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

[helen haywood]

We’re back in Washington to pack some more…and bring the cats down.  As our bed has been moved, we’re sleeping on a sleep sofa we didn’t bring.  Diana says the bedding is very comfortable!

 

 

[Momof3gurlz]

We’re home from our whirlwind weekend in NYC with our friends.  We drove to New Haven CT yesterday morning and took the train into Grand Central station.  It was a miserable, cold, rainy & windy day, so we took an Uber to our hotel & dropped off bags, then another Uber down near the 9/11 memorial.  Grabbed some delicious pizza then headed to the 9/11 Museum.  It was so moving and just amazingly well done.  I do have to say I was a bit disappointed in our walk through what I think was referred to as the Historical section.  It’s a fully enclosed area near the end of the tour where they let in groups of people.  Unfortunately they let SO many people in that it was nearly impossible to get near or see any exhibits.  It was shoulder to shoulder and very claustrophobic.  I suspect this was done because it was nearing the end of the day and they wanted to allow as many people as possible to have access.  So if you plan on visiting, I recommend you get tickets for early in the day.  
We had dinner reservations at Gallagher’s Steakhouse near the theater district and it was fantastic.  
 

Andy and I had the Porterhouse for two. Hands down, the best steak we’ve ever eaten. 

 

After dinner we walked over to Rockefeller Center to see the tree.  

 

 

 

Today was cold & sunny so we skipped Ubers and walked everywhere. We had tickets to the Intrepid Museum. I can’t recommend this enough if you visit the city. It was interesting, informative and thoroughly entertaining.  Make sure you include the Concorde experience.  Afterwards we walked through Times Square.  It was crazy crowded.  We grabbed lunch, then headed back to hotel to get our bags and back to Grand Central to catch the train north.  Fun trip, but I didn’t take nearly as many pictures as I wanted to!

[brillohead]

5 hours ago, derorim said:

Marcel is old and I'm sure he has aches and pains, so we got him a heated bed.  I think he likes it.  

 

The house I live in has three miniature Pinschers.  When I got home from my cruises this week, there was a HUGE heating pad on the couch.  I thought maybe someone had wrenched their back, but no -- the heating pad is for the dogs.  

[Coralc]

1 hour ago, Momof3gurlz said:

 

 

 

Definitely, a Christmas card worthy photo! What a great, quick trip you had. We will have to visit there one day. ☺️

[brillohead]

[Jimbo]

For all those with indoor cats !

 

https://www.facebook.com/reel/799804217754754/?s=single_unit&__cft__[0]=AZVkK56WxfkOxW07hsDCVADgCLXYN02pSIOBQVYx6OKyh8FUkCudFycf8EHm72KeVRKXMfDIU92nnI6iIpzG79ySdxrYEk4JVJCYQ8j9ysBWlKuwPChzNGcbrDjFLSKHVo6gGK0lvIPprNrzBE26PgAVPVEdweNYGlGC1d6vIGWlmBf5j79O48rHO3NAF5D7uIw&__tn__=H-R

[Bailey & Sophie]

2 hours ago, Momof3gurlz said:

 

 

 

Sweet pic.

FRAME THIS!

[George C]

4 hours ago, Momof3gurlz said:

We’re home from our whirlwind weekend in NYC with our friends.  We drove to New Haven CT yesterday morning and took the train into Grand Central station.  It was a miserable, cold, rainy & windy day, so we took an Uber to our hotel & dropped off bags, then another Uber down near the 9/11 memorial.  Grabbed some delicious pizza then headed to the 9/11 Museum.  It was so moving and just amazingly well done.  I do have to say I was a bit disappointed in our walk through what I think was referred to as the Historical section.  It’s a fully enclosed area near the end of the tour where they let in groups of people.  Unfortunately they let SO many people in that it was nearly impossible to get near or see any exhibits.  It was shoulder to shoulder and very claustrophobic.  I suspect this was done because it was nearing the end of the day and they wanted to allow as many people as possible to have access.  So if you plan on visiting, I recommend you get tickets for early in the day.  
We had dinner reservations at Gallagher’s Steakhouse near the theater district and it was fantastic.  
 

Andy and I had the Porterhouse for two. Hands down, the best steak we’ve ever eaten. 

 

After dinner we walked over to Rockefeller Center to see the tree.  

