#and book clubs and going to the theatre and shuffleboard

[benicebefunny]

My favorite Boomer trait* is (re)embracing childhood hobbies.

Gen Xers and Millennials get a lot of shit for adult kickball and dodgeball leagues.

But my former boss is on a recreational soccer team. (With a manicured field and a regulation ball--things he didn't have as a child.)

My dad went to Burning Man to ride his bike in the dirt and hand out friendship bracelets. (He started shining shoes when he was 10.)

You can find beginner ballet classes for seniors on YouTube. (You don't need to have rich parents and the right body.)

People are getting to be the kid they never were, and I think that's pretty cool.

*Besides mass participation in movements for social justice.

[imjustthemechanic]

Natalie Jones and the Golden Ship

Part 1/? - A Meeting at the Palace Part 2/? - Curry Talk Part 3/? - Princess Sitamun Part 4/? - Not At Rest Part 5/? - Dead Men Tell no Tales Part 6/? - Sitamun Rises Again Part 7/? - The Curse of Madame Desrosiers Part 8/? - Sabotage at Guedelon Part 9/? - A Miracle Part 10/? - Desrosiers’ Elixir Part 11/? - Athens in October Part 12/? - The Man in Black Part 13/? - Mr. Neustadt Part 14/? - The Other Side of the Story Part 15/? - A Favour Part 16/? - A Knock on the Window Part 17/? - Sir Stephen and Buckeye Part 18/? - Books of Alchemy Part 19/? - The Answers Part 20/? - A Gift Left Behind Part 21/? - Santorini Part 22/? - What the Doves Found Part 23/? - A Thief in the Night Part 24/? - Healing Part 25/? - Newton’s Code Part 26/? - Montenegro Part 27/? - The Lost Relic Part 28/? - The Homunculinus Part 29/? - The End is Near Part 30/? - The Face of Evil Part 31/? - The Morning After Part 32/? - Next Stop Part 33/? - A Sighting in Messina Part 34/? - Taormina Part 35/? - Burning Part 36/? - Recovery Part 37/? - Pilgrimage to Vesuvius Part 38/? - The Scent of Hell Part 39/? - She’ll be Coming Down the Mountain Part 40/? - Stowaways Part 41/? - Bon Voyage Part 42/? - Turnabout Part 43/? - The Apple Part 44/? - Vesuvius Wakes Part 45/? - Fire At Sea

Today was a much better writing day.

They chose the panels that disguised the ship’s smokestacks.  Not only would a fire there be easily visible, but it was also away from most of the people.  As a bonus, the huge slats with the Zodiac Lines logo were entirely decorative, so burning them wouldn’t interfere with sailing the ship.  Clint slipped a fire arrow into an overhanging part from on the Lido deck, and then they wandered off to the other end of the ship before he pressed the button to set it off.

It took a few minutes, during which time they’d all pretended to be interested in somebody’s game of shuffleboard.  Then a fire alarm began to ring.

Ladies and gentlemen, if you could all please get your lifejackets and go to your designated emergency meeting points, Director Cunha’s voice said over the PA.  This is just a precaution.  We are not abandoning ship.  There is a small fire on the superstructure but it is no cause for alarm.

“Where are the assigned meeting places?” asked Jim.

“They’re posted on the insides of the cabin doors,” Nat said.  “They’re places like the clubs and the theatres that can hold large groups of people and have sound systems to give them instructions.  And they’re all down in the bottom of the ship, because that’s where lifeboat access is.”

“Which means we can set more of the top on fire,” said Clint cheerfully.

“Are you enjoying this?” asked Sir Stephen.

“It’s probably more fun than lobster races,” Jim observed.

“Damn right,” Clint agreed.  “The little bastards refused to run in a straight line!”

“I’m so glad the fate of the world is in safe hands,” said Nat.

It was hard to imagine that a cruise ship, a giant vessel with nearly three thousand people on board, could do anything quickly, but the crews did regular emergency drills and they had it down to a science.  The passengers had less practice and were more likely to panic, but they’d been through a quick emergency muster drill just before leaving port, so the information about what to do and where to go was still fresh in their minds.  All Nat and the others had to do was not get swept up in the crowds as they hurried to their meeting points.

They accomplished this by hiding among the tubes and smokestacks, while crew calmly shuffled the people who’d been on the deck below along to their meeting places.  Others handed out lifejackets.  Passengers complained and refused to leave their martinis behind.  A woman carrying a bichon frise shouted angrily in Italian at the steward who told her she would have to leave the dog in her stateroom, and had to be escorted below decks by a couple of security personnel.  More crew arrived with some industrial-strength fire extinguishers to put out the blaze.

