Each month of 2018, I’ll publish a calendar wallpaper for readers’ computers. For January 2018, one of my photographs from New Orleans in winter fog. Happy New Year, everyone!
Calendar Wallpaper for January 2018
Note: On my MacBook Pro, I saved the Wallpaper onto my desktop, and then dragged it into my Photos. From the System Preferences on my Mac, I went to “Desktop and Screensaver,” then selected the wallpaper image from my Photos. Choose the option “Fit to Screen.”
When the Independence of the Seas returned to Port Everglades in Ft. Lauderdale on Saturday, Royal Caribbean confirmed a large outbreak of norovirus on the ship. Instead of having fun in the sun, only two days into the trip many passengers began falling ill, struck by severe gastrointestinal pain, vomiting, and diarrhea.
Royal Caribbean Independence of the Seas, docked in Labadee, Haiti. Photograph from Shutterstock.
When the Independence of the Seas returned to Port Everglades in Ft. Lauderdale on Saturday, Royal Caribbean confirmed a large outbreak of norovirus on the ship.
The Royal Caribbean cruise began its five-day cruise on Monday, December 11, 2017. Independence of the Seas is one of the largest cruise ships in the world, with the capacity to carry 4,370 passengers, along with a crew of 1,360. Instead of having fun in the sun, only two days into the trip many passengers began falling ill, struck by severe gastrointestinal pain, vomiting, and diarrhea. On Thursday, Royal Caribbean officially announced the outbreak and began its virus-mitigating protocol.
While the Royal Caribbean company stated that only 220 passengers came down with the virus, passengers interviewed by Local 10 News in Miami reported far more passengers were affected, but that the small medical crew onboard Independence of the Seas were so overwhelmed that many people simply stayed in their cabins as they tried to recover. Passenger Victoria Nolan, who became ill with the virus, told Local 10 News that passengers were throwing up in the elevators as they headed toward the ship’s medical facility. Many waited for hours to see anyone.
This is the second outbreak of norovirus on Royal Caribbean ships in December 2017. The Associated Press reported that more than 200 people became ill on Royal Caribbean’s Ovation of the Seas on a two week cruise from Singapore to Sydney. Five were hospitalized upon disembarkation in Australia.
What is Norovirus?
It is a highly contagious virus that is spread by contaminated food, infected people, or surfaces that have been contaminated by feces, vomit, or contaminated food. According to the CDC, norovirus is responsible for more than 20 million illnesses a year in the United States alone, and more than two-thirds of all cases of gastroenteritis. Norovirus causes as many as 800 deaths a year in this country. It is highly infectious, and it is difficult to kill.
“Norovirus is named for Norwalk, Ohio, where the first confirmed outbreak was recorded, in 1968. People sometimes refer to a norovirus infection as “stomach flu,” even though the virus is not related to influenza.” — Live Science
An up-close view of norovirus, also known as cruise ship virus or stomach flu. Photograph, iStock Photos.
Symptoms include abdominal cramping, diarrhea, vomiting, loose watery stools, low grade fever, and general malaise.
How contagious is norovirus? According to infectious disease expert Robert Frenck, MD, people can shed up to 1 billion viral particles in each gram of stool. How much does it take to infect someone? As little as 1,000 viral particles. This is why it spreads so quickly in closed environments like cruise ships.
Tips for Avoiding Norovirus
Rather obviously, the best way not to become ill is to avoid contact with norovirus. Past that, regular, religious practice of these habits will help avoid becoming ill:
Wash your hands with soap and water for MORE THAN 20 SECONDS. Regularly! And if you are on a cruise ship — do it more often than you do normally.
DO NOT count on hand sanitizer! It doesn’t kill norovirus (see below).
Avoid people displaying symptoms of norovirus.
If a ship is having a norovirus outbreak, avoid eating at the buffet restaurant. This is where you touch more things that MANY people have touched.
Use bleach to sanitize. Consider bringing rubber gloves and Clorox wipes with bleach on your cruise — obviously be careful with bleach arounds clothes. That way if a family member becomes ill, you can try to prevent the spread on bathroom surfaces, door, cabinet, and drawer handles.
