Ugly, sad and not so tasty meals at La Concha restaurant with the family, Summer 2024, Santa Clara, Cuba
A few nice family meals images I found:
Ugly, sad and not so tasty meals at La Concha restaurant with the family, Summer 2024, Santa Clara, Cuba
Image by lezumbalaberenjena
My family enjoyed this out reunion a lot, but honestly the food was very bad (of course they don’t have references for comparison but we know better)
Christmas Eve
Image by Pictures by Ann
Cool Family Meals images
Some cool family meals images:
Food preparation at Family Circus, Davao
Image by Aktiv Phil
Every child arriving at the Sunday morning service at Family Circus, receives a cup of rice as a small measure of the team’s concern for their welfare.
Every weekend approximately 4000 children attend Family Circus, and approximately 2000 of them are malnourished. This small meal helps to allay hunger pangs and provide some basic sustenance.
Thanksgiving meal_036
Image by USAG Italy
USAG Vicenza Commander Col. Robert L. Menist Jr., right, and Command Sgt. Maj. Daniel Dennison serve diners at the Caserma Del Din Dining Facility, Nov. 25.
Vicenza Military Community Soldiers, civilians and Family members celebrated Thanksgiving and enjoyed a taste of home with a full spread of turkey, ham and roast beef with all the fixings.
Photo by Laura Kreider, USAG Vicenza/PAO
Learn more about us on www.usag.vicenza.army.mil and www.facebook.com/VMCItaly.
Nice Family Meals photos
Some cool family meals images:
Nags Head 2012 Memoirs 179 – Feeding Birds Last Day
Image by Counselman Collection
Our son and daughter-in-law chose this location for this year’s spring trip to the Outer Banks of North Carolina, putting us right on the ocean front beach. It was a great location right beside Jeanette’s Pier, and the weather was so sunny. There were some windy days that made the waves all that much better. Besides our family from Ohio, we had friends visiting from several Congregations neighboring ours, plus a family that drove from mid-Texas and another from Indiana. As usual, we took turns making meals and it was a great experience with everyone fellowshipping and working together peacefully. Yes, I had one conference call with World Headquarters I did not want to miss, but it was still total relaxation. I tried to go a whole day without touching a camera, but then I got the shakes, and I just had to grab a camera and start snapping again; when you are hooked, you are hooked. To see photos from our past visits to Nags Head see the set of photos in our Travel Collection called Nags Head Memoirs; they are all dated.
www.flickr.com/photos/counselman/sets/1707339/
Signorello Estate Winery, Napa Valley, California, USA
Image by jimg944
History of the Signorello Estate Winery:
Starting the Venture
Ray Signorello Jr. began his journey as winemaker and vineyard owner in the Napa Valley during the mid 1980’s. Ray, born in San Francisco, California, moved to Vancouver, Canada where the Signorello family continues to maintain a home. Ray divides his time between Napa, San Francisco, Vancouver and business related travel. Ray’s father, Ray Sr., initiated the vineyard project during the mid 1970’s by purchasing the 100-acre estate located on the Silverado Trail in the beautiful Napa Valley. Ray Sr. worked side by side with Ray Jr., establishing the winery’s reputation for excellence until his passing in the fall of 1998.
No Turning Back
Signorellos’ original plan was to grow quality grapes to sell to existing wineries, but the harvest of 1985 changed this plan into a new level of evolvement. The bountiful crop allowed Signorellos to custom crush the excess grapes. This opportunity demonstrated what fabulous wine their vineyards were capable of producing. The project continues to grow, as do the spectacular 42 acres planted in several different varietals. Ray’s continuing effort represents the invested energies that created this reality from a dream.
In 1986 the Signorellos began the second phase of the venture, this was the building of the main winery structure. This beautiful building is used for barrel storage, wine tasting and retail sales. Along with the building of the winery, wine production was expanded to include Cabernet Sauvignon and Pinot Noir. By the end of the 1980’s the Signorello family was thoroughly committed to making wine as well as growing grapes.
The decade of the nineties proved to be pivotal for Signorello Estate. In 1990 the first planting of red varietals began on the property- Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot and Syrah.
What brought the Signorellos to the Napa Valley was the romantic side of winemaking; growing grapes, working the land, and enjoying the wine country lifestyle of camaraderie, good wine and great meals. While the Valley lifestyle is a very real part of the business, there is a serious responsibility to making a dream become a reality, both father and son realized this fact early in the endeavor.
