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MINNEAPOLIS --- Some players shy away from participating in the All-Star Home Run Derby.
Los Angeles Angels center fielder Mike Trout, considered the emerging face of Major League Baseball, opted out at the request of manager Mike Scioscia. Chicago White Sox rookie first baseman Jose Abreu also declined to participate despite leading the major leagues with 29 home runs.
Players believe that changing their swing to try to hit home runs can have lingering effects on their hitting stroke once regular season play resumes.
Yoenis Cespedes, on the other hand, embraces the derby. He has participated in it twice and won both times.
Cespedes defended his title Monday night despite changes to the derby format that added an extra round of competition as he beat Cincinnati Reds third baseman Todd Frazier 9-1 in the final round.
The 28-year-old Cuban became the first player to win consecutive titles since Ken Griffey Jr. in 1998 and 1999. Cespedes' win last year came at Citi Field in New York.
"I'm somebody who's very conscious of the power that I have," Cespedes said through a translator. "So I don't need to put more of a swing or more of an effort in order to hit a home run. I just have to look for a good pitch and put a good swing on it and it usually takes care of itself."
Frazier won the coin toss and chose to let Cespedes bat first. The right-handed hitting Cespedes responded by belting a series of pitches from Athletics third base coach Mike Gallego into the second deck.
Two of Cespedes' drive carried 452 and 446 feet to left-center field gap. He averaged 409 feet on the nine homers.
Cespedes has hit 14 home runs this season for the American League West-leading Athletics, which ties him for 19th in the league. However, he rises to the occasion in the derby.
"The guy is the two-time champion for a reason" Baltimore Orioles center fielder Adam Jones said. "He's a five-tool talent. There is nothing he can't do. The ball just jumps off bat. He makes it look easy."
Frazier, meanwhile, was no match for Cespedes as he did not hit his home run until after he had made five outs against his brother Charlie Frazier, a former Marlins minor-league outfielder. The 28-year-old right-handed hitter has 19 home runs this season, good four fourth in the National League.
Participating in his first derby, Frazier was thrilled just to reach the finals.
"It was great," Frazier said. "It was just an enjoyable experience, a really fun time. Maybe next year I'll put up a little bit better showing at the finish, do a couple of more pushups at the end."
In the NL semifinal, Frazier blanked Miami Marlins right fielder Giancarlo Stanton 1-0. That came after Frazier downed Colorado Rockies shortstop Troy Tulowitzki 6-2 in the second round


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My transfer from Davidson Elementary to Warm Springs Elementary when my family and I moved from San Bernardino to Highland was the first of many I was to experience, though I did get to remain at Warm Springs through sixth grade.
I was lucky to land in Mrs. Leeman's class, though I learned later that mixed-grade classes (her class consisted of second and third graders that year) are often not considered the more desirable ones in terms of the quality instruction time equation.
Mrs. Leeman was a motherly sort who must have been in her mid to late forties. She had a gentle way of speaking and wore tasteful dresses of the June Cleaver type. Her hair was gray and cut very short.
Joining a class midway through the school year presented a few challenges, not so much in how far through the material the class had progressed as in the different ways of doing things. I found the different kinds of paper for writing assignments (regular lined paper instead of large lines divided in half by a dashed line) and arithmetic assignments (unlined paper) a bit disorienting. On my first math assignment in my new class, with no guidelines for size or spacing, I scrunched all of my arithmetic problems into the upper left-hand corner. Mrs. Leeman's approach to correcting this was simply to remark in a very matter-of-fact way: "You might want to put some space between those problems. It's OK if you use the whole sheet of paper; we have plenty of them." Thus was my first occasion for potential embarrassment successfully navigated.
I was extremely fortunate to be assigned to Mrs. Leeman's third grade class the next year, and her gentle, low-key approach continued to succeed in keeping my classmates and me under control and even participating enthusiastically in class activities without strong disciplinary measures having to be used.
Except in the case of Alfred [not his real name]. Alfred was hyperactive. He was a cheerful and outgoing little boy, sometimes too much so, and that was the problem. Something – a little too much excitement or stimulation – would set him off, and then Alfred became a windup toy in reverse: sometimes running around, flapping his arms, shaking his head back and forth, and chattering rapid strings of words which eventually turned into nonsense sounds. He did not mean to lose control, but there was no denying that his behavior became extremely distracting and had to be stopped.
The question was – how to stop it. Whether it was many years of experience in raising and teaching children or just natural instinct, Mrs. Leeman knew what to do. Alfred had to be physically stopped from moving and talking for just long enough so that he could regain his self-control. Usually this simply meant that Mrs. Leeman would sit him down in his chair and possibly also put her arms around him to keep him still. Once or twice this was not enough, and Mrs. Leeman resorted doing something that would be almost unheard of today: She tied him in his chair. She would quietly tell him what she was going to do and throughout the entire process retained her composure and her kind, calm manner: "Alfred, you must stop doing this and you must be still." And in a minute or two Alfred would be back to normal and class could resume. Alfred never seemed to be hurt or offended, but actually appeared to be well aware that Mrs. Leeman was acting for his own good.
These days this type of discipline is controversial at the very least, but I think my third-grade classmates and I could see that it was not done in anger, but out of concern for Alfred and the rest of us. And I think most of us would have preferred this to the harsh tongue-lashing or the "casually" dropped cutting remark meant to put the miscreant in his or her place.
My grade school days dated to the early 1960s, when corporal punishment for misbehavior was accepted and even common. It's strange, but even though I remember that "the belt" was kept in some classrooms and used as a deterrent, I cannot remember which classes these were, whether it was actually ever used, or which teachers used or threatened to use it. So "the belt" must not have caused much trauma to our tender psyches.
Monday, March 30, 2009
Memory Monday: Mrs. Leeman
2 comments:
Loved this post-everyone needs a teacher like Mrs. Leeman at some point-I'm glad I had more than one. The whole "corporal punishment" thing in schools is interesting. When I was in school-every teacher had a paddle and used it. But like you I don't remember being traumatized by it-I just knew how to avoid it and did!ReplyDelete
Thank you! Mrs. Leeman was really great. It's so interesting to compare my school days to my daughters' - corporal punishment vs. none plus a number of other differences. Whatever the method of discipline used, I think the attitude of the teacher may count for a lot.ReplyDelete
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Publications: Currie, Janice
Journal Article
Maor, D.ORCID: 0000-0002-0743-4755 and Currie, J. (2017) The use of technology in postgraduate supervision pedagogy in two Australian universities. International Journal of Educational Technology in Higher Education, 14 (1).
Lambert, K., Wright, P.ORCID: 0000-0002-6433-3889, Currie, J. and Pascoe, R.ORCID: 0000-0002-9650-892X (2016) Embodiment and becoming in secondary drama classrooms: The effects of neoliberal education cultures on performances of self and of drama texts. Critical Studies in Education, 60 (2). pp. 149-167.
Lambert, K., Wright, P.R.ORCID: 0000-0002-6433-3889, Currie, J. and Pascoe, R.ORCID: 0000-0002-9650-892X (2016) Performativity and creativity in senior secondary drama classrooms. NJ (Drama Australia Journal), 40 (1). pp. 15-26.
Lambert, K., Wright, P.R.ORCID: 0000-0002-6433-3889, Currie, J. and Pascoe, R.ORCID: 0000-0002-9650-892X (2015) Data-Driven performativity: Neoliberalism's impact on drama education in Western Australian secondary schools. Review of Education, Pedagogy, and Cultural Studies, 37 (5). pp. 460-475.
Lambert, K., Wright, P.ORCID: 0000-0002-6433-3889, Currie, J. and Pascoe, R.ORCID: 0000-0002-9650-892X (2015) Desiring machines and nomad spaces: Neoliberalism, performativity and becoming in senior secondary drama classrooms. Discourse: Studies in the Cultural Politics of Education, 38 (2). pp. 197-208.
Currie, J. and Hill, B. (2013) Gendered universities and the wage gap: Case study of a pay equity audit in an Australian university. Higher Education Policy, 26 (1). pp. 65-82.
Currie, J. (2012) Gender pay equity reviews in Australian and Swedish universities: Are they an impetus for change? Journal of Critical Studies in Business and Society, 3 (1). p. 129.
Vidovich, L. and Currie, J. (2012) Governance networks: Interlocking directorships of corporate and nonprofit boards. Nonprofit Management and Leadership, 22 (4). pp. 507-523.
Currie, J. and Eveline, J. (2011) E-technology and work/life balance for academics with young children. Higher Education, 62 (4). pp. 533-550.
Vidovich, L. and Currie, J. (2011) Governance and trust in higher education. Studies in Higher Education, 36 (1). pp. 43-56.
Maor, DORCID: 0000-0002-0743-4755, Currie, J. and Drewry, R. (2011) The effectiveness of assistive technologies for children with special needs: a review of research-based studies. European Journal of Special Needs Education, 26 (3). pp. 283-298.
Thein, H.H., Austen, S., Currie, J. and Lewin, E. (2010) The impact of cultural context on the perception of work/ family balance by professional women in Singapore and Hong Kong. International Journal of Cross Cultural Management, 10 (3). pp. 303-320.
Currie, J., Vidovich, L. and Yang, R. (2008) "Countability not answerability?" Accountability in Hong Kong and Singapore universities. Asia Pacific Journal of Education, 28 (1). pp. 67-85.
Petersen, C.J. and Currie, J. (2008) Higher education restructuring and academic freedom in Hong Kong. Policy Futures in Education, 6 (5). pp. 589-600.
Currie, J. (2008) My tribute to Phil Foster. Prospects, 38 (4). pp. 559-560.
Currie, J. (2008) Research Assessment Exercises and some negative consequences of journal rankings and citation indices. ACCESS: Critical Perspectives on Communication, Cultural & Policy Studies, 27 (1/2). pp. 27-36.
