Lunch at Don Julio

 OFD booked a lunch reservation at Don Julio,  a world famous restaurant known for their Argentina beef and outstanding service. While we waited to be seated…

we were served sparkling wine and empanadas filled with cheese and corn. Yummy. 

This was the crowd waiting to be seated when we left the restaurant. 

The three of us shared the following food. 

 

Fresh tomatoes 

Sweet potatoes and a portion of the 17 ounce filet (which we shared)

Greens with flowers

There was also a bowl of  mashed potatoes. 

And a yummy chocolate truffle for dessert. 

More photos from the restaurant. 

Cuts of meat

Cooked over charcoal

Tomatoes

More than 50,000 bottles of wine in their wine cellar. We got to step inside!

Decor upstairs in our dining room 

A fabulous lunch experience, eating tasty beef from Argentina. Thanks OFD! 

I am using my phone to post my blog. So if it looks different or wonky, that is why. Doing the best I can with the equipment I have. 

 

Hamilton

 OFD  gifted the two of us tickets to see Hamilton on Broadway during our one day stay in NYC on this trip to Antarctica. I think this is my third Broadway show in NYC. What a fabulous experience made better by the fact that I spent two nights prior to leaving SD listening to the music on CDs that were loaned to me to enhance the experience  I was able to read the words as I listened. Then I followed that with some Alexander Hamilton research. 

It was an AMAZING experience. Thanks OFD.

Testing

 Testing on ipad

The Countdown Begins

The suitcases have been moved from storage in the closet to the bed in the guest room. On the final leg of our upcoming adventure we are allowed one suitcase each, weighing up to 50 pounds and a carry-on weighing less than 13 pounds. Hubby had to get a new large suitcase as his lost a wheel after the cruise to New Zealand and Australia.

The need for a large suitcase is because we are traveling from North America winter to South America summer to open water excursions and summer in Antarctica. One night in New York City with some exploring in winter temps, four days in South American countries including a rain forest region, and then 9 days on a cruise with land excursions on ice.

one of us is farther along in the packing than the other

new black LARGE suitcase from Costco

We have specific clothes we are to bring for the cruise. Parkas and boots are furnished, but not the layers. Waterproof lined pants on the left. Two base layer shirts. Two mid-layer pullovers. Two pairs of base leggings. Two pairs of wool socks from Sweden and one pair of sock liners.

We purchased special gloves, neckwear, goggles, waterproof pockets for our phones, AND seasickness meds, sunscreen (not in photo) and three different electrical adaptors. (We had two of the three needed adaptors and only had to purchase the one needed for our overnight stay in Brazil.) All of this fits into the white packing cube in the first photo. Keep in mind, this is ONLY the clothes needed for the possible eight Zodiac excursions from the cruise ship to land in the Antarctic continent. 

A friend, Donna, purchased this lined, ear-flap, waterproof hat at a rummage sale in AZ last winter from a woman who was on an excursion to Antarctica on the cruise line Hurtigruten. I felt it needed to make another trip to the continent. 

Summer clothes, ship casual and dinner clothes are beginning to be pulled from the closet. I am going to keep those to a minimum! The adventure begins on Friday. More FB posts and blogs beginning next week.

Happy Valentine's Day

 

Our realty company gifts us each Valentine's Day with free Oh My Cupcakes! This is the first of the six years we have been able to appreciate the gift as we are usually in AZ. The realty company also gifts their customers with a pumpkin pie (Costco size) for Thanksgiving. We took advantage of that in November, also for the first time. Usually these two freebies go to our son and family who also get their own desserts because we used the same realty company. Pretty sweet!

Back left: chocolate cupcake with vanilla bean frosting, double chocolate with butter cream frosting, lemon with frosting and vanilla cupcake with tinted vanilla bean frosting.