Royal Caribbean Cruisers -- How Are Things Where You Are? (was "Routine" ​ 😁 ​day in lockdown... how was yours?)

[A&L_Ont]

Lisa and I are celebrating our 18 Anniversary today. We decided to go to the Keg, a steak house. 
 

I had lobster gratinée for my app. The bread is for dipping into the garlic butter.
 

 

 

 

Lisa had a Caesar Salad.
 

 

 

We each got the 20oz Rib eye. I had garlic mashed and Lisa had the twice baked potato.  We also had  deep fried broccoli and mushrooms. 

 

[A&L_Ont]

I also visited with mom today and she is doing very well. 
 

I snapped this photo of a vet clinic on the way home. 
 

[Arzeena]

11 minutes ago, A&L_Ont said:

Lisa and I are celebrating our 18 Anniversary today. We decided to go to the Keg, a steak house. 
 

I had lobster gratinée for my app. The bread is for dipping into the garlic butter.
 

 

 

 

Lisa had a Caesar Salad.
 

 

 

We each got the 20oz Rib eye. I had garlic mashed and Lisa had the twice baked potato.  We also had  deep fried broccoli and mushrooms. 

 

HAPPY ANNIVERSARY Andrew and Lisa! Dinner looks delish!

[bobmacliberty]

1 hour ago, aussielozzie18 said:

Watched the last of the Tour De France coverage yesterday.  I just love the full coverage of the mountain stages - The Alps & The Pyrenees.  The sweeping views from the helicopters, the challenge of the tough gradients going up the mountains and the equally challenging rapid descents. The cyclists dealing with the passionate roadside fans in the narrow roads near the top of the mountains. All this keeps me glued to the screen.

 

 

I only saw a couple of mountain stages but I completely agree.  The views are spectacular, the cyclists are incredible at what they do, and the roadside fans are a real challenge.  I often wonder if the "in their face" cheering helps encourage the riders, or if it makes them nervous that they will take an accidental fall.

 

I watched an interesting video a few years ago about 2 amateurs who were seriously into cycling.  They trained together in Colorado to be able to complete one (just one) of the actual mountain stages that's used for the Tour (can't remember but it wasn't Alpe d"Huez).  When they eventually tried, one could not complete the climb, and the other barely made it.

[Keksie]

@A&L_Ont Happy Anniversary.  Glad your Mom is doing well.

 

@h20skibum That looks like a wonderful trip. I am a slacker and only have 2 flamingos in my front flower bed.

 

As to paper plates.  My husband likes to use them.  Probably because I have 5 sets of dishes and silverware.  I have my mother's china and silverware for special occasions.  I have 4 sets of Pfaltzgraff that I change out for each season.  

[bobmacliberty]

We (the Royal we 😁) were trying earlier today to decide what to make for dinner.  One of our go-to meals is linguine with white clam sauce.  Since Micheline recently found our pasta maker, we decided to make fresh pasta.  We haven't done that in years.  Since Micheline is sensitive to dairy, we used a vegan recipe with no eggs.  1 cup each of No 1 semolina flour and 00 Italian flour with some water and olive oil.  The result was fantastic.  I had forgotten how much better fresh pasta tastes than store bought.  I'm stuffed.

 

 

 

 

[Arzeena]

2 minutes ago, bobmacliberty said:

We (the Royal we 😁) were trying earlier today to decide what to make for dinner.  One of our go-to meals is linguine with white clam sauce.  Since Micheline recently found our pasta maker, we decided to make fresh pasta.  We haven't done that in years.  Since Micheline is sensitive to dairy, we used a vegan recipe with no eggs.  1 cup each of No 1 semolina flour and 00 Italian flour with some water and olive oil.  The result was fantastic.  I had forgotten how much better fresh pasta tastes than store bought.  I'm stuffed.

 

 

 

 

Yum! Looks so good!

[h20skibum]

23 minutes ago, A&L_Ont said:

Lisa and I are celebrating our 18 Anniversary today. We decided to go to the Keg, a steak house. 

Happy 18th Anniversary to you and Lisa.  Wishing you many more. 

[BonTexasNY]

4 hours ago, AnyWayIsGood said:

Heck with that....our family went to paper plates for Holiday dinners quite a few years ago. Food tastes just as good. My sister-in-law used to be big on getting out her Mother's good china - first had to wash it all, then after the meal wash it all again. Nope...not no more. Even she eventually relented and agreed to go paper. I've never been a big fan of all the prep and work that goes into those Holiday gatherings. It's certainly very nice, but if it were me I'd consider making reservations at a restaurant. Eat the meal, come back with nothing to clean up and THEN truly have the time to talk and relax. I know it's not the same experience and especially hard with very young children involved to consider going out.

