Silversea Water Cooler: Welcome! Part Two

Those fish and chips look wonderful M! Great batter! Hope they gave you seconds of chips!

:)

Jeff

I once got asked to leave the bar at Claridge's Hotel in London. Not because I was dressed improperly but because the lady I was with - the actress Jeanne Moreau - was wearing a trouser suit. I also remember visiting the actor Dirk Bogarde in his usual suite at the Connaught Hotel. He was wearing an open-necked shirt and jeans. After a while he went into his bedroom to change into a suit and tie, explaining that the Connaught gave him a complimentary room on the condition that he was seen in the lobby and the lounge each day. He had to dress accordingly.

Fletch,

I've responded to your post in this thread because some get shirty elsewhere! :eek:

It is clear you have led an interesting life and some of us coolers are very inquisative ie nosey.

Care to tell us more! :)

Jeff

Spins,

 

The storms aren't too bad in the South compared to the Big Storms a few years back when several of my trees landed on my house.

Are you referring to the infamous Michael Fish storm?

Storms here (Just inside M25 in SE) were pretty bad on Sunday night. I could hear the winds and looked on my phone app - and it said winds on 30mph - so I didnt think much of it (apart it being very noisy and did fear it was worse than they were saying.) It wasnt until Monday morning I learned about Imagin - and its return at about 11am - 75mph gusts - so pretty strong - but nothing like the worst we've had in recent rears. Not a patch on '87!

Are you referring to the infamous Michael Fish storm?

 

Storms here (Just inside M25 in SE) were pretty bad on Sunday night. I could hear the winds and looked on my phone app - and it said winds on 30mph - so I didnt think much of it (apart it being very noisy and did fear it was worse than they were saying.) It wasnt until Monday morning I learned about Imagin - and its return at about 11am - 75mph gusts - so pretty strong - but nothing like the worst we've had in recent rears. Not a patch on '87!

Yes!

We live in a house with a small woodland area on a steep bank to the side of our house. It is the area you might have seen in the La Cucina piccies.

The bank is so steep that the bottom of the closest trees were higher than our roof - and when the storms started to get fierce I evacuated my family. We sat in the car and watch each tree go over onto our house. The damage was quite bad and I had to hire a crane to lift the trees off the house.

Jeff

Did any other TV viewers in the UK see Rick Stein's Red Braised Shanghai Pork Belly last night? Wonderful programme.

Can't get it out of my mind. :mad::D

Jeff

Fletch,

 

I've responded to your post in this thread because some get shirty elsewhere! :eek:

 

It is clear you have led an interesting life and some of us coolers are very inquisative ie nosey.

 

Care to tell us more! :)

 

Jeff

As a journalist for national UK newspapers I wrote features on very many movie stars and directors, often wining and dining them and also visiting them in their homes. And in another job I had at the same time, through the 1980s, I had a rather privileged/lucky position on the fringes of Hollywood. As a movie fan this was rather exciting, to say the least, and during that period I got to meet virtually everyone who was anyone, apart from Miss Garbo and Mr Kubrick who were alive but shy, and people like Hawks, Ford and Hitchcock who were dead by the time I arrived on the scene.

Did any other TV viewers in the UK see Rick Stein's Red Braised Shanghai Pork Belly last night? Wonderful programme.

 

Can't get it out of my mind. :mad::D

 

Jeff

I loved that Rick Stein programme - actually I think Stein is incapable of making a bad programme. I plan to cook that red pork belly dish, though I didn't fancy the pig intestines with noodles. Never been to Shanghai, or Mainland China for that matter. The Great Wall and all that stuff doesn't really interest me. The food does, though.

As a journalist for national UK newspapers I wrote features on very many movie stars and directors, often wining and dining them and also visiting them in their homes. And in another job I had at the same time, through the 1980s, I had a rather privileged/lucky position on the fringes of Hollywood. As a movie fan this was rather exciting, to say the least, and during that period I got to meet virtually everyone who was anyone, apart from Miss Garbo and Mr Kubrick who were alive but shy, and people like Hawks, Ford and Hitchcock who were dead by the time I arrived on the scene.

 

 

 

I loved that Rick Stein programme - actually I think Stein is incapable of making a bad programme. I plan to cook that red pork belly dish, though I didn't fancy the pig intestines with noodles. Never been to Shanghai, or Mainland China for that matter. The Great Wall and all that stuff doesn't really interest me. The food does, though.

What an interesting life Fletch! I guessed badly and incorrectly that you were a publicist because of the range of the two names. I hope you talk more about your experiences as they are really interesting. Genuinely. We all love anecdotes. I was in the music industry for a while and was on the occaision when there was no better news gave interviews.

Everyone is connected ...... and in a way ... you are with me. Shepperton Film Studios use to be a client of mine. One day, in a rush, I was circling around looking for a parking space ... and the only one available - and I was in a rush - was one with a name on it. "Kubrick"!. I thought "he won't be in today - I'll nab his spot" Wrong. Just as I was parking, a very nice Mr Kubrick asked me whether he could have his space. And on that subject, I chatted to him and told him that a friend of mine was one of his 12 apes in 2001 who took me to the premier of 2001. Aren't connections wierd!

I have already planned that Shanghai Pork for this weekend .... so I'll post a piccy.

Fletch ..... please relive and share some of those memories!

:)

Jeff

This isn't something I cooked . . . it's a dish I had for lunch last month at the Aroma restaurant in Rome which is in the Palazzo Manfredi Hotel. When I took my eyes off the food there was the most amazing view of the Colosseum. The fan, by the way, is made from squid ink.

Not quite as elegant as yours Fletch! Todays lunch appears to be a bit Bavarian although the hot dogs were very large Chicago ones ...

:)

Jeff

Loving all the food pictures. Thanks Mysty, Jeff and Fletcher.

Thanks for also sharing your story with us Fletcher.

Best wishes, Karin

Good morning coolers!

Three items for any bored coolers looking for stuff to interest them:

Firstly, not about substituting surimi lobster (although ti may be without the investigators realising but just usbsitituing other stuff..........

Restaurants serve lobster in rolls, soup, ravioli and even on pizza – and diners are willing to pay a premium for the delicacy. But an INSIDE EDITION investigation, which will air in full on Monday, has found that you might not always be getting the real deal.

http://www.insideedition.com/headlines/14518-a-third-of-tested-restaurant-lobster-dishes-actually-contain-cheaper-fish-meat-investigation-shows

A sousvide item Fletch in particular might find of interest. I use to cook steak this way and it does make a sublime steak although I have issues with the method that are purely in the mind. Many restaurants use this method and we have discussed this being used on SS some time ago.

The key to making the perfect steak is to cook it sous vide and then finish it with a sear, according to chef Grant Crilly. Crilly, the co-founder of ChefSteps, did a video demonstration on how to make the most flavorful, well-cooked steak around. Judging by the final product, it's hard to argue with him.

http://uk.businessinsider.com/how-to-make-perfect-steak-2016-2?r=US&IR=T

...... and finally a stunning piece of work by students .......

Six students from De Montfort University have created a stellar 3D representation of 17th century London, as it existed before The Great Fire of 1666. The three-minute video provides a realistic animation of Tudor London, and particularly a section called Pudding Lane where the fire started. As Londonist notes, “Although most of the buildings are conjectural, the students used a realistic street pattern [taken from historical maps] and even included the hanging signs of genuine inns and businesses” mentioned in diaries from the period.

For their efforts, the De Montfort team was awarded first prize in the Off the Map contest, a competition run by The British Library and video game developers GameCity and Crytek.

http://www.openculture.com/2013/11/fly-through-17th-century-london.html

Jeff

Thanks Jeff for the superb edification today. The video of London is excellent.

A picture, or rather several of them, are worth a thousand words.

Yum

But fewer calories, so best of both worlds! Though the pictures are making me hungry, so we'll see how that works out...

Good Morning Coolers!

Thanks for the comments ..... things are certainly quiet here since some of our more energetic inmates have escaped and abandoned us! :eek:

Today was a lovely walk in in a sunny but freezing village. It was minus two last night. So I decided on something Summer for lunch. Sea bass fillets in a very light (I promise) buttery lemon grass and ginger and soy with a dot of chilli sauce. White wine was Chateau Box. The lunch was very light and fragrant and She loved it. :D

:)

Jeff

Food fit for royalty.

Lovely Jeff.

43 degrees F here.

DD fell and broke her foot and injured ligaments as well.

No driving.

I off to play chauffeur.

Houseguests coming today, which meant a flurry of cleaning.

Had to remove what my son calls the protective coat of dust.

Here's a shot I took of the Colosseum last month which I rather like - sometimes black-and-white seems even more expressive than colour. To me, Rome's ancient monuments recall those magnificent drawings of Piranesi . . . This shot was actually three separate exposures combined on the computer. I didn't have a tripod but the Romans kindly provided a nice flat base for the camera and I used a cable release.

Rome, Italy by UltraPanavision, on Flickr

If ever you are in Rome I urge you to take the tour add-on which includes areas below the arena and also up in the Gods on Level 3.

I can see the lions and hear the crowd roar!

Evocative photography.

Good Afternoon All,

Scrumptious food again Jeffers, and Fletch, love that black and white pic...it looks quite haunting. Am hoping to 'tour' Rome in earnest next year when I'm on the Wind.....I've only ever flown in and out! Also looking at returning from Venice on the VSOE.....[emoji16]

Father is still holding his own...rather the usual roller coaster of good days and bad but whatever happens we are in for the long haul with this one...... I'm very tired and have lost half a stone this last week....maybe it's all the extra exercise I'm getting or just picking at food...for some reason I'm craving good old fish and chips all the time so may crack that at the weekend with a visit to my local river inn who put on that very tasty dish.

Sorry to hear about your DD Spins.....hope she recovers well. My DD came to spend the night with me last night which was lovely...her hubby had to attend a black tie do in London with his work so a good chance for a mum and daughter get together.

Spins...your cruise counter on here is keeping me going....can't believe how time is flying...I'm still hoping to make the voyage and am being encouraged to do so by everyone around me.

Way back in the 60's l was very much involved with the Mersey Sound...today an old friend of that era dropped me a DVD in the post so am looking forward to watching that later.....no hospital visit tonight....just me and pup...bless him....

Sophia [emoji4]

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

Sophia,

59 days to go

Good afternoon coolers,

Spins, sorry to hear of your DDs incapacitation and your new responsibilities of driver and duster.

Fletch, you certainly enjoyed your Rome trip. It's a great place - once you get to grips with how to order a coffee at some of the more odd places. On one business trip we were very fortunate to have had the company jet - and I managed to take my group of six business partners (mates) to the wrong airport to get us home. Did we get drunk waiting for a plane that was at a different airport waiting for us. ;) Rome holds so many memories ....:eek:

Soapy ... hope the dad situation stabilises into Neal Desperandum and you get to start to contemplate your trip in 58 days without distraction. :)

Today's rib-eye being grilled.

Jeff

Nice grilling there, Jeff, and no visible water bath!

By the way, apropos of one of your previous posts, I too was at the premiere of 2001. May 1968 at the much-loved Casino Cinerama, Old Compton Street, Soho. Saw it several times there.

I've not had that much contact with the music industry. I did meet Bob Dylan once in London and George Harrison in his Handmade Films role, but can't recall anyone else of significance. Oh, dinner once with The Clash plus De Niro and Scorsese at a Chinese joint in London!

Good Morning Coolers!

Yes - I remember the Cinerama very fondly. Such a big place for such a narrow street for people to queue. Of course Cinerama I guess must have been one of the first wide screen sensations. I never met Dylan but met Donovan a couple of times ... the UK copy. Not one of the nicest people I met.

In the late 60's and early 70's the music industry seemed to us to be centred on London and both London and the music inudstry felt very small. It was obviously before The Net and people drank in pubs and met and it seemed like everyone in the industry knew each other. So most of the people I knew were in music rather than actors. I did however know most of the cast of Hair as they were mostly harvested from the Giaconda Coffee bar in Denmark Street. I think the directors and producers were suprised by it's success - I think in NY and were looking for quantity! I was recently thinking of one of that cast I use to know - Peter Straker - a lovely lovely kind and cultured man with a gifted voice and googled him and discovered that he became an integral part of Freddy Mercury's life. If you google both names you'll see better than I can explain - and was very heavily mentioned in his biography. He wrote several of Freddy's hits with him.

Ah well ...... it's off to my Braised Shanghai Pork today which I've been mulling over for a week or so and it is currently bubbling away! It is looking and smelling lovely.

:)

Jeff

Morning Coolers! Happy Valentine's Day! It is 8:14 am on Feb. 14 here. :) I'll post more pics soon. We have two sea days after Newcastle tomorrow. Hoping to ferry out to Manly later this morning. Thanks for that advice J! :) Have a great day/evening all!