Hand sanitizer is great for killing many kinds of germs and viruses, but it won’t kill norovirus! Photograph, iStock Photos.
Alcohol hand sanitizers will help kill many types of viruses and germs, such as the common cold or influenza, which is great — BUT IT DOESN’T KILL NOROVIRUS! A 2011 study by the CDC showed that long-term care facilities that relied on alcohol hand sanitizer as the primary way to clean hands, showed a six-time higher outbreaks of norovirus than facilities that used hand washing with soap and water.
Common mistakes when washing hands: not washing long enough, not thoroughly cleaning under fingernails, not drying thoroughly, and only washing after using the bathroom. Germs and viruses hide in nooks and crevices of your hands — pay attention and be thorough. Dry your hands completely — paper towels are better than electric dryers which blow water around and people often don’t use until their hands are REALLY dry. Wash your hands FREQUENTLY during the day, not just after using the bathroom.
Should you avoid going on cruises because of norovirus? No. Remember that this is a common virus all over the United States and throughout the world. You can catch it anywhere. Cruise ships are tremendously more pro-active about sanitization and prevention than most hotels and public buildings. Jeff Fornay, chief of the CDC’s Vessel Sanitation Program, which oversees health and sanitation aboard ships that visit U.S. ports, stated in an interview with Cruise Critic, “it is perfectly safe to go on cruise ships. The standard by which they (cruise lines) are held for sanitation is the highest in the world.”
According to the CDC: “From 2008 to 2014, 74 million passengers sailed on cruise ships in the Vessel Sanitation Program’s jurisdiction. Only 129,678 passengers met the program’s case definition for acute gastrointestinal illness and only a small proportion of those cases (1 in 10) were part of a norovirus outbreak.” This would mean that less than .002% of cruise ship passengers in this time frame were diagnosed with any type of gastrointestinal illness.
So, go enjoy your cruise, but be your own best friend when keeping yourself and your family healthy!
Updated December 27, 2017: Royal Caribbean now states that 332 of the 5,447 passengers and crew on the December 11, 2017, Independence of the Seas cruise became ill with norovirus.
Originally posted on Notes from the U.K.: Hey, folks, want to spend a shitload of money celebrating something that was once supposed to be somber and full of self-denial? Well, be of good cheer, then, because we’re still in the middle of Advent—a holiday I barely knew about until I moved to Britain. I’m…
Carluccio’s Limited Edition Advent Calendar for £75
As we are all rocking along towards Christmas, you might enjoy this absolutely hysterical article on Advent Gone Wild in Britain.
Hey, folks, want to spend a shitload of money celebrating something that was once supposed to be somber and full of self-denial? Well, be of good cheer, then, because we’re still in the middle of Advent—a holiday I barely knew about until I moved to Britain.
I’m not sure how big a thing Advent is for American Christians. I have the impression that it’s more important to Catholics than to Protestants, but when I lived in the U.S. it was never a noisy enough holiday to have made a dent in this Jewish atheist’s awareness—and that’s in spite of growing up in a Catholic neighborhood and having Catholic godkids. I knew it existed and I knew it involved calendars, and there my knowledge ended. I remember seeing an Advent calendar at a friend’s house. It had a little window to open, and behind that a picture. What kid could resist?…
On December 5, 2017, The Esquire Tavern celebrated their 85th birthday AND the 85th anniversary of the END OF PROHIBITION! What a great night! Here’s my review of one of the best bars on the San Antonio Riverwalk.
Craft cocktails? You’ve come to the right place! Here is Esquire’s Quiet Little Voices: cognac, Jamaican rum, Italian vermouth, sherry, and chicory-pecan bitters. Photograph, Ann Fisher.
What? Don’t tell me you don’t remember the day booze became legal again in the United States?
Geez — what was Congress thinking, outlawing alcohol? Then the depression hit, and everyone needed a drink!
On December 5, 1933, Americans everywhere celebrated the end of Prohibition and the repeal of the 18th Amendment.
The day we came to our senses and repealed the 18th Amendment, drinkers everywhere rejoiced and took to the streets to raise a glass legally again.
That day was December 5, 1933, and that’s the day the Esquire Tavern in San Antonio opened its doors for business.
