What a pretty sunset we are lucky to enjoy!
Sunset
Category: Cayman
New Home
Unfortunatly our new lodger had to find a different place to stay for a few days. Mainly because of this kitty!
Everything was fine in the house, until she got spooked and ran from him… after that she became a play toy for Turbo!
He went to a home about a mile from here until he goes to his forever home on Wednesday.
New Lodger
Well today was a surprise when I got home… We have a new friend to stay for a few days before his new ‘parents’ get back. The cats are of mixed opinions so far but he seems quiet, friendly and very well trained/well mannered. I guess I’ll be doing a lot of walking in the mornings, lunchtimes and evenings over the next week…
Avery was concerned….
While Yabbey was less interested and kept her distance….
Tonight’s excitement
Tonight we got a bit of a fright as I saw Avery chase something across the kitchen floor. It appeared to be a small snake… I got the cats upstairs while Richard got a flashlight and looked for it under the stove. It was no place to be found, so I eventually let the cats back down. I saw it once again go around the corner and Richard covered it with some Tupperware and eventually got it outside.
Late Birthday Dinner
Every year for my birthday we go to Eric Ripert’s Blue at the Ritz Carlton for the seven course tasting menu. Of course we also have the wine parings to go along!
A few pre-dinner nibbles. I don’t remember exactly what they were, but they were amazing. On the far left was tuna, in the center was salmon and on the right was really good at well, but I can’t remember what it was!
A grilled octopus
This has to be one of my favorite foods ever! Tuna-Foie Gras. It is local tuna somehow cut paper thin on top of a toasted baguette with a thin layer of foie gras. Finally finished off with chives.
This was paired with a glass of Chateau De Bligny, Brut, Champagne, France, NV
The second course was good, but not my favorite. It was shrimp tartare, with avocado and a shrimp-ginger emulsion.
This was paired with Pazo De Senorans, Albarina, Rias Baixas, Galicia, Spain 2012
Next we had an amazing scallop, probably the best we have ever had. The scallop was served with turnips, maitake mushrooms and an amazing smoked butter.
This was paired with a glass of Domaine Huet, “Le Mont”, Sec, Vouvray, Loire Valley, France, 2011
Richard enjoying some time between courses
The fourth course was a poached halibut with an amazing corn chowder. The halibut just melted in your mouth!
It was paired with a Sandhi, Chardonnay, Santa Barbara County, California 2012
We loved the wine glasses this wine was paired with!
The 5th course was a pan seared striped bass with calamari, espelette pepper jam, sauce basquaise
This was paired with Chateau Loudenne, Medoc, Bordeaux, France, 2006. This was one paring we didn’t actually get until we incorporated the pepper jelly, once we did that the pairing was perfect.
The last fish course was Monk fish and I have to say I didn’t like this course. It was pan seared with fingerling potatoes, baby shi take and a red wine ginger jus.
It was paired with a Abbazia Di Novacella, Largein, Alto Adige, Italy, 2010
We had an extra little treat before the final course. I chocolate brownie was in the bottom of this egg with a cream and topped with sea salt, shaved chocolate and a macadamia nut.
We finished the night off with a Praline cake, peanuts and a mango sorbet.
This was paired with a Blandy’s 10 year Madeira, Portugal- which I really didn’t like.
Of course I got my to go treats that I enjoyed this morning with my tea!
Island life
15 Odd Ways Island People Behave Elsewhere
And then one day it happens without you even noticing – you become an island life champ. Island life gets into your blood, and if you’re like many of us, you’re forever changed. It’s not something you think about, it’s just something you are now. It’s just life.
That is, until one day, you take a trip off-island and BOOM. Just like that, you realize: Nope, I’m definitely not normal anymore. At least not normal in the realm of most people’s normal. You’re a new kind of normal. And all of a sudden, you find it really hard to try and integrate back into the old “normal” world.
Here are 15 Odd Ways We Islanders Behave Elsewhere, in no particular order:
– 1 –
You are consistently confused by proper toilet usage in both businesses and individual’s homes. Does your used TP go in the can or in the bowl? Should your yellow mellow?
You are consistently confused by proper toilet usage in both businesses and individual’s homes. Does your used TP go in the can or in the bowl? Should your yellow mellow?
– 2 –
You are always cold. Indoors… outdoors… it’s frickin’ freezin’ to you.
You are always cold. Indoors… outdoors… it’s frickin’ freezin’ to you.
– 3 –
You overtip in ridiculous percentages because you are so bowled over by how amazing the customer service you’re receiving is. The waitress smiled at me AND refilled my water before I was dying of thirst, you think to yourself. Is 30% gratuity even enough for such royal treatment?
You overtip in ridiculous percentages because you are so bowled over by how amazing the customer service you’re receiving is. The waitress smiled at me AND refilled my water before I was dying of thirst, you think to yourself. Is 30% gratuity even enough for such royal treatment?
– 4 –
Sadly, it’s been so long since you’ve been able to properly recycle, the rules are now overwhelming to you. Each time you must throw something away, you stand in front of the line of trash bins for way too long, puzzling over where you should toss your paper coffee cup with its plastic lid that still has some liquid in it.
Sadly, it’s been so long since you’ve been able to properly recycle, the rules are now overwhelming to you. Each time you must throw something away, you stand in front of the line of trash bins for way too long, puzzling over where you should toss your paper coffee cup with its plastic lid that still has some liquid in it.
– 5 –
You have an inability to keep your shoes on. #freethetoes
You have an inability to keep your shoes on. #freethetoes
– 6 –
The sheer amount of people in a mall is enough to ignite a near anxiety attack.
