Guess Who's Coming To Dinner

Excellent list flakey. I would like to be at that table myself (maybe I can stand in the back and pour the wine)! And a big +1 on Stephen Fry!

A very interesting table Flaky! The image of a gathering of this magnitude begs innumerable questions.
Such as...
1) Seat placement - Who would you put next to whom? To what effect? (Or with this cast, should that read "affect"?)

2) Courses and pairings - Inquiring minds wonder just what you serve a group this august.

3) Armistice - How many parlours would be required to retire to after dinner, assuming anyone remains on talking terms after the cheese course has been pushed back.
I look forward to the unraveling of your imaginary evening, friend Flaky.
-- Pat

I will list mine flakey:
For members: Harris and Bradley are the first two choices that come to mind. Need Harris for his ability to tell it like it is and Bradley for his wisdom. I would have to invite Brian64 (we are on the same page on a lot of esoteric ideas) and let's see, I think the final member would have to be Foggymountain (we also think alike on a lot of those same esoteric topics).
As for the next 4 members of the table (limiting it to pipe smokers of course!):
1. Stephen Fry as well.

2. Carl Jung

3. Albert Einstein (he and Jung would create some interesting conversations on synchronicity and relativity)

4. Bertrand Russell
That would be a very interesting table IMHO.

I would still like to know who your personal choices might have been !!

Click to expand...

Hmmm...
Sure, force me onto the hot-seat eh?
Okay, I'll play. Now, I've met and broken bread or hoisted glasses with a fair few forum members already. So with respect to those folks, I am going to limit my "Eight Piper Dinner" to folks who I haven't met yet. I'm also going to keep the invite-list to those folks with whom I've exchanged PMs.
Flaky, I'm going to break one of your rules and only invite forum members; for no other reason than this is who I'd like to eat, drink and make merry with for this setting. That, and as far as I know, all these people are a) alive and b) currently active and engaged pipers. Please forgive this slight deviation from your theme.
The Theme: Pipe Restorer's Pig-out

The Setting: Around the fire pit at my folks' farm - August - Late Evening

The Meal: Barbecue. Ribs n' Brisket. Cornbread. Sweet corn. Garden tomatoes sliced thick with olive oil, balsamic vinegar and fresh basil.

The Beverages: Ice and beer in a trough. Fresh, thick and rich coffee. A ewer of well water. Iced mint tea.
The Invitees:

Ghost - My pal from up the road, a brother of the antique store trail. Token Senators' fan.
Samcoffeeman - Sam sent me my first retort, without asking for anything in return. He's always there with input, and if I get him drunk enough he might gift me that Dunhill Cavalier.
CaptainSousie - The Stig will keep us honest, and he's from Wyoming so I'm hoping he'll help me source the brisket.
Shaintiques - The unassuming nice guy, who packs heat, carves pipes, and rumour-has-it has some Sutliff samples he could bring for the pipe-course.
fnord - Who loves all things old-made-new again, and is at the heart of every upgraded and updated Ehrlich, I.R.C., and WDC pipe that we clean up.
BriarBlues - Poor Mike is out there on an island in the Pacific, with no access to real barbecue. He's also as funny as he is informed in all things pipe. We need his stories.
Yazamitaz - Yaz has been trying to get an excuse to get up here since last Spring, he's hilarious, and can carpool with Sam.
The Old Cajun - Kind to all, straight to the point, and unabashedly open and honest and free with his insights. A meal wouldn't be complete without Bradley.
Damn. Now I need to plan a Festival of Pipes for next summer.
-- Pat

Nice list Pat!

Ok, I'm in. I think I'll stick to members as well, if that's ok.
Six, mainly, but not only, because I think we share a lot of the same taste in pipes. Petersons for example.
Roth, because he's Roth!
Kashmir, to add some deep thoughts to the conversation.
Cajun and Harris, because they're both straight forward guys.
Lawrence, to keep us all in line!
Peck, for the cool factor and the chance to see some incredible pipes!
Kevin, because he started all of this!
I'd actually like to invite more than twice this amount, but I'll stick to eight as requested!
Daniel

Thanks for the invite Daniel! I would be very happy to be at that table and I'll be sure to bring along my Peterson Rosslare Royal 120:

@Six, you're more than welcome man! I'd love to smoke a bowl with you!
@Flaky, they'd have to sit as close as possible without being in each others laps! I'd have to put Lawrence on one side of them and Kevin on the other, in case they got out of hand!

