This is not my typical trip report (some of you are breathing a huge sigh of relief right now). I did not take any notes during the vacation, so I'm sure I'll forget a lot of what we did. Here are the highlights:
Flights: As we have done for the past three years, we drove 4 1/2 hours from our home to Charlotte to take advantage of non-stop flights. David whines about this every year, but I still insist it's worth the drive, and actually takes less time than a connecting flight out of Greenville or Raleigh would take. We stopped along the way for lunch, and then again to do some shopping at the Tommy Bahama outlet in Charlotte. We have no decent shopping near us, so the shopping part of the trip is fun. We always go to Portofino's Italian Restaurant for our Bon Voyage dinner; this time we shared a pizza puttanesca which was delicious and way too much for us to eat. We brought the leftovers back to the room for breakfast, but in the morning neither of us wanted it. We stay at the Hampton Inn right by the airport, and the room rate includes ten days of parking, along with the free shuttle to the airport. I had reserved a later flight than usual this year as the price was $100 per ticket less than the earlier flight, so we didn't have to get up as early to get to the airport. I won't make that mistake again, as our flight was delayed an hour, arriving on the island after dark for the first time.
For the past few years we've departed SXM on Friday instead of the Saturday checkout allowed by our timeshare weeks. We like that as we're not rushed to check out on departure day, and the airport is nowhere near the madhouse that it is on Saturdays. Our flight departed on time, but upon arrival in CLT we sat at the gate because immigration was backed up. After about thirty minutes they let us off the plane, but when we arrived at immigration we were told that the Global Entry system was down. CLT has installed kiosks for all passengers, but the standard ones work a bit differently than the GE. When we told the agent we were global entry, she directed us immediately to a vacant kiosk, and after a bit of figuring it out, we got our forms printed and moved on. We were then directed to a very long line. When I told the agent we were Global Entry, he directed us to the crew line, where we still had to wait a bit (with GE, you usually just hold your passport and completed form out and walk by). By the time we got to baggage claim, our bags were waiting for us, so I guess we would have waited one place or the other; still a bit annoying for the system we had paid $100 each for to be down.
As we were walking to ground transportation, I called the Hampton Inn for the shuttle and was told they'd be there "within 30 minutes." WHAT? The hotel is five minutes from the airport, but it truly did take them 30 minutes to get there. Then as we were driving away, the driver got a call from the hotel that another passenger had just called, so she looped around to pick her up. By the time we got to the hotel it was after 8 PM; we had landed right on time at 6:30.
Car Rental: We've rented from Alain Arnell at Triple A for several years, and in spite of our late arrival he was waiting with a smile when we arrived. A short drive to his office and we picked up our car as well as the phone rental from Sharon the Queen. Such a great service she offers to have the phone with the rental car!
Accommodations: We own three weeks at La Vista Beach Resort, all three in the same unit, so we always know what to expect. David dropped me at the office to check in while he drove on down to start unloading. Check-in was so quick that I had accomplished that and walked to our unit before he had the first load to the bottom of the steps. We noticed new bedspreads in our unit to replace the white ones they had put in last year. I was pretty sure white wouldn't last long, and these new, brightly printed ones are prettier and will definitely hold up better. Other than that, the interior of the unit was as we remembered it from last year, with no real renovations needed to be comfortable. In the morning light we saw that the exterior had fresh paint, but the most notable improvement is the complete replacement of the pool deck, and its extension over to where the tiki bar used to be. Such a great improvement!
Groceries: Of course, our essentials had been delivered and put away by Jeannie, as usual. Even though we were in a rush upon arrival and didn't have that first beer with the "aah" moment on the balcony, it was nice that everything was there, especially the next morning when all my breakfast goodies were there while we unpacked. Except the coffee that I forgot to order!! Thankfully David ran down to Market Garden and got that, so all was well with the world.
Parties: The first party to attend was Elizabeth's (IslandGem) at the Greenhouse. The party started at 5:30 on our arrival day, and we were late! We quickly changed into tropical clothes and walked down the hill to meet our friends. Of course, we encountered a brief rainstorm on the way, but no one seemed to mind that we offered rather wet hugs. Seeing our island friends for the first time always makes us feel like we're finally home again.
Not exactly a party, but we had planned a "Dreamy Beach Day" on our first Sunday, and ended up with a group of at least 15 folks at Dreams. It was an incredibly windy day there, and also quite busy as Sunday always is, but Bruno and his staff made sure we were well taken care of. Our lunch was the typical two- or three- hour island event, with delicious food, great conversation, and plenty of wine.
