Cunard Cruisers - How are things where you are ?

[Millieloulou]

Had a wonderful time this morning at our local Waitrose, buying cheese for our cheese and wine party on Saturday.Cannot cope with doing a BBQ, too much hassle.

Bought some lovely Cheddars, our favourite being Beltons D/Glouc , a good selection of Brie and Camembert,and my favourite Montagnolo Affine.Sounds French , but it isn’t.
Everyone brings wines from a different country, all we need is the good British weather to last.

Cheers everyone 🍷🥂

[exlondoner]

10 minutes ago, Millieloulou said:

Had a wonderful time this morning at our local Waitrose, buying cheese for our cheese and wine party on Saturday.Cannot cope with doing a BBQ, too much hassle.

Bought some lovely Cheddars, our favourite being Beltons D/Glouc , a good selection of Brie and Camembert,and my favourite Montagnolo Affine.Sounds French , but it isn’t.
Everyone brings wines from a different country, all we need is the good British weather to last.

Cheers everyone 🍷🥂

L’epoisses, with possible added cachet as apparently illegal in the US.

[Millieloulou]

Never realised how many people became ill, or even died in America.I do remember the cheese” Stinking Bishop” which some friends always offered after dinner. I do prefer a good cheddar ; perhaps I will stay away from what was one of my favourites.

[exlondoner]

Why is it only in the US people become ill?

[Millieloulou]

You would have to ask our friends across the pond to answer that one .

[Host Hattie]

It isn't, although nobody is pointing the finger at Époisses !

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/listeria-monocytogenes-surveillance-reports/listeriosis-in-england-and-wales-summary-for-2021

 

 

[D&N]

1 hour ago, Millieloulou said:

Montagnolo Affine

We rather like that too.

Always used to get it from Waitrose but found Ocado do an M&S version. When we visit my sister there are problems with taking them out for dinner so I order most of the food we need to make dinners for them from Ocado for delivery just before we arrive. The wine and hard cheeses come from here with us.

[Bigmike911]

I am a great fan of British Cheeses. Before the pandemic, one could order them from Paxton and Whitfield, in Jermyn Street,  Cheesemonger to the Queen and I presume now King Charles III.

 

Hopefully they will start shipping internationally again soon. My favorites Stilton, English Coastal Cheddar, and Double Gloucester. Stilton is available only during the winter here, and I have a number of packages of vacuum packed Stilton in my fridge. 

[Millieloulou]

I am so glad to hear that you like the wonderful choice of English cheeses. I think we take it for granted that we can just go to our supermarkets and have such an array of our cheeses.

Back in the 80’s I stayed with my family for Six months in Ohio, near Canton.I just loved the Amish cheese, visiting the cheese houses, and their cheese festivals.

Now there are some lovely cheeses and some lovely people!

Perhaps CC can stand for Cheese Critic 

[exlondoner]

1 minute ago, Millieloulou said:

I am so glad to hear that you like the wonderful choice of English cheeses. I think we take it for granted that we can just go to our supermarkets and have such an array of our cheeses.

Back in the 80’s I stayed with my family for Six months in Ohio, near Canton.I just loved the Amish cheese, visiting the cheese houses, and their cheese festivals.

Now there are some lovely cheeses and some lovely people!

Perhaps CC can stand for Cheese Critic 

I had a traumatic experience yesterday. I bought something I thought was Camembert that was actually vegan Camembert. It is one of the most horrid things I’ve ever had, composed of additives, slimy, and tasting nothing like cheese. I’m sure no actual vegan would touch it. I felt nauseous all evening.

[D&N]

6 minutes ago, exlondoner said:

I had a traumatic experience yesterday. I bought something I thought was Camembert that was actually vegan Camembert. It is one of the most horrid things I’ve ever had, composed of additives, slimy, and tasting nothing like cheese. I’m sure no actual vegan would touch it. I felt nauseous all evening.

We'll just stick to Comté.

Although we had a Burrata and Mortadella salad for lunch today.

I'm usually quite careful to make sure I don't buy anything labelled vegan or bio (organic). Normal stuff suits us fine.

Comté is of course unpasteurized, but we've eaten so much of it for so long we might be immune to any risks of listeria. 😀

[exlondoner]

Just now, D&N said:

We'll just stick to Comté.

Although we had a Burrata and Mortadella salad for lunch today.

I'm usually quite careful to make sure I don't buy anything labelled vegan or bio (organic). Normal stuff suits us fine.

Comté is of course unpasteurized, but we've eaten so much of it for so long we might be immune to any risks of listeria. 😀

It was pure stupidity on my part, not to look at the label properly. When I finally did, too late, it was a cocktail of additives. Pots noodles are probably more natural.