Vidovich, L., Yang, R. and Currie, J. (2007) Changing accountabilities in higher education as China 'opens up' to globalisation. Globalisation, Societies and Education, 5 (1). pp. 89-107.
Yang, R., Vidovich, L. and Currie, J. (2007) "Dancing in a cage": Changing autonomy in Chinese higher education. Higher Education, 54 (4). pp. 575-592.
Yang, R., Vidovich, L. and Currie, J. (2007) University accountability practices in mainland China and Hong Kong: A comparative analysis. Asian Journal University of Education, 3 (1). pp. 1-21.
Currie, J. (2005) What makes shared governance work? An Australian perspective. Academe, 91 (3). pp. 20-23.
Huisman, J. and Currie, J. (2004) Accountability in higher education: Bridge over troubled water? Higher Education, 48 (4). pp. 529-551.
Currie, J. (2003) Understanding the impact of globalisation on universities. South African Journal of Higher Education, 17 (1). pp. 16-23.
Currie, J. and Vidovich, L. (2000) Privatization and competition policies for Australian universities. International Journal of Educational Development, 20 (2). pp. 135-151.
Currie, J., Harris, P. and Thiele, B. (2000) Sacrifices in Greedy Universities: Are they gendered? Gender and Education, 12 (3). pp. 269-291.
Currie, J. (1998) Globalization practices and the professoriate in Anglo-Pacific and North American universities. Comparative Education Review, 42 (1). pp. 15-29.
Currie, J. (1998) Higher education governance and management: An Australian study by V. Lynn Meek; Fiona Q. Wood - Book Review. Comparative Education Review, 42 (4). pp. 540-542.
Harris, P., Thiele, B. and Currie, J. (1998) Success, gender and academic voices. Consuming passion or selling the soul? Gender and Education, 10 (2). pp. 133-148.
Currie, J. (1996) The effects of globalisation on 1990s academics in greedy institutions: Overworked, stressed out and demoralised. Melbourne Studies in Education, 37 (2). pp. 101-128.
Currie, J. (1994) Award restructuring for academics: The negotiating process. Discourse: Studies in the Cultural Politics of Education, 15 (2). pp. 22-33.
Seneviratne, T. and Currie, J. (1994) Religion and feminism: A consideration of cultural constraints on Sri Lankan women. Women's Studies International Forum, 17 (6). pp. 593-607.
Currie, J. (1994) An academic's attempt to use action-oriented research in two Western Australian Universities. The Australian Educational Researcher, 21 (1). pp. 87-108.
Currie, J., Kissane, B. and Pears, H. (1992) An enriched mathematical program for young Aboriginal children. Aboriginal Child at School, 20 (1). pp. 15-37.
Currie, J. and Barker, L. (1989) Equity and access: English language learning among Australian adult migrants. Studies in Continuing Education, 11 (2). pp. 117-134.
Conference Paper
Thein, V., Currie, J. and Austen, S. (2006) Attitudes to work/life balance of women in Singapore, Hong Kong and China: Working for the family and more? In: Inaugural International Women and Leadership Conference, 16 - 17 November 2006, Fremantle, Western Australia pp. 310-321.
Currie, J. (2006) A Comparative Analysis of how women perceive the issues of work, family and leisure in Singapore, Hong Kong and China. In: Australian Centre for Research in Employment and Work (ACREW)/Kings College Conference 2006: Socially responsive, socially responsible approaches to employment and work, 1 - 4 July 2006, Monash University Prato Centre, Tuscany, Italy
Vidovich, L. and Currie, J. (2006) Ongoing tensions in quality policy processes: A meta level view. In: AUQF 2006, 5 - 7 July 2006, Perth, Western Australia pp. 154-158.
Currie, J. (2005) Organisational culture of Australian Universities: Community or corporate? In: 28th HERDSA Annual Conference, 3 - 6 July 2005, Sydney, N.S.W.
Vidovich, L., Yang, R. and Currie, J. (2004) Navigating global-local tensions in accountability/autonomy policies: Comparative case studies in 'Asian' universities. In: Australian Association for Research in Education International Educational Research Conference, 28 November - 2nd December 2004, Melbourne, Vic.
Currie, J. (2003) Shared academic governance in an Australian experimental university. In: Roundtable on Governance in Higher Education, 12 - 14 June 2003, Sante Fe, New Mexico
Currie, J. (2002) Australian universities as enterprise universities: Transformed players on a global stage. In: IAU 2002 International Conference, 18 - 21 April 2002, University Laval, Quebec City, Canada
Currie, J. and Vidovich, L. (1997) Centralisation and devolution through corporate managerialism in American and Australian Universities. In: 1997 Australian Association for Research in Education Conference, 30 November - 4 December 1997, Brisbane, Australia
Currie, J. (1996) Globalization practices and universities: Some examples from American and Australian Universities. In: 1996 ERA/AARE Joint Conference, 25 - 29 November 1996, Singapore
Currie, J. (1993) An academics attempt to use action-oriented research: Case study of implementing award restructuring in two WA universities. In: 1993 AARE Conference, 22 - 25 November 1993, Fremantle, Western Australia
Book Chapter
Currie, J. and Vidovich, L. (2014) Globalization responses from European and Australian university sectors. In: Stromquist, N.P. and Monkman, K., (eds.) Globalization and Education: Integration and Contestation Across Cultures. Rowman & Littlefield, Plymouth, England, pp. 135-150.
Vidovich, L. and Currie, J. (2013) Aspiring to 'World Class' universities in Australia: A global trend with intended and unintended consequences. In: Maldonado, A. and Bassett, R., (eds.) The Forefront of International Higher Education: A Festschrift in Honor of Philip G. Altbach. Springer Netherlands, pp. 295-307.
Currie, J. and Vidovich, L. (2009) The changing nature of academic work. In: Tight, M., Mok, K.H., Huisman, J. and Morphew, C., (eds.) The Routledge International Handbook of Higher Education. Routledge, part of the Taylor & Francis Group, New York, pp. 441-452.
Currie, J. (2005) Globalisation's Impact on the Professoriate in Anglo-American Universities. In: Welch, A., (ed.) The Professoriate. Springer, Dordrecht, Netherlands, pp. 21-34.
Currie, J. (2005) Privatisation and commercialization: two globalizing practices affecting Australian universities. In: Arimoto, A., Huang, F. and Yokoyama, K., (eds.) Globalization and higher education. Research Institute for Higher Education, Hiroshima University, Higashi, Hiroshima, pp. 23-37.
Currie, J. (2004) The Neo-Liberal paradigm and higher education: A critique. In: Odin, J.K. and Manicas, P.T., (eds.) Globalization and higher education. University of Hawaii Press, Honolulu, Hawaii, pp. 42-62.
Burgess, M., Currie, J. and Maor, D.ORCID: 0000-0002-0743-4755 (2004) Technology enhancements across cultures in higher education. In: Vrasidas, C. and Glass, G.V., (eds.) Online professional development for teachers. Information Age Publishing Inc., Greenwich, Conn., pp. 159-176.
Currie, J. (2003) Globalization and universities. In: Smart, J.C., (ed.) Higher education: Handbook of theory and research XVIII. Kluwer Academic Publishers, Dordrecht, Netherlands, pp. 473-530.
Mok, K-H and Currie, J. (2002) Reflections on the impact of globalization on educational restructuring in Hong Kong. In: Mok, K-H and Chan, D., (eds.) Globalization and education: The quest for quality education. Hong Kong University Press, Hong Kong, pp. 259-277.
Currie, J. and Subotzky, G. (2000) Alternative responses to globalization from European and South African universities. In: Stromquist, N.P. and Monkman, K., (eds.) Globalization and education: Integration and contestation across cultures. Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, Inc, Lanham, MD., pp. 123-148.
Currie, J. (2000) Mapping schooling types and pedagogies with different values frameworks. In: Leicester, M., Modgil, C. and Modgill, S., (eds.) Classroom Issues: Practice, Pedagogy and Curriculum. Routledge, London, England, pp. 96-110.
Vidovich, L. and Currie, J. (1998) Changing accountability and autonomy at the 'coal-face' of academic work in Australia. In: Currie, J. and Newson, J., (eds.) Universities and globalization: Critical perspectives. Sage publications, Inc, Thousand Oaks, California, pp. 193-211.
Currie, J. and Vidovich, L. (1998) Micro-economic reform through managerialism in American and Australian universities. In: Currie, J. and Newsome, J., (eds.) Universities and globalization: Critical perspectives. Sage publications, Inc, Thousand Oaks, California, pp. 153-172.
Currie, J. and Vidovich, L. (1998) The ascent toward corporate managerialism in American and Australian universities. In: Martin, R., (ed.) Chalk lines: The politics of work in the managed university. Duke University Press, London, England, pp. 112-146.
Currie, J., Petersen, C. and Mok, K-H (2006) Academic freedom in Hong Kong. Lexington Books. A division of Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, Inc., Lanham, MD..
Currie, J., DeAngelis, R., de Boer, H., Huisman, J. and Lacotte, C. (2003) Globalizing practices and university responses: European and Anglo-American differences. Greenwood Publishing Group, Westport, CT..
Currie, J., Thiele, B. and Harris, P. (2002) Gendered universities in globalized economies: power, careers and sacrifices. Lexington Books. A division of Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, Inc., Lanham, MD..
Currie, J. and Newson, J. (1998) Universities and globalization: Critical perspectives. Sage publications, Inc, Thousand Oaks, California.
Currie, J., Pears, H. and Vidovich, L. (1996) The changing nature of academic work: Case study of Edith Cowan University: Trends report sense of community at Edith Cowan University. Murdoch University. School of Education, Murdoch University, W.A..
Pears, H., Currie, J. and Vidovich, L. (1996) The changing nature of academic work: Case study of Murdoch University : trends reports on the importance of work in the lives of academics. Murdoch University. School of Education, Murdoch University, W.A..