 

 

 

Your point is well taken.  I always enjoyed using my good dishes for holiday meals.  In years gone by I and my sister hosted holiday meals every other holiday so it really wasn't too much for any one person.  

 

I used good quality paper plates when I made brunches which I always loved.

 

@George C Pizza should only be eaten on paper plates.

23 minutes ago, A&L_Ont said:

Lisa and I are celebrating our 18 Anniversary today. We decided to go to the Keg, a steak house. 
 

Happy and Wonderful Anniversary to you and Lisa.

Food looks delicious.

[voyager70]

The paper plate discussion brings back memories for me. When I was 22 I got my first apartment. It was very basic to put it kindly, but it was my first real “place” and I loved it. It didn’t have a dishwasher so I lived on paper plates and plastic cutlery for the two years I lived there. My second apartment actually did have a dishwasher and I felt like I was living like a king! It’s all relative. That being said I would still rather eat off paper plates than do dishes by hand 😉

[Momof3gurlz]

@A&L_Ont Happy Anniversary to you both.  Looks like a great meal.  Ummm, bread dipped in garlic butter? Yes, please!  
Also glad to hear your Mom is doing well Andrew. 
 

@bobmacliberty the linguine looks fantastic.  
 

@Ocean Boy  look at the food porn you’re missing, including homemade pasta!

[DaniDanielle]

50 minutes ago, Arzeena said:

HAPPY ANNIVERSARY Andrew and Lisa! Dinner looks delish!

Happy Anniversary!

[Sunshine3601]

3 hours ago, Sea Dog said:

 

As a gift for hosting one of friends who knows I'm a Christmas freak gave me this.

 

 

LOVE IT!!!  Very thoughtful gift😍

[Luckynana]

1 hour ago, A&L_Ont said:

Lisa and I are celebrating our 18 Anniversary today. We decided to go to the Keg, a steak house. H

Happy Anniversary Lisa and Andrew!!🥂    Congratulations!  Your dinner looks awesome!
 

[OnTheJourney]

2 hours ago, aussielozzie18 said:

 Prefer hard plastic plates for picnics etc.

Maybe that's what we've been using for the bigger (Holiday) get togethers. DW and I haven't hosted in years (location being the primary issue), and by the time the meal rolls around I've usually had enough wine to not particularly notice if it's paper or plastic. 😉  I compose and give the prayer before every Holiday dinner though, especially since my brother's side of the family are not church-goers nor particularly religious. Giving this very Christian-type prayer always feels a tad awkward however since my nephew's wife is Vietnamese. My brother's place is closely located to my Aunt (active 55+ community) and my Mom (assisted living facility), so it has become the logical place to meet for Holidays, as well as a great excuse to not feel guilty about hosting (although I sort of do anyway).  Prior to that, my Mom and Aunt alternated making the dinners (and fought whoever who did it last, etc.) My aunt was still doing it all herself till she was about 93. 

 

Wow..talk about a REAL digression! But, on this rather sweeping thread, it's all good. 

Edited July 25, 2022 by AnyWayIsGood

[jagsfan]

2 hours ago, aussielozzie18 said:

Loathe paper plates.  They sag and don’t support food or cutting of food.  Prefer hard plastic plates for picnics etc.  Dinner plates for eating indoors.  Dishwashers are there for a reason.

Personal opinion not having a go at anyone else’s choices.

I use dishes and my sterling for Bunco meals. Loading the dishwasher takes less than 10 minutes.
Most of my friends use paper plates and some also use plastic cutlery.

The food tastes just as good.
The cheerful hospitality is what counts. 
Loading the dishwasher and hand washing the stemware never bothered me back when we had dinner parties. 
My thing was, I was emptying ashtrays and washing them before our guests had their cars started. I couldn’t stand that smell one minute more than I had to. 
I still use my good china  for holidays.
I’m just so happy there are no ashtrays any more!

[OnTheJourney]

Just now, jagsfan said:

I’m just so happy there are no ashtrays any more!

Amen to that. Thankfully my entire family is non-smoking (at least to the best of my knowledge). Thankfully not also non-maskers however during the worst (presumably) of the pandemic. 

[Sunshine3601]

59 minutes ago, bobmacliberty said:

We (the Royal we 😁) were trying earlier today to decide what to make for dinner.  One of our go-to meals is linguine with white clam sauce.  Since Micheline recently found our pasta maker, we decided to make fresh pasta.  We haven't done that in years.  Since Micheline is sensitive to dairy, we used a vegan recipe with no eggs.  1 cup each of No 1 semolina flour and 00 Italian flour with some water and olive oil.  The result was fantastic.  I had forgotten how much better fresh pasta tastes than store bought.  I'm stuffed.