If were going with the pipe theme I would change it slightly for selfish reasons. I find much of my interest in makers becomes about philosophy. Read on any maker and you get the same ol bs lines about how dedicated to quality and how they felt for the "everyman" blah blah blah..
But to my list, and why- in no particular order.
Preben Holm- died before his life began. His philosophy was similar to Henry Fords quote when asked if he followed his customers requests... Responding if he listened to what his customers wanted they would say "faster horses".. He was young capable and spirited to do what HE wanted. And to do it great. To lead the curve rather than follow it. I just feel he would be feisty and lively. And have much to say from interactions with modern industry topics.
Alfred dunhill- He lived by strong business ideals and his personal life was rich with experiences from both sides of the boot. On his neck, and pushing it on others. I feel in a casual gloves off setting he would be a great contributor and quick learning participating voice in the conversation.
Abraham Lincoln- again to give the guy a great meal and selfishly enjoy a dinner with the man. I would of course have him in his good health and free from the burdens of the obvious negatives generally associated with a gaping head wound.
Samuel Clemmons- insightful and powerful intellect with wisdom to fuel and fill the room with good natured talents of devils advocacy in proper tactful delivery.
Jesus- just so he wouldn't feel left out. Also selfish reasons that in my mind he wouldn't be elitist. But rather be almost obligatory for his genuine participation. I would surely ask him all night to to tell dirty jokes. I know terrible.
That's 5, but we could just squeeze in an extra setting I'm sure.
Forum members would be-
Foggy.. I find that fundamentally we agree on many many topics. We however express ourselves so differently I would very much enjoy his attendance and insights even if contrary to my own.
Peck.. I need someone I can call that I could recite those great jokes with. Thick enough skinned to roll with the wild diversity that would be in the air.
Kevin.. I would invite largely for respect on the experience in the industry/hobby as a whole that he would surely bring. Also for sake that he would gain more ammunition to use for more additions to the already great work he does. But also for the humbling aspect to me that he would naturally be more inclined to be positioned to use and understand the exchange than myself.
Sparrowhawk.. largley because of his thoughful nature, and to dispel his self doubt that he wouldn't be a fantastically patient and important contributor to the conversation. Depth of education and experience he thinks makes him naive, makes him instead the great guest at such a table.
I bent some of the lines, but come now... Who's going to say: "Sorry Jesus, this seats taken"..
It would be some of the greatest birds eye views of English vs Danish with everything inbetween. Business, ethics, drive, leading and following.
That's MY list.

I'll play.
I'm bringing my guests to flaky's house because mine is too small for the 5 that live here currently. An additional 8 would be impossible. Also, he's in the U.K. I've always wanted to go, and since this is my fantasy pipe smokers league dinner, why not make it a really good one.
Forum members (all of whom I've never met):
Kevin- Simply because I respect him for creating this site and for allowing me to participate in it. Also, I've been dying to drink a martini made by him.
Lawrence- For being one of the first friends I had when I started on the site (and he wasn't even a Mod at that point). Also, he's got wealth of knowledge and to plumb those depths...
Cortez- He'd have us rolling on the floor with his wit.
romeowood- He's got a fantastic sense of smell/taste and I've so many questions about various blends that I'd love to have him at the table.
Famous guests (Some alive, some dead):
Bing Crosby- After dinner we could be entertained while we all hang out in the study (I'm picturing flaky's house as a huge old-style home. Think Upstairs-Downstairs or Gosford Park)
J.M. Barrie- He wrote, "My Lady Nicotine". How can I not invite him?
G.L.-Pease- His interactions with the party would be awesome to watch.
Albert Einstein- For somewhat obvious reasons, but also because he'd make me seem normal by comparison.
Here's where I cheat. I pull out the folding card table kept in the front closet and flaky and I get to enjoy the dinner party at the "kids' table". It gives us the chance to make notes off to the side without seeming like a couple of fanboys.
-Jason