MJ had set up a Facebook page to help Annie get "out and about", and it proved to be the perfect way for our informal group to make plans. Joyce (Indi) organized a farewell happy hour for Ann and Steve at Marty's Dream Pool Bar the night before they left, and it proved to be a very fun evening. Marty is always the perfect host, the sunset was gorgeous, and of course, island friendships are the best.
During our second week, we were invited to a smaller cocktail party hosted by Brad and Lora Mast (Wofan), at Villa Victoria. This was my first exposure to a true villa on the island, and what a gorgeous place this is! It's waaaaay up a winding road above Princess Heights, and the views from there are absolutely phenomenal. The party was catered by Fabulous Feasts, and the food was just delicious and so plentiful that we didn't need dinner afterwards. Thank you Brad and Lora for including us in your soiree, and it was nice to see you and your friends later in the week at Dreams!
The Saturday after Thanksgiving is always the date for the I Love My Island Dog Benefit, which this year was held at Marty's Dream Pool Bar. The crowd seemed a bit smaller than it has been in the past, but that may have been an illusion due to the openness of the venue. Marty provided great food and drink, in spite of his being under the weather. There were plenty of prizes donated for the raffle, and our own Annie was one of the big winners.
Sharon, the Queen, had a small get-together at Marty's Gyro which included the usual suspects along with some more recent arrivals. Again, the friendships are what make our SXM vacations so special. This was our first visit to Marty's restaurant, and the apps he offered up were quite tasty. It did rain quite hard during the party, but we were safe and dry under cover, and were "entertained" later by the guy who smashed his Audi into a light pole while dashing into the available parking space across the road. Fortunately he wasn't hurt, but I can't say the same for the Audi.
Beaches: One of the greatest things about the island is the variety of her beaches. I prefer those with facilities, so I haven't experienced all of them; but I love each of those that I have. This trip we spent time at Dreams on Nettle Bay, Kakao on Orient, Karakter on Simpson Bay, and Cupecoy. Cupecoy is my exception to the facilities rule, and one day there in a trip is enough for me. The day we went, with Todd and MJ, was a Sunday, and Dany presented his ribs and chicken with rice and beans and salad on plates instead of the usual styrofoam clamshell. Fancy beach service, with food brought right to our chairs, and rum punch served to us while we were relaxing in the tidal pools.
Sargasso seaweed was the story of the beaches this trip. Orient was pretty much inundated with it for the entire time we were there. Even though they cleaned it up every night, it was back the following morning, and nothing could be done about it. I know many people avoided Orient for that reason, but we chose not to let it bother us, as we know the businesses there need our support. We took our usual walks, even though they weren't quite as easy or as pleasant as they would have been without the seaweed. The seaweed traveled along the beach, one day it would be heavier at the Club O end, and the next day Club O was totally clean as the seaweed migrated northward. One day we actually watched it moving northward along the beach. We're not water folks, so that wasn't a problem for us, but I can understand those who like to get in the ocean being turned off by the volume of seaweed in the water close to shore.
Nettle Bay at Dreams had less seaweed than Orient, but it was still there most days that we went. I think it was our last time there that we saw very little. Simpson Bay beach was spared any at all until after we left, when Annie reported that it was now coming in there. I think that's about the same time I heard reports that it had left Orient.
Beach service at Kakao is just as great as always. We were welcomed as regulars, and Nicolas always had front row chairs for us, even on more crowded days. GP's bloody Mary at the KO bar is just as good as I remembered, as is the conversation.
At Dreams, Bruno has hired Jean, formerly of J&J Good Times, which unfortunately had a short life. The first day we went there, Jean seemed a bit disconnected, but the next times he was extremely efficient and attentive. His beach service is definitely a great addition to the venue. As is their bartender, Thibault. I think that's how it's spelled, but MJ preferred to think it must be Tebow, and wore her orange swimsuit there more than once in the hopes of having her picture taken with him. He was particularly great in helping us to celebrate Todd's diving feat on our last day there, providing not only a reliable and unbiased witness to the victory, but also delicious cocktails to mark the accomplishment. If the Green Bay is on the menu when you go, you must try it!
Karakter: Karakter hasn't changed at all, right up to the uncomfortable chairs and ratty umbrellas. So why do we still go there several times during our trip? Because the beach is one of the most beautiful on the island, the beach service is fabulous, with drinks and wine served in real glass right on the beach, and delicious food in the restaurant. Who would think this could all be accomplished out of a converted bus, but they do it, and it's consistently good. Parking isn't a problem if you arrive before 10, and you might even get an umbrella if you're there that early. Seriously though, I saw a post on Facebook that their new umbrellas have arrived, so things are looking up!
