Gail Ingis's Blog, page 11

A Christmas Concert To Remember by Gail Ingis

West Point Cadet Chapel

Chapel looking back to the Narthex

This past Sunday, December 3, Tom and I took the 90 minute drive up the Palisades, across the Bear Mountain Bridge, around the bending roads and up the hills, to the West Point Cadet Chapel in West Point, NY.

West Point is actually the name of the town, the home of the United States Military Academy where Handel’s Messiah was being performed. Our daughter-in-law, Joanne Ingis, was one of the voices in the visiting chorals. The voices echoed like angels in this beautiful chapel. A standing ovation followed the 90 minute concert. Well deserved, I must add.

Joanne, part of a New Jersey choral group, practiced numerous hours over many weeks for the three performances: #1 Hawthorne Bible Church in New Jersey, #2 here at the Chapel, and #3 will be at Carnegie Hall.

A few of the voices, Cadets joined the chorals and featured a female Cadet soloist.

A gracious Cadet who permitted this photo

This was not the first time I visited West Point. My son Rick’s friend got married in this Chapel, and oh my, it was beautiful. The services were followed by a reception at the Thayer Hotel in close proximity to the Academy.

That’s Joanne Ingis and her step-dad, Tom Claus (my hubby)

Son Paul Ingis & me (Gail)

Chapel night shot. It took on the orange moon color

For dinner, of course we headed over to the nearby, Thayer Hotel. Built in 1926, the lobby and dining areas charmed me with their antiquity. Not so much the furbishing, but rather the ambiance. I imagined former presidents, and great military leaders, walking the halls. The hotel has entertained many of the United States Military and other distinguished visitors. Oh, and by the way, the food was delicious, five star. Onion soup, the best yet, barbecued short ribs in gravy, with a medley of vegetables that included squash & zucchini.

 

West Point view from the Chapel

That’s the Hudson River. The views are spectacular

The five of us shared one amazing dessert – fresh apple-pear pie with Ben & Jerry’s ice cream. WOW!

This little blurb from the hotel talks about how delightful it would be to visit the town of West Point. You can stay at the hotel, or find the offerings through the visitor center. The area offers a grand gateway to Hudson Valley area attractions, historic sites and outdoor recreation. Tee off on the West Point Golf Course, hike through the Black Rock Forest or go horseback riding in Bear Mountain State Park. Visit one of the largest contemporary art museums in the world, or sample a local vintage at a Hudson Valley winery. During your visit  you can go from West Point tours to Hudson River cruises and shopping sprees.

While you are waiting for my new book coming in the spring of 2018, The Unforgettable Miss Baldwin, would you like some fun? Take the adventure in New York City, and over the prairies and hills across America, from the Catskills to Yosemite, with Leila and Rork in my book, Indigo Sky.

http://amzn.to/2j0LXLE

 

Reaching for your own star by Gail Ingis

Brite Brilliance Acrylic/Canvas | 16×20″

As a kid, my creativity took the form of re-creating. I took clothes apart and remade them into something different. I turned my mother’s gown into a dress. Mom was horrified. I also took apart radios and clocks and put them back together. Dad was supportive. I sometimes needed his help. I also began drawing when I was a kid. I drew faces and comic book characters, like Wonder Woman. Everything around me was an inspiration – to create.

Music has always been a joy. I love to play piano and guitar. If only there was more time in a day to create new things, including all the ones in my dreams. Then there’s my professional life as an interior designer where I photographed the spaces I created. The interior design school I founded gave others a way to expand their horizons. Currently, my  passion is writing and painting. Painting landscapes has been a way of connecting to nature and to explore the beauty of a sky, a sunset, sunrise, a body of water, a wave. I see a painting in everything, even a building, a portrait of my grandchildren, and a snowy Christmas tree. Everyone loves the creativity Christmas offers. Just look around you, it’s all there for you to enjoy and participate in. There are so many ways of creating beauty. Many of us have past times that give us peace of mind and help us to reconnect to our inner lives. Some of us love to garden, others love to cook, but what we all have in common is a desire to create. Never let anyone tell you that you can’t do it. Reach for your star and you will find your own truth path.

