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PART 3: ANATOMY OF A 9-COURSE DINNER
BY JANET STEINBERG
Seishin, one of the two alternative restaurants on Silver Spirit, takes it name from the Japanese word for “spirit”. And spirits were certainly high among the 24 passengers anticipating the innovative Asian fusion cuisine that was to about to be served to them in the intimate Deck Four dining room.
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| LOVELY SEISHIN SERVER |
Since a picture is worth 1000 words, come along with me and visually enjoy the mouth-watering Degustation dinner, served by a lovely Asian beauty, on my recent Silver Spirit Caribbean cruise.
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| COURSE #1: SEISHIN’S SIGNATURE CAVIAR SORBET |
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| COURSES #2 AND #3: SUSHI AND SASHIMI WITH TRADITIONAL CONDIMENTS |
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| COURSES #4 AND #5: CARPACCIO OF KING SCALLOPS WITH FLYING FISH ROE AND WATERPAPER ROLL OF SPIDER CRAB WITH GREEN PEA JUS AND LEMONGRASS-INFUSED EXTRA VIRGIN OLIVE OIL |
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COURSE #6: SEMI-COOKED SAKU TUNA WITH SOY DRESSING, LIME, AND CAPER CONFIT |
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| COURSE #7: SEISHIN SPECIALTY TEMPURA WITH JAPANESE CHILI SAUCE AND PICKLES |
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| COURSE #8: SIGNATURE TEPAN WAGYU BEEF WITH WASABI AND NATURAL FLAVOURS |
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| COURSE #9: SEISHIN’S SIGNATURE GREEN TEA SORBET |
Seishin’s 9-course Degustation dinner did not disappoint. It was truly a treat for the taste buds. Reservations are required for dinner at Seishin, so reserve in advance because the room is small and reservations fill up quickly. The $40 per person reservation charge seemed minimal considering the fact that our memorable Seishin dining experience included a complimentary pre-dinner Prosecco cocktail, delicacies like caviar and world renowned Wagyu beef, and complimentary wine served throughout the dinner.
However, if you don’t care to go for the 9-course dinner or, if like me, you just want more, Seishin offers a complimentary lunch. During lunch, I ordered miso soup and choose from a menu that consisted of eleven types of sushi and seven types of sashimi. And all the while, I was able to observe the artistry of the chef as he sculpted sushi and sashimi in the room’s octagonal chef’s station.
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| ARTISTIC CHEF SCULPTING SEAFOOD IN SEISHIN'S OCTAGONAL CENTERPIECE |
Itadakimasu ! (Japanese for Bon appétit!.)
JANET STEINBERG is the winner of 41 national Travel Writing Awards and is a Travel Consultant with THE TRAVEL AUTHORITY in Mariemont/Cincinnati, Ohio.
Check out how the world's largest and fastest growing economies change over time from 2008 up to 2020. China is growing by leaps and bounds while the front runner the United States are steadily growing. By 2020 US GDP is estimated to grow to $22.5 trillion while China is estimated to grow to $16.2 trillion. At 3rd will be Japan at $4.9 trillion, 4th is Germany at $4.1.
Check out the CNN Graphics here
Estimated; Data: IMF, World Economic Outlook; Updated Feb. 11, 2016
I have already experimented successfully for the following filter keywords in case you want to construct a classic deck + previous/current year expansion/adventure.
- Basic
- Classic
- Nax
- GvG
- TGT
- LoE
- Lengendary
Now, everyone, get in here! (oops, it's nerfed...)
Farmers Insurance Discontinue Coverage Of A Insurer after Filing Tornado Claims
Farmers Insurance 12:50 AMFarmers Insurance cancelled the coverage of Richard Perry, a Moore, Oklahoma resident after he filled two claims for tornado damage. He got a letter from the insurance company stating that they would be canceling his policy, effective in April.