 

 

 

Today was cold & sunny so we skipped Ubers and walked everywhere. We had tickets to the Intrepid Museum. I can’t recommend this enough if you visit the city. It was interesting, informative and thoroughly entertaining.  Make sure you include the Concorde experience.  Afterwards we walked through Times Square.  It was crazy crowded.  We grabbed lunch, then headed back to hotel to get our bags and back to Grand Central to catch the train north.  Fun trip, but I didn’t take nearly as many pictures as I wanted to!

Love your pictures of our favorite hang out in New York City, we love Gallagher’s which is just a couple of blocks from our favorite hotel the michealanglo. 
   Just finished watching a very exciting Buffalo Bills win in a blizzard in Buffalo, only issue was we have the lights for our Christmas tree set up with the clapper so lights kept going on and off wile we clapped for the Bills . Hopefully we will be back Memorial Day weekend to New York and drinking at Gallagher’s 😁😁😁

[Coralc]

Clap on 😀 Clap off😀 That is sooo funny. I remember those commercials. I love it! I think more people use Alexa or Google Assistant now. We don't have a tree this year and haven't gotten into smart plugs. 

[Coralc]

And just for fun. We are really moving, soon, or eventually, or some year. We were cleaning out books today, and I came across this photo that I took in photography class, and developed myself in high school in the 70's. 

 

Back story: It was taken at Children's Fairyland in Oakland. Monkey Island was down a secluded path, and it was surrounded by a very shallow moat. The squirrel monkeys would routinely run across the moat, play around in the trees and then they would all run back to the island if someone came down the path. This particular squirrel monkey ventured all the way out to the lawn, for his goose encounter. It is not a great photo, but it has always just tickled me. 

[Bloodaxe]

3 hours ago, George C said:

Love your pictures of our favorite hang out in New York City, we love Gallagher’s which is just a couple of blocks from our favorite hotel the michealanglo. 
   Just finished watching a very exciting Buffalo Bills win in a blizzard in Buffalo, only issue was we have the lights for our Christmas tree set up with the clapper so lights kept going on and off wile we clapped for the Bills . Hopefully we will be back Memorial Day weekend to New York and drinking at Gallagher’s 😁😁😁

 

The picture of the Steakhouse really jogged my memory from 30 years ago.

A while ago I posted about us missing seeing Sinatra at the Radio City and then managing to see Alan Alfa in a play instead.

We then had a great meal in a Steakhouse near the Theatre, could that have been the same one 30 years ago?, I seem to remember that display of Steaks.

[h20skibum]

1 hour ago, Coralc said:

Back story: It was taken at Children's Fairyland in Oakland.

I was surprised that this was still open, while many of those types of parks have closed around our area.  
 

We took our California grandson to Children’s Fairyland in Oakland when he was younger, and we were staying in CA to watch him.  We were always looking for things to entertain him.

[grapau27]

To Dani.

Chag Sameach ( Happy Hanukkah December 18th-26th.)

Love Graham and Pauline xx

[h20skibum]

Now, for my conspiracy theory of the day.  Big Brother is reading CC posts.  
 

I know there was some talk a couple days ago about getting prints enlarged for wall art, and the site Easy Canvas Prints was mentioned.  Although I have never used that site, nor have I searched for that site, what shows up in my email this morning?
 

An ad for Easy Canvas Prints!  Hmmmm!

[h20skibum]

Our trip to Erie, PA yesterday was nice.  The roads were clear, so it wasn’t a bad drive at all.  
 

Christmas gifts exchanged with Susan’s family, and a nice meal at a steakhouse.  
 

One of Susan’s sisters made this rug for her.  It now is in front of our fireplace for the holidays. 

 

We have a break in our meal prep for our get together today, so we are going to slip in the hot tub and watch one of Tom Papa’s comedy specials.  We watched one last night, and like him as much as Sebastian Maniscalo. 
 

It is 24°F this morning with a feels like 14°

 

[mo&fran]

7 minutes ago, h20skibum said:

Now, for my conspiracy theory of the day.  Big Brother is reading CC posts.  
 

I know there was some talk a couple days ago about getting prints enlarged for wall art, and the site Easy Canvas Prints was mentioned.  Although I have never used that site, nor have I searched for that site, what shows up in my email this morning?
 

An ad for Easy Canvas Prints!  Hmmmm!

Funny how that happens.  Do you have Alexa?  When we visit he children, who have Alexa, I wondered if I talked about buying a Mercedes Benz,  would they get plastered with commercials or emails showing deals.  Didn't do it. Just wondered about it.  