On December 5, 2017, I swung into the Esquire Tavern to help celebrate their 85th birthday AND the 85th anniversary of the END OF PROHIBITION! It’s several years since I visited San Antonio, but I remember this bar fondly — and they continue to make amazing drinks and great food.
Prohibition ends on December 5, 1933!
Tying One on at The Esquire
The Esquire is the oldest watering hole in San Antonio, and it sports the longest wooden bar top in the state of Texas. The ambiance at the Esquire has a vintage quality in keeping with its 1933 beginning, including great jazz playing in the background. On some evenings, you’ll find live music and burlesque entertainment.
The long, long wooden bar at the Esquire Tavern in San Antonio. Photograph, Ann Fisher.
Their cocktail menu boasts ten house-created drinks with catchy names like The Texecutioner, as well as all the classics we know well.
The boar gets festive for the holidays!
I felt a personal challenge here, and decided to visit the Esquire Tavern twice in one day to maximize the number of libations I could sample and write about for my blog . . . . without ending up lying in a flowerbed along the Riverwalk.
I know. Sigh. It’s a tough job, but I just had to put on my big girl panties and get the job done.
Seriously though — my approach to writing about restaurants and bars when I travel alone is to go more than one time, if at all possible. I get to try more things, and I also have a chance to check on consistency in service and the quality of the food. Otherwise, I have to order a selection of dishes, knowing I’ll only be able to eat a little of each one. Wasting food is not something I like to do.
The Wonderlust King. Yes, I know it looks the same as Quiet Little Voices, but it’s not. And it’s my fave! Photo, Ann Fisher.
I started with Quiet Little Voices (cognac, Jamaican rum, Italian vermouth, sherry, and chicory-pecan bitters — see top image) and went on to the Wonderlust King (rye whiskey, Amaro Nardini, Italian vermouth, Xocolatl bitters, and orange bitters).
These are both inventive variations on the Manhattan, and it was fascinating to see a drink with no rye whiskey, Quiet Little Voices, made to emulate the flavor you’d expect from a Manhattan. Both cocktails were outstanding, but my fave was the Wonderlust King: the Xocolatl Mole Bitters, with its combination cacao, cinnamon, and spice, along with a touch of Amaro Nardini, citrusy with a hint of licorice — makes this drink really special, and different.
Food at the Esquire is creative, but unpretentious — so right for one of the oldest bars in Texas. The chef focuses on making everything in-house, with organic, locally sourced ingredients, and the resulting quality of the food is outstanding. There’s a reason their bar program earned a James Beard nomination this year. You’ll find great bar nibbles, burgers, salads, and big plates. Find the current Esquire Tavern menu here. I took a look at all of this, and chose to focus on the small plate bar food.
Prices? Appetizers range from $6 to $12, Burgers, salads, and almost all mains run from $11 to $19. The most expensive item on the menu is the Texas Wagyu Beef Ribeye at $32. You’ll spend most of your tab on the craft cocktails at $10 to $14 apiece.
The Chalupitas were outstanding!Riverwalk entrance to the Esquire.
My first choice out of the gate: The Esquire’s Chalupitas. Classic chalupas are a fried corn tortilla covered with a savory filling — and these little chalupas are wonderful. Organic chicken, chipotle refried beans, chimichurri, white cheddar, salsa verde, and a dollop of sour cream with fresh cilantro. Fresh, bright flavors — smokiness and a little heat from the chipotle pepper, without enough to be hot. I loved the unexpected combination of chimichurri, which has a bit of vinegar in it, with the salsa verde. It’s hard to write about them without wishing I could order them again — right now please!
Two drinks and one appetizer filled me up at lunch. I left the oldest bar in San Antonio, and headed to the Menger Hotel, the oldest hotel in Texas, to do some writing and to take a nap — and get ready for round two at the Esquire.
One of the Best Bars on San Antonio’s Riverwalk
If you find yourself in San Antonio, and you’re a visitor, then you will hit the River Walk. Problem: many of the River Walk restaurants are either national chains or stale local restaurants slinging mediocre queso to capitalize on the tourist traffic. Do not despair! There are some wonderful places to eat and drink in downtown San Antone, and the Esquire Tavern is a fine place to start.