Vidovich, L., Currie, J. and Pears, H. (1996) The changing nature of academic work: Case study of Murdoch University: Trends report on decision making styles. Murdoch University. School of Education, Murdoch University, W.A..
Vidovich, L., Currie, J. and Pears, H. (1996) The changing nature of academic work: case study of Murdoch University : trends report, accountability and autonomy. Murdoch University. School of Education, Murdoch University, W.A..
Currie, J. (1978) The sex factor in career choice. Murdoch University, Murdoch, W.A.
Currie, J. (1977) Schooling, career choice and occupational attainments: review of research and policy attainments. Murdoch University, Murdoch, W.A.


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28 User Reviews of Jewel of the Seas Cruise Ship
This was our first cruise on RCI Jewel of the seas. We have cruised other lines in the past .This one rang the bell. The ship was great lots of sea views. very good service by all staff and very friendly , the food was also very good definitely no complaints at all. There was lots of entertainment throughout the ship. The stage shows and acts were good to okay (not into adult comedy).The Islands were the best for us . We are certainly looking at going back again. Everything about this cruise just fell into place. We love the Solarium our favourite place on the ship to just relax., with Champagne bar next .We also met some other cruisers, who we will keep in touch . For perhaps another cruise together in planning stage. We looked for a change, we certainly found one . So far the JEWEL of SEAS shines the brightest.
Overall a very fun trip. Service, food and entertainment up to par with other cruises I have taken with RCL. Embarkation was quick and took about 20 minutes from the cab to the cabin. (I arrived at the pier just after 1:00). I was upgraded from a D1 balcony to a Junior Suite (Cabin 1596). The JS was clean, well appointed with lots of closet space for clothes and electronics. My wife loved having the bathtub. Great service from the cabin steward and wait staff. The head waiter was at our table every night, which was the first time that has happened to me on a cruise. I was impressed by the friendliness and service attitude of all the staff, even when passing maintenance staff in the hallways. The seas days always had activities, and the ports (aside from Columbia) were great. The weather (out of control of the cruiseline) was sunny and warm every single day. Getting off the ship was easy (although too early for me).
Itinerary Day 0: Arrived in Miami a day before, stayed at the Holiday Inn downtown Miami. Old hotel, but close to the pierand the market. Day 1: Leaving Miami. Usual assembly drill, to the bar for a pre-dinner drink and then dinner. Day 2: At Sea. Relaxing day by the pool. First formal night. Day 3: At Sea. Another relaxing day by the pool. Day 4: Aruba. Walked on our own, did some shopping, stopped for drinks at Senor Frogs. Day 5: Columbia. Stayed on the ship. All tablemates regretted getting off at this port (even on RCL organized shore excursions). Day 6: At Sea. Day 7: Panama Canal cruising. Day 8: Costa Rica. Did a private tour. Murder Mystery at Portafino's. Day 9: At Sea. Got to do a bridge tour. Second formal night. Day 10: Grand Cayman. Day 11: Last day at sea. Day 12: Leaving the ship. One last day in Miami before coming home.
The Good Murder Mystery Dinner Staff Three smoke-free nights in the Casino The ship itself Lots of deck chairs in the sun The length of the cruise
The Not So Good Older crowd (the disco was empty at 11:30 on some nights). Theme nights not as good as on other cruises Columbia port of call
Tips Except after the evening show in the Coral theatre, the forward elevators are never busy. If you can, use those. The Centrum elevators were always busy and crowded.
Unless you like adventure, stay on the ship in Columbia (based on the feedback I got from all our tablemates who took RCL shore excursions).
If you are already booked on a RCI cruise, or if you are an ardent fan of RCI, you may not want to read this review. If you do and disagree or think it will spoil something, I have warned you.
It is long.
First cruise on RCI, 20 something total cruises.
I will not talk about the ports visited, only the ship. It is a cruise review, not a port review.
Sat. Oct. 11, 2008. Jewel Of The Seas, Boston to Canada.
Parked in Port Of Boston parking garage. Sign said $27.00 per DAY. However upon leaving the garage, the fee was $15 a day. Whew.
11:30 arrived at check-in. No wait, took 10 minutes only because the woman who checked us in was training a new person. Thru security and on board by 11:45. Rooms not ready until 1pm, so off to the Windjammer for lunch. Food OK, quality comparable to that of a buffet at a medium priced Las Vegas hotel.
1pm, to the room. The cabin steward was still working on his section of cabins, and ours had not been vacuumed yet. I know this because of the toenail clippingsleft on the floor. This seemed really unusual when Reuben, the cabin steward, told me that the cabin was vacant on the previous cruise. If they don't use it, they don't clean it? Strange.
After dropping off the carry-on luggage, time to explore the ship. Long level corridors in the cabin areas unlike the cruise ships of the past when the corridors had a noticeable sway to them.
The cabin was the generic cabin of today, with a nice window. The bed turned out to be so-so as to comfort, and was two twins pushed together to make a queen.
The ship is a handsome vessel and its fairly easy to navigate about it. Muster drill went off fairly quickly, and it appeared that the people who are always real late for these things or don't think they have to participate, were not on this cruise.
Dining Well, we tried the 'My Time Dining', and can say we tried it and didn't care for it. Turns out you can only make your reservation for dinner between 9-10am, and 4-5 pm. And nowhere did I see anything about how to make that reservation, so it was a phone call to the operator to get a number to call, and after a bit of a wait, she found the number. Then of course, if you don't have dinner close to the traditional early or late seating, you will not see the scheduled evening show. Very few people were doing the MTD deal as it was were using only a small portion of the upstairs of the dining room.
The wait staff was inconsistent in their service, and the first night's dining experience was underwhelming to say the least. Took forever to get anyone to stop by after being seated, and then it was the headwaiter who came and filled the water glasses. Waiter and assistant waiter were friendly, but sloooow. Different set last three meals and they had a terrible time the last night with the orders at our table for six with two meals totally messed up.
Breakfast was taken in the Windjammer. Same items everyday, but enough selection to be interesting. Tend to eat the same thing for breakfast anyway, so it was OK. actually the best meal of most days.
Lunch also taken in the Windjammer. Different cut of meat at the carving station each day, but most of the rest of the selections seemed to repeat day after day. Second best food of most days. Like I said, comparable to a mid-priced Vegas joint. Deserts a big letdown with an equal number of sugar-free and the kind I like (with sugar and calories), but not much taste (I know the Europeans have a different concept as to sweet than us Americans). Fruit also at the desert station.
Tried the Seaview Café for the fish & chips (two small pieces of fish, fries) OK but once was enough.
Dinner in the dining room was a huge disappointment. A step up from fine dining at Denny's, but I won't go much better than that. A basic three course offering, starter, main course, and dessert. The starter selection made no separation between an appetizer and a salad so it appeared most chose one or the other. Five choices for main course, one of which was a steak (the default entree) of strange flavor.
I have been on 20+ cruises and this is the first time that I have left the dining room hungry. Actually skipped the main course one night because I didn't like what I ordered at all, didn't see anything else I wanted, and could not face another of the steaks. I know times have changed, but from a meal of appetizer/soup, salad, (perhaps sherbet to prepare the palate) meat/fish, cheese, dessert, coffee/expresso/capachino, and mint/truffle to Applebee's on a tablecloth. Come on people.
Thursday sea day dinner was the best meal we had in the dining room, lobster & prime rib main course selections (took lobster as appetizer, prime rib as main). Not gourmet by any stretch but good.
Spent the extra twenty pp on Portifinos and was treated to excellent service and a fine meal. Impressed my bride and me the most of anything else on the ship. Just like the service you used to get in the dining room in days past. One tacky thing was the extra charge for the espresso and other dessert coffees (Seattle's Best), please don't ruin such a nice experience with ol' Mr. Greed.
Entertainment Didn't care for the cruise director at all, but again she was not our cup-of-tea as the Brits say. The cruise directors staff seemed to be really disorganized, late, and generally a mess, never seemed to really get it together. Not a whole lot to do as for activities, especially on the sea days, unless you were into spa stuff, or physical activities with the fit n' trim staff. (fee for spa/fitness) Oh, the odd trivia, bingo, art/jewelry sales and such, but this is the first time we were bored. Very small tacky prizes form trivia and game winners. So it was a lot of time at the bar. Very friendly bar/wait people at the Schooner bar. When they know your name after day 2, you are drinking way too much.
Movies in the theater are somewhat old. If you want first run flicks, they are available on pay-per-view TV. Don't want to miss out on revenue, now do we.
Saw a magician/dancer dude, a production show with the ships dancers/singers. Forgettable. Saw a comedian who was a funny guy. Missed the Tango dancers. Gymnast was good. The usual singers, who are from Poland and sing phonetically, not really understanding the song. Most of them fair. Same for the dance quartet, who were really a trio because the drummer missed the ship. Pianist/guitarist, miscellaneous music maker pleasant in the background throughout the public spaces.
Thirty-one dollars to play four games of bingo on Thursday. It was more the last game, I didn't go.
Of the activities listed in the daily to-do-list, several were a pay-per-do event (spa), and a lot were an outside physical-activity activity, and a few were telling us that so-and-so venues were not available for us common passengers to use. Sometimes I was bored, so the choice was nap or drink. Big bar bill.
Photos Boy do they take a lot of photographs of you. Leaving the ship in St. John, there were three photographers on the gangway/exit walkway, all within 50 feet of each other, all with different props, all clamoring to take our picture leaving the ship. Take my picture, break your camera. Better half actually bought several of the photos and they are pretty good.
Ever notice on a cruise ship that there are people whom you never see until the last day no matter how few passengers on a ship, then there are those who you see all the time no matter how many on board. Everyday, everywhere. Sandy and Gerry were those people for us. Saw them all the time.
