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| Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to Everyone |
Monday, December 24, 2012
Sunday, December 16, 2012
Philadelphia Visit
Another trip, it is. On December 4 we boarded a U S Airways flight from Tampa to Philadelphia to visit our good friend Deirdre who lives in Newtown Square outside of Philadelphia. She had arranged a visit to Longwood Gardens situated in the Brandywine Valley in Kennett Square, PA, for the evening of Dec 5th. Susan, another friend from my working days at CIGNA joined us for the Gardens and dinner. It was a perfect evening, with clear cool weather. The Christmas displays outside and inside in the Conservatory were as beautiful as you will see in the photographs which I will leave to speak for themselves. We were very fortunate as this was the best weather of the trip, a large portion of displays of decorated trees is outside.
After the visit to the Gardens we enjoyed a lovely and tasty dinner at Half Moon Restaurant in the old Downtown of Kennett Square. The menu included standard fare such as, say, Bison, Kangaroo, Caribou Hot Dog, Gator Gumbo and other wild game options. They also served a mean Smokey Exotic Mushroom Bisque which was to die for, OMG. I'll take more please. But none of us ordered any of the exotic items from the menu but opted for the more traditional items. Frank and I had perfectly cooked and marinated Flat Iron Steak, Susan enjoyed a brie stuffed wood smoked chicken, avocado salsa sandwich, with avocado, while Deirdre, being the adventurous sort had, a basic hamburger (passing on the buffalo burger).
The next evening Deirdre, Frank, I and a friend from Prague, Vaclav, met in the University City district of Philadelphia for a great dinner at White Dog Cafe. I met Vaclav on my first trip to Praha and the Czech Republic when another friend suggested I consider using Vaclav as my tour guide for my three day stay. He is currently studying for a Masters Degree and attending the University of Pennsylvania. The White Dog Cafe focuses on locally source products. Frank and I both enjoyed "the Spicy Lamb Bolognese Sweet Stem Farms Ground Lamb, Severino Rigatoni, ‘Jersey Fresh’ Preserved Tomatoes, Organic Baby Spinach, Shaved Grana Padano, Whipped Basil Ricotta" *extracted from the menu. It was very tasty however just a tad spicier than I like. But I did lick my plate clean. Vaclav ordered a Hamburger with sliced pork tenderloin stacked on top. (I frequently use the menu on the restaurant site to aid my memory, but I was not able to find this on the currently posted menu. So just imaging a very nicely prepared tasty sandwich). Deirdre opted for the same sandwich but with only the sliced pork, omitting the burger. Maybe Deirdre, Vaclav or Frank can fill in the comments section for me due to my lapse of memory.
Click on the photo to view the album in Picasa.
After the visit to the Gardens we enjoyed a lovely and tasty dinner at Half Moon Restaurant in the old Downtown of Kennett Square. The menu included standard fare such as, say, Bison, Kangaroo, Caribou Hot Dog, Gator Gumbo and other wild game options. They also served a mean Smokey Exotic Mushroom Bisque which was to die for, OMG. I'll take more please. But none of us ordered any of the exotic items from the menu but opted for the more traditional items. Frank and I had perfectly cooked and marinated Flat Iron Steak, Susan enjoyed a brie stuffed wood smoked chicken, avocado salsa sandwich, with avocado, while Deirdre, being the adventurous sort had, a basic hamburger (passing on the buffalo burger).
[Historic Aside: "Kennett is known as the Mushroom Capital of the World because mushroom farming in the region produces over a million pounds of mushrooms a week." from Wikipedia.]
One night Frank prepared his "always good" and tasty Tilapia Meuniere. Yummy.
The next day we visited the National Constitution Center across from Independence Hall. It was interesting multi-media presentation of the founding of our country. While interesting and educational it would not be in my "A" list of sites to visit when in Philadelphia considering the other places to see.
Finally, after forcing you to read through all of our activity and eating, here is a link to the photographs - primarily of the Longwood Gardens. The only regret was that Deirdre's adorable dog, Barney, didn't get to go with us to the gardens - he would have had hundreds of acres to play in.
Click on the photo to view the album in Picasa.
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| Philadelphia, PA Dec 2012 |
Sunday, November 25, 2012
Thanksgiving Wrap-up
I don't want to let Thanksgiving end without a few final thoughts.