I love vibrant colors. And if there is one common element in my work, it’s color. Outdoors, I look for the sun’s rays of pink and amber creeping across the meadow, catching the magic hour when lights are warm and reflected light is bouncing in the cool shadows. Sunrise and sunset sweep the rainbow colors across the skies. Atmospheric landscapes have a beauty that often goes unrealized. Rich purples, yellows and blues on a rainy, foggy day are subtle, but magnificent. God’s heaven on earth.

Portofino Charm Acrylic/Canvas 18×24″

Indoors, I have a myriad of subjects to paint. I have photos from my photography then and now. I record people, places and things that are inspirational. It is thrilling to watch a blank canvas evolve into work-of-art.

Next week, I’ll be taking part in a special art show where I’ll be featuring two of my paintings: Maine Boats and Coney Island Bumper Cars. If you want to see more of my work you can visit my website.

Maine Boats (formerly boat bunches)
Watercolor | 10×14″

Coney Island Bumper Cars
Pastel & Watercolor| 10×14

 

 

 

Gail Ingis Claus is an author, artist/painter and interior designer. Her upcoming romance The Unforgettable Miss Baldwin will be released in the spring 2018. Her current historical romance, Indigo Sky can be purchased on amazon.

http://amzn.to/2j0LXLE

Being Thankful by Gail Ingis

Granddaughter love

There are some Thanksgivings my husband Tom and I travel to Phoenix, Arizona to visit our grandchildren in the west. This year our Marietta, GA family joined us here in Phoenix. There are eleven of us, five are the kids. We love it, the cousins love getting together, we have fun, lots of laughing and telling stories and, of course, eating out, eating in, and eating on the big day.Thanksgiving is always a special time for us, a time to reflect on what we’re thankful for. I’m thankful for family and for the time we get to spend with them. Our New Jersey (in the east) seven grandchildren will party with us at Christmas time.

Grandchildren are the rewards for motherhood. Motherhood, a job no one is really prepared for. Parenting isn’t taught, and why not? All we have are the role models that parented us. Right? They didn’t go to school for parenting, neither did their parents. This is sometimes good, and sometimes bad

We learn how to do so many other life jobs, but no schooling for parenting. How about a required course in college? Can’t graduate unless you’ve taken the parenting course. Oh my goodness, who will teach it? Think . . . who is qualified to teach parenting? A psychologist? A psychiatrist? A nurse, doctor, other parents? This is a dilemma. How about a grandmother with a PhD in child psychology and a dozen grandchildren? Did Dr. Spock have it right? He wasn’t bad, but this is a broad subject. Like teaching anything, it depends on the recipient. For example, I taught tennis for years, not all my students learned a forehand the same way. I had to adjust my instructions until they executed a proper forehand. That’s just a small detail, so, what about raising children? How do you teach what ‘NO’ means, what ‘YES’ means? For me, bottom line is always teach with love, patience, and example. Patience, patience, patience – explain why it’s no or yes and explain with love. This is a broad statement, yet basic.

In the bible, The Fruit of the Holy Spirit is a biblical term that sums up nine attributes of a person or community living in accord with the Holy Spirit according to the Epistle to the Galatians: “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.” You don’t have to be religious to appreciate The Fruit of the Spirit. First is love . . . bringing up a child is challenging to say the least. They must be taught and disciplined with love and patience. Children need to be taught that there are consequences for improper decisions.

I wish you all a Happy Thanksgiving! Love to you all.

Julie Lyles Carr is a talented speaker and author who writes about motherhood and raising children. Her most recent book, Raising an Original: Parenting Each Child According to their Unique God-Given Temperament. A book to check out!