Tendered into port one day, went off without a hitch.
Formal Nights
I was amazed at how many people did not dress for formal nights. Amazed. Kudos for the crew when they stopped people from entering the area where the Captains reception was occurring who were not appropriately dressed.
Also was amazed at the amount of people who ate at the buffet every meal, never set foot in the dining room. Pardon me, but why cruise?
Peeve If you want to sell me a bottle of booze while I am on your ship, let me take it back to my cabin, and not 'hold it for me' until the last night of the cruise. Ah, can't let any opportunity to make a dime off of the passenger now can we.
One thing of note: If you are a soda drinker and don't want diet, say regular Coke, etc., cause if you don't, the default is diet. Same with beer, lite unless you speak up. Guess they think we are too fat. Well they are right, but I'm on vacation.
Went to the Meet & Mingle, met and mingled, won a nice prize in the drawing. Met some terrific folks there and got together several times during the cruise.
Gambling Tight slots. Blackjack gave me some. Saw someone selling pull-tab lottery tickets outside the showroom entrance, thought that was tacky. Then of course heard that someone won a grand from a pull-tab, so...
Tuesday sea day was dead calm waters and fog so thick I hoped the navigator had a knife to cut it with. Thursday sea day was windy and 6-8 foot swells. Ship rolled quite a bit.
Not too much brasswork on the ship, mostly stainless steel. Low maintenance, but not the same. The crew kept the ship very clean.
Fifty cents per minute internet access fee. 30 bucks per hour. Ouch.
Highs and Lows The ship was nice and the crew did their job very well. Chef not so much.
Took no ship's excursions.
The smoking areas on the ship were very smoky. How about NO SMOKING throughout the ship.
Disembarked using the express method. You carry all your bags and stuff off yourself and thus get to get off first. They said between 7 and 7:15 for express folks, actually was about 7:40 (glad for Indian summer because we waited outside), but then bam, and we were lurching down the sidewalk to the car.
Overall, 2 1/2 stars out of five. Will we return to RCI? Probably not, but I won't say don't go, only chose wisely. With the exception of the dining, not too much seriously awful, just to me there is that little something missing.
I know that many people who were on this cruise will have a totally different perspective of this adventure, this is mine.
We repeated the same cruise twice on September 27 and October 4 because we had taken a similar one several years ago and missed several ports due to two hurricanes. This time we thought we would see all the ports even if we missed some on the first or second cruise. Fortunately all went well and we saw every port twice. We still had two hurricanes come through the general area where the cruise went, but they passed to the east when we were still in the west. The captain did a great job of keeping us informed about the weather and any problems that might be caused by the hurricanes.
We spent two days in Boston before the cruise. The weather was horrible. They expected 3 inches of rain in Boston the day before the cruise and we think is all fell on us as we tried to walk the Freedom Trail. After 3 hours and being soaked to the skin, we gave it up and returned to the hotel for a hot shower and an afternoon nap. That was the best idea we had all day.
Embarkation The nextday we had breakfast at the hotel and took a taxi to the ship. When we arrived, the place was in total confusion. Somebody said to go in one door to register, but they told us there that we had to take our bags down the street to another door. My wife stayed at the registration table while I took the two large suitcases about 200 yards down the street to another door. I had to fight my way through crowds of people getting off busses and out of taxis and they all seemed to be going the other way. I finally was able to get the bags checked and returned to the other building. The registration process went quickly as soon as the clerk was able to find out how to handle back-to-back cruises. She had never had back-to-back guests before and had to get help from her supervisor. Even the supervisor was a little unsure about handling the registration. A few minutes later, we were on our way through the security line and onto the ship. Since it was only about noon when we got on board, the cabins were not yet ready so we went up to the Lido restaurant and had lunch. After lunch, we went to the Solarium pool area and relaxed until a few minutes before 1 PM. Then we sneaked down to our cabin and checked it out.
Cabin We had bought an outside cabin, but it was not as good as those that we have had in the past. RCCL is notorious for having small cabins and this was one of them. There was very little drawer space and very limited closet space. The bathroom had only one small area for storing our things and we were hardly able to get our stuff on the shelves. Fortunately, the safe was large enough to accommodate our valuables. We were happy to see there was a refrigerator. Not all RCCL ships seem to have them. The bed was against the window, requiring one to climb onto the bed to look outside. The cabin arrangement is just not as good as Carnival or Princess ships. The room attendant did an excellent job of caring for us and our cabin. She made up for the cabin deficiencies.
Food The food was better than a previous cruise we took on this same ship. However they seemed to serve the good stuff (prime rib and lobster) on the same nights and on some other nights nothing seemed that interesting. The service in the dining room was very good and the waiters did everything they could to keep their guests happy.
I ordered a sandwich one evening when we stayed in the cabin and it was soggy and stale. I did not order anything more from room service on either cruise.
We prefer to take all our meals in the main dining room. Unfortunately, the dining room was not open for lunch on the days we were in port. It was only open on the two sea days. Service during breakfast and lunch was extremely slow, but the assistant waiters were very attentive while we waited for the food to arrive.
Entertainment The production shows were very well done with some surprises that we had not seen on ships before. The comedians were also quite good. The magic show was OK.
Ports We did not take any shore excursions. I had done some Internet research and found that free hop on/hop off busses were available in Bar Harbor and Halifax. In Portland, Maine the all day bus costs $5.00 per person, but it was well worth it. The drivers were very nice and provided some interesting facts about their city as we rolled along.
The Island Explorer bus that runs from Bar Harbor into Acadia National Park was wonderful. We were too early to catch the right bus and had to wait about 1/2 hour for the next one, but had a very nice chat with one of the drivers who was waiting to get a ride to the bus yard to get her vehicle. She gave us some good advice about how to best see the park. Her suggestion was to get off the bus at a certain point just inside the park and walk a coastal trail for about two miles. She said we would be able to flag down the next bus or wait at the next scheduled stop for a ride. We took her advice and had a wonderful walk along the trail. The views were superb.
The bus in Halifax is called Fred and starts its loop of the city very near the cruise ship dock. It hits all the highlights of the city on each loop. The Citadel on top of a downtown hill is well worth a visit. Halifax also has a boardwalk along the water's edge that starts near the cruise ship dock. The cruise ship dock has an abundance of vendors selling locally made items.
St. John has a shopping mall that runs through upper stories of various downtown buildings starting near the water and ending several blocks up the hill at a market selling fresh produce and ethnic food items. It is an interesting walk through the various buildings including the St. John city hall. An interesting museum is in the same building where the market starts near the water.
Portland has an excellent art museum that is about a mile from the pier. The bus stops close by or you can stroll through the shopping area on you way to the museum. The Victoria Mansion is also worth a visit and the bus also stops just outside this building. There are a number of fish restaurants along the water's edge and in the downtown area.
We had hoped to see some fall colors, but were again too early. Each time we go to the east coast, we go a little later in the season, but have not yet been able to see an abundance of colors. I guess later in October would have been a better time for this trip.
We had a long wait at the airport in Boston. Our flight was not until 6:30 PM and it was almost an hour late. We were off the ship by a little after 8 AM, so we were at the airport for 10 hours or more. Fortunately they had some comfortable rocking chairs near the window where we were able to sit and watch the planes come and go.
This was our first time on Jewel of the Seas, although we have cruised on her sister ship Brilliance OTS. This also was our 30th cruise and I will say RCI is still one of our favorites. It was also the first time for my husband to have a handicapped room, which was so well laid out and everything was so handy for him, he didn't need my help most of the time. The bedroom was spacious and plenty of room for his scooter. Also plenty of closet and drawer space. The bathroom was huge, and the shower had 3 different ways the water could be used, a high shower head, spiket and a hand held shower spray. The fold down seat was perfect for him, and he is a big man. Toilet was higher and plenty of grab bars around the room. The beds, (we had them separated) were very comfortable, since they have put in new bedding and mattresses with toppers.
It was a nice easy cruise for us because we have been to these islands many times before so no tours -- just walking around the piersor towns. St Thomas is always a favorite, and we heard from our Cruise Critic friends that taking the water taxi to St John's Island and then going to Trunk Bay for swimming and snorkeling was great. They also recommended going to The Baths on Tortola. If you have never been to St Thomas, St Martin, Tortola, Puerto Rico, or Nassau, I would say try the ship's tours for the highlights of each island. It will give you a better taste of what is available to do and see while there and also good information for the next time you go! Come on, we all know once you cruise you will be back!
The service onboard was excellent, and we never wanted for a thing. Our waiter and asst. waiter, Jose' and Steven, were excellent, and remembered right from day one what we liked and not. Amazing how they can remember such little things, like not using pepper. The food was good, but not to our tastes at times, so we ate more beef than usual. Desserts was always delicious. We ate all of our breakfasts and lunches in the Windjammer buffet. They had such a selection that we couldn't eat every variety of food available in 8 days. Their system and layout of the buffet is the best, comparing it to Celebrity, Princess, Costa, NCL, and Carnival -- in our personal opinion.
Embarkation and disembarking was made very easy for us and being Elite members on Celebrity, also makes us a Diamond member on RCI, with little added perks, like free gifts on certain evenings on retiring. Captain's parties are another added perk, with free beverages/drinks and tasty finger foods. When you have 10 cruises or more, you also are invited to use the Concierge Room, which is another great perk. Free continental breakfast in the mornings, free drinks and orderves in the evening before dinner. And, the Concierge hostess was available to book tours, specialty dinners, etc., for us as well.
The shows were good to great. Our favorite was seeing the Coasters singing their all time favorites, too many years ago for most of you to remember. The magician and juggler were good, but once was enough. The singers and dancers were good, but we thought some could have been a little better than what we are used to seeing. The costumes were outstanding. Clodaugh "Clo" is the Cruise Director, and she is by far the best we have ever seen. So personable and even remembered our names after meeting us once. We enjoy playing Trivia, and had a very fun filled time doing that with the activities staff, who were fun and friendly anytime you met up with them around the ship.