Christmas Eve 2008, Clarach
Check out these family meals images:
Christmas Eve 2008, Clarach
Image by DG Jones
Making Progress
Image by ActiveSteve
Oslo to Myrdal and Vatnahalsen – Train Journey September 10, 2023
Image by UGArdener
Vatnahalsen was originally built as a sanatorium in 1896, but it was never used for its intended purpose. Instead, it became popular as a hotel because of the Bergen Railway. After the Bergen Railway was opened in 1909, and especially after the Flåm Railway was connected with the Bergen Railway in 1940, Vatnahalsen became a great winter destination. The hotel´s guest books from the 1930s show how Norwegian, British, German and Dutch skiers enjoyed their stay. Due to steep mountains and the arrival by train, many of them called it the Nordic St. Moritz. For several decades winter was the most important season. Even today, the hotel can only be reached by train.
From the mid-1980s, biking along the old road next to the Bergen Railway became popular, and summer traffic at the hotel increased considerably. Today, the Rallar road is considered the finest bike road in Norway. But regardless of shifting trends, throughout the last 120 years, Vatnahalsen Hotel´s vision has been to create a relaxing and pleasant atmosphere where everyone feels welcome. Here you can arrive any time of the year and find a homely atmosphere, a comfortable bed, a hearty meal and a hospitable host.
Vatnahalsen Hotel was originally built as a sanatorium by doctor Håkon Philip Fretheim (1853-1924) and Sjur B. Heimdal (1863-1950). A small building in the dragon style, which was a fashion at that time, was set up in 1896. The sanatorium was never realised, and some years later Sjur B. Heimdal left the company. Håkon Philip Fretheim ran the hotel with a hired manager.
Vatnahalsen Hotel became right away very popular because of the Bergen Railway. The people who were engaged in the administration of the company used the hotel quite a lot. The construction road up the Flåm valley was also used by travellers. When the railway tracks were laid up to Myrdal, it became a fashion among the wealthy citizens of Bergen to go by train to Myrdal, have a dinner at Vatnahalsen Hotel and then return back home.
When the Bergen Railway opened in the autumn of 1909, the number of accommodations increased. After the reconstruction in 1909 the hotel`s capacity rose to 115 beds. The hotel received electricity from the hydro-electric powerstation by Kjosfossen, a plant that was built because of the railway construction. It was probably the first hotel in the Sogn and Fjordane county that got electricity. In 1911 the hotel also got a state telephone exchange.
In 1912 the hotel and the property was sold to Edvard Holte. He invested much in winter tourism and ran the hotel successfully for five years. In 1917 the hotel was sold again, this time to a stock company, A/S Vatnahalsen. The company was brought to an end in 1927, and Else and Torstein Brun Fretheim bought the hotel. In 1929 it was sold at a forced sale to Marthe Fretheim, the owner of Fretheim Hotel, and the lawyer Kristian Tønneberg, and they established the stock company A/S Vatnahalsen. Two years later, Astrid Fretheim, Marthe`s niece, bought Mr. Tønnebergs part. When Marthe died in 1933, her brother, Ole Fretheim, took over her part.
During the winter of 1935/1936 the hotel was again reconstructed and renovated. The hotel had 126 rooms, among them were 35 rooms with cold and hot water. The hotel could accomadate 140 guests, and in the dining-hall 170 people could be seated. During this renovation the exterior was changed, and the Swiss style was removed.
In the 1930ies the traffic in the Easter Holiday grew, and Vatnahalsen got a reputation as a good resort. In the guestbooks from the 1930ies we can see that Swedes, Danes and Englishmen found their way up into the mountains in the summer as well as in the winter. But this traffic came to an end when the war broke out. The German soldiers occupied the hotel during the war. On the 23rd of June the hotel burnt down. We have reason to believe that, having a party, celebrating some victory, the soldiers were careless about the fire. There were munitions in the basement, and consequently the fire grew big. Other people could see the smoke at a long distance.
In 1953 the reconstruction work started and on the 10th of June 1954 the hotel was opened anew. The hotel was managed by Guttorm Fretheim until 1960. He started the sale of a round-trip tour on the Bergen Railway, with bus from Voss via Stalheim to Gudvangen, by boat on the Nærøy- and Aurlandsfjord and finally from Flåm to Myrdal. This tour is today known as Norway in a Nutshell and is the most popular round-trip in Norway.
In 1965 restaurant owner Guttorm Fretheim, director at Dalane mountain lodge, Ludvig Wærness, estate agent Hans Johannesen and manager Kåre Brunborg, Voss got the ownership of the hotel. The hosts were Magnhild and Kåre Hopsland. Agin the touris traffic increased, and in 1970 a new building and a conference room were added. From 1970 Arne Kjell Kahrs was the director of the hotel, and he and his family ran the hotel until about 1979. One year earlier the hotel got its own skilift. This was very popular and very much used by the hotel guests and the people down at Flåm.
The Aksnes family
In November 1983 Kjell Arne and Rigmor Aksnes became the hosts, and they, after a bankruptcy, got the opportunity to buy the hotel. They came from Bergen and settled here with their children. As owners and hosts they have invested a lot in giving the guests various options and in securing the running of the hotel all year round. In 1990, after a vote in the Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation P2-programme, Vatnahalsen Hotel was declared the company with the best service in Norway.