In an interview he said it doesn't make sense to him, he called his local agent and the agent to him that the company would be more than happy to continue coverage on their vehicles but, due to the location of his home in a high risk area, it would be too high a risk to cover it.
The letter reads: "Unfortunately, we are unable to continue coverage, because the number of losses you have experienced exceed our acceptability limits."
The family filed claims on two occasions following tornadoes. Their first claim was in 2013, when the insurance company paid $1,615 for wind damage. The second came in March of 2015, when Farmers paid $7,746. Perry said most of that claim was paid out on his truck, which was damaged in the storm.
Under state law, an insurance company can't drop a policyholder for filing a single claim. But, companies can take action if a policyholder files two claims or more.
It's hard to trust an insurance company that will drop you like a hot potato when things are hard on you.
Farmers Insurance is Rated Worst!
Changes to Hearthstone:
- 9 more card slots - Total 18 card slots altogether
- Standard Format - Deck built solely from a pool of cards that were released in the current and previous calendar year, along with a core foundation of the Basic and Classic card sets (which will always be valid for Standard). Standard will only battle Standard format deck
- Wild Format - Decks built on any available card. Wild will battle with Wild format deck
- Tournaments & esports - Based on Standard format.
- Arena - Based on Wild format.
Standard promises a fresher Hearthstone experience!
- Standard will help make for a more dynamic and balanced metagame.
- A select set of cards makes each new card have more impact!
- The developers will have more freedom to design exciting new cards.
- It lets newer players jump in faster without having to collect as many cards.
Personally, I felt this is a good change. Both in keeping entry level for new players easier and also the meta fresh. Likewise, even experience players need to keep up with the card collection.
PART TWO: WELCOME ASHORE WITH SILVERSEA
BY JANET STEINBERG
In Part One of my last post, CHILLING IS FULFILLING, I showed you how I cruised for the unmitigated pleasure of just cruising…never leaving Silversea’s Silver Spirit for an entire week and loving every minute of it. Now, in PART TWO, allow me to show you the other side of the coin…how I previously enjoyed Silver Spirit’s shore excursions in all the same ports when I took her same cruise, with an identical itinerary, sometime in the past.
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| SILVER SPIRIT DOCKED ON MY FIRST CARIBBEAN CRUISE ABOARD SILVER SPIRIT |
KEY WEST, FLORIDA: This was Silver Spirit’s first port of call. Located closer to Havana than Miami, Key West is an around-the-clock happening. To get an overall view of the city I opted for Silver Spirit’s City View Trolley Hop-On Hop-Off tour that gave me an overview of what I would like do for the rest of our day in port.
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SILVERSEA’S HOP-0N HOP-OFF CITY VIEW TROLLEY TOUR IS THE WAY TO START YOUR DAY IN KEY WEST |
After completing the entire trolley loop, I headed to President Harry Truman’s Little White House that is a fascinating public museum as well as a retreat and place of government business by our nation's leaders.
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| PRESIDENT TRUMAN’S LITTLE WHITE HOUSE IN KEY WEST |
Next I was off to the Ernest Hemingway House, the Florida home of the author of a myriad of classic books such as “The Sun Also Rises”. In addition to fascinating Hemingway memorabilia, a living memorial to the late author has also been preserved at his Spanish-colonial mansion. Approximately 40-50 polydactyl (six-toed) cats, descendants of the nearly 50 cats who lived there with "Papa", still call 907 Whitehead Street home.
No day in Key West would be complete without downing few at Sloppy Joe’s, Hemingway’s favorite honkytonk saloon. Sloppy Joe's is much more than mere saloon. It is a symbolic personifications of Key West itself.