[Clewgarnet]

I crossed one off my bucket list this afternoon! I have every intention of going back when it's a bit (a lot) cooler, and doing it without the tour guide so I can spend much longer. However, the guide was the only way to get into the underground sections, so well worth it.

[NE John]

56 minutes ago, Clewgarnet said:

I crossed one off my bucket list this afternoon! I have every intention of going back when it's a bit (a lot) cooler, and doing it without the tour guide so I can spend much longer. However, the guide was the only way to get into the underground sections, so well worth it.

Yes…spend a week in Rome. 

[Clewgarnet]

22 hours ago, NE John said:

Yes…spend a week in Rome. 

That's what I'm doing right now!

[D&N]

Had four nights there mid May. They dragged me into some barn type room with paintings on ceiling. Otherwise we just wandered about past all the architecture. We did go into the odd place that took our fancy. Personally I prefer the exterior of the Colosseum to those bits inside. I might feel differently if they had shows feeding live human bait to lions. And why don't they have chariot races in Circus Maximus?

However we had four wonderful dinners, most of the lunches were ok, and I had no problem finding decent coffee (unlike New York).

Oh, and I found a navy blue tux for our next trip on QM2. 🤣

Edited August 3 by D&N

[ronpes]

Well here I am, back in the BA lounge as we now head home after two fantastic weeks onboard the QM2. 

 

We would definitely do a double transatlantic again as it was wonderful to just chill and relax and enjoy the ship. We met many wonderful people who were all doing the same thing.

 

The food and staff were excellent, as were the entertainment shows and the talks that I attended. 

 

There were a couple of minor issues but they were swiftly dealt with at the pursers desk and on the whole this was definitely up there with some of our best trips.

 

Sadly our next sailing in this grand lady is not until Jan 26 but we will see if we can slip in a cheeky trip for next year.

Edited August 4 by ronpes

[techteach]

@ronpes I’m so glad to hear you had a wonderful double TA! I bet those ponies will be glad to see you. We’re counting down the days until our double TA in December, so it was good to hear your positive report.

[ronpes]

7 hours ago, techteach said:

@ronpes I’m so glad to hear you had a wonderful double TA! I bet those ponies will be glad to see you. We’re counting down the days until our double TA in December, so it was good to hear your positive report.

FYI: This was our 3rd and 4th time on the QM2.  Our previous trips have been on westerly crossings. 

We are so glad we decided to do this, and by the amount of people who were also doing the double crossing it is clearly a popular choice and we would definitely do this again.

 

For us, it is all about the ship, and we were also fortunate to meet some wonderful people onboard who we will definitely keep in touch with. 

We wish we were going on her again very soon. 

 

However, today it is back to reality with old clothes and wellies on and amongst other things pushing a wheelbarrow full of some smelly stuff but I believe it’s good for the garden!

 

Aaaand someone will be getting extra carrots today!

[ronpes]

Someone is happy to get some extra hay and treats today!

[Essiesmom]

Well, we’ve dodged another bullet.  Tropical Storm Debby has been a non issue for us…lots and lots of rain, and maybe a few days more, but no wind.  There is some flooding, but nothing like Savannah and Charleston.  I even managed to get in my morning walk while we were in the eye…which was pretty large.  EM

[D&N]

We started off heading for Mandelieu-La Napoule yesterday, en-route to Théoule-sur-Mer for lunch. We like the flags that the council fly all over the town including near our local station.

The trains are either too early or a bit late so we had coffee at Mandelieu and the Chateau Gardens were open this time (third time lucky!).

We then caught a bus for the few stops to Théoule.

We were entertained by some swimming Llamas while we ate, and forgot to take photos of our desserts in our haste to eat them.

There's a few photos, and I've made a collage of them.

 

[GeorgianGal100]

What lovely pictures and the food looks amazing.  I often think you two lead the most wonderful life and the icing on the cake....your gorgeous cats!

[D&N]

1 hour ago, GeorgianGal100 said:

What lovely pictures and the food looks amazing.  I often think you two lead the most wonderful life and the icing on the cake....your gorgeous cats!

Exactly! Who else would question whether they actually want to go on QM2 or not? 🤣

Then again, we really struggle to find dancing here. Nowhere is perfect.

[exlondoner]

20 minutes ago, D&N said:

Exactly! Who else would question whether they actually want to go on QM2 or not? 🤣

Then again, we really struggle to find dancing here. Nowhere is perfect.

And I suspect your lives may not have always been so atraightforward. 😀 Mind you, it is quite nice in South Dorset as well. And I think there may be a fair amount of dancing here.

Edited August 10 by exlondoner