The Bistro- Off topic and fun posts!

[BEAV]

3 hours ago, rafinmd said:

Is that Captain Giske?

 

Roy

 

3 hours ago, BWIVince said:

Is that a young John Økland?  😊  I’m not positive, but it sure looks like him.

 

Vince

 

To heck with a young Okland vs Giske. 

 

What about the youthful Steiners?! 🤔

[BWIVince]

7 hours ago, BEAV said:

 

 

To heck with a young Okland vs Giske. 

 

What about the youthful Steiners?! 🤔

Except for the kids, Keith and Anne Marie haven’t aged a day since that cruise!  😉 

 

Their college and newlywed pics are adorable in their youthfulness though, when Keith posts them.  😊  (They really are my favorite, Keith — they’re heartwarming.)

 

Vince

[Keith1010]

Thank you Brian and Vince.

 

On another note, I was just looking at photos from earlier cruises and realized we sailed with Captain Okland on all three Crystal Ocean Vessels; first in 2002 on Harmony, then in 2004 on Symphony and then on Serenity after he moved over there until his retirement. 

 

Keith

[Keith1010]

Our first time on Symphony was in July of 2003.  Dover to Rouen, France.  

 

We thought we would have a wonderful time sailing Crystal for the first time in 2002, we booked the Symphony cruise before taking the Harmony cruise.  We did so knowing the ships were sailing with high occupancy.   Our TA at the time was not too familiar with Crystal but I remember asking him could we get the on board booking discount for the Symphony cruise if we booked it before we sailed with Crystal and he followed up and came back with an affirmative answer that the discount would be applied after we returned from Harmony.  This was something not known my the members of this board at the time so as someone who was a newbie I made my first contribution to the board with this information as others didn't know about this and as they say the rest is history.

 

Our children got to sail with us on board each Crystal Vessel starting with Harmony, then Symphony and in 2010 on Serenity.  

 

If not for another couple who we knew from a basketball team I coached I am not sure if we would have sailed Crystal or at least not likely in 2002 and 2003 with our family.

 

I had wanted to try Crystal ever since I saw those advertisements in the Sunday Edition of the San Francisco paper when we lived in the Bay Area.  Back then the kids were way too young for that but I could dream.  Instead, we took them on The Big Red Boat for Anne Marie's and the kids first cruise and after that Celebrity.  This family that we knew had sailed Crystal two consecutive Summers and not only the adults told us how great it was but their kids including the one I coached raved about it so for a special milestone Anniversary we took the plunge and booked Harmony and we were Crystalized quickly.  In my case within the first hour of boarding Harmony due to the help from the Concierge.

 

 

Do you all remember this Captain.  We sailed with him again when we took our first cruise on Crystal Serenity in 2005 and also on the 2007 World Cruise.

 

 

Keith

[rafinmd]

Just a hint of a sunrise today.  This is from my MS Prinsendam 2013 Amazon Adventure.  December 21 was our  last sea day.

 

 

Roy

[rafinmd]

The latest I have ever disembarked a ship before Christmas was in 2013 on the Prinsendam. It was a pretty cloudy morning as we docked in Fort Lauderdale December 22:

 

 

Roy

[KenzSailing]

 

Here in NA, it's now winter, and that means the days are getting longer.  It's not much, but these days especially,  I'll take any ray of sunshine (both physical and metaphorical) I can get.

 

 

 

  

[BWIVince]

17 minutes ago, KenzSailing said:

 

Here in NA, it's now winter, and that means the days are getting longer.  It's not much, but these days especially,  I'll take any ray of sunshine (both physical and metaphorical) I can get.

 

 

 

  

Amen!  Yesterday was SO gray, I’d forgotten just what winter can look like here.  When the sun came out this morning, I felt 10x better right from dawn.

 

Vince

[BWIVince]

More DC/Northeast commentary…
 

I don’t know if this is a sign I need to buy a lottery ticket, or if I should consider myself incredibly lucky and not press my luck.  I successfully made it in and out of Wegmans during Christmas week without loss of life or limb — against all odds.  😁 
 

Unfortunately my paycheck was the only casualty this trip.  😢

 

Happy Holidays everyone!

 

Vince

[KenzSailing]

44 minutes ago, BWIVince said:

More DC/Northeast commentary…
 

I don’t know if this is a sign I need to buy a lottery ticket, or if I should consider myself incredibly lucky and not press my luck.  I successfully made it in and out of Wegmans during Christmas week without loss of life or limb — against all odds.  😁 
 

Unfortunately my paycheck was the only casualty this trip.  😢

 

Happy Holidays everyone!

 

Vince

 

Hey,

 

Up there you've got a Wegman's.  We are sooooo waiting for the one to go into the old Fannie Mae site.