“Now for the big one,” said Clint.  He fitted an arrow to the string and aimed it straight up in the air, and a little ahead and to the right, to compensate for the movement of the ship and the prevailing winds.  It was the sort of shot Natasha would have thought nobody, not even a trained sniper, could just make on the fly… but some part of Clint Francis was still Robin of Barton, the greatest marksman who’d ever lived.  He had an instinct for it that was nearly as magical as Sam’s ability to talk to birds.  The arrow went up, and then it came down, right into one of the smokestacks, where it exploded.

Now it was time to panic.  Not only had the smokestack blown up, but black smoke was pouring out of the hole – from a smoke arrow, of course.

“How many of those things do you have?” asked Sam.

“Oh, I had those two kids come down to the farm for a while and we tossed ideas around,” Clint replied cheerfully.  “Laura taught them to milk the cows, the sheep, and the goat, and then told them they were doing so well they might as well try the pigs.”

“Nobody milks pigs,” Jim protested.

“That’s the joke,” Clint said with a nod.  “Although it sure was fun to see them try!”

Several alarms were going now.  Clint set off a couple more fire arrows just to drive home the gravity of the situation, and then they crouched among the slats and pipes and watched as the crew began to launch the lifeboats.

This is just a precaution, she heard Director Cunha’s voice over the PA.  I’m sure once they have the fire out we’ll all be back on board in time for a nice nightcap!  There was a slightly manic edge to this announcement, and Nat wondered if the woman were remembering what had happened in the casino and wondering what the hell was going on.

There were twelve boats down each side of the ship.  Nat counted as they hit the water in the gathering dark.  The PA started to call specific names, looking for people who’d failed to show at the meeting points.  One of the names was Herr Isaak Neustadt, but it was only announced once.  They asked for Madame Helene Desrosiers several times before giving up.  In the gathering dark, the twenty-fourth passenger lifeboat hit the water with a splash.

“Okay,” said Nat. “The captain and a skeleton crew will still be on the bridge.  We need to get rid of them.”

“Should I put the fire out now?” asked Clint.

“No,” said Nat.  “Wait until we’re moving again.  We can’t put it out until they can’t get back on board. Now split up – as far as I can tell there are two entrances to the bridge, and we’ll have to surround the remaining crew.”

They climbed down, broke into two groups, and headed for the front of the vessel.  They didn’t run, because they didn’t want to arrive out of breath, but they walked with a purpose.

“Why don’t people milk pigs?” asked Allen, who’d gone with Sam, Clint, and Natasha – Sir Stephen, Sharon, Desrosiers, and Jim were on the other side.  “Aren’t pigs supposed to be the animal with the physiology most like humans?  You’d think pig milk would be the best for us.”

“Have you ever tried to milk a pig?” asked Clint.

“Well, no,” Allen admitted.

“They don’t appreciate it.”

“What about horses?” Allen wanted to know.

“People do milk horses,” Clint said.

“And the nomadic peoples in Siberia milk their reindeer,” Natasha added.

They climbed the outdoor steps from the Lido Deck to the Stargazer, and from there Nat vaulted the railing and dropped onto the catwalk to the bridge.  Over the alarms she couldn’t hear if the group on the other side had made it, but she believed in them.

“Masks,” she reminded everyone.  They’d ‘borrowed’ re-usable bags from the shops on board, cut holes in them, and now tied them over their heads as masks.  It wasn’t the surest way of concealing their identities, especially with Sharon and Natasha still in rather distinctive evening dresses, but they were improvising.

Clint kicked the bridge door down.

Inside, crew members were assessing damage, trying to find the source of the fire that they assumed must be in an engine room, while the first mate demanded to know why new fires kept starting instead of the original one going out.  The captain, a Frenchman, was rubbing his temples as if he had a migraine coming on.  Everybody was wearing lifejackets already, which was good – it would make what happened next much faster.

The nearest crew member noticed the door opening and turned, and was surprised to see Natasha. In her pink dress with a bag over her head, she must have been quite a sight.

“Who the hell are you?” he asked.  “Are you passengers?”

“We’re pirates,” said Natasha calmly, and punched him in the face.