Dining: Believe it or not, we never made it to Grand Case this trip. There are so many great options on the Dutch side now, that we simply ran out of time before we got there, and I honestly don't feel deprived.
In no particular order:
The Palms: We had one meal here with our large group, and another evening with just apps for David and myself. Greg and his parents provide such hospitality and the food is tasty and plentiful. Our group shared Pao, Hummus and Tabouli for apps, and then David and I split an order of Greg's delicious drunken ribs. Annie ordered that by herself, and took home a huge doggie bag. Todd and Katie shared their ribs and spicy lasagna (another of Greg's specialties). I can't remember what MJ and Ann shared something (chicken maybe?) and I'm pretty sure Steve had a steak. Afterwards Ann insisted that we try the carrot cake, so we passed that around the table, and yes, it was delicious!
On the evening that David and I went for apps, we were early and got there before the restaurant got busy, so Greg was able to join us for a while. What great conversation about his recent trip to Japan, and experiences he has in running his restaurant. These are just great people, and it's so much fun to see them year after year.
Dreams: Our Thanksgiving tradition has become a beach day at Dreams with our dearest friends, Todd and MJ. This year their daughter Katie was there as well, and joined us along with Annie. A bit later David and Elizabeth (IslandGem) arrived, so our table was expanded to seat the eight of us. We had a lovely beach day and delicious meals with plenty of wine and great conversation.
We had three or four (ok, maybe even five) more days at Dreams, each of which included a delicious lunch. David loves their rotisserie chicken, and I tried several different things, the lobster pizza (like lobster bisque on a thin pizza crust), lobster salad, bun bo salad (this was my Thanksgiving dinner), carpaccio de poissons, and shrimp brochette. I was a bit disappointed this year that the fabulous fresh snapper that I had enjoyed last year was never on the specials board, but that's just another reason to go back next year.
Byblos: We were introduced to Byblos last year when Lotsan (CaribbeanScout) had a party there, so a repeat meal there was a must. This time it was just the "Fabulous Four", Todd and MJ along with David and myself, and we had a lovely meal of assorted appetizers along with a couple of bottles of Bordeaux. I think there may have been martinis involved as well, in fact I'm sure of that. Even though we couldn't eat everything and had to resort to doggie bags, we had to finish the meal with Jacob's fabulous baklava, which proved to be a fun theme for the rest of the trip. After our last night dinner with the Benners at Lal's, we returned to Byblos for dessert as well as baklava to go. Jacob remembered that I had come in one evening before they even opened to get some baklava to go, and asked us to try a delicious sweet cheese dessert. I didn't pick up on the name, but Google has informed me that it was Halawet el Jibn. I'm not sure I'd be able to pass up the baklava for anything else, but it certainly was tasty! Maybe one of each as we did that evening.
Karakter: We had two or three meals there. The menu hasn't changed in a couple of years, but why would it? The food is consistently good, and there's enough variety for everyone. David and I shared the Taste for Two once, I had the French Karakter (an endive salad with pears and blue cheese); sadly I can't remember what I had the last time there, but I'm sure it was a lighter entree as we were planning on dinner out that night.
Avantika: This new Thai restaurant is located in the Puerta del Sol building in Simpson Bay. The three Benners, two Langstons, and Annie dined there one evening at the recommendation of our Thai food expert, Lotsan. Having dined at a Thai restaurant with her in the past, I knew her talent for ordering for the table, so I enlisted her help before we went, and came armed with our complete order ready for our server. Family style is the best way to enjoy Thai, and Lotsan's choices certainly didn't disappoint. I had been concerned that what she suggested would be too much food, but in the end we actually ended up ordering three desserts to share, so it was the perfect amount for our hungry group. Our only complaint, if you can even call it that, is that the food could have been a bit spicier. We ordered it medium, and it was more what I would call mild; next time we'll know. I couldn't begin to tell you what we had, but it was the perfect variety of appetizers, fried rice, a noodle dish, and curry, with varied meats and seafoods.
