Point. More to come on that, too.
This OG is hoping to come out of the ashes.
J
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I did not see this announcement until tonight. Rebecca and I will have to discuss whether we can go to Falltacular and then get to Charleston for Brunson’s Offline-orama that starts on November 3 and we have committed to attend.
We would love to attend Frank!