The Esquire Tavern has two entrances: one on the Riverwalk for the tourists, and one on Commerce Street, which more locals tend to use. I love the classic neon sign over the street side door. If you have difficulty with stairs, you’ll want to enter on the Commerce Street side.
I was lucky to be able to reserve the last available table this evening, since the Esquire was having a major party to celebrate its 85th birthday.
The First Note — often I associate pink drinks with overly super-sweet — something I don’t care for, but First Note is nicely balanced.
My second foray into the Esquire’s cocktail menu started with their First Note, made of Aguardiente de Cana, Amaro Ramazzotti, guava, honey, lime. Enough citrus from the lime, along with some bitterness and spice from the Amaro to offset the sweetness of the guava and honey — resulting in a nicely balanced drink.
As part of the birthday party festivities, wait staff were passing hors d’oeuvres, one of which were the Esquire Deviled Eggs — which was great since I’d planned to order them. These free-range eggs were perfect, creamy concoctions topped with pink peppercorns and garnished with arugula.
So good!The Texecutioner is aptly named. Too many of these, which are very, very easy to drink, and you’ll be sleeping under a bridge on the Riverwalk . . .
Second drink of the evening: The Texecutioner. With a name like that, I just had to try it. This is a combination of Espadin Mezcal, Xtabentún (a Mayan anise flavored liqueur), Cocchi Americano, and freshgrapefruit juice. Another great cocktail — very refreshing. I think it would be particularly nice on hot summer nights — something San Antonio has a lot of!
In addition to the deviled eggs, wait staff were passing chicken-fried oysters, which are NOT on the menu at the Esquire — but available in their second bar (Downstairs at the Esquire). The oysters were so good, that I have no pictures. Sorry 😦 .
About the same time, I ordered the Esquire’s Shrimp Toast, envisioning a couple of little bite-sized appetizers, you know, like you’d expect shrimp toast at a Chinese food restaurant to be.
Instead, I got shrimp TOAST. Texas-sizedSHRIMP TOAST.
Wow! Crispy, fresh, perfectly fried — it’s like a Monte Cristo sandwich lost its ham and cheese, cavorted with fresh shrimp mousse, and ended up settling down in San Antonio. A crunchy bite of the toast, with a smear of chèvre, some chives, and a drizzle of jalapeño jelly syrup: this stuff is good. Wickedly good.
Shrimp Toast at the Esquire .Tavern is HUGE! And yes, I returned to my favorite drink, the Wonderlust. Photograph, Ann Fisher
Well, the Shrimp Toast finished me! But the next time I’m back in San Antone, I’ll head back to the Esquire and give you an update on other dishes here. I finished up my evening here, and headed back towards the Menger and a good night’s sleep — pausing to catch the square in front of the Alamo all dolled up for the holidays.
Merry Christmas from Texas!
As a sixth generation Texan, the Alamo is mighty important to me — lovely to see the mission at Christmas. Photograph, Ann Fisher.
Buon Natale! If you’re dreaming of a festive Christmas vacation, Florence fills the bill beautifully. A digital Christmas card to all of my readers
Buon Natale everyone, everywhere!
Caffe Rivoire always has tempting chocolates in its cases. The chocolate Christmas trees taste as good as they look!
If you’re dreaming of a festive Christmas vacation, Florence fills the bill beautifully. I love this city anytime of the year, but to see the Duomo decked out with its majestic tree is a real treat.
As a digital Christmas card to all of my readers, here’s a gallery of images from my holiday trip to one of the most beautiful cities in Italy.
The Duomo, Santa Maria del Fiore — Cathedral of Florence, is magnificent at Christmas.
Caffe Rivoire always has tempting chocolates in its cases. The chocolate Christmas trees taste as good as they look!
Did you know? The Fleur de Lis is the symbol of Florence.
Even with subdued winter colors, a drive in Tuscany is always beautiful.
Risotto with Pecorino and Pear and ristorante Poggio Antico in Montalcino.
Yes, I’m grinning. Wouldn’t you be if you were about to be served four Brunello wines??! That’s one of the best parts of visiting the area around Montalcino!
