Queen Mary 2, Lady Of The Ocean.

Queen Mary leaving New York 

My very first voyage on the Queen Mary 2 was on June 2005, Bill and I sailed to South Hampton in London and the whole experience was so wonderful and unique, I had never taken a cruise before and must admit had my reserves due to all the negative stories always on the news about ships being quarantine or people missing on the middle of the trip and never found,. No that I'm a negative person.!
But the idea of being in the middle of the ocean thousand of miles away from land is pretty impressive and intimidating.

QM2 at night sailing away from NY.

The pre-arragements were quite unusual for me, I have travel a lot and to many countries, but never by sea.

Luxurious hallways decor with art everywhere.

we completed all kind of paper work and provided to Cunard, the company that owns the Ocean liner. And few days later got all the information needed for us to be ready during the days at sea,. it was amazing all the precise items to be packed to be able to attend the different daily activities, in order to comply with the QM2 etiquette.

Flowers in every room of the ship.

The Queen Mary 2 is not the typical cruise liner full of children and teenagers looking for a thrill and foolish adventure,. none of that happens on board of the QM2, she host very upscale dinners and entertainment for a more sophisticated crowd, I think most passengers are retired people or at least people in their 30's who appreciate luxury and the best customer service in a very glamorous Ocean Liner.

Empire Casino.

The day starts early every time, since we have to fly to New York from DC and from there be transported for the port either in Manhattan ( when sailing to London and Canada ) or Brooklyn ( when sailing to The Bahamas.) the personnel on port are well organized and try to make the process move fast and smooth, except for the first time when there was an irritating woman shouting to the passengers to get them organize, she's not there any more,. Thank God.!

QM2 Crew salutes passengers coming on board.

When going on board there is a line up of the crew greeting the guest, they all wear impeccable uniforms and have a warm smile as they welcome you on board and point you in the right direction to your deck and suite/cabin.

Hallways to suites/cabins.

there are 8 elevators and they have glass doors and beautiful interiors, the feel of the Royal British inheritance is present from the second you set a foot on the ship. The hallways on the cabin decks are lighted and floored with luxurious carpeting.

Suite/Cabins 

When entering our suite, there is a bottle of champagne and long stem glasses ready for us, minutes after being on board the luggage arrives without any type of hassle. There is time to unpack and cheer with champagne before to go upstairs to deck 7 for an emergency drill, for which we have to grab our lifesaver vest and participate in a safety orientation which last just a few minutes.

Overall look of The Grand Lobby.

Once on board of the magnificent Ocean Liner, you just allowed yourself t be pampered and spoiled for the rest of the voyage.

The Commodore Club.

The different bars on the QM2 are open to all types of taste on drinks. There are several bars:  The Chart Room, The Commodore Club (my favorite), The Champagne Bar, The Golden Lion Pub, The Queens Room ( where afternoon tea is served.), Terrace Pool and Bar, Pavilion Poll and Bar and The Boardwalk Caffe.

Outdoor pool on deck 11

We enjoyed a cocktail hour before dinner at The Commodore Club, where we have a strawberry daiquiri, a London Residence or a simply gin & tonic, at 5:30 we were waiting to get our canapes which are very popular in that bar and absolutely delicious.!

Edson on formal night at The Grand Lobby.

Evening are star of the day, everyone gets dressed up with their best galas for dinner, men wear tuxedos or dark suits and ladies make an entrance in evening gowns, everyone wears their best jewels and smiles. Dinner is served in 5 different restaurants, the first one and my favorite is The Britannia Restaurant, which is the biggest and more dramatic on it's architecture, with beautiful murals and colorful carpeting and flowers.

The magnificent Britannia Restaurant.

Other two restaurants are located on deck 9 where the guest of the Princess Grille and Queens Grille stay. This is the section for celebrities and a more wealthy crowd who love to sneak into The Britannia for dinner at least once and experience the greatness of this impressive dinning room.

Queens Grille Restaurant.

The two remaining options for dinner are The Todd English Restaurant on deck 9 and The Kings Court on deck 7. That's to put variety on the every day dinning extravaganza on the ship.

The Royal Court Theatre at show time.

After dinner my very favorite thing to do is to retire to The Royal Court Theatre. Where I have the indulgence of one after dinner drink, so while having a great glass of port or cognac I get entertained with a magnificent show of fantastic singers and dancers worth of the best stages in the world.

After watching a movie at the Illuminations Theatre.

As the show ends, I make my way thru the hallway of deck 2 to The Illuminations Theatre where I can watch a movie late at night or recline my seat to be amazed by the Planetarium show of lights and images.

Slot machines at Empire Casino.

But if in the mood for something more exciting you can always find your way to the Empire Casino where lady luck just maybe kind to you.!

Souvenir photo taken at dinner time.

Every evening before or after dinner, professional photographers would take your picture and have them display the next day at the Photo Shop where we decided which ones we like best to buy.

The Grand Lobby.

If just on the need to seat and relax, the Grand Lobby is a great place to do it, while surrounded by an impressive and luxurious salon, we can enjoy the live music of a piano or harp player.

Sailing away from Halifax, Canada

The very last evening of the voyage, the whole kitchen crew lines up at the staircase of The Britannia Restaurant. to take a bow for a magnificent job done, wearing their immaculate white uniform and flanked by their head chef.

The Queen Mary 2 arrives at New York City after completing another voyage.

 The Commodore of the Queen Mary 2 makes a salutation to the guest and we go to our suite to get ready for an early disembarkation, happy for the wonderful experience and determine to come back some time,. We have ben privileged to have sailed with Cunard on the Queen Mary 2 for the third time and hope to do it again,. My memories of a splendid adventure has been For Your Eyes Only.

My Creative Culinary Art.! ♨

Yuca con Chicharrones in Spicy Salsa.

Ever since I was a little boy I was always curious about all the aromas and activities in the kitchen, I had my mother and grandmother to look up to when came to food, Grandma Fidelina was the classic old fashion cook who would make everything from scratch, her cooking was the best I ever had, simple dishes with the flavor that only love can provide to food.!

Fusilli Surf and Turf

Spanish Tortilla with Bacon

One of my very favorites thing were the fried bean pupusas that she would make in the morning for breakfast, I don't come from cold cereal on the table, as a matter of fact I never knew people eat dry cereal as a meal, back home only the chickens eat that way.! ☺

Center Cut Pork Chop with Vegetables and Red Pepper Salsa.

4 cheeses Lasagna

My mom was also a terrific cook, my very favorite was her stuffed green peppers, she use to make them with ground beef or only cheese, she was great with typical Salvadorean dishes such as 'Sopa de Res' a very rich broth of beef with cabbage and oxtail served on the bone, I also remember the very distinctive flavor of the 'Arroz aguado con chipilin' it was this rice soup with Chipilin, which is a green aromatic plant that may grow just in Latin America, was served with big chunks of pork meat.

Skirt Pepper Rubbed Grilled Steak with Fries.

Arugula Apple Salad with Cottage Cheese and Lime dressing.

A lot of my cooking this days I learned it from those days,. when I attended high school my mayor was 'Hotels and Tourism' with a specialty in Culinary Arts, I was amazing to learn in a professional kitchen with restaurant equipment and having the freedom to create my own dishes, in 1988 during my senior year I was to create my own menu with my very own original recipes, I created a four course meal consisting on:
- Ensalada Ceron ( Ceron Salad.)
  I named the salad with my last name and consisted on romaine lettuce with baby spinach, beets, pineapple and crumbled queso fresco, all  tossed with a dressing of lime, oregano, white vinegar and olive oil,

- Sopa dorada ( Golden Soup.)
  A very flavorful soup made with browned flour, white rice, lots of butter and onions.

- Boca Colorada en salsa de cerveza ( Red Snapper in beer sauce.)
  I discover this unique flavor after several failings trying to pair fish with the right spices and sauces,
  golden pan seared whole fish with clove, pepper, dark beer and lemon wedges and zest.

- Budin borracho ( Drunk banana pudding.)
  Diced french bread, cinnamon, bananas, milk, vanilla, rum and brown sugar.

TV Time Cheese and Roast Beef/Ham Plate

Cheesy Fried Chicken Rolls with Sour Cream.

This days I cook all kinds of food, I never follow recipes, however look and learn from other chefs and create my own version or original idea from only one of the ingredients I see in one recipe.

Spaghetti with My Signature Meatballs and Garlic Bread.

3 Little Pigs in a Barn Breakfast.!
Onions, Red & Jalapeno Peppers, Tomatos, Ham, Sausage and Bacon.

Love cooking all kinds of beans, I cold eat nothing but beans, one of my very favorite meats to cook is pork, due to it's rich flavor, also like to get creative with chicken and fish.
vegetables are my source fro color, texture and natural flavor, vegetable should never be boiled or over-cooked, it's natural flavor is the very best compliment to any dish.

Steak and Cheesy Scrambled Eggs Breakfast.

Rigatoni with Shrimp Cakes.

Center Cut Filet Mignon with Shrimp and Shoe String Potatoes.

I cook a lot, I love cooking, this days I cook lots of pasta, however as a good Latino I also enjoy creating dishes using tortillas, yuca, plantains and many other ingredients from my roots,.  this is a small trip thru my Culinary and Creative Art, For Your Eyes Only.!

They Light Up My World.!

Fred Flintstone

From our early years in this wonderful planet, we all have favorite people and characters picked up from the media, TV, Movies, Music, Comic Books, etc

'You Take My Breath Away' one of his hit songs

I'm not different from the rest and I can pin point those who put a special ray of light on my days,. from my childhood days I must say that big old Fred Flintstone brought a big smile to my face with his 'yabba-daba-doo.! then along came Scooby-Doo with his gang and the Mystery Machine, I remember waiting for the next mystery every week and Shaggy yelling " Scooby Doo, Where are you.?!" up to this days those lines are still heart warming.

Rex Smith

As a involuntary witness of the music trends that family, neighbors and TV would feature out laud I watch and listen quietly and must say develop a few crushes on singers such as Andy Gibb and Rex Smith, those guys were great singers and also gorgeous, with those tight pants and long hair, but I also could not get enough of Donna Summer with that strong presence on stage and commanding voice.

World Diva Super Star Veronica Castro

Veronica conquer Europe, Asia and all of Latin America.

Then there was the latin diva of them all, the one and only Veronica Castro with her drama in the Mexican telenovelas, petite just like myself and totally in control in front of the camera or the microphone, with her stunning green eyes and luxurious gowns,.Loved her.!

Latin Icon Thalia

I also felt that I was part of this elite group of stars from my generation, because we were about the same age,. I grew with Thalia, Ricky Martin, Debbie Gibson, Chayanne, Paulina Rubio, etc,..
Then in the early 90's along came "Los MuÑecos De Papel" with a fabulous cast that included : Bibi Gaytan, Erick Rubin, Sasha, Ricky Martin, Angelica Rivera y Pedro Fernandez.

" MuÑecos De Papel "

Thalia was the icon of beauty and talent fused together and created this sweet girl who acted and sang, shining like a true star, Ricky Martin was the great looking boy with long hair and extremely handsome and charming.

Puerto Rican Headliner Chayanne

 I use to sing along Debbie Gibson songs and love her freely and fresh style,. Chayanne was the sexy latino with the body and the talent, I use to love seeing him on those tight jeans, Paulina Rubio was the blond brat that was always controversial and had a villain expression with a fancy expression hard to resist.

Supe Model Of The World Ru Paul

One of the very first Drag Queens I saw in my life, was when I was 12 years old and the Queen was this blonde giant with mile long legs, she was wearing a short red dress and white pumps and when the host asked her name she said with a hoarse voice "Ru Paul". It was the most magical moment for me, I realize that it was Ok for a boy to get dress up in dresses and heels, I saw that person on the screen as a real hero.

Ru Paul out of drag.

this days I look up to another two Drag Queen who I found gifted talent and charisma, The Pandora Boxx and Shangela Laquifa Widley.

Drag Race Miss Congeniality The Pandora Boxx
Above, Shangela Laquifa Wadley, California's Entertainer of the year.

The list of my very favorites can keep going on and on, for now this preview is For Your Eyes Only.

A Lady Named CHANEL DEVEREAUX. ♕

Day after day we run and hurry to get to work and to be on time, hope for time to complete multiple tasks and reach the point of goal achievements or even pass our goals, all while delivering outstanding customer service and selling the goods and services of the company we represent, always looking polish, fresh and smiling, trying to block the fact that we'll be working on the weekend as well, and when we finish,. we get to do it ALL Over again.! the following week.

Chanel Devereaux as 'Church Lady Bingo'

One Sunday night after a long exhausting week I decided to go out and try to have a little fun time, sort of sacrificing rest and sleepy time to catch up whit life out of work, so I decided to go to one of my favorite bars in town 'OMEGA' a place where I have always felt comfortable and among friends, I used to visit the bar since the early 1990's when it used to be called 'The Fraternity House'
Back those days I was working in Dupont Circle at the Soho Tea & Coffee Shop at night and had more chance to have fun while working. I really miss those days.

Chanel opening the Bingo Game

That night I walked into the Bar and Howard was working behind the bar, a familiar face, I saw a stack of Bingo cards sitting on the bar and Howard said: - Tonight is Bingo Night.! with a big smile on his face, I though : - Oh Jesus.! Not on my night out.!

Prize winner Alex gets a sex-novelty figurine

I had never played Bingo before, so I decided to give it shot,. when the host arrived 'fashionably late' I saw this tall, strong Drag Queen dressed in a black skirt suit with her up do hair style and a lot of sassiness.! as the game started her personality totally took over the place and her natural way to talk SEX with the most crude worlds was totally funny,. I found myself laughing out loud non stop all night long.! the evening was a total unexpected success and exactly what I needed at the time.

Chanel in a Spring outfit 

The weekly visit to Omega on Sunday night became my one thing to do every week that was just for Me.! as I continue visiting the bar I also learned to know much more of the Persona that Chanel Devereaux was, I got to see further from the comedy and the makeup that makes this personage.

Performing at Nelly's 

Chanel is one of the most hard working people I have ever met, she's part of the cast of "Drag City DC" a reality show portraying a group of ladies who use their Drag personas to give back to the community and they do it Drag Queen Style : on roller skates, dance on the pole or take over New York City with confidence and fierceness.!

Ladies of Drag City DC in the streets of New York City

Chanel also performs on Saturday nights at the 'Apex Club', where she has opportunity to shine on stage along with fellow performers such as Shequeeta Lee and Riley to mention a few, Apex is  the same place I used to go dancing years ago when the place was called 'Badlands'.

Arriving to show at Apex, Chanel rocking Red Hair.

She does her Drag Show all night and manages to be at work early the next morning to be part of the most popular sunday brunch in Washington DC at Nelly's Sports Bar, where she is not only a performer but also has to wait on tables, people lines outside the establishment to be able to come inside and have a great brunch, but mostly to enjoy the phenomenal show delivered by the outstanding group of Drag waitresses , sort of speaking.!.

Sunday Brunch at Nelly's 

 Chanel has a lot of energy and and it shows when after working all day at Nelly's she gathers her strength to deliver a fresh and dynamic performance at night at Omega where she becomes The Church Lady of Bingo Night and keeps the audience engage and laughing all night long with the help of her sidekick bartender Howard, to whom she ask week after week " Gladys, did you have sex this week.?" and the answer is always, No.! ( Howard's Drag Persona used to be Gladys Marie, he has put his Drag show on hold this days.)

Working the pole, Chanel & Riley

Chanel takes advantage of the arriving audience also, she targets every person walking thru the door to bring some comedy to the environment of the evening : "Hello there white girl.! come on in."  "Well, we have straight boys in the house.!"  "Come on in,.walk to the light, I don't bite, unless you pay me to,.!"
as the evening goes by, so do the unusual prizes for the winners, besides free drinks winners get Gay Porn or Sex theme Novelties.
After calling endless bingo number and talking about current topics and making fun of herself, Chanel ends the night with her trade mark closing line :  " If you liked me, my name is Chanel Devereaux,. If you did Not like me, my name is Ella Fitzgerald.!" that line Never fails to give the audience a final laugh for Sunday night.

Chanel closing the Bingo Show on Sunday night 

There's a talented lady in town and her name is Chanel Devereaux, A Drag Star who is also someones child, sister, best friend, a grateful human being who treasures the people who support her performances,.. As a closing. Some wisdom words from Chanel Devereaux herself :

    " Life is what you make of it, So live it the way you want to,. Without regrets and with love,
       Even to those who have gooked you in the past. "  - Chanel Devereaux.-

I love meeting new people and Chanel is one of the most fascinating persons I have met in a long time,. her talent, her humor and her charm a beautiful person,.. For Your Eyes Only.