The fight that followed was frenzied, but short.  Those who could took down the crew members in whatever way they could – mostly with fists and feet, but Sharon had a gun and was happy to use threats.  Desrosiers opened what appeared to be a makeup compact and blew some of the contents in the Captain’s face, whereupon he staggered back and fell over.

“You couldn’t have just filled the bridge with that stuff?” asked Sam, punching a sailor in the stomach.

“I only had one dose, which I was saving for Newton,” said Desrosiers.  “You’re just lucky he hadn’t done anything to make me use it yet.”

One by one, they felled the sailors and dragged them out to throw them over the side.  Their lifejackets would keep them afloat, and Nat could see the lights on the lifeboats moving to pick them up.  People must be wondering what was going on.

“Twelve!” she said, throwing a groaning woman over.  Nat had broken her wrist.

“Lucky thirteen!” Sharon pushed a man over after.

“And the Captain makes fourteen.”  Sir Stephen had carried him out, slung across his shoulders, and tossed him down to join the rest.  “I believe that’s the last of them.”

“There are probably some emergency workers and crew members still on board,” Nat said, “but we can take them as they appear.”  She brushed her hands off on her skirt and pulled her mask off, then looked around at the others.  “Where’s Jim?”

Other masks came off, and people looked around.  There’d been eight of them who’d set off for the bridge, but now there were only seven. Nat’s stomach sank… perhaps Jim had been injured in the fighting, and something had hit him in the neck?  If they looked around the bridge, would they find another empty tuxedo lying there?

“We can worry about him in a minute,” Sharon decided.  “Right now, before the people in the lifeboats decide to do anything about the fact that it’s raining sailors, we need to get underway.  Does anybody know how this boat works?”  She looked at Natasha, then at Sam, as the most likely people.  “I’m sure we can figure it out, but it would be easier if somebody knows.”

“I’m good at boats,” Clint offered.

Sam raised an eyebrow. “Good at boats?” he asked.

“When I was a kid we took a boat across the Channel, and I got to visit the bridge,” said Clint. “I can do it.”

It was therefore Clint who took the wheel.  Somebody had left their peaked cap, complete with embroidered Zodiac Lines logo, on one of the instrument panels.  He picked it up, spun it in the air, and then put it on his head.  “All right, furl the sails!  Man the crow’s nest!”

“We don’t have any sails,” said Nat, already regretting this.

“And we are the crow’s nest,” Sam added.  The bridge was high up on the ship to give it the best view of the surrounding ocean.

“Humour me,” said Clint. “Engines should be this one if I remember correctly.”  He took the handle of the chadburn and pumped it forward.  “Full speed ahead!”

They felt the same shudder run through the vessel, which had been stopped, as had when they’d left port in Naples.  Nat looked out, and saw them begin to move relative to the lifeboats.

“Hard a’port!” Clint declared, spinning the wheel left.

“That’s starboard!” Nat, Sharon, and Sam all said at the same time.

“Hard a’whatever!” he said cheerfully.  “We’re turning around!”

[halsteadproperty]

Part II of Our Hidden Gems Series – Unique Bars to Grab a Drink in NYC (and Nearby)

Contributed by Our Own Halstead Agents

As Seen in MUSE

There’s nothing better than exploring new areas and stumbling upon a hidden gem. Our team throughout the tri-state area has hit the road to handpick a selection of unique, off-the-beaten-path bars that are worth paying a visit. We hope you enjoy grabbing a drink at these spots.

Storage at UES Upper East Side, NYC @theuesnyc

UES is a bright, bubbly ice cream shop that you might stop at for dessert if you’re in the area. But if you ask the person behind the counter to show you the storage room, a door obscured by ice cream containers will open and you’ll be led into a Prohibition Era-inspired speakeasy. Here, you can sit beneath the chandeliers and sip on specialty cocktails named after Upper East Side institutions.  

Barber & Brew Cold Spring, NY

@barberandbrewny

Your new favorite watering hole might just be the same spot you go to spiff up your hairdo. Cold Spring’s Barber & Brew remixes the classic barbershop experience by serving fresh cuts with a side of locally curated craft pours, a selection of wines, and some bar food.

Apothéke

Chinatown, NYC

@apothekenyc

“The bar is no longer a bar. It’s a stage. A chemistry lab. A theatre.” At Apothéke, the rise of the apothecary across Europe meets 19th century Parisian absinthe dens. The result is an old-school cocktail bar where medicine vials hold drink ingredients and bartenders wear lab coats. Here you’ll find a selection of absinthes as well as specialty herb and botanical-infused cocktails like the Siren’s Call and Sitting Buddha. Plus, there’s live entertainment every night.