First I am extremely lucky and thankful to have a cadre of friends and family supporting me through my health related issues. I am also thankful that I am still able to travel, and enjoy life. While there are an amazing number of family and friends who I thank, it is too many to list everyone, but you are all in my thoughts and best wishes for a great holiday season. One person who will not go unmentioned is my best friend, Frank. He is always there to give me support and encouragement and he is a great person and a fun traveler. THANK YOU, FRANK!
So it was appropriate that we started the Thanksgiving season with our annual Thanksgiving Eve dinner. We nailed another fine meal at my place. If anyone wants recipes let me know. The only one I will post is the Lemon Panna Cotta, at the end of this post which is my favorite dessert for any occasion. Try it, you can't go wrong.
Frank refers to this as our Italian American Thanksgiving and it was really good. Our main bird was a Roasted Rosemary Turkey Breast coated with a seasoned butter mixture of rosemary, sage, garlic and orange zest. For our sides we prepared an uncooked Cranberry and Blood Orange Relish (unfortunately, no blood oranges were available, so our back up was regular oranges but excellent just the same. Next up was a Butternut Squash Risotto (yummy) and Brussels Sprouts with Pancetta - both were great. We ended the meal with the Lemon Panna Cotta. We served a bottle of St. Supery Elu with dinner and a glass of Limoncello with the dessert. It was a great meal with a great friend.
On Thanksgiving Day we each went to our respective families - Frank to his sister's and I to my nephew's. Everyone, (except me) pitched in to prepare a wonderful traditional Thanksgiving spread. They had turkey two ways - one traditionally roasted in the oven and the other deep fried. Both were very flavorful and moist - good job everyone. For sides we had mashed potatoes, candied sweet potatoes, my Mother's Creamed Corn Casserole. This is a tradition in the Simpson family since the 1950's and is a must serve at Thanksgiving and Christmas. The dinner was finished off with 3 different home baked pies - oink oink.
On Friday evening Frank and I attended "This is The 60's" at the Mahaffey Theatre in St. Petersburg. The show was a multi-media presentation with a live cast of singers, musicians and dancers - only 7 in all. They presented a fun-filled evening of 60's songs, film clips and TV shows from the decade. We both enjoyed the show but feel they slighted the folk movement and the Mo-Town sound. However with so much music coming out of the decade I am sure they had a tough time selecting the tunes.
Next up, to round out the weekend, we enjoyed a wonderful meal at our favorite French Restaurant - St. Petersburg Brasserie downtown on Central Ave. Frank loved his Steak Frites and I was gushing over the Roasted Duck Breast served with Celeriac Rosti, Spicy Cherry Gastrique. OMG, have I mentioned how good it was. Both Frank's steak and my duck were perfectly cooked to a rare degree of doneness. We paired the meal with a very nice bottle of 2010 Shooting Star Pinot Noir from Stelle Vineyards in California.
That's it for Thanksgiving 2012 - Thanks one more time to my family and friends - I am truly a lucky guy.
As promised - the LEMON PANNA COTTA recipe follows. I skip the sauce and serve it with fresh raspberries.
That's all I'm Saying !
First I am extremely lucky and thankful to have a cadre of friends and family supporting me through my health related issues. I am also thankful that I am still able to travel, and enjoy life. While there are an amazing number of family and friends who I thank, it is too many to list everyone, but you are all in my thoughts and best wishes for a great holiday season. One person who will not go unmentioned is my best friend, Frank. He is always there to give me support and encouragement and he is a great person and a fun traveler. THANK YOU, FRANK!
So it was appropriate that we started the Thanksgiving season with our annual Thanksgiving Eve dinner. We nailed another fine meal at my place. If anyone wants recipes let me know. The only one I will post is the Lemon Panna Cotta, at the end of this post which is my favorite dessert for any occasion. Try it, you can't go wrong.
Frank refers to this as our Italian American Thanksgiving and it was really good. Our main bird was a Roasted Rosemary Turkey Breast coated with a seasoned butter mixture of rosemary, sage, garlic and orange zest. For our sides we prepared an uncooked Cranberry and Blood Orange Relish (unfortunately, no blood oranges were available, so our back up was regular oranges but excellent just the same. Next up was a Butternut Squash Risotto (yummy) and Brussels Sprouts with Pancetta - both were great. We ended the meal with the Lemon Panna Cotta. We served a bottle of St. Supery Elu with dinner and a glass of Limoncello with the dessert. It was a great meal with a great friend.
