Silversea Water Cooler: Welcome!

[UKCruiseJeff]

Thanks Dan.

Edited October 20, 2013 by UKCruiseJeff

[Mr Luxury]

Thanks Dan.

 

This thread is too good for the poor.:D

 

Thanks for the email Jeff

 

Gravetye Manor for lunch today. Great as usual. A heavy schedule of shooting this week.Castle Hill in Devon followed by Wilton House near Salisbury.

Soon be Christmas and a nice relax on the Seabourn Sojourn through the Panama Canal which is being widened to accommodate larger ships.

[UKCruiseJeff]

Great to hear from you too ...:)

 

If it's the poor you feel sorry for ... what about me .. foraging for sweet chestnuts whilst you go shooting ...:eek: The wife looked in my bag and said "Your nuts are bleedin 'small. Not even worth roasting!" No respect.

 

Your Sunday Lunches are becoming legendary. I made a boeuf bourguignon meat pie with mash today. Very pedestrian.

 

Wouldn't it be great if we could attract some fellow congenials to this thread ... and the board. :rolleyes:

[V8Babe]

Was going to say something but don’t need to now, thanks Host Dan.

Anyway, lovely to see you back Jeff and thanks for asking about our trip. You sound like you're going to be very busy!

We had a great time. It was my first visit to Munich. Only had three days so had to have a pub meal – sausages, sauerkraut, mustards, lots of pretzels and beer of course. We also had to visit the Rats Keller. We had a lovely meal at the Brenner as well. We went to Dachau which was very confronting. (I couldn't get over people taking photos - how disrespectful!)

In England we were travelling around so mainly had pub meals in the evening as we didn’t feel like doing much after a day driving. We only got as far North as York then over to Widnes where I'm from. We had three nights in London and had a great night at La Genova (N Audley Street). The hotel recommended it and it was very nice. Will plan to go again when we visit London again next April prior to meeting our cruise in Monte Carlo.

Your meals sound amazing!

Karin

[UKCruiseJeff]

Hello Karin,

 

Great to hear your news about your trip and for the kind words.

 

I'm sorry you saw the three posts. As you may recall I first started posting here long before the three people who posted bullying, rude and harrassing posts in contravention of the very clear forum rules - and indeed simple old-fashioned decency. Against the trend of fora generally this particular place is virtually dead - killed largely by a few people who do not know how to behave. Unless the people that dissaprove show that this type of behaviour is unacceptable then those people win. They shouldn't be allowed to. It isn't a moderator issue but one of peer pressure and that takes normally quiet people of niceness to intervene and show dissaproval. Most people posting for the first time are not exactly made welcome, but any way of contorting an unwecloming response seems to be the norm. Most people are decent and are not represntative of some of the nasties here.

 

The Ratskeller is a great experience .... did you get to see the Castles? You have more courage than I do visiting Dachau ... too much history for me to have the courage. Too much family and people lost.

 

I know your "petrol-head" will remember Jodi Schechter. Well he lives in the next village to us and has an organic farm with a buffalo herd. Lunch today is a typical Bavarian dish ( :p ) of mince Buffalo patties from his farm with an onion gravy and mash etc ....

 

I know you're so much looking forward to your next SS cruise .... so hope Luxury and I can help you get the most out of - at least - the London end of your trip although both he and I know the MC end pretty well - we use to have a place just over the border along the Cote and there is much to see and do ... and eat.

 

What are your plans for thr next few months?

 

:)

[Mr Luxury]

Jeff,I love a bit of Laverstoke Farm too.

 

They have a bit in Waitrose.

Have you tried the Mozzarella,also the Buffalo and chilli burgers are tasty.

 

Off to Battersea to catch the chopper to Devon.Looks like it is going to be windy,that's good as it makes for better sport with the birds.

[UKCruiseJeff]

Yes ... great for the pizza ...

 

Obviously you will call them first ... it's pretty breezy and I'd be surprised if you will be flying today! I'll wave as you go past on the 303 ....:)

 

Have you read about all the shenanigans in the Concorde Room and Galleries First in T5 and Galleries in LGW? All three got a 2 hygiene rating! Pretty dire and ghastly.

 

:eek:

[V8Babe]

Agree with your comments totally - those horrible comments were nothing less than bullying.

 

Yum! Lunch sounds delicious. (As do all your meals ;))

 

We didn't do much sightseeing in Munich as my husband had to attend a conference all week and that only left Saturday, as we flew to London on Sunday. Yes, Dachau was very upsetting.

 

My husband travels a lot with business so wants to take the next few months quiet if he can. Will go to Sydney for a couple of days before Christmas though.

 

We've been to MC once before to meet a cruise - stayed at the Metropole but thinking this time of the Marriott. Any thoughts on that?