Where the hell did they all come from?
The sheer amount of people in a mall is enough to ignite a near anxiety attack.
Where the hell did they all come from?
– 7 –
No matter how many times your friends insist, you simply cannot shower with the water running, as the sound of free flowing water for so long stresses you out to your very core. Navy showers are the way of our people.
No matter how many times your friends insist, you simply cannot shower with the water running, as the sound of free flowing water for so long stresses you out to your very core. Navy showers are the way of our people.
– 8 –
You are constantly exclaiming, “I can’t believe how cheap this is!!” Food, body lotion, basic services – everything seems to be on a half off sale compared to what you’ve been paying. Well, everything except liquor.
You are constantly exclaiming, “I can’t believe how cheap this is!!” Food, body lotion, basic services – everything seems to be on a half off sale compared to what you’ve been paying. Well, everything except liquor.
– 9 –
You walk around public places like the town’s mayor, greeting everyone you see with a “Good morning/day/night” salutation followed with an ernest “How are you today?” People look at you with suspicion, and you remind yourself to stop acting like a buffoon. But then minutes later, there you are again, standing in line at the bank, greeting everyone who walks in the door like a Holly Golightly psychopath.
You walk around public places like the town’s mayor, greeting everyone you see with a “Good morning/day/night” salutation followed with an ernest “How are you today?” People look at you with suspicion, and you remind yourself to stop acting like a buffoon. But then minutes later, there you are again, standing in line at the bank, greeting everyone who walks in the door like a Holly Golightly psychopath.
– 10 –
You are obsessive about closing doors. When people stand in entryways, talking nonchalantly with the doors wide open, you usher people in or out, jutting your eyes about wildly like a red dot-fixated feline at all the invisible mosquitoes that are surely “getting inside”.
You are obsessive about closing doors. When people stand in entryways, talking nonchalantly with the doors wide open, you usher people in or out, jutting your eyes about wildly like a red dot-fixated feline at all the invisible mosquitoes that are surely “getting inside”.
– 11 –
Your drinking habits have turned into what most people in most place consider alcoholic. You are more than a little annoyed by their judgmental stares. “What are you looking at? It’s already 9:30am and this is a screwdriver. Seriously, it’s not like it’s a martini. Everyone calm down – it’s juice.”
Your drinking habits have turned into what most people in most place consider alcoholic. You are more than a little annoyed by their judgmental stares. “What are you looking at? It’s already 9:30am and this is a screwdriver. Seriously, it’s not like it’s a martini. Everyone calm down – it’s juice.”
– 12 –
You are obnoxiously early for everything, always carrying reading material, and steeling yourself up for the long wait you anticipate ahead of you. When things consistently go along expediently, you’re surprised each time at your good fortune.
Where did all the lines go?
You are obnoxiously early for everything, always carrying reading material, and steeling yourself up for the long wait you anticipate ahead of you. When things consistently go along expediently, you’re surprised each time at your good fortune.
Where did all the lines go?
– 13 –
You behave like a 10 year old Hall Monitor, following people around and correcting their alarmingly wasteful power habits by turning off light switches, unplugging power strips before bed, and refusing to leave ceiling fans “on” in empty rooms. People become exasperated at you for preemptively leaving them in dark spaces.
You behave like a 10 year old Hall Monitor, following people around and correcting their alarmingly wasteful power habits by turning off light switches, unplugging power strips before bed, and refusing to leave ceiling fans “on” in empty rooms. People become exasperated at you for preemptively leaving them in dark spaces.
– 14 –
Every place feels way too hermetically sealed for you. You keep feeling like you “can’t breathe” and end up wandering around parking lots, waiting for people to finish whatever they’re doing inside the building because of your urgent desire for fresh air.
Every place feels way too hermetically sealed for you. You keep feeling like you “can’t breathe” and end up wandering around parking lots, waiting for people to finish whatever they’re doing inside the building because of your urgent desire for fresh air.
– 15 –
You’re overstimulated by all the sights and activities and choices. Oh, the choices!You now deeply understand the affliction of Decision Fatigue. You need naps. Lots of naps.
You’re overstimulated by all the sights and activities and choices. Oh, the choices!You now deeply understand the affliction of Decision Fatigue. You need naps. Lots of naps.
Lunch at Catch
We had an amazing lunch at Catch. I was a little skeptical before we went, but I am already looking forward to going back.
Michelle had the Home Smoked Duck Breast, Foie Gras Brulee, Sweet n Sour Figs, Arugula, which was amazing as she was kind enough to share some of the Foie Gras with me. Richard had some sliced local tuna, with a fried avocado, spiced unagi sauce, on wasabi greens. It looked great, but before anyone could ask for a taste… it was gone! I had the fresh catch ceviche which was Wahoo today. All in all the first round was amazing.
Next came the mains- which were good, but probably not as great as the appetizers.
It made for a great afternoon!
Sunday Adventures
We got up this morning and did some hiking in Cayman… you know we have to break our boots in for the Grand Canyon hike! It was nice and we got about 5 miles in… that would put us about 1/2 way down the canyon!
After our hike we stopped in at Over the Edge for breakfast and some ocean views. It is probably the best value on island as our total bill was $14.50CI for breakfast for 2!
Now after a little rugby it is off for lunch with Rob and Michelle at Catch. We have heard quite a few negative comments on the place, but we have yet to give it a try. I have to say you can’t beat the views… especially when so many people are snowed in now!
Long Monday
After a long Monday- a glass of wine and
my chair hammock on the patio… A perfect combination!
Happy New Years Day!
After a long night of partying- we have one sleepy kitten!
The Johnsons 