On Thanksgiving Day we each went to our respective families - Frank to his sister's and I to my nephew's. Everyone, (except me) pitched in to prepare a wonderful traditional Thanksgiving spread. They had turkey two ways - one traditionally roasted in the oven and the other deep fried. Both were very flavorful and moist - good job everyone. For sides we had mashed potatoes, candied sweet potatoes, my Mother's Creamed Corn Casserole. This is a tradition in the Simpson family since the 1950's and is a must serve at Thanksgiving and Christmas. The dinner was finished off with 3 different home baked pies - oink oink.
On Friday evening Frank and I attended "This is The 60's" at the Mahaffey Theatre in St. Petersburg. The show was a multi-media presentation with a live cast of singers, musicians and dancers - only 7 in all. They presented a fun-filled evening of 60's songs, film clips and TV shows from the decade. We both enjoyed the show but feel they slighted the folk movement and the Mo-Town sound. However with so much music coming out of the decade I am sure they had a tough time selecting the tunes.
Next up, to round out the weekend, we enjoyed a wonderful meal at our favorite French Restaurant - St. Petersburg Brasserie downtown on Central Ave. Frank loved his Steak Frites and I was gushing over the Roasted Duck Breast served with Celeriac Rosti, Spicy Cherry Gastrique. OMG, have I mentioned how good it was. Both Frank's steak and my duck were perfectly cooked to a rare degree of doneness. We paired the meal with a very nice bottle of 2010 Shooting Star Pinot Noir from Stelle Vineyards in California.
That's it for Thanksgiving 2012 - Thanks one more time to my family and friends - I am truly a lucky guy.
As promised - the LEMON PANNA COTTA recipe follows. I skip the sauce and serve it with fresh raspberries.
Lemon Panna Cotta with Blackberry Sauce
For convenience, chill these individual eggless custards
overnight before serving. The sauce can also be made a day ahead.
Yield: Makes 6 servings
Panna cotta
Vegetable oil
1 cup whole milk
1 cup whipping cream
1/2 vanilla bean
5 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 teaspoons unflavored gelatin
1/2 cup sugar
1 cup crème fraîche*
2 tablespoons grated lemon peel
Sauce
3 cups frozen blackberries (about 12 ounces), thawed,
drained, juices reserved
3 tablespoons (packed) golden brown sugar
3 tablespoons crème de cassis (black-currant-flavored
liqueur; optional)
For panna cotta:
Lightly oil six 3/4-cup ramekins or custard cups. Mix milk
and cream in heavy medium saucepan. Scrape in seeds from vanilla bean; add bean.
Bring to simmer. Remove from heat. Cover; let steep 30 minutes. Remove vanilla
bean.
Pour lemon juice into small bowl;
sprinkle gelatin over. Let stand until gelatin softens, about 10 minutes. Stir
sugar and gelatin mixture into milk mixture. Stir over low heat just until
sugar and gelatin dissolve, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat. Whisk in crème
fraîche and lemon peel. Divide among ramekins. Cover; chill until set, at least
6 hours or overnight.
For sauce:
Puree 2/3 of blackberries and all
reserved juices, brown sugar, and crème de cassis, if desired, in blender.
Strain mixture into medium bowl, pressing on solids to extract as much liquid
as possible. Discard solids in strainer. Stir remaining blackberries into
sauce. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and chill.)
Run small knife around each panna
cotta. Place bottoms of ramekins, 1 at a time, in bowl of hot water 45 seconds.
Place plate atop ramekin. Hold plate and ramekin together; invert, shaking
gently, to turn out panna cotta. Serve with sauce.
That's all I'm Saying !
Thursday, November 15, 2012
Dick & Frank's Fantastic Fall Foliage Adventure
So it is that time again, our photographic followup to our last cruise. Hopefully you have read the blog, especially the hits and misses. I have set up two albums on Picasa with a lot of frustration - no thanks to Google and Picasa. Grrrrrrr :-(
The majority of photographs were taken by Frank. I owe him a big THANK YOU, for frequently taking the time to search out the sights when I was getting fatigued and I didn't feel like walking any more. So, he was the primary photographer and I was the editor. Good work Frank!
Your comments would be appreciated and please report any problems with the links
We hope you enjoy the photographs
Dick and Frank
The first is a short version with 30 photographs culled from the original 200 +.
