1920s in Dress and Drink

Wednesday, 20 January 2010, Brisbane (Supplemental, well actually Formal)

An editing error due to excessive shoe polish caused me to skip a DCIM folder in my camera which documents last night's 1st formal dinner of the cruise, the captain's welcome reception. Well actually, the captain wasn't welcomed. Neither were we since we repaired to the bar (called, "The Bar" on the m/V Silver Whisper) and drank martini's in formal garb, us not the martinis, until the reception had long been completed. Notice the perfectly hand tied bow tie, a result of my remembering what "snapping" and "the hole" were from the YouTube video, "How to Tie a Bow Tie by Lucky Levinson." Barbara didn't need to tie any bow ties but found that her first ever ormal night is a hoot and indeed looked most lovely to all--even before I had the martini (a traditional 1920 type made "dry" not "extra dry", with olives, and Blue Sapphire Gin")

We were invited to join the Cruise Consultant and four other guests. The cruise saleslady, the lovely 20'something Anna from New Zealand who has worked in the London sales office for Silversea since the dark days of 5 years ago, and has seen and sold the much improved product. We discussed her marketing classes for her degree, my marketing classes both taught and taken, various cruise line policies, and what is a nice girl like you doing in a place like this. The martini was clearly having some effect. Barbara was, on the other hand, discussing with the gentleman across the table, a Chicagoan who believed everything he has ever heard as long as it is from Glen Beck, was full of--uh--martinis, pointing out that outrageous factual errors are not helpful to a political argument at a table with two dapperly dressed Australian gentlemen and a cute 20something New Zelander who all don't give an olive. I smiled inwardly and supported her argument with comment, "Why can't we all get along", echoing Rodney King, a public figure somewhat more sophisticated than Glen Beck. It was a wonderful evening all in all.

By the way, Barbara is writing her own blog. I will provide the URL after she posts the first entry.