The ship is beautiful and laid out very well. The only thing we wish is that they had elevators in the rear of the ship. They do have 6 elevators in the middle and 4 elevators in the front and of course stairs in the 3 areas if you can do them. They are always cleaning and a little tip, they have the day of the week displayed in each elevator on the floor. So you will not be trying to guess what day it is!
I hope I have covered most of it, but if you want more information I will try to help. My email is [email protected]
My husband and I booked a winter cruise with JOS three weeks before the sail date as a break between job changes. We've sailed with RC once before on an April cruise to the Western Carribean. The Jewel was a beautiful ship, much bigger than the Rhapsody. We had a balcony for the first time and will never sail any other way-the views and privacy were well worth the price.
Since food is important on a cruise, I'll begin there. Food in the Windjammer was only so-so, as expected. The Seaview Cafe was excellent, and provided terrific views at sunset. Everything we ordered there was terrific-beautiful fruit plates, Ceasar salad with grouper, brownies. We usually went there for an afternoon snack after working out at the gym, since we had the late dinner seating at 8:30. Dinner in the Tides dining room was inconsistent. The lobster and shrimp were great and one night my husband had a chicken marsala and warm chocolate cake that were divine! However, sea bass and salmon on other nights were disappointing and tasted a bit off. We ate one night in Chops and Portofino each. Whata treat! The ambience was very romantic, we had a private booth in Chops and a table by the window in Portofino. The service was excellent and all of the courses were delicious. It was definitely worth the extra $20 in my opinion.
The weather was rainy and gray in Cozumel, so we did not go ashore. Costa Maya turned out to be very disappointing. The beaches were rocky and there were only some bars/restaurants and very aggressive natives hawking their wares. I don't know why Royal Carribean thinks this is an acceptable port of call. I would not return here ever! We tendered into Grand Cayman, but were expecting that to be canceled at any minute because of the windy weather. Stingray city and many other beach excursions were cancelled. That left us again with just shopping, and I can look at jewelry and trinkets for only so long.
The ship was beautiful and had many attractive public areas. Dancing at night was our main entertainment, either to big band or counry western in the Centrum, or to disco in the Vortex. There was a good mix of ages on the ship, and it seemed to have an international feel with many foreigners on board, moreso than when we sailed from Galveston, TX on the Rhapsody.
Overall the cruise was relaxing and we loved the ship. However, consider the possible rougher seas and stronger winds when sailing in at this time of the year. We will not do a Carribean cruise in the Winter again for this reason.
The RCI Breakdown:
Let me begin by saying that we are first time cruisers and I have a mixed review that I hope you will take the time to read thoroughly through.
My finance and I have never experienced a cruise and after a month of reading reviews and getting input from friends and family we finally decided to take a Western Royal Caribbean for our Honeymoon. We were married March 1 and scheduled to board on March 3rd. All my wife could keep telling me was about how beautiful Cozumel and Costa Maya Mexico are, and that's all I could think about from the day we married until the day we boarded the Jewel. With that being said here is my break down of our first cruise experience.
We boarded around 1:30pm on March 3rd and our first objective was to get to our Stateroom and get our carry on luggage put away. Upon arrival some of our luggage was already waiting for us, so we quickly put away what we could and took advantage of walking around the ship since we still had a few hours before departing Tampa. Being avidcoffee drinkers we thought it would be nice to get some java and explore the Jewel. So we proceeded to start at the AFT part of the ship and work our way forward, surprisingly every restaurant and coffee machine we saw was closed, now being first time cruisers we didn't know the difference so we continued on exploring. The Jewel was beyond our expectations for a cruise ship we were in astounded by the beauty and architecture we seen – it was truly a fabulous ship and I envisioned a fantastic honeymoon a few hours away from beginning.
With no luck on the coffee we continued to walk in hopes of finding some kind of refreshment or open restaurant, and as we got closer to the center of the ship on Deck 12 we heard music so we worked our way in the same direction figuring something would be open. Upon arrival at the main pool my hopes of a romantic honeymoon crashed and burned. The complete pool deck was filled with 21 year old college students at which time half or better percentage of them were already hammered from drinking and here it is only 2:30 in the afternoon, looking around we seen all the sun bathing lounge chairs – pools and hot tubs were completely taken over by college students who at this point could careless who else was on the ship. It was their world and nothing was going to stop them. Now for the record I am not opposed to anyone of legal age having a good time, however there are still rules of engagement and clearly these young adults were far from understanding the words "Respect and Courtesy" and being drunk was all they cared about.
Emergency Evacuation 4:15 March 3rd At 4:15 The Captain called for the must have emergency evacuation drill. Being first time cruisers we were very interested in understanding the process. We arrive at E16 our evacuation center and along with us were half the drunken college students talking and yelling above the crew and the PA system completely ignoring the safety protocols that were being announced. Also during the evacuation drill it was brought to our attention that a group of College students were kicked off the ship and 4 were arrested stemming from obnoxious behavior to other passengers and smuggling drugs through customs. This delayed us from leaving until almost 5-5:30pm. Again, the only unfortunate issue here is that none of the RCI personnel stepped up to control the unruly crowd.
Food: Being that the culinary staff has to feed 2,000 plus people from several different ethnic back rounds I feel they did an adequate job with the food – but not necessarily superb. It was your basic buffet style food – we did go to one formal dinner but nothing wowed us to go to any others so we mainly ate at the buffet.
Eat when you want? – No such thing on this cruise – All the main restaurants closed at 11pm and you were left with Pizza and maybe some nacho chips – and the worst part was, it was only available at one location at the bow of the ship which made it even more difficult to fight the crowds, and if you wanted a Soda – good luck finding it after 11pm. However, you can opt for room service with a little more on the menu however one and half hours waiting wasn't worth the extra money you had to pay.
Entertainment The entertainment at the Center of the ship was absolutely fantastic – it was where most of the older generation couples were hanging out because the pool areas and lounges were being overrun by the college students, but as soon we thought we found a nice quiet area where we could talk and enjoy a late night drink while listening to some very good live music – while dressed in our casual evening clothes here comes the College kids staggering across the dance floor in their swim suits / no shirts or shoes to one of the bars.
The Motown show featuring the Horizons was beyond Fantastic – Kudos to Royal for having them on board.
The 70's Dance Party that was held on deck 4 inside was Excellent – However it slowly crashed and burned when (Yep) the drunk college kids got into the party wearing their bathing suits, screaming hollering and using profanity.
Excursions All canceled due to inclement weather – The cruise line did absolutely nothing to try and compensate with on board activates and or offer other excursion options.
Service Service from the wait staff was good – but again not superb as I thought I would suspect or read from other reviews – again I contribute this too the college crowd and their lack of respect for others, It almost felt like the crew was intimidated by the actions of this young crowd and preferred to let them just do what they want so they wouldn't have to deal with the insubordination or derogatory remarks.
State Room Our Stateroom 9636 was fantastic with a nice balcony and view located in a pretty decent part of the ship where walking to the stairs or elevators was very convenient. Final Day of Cruise: My wife and I inquired with the some of the crew about purchasing some wine so we can go back to our stateroom for a last cruise evening toast – we were told that if we purchased a bottle at the Ship store we would be able to take it with us because it was the final night of the cruise – However after our purchase we were informed that because there was so many college students on the cruise the Ships staff was suspending any liquor purchase back to the rooms and we would have to wait until morning to pick it up. Another amenity taken because of the college gathering, with that we assumed we could just go buy a drink and take it back to the room however upon arriving on the main pool deck – everything was closed early, so that the college crowd didn't get out of hand partying all night and ensuring they got off the ship on time the next morning. How sad it is that the responsible passengers suffered for the inadequacies of these younger persons.
Over all our first cruise experience was dreadful – I expected a lot more interaction from the RCI staff and security to ensure everyone on the ship had a pleasant experience – I felt as if this cruise was geared strictly for Spring Break College Students and that we were simply the people that filled the empty cabins – I completely understand that this was bad timing for weather and spring break activates – but it was extremely unfortunate that RCI wasn't more involved with security and managing the unruly – disrespectful younger generation.
San Juan St. Thomas St. Marteen Tortola Cruising Nassau
Overall this was one of our best cruises ever. This was our first time on RCCL and it will definitely NOT be the last. As far as we were concerned, they outdid Princess in every aspect with one minor exception. I still think Horizon Court has the best selection of buffet food but Windjammer was still very good. The service, cabin and beauty of the ship were amazing. The staff truly seemed to enjoy their jobs. We had the best waiter we have ever had on any cruise. His name is Walther and he is transferring to the Independence of the Seas in May, so watch for him. He is from Peru.
Dinners were probably the best food we have had on any of our previous cruises.
We stayed at the Renaissance in Fort Lauderdale on 17th street. We knew we liked this hotel as we have stayed there before. It is adequate, nice and clean and a good location. There is a Walgreens right across the street for any last minute items you might need. The hotel is going to undergo extensiverenovations starting in May 2008. Not sure what this would mean if you are staying there after May, but just know it sounded like there was going to be a lot of construction.
We boarded the gorgeous Jewel of the Seas at 12:00 on 2/9. We were not able to get into our cabin until 1:00. So we wandered to LatteTudes and loved their coffee. The gal that worked there was very friendly. The price of coffee included a nice pastry as well -- including cookies.
Our cabin (9576) was a bump out and had the largest balcony we have EVER had and the nicest balcony we have ever had. There was a huge overhang which provided great shelter from a bit of rain every now and then, but not too often -- typical tropical weather. Temps were in the upper 70s to 80s and nice breezes. I would book this cabin again anytime. It was also the quietest cabin we have ever had. It is amazing how close we were to the Centrum and heard nothing in our room. And some nights the music was pretty loud, but the cabins are totally soundproof. I did hear another toilet flush every now and then when it was quiet.
