The Bistro- Off topic and fun posts!

[BWIVince]

11 hours ago, KenzSailing said:

Well, since we're talking booze(my kind of place, this is)

 

It's Tuesday(here anyway.)

 

And what Tuesday is it?

 

It's the Tuesday that is fat. 

 

Fat Tuesday!

\Laissez les bons temps rouler!

 

At the Chez, that means one thing.  No not gumbo, not beads, but the Prince of cocktails, the Sazerac.

 

The primary cast: note the Absinthe is labeled "contains wormwood" so if this is my last post ever....

 

 

 

 No, I don't know how to rotate images.  Or maybe that's the Sazerac talking.

 

The glorious result:

 

 

 

 

 

Now we're talking.

 

And here's a little Norleans this crowd can get behind:

 

 

As BEAV can tell you from his firsthand experience with my pictures, there are only so many Sazeracs you can have before your food pictures start to come out funny or sideways.  IME that serving count is called the Sazerac Factor, and it’s about 1.6 before people start looking at your food pictures like 🤨.  
 

IME though, if you’re comparing NoLA alternatives, the Vieux Carre Factor is only 1.9.  If you drink it on the Carousel Bar while it’s revolving though, the factor goes down to 1.7.  😇 

 

Vince

[Keith1010]

Ivii had asked about South Beach so a few photos from our last visit there.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Then on the boardwalk as we walked from South Beach north.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Keith

[Keith1010]

Some photos from Holocaust Memorial in South Beach. We have visited there on most visits.

 

Keith

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[travelberlin]

Thanks Benny B Goode and Keith for your answer to my question. Lovely pictures Keith. I would look into the locations you have both mentioned. 
I have stayed in South Beach several times and actually I like that it is possible to walk every where and the nice vibe with latin music coming from every where. We consider South Beach as the capital of South America (with all respect for USA Americans). Wealthy and famous South Americans party there. I wouldn’t mind the normal vibe of South Beach.

 

What I am actually concerned now is the Spring Breakers. I am not sure if South Beach will have lots of them. I wouldn’t like to be in a place where many drunk people are walking around. My experience with that custom of young US Americans is only from movies and that doesn’t leave a good impression. Maybe I should just avoid South Beach during that time of the year…
Ivi

[KenzSailing]

2 hours ago, BWIVince said:

As BEAV can tell you from his firsthand experience with my pictures, there are only so many Sazeracs you can have before your food pictures start to come out funny or sideways.  IME that serving count is called the Sazerac Factor, and it’s about 1.6 before people start looking at your food pictures like 🤨.  
 

IME though, if you’re comparing NoLA alternatives, the Vieux Carre Factor is only 1.9.  If you drink it on the Carousel Bar while it’s revolving though, the factor goes down to 1.7.  😇 

 

Vince

 

You are such a quant!

[BWIVince]

45 minutes ago, KenzSailing said:

 

You are such a quant!

 

I come by it naturally -- I'm a project manager!

[Keith1010]

2 hours ago, travelberlin said:

Thanks Benny B Goode and Keith for your answer to my question. Lovely pictures Keith. I would look into the locations you have both mentioned. 
I have stayed in South Beach several times and actually I like that it is possible to walk every where and the nice vibe with latin music coming from every where. We consider South Beach as the capital of South America (with all respect for USA Americans). Wealthy and famous South Americans party there. I wouldn’t mind the normal vibe of South Beach.

 

What I am actually concerned now is the Spring Breakers. I am not sure if South Beach will have lots of them. I wouldn’t like to be in a place where many drunk people are walking around. My experience with that custom of young US Americans is only from movies and that doesn’t leave a good impression. Maybe I should just avoid South Beach during that time of the year…
Ivi

Ivi, what month are you looking at.  I find that ones you are thinking about won't be going to South Beach as things are too pricey for them.

 

It wil lie busy but it is between November into April.  

 

Yes one of the things we like about Miami is its diversity.  One of the people who really helped to turn things around is Gloria Estefan.  

 

Keith

[travelberlin]

9 minutes ago, Keith1010 said:

Ivi, what month are you looking at.  I find that ones you are thinking about won't be going to South Beach as things are too pricey for them.

 

It wil lie busy but it is between November into April.  

 

Yes one of the things we like about Miami is its diversity.  One of the people who really helped to turn things around is Gloria Estefan.  