Dick & Frank's Fantastic Fall Foliage Tour - Short Version
If you get bored easily with other people's vacation photos, I would opt for the short version.The second is an extended version, consisting of 94 photographs.
The majority of photographs were taken by Frank. I owe him a big THANK YOU, for frequently taking the time to search out the sights when I was getting fatigued and I didn't feel like walking any more. So, he was the primary photographer and I was the editor. Good work Frank!
Your comments would be appreciated and please report any problems with the links
We hope you enjoy the photographs
Dick and Frank
Thursday, November 8, 2012
Miguel's is French
Tucked away in a corner of a non-descript strip mercantile building on Siesta Key, FL you will find an excellent French restaurant. This was our first visit to Miguel's (link) based on a recommendation our dining companions from New Jersey had received from someone in their condo complex. Eileen and Michael were visiting for a week and met up with Frank and me at this 25 year-old restaurant for a fine evening of dining and reminiscing The decor is traditional and rustic - a charming space that was packed with locals when we arrived for 7 PM reservations. (Note - I would always make reservations here especially in the season. They offer Early Bird specials which attracts a large crowd earlier in the evening. It is Sarasota of course.)
Naturally, the menu leans heavily to the French side, while they do have a few Italian items for the early birds.
Some of us started the meal with La Soupe du Jour a wonderfully rich and flavorful Sweet Potato Bisque. From the Entree menu I opted for the Lamb Shank, the special for the day. I want more :-). It was cooked to perfection with a lovely dark sauce - tender and moist, I cleaned my plate. It was served with potatoes that had been roasted with the lamb which added a great flavor to the potatoes.
Frank order Le Canard Roti Maison - roasted young duckling served with a l'orange sauce. I had a taste and would agree with Frank that it was top notch - again tender, moist, and tasty.
Eileen enjoyed her Le Boeuf Diane - beef tenderloin tips nicely sauteed with mushrooms, garlic, brandy and demi-glace served with puff pastry.
Michael selected Le Petit Filet Mignon, a nice 6 oz steak, with a béarnaise sauce. He proclaimed to meal to be great.
We expected the meal to be pricey, but with drinks, soup, entrees, house salad, dessert, and coffee/espresso the bill came to $50 per person. Not bad in my opinion for this quality of dining.
We were all very pleased with the entire dining experience at Miguel's and highly recommend it to anyone visiting the Sarasota area.
Naturally, the menu leans heavily to the French side, while they do have a few Italian items for the early birds.
Some of us started the meal with La Soupe du Jour a wonderfully rich and flavorful Sweet Potato Bisque. From the Entree menu I opted for the Lamb Shank, the special for the day. I want more :-). It was cooked to perfection with a lovely dark sauce - tender and moist, I cleaned my plate. It was served with potatoes that had been roasted with the lamb which added a great flavor to the potatoes.
Frank order Le Canard Roti Maison - roasted young duckling served with a l'orange sauce. I had a taste and would agree with Frank that it was top notch - again tender, moist, and tasty.
Eileen enjoyed her Le Boeuf Diane - beef tenderloin tips nicely sauteed with mushrooms, garlic, brandy and demi-glace served with puff pastry.
Michael selected Le Petit Filet Mignon, a nice 6 oz steak, with a béarnaise sauce. He proclaimed to meal to be great.
We expected the meal to be pricey, but with drinks, soup, entrees, house salad, dessert, and coffee/espresso the bill came to $50 per person. Not bad in my opinion for this quality of dining.
We were all very pleased with the entire dining experience at Miguel's and highly recommend it to anyone visiting the Sarasota area.
Wednesday, November 7, 2012
My Political Statement on my Non-Political Blog
I am trying this one last time. I keep having problems only posting the audio portion so I found the You tube link. I was just trying to find a song that expresses my joy at yesterday's election results. Skip the lead-in ad and move on to the song.
Click Here
or here ---: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3GwjfUFyY6M
Click Here
or here ---: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3GwjfUFyY6M
Saturday, November 3, 2012
Fall Foliage Cruise - Hits and Misses
It's that time folks! Our post vacation wrap-up with trip hits and misses!
So let's get started:
Food:
Hits
Dick (onboard) - Le Bistro, the up-charge French restaurant. I had a lovely duck two ways (roast duck breast cooked perfectly and a moist confit of duck leg with crispy skin). Nicely seasoned and presented.
