msmayor

Good morning, Daily Friends, sipping my coffee as I type!  Confucius Day - who knew! 

Love a good Broadway Musical but haven't been in quite some time - last show I saw was Kiss Me Kate! and included a wonderful meal at Carmine's in NY.  I think my favorite of all time was one I saw MANY years ago...Patti LuPone as Evita Peron in Evita!.  It was an amazing performance and one I will never forget.

Toasted Ravioli is a delight, especially with a delicious sauce to complement.  I have to say though, I am intrigued by Roy's alternate selection because of the chilled raspberry soup.  I adore fruit soups and they are so rare to find nowadays.

Margaritas are a favorite, especially when a good tequila is used.  I prefer mine without the salted rim and will order a shot of Grand Marnier to add a new dimension of flavor.  Love them so much, I will always make sure I have a designated driver if ordering while out.  Tequila is so good, but it hits hard.

Looking forward to seeing all the wonderful photos of your visits to Seychelles!

Thank you to Rich for the data of the day and Roy for managing the lists.  It's been good to see the posts of those with challenges improving - the power of all our positive vibes.  Continues good thoughts to all who need them, and high-fives to those celebrating!

Have a great day all - check in later.

11 hours ago, kazu said:

 

Once you are onboard, if there is a particular bottle you prefer you can ask them to save some bottles for you.  I got that tip from a wine steward a few years ago when they said they were running low and asked if we would like it reserved for a few nights.  Is there any question he got a tip 😉 

We learned that on Westerdam - I grew quite fond, very quickly, of the MacPherson Shiraz when we'd head to the Crow's Nest for trivia and pre-dinner drinks.  The bartender up there got to know me quickly, and he would pour it as soon as he saw me walk in.  Around mid-week, he told me the supply was getting low so he commandeered a few bottles for me.  

I will remember that for the dining room as well.  

14 minutes ago, ski ww said:

As far as I know there was always a corkage fee when you brought own on board although I see it has gone up. 

The corkage was charged if you carried your wine into the dining room. 

My husband and I have always carried two bottles of wine on board every one of our HAL cruises for in-cabin consumption and never been charged a fee.

Truthfully though - I'd pay it anyway and still carry the wine on board.  We like having a couple of bottles in the stateroom for an afternoon happy hour on our balcony, and even paying the corkage it is likely to be less than ordering a bottle onboard.

4 hours ago, atexsix said:

Good Afternoon,

 

What a pleasure it is to be back in the daily.  Have any of you ever gotten sick while on vacation?  It is no fun at all.  The late Erma Bombeck wrote a book about it, "When you look like you passport photo, it's time to go home"....well I certainly looked like mine!  At least I took a few of pictures of the trip itself that I hope to post in the coming days.  

 

Thoughts and prayers to all that need them.  I'm trying to get caught up on all the news.

 

Have a wonderful day everybody!

 

 

Good to see you again Bruno!

4 hours ago, irishjim said:

Roy  just a  short   update  went  back  to  the  clinic  to  have  a  neck

dressing  removed  today  and  everyhhing  is  good   and   healed  well.

       Jim.

Wonderful news Jim...so glad to hear!

I can't answer the question about purchasing ahead vs. on board - we've always purchased on board.

Regardless of when you buy the package, you don't make actual wine selections until you are ready to open a bottle.  We were always given a list of available wines in the dining room (where we usually used the package) and chose 'in the moment'.  

I do recall one time when we made our selection, and the sommelier returned with a different bottle, telling us that our selection was out but that he thought that the wine he chose was a good substitute - it was a selection from the package above the one we bought.  Very thoughtful, and we accepted his choice.

Hope that helps!

Good morning all - while no question is stupid, there are some that provide very obscure answers needed to win trivia contests on HAL!  Good neighbors are a treasure as our the public lands.  Mead's quote reminds me of the fun we have meeting new people on our cruises as we often come across folks who have unique talents, and the conversations are always interesting.

Prefer beef in my chili but the meal is a good reminder to stock up on the ingredients needed for chili - first cool weekend I'll be ready to put a batch on the stove.  Curious about the drink of the day and never met a Spanish red that wasn't good.