 

Keith

In March Keith. Exactly at the start of Spring Break 😔

Ivi

[FLcruiser2011]

We live several hours drive north of Miami Beach, and each year our local television news shows the wild drunken goings-on during spring break in South Beach featuring mobs of unruly youths in the street and police struggling unsuccessfully to maintain order.  I would think more than twice about going there during the spring break season.

[Keith1010]

38 minutes ago, travelberlin said:

In March Keith. Exactly at the start of Spring Break 😔

Ivi

Ivi, sounds like FLcruise2011 has some good input but a suggestion. I would post this on the Florida Ports Of Call Board. There are several locals who regularly answer questions on the board and the Host is very helpful and she lives in the Miami area.

 

Keith

[travelberlin]

47 minutes ago, FLcruiser2011 said:

We live several hours drive north of Miami Beach, and each year our local television news shows the wild drunken goings-on during spring break in South Beach featuring mobs of unruly youths in the street and police struggling unsuccessfully to maintain order.  I would think more than twice about going there during the spring break season.

Thank you so much! I really appreciate this information and I know now that if I want to stay in Miami during this time, I should look for other places. 
Ivi

[BWIVince]

Ok, fun trivia question...  (...admittedly probably only considered fun by me.)

 

In the Nobu thread I listed a partial list of Crystal's famous chef consultants over the years, but completely forgot about the OG of Crystal consultants, their inaugural culinary advisor.  (For anyone not familiar with that role, it's basically what Michel Roux did for Celebrity when they launched, and Regina Charboneau did when American Queen relaunched, among others.)

 

Does anyone remember, know, or care to guess who Crystal's original consulting culinary advisor was?

 

It's been so long I'm not even sure Google is much help here...

 

Vince

[KenzSailing]

9 minutes ago, BWIVince said:

Ok, fun trivia question...  (...admittedly probably only considered fun by me.)

 

In the Nobu thread I listed a partial list of Crystal's famous chef consultants over the years, but completely forgot about the OG of Crystal consultants, their inaugural culinary advisor.  (For anyone not familiar with that role, it's basically what Michel Roux did for Celebrity when they launched, and Regina Charboneau did when American Queen relaunched, among others.)

 

Does anyone remember, know, or care to guess who Crystal's original consulting culinary advisor was?

 

It's been so long I'm not even sure Google is much help here...

 

Vince

 

Well, it's not Gordon Ramsey(seriously, can you believe his new DC place is booked solid 90 days out?  Talk about selling the sizzle.)

 

Anyway, my shot in the dark is Andre Soltner. 

[Mr Luxury]

49 minutes ago, BWIVince said:

Ok, fun trivia question...  (...admittedly probably only considered fun by me.)

 

In the Nobu thread I listed a partial list of Crystal's famous chef consultants over the years, but completely forgot about the OG of Crystal consultants, their inaugural culinary advisor.  (For anyone not familiar with that role, it's basically what Michel Roux did for Celebrity when they launched, and Regina Charboneau did when American Queen relaunched, among others.)

 

Does anyone remember, know, or care to guess who Crystal's original consulting culinary advisor was?

 

It's been so long I'm not even sure Google is much help here...

 

Vince

Auguste Escoffier 

Edited February 24, 2023 by Mr Luxury

[BWIVince]

57 minutes ago, KenzSailing said:

 

Well, it's not Gordon Ramsey(seriously, can you believe his new DC place is booked solid 90 days out?  Talk about selling the sizzle.)

 

Anyway, my shot in the dark is Andre Soltner. 

 

Close in a way -- if my memory is correct, Andre Soltner was their next consultant on the MDR portion!

 

A good hint would be remembering Crystal's penchant for local companies, suppliers and partners (Southern California) in the original time frame they started work (late 80's).  It's also not one of the names in my original list in the Nobu thread, so not Puck or Selvaggio.  

 

Vince

(P.S. re: Ramsey -- Nothing surprises me about DC dining anymore...  But geez...)

[KenzSailing]

1 hour ago, BWIVince said:

 

Close in a way -- if my memory is correct, Andre Soltner was their next consultant on the MDR portion!

 

A good hint would be remembering Crystal's penchant for local companies, suppliers and partners (Southern California) in the original time frame they started work (late 80's).  It's also not one of the names in my original list in the Nobu thread, so not Puck or Selvaggio.  

 

Vince

(P.S. re: Ramsey -- Nothing surprises me about DC dining anymore...  But geez...)

 

Drat, so close!

 

A name on the SoCal dining scene in the 80s who isn't Puck or Selvaggio.....

 

Man, that's mighty slim pickings. (Sorry Bryan.)  All the names that come to mind, and there are more than a few, are Bay area chefs.