 

In today's CCMD news: the old 4H center is going to be redeveloped as senior residential.  So, more well-to-do geezers.  They'll fit right in!

[BEAV]

2 hours ago, KenzSailing said:

 

Here in NA, it's now winter, and that means the days are getting longer.  It's not much, but these days especially,  I'll take any ray of sunshine (both physical and metaphorical) I can get.

 

 

 

  

 

Whilst I share your sentiment, Chef Kenz, I do beg to differ with you on your assertion that the days are getting longer here in the Northern Hemisphere. For yesterday, December 21, was Winter Solstice. While dark and gloomy here in “sunny” California, the date does mark the beginning of more minutes of daylight between now and June 21. 

 

For that reason alone, I always celebrate Winter Solstice, if for no other reason than the tiny daily gain of sunlight! 

[BWIVince]

1 hour ago, KenzSailing said:

 

Hey,

 

Up there you've got a Wegman's.  We are sooooo waiting for the one to go into the old Fannie Mae site.

 

In today's CCMD news: the old 4H center is going to be redeveloped as senior residential.  So, more well-to-do geezers.  They'll fit right in!

I was reflecting on something about Wegmans when I was unloading my spoils of war yesterday…. My favorite thing about Wegmans is something most people around here probably hate about it — it’s a jack of all trades and master of none.  It fits many functions that I need in sourcing food, without being the best at anything — and that’s really convenient to me.  They have affordable basics, they have incredible variety in almost everything, they have lots of convenience food, they have premium products (short of true high-end stuff), and I can get a lot of international products from all over the world without having to order them online or drive down to MoCo.  I’m ok that it’s not the best at any of those — I value the convenience of not having to drive around to all those specialty places.

 

LOL about the summary of the 4H center.  😁 My connotation of that section of Connecticut Ave. comes from my grandmother being one of the inaugural residents of what was, at the time, the Classic Residence by Hyatt there.  Unfortunately she was compulsive and clinically depressed, so she was unhappy everywhere she lived and was always convinced she would be happier if she just moved somewhere “better”.  Funny thing, one of the other places she lived in her nonstop adventure was Vantage House (at the time) in Columbia, near the lake Roy and I have talked about before.

 

I learned two important things from my grandmother’s moving compulsion…. Money can buy distractions, but it can’t buy happiness.  Also, you can’t physically leave unhappiness behind — you have to find happiness inside yourself wherever you are first (no matter how much hard self-work, therapy or pharmaceuticals that requires.)

 

Vince

Edited December 23, 2021 by BWIVince

[KenzSailing]

1 hour ago, BEAV said:

 

Whilst I share your sentiment, Chef Kenz, I do beg to differ with you on your assertion that the days are getting longer here in the Northern Hemisphere. For yesterday, December 21, was Winter Solstice. While dark and gloomy here in “sunny” California, the date does mark the beginning of more minutes of daylight between now and June 21. 

 

For that reason alone, I always celebrate Winter Solstice, if for no other reason than the tiny daily gain of sunlight! 

 

With respect sir, I am confused as to the nature of your closing argument.  However, I rest assured in the knowledge that we agree that the longer the spectrum of visible light, the better.

[BEAV]

18 minutes ago, KenzSailing said:

 

With respect sir, I am confused as to the nature of your closing argument.  However, I rest assured in the knowledge that we agree that the longer the spectrum of visible light, the better.

 

I rarely argue. 

 

Especially with accomplished chefs. Of which I someday hope to score a reservation at the Chez. And at the kitchen table vs. the more pedestrian dining room. 

 

Thomas Keller be damned.....

[rafinmd]

Today's sunrise was taken one year ago today from the baseball field of a school across the street from me:

 

 

Roy

[Keith1010]

Our fourth and fifth cruisse with Crystal Cruises in 2005 represented several firsts for us.

 

First time on Serenity.

 

First time on a back-to-back cruise (thank you for the idea Ernie).

 

First time sailing 20+ days (24) for our longest cruise ever up to that point in time.

 

First time dining by ourselves and dining early if you can believe that one.  Believe it or not, back in the day we took late dining even with the family in prior years.  We also dined at tables with eight to ten people.  On the first of these two back to back Med cruises we dined late seating and at a table of eight.  Next cruise after two nights we had to move.  The wife of one of the couples at the table was drunk and insulted three members of the crew.  We said an easy way to get away from the situation was to move to early dining saying with long tours this would work better.  😄

 

And first time we really ever needed help from a Maitre d' as we needed help to move tables.

 

Now we did give large tables a try again on World Cruise 2007 but after four segments, (early dining though) we moved to a table of 2 and as they say the rest is history.    