Yesterday was mostly a lost cause for any 'fun' on the internet - my phone started blowing up with texts at 6am with two of my four staff calling out.  Mondays are always a crush of work, so being down 50% in manpower made for a long day.  Add in the prep work required for this week's all-day management meeting on Wednesday, along with lots of other issues that popped up...the day met all the criteria of a textbook 'Monday'.  One of the two out yesterday has already called out again, so today will have its challenges as well.

Thinking good thoughts for all on the care list and will toast those celebrating today.  

4 hours ago, ilv4cruising said:

Hi All,

 

My previous PCC left in 2020 (used her for almost a decade) and I just found out after phoning my PCC, her voice mail said her last day with HAL was Sept 3rd. That explains the last promo email I received from HAL with no PCC name on it.  We are well over 4 star mariners so I'm finding it odd that we have no replacement given.  I'm just wondering if HAL is phasing out PCC's.  I plan on phoning on Monday but I was wondering if anyone had heard anything?

Mine too is no longer with HAL - I used her for years and all of a sudden, same thing...email with no name on it.  I loved the service she provided; not sure myself who to use now.

10 hours ago, 57redbird said:

❤️ the look of her things...does she sell on etsy?

 

She doesn't have an etsy page, but she does respond to inquiries via Facebook Messenger on Moonlight Pottery's facebook page and has shipped out to those who see a piece they might light.

Once a kiln load is out, she usually posts photos of a lot of the pieces on her facebook page.

7 hours ago, Cruising-along said:

Greetings from the lovely Eurodam!

Everything has been absolutely wonderful and it’s so good to be back on a ship. We had 2 nights in Athens, and our first night onboard last night. I feel like I’m finally over my jet lag. 

We’re having our first Gala night tonight and tomorrow the first of 2 days in Limassol. 

When we boarded yesterday we were greeted with cheers and waves —everyone is happy and excited. Such a sight for sore eyes!

 

 

Have a spectacular time!  Loved Eurodam when we sailed her in October 2019!

7 hours ago, Quartzsite Cruiser said:

 

@msmayor  Enjoy your visit with your DS and your day in New Castle, DE.  It''s a neat colonial town.

 

Lenda

 

This was our first trip to New Castle despite living fairly close, and you are right - really charming town!  So many of the buildings have that traditional colonial look, and I learned that Jessop's Tavern on Market Street is considered one of the oldest restaurants in the state - wait staff still dresses in colonial garb.

5 hours ago, Sharon in AZ said:

I just heard from Jakob’s mother that he is off oxygen this morning. He is still in PICU, the doctors wanted to monitor his breathing on his own before moving him to a regular room. She sent a picture to our Ladies group and he looks good but you can tell he’s been ill. 
 

Many thanks to everyone praying for him and asking about him. Thank you all my Daily family!

This is wonderful news about Jakob - I hope he continues to improve steadily.

We got home about an hour ago from DE and it truly was a wonderful day.  The temperature was such that you didn't mind at all being in sun or shade - and there was a very gentle breeze off the river that kept any pesky bugs that might be in the area away.  Lots of people, food trucks and a DJ added to the festive atmosphere.  My sister did very well with her pottery - lots of one-of-a-kind treasures went home with folks.  here are a few photos of her booth:

Good morning Daily friends!  Gorgeous Saturday here in NJ!

Rabbits are cute...but I struggle to find the right mix of plants that DON'T make them an all-you-can-eat salad bar!  Not a fan of comic books but I know they are popular collectables.  Hunting and fishing not my style but I respect those who partake responsibly.

Will pass on the drink, but intrigued by the wine.  I'd prefer the alternate selection today - love a good soup and we're headed into soup season

@Sharon in AZ sending special prayers for young Jakob

@grapau27 looks so relaxing and beautiful there by the sea...I could spend hours there.

Will be spending the day at Battery Park in DE at Art on the Green.  Should be a lovely day to be outside, and will get to spend time with my sister and her family as she shows her Moonlight Pottery creations.

1 hour ago, kazu said:

Now you have me thinking.
 

I love my convection oven though and my regular oven.  Do you  have that?  What make?  

 

My fridge needs to be replaced soon (I hate new appliances their life is not what the old life is) and the stove is fine but it’s sure not new.