Freehold

Williamsburg, NY

@thefreehold

It’s designed like a hotel lobby, but there are no rooms to check into. Instead, the multi-purpose space is part coffee shop and communal workspace, and part restaurant and bar. If you want to get work done during the day, have dinner afterwards, and dance to live music late at night without having to change locations, The Freehold is for you.

The Spotty Dog Books & Ale

Hudson, NY

@spottydogbooks

On Warren Street in Hudson is The Spotty Dog, which combines a bookstore with a bar inside a former firehouse that was built in 1889. The impressive collection of 10,000 books will give you plenty to explore as you sip on a specialty beer, ale, or wine.

Existing Conditions

Greenwich Village, NYC

@exconditions

Newly opened in Greenwich Village, Existing Conditions blends cutting-edge science, classic cocktails, and hospitality without a lot of fuss. Sure, the list of bar snacks includes chicken liver mousse and peekytoe crab dip. And drink-makers use complex processes like clarifying, centrifuging, and custom-carbonating to perfect both alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks. But the place has the look and feel of a local watering hole, and the team behind the bar wants patrons to feel like they’re in their living room. There is a cocktail-dispensing vending machine, though.

Royal Palms

Gowanus, NY

@royalpalms

Royal Palms may be a shuffleboard club, but it sure isn’t your grandmother’s shuffleboard club. The funky, vintage-inspired space has 10 regulation-sized shuffleboard courts, a rotating cast of food trucks, all sorts of board games, DJs, a roof deck, and of course, drinks. There’s beer, wine, and a selection of tropical cocktails named after notable shuffleboard players.

[terrastravels]

Disney Cruises!

Disney Cruise Lines

Disney Cruise lines have four ships including the Disney Magic, the Disney Wonder, Disney Dream and the newest Disney Fantasy.  Disney does have some packages that include going to the Disney Parks in Orlando and then Boarding your cruise.  Go to www.DisneyCruise.com.   They also have a way to organize your flight arrangements which includes motor coach transportation once you fly in and baggage transfers.   Just contact Disney Cruise Vacations

How to Navigate:

Deck #:   Basically the floor number that you are on.

Starboard:  Ship right side

Port:  Ship left side

Forward:  Ship front.  The direction the ship is going.

Aft:  Ship back

Your Key to the World card (stateroom card) is also used as a charging card while you are onboard to make it easier on you.   If you want it deactivated visit guest services.

A list of activities, maps, etc can be found at guest services and will be delivered to your stateroom everyday.  

Everyone once aboard the ship MUST go to Boat Drill.  

Make sure to Pack:

Evening wear for when you are at dinner.   Swimsuits, sunblock, hats, sunglasses, light Jacket, some cash, comfy clothes and shoes for when you are walking a lot, colorful island shirts, medicines, contact lenses or glasses, cameras, etc.   DO NOT forget you PASSPORT or they will NOT let you on if needed.  Any other documentation, proof of citizenship, etc.

Make sure you tip your steward/stewardess cash at the end of the cruise.

If you drive to the Port (Port Canaveral in Florida) it is usually $10 a night.    

Disney Magic

Since I last went on this ship, more than likely they have upgraded some things.   First off this is one of the coolest ships to be on as a GUEST.  (Don’t work on Disney Ships). They of course make everything magical, including Disney towels and mints on your bed everyday.  They have specific dining times for dinner in two different groups.   It is not freestyle dining like Norwegian, etc.   Make sure to bring EVENING attire.  Sister to the Disney Wonder, the Disney Magic boasts 11 expansive decks, a total length of 964 feet, a maximum width of 106 feet and an astonishing gross tonnage of 83,000. Aboard the ship,2,700 passengers can fit comfortably, and 950 Cast and Crew Members are on hand to accommodate the needs of each and every Guest, day and night.  I still have the Cruise Line Ship map I can send to anyone who requests.  

When I went, I went on the 4 night Bahamian Cruise which at that time went to their private island, Castaway Cay and Nassau Bahamas.   See my travel blogs on those locations as well!    This ship has many itineraries though and I encourage everyone to check out all of the different ones for what seems best.  Go to:  http://disneycruise.disney.go.com/ships-activities/ships/magic/  

Don’t Miss!!!:

Bon Voyage!:  Right when you sail away they have a big celebration!  