The casino was great, especially on the first night when I won $600 on the quarter slot machine after only putting in about $2.00. I kept it all and put none back. I bought a beautiful John Hardy bracelet with the money in St. Thomas. We had fun jewelry and watch shopping in St. Thomas.
St. Thomas and St. Marteen and Tortola are very clean and friendly. Nassau was friendly, but not so clean. We took the Discover Atlantis tour and thought it was very enjoyable. It was worth the $56 pp. You got great access to the aquarium. It did involve a lot of walking so if that is a problem for you, it might be tough. The only glitch was that it was a bit unorganized getting everyone onto ferries to get to the Island. It took about 45 minutes just to get organized and get everyone over to Atlantis. This is the only shore excursion we did on the cruise.
We did not attend the production shows but did see the Comedian and Juggler. Can't remember their names at the moment but they were HILARIOUS. The juggler was the best juggler I think I have ever seen. The illusionist Charles Bach was so-so in my opinion. The Coral Theater was great and there was plenty of room for everyone. There were separate showings for first and second seating.
This itinerary was great because we really had a total of 3 days at sea as we arrived in San Juan around 2:00 (I think) and Nassau around 12:00. It was most enjoyable. I have included a link to our pictures -- sometimes the site loads slowly. I took some pics of the extra large balcony but it was hard to get good angles. Our towel animals were wonderful as well.
There are no hand sanitizing machines anywhere, but I think that RCCL has realized that these are not effective in preventing noro so they urge everyone to wash their hands frequently and thoroughly. There are signs in the restrooms regarding this. Since we had noro on the last cruise we were very conscious of this.
Please feel free to email me at [email protected] with any questions. If I think of anything else, I will add and respond to any questions.
Well, this was my first time ever to Europe and my first Transatlantic cruise. Even with the awful exchange rate due to the weak US dollar, I truly enjoyed my precruise stay in London. I flew on Virgin Atlantic from Chicago to London leaving 10/26 and arriving in London on 10/27. We arrived over an hour early at Heathrow, to find that there was no gate available for us. So we sat on the tarmac for about 20 minutes til they found us a gate. It was the farthest one out on Terminal 3 (the terminal from hell at Heathrow.) We taxied to the gate only to find the jetway wouldn't work! After 15 minutes they told us we might have to exit the plane on a stairway, but then they got the jetway to work. So we actually got off the plane at about the time we originally were supposed to if we had been on time. Personally I think it was a plot on the part of BAA! LOL! Walked the millions of miles from the gate to Immigration, waited in line for 20 minutes and wasthrough without any problems. Friends of mine who were with me did this trip last year and said they waited over 2 hours on a Saturday morning to get through immigration, so we had it pretty easy. We then went out and meet our driver who took us to our hotel.
I stayed at the Hotel Russell in the Bloomsbury section of London. I think it was a perfectly great area to stay in. The Hotel Russell was built in the 1890's and is a massive Victorian building. The lobby and first floor area retain the feel of the Victorian era. The rooms have all been recently remodeled and upgraded. I had a single room -- the rate included breakfast. I had a twin bed (with a really nice mattress and a wonderfully light but warm duvet), a chair, a desk, a credenza and tv and a wardrobe. The room was the size of an balcony cabin on a cruise ship.....but the bathroom was not included in this area......there was a small hallway behind the wall where the head of my bed was and it entered into a large bathroom with all new fixtures and a walk in glass walled shower with a large shower head with great water pressure and a heated towel rack. The small room was worth the large bathroom! The hotel is also centrally located, less than a block from the Russell Square Station on the Piccadilly line and very close to shopping, and within only 2 blocks, and the West End theaters.
London is really a wonderful city....the sights and the history are awesome, but it is so expensive. I did the cheapest tours possible....the HOHO busses....hop on, hop off busses. Food was expensive, but if you find a Tesco store or a Tesco express you can get food and beverages for a decent price.
On the 30th we took taxis from the hotel to Waterloo Station to catch our train to Southampton. The train was modern and smooth and ontime........when they say they leave at 11:39.....they leave exactly at 11:39! Arrived in Southampton to catch a taxi to the pier...not a very long ride.....and dropped of our luggage and checked in to board the Jewel of the Seas.
The Jewel is a beautiful ship. I had an E3 balcony cabin on deck 7....nice size room with the usual small bathroom and shower and a nice balcony. Only problem with this cabin is that the balcony overlooks the covers for the lifeboats. So you could not look directly down into the water. Room Stewardess was Karthini (rhymnes with Martini) from the Philipines. She was wonderful. Every request was met promptly and the room was immaculate every day.
We were at table 510 in the Tides dining room -- the upper deck -- a table for 10 with 9 people at it. I want to thank Suzy, Curran, Kim, Jack, Carole, Victor, Karen and Don for being wonderful tablemates. Philip, we missed you! Maybe next time we do a TA you can join us! Our waiters were Ashvir and Mangesh, both from India. They were absolutely wonderful. Recommendations were spot on....we never had to wait for anything to be offered or refilled. Shashi was our cocktail water.......knew our drink preferences after the first night. Always prompt and service with a smile. Food was good.......some dishes were great, some were not so great. I was a bit disappointed with the dessert selection. Nothing was really outstanding.....not even the warm chocolate cake. But, we did not go hungry and none of us lost weight so it couldn't have been too bad. I did not go to either Chops or Portofinos this cruise. I also did not eat at the Windjammer very often for either breakfast or lunch. I usually went to Tides for breakfast or did room service. I never had lunch up at the WJ...but I did do late afternoon snacks a couple of times. I loved the pepperoni pizza from room service.....usually had that mid afternoon as my lunch after returning from an excursion or from some rousing trivia games.
My nightly stop for drinks pre and post dinner was the Schooner Bar......Gerardo and Pavmir were the bartenders there and they were wonderful....they make a mean martini!
I did not participate in alot of activites, but usually did the afternoon Name That Tune Trivia, General Trivia and the Evening Trivia in the Schooner Bar before dinner. The cruise staff was really great.....especially assistant CD's Brendan from the US and Lissandro from Argentina. They really engaged their audiences and made us laugh.....and not with the standard corny CD jokes. I also participated in a putt putt golf tournament with our CC group.....4 rounds on a rocking and rolling 9 hole golf course. Let's just say it was fun trying to put the ball with the movement of the ship and the wind. Tiger Woods I am not!
This was a 12 night cruise with only 3 port stops. Le Havre, France.....our CC group did a private excursion to the beaches of Normandy and a stop in Honfleur on the way back. In Normandy we went to Pointe du Hoc where the 101st Airborne took the cliffs from the Germans' Omaha Beach; The American Cemetery at Colleville (one of the most awe inspiring and spiritual places I have ever been) and then on to Arromanches which was one of the beaches the British forces took on D day. At Arromances you can see the remains of one of the two artifical harbors that were built by the Allies that were wiped out about 2 weeks after being built by a monster storm that hit the Normandy Coast. We then went on to Honfleur which was very pretty, but very expensive.
Next stop was La Coruna, Spain. Not really much here except a lighthouse from the Roman Era......3 of the 4 excursions offered by RCCL went to Santiago de Compestela to the cathederal there to see the remains of St. James - one of the apostles. Most passengers thought this stop could have been skipped.
The last stop before the 6 straight sea days was Funchal, Madeira. What a beautiful place! So lush and mountainous. I did the half day tour that stopped at Cabo Girao, the highest seacliff in Europe and the second highest in the world, and a couple of other places. Got a chance to sample some Madeiran wine and cheeses and a specialty bread. Next time I return to Madeira I want to do the whole island tour, not just this half day one. The people here are so friendly and warm. The weather is just perfect but prices are quite high. I could live here!
After 6 wonderful days at sea......5 of those days were 25 hour days as we slowly worked our way back to eastern standard time.......I just took it easy and relaxed. I have never come back from a cruise so refreshed and relaxed. I would only do westbound TA's because of the extra hours of sleep....you have 23 hour days doing eastbound TA's and I don't think I could handle that.
More westbound transatlantics are in my future for sure! I can handle the long flights over if I have those long relaxing days coming back.
This was my fourth cruise on RCCL out of 17....this cruise was one of my best despite the average food.....the friends I made from CC, the crew on board and the extra long days were wonderful.
I took my 30-year old and 15-year old daughters on the Jewel of the Seas for a 6-night Western Caribbean cruise. I had cruised once before on the Voyager, but this was my daughters' first time.
Boarding was extremely easy. From the minute you get to the port, everyone is friendly, accommodating and patient. I had read other reviews that indicated they boarded earlier than the stated boarding time, so I called RC to see if that was correct; however, they gave me the same boarding time as was printed on our itinerary. I think they do this because your room is not guaranteed to be ready if you board before the stated time. Our time was 2:00 but we boarded at 12:30 and some had said they were on as early as 11:00. Going early not only helps avoid the crowd, but it gives you that much more time on the ship!
The Ship was beautiful and very easy to get around on. I read other reviews that complained about the only elevators being centrally located, but we didn't find that to be an issue. The elevators can be verybusy and you may find it quicker at times to take the stairs. The main pool and the Adult pool in the Solarium are salt water. The Solarium is beautiful. It contains many plants and comfortable lounge chairs and with morning and night sounds playing over the speakers, it makes a wonderful place to relax. You must be 16 or older to be in the Solarium. We went through the children's area – looks like a lot of fun and we heard many passengers raving about the wonderful staff there. They have several computers available for email or surfing at 50 cents per minute; teenagers can use the computers in "The Fuel" (a club for teens only) for 25 cents per minute. The coffee bar was nice with prices similar to what we pay at home. I think my daughters would have enjoyed the shops on Voyager's Promenade more as there were more of them than on the Jewel. There is beautiful art work throughout the ship. We did not use the exercise facility but did use the jogging track which is okay in size (6 laps = 1 mile) but sometimes winds through deck chairs which is an inconvenience except for early morning.