Julie Lyles Carr

Julie Lyles Carr holds a degree in psychology which she uses every day in her parenting of eight children and also a degree in English Literature, which came in handy for writing a book on parenting. She is a popular speaker and blogger. Julie is also an audiobook narrator, having voiced a large collection of Harper Collins, Zondervan, and Thomas Nelson projects. She serves as the Pastor of Women’s Ministry at her home church of Life, Austin in Austin, Texas. Julie is also the Founder and Executive Director of Legacy of Hope Austin, a non-profit group dedicated to serving families of children with special needs. Julie and her husband Michael have been married for almost twenty-six years. You can read more about their family adventures at www.julielylescarr.com.

Gail Ingis is an author, artist/painter and interior designer. Her upcoming romance The Unforgettable Miss Baldwin will be released on Valentine’s Day 2018. Her current historical romance, Indigo Sky can be purchased on amazon.

http://amzn.to/2j0LXLE

Candlelight Christmas at Biltmore House by Gail Ingis

Candlelight Christmas at Biltmore

Christmas at Biltmore House is unlike any other. When you are there it’s like you have traveled back in time to the Gilded Age. Tom and I visited Biltmore House a few years ago while I was researching my first book, Indigo Sky.  Biltmore House, was built by George Washington Vanderbilt II, the youngest son of William Henry Vanderbilt, near Asheville, North Carolina in 1889-1895. At 178,926 square feet, it is considered the largest privately owned home in the United States, It is still owned by Vanderbilt family.

Biltmore House has become famous for its celebration of Candlelight Christmas, which is celebrated  every evening throughout the holiday season, starting just before Thanksgiving, presented as though the Vanderbilt family are your hosts. Tom and I spent three nights at the Inn at Biltmore on the grounds of the estate and enjoyed tea in the afternoon, lunch at the Bistro, dinner in the dining room. Five star accommodations, five star food and five star grounds.

The Vanderbilt rail empire was created by Biltmore’s George Vanderbilt’s grandfather, Commodore Cornelius Vanderbilt, who died in 1877. It was Commodore that bought out LeGrand Lockwood after Black Friday gold panic in July 1869 when Lockwood lost his empire. The same Lockwood who built the Lockwood Mansion (now the Lockwood-Mathews Mansion Museum) in Norwalk, Connecticut. The same Lockwood who commissioned Albert Bierstadt to paint “Domes of the Yosemite.”

Most of my readers know about my journey writing about the life of painter Albert Bierstadt. My visit to Biltmore Estate was inspired by my research while I was painting a copy of Domes of the Yosemite and henceforth, inspired a fictional historical romance novel.

If you ever get the chance to travel to Biltmore House, you will never forget it. It has become one of the most popular destinations for weddings and other special events and for Tom and me, it was a truly memorable and special Holiday visit.

Gail Ingis Claus is an author, artist/painter and interior designer. Her upcoming romance The Unforgettable Miss Baldwin will be released on Valentine’s Day. Her current historical romance, Indigo Sky can be purchased on amazon.

http://amzn.to/2j0LXLE

A Daring Red Dress and a Dancing Queen

I love to get dressed up and go out on the town. Even, now at my age (I just turned 82 years young!) I love to go out with my husband Tom. Just last weekend we went to a party at the ballroom dance studio where we practice our  fox-trot, waltz, salsa and so many more. Our talented instructors, Monika and Henry just celebrated their fourth-year anniversary of Dance Fairfield. Part of the Fred Astaire Dance Franchise.

History has shown us that women have always loved to get dressed up. And yes, even be a little daring in their fashion choices. Being daring is different depending on the woman. For some women it means wearing a stunning gown with a deep décolletage or décolleté. Décolletage is the area of the neck, shoulders, back and upper chest exposed by the neckline of a woman’s clothing, low-cut necklines of ball gowns, evening gowns, leotards, lingerie and swimsuits, among other fashions. Even today, décolletage is seen as an expression of femininity, and in some parts of the world any décolletage is considered provocative and shocking.

During the Victorian period, social attitudes required women to cover their bosom in public. For day dresses, high collars were the norm. Later, towards the end of the Victorian period the full collar was the fashion, though some décolleté dresses were worn on formal occasions.

Madame X

In 1884, the Portrait of Madame X by John Singer Sargent of American-born Paris socialite, Virginie Amélie Avegno Gautreau, was criticized when she was depicted in a sleek black dress displaying what was considered scandalous cleavage. Even more shocking, the painting depicted the strap of her dress falling off her right shoulder. The controversy was so great that Sargent reworked the painting so that the shoulder strap was no longer “off her shoulder”.  But that wasn’t enough to save Sargent’s reputation. The artist was forced to leave Paris for London in 1884 because of the scandal that ensued.

Gail’s portrait by Diane Aeschliman

My friend and talented portrait artist, Diane Aeschliman, of Killingworth, CT, painted my portrait a few years back, and coincidentally the shoulder strap of my elegant, red gown, kept slipping off. Here’s that painting for your perusal.

Perhaps if I had lived in the Victorian era I would have caused a great scandal as well!

Historical romance novels are a perfect way to indulge in the daring (and sometimes scandalous) love stories of fictional heroes and heroines. My novel Indigo Sky was inspired by the true-life love story of artist Albert Bierstadt and his love affair with the beautiful wife of his best friend. My story has a happy ending of course. As do all the historical romances that we love to read!

And speaking of historical romances and happy endings – I want to let you all know about a wonderful new giveaway that I’m part of with Booksweeps. You could win more than 45 Regency and Victorian romance novels by New York Times and USA Today bestselling authors Joan Jonston, Lauren Royal, Lauren Smith and many more including me! Along with a brand new e-reader device. Just in time for the Holidays. I hope you will sign up for this amazing giveaway. It’s free and it’s fun! Click here to enter. Until next time! Keep on dancing! Love Gail.

 

Fancy a Cup of Tea?

Lobby

Many blue moons ago I had the great pleasure of having High Tea at the Helmsley Palace in New York City. Or so I thought! Much to my surprise, I was mistaken in my assumption that it was called High Tea. In fact, the proper name is: Afternoon Tea. Fascinated with the ritual of “tea time”, I explored the history and found that Afternoon Tea, aka High Tea, originated among the wealthy social classes in England in the 1840s. By the end of the nineteenth century, Afternoon Tea developed into its current form and was observed by both the upper and middle classes. Teatime for the working population was always much later in the day, usually after 6 pm, and accompanied by a pot of good, strong stimulating tea.

Wrap around balcony, where afternoon tea was served

Food service for afternoon tea

At the Helmsley Palace, Afternoon Tea consisted of delicate savory cucumber or egg and cress sandwiches, bread and butter, scones with clotted cream and jam, and occasionally cakes and pastries along with a bracing pot of tea.

Sandwiches always had the crusts removed, and were cut into small segments, either as triangles or fingers, aka tea sandwiches. The waiters dressed in formal attire, starched collars, black vests and black pressed trousers. The Harpist playing,The Blue Danube, by Johann Strauss II, with the delicacy of an angel, which not only pleased the ear but aided digestion.

Harpo Marx, a talented harpist

Hotel entrance flanked by the Villard Houses

Reservations were the only way you could have Afternoon Tea at the Helmsley. Today, the Helmsley Palace Hotel is  known as Lotte New York Palace Hotel and is one of many fine hotels in NY that offer Afternoon Tea. And of course, by today’s standards, Afternoon Tea takes place in late afternoon to early evening, 3:30-5 pm.

Afternoon Tea figures prominently in my next book, The Unforgettable Miss Baldwin. The Baldwin sisters and their mother arrange a special Afternoon Tea and invite some of the most well-to-do ladies in New York society. I had great fun working on this scene, especially the menu! I can’t wait for you to read it.

Sample of tea accompaniment

 

NYC’s 5 Great Places For Afternoon Tea In 2014 « CBS News

Thanks to Wikipedia Tea (Meal)

 

New York: The Ephemeral City

Windsor Letterhead

New York is one of the few cities in the world that’s rich enough and diverse enough to be anything it wants to be, The Dutch first settled along the Hudson in 1624 and two years later they established the colony of New Amsterdam on Manhattan Island. In 1664, the English took control of the area and renamed it New York.

This same New York is my hometown, a place for immigrants, barons, and in short, middle America. I’ve combed the city as a kid, as a student, and as a designer.

Automat at 818-820 Chestnut Street, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 1904 postcard, Wikipedia

Long ago, I loved the Automat (Horn and Hardart). A whole lunch for a nickel. Nickel in, lunch out, on a vertical turnstile, Hot soup and apple pie, yum. Whatever happened to those days? Naturally any place in New York is home to me, even the Catskills, where I spent many a summer and where my first historic romance couple, Rork and Leila, met in Indigo Sky.

My new and latest story The Unforgettable Miss Baldwin, (Book 1, The Baldwin Family Series) takes place in none other than my hometown, In fact, the Baldwins’ live across the street from Central Park. What was it like to take a walk in the park in 1886? You’ll find out in my book.

An early stereoscope view of the Main Dining Room shows the frescoed ceiling and sumptuous chandelier.

Baggage entered the 46th Street side (right) and guests entered on Fifth Avenue. The arrangement avoided “cluttering.” — photo Library of Congress

Sadly, New York has been an ephemeral city. Many buildings were demolished or burned, one of which was the Windsor Hotel on 46th Street and 5th Avenue, conveniently located close to the Grand Central Depot, a short walk to the Windsor for those who traveled by train. The Hotel welcomed the wealthy, from Barons to Dukes, and according to the New York Times, the Windsor was “most luxurious and aristocratic hostelry in New York.”

Inside the hotel were the barber’s shop, grocery and general storerooms, vegetable kitchen, dining rooms, a separate one for children, and more. The hotel was considered a marvel in modern convenience. Every suite had a private bath and every room had a fireplace, according to The Times.

You’ll get an exclusive invitation to visit the Windsor Hotel in my book, The Unforgettable Miss Baldwin, out on Valentine’s Day 2018.

http://amzn.to/2j0LXLE

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

From the 1800s to Carrie Bradshaw: Autumn in Central Park

Autumn in New York City, Central Park Photo by Vivienne Gucwa

Thousands of people visit Central Park in New York City every day, but there is one time of year where Central Park is at its most beautiful. Autumn.

There’s nothing like autumn in New York. Just ask Carrie Bradshaw, the much-loved heroine of the hit HBO series Sex and the City.

“There is a time of year in New York when, even before the first leaf falls, you feel the seasons click.” Carrie Bradshaw.

Go back in time more than a 100 years and you find another funny, quirky, smart young woman who loves autumn in New York—Allie Baldwin. Allie is the heroine of my upcoming book The Unforgettable Miss Baldwin. Allie, 24, lives with her family in the Sandanko Apartments on Fifth Avenue, which is a fictional building I created that was inspired by the famous Dakota Apartments located across the street from Central Park.

You can see stunning pictures of Central Park in photographer’s Vivienne Gucwa book NY Through the Lens (released Nov. 24, 2014)

The Baldwin family in my upcoming book, The Unforgettable Miss Baldwin, loves their outings in Central Park. Allie walks her dog Captyn, a huge black and white spotted Great Dane, through the park every day. In the story, Allie spends time there with her best friend,  Frankie, and with the hero, Peter. I can’t wait for you to find out what happens on those outings!

Autumn in Central Park is all about the leaves. Mother Nature paints her most vivid colors when the leaves turn from green to gold, bronze and red. Flower beds of garden mums and asters in autumn’s colors of red and yellow dot the landscape.

History tells us that architects Frederick Olmsted and Calvert Vaux painstakingly incorporated arches into their design of Central Park more than 150 years ago in a way that is still relevant today. According to research from the Central Park Arch Project, they “used arches not only as a safety measure (to separate what was at that time the bridle path from pedestrian crossings), but as an aesthetic tool to create a cohesive green space: keeping pedestrians immersed in the park’s surroundings while cleverly hiding bustling roadways on another plane.

Bow Bridge Central Park Courtesy Ephemeral New York

There are many beautiful bridges or “arch ways” in Central Park including the Gapstow Bridge, built in 1874 by Jacob Wrey Mould. It’s located between 5th and 6th Avenue and 62nd Street in Central Park, in the area known as the Pond. Visitors to New York peruse the Gapstow Bridge in order to experience one of the most beautiful views of the city. A photograph of my Gapstow Bridge painting in winter is in this post. The bridge figures prominently in a scene from my book.

Gapstow Bridge, Central Park Painting by Gail Ingis

Here is a picture of a painting I did featuring the Gapstow Bridge in Central Park. It’s a winter landscape but the magic of Central Park is always there, no matter the season.

I cannot wait for you to read The Unforgettable Miss Baldwin and also experience the beauty of Central Park in the fall.

 

Gail Ingis is the author of the historical romance Indigo Sky.

You can buy it on amazon.

Follow Gail on facebook, Instagram, amazon.

 

From the 1800s to Sex And the City: Autumn in Central Park New York

Autumn in New York City, Central Park Photo by Vivienne Gucwa

Thousands of people visit Central Park in New York City every day, but there is one time of year where Central Park is at its most beautiful. Autumn.

There’s nothing like autumn in New York. Just ask Carrie Bradshaw, the much-loved heroine of the hit HBO series Sex and the City.

“There is a time of year in New York when, even before the first leaf falls, you feel the seasons click.” Carrie Bradshaw.

Go back in time more than a 100 years and you find another funny, quirky, smart young woman who loves autumn in New York—Allie Baldwin. Allie is the heroine of my upcoming book The Unforgettable Miss Baldwin. Allie, 24, lives with her family in the Sandanko Apartments on Fifth Avenue, which is a fictional building I created that was inspired by the famous Dakota Apartments located across the street from Central Park.

You can see stunning pictures of Central Park in photographer’s Vivienne Gucwa book NY Through the Lens (released Nov. 24, 2014)

The Baldwin family in my upcoming book, The Unforgettable Miss Baldwin, loves their outings in Central Park. Allie walks her dog Captyn, a huge black and white spotted Great Dane, through the park every day. In the story, Allie spends time there with her best friend,  Frankie, and with the hero, Peter. I can’t wait for you to find out what happens on those outings!

Autumn in Central Park is all about the leaves. Mother Nature paints her most vivid colors when the leaves turn from green to gold, bronze and red. Flower beds of garden mums and asters in autumn’s colors of red and yellow dot the landscape.

History tells us that architects Frederick Olmsted and Calvert Vaux painstakingly incorporated arches into their design of Central Park more than 150 years ago in a way that is still relevant today. According to research from the Central Park Arch Project, they “used arches not only as a safety measure (to separate what was at that time the bridle path from pedestrian crossings), but as an aesthetic tool to create a cohesive green space: keeping pedestrians immersed in the park’s surroundings while cleverly hiding bustling roadways on another plane.

Bow Bridge Central Park Courtesy Ephemeral New York

There are many beautiful bridges or “arch ways” in Central Park including the Gapstow Bridge, built in 1874 by Jacob Wrey Mould. It’s located between 5th and 6th Avenue and 62nd Street in Central Park, in the area known as the Pond. Visitors to New York peruse the Gapstow Bridge in order to experience one of the most beautiful views of the city. A photograph of my Gapstow Bridge painting in winter is in this post. The bridge figures prominently in a scene from my book.

Gapstow Bridge, Central Park Painting by Gail Ingis

Here is a picture of a painting I did featuring the Gapstow Bridge in Central Park. It’s a winter landscape but the magic of Central Park is always there, no matter the season.

I cannot wait for you to read The Unforgettable Miss Baldwin and also experience the beauty of Central Park in the fall.

 

Gail Ingis is the author of the historical romance Indigo Sky.

You can buy it on amazon.

Follow Gail on facebook, Instagram, amazon.

 

The Love Boat meets Disney Magic

Pluto greeting on Disney Magic

Minnie and the Chipmunks

Remember The Love Boat – the popular TV show from the 1980s? Well, I fell in love with cruising from watching that show. Several years back, I took a weekend  cruise to nowhere from a local marina in New Jersey. it was a great way to get my feet wet, pardon the pun. And did I have fun! Since then, Tom and I were on one other cruise to New Brunswick, Canada, until recently. A few weeks ago we took a cruise on the Disney Magic (with the official Disney cruise line) from Spain to New York. Yup, we crossed the Atlantic Ocean on a dream boat! Taking a cruise is like being in a mobile country whose economy is dedicated to enjoyment. With a wide range of entertainment, kids’ clubs, spacious staterooms and more, the Disney Cruise Line is a wonderful way for families to spend time together . . . and a little time apart. There are plenty of adults-only spaces as well. Broadway style shows, dancing, the latest movies, fitness center, personal trainer, spa and lots and lots and lots of food.

First sunrise on Disney Magic, what a greeting!

Me in the porthole

Ya gotta love Disney with all the fun characters wandering around. You never know when Pluto or Mickey will show up! A big bonus for us is that the entire ship was SMOKE FREE, except for one small deck that’s hidden away. And if you think it’s boring being “cooped up” on a boat for two weeks – think again. We were busy all the time. We actually had to MAKE time to swim and relax. I even managed to carve out some time to work on my next book, The Unforgettable Miss Baldwin. Disney is now our fav. Cruising is a great way to spend your vacation.

Nightly monkey made from towels

Between the rock, almost blown away, son Paul Ingis!

Holding on for dear life, me and Tom. It was a mite windy

Sailing into the sunset-through the Straits of Gibraltar

This ship did make some stops. One in Cadiz, another in Lisbon where we took a side trip to beautiful Sintra and charming Cascais, then a stop in the Azores, where my son  Paul and our daughter-in-law Joanne hailed a taxi and took a side adventure. Our final stop was supposed to be St. John’s in Newfoundland, but the Captain decided to head home early to New York, because of concerns about the Hurricane Maria at the time. We hope to visit Newfoundland in the future, since we’ve heard and read such beautiful things about Canada’s east coast.

One of my favorite and most exhilarating moments on board Disney Magic was having my Tom’s arms around me, and my arms wrapped around him, holding tight, up on the top deck, in a fifty-mile-an-hour wind, going through the Straits of Gibraltar at sunset. Behold nature’s beauty.

The fitness center and especially the personal trainers (we got to know a wonderful trainer named Olivia), were tops, as were the people in the spa. Laurabeth Fitzpatrick, an esthetician, was fun to talk with. I didn’t get a facial, but enjoyed discussing skin care and explained BeautyCounter‘s philosophy. (That’s the product line I use and it’s clean and free from more than 1,400 horrible chemicals.) Lots of people took advantage of the convenience of the spa, they offered a full range of face and body care, including a sauna and a beauty salon. I didn’t do any of that, but I did take advantage of the fitness center. Imagine exercising in an all glass facility overlooking the Atlantic ocean. Gorgeous! Talk about a view!

NY Sunset

Our dining room hosts and servers rotated with us for a different dining room experience each night. Animation Palette, Luminaries, and Carioca’s dining rooms and the buffet dining room, Cabana’s. The last night we dined in their famous upscale Palo dining room on the 10th deck, while we were docked in NY. So we got to see the gorgeous New York sunset and we can say we had a great Italian meal in an excellent restaurant on the Hudson River.

That’s us in Luminaires DR

 

 

 

 

 

Most important crew members. Lucio & Carolina, our excellent servers.

Cascais, Portugal

Sintra, Portugal

Paul&Joanne in Animation Palette

 

Mickey pop, our fav dessert

Time to go home, on our way to debark

 

 

 

Indigo Sky for the reader who enjoys historical romance! @AmazonKindle http://amzn.to/2nWqbcq Indigo Sky available on Amazon buy link: http://amzn.to/2j0LXLE
Author page: http://amzn.to/1K4GVQA