Love to hear more about yours.  Thanks 🙂 

With the exception of the dishwasher which had already been replaced twice, the range and fridge were original to the house when we had it built in 1995 ( the original fridge is still going...it's now in our garage for beverages).  My microwave?  A countertop model that was purchased in 1989...32 years old and still working.

We had the kitchen re-done this spring and bought a full suite of Frigidaire Gallery appliances.  The range is Model FGGH3047VF:  

Natural gas (not a fan of electric stoves) with five burners on top.  The Air Fryer option is also a feature as well as what Frigidaire refers to as "true convection".  We've had it about three months and without a doubt the oven is fantastic - very even bakes.  Nice control on the burners too - I can get a very low simmer going, something difficult on my old stove.

The fridge is actually quite basic - french door counter-depth with a bottom freezer.  There is an interior water dispenser but we do not have a water line, so it isn't connected.  Same with the ice maker...it's there, but we still make ice the old fashioned way.  (our kitchen remodel wasn't a full-gut; and I wasn't going to go through any plumbing changes to get a water line in).

The dishwasher is the best we've had - super quiet.  The one thing I'm still getting used to is that all the 'buttons' for the controls are hidden on the top edge of the door, so the face is just pure stainless.  You set the wash cycle, hit 'on' and then it doesn't actually activate until the door is fully shut:

Microwave is VERY basic...probably the lowest-level Gallery appliance in the line.  No convection features or fancy bells/whistles...we use it for basic side-dish cooking and re-heating, so no need to spend a lot on it:

I know I'll never get the kind of life out of these appliances that we did on the originals - they just don't make them last anymore.  As long as they stay around long enough when we're ready to sell the house in 4-5 years, I'll be happy.

4 hours ago, kazu said:

 

the more I read about air fryers, the more I think I need to get one.  Just don’t know where it will go 😱 

Though I haven't yet tried it, the new stove/oven I got this spring when we re-did our kitchen has an air fryer built in.  Made by Frigidaire.  I've heard that using the setting does get the oven a bit dirty, but that's what the self-clean cycle is for, I guess.  

Thank you for once again sharing your travels with us!  Hope you have a wonderful time!!

Hmmm...the pictures are a bit out of order as that final one should have been positioned as the second...I can't seem to fix it.  Oh well...

Good morning all!  The sky is crystal clear here and we are looking forward to a stretch of beautiful early fall weather here...thankfully, timed perfectly for the weekend!

Not a fan of cherries but my husband would never turn down a lovely jubilee.  As Roy said, we should celebrate Native Americans more than just a day.  Love the precious koala...I hope that their habitat in Australia is recovering from the terrible fires that were there a year or so ago.

Today's meal of chicken parm is a favorite in this household...we're doing takeout tonight, but now I have a dish to look for on the menu before ordering.  Will be curious to hear about today's drink.

Santa Barbara was a port we experienced while sailing on Eurodam in October 2019, our last "pre-COVID" cruise.  Such a beautiful area, though we opted to take an excursion that brought us up into the Santa Ynez valley to visit a couple of wineries and then time to explore the wonderful Danish village of Solvang.

Kalyra Winery was one we visited...the roots of their process are in Australia, which is a region I love for wines.  The tasting went so well I joined their 'Wine Thieves' club and now get 3 shipments a year.  A tornado had seriously damaged their tasting room earlier in the year so they had us all set up on the lawn overlooking the winery...it was a spectacular day and an enjoyable visit:

Once dropped off in Solvang, we had about 2-3 hours to explore the village - the architecture was so special, and many of the shops with lots of unique goods.  We couldn't resist having some lunch at a nice little cafe and tasting the traditional "Aebleskiver", little puffy pancakes filled with fruit or jam...they were outstanding!

It was a beautiful sail away that afternoon from our aft balcony...

I do hope we can return again someday to explore that area some more.

Sending good thoughts to all for a happy Friday - Hope you all have a wonderful day today!

4 hours ago, kazu said:

 

 

 

The meal is intriguing.  Never had onion jam so I’ll wait for Debbie’s recipe - it should go well with the mushroom?  Maybe we’ll have this tonight?

