Xmas Post Boxes

Post boxes around St Albans have been topped with knitted Christmas decorations

December Wine Tasting

Wines from Sicily and Sardinia at Stewarts.

 Back L>R Malcolm, Gill, Stewart, Richard, Roy        
Front L>R Hugh, Betty, Anthony, Peter

Vuelio Blog Awards 2018

To London and the 2018 Vuelio Blog Awards, held in the Bloomsbury Big Top in Guilford Street , just a short walk from St Pancras station.

Pre-dinner Prosecco was very welcome, then we moved to the dining hall.

Entertainment with aerialist and fire dancers was followed by an excellent dinner, especially the shredded duck on roasted butternut with hoisin sauce starter.

 New this year was a photo booth and selection of hats. One had 5 seconds between flashes to change hats. 

In the packed goody bag was my favourite gift, a Chilli Advent Calendar, with 25 different chillis and powders with descriptions and recipes.

Railway signals down meant most trains were cancelled and there was 40 minutes to wait before a train, an all stopper, arrived.

Vice Lord-Lieutenant Visits Probus

Richard Beasley, Vice Lord-Lieutenant of Hertfordshire

Richard Beasley, Vice Lord-Lieutenant of Hertfordshire was our Probus guest speaker today, telling us about The Role of The Lord Lieutenancy.

The office of Lord-Lieutenant dates from the mid 1500s, and Lord-Lieutenants are appointed by the sovereign as their representative, and as such should be treated at functions as if they are the monarch.

Richard Beasley did not insist on formality and, instead of his uniform, he wore his badge of office (which he called his 'bling')  on a ribbon around his neck.

He is an engaging chap who gave us an enthralling talk, including insights to what goes on behind the scenes at Royal visits. 

We were honoured that he visited us.

(L>R) Probus President Mike Foers, V L L Richard Beasley, Chairman John Hart

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Buffalo NY and Florida

To American Wine Society National Conference in Buffalo NY, topped and tailed by stays in Tampa and Naples, FL.

Champagne Canard-Duchene 'Cuvee Leonie' Brut NV and almonds with BA flying to Tampa

Dinner at Bahama Breeze restaurant, next to Holiday Inn at Rocky Point Island, Tampa

 

Flying Southwest Airlines into Buffalo. On left is Canada, right is USA, at bottom is Lake Erie. In middle is Grand Island. The two rivers merge at top of picture to plunge over Niagara Falls.

Buffalo is on the banks of Lake Erie, 15 miles from Niagara Falls. It’s the home of ‘Buffalo Wings’ and the sliced beef filled kimmelweck roll ‘Beef on Weck’.

Buffalo Wings at AWS Conference buffet

The original Buffalo Wings were served in 1964 at the Anchor Bar on Main Street, deep fried and coated in Frank’s RedHot Sauce.  

The conference venue was the Hyatt Regency Hotel and Buffalo Convention Centre. Morton’s The Steakhouse was at the gotel and first night I had their tender Filet Mignon with Lyonnaise potatoes, a side salad and a bottle of Beran 2012 Napa Valley Zinfandel. 

On Thursday we went on a tour and tastings at 5 local wineries.

My Chenin Blanc seminar was on Friday 2 November and Pinotage was on Saturday 3rd. Both had a large and enthusiastic audience. Details of the wines I showed are on the AWS 2018 tab at www.pinotage.org

Joel Peterson

 Had an excellent session from Joel Peterson founder of Ravenswood,  tasting some of his single vineyard Ravenswood and Once and Future wines and his son's Bedrock

AWS Chair Diane Meyer

After the conference, back to Tampa for a night at the airport Marriott then drive south to Naples.

Naples beach was much the same but the town was unrecognisable with the amount of building since we'd been there 40 years ago.

Lovely clubby surroundings and delicious steak at Shula’s close to Staybridge Suites, but let down by freezer chips.

Naples Pier seemed unchanged and I saw a manatee from its end. 

Temperature was pleasant, in the 80s F, 28-31.5C

Toby and Emma Engaged

Congratulations to Toby and Emma on their Engagement today, at Milport on the island of Great Cumbrae, Scotland.

Toby travelled up to surprise Emma while she was holidaying with her parents. Toby said he couldn't go as he had to be at work, but his supervisor allowed him a few days.

Toby was  a day late because Storm Ali brought a tree down on the rail track and he had to spend an unexpected night in Carlisle.

Toby is sitting on a memorial bench for Emma's Grandmother. Emma isn't in on the surprise, but their  dog quickly identifies the stranger.

 

Peacehaven

We stopped at Peacehaven on way home from Newhaven and walked along the cliff top path before descending to walk the path under the cliffs as far as we could.

Peacehaven is the southen most point of the Prime Meridian, which is marked by a monument on the cliff top  and coloured bricks along its line.

Standing astride the Prime Meridian