The Stateroom was very comfortable. The king-size bed was very comfortable for my daughter and me – there was a fold out couch or a bunk for my other daughter and the attendant said the bunk would be more comfortable plus give us more room in the cabin. Despite the 3 of us sharing this room with all our "junk" for 6 nights, we were all quite comfortable and our attendant did a great job taking care of our room. We had a balcony which gave us more room as well. I think a balcony room is worth the money – not only does it make your room feel bigger, it's a wonderful place to relax in the evening, watch the sun rise in the morning, and watch the waves go by anytime. I watched dolphins racing alongside the ship on my first cruise!
Dining was excellent in every facility as was the service. Many reviews boasted the $20 charge was worth it for eating at Portofino's or Chops, and maybe it was but I felt The Tides had absolutely excellent cuisine. The Windjammer provided a great variety and all was very good. We had a burger and onion rings at the Sea View café and it was delicious!
The Shows were incredible! From comedians to Broadway shows to some dancers from Argentina that incorporated a lot of humor in their act – they were awesome and I was impressed that Royal provided such high caliber shows. The show schedules are very accommodating as well, but if you have to miss one, they are shown later on your stateroom television. The theatre is quite spacious and with the schedules, everyone could find seating. All the shows were entertaining and appropriate for my youngest daughter as well.
Activities - The staff does a great job coming up with activities for all ages and interests. Everything from Bridge lessons to cooking demonstrations! I participated in the long-drive contest and my girls took some hip-hop dance lessons to name a few! All the day's activities are listed on your Cruise Compass you receive each night – some of them are noted as "Ship Shape" activities which means if you participate, you get Ship Shape dollars that you can redeem for prizes at the end of the cruise. My youngest also received each night the activities planned for 15 to 17 year olds exclusively.
Excursions - I don't think Royal has a bad excursion. They have contracted with the best tours and their staffs can still make it fun even if the weather is bad! You can reserve an excursion on-line after making your reservations, you can book them through the excursion desk or you can, on some ships like the Jewel, book them on the TV in your room. Your excursion tickets are delivered to your room the night before and the process of getting to your excursion could not be easier. I would not do an excursion that was not through Royal – I know you pay a little more, but it's so easy and the companies work really hard to keep Royal and their guests happy. Don't forget to bring a beach bag! Some of the excursions ask you to bring a towel (which you can take off the ship). I didn't find this information anywhere but asked if I could go on an excursion as an observer and not a participant (i.e. I wanted to watch my daughters swim with the dolphins, but I didn't want to swim with them). There are "Observation Only" tickets you can purchase from the excursion desk. For example, the dolphin excursion was $139, but my observation ticket was $38.
The Ports - If I had to do it over again, I probably would not choose these ports – Cozumel and Costa Maya were the same and many of their excursions were similar. The ports were all pretty clean and well kept – we could not dock in Cozumel I believe because of hurricane damage. If you can get ports where you are docked versus tendered it's much nicer because it's easier and quicker to just walk off the ship versus having to board a tender boat, although they did make that process very smooth as well. There is shopping at all ports – we found it best in Grand Cayman although it was the most crowded. There is a person on the ship dedicated to helping you shop, although it's mostly for high price items such as diamonds – we asked her if there was a Ron Jons in any of these ports and she had no clue. At all these ports, everything is available – from shopping, to restaurants, bars, taxis, and excursions. In Grand Cayman, catch the bus to 7-mile beach for $2.50!
Disembarkation was almost as smooth as boarding although more crowded since everyone is leaving the ship at about the same time. Since we had a late flight out that day, we took advantage of an excursion in Ft. Lauderdale so we not only were escorted off the ship ahead of everyone, but the tour bus held our luggage all day and dropped us off at the airport so we didn't have to pay for a shuttle.
We had a great time -- feel free to email me with any questions and happy cruising!


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Offense remains quiet as skid reaches eight games
SEATTLE -- When you drop eight games in a row, there aren't any good losses. But the Mariners added an even-more frustrating setback to their skid Tuesday as freshly-promoted Astros right-hander Collin McHugh dominated them in a 5-2 victory for his first career win.
The 26-year-old McHugh brought an 0-8 record and 8.94 ERA in 15 games with the Rockies and Mets the past two years into his Astros debut after being called up from Triple-A to replace the injured Scott Feldman.View Full Game Coverage
SEATTLE -- When you drop eight games in a row, there aren't any good losses. But the Mariners added an even-more frustrating setback to their skid Tuesday as freshly-promoted Astros right-hander Collin McHugh dominated them in a 5-2 victory for his first career win.
The 26-year-old McHugh brought an 0-8 record and 8.94 ERA in 15 games with the Rockies and Mets the past two years into his Astros debut after being called up from Triple-A to replace the injured Scott Feldman.View Full Game Coverage
By the time he was done, the 6-foot-2 McHugh had fired 6 2/3 scoreless innings with 12 strikeouts, no walks and just three singles in a dominant outing that left the Mariners shaking their heads.
"It was a little different than the scouting report we got," said manager Lloyd McClendon. "He was throwing 94 with a pretty good cut slider or cut fastball in. He commanded the strike zone pretty good. He was exceptional tonight."
How much did the reeling Mariners help, as they struck out 14 times for the second night in a row against an Astros team that came into the series riding its own seven-game losing streak?
"I think you have to give him some credit," McClendon said. "He was 94 and in the zone. He threw 3-2 sliders. He was pretty good tonight. I think it was a combination of that and the fact our guys are probably trying to do a little too much right now."
The first-year Mariners skipper was far less impressed with his own young right-hander after Erasmo Ramirez suffered his third straight defeat.
Though Ramirez retired 14 of the last 17 batters he faced after allowing a pair of homers and three runs in the first two frames, McClendon was in no mood to offer praise for righting the ship after the bad start.
"He did not make quality strikes when he needed, particularly ahead in the count with two strikes and it cost him tonight," McClendon said. "For me, he's got to pitch better than what he pitched. If you saw an adjustment that was good, that's probably a question you should ask him."
The Mariners rotation has been hamstrung by injuries to Hisashi Iwakuma, Taijuan Walker, James Paxton and Blake Beavan, who are all on the disabled list. But after a season-opening seven-inning gem in Anaheim, Ramirez has struggled over his last four starts and is now 1-3 with a 6.75 ERA.
Seattle doesn't seem to have many options until some of their starters get healthy, with Iwakuma likely the closest. But he's at least 10 days from being available if he pitches well in Sunday's Minor League rehab start for Tacoma. So Ramirez seems safe for now.
"That's something [general manager Jack Zduriencik] and I will sit down and talk about," McClendon said. "But the fact is, the club is struggling and you need to go out and throw strikes and put up zeros. We didn't do that early."
The Mariners offense continued its own struggles, failing to get on the board until reliever Raul Valdes replaced McHugh and gave up a two-run homer to Justin Smoak with two out in the seventh.
Seattle managed just five hits and has now been outscored 46-18 over its eight-game skid.
The Astros have won six in a row against their new American League West rivals since Sept. 1 and also six in a row in Seattle since June 12 of last season. Houston is 10-4 all-time at Safeco Field.
The Astros snapped a seven-game losing streak with a 7-2 win in Monday's series opener and now have a chance to go for a three-game sweep on Wednesday afternoon.
Seattle dropped to 7-13 as Houston moved to half a game back of the fourth-place Mariners in the AL West at 7-14.
Ramirez's two early home runs both came on 0-2 pitches as the Astros jumped to a 3-0 lead. Catcher Jason Castro drove a fastball just over the left-field fence for a two-run shot in the first and designated hitter Chris Carter crushed a hanging curveball into the upper deck in left in the second.
Ramirez felt his offering to Castro was a decent pitch, though perhaps a little too high. But leaving anything up in the zone with a favorable count is a recipe for trouble.
"It's just something I have to work on to make better pitches in that situation" Ramirez said. "It's hard to get to 0-2-or 1-2. I have to work hard at that and not let it happen again."
Meanwhile, McHugh was striking out the side in the first and third innings and wound up with the second-most strikeouts ever for a pitcher making his Astros debut and he breezed to his long-awaited first career win.
"It was good to get the proverbial gorilla off your back with a 'W,'" McHugh said. "Castro had a great game plan coming in between him and the coaching staff. They did a real good job of preparing me. I didn't know a lot of these guys in the lineup, so I was going to go with him, whatever he had. We were fortunate enough to execute pretty well and play some great defense, and getting some early offense really takes the pressure off."
Mariners DH Corey Hart managed a leadoff single to left off McHugh to open the second, but was thrown out trying to stretch that to a double. Hart extended his hitting streak to six games with a 1-for-4 night.
Smoak's home run was his third of the season, but first in the past 16 games, and he increased his team-leading RBI total to 12.
Greg Johns is a reporter for MLB.com. Follow him on Twitter @GregJohnsMLB as well as his Mariners Musings blog.


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According to Blizzard, the first major World of Warcraft expansion has managed to sell 3.5 million copies worldwide. Though these numbers are impressive, the game has yet to release in WoW's largest market, China, which will assumedly ring in another huge batch of sales. Blizzard president Mike Morhaime was understandably happy about this milestone:
We're thrilled about the overwhelming response that we've received for The Burning Crusade. We have worked hard to build upon nearly every aspect of World of Warcraft with this expansion, and it's gratifying to see that players and reviewers are enjoying the new content.
As the subscriber count rises, WoW continues to exert its dominance as the undisputed king of the MMO world—and rightly so. It's hard to dispute how successful the business model of masked "casual" play has been for Blizzard, and many can't help but fall under that trademark Blizzard spell. I've spent countless hours in the world of Azeroth, though I have since fallen away from the game in favor of something less time-consuming. The only remaining question is if WoW will be able to keep this momentum going once some real competition enters the battlefield. I'm looking at you, Age of Conan and Warhammer Online.