 

Appreicate all the tips from yourself and Mr Luxury.

 

Karin

[UKCruiseJeff]

Hello Karin,

 

Can you give a few more details ie how long you intend to spend in MC and what day of the week you arrive and when the ship leaves?

 

Happy to offer some ideas and alternatives.

 

Jeff

[Mr Luxury]

I stayed this year before boarding the Seabourn Legend at http://www.chevredor.com

 

A great place with a two star Michelin restaurant and only twenty minutes from MC

 

I also like http://www.hotelhermitagemontecarlo.com

[V8Babe]

Those hotels look amazing Mr Luxury! Not quite Marriott ;) Would make for an amazing stay.

 

Jeff, we arrive in MC on a Saturday and the ship leaves on Monday evening - so not a lot of time.

 

Thanks again for any suggestions.

 

Karin

[UKCruiseJeff]

Good Morning Karin.

 

Highly personal view!

 

I hate MC with a passion and would find it a very boring place to be for that length of time. It is a place that people go to to gawp at other people. I would leave having a "look around" until Monday afternoon after dumpling youyr bags with SS. 2 hours is more than enough to see 90% of MC.

 

I'd spend your time based in Nice for the following reasons.

 

1. Airport to hotel will be less than 15 minutes.

 

2. Saturday night in "Old Nice" is very atmospheric and will be a short walk from any hotel you'll likely choose.

 

3. Monday morning is flea market in the Nice Flower Market.

 

4. You could get a fast bus (or the train) ... or even a taxi if you are feeling expansive on Sunday in to Cannes and have a wander. The slow bus is 1 euro. Eat at http://www.cannes-i-get.com/en/commerces/gaston-et-gastounette on the lunch menu.

 

5. Get a taxi from Nice to MC at lunch time'ish on Monday at leisure.

 

That would be my approach.

 

Jeff

[UKCruiseJeff]

..... and an after thought from " 'er indoors" ...... if you don't fancy the trip into Cannes on Sunday, take the local bus ifrom Nice nto Beauliue-sur-mer for Sunday lunch in one of the sea front restaurants in Little Africa ....perhaps The African Queen or one of the many others. Beaulieu-Sur-Mer is used for filming MC stuff as they don't allow filming in MC and the casino is a dead ringer for the MC one. The best walk in the whole wide world ( :D ) is a lovely path between BSM and St Jean Cap Ferrat where we had a place for a while. You'll go past David Niven's old house........ you could even have lunch at The Sloop in SJCF if you felt like it. You'll see a newspaper cutting of Uncle Michael on the door .....

 

This would be an idealic few pre-cruise days ....

 

Jeff

Edited October 23, 2013 by UKCruiseJeff

[V8Babe]

Thanks for some interesting suggestions Jeff. I've made a note of them. Having been to MC before I can understand what you're saying.

 

Got a few months to make some decisions but it's coming round very quickly.

 

Thanks again.

 

Karin

[UKCruiseJeff]

Thanks for some interesting suggestions Jeff. I've made a note of them. Having been to MC before I can understand what you're saying.

 

Got a few months to make some decisions but it's coming round very quickly.

 

Thanks again.

 

Karin

 

Still around?

 

Karin, what did you decide on?

 

Jeff

[V8Babe]

Hi Jeff

 

Yes, still around, I don't post often but I'm here each day having a 'catch up'.

 

We're still deciding what to do about MC - will have to make a decision soon though.

 

Wondered where you were, I've seen you pop your head in every now and then. Hope all well.

 

Karin

[UKCruiseJeff]

Hi Jeff

 

Yes, still around, I don't post often but I'm here each day having a 'catch up'.

 

We're still deciding what to do about MC - will have to make a decision soon though.

 

Wondered where you were, I've seen you pop your head in every now and then. Hope all well.

 

Karin

 

G'day Karin,

 

Lovely to see you are still here .... :)

 

Yes .. all is really well and still here asttempting to keep Lux and others mildly amused (or irritated as they wish :eek: ) or at least trying to hedge boredom by introducing a little off-topic diversions!

 

Just back from three lovely weeks in Singapore following our extended August stay and getting reaquainted with street food, having some quality time with the suite mini-bar and the lounge cocktail (2) hours .... The IC is a wonderful second-home. Singapore was lovely this visit ... no storms .. no haze and discovered a few more things to lean to cook.

