The Drrons shoot a killer and other delights.

[drron]

Yes definitely slumming it.Speaking of that here is the food.
First a serving of mixed satays.The beef stick was obviously overdone and dry the 2 chicken sticks were very nice.

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They then set up the table for the lunch service.Definitely an F experience.

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Now disaster for me.They had only loaded 2 serves of the caviar and lobster medallions but there were 3 pax.I was asked third so I had to do with the duck liver terrine and smoked duck breast.Mrsdrron got the lobster.

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I had the pea soup.It really was delicious.

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We both then had the braised beef short ribs.Wonderful with so tender beef.We both enjoyed it.

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I had the apple tart-different to the menu and mrsdrron had ice cream and berries.

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I then had some fruit.A large basket brought out and you selected what you wanted.

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I then had to recline and relax for a little reading my kindle-the diaries of Lewis and Clarke as we will be seeing a bit of their history late in the cruise.Have previously done their trail in reverse.

 

[drron]

It was now time to look at the IFE.Really nothing I really wanted to watch with the movies but they had the complete season 2 of Victoria.We both really liked Season one so we both decided to watch the season.Mrsdrron had started earlier so got through 6 episodes.i only watched 4.
We landed nearly an hour early at NRT.Also only 3-4 minutes to gate.Unfortunately it was occupied so basically a half hour wait untill we could get to the gate.Had been a really great crew so we thanked them all.First off as the Japanese businessman was arranging his things.When we were approaching the transfer security he caught up to us and asked if we were staying in Tokyo as he had his transport arranged and would take us.I really do like the Japanese.Such courtesy is not uncommon.
So to security and I experienced a totally different body scanner.It was an upright unit and you had to turn around not the scanner.Then to the ANA suites lounge.Certainly good service here but the food offerings aren't that great-though we didn't want to eat anything as we had dinner coming up on the next leg.Also had probably imbibed enough by now.
You do get good airport views.Our grandson would love to be on this plane-

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We did try a couple of unusual alcohol offerings.

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Didn't appeal.So mainly catching up on emails and AFF.
Not too long before it was back to the gate.This time we were the only 2 in the F line.Though once again mrsdrron got selected for secondary screening.Didn't worry us as the only 2 in F for this sector.

 

[drron]

Once again excellent service and I was able to have 2 glasses of Krug before take off.Though when asked what I would like to drink after takeoff I was told we had gone through the supply of Krug.Boy that Japanese fellow must have knocked back a bit.
As I had Had the Margaux with lunch I decided on a glass of the Burgundy.Damn nice.
Now to the dinner menu.

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Mid flight snacks in case you had a tapeworm.

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And before landing.

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[drron]

SQ 12. NRT-LAX. ETD-1915. push back-1913. Take off-1933. Seats 1D,G.
ETA-1304. Landed-1111. At gate-1125.
So after I had my glass of burgundy and a further read of my kindle it was time for dinner.Once again satays before the service.They were much better and served slightly differently.This time I chose the Japanese menu.

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I was being looked after by a young Japanese FA.She asked me if she could bring me the perfect sake for this meal.how could I refuse.Not being a sake expert I Felt though she was probably right.

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I did forget to take a shot of the noodles course.It really was a delightful meal.Once again I also had some fruit.

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It was now time to watch the next 4 episodes of Victoria.

 

[drron]

Mrsdrron once again had the western meal.This time the caviar and lobster tail were separate dishes.

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Being the sensible woman that she is she decided that was enough.
After I had finished watching Victoria I asked for my bed to be made up.

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When I awoke we were less than an hour out of LAX and mrsdrron was already having her breakfast.I just had the mushroom quiche with chicken breast roulade.

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Obviously we had a great tail wind as we landed nearly 2 hours before scheduled.Only a short wait for a gate.First to the Immigration kiosks.A short line to get passports stamped but a longer slow moving line to get through customs.
Now the problem was originally there was a 2.5 hour wait for a PHX flight which we thought may be a problem if a late arrival so we chose the flight with a 5 hour wait.That was now 7 hours.We tried to change flights when dropping our bags but we could only be waitlisted for the earlier flight but it was already showing a 75 minute delay so not worth a change.
Off to T4-security had no lines.I like the new policy with the flagship lounge with OWS getting in though not allowed into the dining room.We were in no need of food.I was intermittently dropping off into a stupour with a song going through my mind but with slightly different lyrics-by the time I get to Phoenix I'll be b*ggered.

Finally the time came for our flight.The planes from here get smaller and the service worse.
AA 561. LAX-PHX. ETD-1940. Push back-1945. Take off-2001. A321. Seats 2D,F.
ETA-2105. Landed-2101. At gate-2111.
Only offered water pre take off.I remember mrsdrron getting the warm nuts then it was of to sleep.
At PHX a wait for our bags.Fortunately I noticed our flight number come up at the next carousel before anyone else so first to get our bags even though not the first out.Rental car shuttle line was long but a second shuttle immediately after the first and it's doors opened where we were standing.Off to Avis.
feeling tired and being quite dark I initially missed the Sheraton Phoenix airport hotel 6 miles from the Airport.Pulled in ~ 2215.