During several decades the winter has been the most important season. In the autumn many guests came to the seminars and conferences, and in the winter many skiers arrived. In the summer season most of the guests came on day trips, mostly from cruise-ships in Flåm. From the mid-1980ies a new trend developed in the area, biking on the old road along the Bergen Railway. Gradually, the road got the name the Rallar road (Rallarvegen). The traffic increased from only 200 bikers in 1989 to 20 000 in 1997.
As the summer traffic increased there was a reduction in number of guests in the winter. The skiers sought for the larger alpine ski centres with bigger challenges. As the traffic decreased the ski-lift, set up in 1978, came to a standstill. Anyway, there was still some activity at the hotel. In winters with heavy snowfall, bringing the trains to a halt, passengers as well as rail-road workers found shelter from the snow and wind in the hotel. Many sandwiches were prepared by the hotel staff early in the morning as well as late at night.
In 1998, Jannet Aksnes, the daughter of Kjell Arne and Rigmor, took over the management of the hotel. She ran the hotel together with Jorunn Stokseth until 2001, when Jannet`s parents took over again. In 2005, Jannet came back and acted as managing director of the hotel until 2018. The summer time is still the main season, and many cyclists come in the period July–September. In the busiest part of the season there are some 11 people working from early in the morning till late at night to make the visitors feel at home.
From time to time it has been difficult to run the hotel. But although the hotel has been threatened by a closing of the railway line, by difficulties regarding transportation of goods and litter and by high electricity tariffs, we have entered the 115th year of management. The motto is: “What doesn`t kill you, makes you stronger”.
Nice Family Meals photos
Check out these family meals images:
Nags Head 2012 Memoirs 71 – The Pier
Image by Counselman Collection
Our son and daughter-in-law chose this location for this year’s spring trip to the Outer Banks of North Carolina, putting us right on the ocean front beach. It was a great location right beside Jeanette’s Pier, and the weather was so sunny. There were some windy days that made the waves all that much better. Besides our family from Ohio, we had friends visiting from several Congregations neighboring ours, plus a family that drove from mid-Texas and another from Indiana. As usual, we took turns making meals and it was a great experience with everyone fellowshipping and working together peacefully. Yes, I had one conference call with World Headquarters I did not want to miss, but it was still total relaxation. I tried to go a whole day without touching a camera, but then I got the shakes, and I just had to grab a camera and start snapping again; when you are hooked, you are hooked. To see photos from our past visits to Nags Head see the set of photos in our Travel Collection called Nags Head Memoirs; they are all dated.
www.flickr.com/photos/counselman/sets/1707339/
2013 – 3rd Annual Flyfest
Image by Project Healing Waters Fly Fishing – Northern VA
More than 65 people attended the Third Annual PHWFF Flyfest held at Harman’s North Fork Cottages in Cabins, W.Va., Dec. 6-8. The event was hosted by the PHWFF Fort Belvoir and PHWFF Quantico Programs and more than 35 Warriors and several family members from seven different PHWFF programs fished 1 ¾ miles of the private access trophy trout stream during the three-day weekend trip.
In attendance during the weekend were Volunteer Guides and Warriors from the two local programs in addition to members from programs in Martinsburg, West Va.; Richmond, Va.; Atlanta, Ga.; Winchester, Va.; and Hunter Holmes McGuire VA Medical Center, Richmond, Va. For 14 Warriors, it was the first time they had traveled to Harman’s. Also, three professional fly fishing guides/instructors attended and donated their time to the event.
The air temperatures never rose above the upper 30s and often included wind chills in the teens with heavy rain and snow during the weekend’s festivities.
Bigg Riggs Farm, owned by Calvin Riggleman, an Iraq Marine combat Veteran and small farmer from Loom, W. Va., provided all meals for the three-day event.
Friday and Saturday evenings included Warrior raffles for prizes donated by supporters from around the country. Additionally, three small businesses donated products through the two PHWFF programs’ relationships on social media.
Evenings were filled with various fly tying instruction at different cabins to include wet flies, soft hackle flies, streamers and clouser minnows. Volunteers and professional guides provided the free instruction.
The stream had been recently stocked by Harman’s with rainbow and brown trout, ranging in size from 17 to 20 inches. However, due to extremely heavy rains on Friday, Saturday’s fishing schedule was pushed back and instruction on fly casting and fly tying were held during the morning and early afternoon. Fishing was limited to “shore only” during the afternoon. Even though fishing was limited, Warriors caught fish.
Sunday morning, attendees woke to a winter storm and many left early in the day. Those who were able to stay fished from shore. Five Warriors decided to extend their stay to wait for the storm to pass so they could safely travel home.
(photo submitted by Krista Lutz)