 

Just booked Vienna for a couple of our regular 4 nighters ie 17th to 21st March to celebrate a milestone wedding anniversary and then 15th to 19th September for our joint birthday celebrations ...(I'm 36 hours older than her ...) and I've also booked just a long day in Amsterdam in May which she doesn't know about yet .. I'll leave it to the night before ... when I'm taking her for a canal ride followed by a rijsttafel .. and then home. It'll be a long day but I did it a few years ago for the whole family and she loved it. Also just booking a couple more extended Singapore stays for this summer and next January. I'm still agonising about how I might get her up to see the Northen Lights as this year is going to be particularly good ... but I'm not certain about the palaver. Those Hurtigruten mail boats might be the thing. :(

 

If you or any in-thread congenials are happening to be in Vienna during the above dates and fancy a CC Stelze (pork knuckle) meet up - just post interest in this thread and we'll arrange a nice meet up lunch at the Swiss House for Budvar and Pork and some bratties for the longest and most pointless lunch ever devised to discuss life and it's various permutations. And or a lunch at a heurige we know well.

 

http://www.schweizerhaus.at/#!/page_home

 

How about you? You must be excited about your upcoming trip. :D

 

Jeff

[V8Babe]

Wow Jeff, you have some great things planned!

 

Vienna would be lovely - one day we'll take you up on your offer to meet up, I'm sure it would be a lot of fun.

 

I'm trying to convince my Jeff to take a cruise that includes Reykjavík but he's not interested. We're thinking about the Panama Canal but that's not until Christmas 2015, such a long way off.

 

Really looking forward to our trip, have two nights in London (I always love to visit England). Any thoughts on Scotts? Overrated?

 

'Bye for now, Karin

[duct tape]

We really enjoyed our evening at Scott's but I still prefer j. Sheeky.

[UKCruiseJeff]

Hi Karin,

 

Do hope you enjoy your trip to London!

 

I am afraid this is an historical issue. Even though we're Londoners born and bred, and married and having seen The Barbican from bomb-site to home, ... and now long exited, we have never eaten seafood in London. It just seems not to be a seafood city like say Paris for example to us. Infact .... for years we use to go to Cannes for a crustaceans. Crustacean frustration. Hence no personal experience of Scots and therefore I won't offer opinion. In fact when you say Scots us cockney Londoners tend to think of http://www.ronniescotts.co.uk/

 

Did anyone else celebrate Valentines Day? Did your Jeff give you a nice bit of meat Karin? ;)

 

What about you duct tape ?

 

We no longer sous vide steaks but I gave her a lovely rib-eye with olive oil wedges, some bearnaise and salad and some Rioja.

 

 

 

 

 

 

It'd be lovely to see some more food pictures of what people have been eating.

 

:)

[Mr Luxury]

Wow Jeff, you have some great things planned!

 

Vienna would be lovely - one day we'll take you up on your offer to meet up, I'm sure it would be a lot of fun.

 

I'm trying to convince my Jeff to take a cruise that includes Reykjavík but he's not interested. We're thinking about the Panama Canal but that's not until Christmas 2015, such a long way off.

 

Really looking forward to our trip, have two nights in London (I always love to visit England). Any thoughts on Scotts? Overrated?

 

'Bye for now, Karin

 

 

Scotts is a really good restaurant and probably serving the best fish,I like Sheekeys but Scotts has a dirrerent atmosphere.

Same ownership.

 

I would also like to recommend another restaurant under the same ownership.Not fish but it is the meat equivalent.

 

http://www.34-restaurant.co.uk

 

Lunch yesterday was as good as ever.

Edited February 16, 2014 by Mr Luxury

[Mark_K]

Hi Karin,

 

Do hope you enjoy your trip to London!

 

I am afraid this is an historical issue. Even though we're Londoners born and bred, and married and having seen The Barbican from bomb-site to home, ... and now long exited, we have never eaten seafood in London. It just seems not to be a seafood city like say Paris for example to us. Infact .... for years we use to go to Cannes for a crustaceans. Crustacean frustration. Hence no personal experience of Scots and therefore I won't offer opinion. In fact when you say Scots us cockney Londoners tend to think of http://www.ronniescotts.co.uk/

 

Did anyone else celebrate Valentines Day? Did your Jeff give you a nice bit of meat Karin? ;)

 

What about you duct tape ?

 

We no longer sous vide steaks but I gave her a lovely rib-eye with olive oil wedges, some bearnaise and salad and some Rioja.

 

 

 

 

 

 

It'd be lovely to see some more food pictures of what people have been eating.

 

:)

Very nice - no meal is complete without a bottle of quality ketchup. ;)

 

 

Sent using the Cruise Critic forums app

[Mr Luxury]

Very nice - no meal is complete without a bottle of quality ketchup. ;)

 

 

Sent using the Cruise Critic forums app

 

Or a large pot of Waitrose sea salt;)

[UKCruiseJeff]

No pretensions on my table ......

 

:)

[Mr Luxury]

No pretensions on my table ......

 

:)

 

What's wrong with a pot that you dip your mitts in like other fine food establishments. :p