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The Vegetarian Option: Homey Red Sauce Classics at Max in Tribeca
Dining out meat-free.
There's nothing on the outside of Max that immediately distinguishes it from any other Italian restaurant in this city. Even upon entering, I wasn't expecting anything particularly special from this Tribeca trattoria. And yet the food was surprisingly well-prepared, enough so that we can see why chef Marc Murphy recommended it in his guide to the neighborhood.
One meat-free way to start your meal is the melanzane a funghetto ($8), stewed chunks of eggplant in a tomato sauce. The eggplant was silky smooth, benefiting from a long, slow cooking process, and the tomato sauce was mild enough to let the flavor of the eggplant come through. Grana Padano cheese helped round out the flavors of the dish. Save some of the bread they bring you when you sit down; you'll want something to spread the eggplant onto.
If you began with the eggplant, you might then opt for the porcini ravioli ($18). The six large ravioli were stuffed with rough-chopped pieces of porcini and smooth ricotta cheese, then covered with a cream sauce. The sauce helped amplify the earthy flavor of the mushrooms, instead of masking it. My only complaint is that six ravioli seems a little stingy for such a high price point.
My favorite dish of the night was a simple side dish of sautéed broccoli rabe ($7). The rabe was perfectly seasoned, still slightly bitter, and a squeeze of lemon over the top made the dish a thing of uncomplicated joy. I finished the entire bowl on my own.
It's easy to walk by small Italian restaurants in this city without giving them a second glance. And it isn't easy to find a good one, but Max fits the bill. The Tribeca neighborhood that surrounds it is home to lots of trendy, upscale restaurants; Max is a changeup from that. Sometimes less is more.
181 Duane Street, New York, NY 10013 (map)
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This is a curved french barrette clip for pony tails. It is made by hand from polymer clay and finished with 24kt Gold Leaf. Swirls of blue, turquoise, lime and yellow with gold flakes.
Maine Coon Crafts creates contemporary Urban/Modern style accessories that are colorful, fun and creative. We carry items for women, men and children that are handmade in the U.S from the best locally sourced materials, organic and natural, are heirloom quality and perfect for years of beauty and wearability.
Each and Every Item that we Ship is Unique, OOAK, and Made Just for You. Each Order Receives Our Complete Attention to Detail and Quality, We Want You to Be Happy, and Loving What You Receive
All of my items arrive beautifully wrapped and are ready for gift giving. Just message me if you would like a gift receipt and note included in your purchase.
Additional Items can be seen here:
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♥ Created in a Smoke Free / Pet Free Studio
♥ Maine Coon Crafts has been represented in Celebrity Giftings in California and France, as well as Individual Celebrities like: Brandi (The Real Housewives), Renee Zellweger, Fergie, Snooki, Kim Kardashian, Penelope Cruz, to name a few...
We donate 10% of Each Sale to Animals in Need, Shelters, and Foster Homes that Require Food and Supplies to Care for Animals that have Lost their Homes, been Abandoned or Abused.
1-2 weeks
Buyers are responsible for any customs and import taxes that may apply. I'm not responsible for delays due to customs.
Just contact me within: 3 days of delivery
Ship items back to me within: 7 days of delivery
But please contact me if you have any problems with your order.
Because of the nature of these items, unless they arrive damaged or defective, I can't accept returns for:
Buyers are responsible for return shipping costs. If the item is not returned in its original condition, the buyer is responsible for any loss in value.
I can create a custom order for you, personalize an item or create something that is totally unique. Message me and we can discuss what you are interested in.
In general I will not accept returns, so please look at the listing details carefully before placing your order. Every Item is made to order, slight differences may occur, no two items will ever be identical. If you are unhappy with your purchase, please contact me so that we can come to a resolution. In some instances I will accept a return, but a 20% handling fee will be deducted from the purchase amount.
All of my items are available for Wholesale Pricing based on Quantity. Please Contact Me Directly for Additional Information.
Dec 26, 2017
Both items are pretty. just like pictured. Arrived quickly.


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Speakers Guide
Philips Fidelio SoundSphere DS9800W Docking Speakers - High Fidelity At A High Price
Philips' DS9800W docking speakers were designed to impress with its touted SoundSphere technology and lavish profile. Read on to find out what we think about this living room centerpiece, whose hefty price tag puts it in the same class as the Zeppelin Air.
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Hands-On: Bang & Olufsen's Playful New Beolit 12 Portable Speaker
If you have a smartphone or tablet, chances are you might be on the lookout for a decent portable speaker to 'amp up' your audio experience. Perhaps Bang & Olufsen has the solution to your needs in the shape of its new Beolit 12 portable speaker? Check out our first impressions.
iHome iA100 Bluetooth Speaker Dock - Fancy an Audio Dock for Your iPad?
The iA100 is iHome's flagship bedside speaker dock, and is compatible not only with the iPod and iPhone, but the iPad too. It supports Bluetooth (A2DP) and can double up as an FM clock-radio. But does it perform? Let's find out.
Philips Fidelio Primo DS9/10 Docking Station - Reclined Resplendence
The Philips Fidelio Primo DS9/10 looks like a good docking station on paper. With its dual 19mm tweeters and dual 3.5-inch woofers, it has the hardware to excel. But how will this member of the Fidelio series hold up when subjected to our battery of tests? Find out now!
Bose Introduces SoundLink Wireless Mobile Speaker
The Bose SoundLink wireless mobile speaker aims to offer quality sound, portability and elegant durability in one package. With four 2-inch drivers and dual opposing passive radiators, the SoundLink looks to be a heavy hitter in its category.
Sitex 2011 - TVs & AV Products Buying Guide
We're here to help you suss out the best HDTV and projector deals at Sitex 2011. While you're at it, why not consider that lovely pair of headphones for your partner or a media player for the whole family?
First Looks: SonicGear Go! Ion 900 Torch Portable Speaker
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First Looks: Aigo BT300 Portable Bluetooth Speaker
If portability is the primary feature you desire from your wireless speaker, look not further than the Aigo BT300. Design-wise, it resembles a salt and pepper shaker. But how does it sound? We find out.
First Looks: Creative D80 Portable Bluetooth Speaker
Skimping slightly on portability allows Creative to pack in two 3-inch drivers into the D80. In the company's own words, this is a 'wireless speaker that rocks'. Here's our assessment of this extremely affordable stereo Bluetooth speaker.
First Looks: Soundmatters Foxl v2 Portable Speaker
For the audiophile on the move, traveling is no reason to subject your ears to sub-standard sound. Luckily Soundmatters lends a helping hand with a splendid portable, wireless speaker in the shape of the Foxl v2.
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|1,314 free recipes at www.edenfoods.com
Serves 8 | Prep Time 10 minutes | Cook Time 35 minutes
1 1/2 cups organic blue corn flour
or yellow corn flour
1/2 cup organic whole wheat pastry flour
1/4 tsp Eden Sea Salt
1 cup precooked organic short grain brown rice
1 1/2 Tbsp Eden Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1/2 cup organic sweet corn, fresh or frozen
2 tsp non-aluminum baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
3/4 cup Original Edensoy
or Unsweetened Edensoy
1 cup water
Eden Sesame Oil
Mix all dry ingredients. Add the cooked rice and sweet corn, mix well. Add the oil and rub into the ingredients with your hands to evenly mix. Combine the soymilk and water. Add to the dry ingredients and mix thoroughly. Oil a cast iron skillet with oil, liberally coating the sides and bottom. Heat skillet over a high flame until it begins to sizzles but does not smoke. Pour the batter into the skillet, cover and reduce the flame to low. Cook for 30 to 35 minutes until the bottom and sides are crispy brown and the inside is done.
Remove the skillet from the flame. Place a large serving plate upside down over the skillet, completely covering it. Turn the skillet over, holding the plate under it and let the corn bread slide onto the plate with the browned crust facing up. Slice and serve with Eden Apple Butter, Eden Cherry Butter, Eden Apple Cherry or your favorite spread.


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Remove unwanted pop-ups or site redirects on Mac
Mac OS X is vulnerable to potentially unwanted programs or Adware, browser hijackers. These types of programs or toolbars generate web traffic and collect sales leads for other dubious sites. They may also display advertisements and sponsored links within your web browser. Such toolbars are usually bundled with certain free programs that you normally download and install. These bundles include a licensing agreement that you must accept to download and install the software. The agreement applies to all the software in the bundle including the unwanted toolbars. Because a licensing agreement was agreed to, Norton does not detect them as malicious even though the toolbar behaves suspiciously.
If your Mac is infected with malware, you may experience any of the following symptoms:
Advertising banners appear on webpages that you are visiting.
When you go to a website, you are randomly redirected to another website that you do not intend to visit.
Browser popups appear and recommend fake updates or other software.
Other unwanted adware programs may be installed without your knowledge.
Few of the known unwanted programs or toolbars are VSearch, Conduit, Genieo, GoPhoto, Jollywallet, Savekeep, MacShop, Yontoo, Shopper Helper Pro, Slick Savings, PallMall, Awesome Screenshot.
Adware generally installs a new toolbar in the Internet browser and changes the default search engine setting to a third-party search engine. You need to remove the extensions and reset the browser settings to completely remove the unwanted toolbars and search engines.
Depending on your browser, select one of the following.
Public Wi-Fi is found in places like airports, coffee shops, malls, and restaurants, allowing you to access the Internet for free. While public Wi-Fi is convenient, there are risks with using these networks.
Keep your information hidden from prying eyes, with a virtual private network (VPN), like Norton Secure VPN.
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Operating System: Windows
Last modified: 06/03/2019