Hi everyone! I've been away but now am back in Dallas with good computer access so I can check in on LCT.

Denise, wish we were sitting on a Voyager deck with that Sangria watching the world go by. Let's count on that, fellow CROSSERs, about four months from now!

Hi Priscilla - Sangria on the Voyager deck with LCT CROSS friends sounds mahvelous!

We're in for that!

Well, since we are skipping Spain, I guess that means we need to crack open the Port!!! We have some vintage port that we bought at Sandeman's in Oporto last year that has just been waiting to be tasted!!!

Hmmmm well I have some Spanish Olive Oil I brought back from last trip :eek: somehow that just doesn't sound quite as good as Sangria does it.

Don since we board the Voyager in Funchal, Madeira this is what we need to pop open this evening...www.MADEIRAWINE.com
Proprietors: J.Barbosa & J.Bjelkaroy, Lda.
Caminho do Palheiro 172-B, Funchal, 9050-153 Madeira, Portugal

Well, we don't have any Madeira wine in the house, but we do have that leftover bottle of Mateus Rose!!! LOL

We had a toast for our cruise; I drank Ginger Ale and Tom had lemon/lime-ade!

Not sure what we will toast with. Diana told me that we aren't having the Mateus Rose tonight! She can't get the candle out of the bottle! :p

Well, Don, don't light the candle in your cabin. We're non-smoking as of November.

Hi Priscilla,

The visual and anticipation of sitting on Voyager's deck, sipping our Sangria, is a beautiful sight/thought!


Hey, Don,

I bet that Mateus bottle's been hermetically sealed since 1975!

Mateus!!!!!
OMG, a blast from the past! Now, please don't bad mouth Mateus Rosé. Next thing I'll hear is that you don't like Lancers :D !

I can see we have some very sophisticated drinkers on CROSS! I guess Alan and I can share our drinking passion for Cold Duck!

Lancer's is the GOOD wine. Save that for me!

Who is doing Cordon Bleu so I can add that to the roll call?

Just save me a little Blue Nun (do they still make it?).

Nini

Cold Duck! It doesn't get any better than that!
Who knew we had this acquired taste in common??!!However, we saved that for special ocassions. ;)

Last time I had Cold Duck was Christmas Eve 1969 and I was in labor with my oldest daughter. Needless to say it didn't stay down very long, and I haven't had it since. Ahhh the memories! :rolleyes:

I hear Trader Joes has their brand of Cold Duck. It is called Two Buck Duck Upchuck!!! LOL

OMG Don. Maybe that is what I was drinking - how the heck would I know, I was in labor <img border="0" alt="[vhappy]" title="" src="graemlins/icon_vhappy.gif" /> <img border="0" alt="[vhappy]" title="" src="graemlins/icon_vhappy.gif" /> <img border="0" alt="[vhappy]" title="" src="graemlins/icon_vhappy.gif" /> hee hee who who whaa whaa

Don, Just when I think you've totally killed me with your humor, you take it to the next level! :app: I'm beginning to feel like Gracie Allen to your George Burns!

Say goodnight, Gracie!

Goodnight Gracie!!

Nancy

Did you see that Trader Joe's Two Buck Chuck just won some big wine tasting event? How embarassing for the $55 bottle in the competition!

Very true, my friend! Now, for a small fee (or cans of imported beer from your fine Dallas breweries) I can schlep a case of the Chuckster onto Voyager/CROSS for you to enjoy.

You guys are lucky, back here at our TJ's its $3.29 a bottle. We call it "three buck chuck". We had to buy a case for our son and haul it to the beach last week for him.

Thanks Denise! I aim to please!

JoAnn, that would be a sight to see, wouldn't it?

I just read the same thing Priscilla. It won two gold medals and was voted the Best California Chardonnay at the California State Fair in a blind taste test.

Here is one of the articles. http://www.pressdemocrat.com/EarlyEdition/article_view.cfm?recordID=6975&publishdate=06/28/2007

Jan and Fred are doing the Cordon Bleu. Our second time and looking forward to it!

I must lead a sheltered life! I thought this TJ Chuck was something made up by Don! LOL!! It does exist? I go sometimes to TJ and never noticed it ( but if I did I would have hesitated to buy a $3 bottle of wine).

Has any of you tried it?

Maria,

It's called Charles Shaw and it's by Franzia Wineries. The Franzia brothers found a way to buy and produce grapes at a very reasonable cost and then bottle and sell. We've tried it - we don't care for the Chardonnay at all but we had a friend who did a blind taste test and it's Merlot was a surprise! We bought a couple cases and ended up giving them away keeping a few bottles only for cooking with. We don't drink in quantity so we'd rather drink quality wines.

Right, JoAnn, party time! Denise, I will be lurking with the camera to catch you with a bottle of good beer in your hand. :D

Kathy, thanks for remembering the real name of the wine, and Don, for remembering the actual event. I went absolutely blank on both counts. We don't have Trader Joe's in the Dallas area (at least that I know of), so I've never tasted Charles Shaw wine. Maria, your comment about hesitating to buy a $3 bottle of wine is so true. I would react just the same way. Your comment reminds me of an experience my husband had during college while filling in as a clerk at a gift shop. One day the owner was surveying items and noted that something had not been selling well, so she said she needed to re-price it. She changed the price UP -- and the item started selling!

No Priscilla, we don't have Trader Joes in Big D. Sure wish we did! Oh, and can I put my request in for In-N-Out Burger, while I'm at it? LOL

Priscilla,

That story about your husband is too funny. I guess it falls in Psychology for Buyers, or something like that.

Next time I'm in TJ I'll buy a bottle. if I don't like it, I can always use it for cooking ( whenever I get around to doing that!).

CROSS Shopping List:

Two cases of Two Buck Chuck - One case red; one case white.

In-N-Out Double Double - Uh, Don, do you want a shake and fries with that?

Anyone else want In-N-Out?

Priscilla, Just goes to show that some people's mentality is such that more expensive MUST mean better :)

Yes, Yes, Yes - I'll have what he's having. In-N-Out burger. Ohohohoh! Wonder if I look as good as that girl on the airplane doing her hair in the bathroom!!!

No problem, JoAnn!

Darn I wish we were on this trip - you all will have the best time - I am crazy about Denise, Priscilla, JoAnn, Fred and Pat, Maria, Sue, Don and kept hearing about Peggy and Jerry on Fjords - lucky travelers!!!!! Joanna

Joanna,

Are you back????!!! Or are you in Roma??

we got in 2 hrs ago - had one week of heaven in Rome - first time we ever did an apt - nice way to go - I think we got out of town at right time as weather had been so nice but was getting warmer each day in Rome - we found so many sweet Mom and Pop places saved a bundle $$$$ and I am all for that when traveling - no bags we know they made it from Rome to Atlanta - I am tirrrreeeeddddd but "hyper" - missed you all Maria

YAY!!!! Welcome home, Joanna!!!! I've missed you a lot!!! Hope Marcie is home safe and sound, too!

Never too late to sign up and join us, Joanna. How I'd love for you and Tony to CROSS with us!! :hug:

Said good bye to T and M in Rome they were not due in LA till midnight - ouch!!!