 

 

 

 

That looks delicious!!

[DaniDanielle]

I retired my china, only pulled it out for Thanksgiving.  I also retired from Thanksgiving!  The china still looks pretty in the china closet though😃 My mom had a dishwasher and used it for storage so I never felt the need for one.

Edited July 25, 2022 by DaniDanielle

[jagsfan]

1 hour ago, A&L_Ont said:

Lisa and I are celebrating our 18 Anniversary today. We decided to go to the Keg, a steak house. 
 

I had lobster gratinée for my app. The bread is for dipping into the garlic butter.
 

 

 

 

Lisa had a Caesar Salad.
 

 

 

We each got the 20oz Rib eye. I had garlic mashed and Lisa had the twice baked potato.  We also had  deep fried broccoli and mushrooms. 

 

Happy Anniversary! With that wonderful meal, it must have been! 

[OnTheJourney]

55 minutes ago, voyager70 said:

That being said I would still rather eat off paper plates than do dishes by hand

LOL...wow...talk about bringing back memories. I actually used real plates in my 'bachelor-pad' apartment, but started to feel inept in terms of cooking. I went out and bought "The Joy of Cooking" and was dismayed to find recipes that often first required at least a half-hour to prepare some sort of sauce, and then another 30-40 minutes to fancilly prepare the meat, put the whole thing together, etc. I just assumed that this is how people are managing for themselves. Little did I know that there were books out there that have quick and easy meals using various Campbell soups (Cream of musroom to the rescue!!!!). I'd come home from teaching really hungry and so would munch a bowl of cereal, and then by 6-7 pm would start to think about making something. Thankfully was married less than 2 years later. The single life wasn't something I would have wanted to do very long, at least not with the Joy of Cooking as my sole culinary reference. DW, in discussions on all this as we started going together, was always amazed though that I never bought a "TV dinner" in the store. I hated grocery shopping, and so would wind up going several times a week to buy small amounts rather than taking the time to put together a substantial list. For one thing, my apartment was a 3rd floor walkup and so one or two bags of groceries was more than enough. Such times!

 

Best was when the young girl on the 2nd floor wound up starting a fire in her kitchen by overheating baby formula on the stove. NO way was I going to see my stuff go up in smoke if I could help it, so went downstairs, knocked on her door, and upon discovering the flaming pot (flames were just starting to lick the ceiling (my floor..yikes). She was too scared to do anything. I opened up the window, grabbed a pot holder and pitched the whole thing out to the yard below. By that time, as I recall, fire personnel were there. I seem to recall being treated for smoke inhalation..but...I (guess) I was a hero of sorts (YEA)...saved the day and all that crap.   I think she moved out shortly after - might have had something to do with cranking up my 80 watts-per-channel Kenwood receiver on occasion while playing vinyl LPs, from which the decibel level likely transferred easily down through the floor. I taught elementary instrumental public school beginners, and so had to come home and play some REAL music for the reaffirmation that music is indeed still an art form compared to the sometimes unworldly sounds I was treated to with beginning clarinet, flute, oboe, sax, trumpet, and trombone players, etc. Drummers were another story - they are a different breed entirely. Went to the local bowling alley to shoot pool once in a while too. 

 

Bring on the bachelor apartment stories!!!! I have more than taken up my share of cyberspace on this forum for the present. 

Edited July 25, 2022 by AnyWayIsGood

[OnTheJourney]

5 minutes ago, DaniDanielle said:

My mom had a dishwasher and used it for storage

LOL!   My grandfather once gutted one of those big old, heavy console TVs and converted it into a liquor cabinet 😁 Worked great. 

Edited July 25, 2022 by AnyWayIsGood

[George C]

1 hour ago, A&L_Ont said:

Lisa and I are celebrating our 18 Anniversary today. We decided to go to the Keg, a steak house. 
 

I had lobster gratinée for my app. The bread is for dipping into the garlic butter.
 

 

 

 

Lisa had a Caesar Salad.
 

 

 

We each got the 20oz Rib eye. I had garlic mashed and Lisa had the twice baked potato.  We also had  deep fried broccoli and mushrooms. 

 

Ceasar salad looks fantastic, that is my favorite dish at our local upscale restaurant I get it with blacked chicken and a nice bottle of Cabernet.

[OnTheJourney]

23 minutes ago, DaniDanielle said:

 I also retired from Thanksgiving!

Even better!!! 

[Keksie]

34 minutes ago, jagsfan said:

 

I’m just so happy there are no ashtrays any more!

I use an old ashtray for yarn scraps.  LOL