Frank (onboard) - Bamboo, the up-charge Asian restaurant. I had a Cantonese style chicken dish. MUCH better than something you would get at PF Changs or the usual Sino-American establishment. I'm not talking authentic here, but an admirable attempt just the same.
Dick (off ship) - TOAST! (Quebec City) - Had an amazing selection of appetizer sized plates. My deer tartare was unusual, ultra-local, and surprisingly light in addition to being tasty. The restaurant is connected to the Hotel Le Priori, which is also a very nice establishment, for those who may be looking for room and board in QC.
Frank (off ship) - I have to give it up to TOAST! as well. I have never had sweetbreads (and, although I loved them, probably will never again), but the idea of pairing them with seared scallops as an ersatz surf and turf was genius. The whole place is genius, really. A bit of a splurge, but fun, cutting edge and definitely stylish!
Misses
Dick (onboard) - La Cucina, the up-charge Italian restaurant. The osso buco I had was fall off the bone tender, and flavorful. Alora, it was over-salted. So close, and yet so far! That's amore...
Frank (onboard) - Aqua, the main dining room. If you EVER see holiday turkey with all the trimmings on a cruise ship menu, waddle to another dining spot cause it's not gonna be the type of meal momma would server on turkey day. This was a big disappointment. I have had better turkey dinners from a microwave. In all fairness, I shouldn't have expected a real roast turkey from what is basically a catering environment. But still, a little more thought than warming up a Jenny-O turkey roll would have been appreciated.
Dick - However, in defense of Aqua, I had a VERY nice whole lobster on the first night, which Frank did not order. So BOO-YA!
Dick (off ship) - No misses off the ship, other than $10 bucks for a lox and bagel in Peggy's Cove seemed a bit excessive (it was good lox, though).
Frank (off ship) - The food poisoning I got at the Carrabba's at the Tampa Airport when we got back from our trip. Not a great way to cap a wonderful trip.
Sights:
Hits
Dick - Much of what we saw was very dramatic, and I enjoyed it very much. There was still some color in the trees, which made for pleasant drives on the tour buses at each port. But, I guess my overall favorite sight was Peggy's Cove. I had visited years before, but enjoyed it as much this time as the last.
Frank - Well, my favorite sight is always seeing Simpson at the ship buffet beaming over a full bowl of ice cream (such a happy face!). But, other than that, I really loved PEI and Quebec City. Of all we had seen, those two spots would be the ones I would return to.
Misses
Dick - La Baie - This was my least favorite port of call. It was a nice city, but really had nothing to offer in terms of significant sights.
Frank - Have to agree. If you weren't into high-impact sports (zodiac rafting, etc.) or a narcolepsy inducing faux-folk extravaganza, you were kind of out of luck. In all fairness, there were excursions to a National Park, which I am sure was lovely. But not for us on this go round.
Ship Board entertainment:
Hits
Dick - While we did not attend any of the "Vegas" (quotation marks intentional) style productions in the main theater, we had the pleasure of realizing that our favorite performer from a prior cruise was on board, Nathaniel Reed. He sings standards and modern pop and soul. If you ever get a chance to see his Motown Revue, don't miss it!
Frank - I will give special mention to the folk strains of the three piece Celtic Umbrella. One of the members was from PEI! Listening to Scotch, Irish and Canadian music on piano and fiddle with vocals was lovely. But my favorite entertainment was watching the rowdy drunks come to happy hour from 4-6 every night at the pub. Two for one beers and wine and even some cocktails. Nothing comes between an octogenarian and their scooter and two bloody marys. Look twice or you are road kill!
BTW, I went there for observational purposes only, you nasty people!
General Comments:
Dick - Not surprisingly, we had only a couple of chilly and windy days, with temps in the low 30's and feels likes in the low 20's. Mostly though, in the 50's and 60's with PLENTY of sunshine in Quebec City.
Also, back to the food. One of the reasons I have always been reluctant in the past about cruises is my low expectations about the level of food quality at the main dining rooms, let alone the prospect of having to dine with complete strangers at a big table at a fixed time every night. NCL has the up-charge restaurants, which I have always found to be good. I ate much more often at the main dining rooms this time, and I was surprised at the quality of the food, and the ability to be seated at two tops with no problems or lengthy waits.
Frank - I really loved being able to see Canada, for the very first time. I enjoyed all the ports. Really thought the people were great (ok, so I got into a scuffle with the Canadian Customs guys, but I wasn't on my meds and had a bad day. Details in my forthcoming memoir). All in all though, it was a GREAT trip, good memories, and of course, good company.