Sail Away!: All the times you leave whatever port you are at for the day they have a sail away party usually on the decks with the pools.  Really fun and great music!  

The Shore Excursion Desk:  This will help you with all of your activities outside the ship once in port.   Activities fill up fast so definitely make decisions quick.  Deck 3 Midship Starboard.

Guest Services:  If you are celebrating something special make sure to tell Guest services on Deck 3 Midship and they will make sure something extra special happens!  If you need any other help, guest services is the way to go.  

Walt Disney Theatre:   On Deck 4, Forward.  Don’t miss the amazing shows that these performers put on!  Absolutely Magical!!!    

Rockin’Bar D:  Deck 3 Forward.  They usually have some sort of party in this area.   18 and older.   But just be warned the bar/club scene on Disney Cruises is not as exciting as on others because it is mainly families.  They also play Bingo here during the day.  Don’t miss out on the bands!  

Diversion’s and Beat Street:  Adults only.   18 and up.  Deck 3 Forward.  Bars.  

Palo:  If you want to make reservations for Champagne Brunch, High Tea, or even special dinner, go to Palo.  Deck 10 Aft.  Dress shirt and Jacket recommended.    Taking it’s name from the poles that line the canals of Venice, Palo is an elegant, yet relaxed setting just for adults.   Here, you’ll dine on Northern Italian cuisine that can be enjoyed as appetizers or main courses.  A great panoramic view of the sea.  

Animator’s Palate:  Where you can dine for dinner at one of the evening’s times.  Deck 4 Aft.  This area is so cool.  You are surrounded by great artistic work all over the walls, etc!  While you are eating the animation around you transforms from stunning black and white to full color as your meal progresses.    

Beer and Wine Tasting:  Usually they have these events onboard on your “Day at Sea” which are pretty fun!  They do usually cost extra.

Family Towel Folding:  Learn how to fold towels in Disney Figures like they do.  

Ice Carving Demonstrations:  These are cool!  Watch how they create their ice sculptures.

Photo Ops:  Don’t miss the photo opportunities after dinner, going ashore, and especially the last day with all of the characters.  

Other/Amenities:

Mickey Trivia:  They usually have these types of games during the day.   Pay!  It’s fun!  

Character Appearances:  They will be at the Sail Away and also throughout the day.  Check your “Personal Navigator” that they provide to you in your stateroom.  

Buena Vista Theatre:  A movie theatre on the ship that plays Disney movies all day long!  

Promenade Lounge:  Deck 3 Aft.  Usually have family dancing and fun here.  

Studio Sea:  If you like karaoke, this is the place to be.  Deck 4 Midship.  

Lumiere’s:  Where you can dine for dinner at one of the evening’s times.  Deck 3 Midship.

Parrot Cay:  Where you can dine for dinner at one of the evening’s times.  Deck 3 Aft.  Festive taste of the islands in a beautiful Caribbean setting.  

Captain’s Welcome Reception:  Not my favorite but it’s usually during dinner and the captain of the ship comes out and you can meet him.

Line Dance Classes:   Usually they have these onboard and they are pretty fun!

Flounder’s Reef Nursery, Disney’s Oceaneer Club & Lab, and The Stack:  For the kids.  The Stack is for Teens.  

Vista Spa:  Check out the spa and fitness center.

Discover Shopping Ashore:  Usually they have a port shopping guide on board that can direct you to the best shopping in the ports.   Also they usually have free gifts:)  

Piano Favorites:  They usually have a piano player playing in Sessions.   Really nice.   Must be 21.  

Cove Cafe:  A nice place to read a book or play a game.  Internet coffee specials.  

Swimming Pools:   Mickey’s Pool and Mickey’s Slide are all on Deck 9 Aft.   You can actually see Mickey in the water.   Goofy’s Pool is on Deck 9 as well but midship.  Quiet Cove is on Deck 9 Forward and for guest 18 and above.  

Shutters:  The photo gallery where you can see and purchase any of the pics that they take of you.  

Games:  They have multiple games throughout the ship including Bingo, Monopoly, Shuffleboard, Ping Pong, Family Basketball, Family Animation, Pictionary, Art of Entertaining, Family Spy Party,

Special Occasions/Seasonal/Special Events:

Pirates in the Caribbean Party!:  When I was on the Disney Wonder they did a pirate night.   Dinner was all Pirate themed (I still have the menu) as well as the Pirate Party on the Deck (deck 9). They even had fireworks go off!   So awesome!