 

[drron]

I was going to have another flight on our first day in Phoenix but the B25 went tech.So to Plan B-a shopping day for mrsdrron.But I also had decided to get a new underwater camera as new it would be almost the same price as getting the seal on my Sony replaced-after 3 years a wise thing to do.My plan was to get a lumix as the only other one with an anti shake feature which I definitely need.I was going to get it at Best Buy as ~$40 cheaper than the best sale price at home.
But Target was next to Best Buy and mrsdrron wanted to go there first.She didn't get what she wanted but the Lumix was on sale $US40 less than the Best Buy price.Not only that I learn't an important lesson there-

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So after 2 Nordstrom Racks and some more stores I ended up with more than mrsdrron-she was totally unsuccessful.As usual we only have 1 meal after breakfast.Usually a Lunner.Back to our old favourite Red Lobster.We both started with mussels-absolutely delicious.I washed mine down with a beer and mrsdrron had her usual glass of sav blanc.

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I then had the lobster and shrimp pizza and she had the mini lobster roll.

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Both nice.Back to the hotel where we both crashed early again.

 

[OATEK]

I was intermittently dropping off into a stupour with a song going through my mind but with slightly different lyrics-by the time I get to Phoenix I'll be b*ggered.

Not surprised.

 

[Deleted member 29185]

I was under the impression that on this holiday, you intended to "shoot a killer"! At the rate these "foodie" shots are coming out, all you'll have to do is sit on it!

 

[tgh]

and he isn't on board the ship of endless meals yet

 

[Pushka]

and he isn't on board the ship of endless meals yet

Alcohol, cookies, cake, chocolates......

 

[drron]

Swanning_it you must have been doing a lot of research.I was a gentle giant in Primary school which made me a target until one day one fellow tripped,cannoned into me and I fell on top of him.From that day I worked out all I had to do with a bully was to trip him up and sit on him.From then on I was left alone.
Tgh-we are now aboard.I swear they are making the life jackets smaller.

But back to the TR.Our second day in Phoenix and some culture.We visited Taliesen West.Frank Lloyd Wrights winter home and Architectural school.Summers were spent at Taliesen in Wisconsin.We have been to Taliesen and to several of the buildings he designed.The first view-

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And naturally a shop.

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Many different cacti-

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[drron]

More cacti + desert flowers.

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And an example of the wildlife-

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Yes he is there.
Now the building.

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[drron]

So now we joined the group for our tour of the house.FLW had a fondness for Asian art and examples are everywhere.

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Also pteroglyphs from former Indians who lived in the area but ousted by the modern tribes.

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More cacti and proceeding towards the house.

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His office where the tour officially starts.

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[drron]

Some more of the garden before going inside.

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Now inside the office.

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His chair.

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[drron]

A FLW chair-initially for the original Hotel Imperial,Japan.

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We step outside again.

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He was afraid of fire and so built this stone blockhouse onto the end of the main building to store his work.After his death nearlly 22000 building plans were found.Some built by graduates of his architectural school after his death.
Looking back to the office then around the main building.

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[drron]

The view from the main building.

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First looking across to FLW's home.Then the original dining room.

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When the dining room was finished FLW could see the power lines in the valley below so removed it to the rear of the property.Above the dining room is some accommodation.

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[drron]

The breezeway between the school and offices and the house has several decorations.

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The dining room.

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The living room.Also the place for Saturday night parties.

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[drron]

So the last of the living room.When parties were held here the women had to wear coughtail dresses the fellows dinner suits.The students prepared the food and doubled as waiters on a roster system.Afterwards there would be a musical recital or the latest Hollywood film.FLW had Hollywood connections.Anne Baxter was his granddaughter.So often a star or the film's director or producer would be in attendance.

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The back entrance to the house and the view from his private office.

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[drron]

FLW's desk and also where the third mrsFLW loved to sit.

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So that red hole is a moon gate leading to the private quarters now the offices of the FLW Foundation so not part of the tour.Next is what may have been a bedroom for MrsFLW after her husband's death.She modernised the place with installation of heating.Before the early 50s this place had no glass windows just sheets of canvas which were put into storage in summer when the family and students returned to Wisconsin.

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The bathroom was definitely not like this in the time of FLW.

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Now to the back of the house.

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The water storage tower.

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[drron]

On to the original movie room.

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They have some photos taken in 1938.All the students were the builders.The project began in 1937 but they first had to build several miles of road from the outskirts of Phoenix.

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Their one cement mixer.

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