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| HEMINGWAY’S HANGOUT IN KEY WEST |
BELIZE CITY, BELIZE: Following a day at sea, the Silver Spirit brought us to Belize, the only English-speaking country in Central America. Belize is nestled between Mexico and Guatemala on the Caribbean coast of Central America and is one of the few remaining unspoiled places on earth. Formerly known as British Honduras, the colony’s name was changed to Belize in 1973 in anticipation of its independence. On September 21, 1981 independence finally came to Belize
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| BELIZE IS ONE OF THE FEW REMAINING UNSPOILED PLACES ON EARTH |
On my first Silver Spirit cruise, I opted for a tour of Belize City, home of the country’s commercial center and the largest concentration of Belizeans. Belize City’s many sights of interest included the Museum of Belize that was built in 1857 as “her Majesty’s Prison”; Baron Bliss Lighthouse, built in honor of the benefactor who left Belize $2-million; St. John’s Cathedral, constructed in 1812 from red bricks originally used as English ship ballast; and the Swing Bridge that has connected the downtown area since Colonial days and is one of the few manually operated bridges still in use in the world.
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| THE SIGN OVER THE DOOR OF THE DRUGSTORE PICTURED ABOVE |
BE laid back…BE unleashed…BE-LIZE!
SANTO TOMAS, GUATEMALA: From Belize, Silver Spirit sailed us to Santo Tomas, Guatemala where we opted for the Amatique Bay Resort tour that allowed us to chill out completely in one of Central America’s finest resorts. Departing the pier via a panga boat (a modest-sized, open, outboard-powered, boat) we sailed to the five-star Amatique Bay mega-resort. The Amatique Bay Resort features a botanical garden surrounded by Mayan archaeological sites, exotic landscaping, and a wide array of lush flora and fauna.
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| AMATIQUE BAY RESORT |
Upon arrival, we could do as we pleased…sunbathe or swim at the pool with wet bar and water slides…explore the private beach, butterfly and turtle gardens…visit the Jade Museum…shop for souvenirs…or join in an invigorating game of beach volleyball or soccer (if we were a few, few, few, years younger). A barbecue buffet lunch was served before we boarded the panga boat to return to the pier.
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POOL AREA AT AMATIQUE BAY RESORT |
COSTA MAYA, MEXICO: Next stop, Costa Maya, Mexico where I opted for a Silversea fun tour called “Salsa & Salsa Beach Break”. The tour group was transferred to a beach restaurant for a hands-on Mexican salsa cooking class. We were each given a chef’s white toque and apron to wear, and a plate of fresh ingredients. We were then taught the steps of making authentic Mexican salsa and guacamole. We then devoured our concoctions with tortilla chips and washed them down with complimentary margaritas.
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| SILVERSEA PASSENGERS DON THEIR CHEF’S TOQUES TO MAKE SALSA |
Afterwards, our guide showed us how to step, sway, and get into the groove of Latin America's most famous dance…The Salsa. Following step-by step instructions, those who were ready for the dance floor did their thing.
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AFTER MAKING SALSA, SILVERSEA PASSENGERS LEARN TO DANCE THE SALSA |
COZUMEL, MEXICO: When the Silver Spirit docked at Cozumel, Mexico I set out on Silversea’s “Living History, Mayan Traditions and Island Overview tour”. During our visit to the Mayan Village we saw traditional thatched-roof Mayan houses, medicinal gardens, cooking techniques, and Mayan ceremonies. We also learned about the myths, histories and beliefs of the Mayan World.
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| MAYAN ARTIFACTS IN THE MAYAN VILLAGE |
Following our tour of the village, we traveled across the island to the eastern shore for stunning views of the island's undeveloped coastline. Traveling past ancient black rock formations protruding from the sea, we saw beautiful white-sand beaches, tropical low-jungle vegetation and the iridescent waters of the Caribbean Sea.
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COZUMEL’S UNDEVELOPED EASTERN COASTLINE |
Ernest Hemingway’s words, in our first Key West port stop, exclaimed: “The Sun Also Rises”. My words, after all of Silversea's port stops, exclaimed: “The Fun Also Rises”.
JANET STEINBERG is the winner of 41 national travel-writing awards and an Independent Travel Consultant with The Travel Authority in Mariemont, Ohio.