[aussielozzie18]

@Momof3gurlz That tree is gorgeous when lit up at night.  Lovely photo of you both.

[aussielozzie18]

6 minutes ago, h20skibum said:

Our trip to Erie, PA yesterday was nice.  The roads were clear, so it wasn’t a bad drive at all.  
 

Christmas gifts exchanged with Susan’s family, and a nice meal at a steakhouse.  
 

One of Susan’s sisters made this rug for her.  It now is in front of our fireplace for the holidays. 

 

We have a break in our meal prep for our get together today, so we are going to slip in the hot tub and watch one of Tom Papa’s comedy specials.  We watched one last night, and like him as much as Sebastian Maniscalo. 
 

It is 24°F this morning with a feels like 14°

 

Your SIL is talented.  Love the rug.

[aussielozzie18]

Started watching The  White Lotus tonight (daughter was binge watching it during our cruise).  A scene from season 1, episode 1 was obviously the inspiration for the “monopoly” cookies featured here recently….

[h20skibum]

12 minutes ago, mo&fran said:

Funny how that happens.  Do you have Alexa?  When we visit he children, who have Alexa, I wondered if I talked about buying a Mercedes Benz,  would they get plastered with commercials or emails showing deals.  Didn't do it. Just wondered about it.  

Yes, we have a couple Alexa’s.   We have had her come up with random recommendations for things we have talked about. 

[bobmacliberty]

26 minutes ago, h20skibum said:

Now, for my conspiracy theory of the day.  Big Brother is reading CC posts.  
 

I know there was some talk a couple days ago about getting prints enlarged for wall art, and the site Easy Canvas Prints was mentioned.  Although I have never used that site, nor have I searched for that site, what shows up in my email this morning?
 

An ad for Easy Canvas Prints!  Hmmmm!

 

Interesting that this happened to you.  Before replying to that post, I went to the Mpix website to confirm that it was the site that I used.  I tried to log in but couldn't remember my password and gave up.  I then started receiving emails from Mpix.  I assumed it was from trying to log in with my email address.  I wonder if it was from posting here???

[bobmacliberty]

19 hours ago, Sea Dog said:

My liquor store owner friend came through on my request to purchase a highly coveted and allocated bourbon Pappy Van Winkle 12 Family reserve. Going to crack it open tonight. Cheers everyone.

 

 

Congratulations!  Quite a score...and a VERY nice Christmas gift to yourself.  It's good to have friends like that.  If I remember correctly, you had (still have?) a bottle of Old Rip 10 year.  I'd be interested in your thoughts on how the two compare.  Looks like it's lower proof than the Rip.

[bobmacliberty]

6 hours ago, George C said:

Love your pictures of our favorite hang out in New York City, we love Gallagher’s which is just a couple of blocks from our favorite hotel the michealanglo. 
   Just finished watching a very exciting Buffalo Bills win in a blizzard in Buffalo, only issue was we have the lights for our Christmas tree set up with the clapper so lights kept going on and off wile we clapped for the Bills . Hopefully we will be back Memorial Day weekend to New York and drinking at Gallagher’s 😁😁😁

 

Great game last night, although I much prefer when they don't need last minute heroics to win.  Took me at least an hour to calm down after the game before I could go to sleep.  Good to see that the offense has some spark again.  Looks like Josh's elbow is feeling better.  Assuming they get by the Bears, the Bengals game will be huge, although all 3 remaining games are huge if they're to hold onto the #1 seed.

[bobmacliberty]

We're leaving tomorrow to spend Christmas with our daughters in Cincinnati.  They both have smaller two bedroom condos so we booked an AirBnB house for a week.  Will be a little strange being right in the middle of a suburban neighborhood, but it will give us a lot more space for everyone to get together.

 

One of the family activities that we'll try is a game from Hunt A Killer called Death at the Dive Bar.  They give you a story and a bunch of clues and you're supposed to work as a team to figure out who dunnit.  Sort of a cross between a mystery and an escape room in a box.  Anyone played a game from Hunt A Killer before?  Looks very interesting.  This also has me thinking about getting everyone together at some point for a virtual escape room.  Some escape room companies created a virtual version during Covid where they have a employee/guide in the physical room with a camera and you give them directions about where to look and what to do.  All participants, plus the guide, are together on a Zoom call.

[Lionesss]

Jimbo...............Love, just love your home through the pictures you shared......

 

Molly, safe travels, and enjoy.

 

To all who celebrate HAPPY HANUKKAH 

 

Take care.