 

 

@kazu, onion jam is delightful...almost as good as bacon jam!!  And thanks to you I learned how to multi-quote today!  

3 hours ago, mamaofami said:

The news about Sam is really good. His warafin levels are up where they should be, he made eggs in the rehab's kitchen yesterday  and he says he's learning how to balance a tray so he can use the brand new Bar b q we bought right before he got sick. His ambitions are mighty and that motivation is helping him.

 

 @mamaofami, so good to read this and especially that Sam is motivated.  The mind is such an important part of the recovery process.

Good morning all Daily folks!  

Interesting that Checkers Day and Dogs in Politics Day meet...wasn't Richard Nixon's dog named Checkers?  Talk about a coincidence!

Love the Fierstein quote, love daquiris...not a fan of portobello but Roy's alternate is one I know I would love...breakfast for dinner is one of my favorites!!

@grapau27 wishing you the best today for a successful procedure and easy recovery.

Good thoughts to all who need extra care today and high-fives to those celebrating.  Looking forward to seeing all of the beautiful Fiji photos you all have to share.

Rain expected here in NJ today but that will be the price to pay for a nice weekend.  I'm headed to New Castle DE on Saturday to the Art in the Park Festival.  My sister is a potter and will have a booth at the show, very excited to see in person the beautiful pieces she has shared photos of as they came out of the kiln.  My niece will also be there, and will be so nice to see her in person - thanks to the pandemic, it's been about two years since we last hugged.

Have a great day all!

3 hours ago, kazu said:

Thanks for the Daily, Rich and our Hump Day smile 🙂 

 

I’ll happily celebrate Business Women’s Day since I was one for so long.  Love elephants and sadly, Autumn Equinox marks the beginning of Fall and the darker evenings and days.  For some, it marks the countdown to Hallowe’en.

 

 

Great quote by Cahan today.  Love lamb and I usually make it with herbs. 

 

We’ve been to today’s port.  The port itself is mostly for freight and pretty dismal IIRC. 

 

Today is also the day proof of vaccine is required to get into any non essential services. 👍  

 

Fall is a sad time for me as it is time to start to put the garden to bed and dig up all my bulbs.  I’ve always started on some of the begonias 😔 

 

 

 

Prayers for everyone on the Care list & for those that need them and 🥂 to those on the Celebratory / Shout Out list.

 

Have a great Wednesday everyone!!!!!

 

 

Stay safe and please don’t forget your 😷 

 

I so enjoy the gardening pictures, Jacqui...and those of everyone who has shared.

True that the fall means the end of a lot of annuals, but I did go out this weekend and get some fall color for the yard.  Found a couple of very cool ornamental peppers, and a triple-color ENORMOUS mum that I couldn't resist...

1 hour ago, summer slope said:

Good morning.  With the Autumn Equinox I hope our temps finally fall.  Yea for Business women and Elephants are just neat.

Hmmm about the quote.  I don't care for Lamb so will skip the meal.

We have been to Puntarenas many times, will look for photo's later.

Prayers and toasts to our lists.

Stay safe, social distance, and wear your mask.

Mexica:

Originally crafted in Munich, this citrusy and herbal cocktail was inspired by autumn and you’ll fall in love at first sip.

Ingredients

Ingredients
1.75 oz Patron Silver
.75 oz Fresh Lemon Juice
.75 oz Homemade dill syrup
.75 oz Fresh tangerine juice
.5 oz Martini bitter
Himalayan salt rim

 

Method
Half-rim rocks glass with Himalayan salt.
Add ingredients to mixing tin.
Shake and strain into prepared rocks glass filled with ice.

 

You had me at "Patron Silver"...pass on the salt rim.  Never did like that.

Good morning all - first day of fall always bittersweet for me.  As much as I adore the cooler crisp days of autumn, it means that in a few weeks its time to put all the outdoor furniture away and prepare to 'hunker in' for the colder weather to come.  

I like that there is Business Womens Day - I'm blessed to be enjoying a resurrected business career after giving it all up to become a stay-at-home-mom for 17 years.   There have been some pretty big moments I've experienced in the past six years at my current position, but one of the highlights was breaking bread with one of only 35 women CEO's running Fortune 500 Companies a couple of months ago.  