Hidden Forest Cafe: This is the restaurant at the Loterie Farm, and David and I had never been there. Our group of five (Todd and MJ, Annie, and David and myself) went up there one evening for cocktails in the lounge and dinner in the restaurant. The drive up was a bit harrowing (I'm a wimp about such things, so take this with several grains of salt), but once we got there the place was spectacular. The lounge is quite nice, all nestled in the treetops as it is, and surprisingly, there were no mosquitoes at all. We arrived during happy hour, but since we knew we'd be having wine with dinner, we shared two-for-one drinks. I have to say that my dirty martini was probably the worst I have ever had in my life. Next time I'll be sure to tell them no vermouth, as this tasted more like vermouth than gin. About the same time that we finished our drinks, the hostess came in to tell us our table was ready, and we moved into the dining room. We shared a plate of various appetizers, which was quite good. Todd and I each ordered the filet, and it was delicious and perfectly cooked on the rare side of medium-rare. Annie had shrimp in a green curry coconut sauce, which the waitress was quick to point out was VERY SPICY! We got quite the laugh out of her worrying that the food would be too hot for the little old lady; she definitely didn't know our Annie! MJ had a chicken dish with spinach which she said was divine, and although she offered me a taste I declined as I was very happy with my steak. David's five-spice duck was a little sweeter than he would have liked, but it must have been pretty good as he cleaned his plate. Us gals took home doggie bags. The drive down was nowhere near as harrowing as the one up; might have had something to do with the two bottles of Bordeaux we shared with the meal. One thing I already miss about France is the excellent Bordeaux.
Kakao: It's no secret that Kakao is my favorite place on Orient, and to be honest, this year our best meal of the trip was there. On Fridays they usually have fresh fish, and we were lucky enough to be there when they had fresh whole sea bream. The chef grills the fish to perfection, and it's served whole with a delicious burre blanc and all of those little veggie garnishes that I love so much about French cuisine. Washed down with a bottle of nicely chilled Sancerre and, as I always say at least once while we're dining there, "It gets no better." Other meals we enjoyed there included the endive salad with apples and blue cheese, grilled snapper filets, grilled triggerfish, and a crab and shrimp stuffed chicken roulade. On the day we had the whole fish, we were completely stuffed after our meals, when they brought around a tray of dessert offerings, and in spite of our full tummies, we ordered the cafe gourmande to share. Four small sweet offerings with a double espresso were the perfect ending to the meal, and it was brilliant on their part to bring the tray to each table rather than asking if we wanted to see the dessert offerings. I noticed that every single table ordered dessert while we were there. I didn't see them do that again on subsequent visits, but they added $10 to every check that day!
Lal's: I think we've started another tradition, and that's to join Todd and MJ at Lal's for their last dinner on the island. Lal is more than a restaurateur to them, he's a long-time friend, so we're seated at a table on the rail right next to the bar where Lal joins us periodically and regales us with stories. Since they frequent the restaurant more than we do, we let them order for the table and we weren't disappointed with the apps and entrees they chose. The heat level was just right, and Lal makes something for them that's not even on the menu. Sadly I don't remember the name of that, but maybe Todd will chime in here. I do remember the chicken tikka and chicken tikka masala were delicious, as were the spinach chicken and garlic naan. Next time I'll take MJ's lead and order mine with extra garlic. It was after this meal that we went to Byblos for dessert, and enjoyed two orders of baklava and a bottle of Bordeaux.
Hideaway at La Vista: We rarely go there for dinner, but one breakfast there is a tradition. This year was no exception, and we enjoyed our annual conversation with our dear friend Peter. I always have the Spanish omelet, made extra spicy, and David enjoys the French toast. Both are delicious, and the service is excellent.
St. Maarten Yacht Club: David is not a breakfast eater, so usually I just scramble a couple of eggs in the room for breakfast, but about once a week or so I can talk him into breakfast at the Yacht Club. This is always timed with the 9:30 bridge opening, and watching the mega-yachts enter the lagoon is great entertainment. On our first visit this trip there were no yachts, but the next two times we were treated to the view. Their bloody Marys are advertised as "Probably the best Bloody Mary on the Island", and I agree. (Sorry GP, yours is the best on the beach, though!!). I'm an eggs benedict fan, but the two times I had those here I wasn't impressed with the sauce, so MJ suggested I try the Eggs Norwegian. Wow! Perfectly poached eggs atop a slice of smoked salmon served on a toasted English muffin and topped with a creamy dill sauce. My new favorite breakfast on the island!
Chez Benner: We spent a lovely evening on Todd and MJ's huge balcony at Porto Cupecoy. The moon rose over the lagoon as we were enjoying pate on slices of baguette along with various meats, cheeses, and crackers, and of course, a couple of bottles of Bordeaux. The simplest of meals shared with special friends, and one of the most memorable of the vacation.
On the days when we had our main meal midday at one beach or another, we generally just had cheese, crackers, fruit, and wine for dinner on our balcony at La Vista Beach. Sometimes we went out and had just cocktails and appetizers at one place or another. One Saturday we walked down to Buccaneer Beach Bar to meet up with Bill and Elaine, who had been off island for most of our trip this year, and had a nice evening listening to the live music and chatting with them along with, of course, