just booked cruise on Legend!!!!

[maunakealady]

thanks! the cuban mojito sounds very refreshing, we'll work on perfecting this at home.

cruisinmatt, yes, I'm Very tempted to shop online, but I've had more misses than hits doing this in the past. and it's a pain to rebox up everything and mail it back for a credit. and since I'm in Hawaii I have to ship everything via expedited service or it takes weeks to arrive via USPS - that adds cost and time. it's almost easier to jump on a plane to Honolulu for a day, so I can try things on and bring them home myself. so this is probably the plan - but I was hoping to get some suggestions before I hit the stores in Oahu.:rolleyes:

[mcboo]

Martha,

You know I am the Mojito King. Poor cheffy Pascal went hunting on 3 different islands to find the best fresh mint. He preferred not to use the frozen mint they had in the galley.

He was so happy when he found it in Guadaloupe. His smile was priceless when he told us.

Nelson at the skybar put it to good use in a matter of minutes.

mcboo:) :) :)

[Martita B.]

mcboo~~~true story.....before our March Pride Crossing I ran by a nursery in Ft. Laud and bought a pot of fresh pineapple mint. Took it up to Amanda in the Sky Bar. We all enjoyed snipping off a sprig for our drinks or our ice water.....it was our Atlantic Ocean "Herb garden."

The Mojito originally came from the famed Havana Cuban bar, "La Bodequita!" The best drink is made from mashing lots of mint, then straining the leaves out.

 

Happy weekend!

Miss M.

[wripro]

maunakealady,

 

we booked a deluxe double through american express platinum and were lucky to be upgraded to a one bedroom suite which was extraordinary. hbut i saw the deluxe double room and it was beautiful. i would have been very happy there but i was not about to turn down the upgrade. i hear the jr. suites are also wonderful. i loved the hotel so much sometimes i felt it hard to leave to go out and see rome. whichever catergory you choose youll be happy.

 

as soon as i finish this post im gping top try and fix a mojito. you guys have gotten me in the mood.

[bldsld]

Martha,

 

Ken likes his mojito's with the mashed mint as you were describing. I think he ends up drinking most of the mint, though, because he leaves it in the glass!!! It's a bit too green for me! However, he makes the BEST cosmos, using fresh lime juice instead of Rosa's, and using grey goose or absolut vodka, whichever is in the house.

 

Cheers, everyone! (I think it's cocktail hour *somewhere*!)

 

Denyse

[mcboo]

:) Denyse,

All that mint makes it a healthy drink. Even has some fiber.

mcboo:) :) :)

[bldsld]

Mcboo,

 

I prefer the antioxidant properties of Vitamin C, found in the llime juice of a cosmo!

 

Denyse ;););)

[maunakealady]

oh yes, rum is well known for having medicinal properties. :rolleyes:

 

wripro - thanks for the information about rooms at Hotel De Russie. my husband has been following these threads, and he's excited about going there. your comments helped convince him that Hotel De Russie would be really wonderful - thanks. :)

 

now we're trying to book first class flights on United Airlines, from Kona to Rome using miles...this is quite a challenging task - especially since we're doing this on short notice. so far, we're being told that it *might* be possible, if we're willing to fly to Rome via Canada, and about 5 other stops.:eek: any advice, anyone?

 

thanks again, everyone!

[Jane Pond]

Here's the BBC recipe from a Bailey's print ad:

 

1 oz Bailey's

1 oz Rum (preferably dark)

1 oz Banana Liqueur

3 oz Pina Colada mix

1 Banana

 

Put banana and liqueur into a blender and mix until it's a thick paste.

Add Bailey's, pina colada mix and rum. Blend well

Add 1 cup of ice and blend again until smooth.

 

 

Jane

[maunakealady]

Jane - this recipe sounds Wonderful, I'll try one over the weekend... supersized. :cool:

 

with aloha, and wishing everyone a great weekend.

[wripro]

maunakealady,

 

hope you enjoy both the de russie and the mojitos.

 

i know how hard it is to book flights using miles. be persistent and keep checking.

 

enjoy your trip.

[maunakealady]

Wripro, thanks again for the information and encouragement.