Dick - I must agree with Frank, it was a great cruise, with colorful scenery, and delicious food.
Until the next trip, that's all folks...
So let's get started:
Food:
Hits
Dick (onboard) - Le Bistro, the up-charge French restaurant. I had a lovely duck two ways (roast duck breast cooked perfectly and a moist confit of duck leg with crispy skin). Nicely seasoned and presented.
Frank (onboard) - Bamboo, the up-charge Asian restaurant. I had a Cantonese style chicken dish. MUCH better than something you would get at PF Changs or the usual Sino-American establishment. I'm not talking authentic here, but an admirable attempt just the same.
Dick (off ship) - TOAST! (Quebec City) - Had an amazing selection of appetizer sized plates. My deer tartare was unusual, ultra-local, and surprisingly light in addition to being tasty. The restaurant is connected to the Hotel Le Priori, which is also a very nice establishment, for those who may be looking for room and board in QC.
Frank (off ship) - I have to give it up to TOAST! as well. I have never had sweetbreads (and, although I loved them, probably will never again), but the idea of pairing them with seared scallops as an ersatz surf and turf was genius. The whole place is genius, really. A bit of a splurge, but fun, cutting edge and definitely stylish!
Misses
Dick (onboard) - La Cucina, the up-charge Italian restaurant. The osso buco I had was fall off the bone tender, and flavorful. Alora, it was over-salted. So close, and yet so far! That's amore...
Frank (onboard) - Aqua, the main dining room. If you EVER see holiday turkey with all the trimmings on a cruise ship menu, waddle to another dining spot cause it's not gonna be the type of meal momma would server on turkey day. This was a big disappointment. I have had better turkey dinners from a microwave. In all fairness, I shouldn't have expected a real roast turkey from what is basically a catering environment. But still, a little more thought than warming up a Jenny-O turkey roll would have been appreciated.
Dick - However, in defense of Aqua, I had a VERY nice whole lobster on the first night, which Frank did not order. So BOO-YA!
Dick (off ship) - No misses off the ship, other than $10 bucks for a lox and bagel in Peggy's Cove seemed a bit excessive (it was good lox, though).
Frank (off ship) - The food poisoning I got at the Carrabba's at the Tampa Airport when we got back from our trip. Not a great way to cap a wonderful trip.
Sights:
Hits
Dick - Much of what we saw was very dramatic, and I enjoyed it very much. There was still some color in the trees, which made for pleasant drives on the tour buses at each port. But, I guess my overall favorite sight was Peggy's Cove. I had visited years before, but enjoyed it as much this time as the last.
Frank - Well, my favorite sight is always seeing Simpson at the ship buffet beaming over a full bowl of ice cream (such a happy face!). But, other than that, I really loved PEI and Quebec City. Of all we had seen, those two spots would be the ones I would return to.
Misses
Dick - La Baie - This was my least favorite port of call. It was a nice city, but really had nothing to offer in terms of significant sights.
Frank - Have to agree. If you weren't into high-impact sports (zodiac rafting, etc.) or a narcolepsy inducing faux-folk extravaganza, you were kind of out of luck. In all fairness, there were excursions to a National Park, which I am sure was lovely. But not for us on this go round.
Ship Board entertainment:
Hits
Dick - While we did not attend any of the "Vegas" (quotation marks intentional) style productions in the main theater, we had the pleasure of realizing that our favorite performer from a prior cruise was on board, Nathaniel Reed. He sings standards and modern pop and soul. If you ever get a chance to see his Motown Revue, don't miss it!
Frank - I will give special mention to the folk strains of the three piece Celtic Umbrella. One of the members was from PEI! Listening to Scotch, Irish and Canadian music on piano and fiddle with vocals was lovely. But my favorite entertainment was watching the rowdy drunks come to happy hour from 4-6 every night at the pub. Two for one beers and wine and even some cocktails. Nothing comes between an octogenarian and their scooter and two bloody marys. Look twice or you are road kill!
BTW, I went there for observational purposes only, you nasty people!
General Comments:
Dick - Not surprisingly, we had only a couple of chilly and windy days, with temps in the low 30's and feels likes in the low 20's. Mostly though, in the 50's and 60's with PLENTY of sunshine in Quebec City.