 

Ken Hom maybe?

[suitedreams]

 David Wilhelm? He had a restaurant, French 75, in Laguna Beach.

 

Len

[BEAV]

58 minutes ago, KenzSailing said:

 

Drat, so close!

 

A name on the SoCal dining scene in the 80s who isn't Puck or Selvaggio.....

 

Man, that's mighty slim pickings. (Sorry Bryan.)  All the names that come to mind, and there are more than a few, are Bay area chefs.

 

Ken Hom maybe?

How on earth could you forget Anaheim’s own Carl Karcher? 🤦🤔🤷🏻‍♂️

[KenzSailing]

42 minutes ago, BEAV said:

How on earth could you forget Anaheim’s own Carl Karcher? 🤦🤔🤷🏻‍♂️

 

Had to search on that one, but I see your point.  Also, I think you're on to something.  The answer of course is:

 

Ray Kroc! 

[BEAV]

3 hours ago, BWIVince said:

 

Close in a way -- if my memory is correct, Andre Soltner was their next consultant on the MDR portion!

 

I seem to recall Andre Soltner being aboard one of my Crystal cruises. And my not-of-sound mind is telling me Harmony 2005, the sailing I first became acquainted with you? 🤔

 

Mary Lou Retton was also aboard that sailing. No, not a culinary icon in Crystal’s history, but now I’m guilty of straying off topic on an off topic forum. 
🤦

 

 

16 minutes ago, KenzSailing said:

 

Had to search on that one, but I see your point.  Also, I think you're on to something.  The answer of course is:

 

Ray Kroc! 

 

If you had to Google Carl, then I think you need to spend some more time west of the Continental Divide. 
 

You’ve got Sheetz and Stuckey’s. 

We’ve got Carl’s and In-N-Out. 

[KenzSailing]

26 minutes ago, BEAV said:

I seem to recall Andre Soltner being aboard one of my Crystal cruises. And my not-of-sound mind is telling me Harmony 2005, the sailing I first became acquainted with you? 🤔

 

Mary Lou Retton was also aboard that sailing. No, not a culinary icon in Crystal’s history, but now I’m guilty of straying off topic on an off topic forum. 
🤦

 

 

 

If you had to Google Carl, then I think you need to spend some more time west of the Continental Divide. 
 

You’ve got Sheetz and Stuckey’s. 

We’ve got Carl’s and In-N-Out. 

 

Oh, so you wanna dance?

 

Over here, we've got those local boys 5 Guys and up the northeast that little behemoth called Shake Shack started.

 

And any moment now Patty will be along to throw Whataburger into the mix, now expanding to Kansas City at the request of that Texas boy and two time Super Bowl winning quarterback, Patrick Mahomes(OLoPP insists I mention that part.)

 

So there.

 

 

[Texas Tillie]

15 minutes ago, KenzSailing said:

 

Oh, so you wanna dance?

 

Over here, we've got those local boys 5 Guys and up the northeast that little behemoth called Shake Shack started.

 

And any moment now Patty will be along to throw Whataburger into the mix, now expanding to Kansas City at the request of that Texas boy and two time Super Bowl winning quarterback, Patrick Mahomes(OLoPP insists I mention that part.)

 

So there.

 

 

Haven't been to a Whataburger in years. The one closest to my house, mile and a half!, is crappy. Heard it had gotten worse as have all the fast food in the area as they can’t get enough decent employees. Last time I went to Five Guys it was good, but a single was over $9!! Having problems with food inflation these days. 

 

Patty

[Keith1010]

Haven't been to a fast food place in at least 20 years.

 

Used to in my younger years.

 

If I could bring one back from the past (I realize there might be a couple still around) it would be my go to place from college in WDC which was Roy Rogers.  Great hamburgers, chicken, coleslaw and French Fries and they would prepare it put it under heating lamps and you would put what you wanted on your tray.  

 

What i like about Whataburger is its name. You see when someone like me says Water and is from New York in Texas you think I must be talking about the Wata and Whataburger rather than the fixins.  Ya'll understand.

 

Keith

[Keith1010]

Today would have been the 80th Birthday of George Harrison the youngest member of The Beatles . He was just shy of 21 years young when The Beatles made their debut on Ed Sullivan Shy is an appropriate word as often he was considered the quiet Beatle.  

 

 

 

 

I remember their performances on Ed Sullivan as if it was "Yesterday".

 

 

 

 

[PaulMCO]

But his best work was the founding of the Traveling Wilburys -- amazing group and amazing artists.