 

all the pre and post cruise hotel reservations and plans are on hold and continually morphing until we can book the air. united is becoming a major pain in the b&tt. plan B is a nonstop from SFO to heathrow on virgin airlines upper class - it's actually the most reasonable 1st class fare I can find.

[mcboo]

Maunakealady,

 

If you wind up paying for air you may want to check out the Amex Platinum 2 for 1 deals. If you have the Amex platinum card.

It really is a good deal and they use a variety of different airlines.

Just a thought.

mcboo:)

[maunakealady]

aloha McBoo, thanks for the tip - but apparently the Am Ex platinum card 2 for 1 deal is for business class. we're *really* hoping for the seats that transform into flat beds for sleep. we'll be crossing alot of time zones, and dealing with major jet lag - even with a layover in San Francisco. if we could rest/sleep during the flight from San Francisco to the UK, or Europe, we wouldn't have to spend the first 2 days there like zombies, mostly confined to our hotel room....:(

[mcboo]

Maunakealady,

 

British Airways has the flatbeds in business class. You may want to look at them.

mcboo

[maunakealady]

mcboo - thanks!!! I'll check this out - this could work!!

 

 

:-)

[wripro]

maunakealady,

 

i have flown virgin upper class and it was wonderful, as good as some first class cabins. in fact, i am flying it again at the end of july to get to my 28 day seabourn cruise to the fjords and baltic from london. i have never flown BA business so cant compare but i can recommend virgin.

[CruisinMatt]

BA business class is called "Club World" - Just a suggestion - if you are flying a 747 try to get seats on the upper deck - it's very private and most say the service is better. There are also storage cabinets next to the windows.

[maunakealady]

thanks, everyone, for your excellent advice about airlines.

 

my husband still insists that he will be able to book us first class, via United, using miles (but I'm a bit dubious that this can be done). I have an awful vision of how it could be - kona to LAX - LAX to toronto - toronto to boston, boston to bermuda, bermuda to london, london to etc etc. etc. we'll be half dead if we go via the circuitous route.

 

so, now, thanks to all of you :) :), I now I have "plan B" and "plan C" in place, and am ready to Spring Into Action if/when my husband throws in the towel with the friendly skies of United.;)

[bldsld]

I'd pass on United, if it were me. Their program is, for the most part, illusory, and I personally haven't been able to use accrued miles when I've needed to.

 

An earlier poster suggested Virgin Atlantic, and as they are an excellent airlines and participate in the Amex Platinum 2 for 1, I'd recommend them highly. They have a non-stop to London out of SFO. I'm not sure what you would do from Hawaii to SFO, but there are definitely alternative options. The circuitous route you are describing on United will really wear you out.

 

Good luck!

 

Denyse

[maunakealady]

hi Denyse,

 

I agree with you completely about United. yes, the non-stop on Virgin Atlantic from SFO to London sounds ideal. hopefully we can use United miles for the Kona to SFO legs - this would be alot less complicated than attempting to use miles from Kona all the way to Rome.

 

Denyse, thanks again for all your useful postings - it's been very helpful to me. I hope you're having an enjoyable weekend - - wish I was there to have some acme bread!

[bldsld]

Maunakealady,

 

I just thought of something else you could try. Air France, which participates in the Amex 2 for 1 Platinum program, also flies non-stop to CDG from SFO, and they also fly to Rome. Thus, if you use your United miles to get to SFO, you could do the rest of the trip on Air France to Rome, and I believe it would be one booking, all in business class. I don't know that their seats recline to a flat bed as I rarely fly them, but at least you wouldn't be taking 3 different airlines to Rome, and in fact, it would be just one from the mainland.

 

We're having a great weekend, and yes, we always have fresh ACME bread in the house! It's a religious experience for my husband.;)

 

Denyse

[maunakealady]

that's a great tip about air france - thanks!

 

enjoy the bread....how we miss those crusty baguettes from acme. and also the restaurants. and the shopping!

[cruiserbunny]

Hello, Maunakealady,

 

You might also like to check out www.airlinequality.com and www.flatseats.com for passenger opinions on the different airlines and for information on who offers what type of seats in business and first class.

 

 

Regards

 

Sue

[maunakealady]

Sue,

 

thanks for the informative links - this will be a big help. :) :)