Also, back to the food. One of the reasons I have always been reluctant in the past about cruises is my low expectations about the level of food quality at the main dining rooms, let alone the prospect of having to dine with complete strangers at a big table at a fixed time every night. NCL has the up-charge restaurants, which I have always found to be good. I ate much more often at the main dining rooms this time, and I was surprised at the quality of the food, and the ability to be seated at two tops with no problems or lengthy waits.
Frank - I really loved being able to see Canada, for the very first time. I enjoyed all the ports. Really thought the people were great (ok, so I got into a scuffle with the Canadian Customs guys, but I wasn't on my meds and had a bad day. Details in my forthcoming memoir). All in all though, it was a GREAT trip, good memories, and of course, good company.
Dick - I must agree with Frank, it was a great cruise, with colorful scenery, and delicious food.
Until the next trip, that's all folks...
Thursday, November 1, 2012
Lost But Now He is Found
Wednesday, October 31, 2012
New Friends We Met on the Cruise
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| What is it? |
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| Miss Elly |
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| I am the walrus, goo goo g'joob |
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| Moonky - Just Hanging Around Your Cabin |
Sunday, October 28, 2012
Day 8 and 9 - Quebec City
For years, Richard and I each have had a strong desire to visit Quebec City. But, for one reason or another, neither of us quite found a way to make it there. Well, our cruise has ended, and now we are finally in Quebec City. And, I have to say, It has been totally worth the wait!
The tired old adage about Quebec City is that it is like visiting Paris. Only closer. And cleaner. I hate to admit it, but the old saying is mostly true. Now, no place can really, truly compare to Paris. But Quebec City does have something of the architecture and gastronomy of the City of Light. All without having to cross the big pond.
And, the city IS clean. Very clean. No dog poo on the sidewalks. No litter on the streets.
There is a disturbing lack of panhandlers.
The people are, well, NICE. And they don't hesitate to speak English (especially after hearing my well intentioned but sorely lacking attempt at French).
It's like France with training wheels!
Some of reasons for the tidy and pleasant nature of the city and it's citizens was explained by the guide of the city tour we embarked upon. Over half of the population works for the government, with reasonable Monday to Friday work hours that leave ample time for recreation and leisure. The residents of Quebec City are ethnically homogeneous, meaning ninety five percent are French-speaking, Catholic and white. In a city of 700,000, the murder rate last year topped out the year at four people. Wow. It all gave me a lot of food for thought. I certainly admire the social welfare aspects of Canadian society, but at the same time was somewhat dismayed at the the lack of ethnic diversity in Quebec. Not making any judgments here, just saying that I came away with a lot to ponder regarding different social systems, why they work in some areas but not in others, and what kind of lessons can be learned from them.
You know, being a responsible traveler.
On to the touristy stuff. Quebec City is divided into a historic riverfront, and then a more modern area further out. The historic area has a lower section (Basse-Ville) and an upper section (Haute-Ville). In days past, the lower section housed the poor and working class, while the upper town was the province of the wealthy and elites. Typical!
The city winds along narrow streets from the river docks of the lower town, up to the steep ramparts, and then into the upper town. Along the way, restaurants, shops and art galleries entice. The crown jewel overlooking the city is the grand Chateau Frontenac. Built in the latter part of the 19th century, the Frontenac was commissioned by the CN railroad to house travelers back in the day when rail was king. Boasting 650 rooms behind an imposing, faux-chateau edifice, the Frontenac recalls the grandeur of The Gilded Age.
Richard and I, minus top hats and monocles, commemorated our visit to the Frontenac with a drink at the the hotel's watering hole, the Bar St. Laurent. Clubby, warm and with commanding views of the city and the St. Lawrence River, it was well worth the stop-in.
Having been founded in 1608, Quebec has a rich history that includes the First Nation peoples, the French settlers, an unwelcome British Invasion (think RedCoats, not MopTops), and the controversial modern Separatist movement. Take one of the historic city bus tours to get the whole story.
I won't go on about dining too much, except to say French food abounds (natch!), albeit with a Canadian twist. A good example I experienced would be the Confit of Duck Salad with Maple Vinaigrette I had at the Aux Anciennes Canadienes.
By far, though, the best culinary experience we enjoyed was at place called Toast! The kitchen is run by a chef who apprenticed at The French Laundry under Thomas Keller. As you would expect, all was about super fresh ingredients and layers of flavors. Instead of entrees, the menu consisted of making as many selections as desired from a long list of appetizers. To give you an idea, I had a Surf and Turf of sweetbreads sautéed in lardons, along with seared sea scallops paired with duxelles of mushrooms. Richard had an unusual, but surprisingly light, tartare of deer. Delicieux!