I couldn’t decide — so I had some of both dishes — this is a Timbale of Pecorino served with thin slices of Pear.
I love this abbey church. I was fortunate to visit just in time to hear the monks chanting.
The Abbey church of St. Antimo is a short drive from Montalcino. It’s a jewel of Romanesque architecture.
So beautiful — the sturdy apse of St. Antimo.
I love the Romanesque period in architecture. The carving on the capitals of the columns is truly beautiful.
View from the front of the church towards the monks’ quarters.
Caffe Rivoire in the piazza della Signoria ALWAYS has tempting baskets and candies — but this is even more the case at Christmas!
This is one of my favorite buildings in the world.
It’s hard to get lost in the old town of Florence. Just a glance in one direction or another orients you. I loved walking home to my apartment, watching the Duomo grow larger as I got closer.
During my week in Florence, I saw at least two parades with music and Renaissance costumes.
Horse and statue of Cosimo de Medici in the piazza della Signoria.
Looking towards Giotto’s Bell Tower.
Caffe Rivoire all tricked out for Christmas.
These two are a stitch to watch. The man makes a face at his horse, and then his horse does the same to him. It’s a regular thing with the two of them.
Facade of Santa Maria Novella.
At Christmas the large square in front of Santa Maria Novella turns into a huge Christmas Market.
Statue of Dante Aligheri outside of Santa Maria Novella. Stern and brooding, it is a striking portrait of one of the great writers of Florence.
The Tornabuoni Chapel at Santa Maria Novella — gorgeous Ghirlandaio frescos.
Ponte Vecchio bridge and the Arno River
Christmas at the Medici Palace
Detail of an illuminated manuscript from the monastery of San Marco in Florence.
It rarely snows in Florence enough for the snow to stick, but when it does, it’s breathtaking! This is from the winter of 2009 — and it is from iStock Photos. Enjoy!
If you’re wanting more Italia, have a look are the two articles below, one on my Christmas trip to Florence, and the other a reading list for anyone heading to this Renaissance city.
In those winter nights next to the Duomo, life came back to me. It’s an 88 step climb to a week I now carry with me always. Paolo opened the door of my taxi. “Ciao, Anna. Your trip was good?” He took one of my two small bags, and we mountain-goated it up the seemingly endless flights, Paolo chatting to me the whole way. [. . . .]
Here is my reading list for Florence, and whether you’re looking for nonfiction and history, a book written by a famous Florentine, or you’re looking for the best novels set in Italy, you’ll find something here. [ . . . ]
Buon Natale!
Did you know? The Fleur de Lis is the symbol of Florence.
This is the first in my new series of Photo Gallery posts. I love taking pictures, and inevitably, I have far more photographs than I can really use in a single blog article, so it was time to make a home for them. Please enjoy, but respect that I retain full rights on my images. Do not use them without written permission from me — thanks!
I grew up in New Orleans, and any chance I get, I go back for a visit — so here is a series shot in the spring.
Getting down with a little Coltrane as the sun sets in the French Quarter. Photograph, Ann Fisher.
Street musicians are one of my favorite parts of strolling in the Quarter.
A look down St. Ann’s street from the intersection at Chartres Street. Photograph, Ann Fisher.
Yep! Love the beignets. And while plenty of places sell them in the Quarter, it’s worth waiting in line at Cafe Du Monde.
I grew up along the banks of the Mississippi. Every time I visit New Orleans, I have to get to the river.
Always a pretty picture!
This man was amazing!
Love listening to Charmain Neville.
Sadly, there isn’t as much jazz on Bourbon Street proper as there used to be.
Spring in New Orleans! Those are George Tabor azaleas, a variety that grows very well here.
Bath time!
Camellia Grill. Where generations of New Orleanians in the Uptown area have gone to satisfy their burger cravings.
Iconic, and happily there are more streetcars in New Orleans than when I was growing up.
Swaying along the tracks down St. Charles Avenue.
Shot from the streetcar.
City of the dead.
Grace. Love the many sculptures in the cemeteries here — always beautiful and melancholy.
Young man playing classical music on Sunday afternoon in Jackson Square.
Ann Cavitt Fisher 