 

So many firsts.  Oh one more.  Met a couple who had done the 2005 World Cruise.  Had lunch and dinner with them and they sold us on the idea of a World Cruise so we booked our first World Cruise.

 

Captain Otto who we had sailed with on Symphony in 2004 was now on Serenity.  

 

 

 

So in four years we sailed on all the Crystal Ocean Vessels; Harmony once, Symphony twice and Serenity on these two back to backs.cruises.  Serenity was two years young.   

 

Keith

[rafinmd]

That took me 14 years.  Symphony in 1996 JUST at the end of her first year of service, Harmony in 2004 (Would have been 2003 but for SARS) and Serenity not until right after her first drydock in 2008.  That 1996 cruise was to be a once in a lifetime splurge.  Right!!!

 

Roy

[mskatiemae]

32 minutes ago, rafinmd said:

That took me 14 years.  Symphony in 1996 JUST at the end of her first year of service, Harmony in 2004 (Would have been 2003 but for SARS) and Serenity not until right after her first drydock in 2008.  That 1996 cruise was to be a once in a lifetime splurge.  Right!!!

 

Roy

I bet we could start a club for all of us who started on Crystal as a "once in a lifetime" experience!

[travelberlin]

We wish you happy holidays and that the year 2022 brings you and your family many good moments. 
I am sharing with you pictures of a new family member. She is between one year old and two years. No one really knows what breed. She was a street dog and was found avoiding cars and rain and other dangers on the street. The family who found her could not keep her because they have already four dogs. We have adopted her. The first picture is when she was found. The second with us at home. She seems to like it here 😊.

Ivi

[nancygp]

Ivi…congrats on your new dog…so cute

 

happy holidays,

 

Nancy

[Keith1010]

Ivi,  very cute new member of your family. Congratulations. 

 

If my memory is correct we were to see you both in January on the original World Cruise 2022 if not for the detour due to  Covid.   Hopefully we will sail with you both again.

 

Happy Holidays.

 

Keith 

[travelberlin]

4 minutes ago, Keith1010 said:

Ivi,  very cute new member of your family. Congratulations. 

 

If my memory is correct we were to see you both in January on the original World Cruise 2022 if not for the detour due to  Covid.   Hopefully we will sail with you both again.

 

Happy Holidays.

 

Keith 

Thanks Keith. We are enjoying the new family member and she is slowly becoming less fearful. Who knows how much she has suffered…

You are right about the WC 2022. We were booked and it was supposed to be our second world cruise with Crystal. When Crystal cancelled it, we requested for a refund.

I hope one day we will be able to sail again with you and Anne Marie. Our best regards to you and may the year 2022 be good for you and your family.

Ivi

[ctjon]

Harmony - 1993; Symphony 1997 ; Serenity 2005

 

 

[Keith1010]

Now I will go backwards.

September, 2004. 

Third Crystal Cruises Cruise.

 

Third year in a row.

 

First Crossing.

 

Dover to New York City.

 

Met so many people who we know today or knew for many years.

 

This was the first time we could board for lunch as the first two we boarded at 3:00 PM after taking Crystal pre-cruise tours which included nice tours and lunch.

 

This one was a pre-cruise tour which included a stop at Dover Cliffs and we saw the tunnels used in World War II.  Met a nice couple who we ended up sitting with along with another couple for pre-dinner drinks each evening in the Avenue Saloon.  

We had late seating and while we requested a table for eight (late seating) we ended up with a table for 11 but it worked out nicely.

 

This was the cruise where we met Judith and Larry for the first time and several people from Cruise Critic.  Judith had arranged a party for all of us as she did before the days of Meet & Mingle.

 

This was Crystal's first Maiden Port Of Call stop to Greenland.  Before then we stopped in Iceland and it was on this cruise that we learned the importance of having the right clothing with us.  On our tour as it does often the weather in Iceland changed from a sunny day to a rain storm with high wind and we were not prepared at all.  So after that we brought long rain coats (the ones that fold up) with us.  Greenland felt warmer because it wasn't windy.  Visited Newport, Rhode Island for the first time and wearing no jackets we froze when did the Cliff Walk but thankfully the tour of the Breakers since that was inside.

 

And I think on that cruise we found out what it was like in very rough seas.

 

We had cruised a couple of times (another cruise line) between New York and Bermuda but it was a walk in the park compared to the sea swells we encountered.

 

Once again, Captain Oakland was in command.

 

Keith

 

[ctjon]

My parents were cruisers and had done Harmony and got us started.  They also did an "unofficial" crossing on Symphony to the US where it was officially christened  and then started official cruises.  Don't know if they do that type of trip anymore but I would think it would be a great way to check out systems and get crew better to serve on new ship.