Elephants are a curiousity - so large and powerful, but seemingly gentle.  Not a fan of lamb so would pass on the meal...but the wine sounds interesting.

I was briefly excited when I saw 'Costa Rica' as the port, thinking I'd have pictures...but wrong spot in that nation.  I was in Puerto Limon.

@mamaofami so sorry to hear of the troubles with Sam and insurance.  As so many others have said, please try to find some time for self-care. 

Glad to hear from yesterday's posts that some are starting to get the Pfizer booster.  I'm convinced it will be necessary, and can see this becoming an annual 'thing' like the flu shot.  I'll do whatever it takes to stay safe and healthy.

Another work day calls...this busy Business Woman has a full slate of meetings today.  Have a good day all...will check in later.

Thank you for the daily report and care lists - thinking of everyone who needs a lift to get through the challenges life is throwing at you today.

Been a crazy busy past week so have some catching up to do...knowing that there is this very friendly spot to come to is a welcome.

Have a great day everyone...off to work, but will check in later.

2 hours ago, NCTribeFan said:

 

 

We will no longer call to Oranjestad, Aruba or Willemstad, Curaçao, and some call times and dates have been adjusted. Your updated itinerary will be as follows:

 

Date	Destination	Arrive	Depart
Tuesday, November 16	FORT LAUDERDALE, FL, USA		4:00 PM
Wednesday, November 17	Half Moon Cay, Bahamas	8:00 AM	3:00 PM
Thursday, November 18	At Sea
Friday, November 19	At Sea (Caribbean Sea)
Saturday, November 20	Enter Panama Canal at Cristobal	5:00 AM	5:00 AM
	Cruising Panama Canal & Gatún Lake
	Gatún Lake, Panama	9:00 AM	10:00 AM
	Cruising Gatún Lake & Panama Canal
	Exit Panama Canal at Cristobal	1:00 PM	1:00 PM
	Colon, Panama	3:00 PM	8:00 PM
Sunday, November 21	Puerto Limón (San José), Costa Rica	6:30 AM	2:00 PM
Monday, November 22	At Sea (Caribbean Sea)
Tuesday, November 23	At Sea (Caribbean Sea)
Wednesday, November 24	FORT LAUDERDALE, FL, USA	7:00 AM

 

 

 

While I loved prior visits to Aruba and Curacao, I would really like this itinerary...adore HMC and my prior partial transit of the Canal was a fascinating day.  The rest of the trip would be just lazy days on my balcony reading...

21 minutes ago, Roz said:

If it's included in the cruise fare, why would you get Mariner points?

HAL's fuzzy math.

A few years ago when we had Explore4, I was stunned to see we had earned the maximum 30 points for a 10-night cruise...10 for the cruise, 10 for the suite bonus and 10 for on-board spending.  That would have meant we spent $3000 on board, and there isn't a single cruise EVER where I've spent that much.  Even our alcohol purchases have never even tipped over $750 for a full cruise.  I couldn't figure out how in the world we earned those points when all my drinks were free...

A review of my statement, though, showed that the drink package was actually charged to our account and then credited off under the promotion...but somehow it all counted as part of our spend.  Add in the cost of the other perks, plus what we DID actually spend on board, and I guess we came up to that maximum.

Not sure if they ever changed that.

Bruno...please get well soon!

7 hours ago, kazu said:

 

That seems a bit ironic to me.  What’s the difference between a “business” meeting that is not essential and just arriving to fly out of FLL?

I just don’t understand the futility  of the rules.  A business meeting is as non essential as an in transit passage to fly out.  

 

SMH and just glad I transferred my TA to next year some time ago.

This has been one of my arguments from the start.  Early on, within the US, if you were traveling on business there were no quarantine requirements when you returned home...but traveling for pleasure?  Get home and stay there for up to 14 days in self-isolation.

So...by that logic...the guys in my Company who travel up and down the East Coast could freely move about, stay in hotels, meet with strangers...and once home continue to move about without restriction.  If I drove in my car to visit my daughter, staying ONLY at her house and going no place else, I would need to stay inside my home for 14 days after getting home.

No sense at all.