I guess from reading this post you are getting the sense that I really enjoyed this city. I did. A lot.
I just wish I hadn't waited so long to see it!
Frank
Let me make one comment to Frank's posts. I owe him a heartfelt THANK YOU for all of his posts from this journey. I hope you enjoy his contributions to The Urban Flaneur as much as I do.
And stay tuned as we are planning our regular, post-travel "Hits & Misses" feature enjoyed by many of our readers.
That's all I'm saying (for now).
The tired old adage about Quebec City is that it is like visiting Paris. Only closer. And cleaner. I hate to admit it, but the old saying is mostly true. Now, no place can really, truly compare to Paris. But Quebec City does have something of the architecture and gastronomy of the City of Light. All without having to cross the big pond.
And, the city IS clean. Very clean. No dog poo on the sidewalks. No litter on the streets.
There is a disturbing lack of panhandlers.
The people are, well, NICE. And they don't hesitate to speak English (especially after hearing my well intentioned but sorely lacking attempt at French).
It's like France with training wheels!
Some of reasons for the tidy and pleasant nature of the city and it's citizens was explained by the guide of the city tour we embarked upon. Over half of the population works for the government, with reasonable Monday to Friday work hours that leave ample time for recreation and leisure. The residents of Quebec City are ethnically homogeneous, meaning ninety five percent are French-speaking, Catholic and white. In a city of 700,000, the murder rate last year topped out the year at four people. Wow. It all gave me a lot of food for thought. I certainly admire the social welfare aspects of Canadian society, but at the same time was somewhat dismayed at the the lack of ethnic diversity in Quebec. Not making any judgments here, just saying that I came away with a lot to ponder regarding different social systems, why they work in some areas but not in others, and what kind of lessons can be learned from them.
You know, being a responsible traveler.
On to the touristy stuff. Quebec City is divided into a historic riverfront, and then a more modern area further out. The historic area has a lower section (Basse-Ville) and an upper section (Haute-Ville). In days past, the lower section housed the poor and working class, while the upper town was the province of the wealthy and elites. Typical!
The city winds along narrow streets from the river docks of the lower town, up to the steep ramparts, and then into the upper town. Along the way, restaurants, shops and art galleries entice. The crown jewel overlooking the city is the grand Chateau Frontenac. Built in the latter part of the 19th century, the Frontenac was commissioned by the CN railroad to house travelers back in the day when rail was king. Boasting 650 rooms behind an imposing, faux-chateau edifice, the Frontenac recalls the grandeur of The Gilded Age.
Richard and I, minus top hats and monocles, commemorated our visit to the Frontenac with a drink at the the hotel's watering hole, the Bar St. Laurent. Clubby, warm and with commanding views of the city and the St. Lawrence River, it was well worth the stop-in.
Having been founded in 1608, Quebec has a rich history that includes the First Nation peoples, the French settlers, an unwelcome British Invasion (think RedCoats, not MopTops), and the controversial modern Separatist movement. Take one of the historic city bus tours to get the whole story.
I won't go on about dining too much, except to say French food abounds (natch!), albeit with a Canadian twist. A good example I experienced would be the Confit of Duck Salad with Maple Vinaigrette I had at the Aux Anciennes Canadienes.
By far, though, the best culinary experience we enjoyed was at place called Toast! The kitchen is run by a chef who apprenticed at The French Laundry under Thomas Keller. As you would expect, all was about super fresh ingredients and layers of flavors. Instead of entrees, the menu consisted of making as many selections as desired from a long list of appetizers. To give you an idea, I had a Surf and Turf of sweetbreads sautéed in lardons, along with seared sea scallops paired with duxelles of mushrooms. Richard had an unusual, but surprisingly light, tartare of deer. Delicieux!
I guess from reading this post you are getting the sense that I really enjoyed this city. I did. A lot.
I just wish I hadn't waited so long to see it!
Frank
Let me make one comment to Frank's posts. I owe him a heartfelt THANK YOU for all of his posts from this journey. I hope you enjoy his contributions to The Urban Flaneur as much as I do.
And stay tuned as we are planning our regular, post-travel "Hits & Misses" feature enjoyed by many of our readers.
That's all I'm saying (for now).
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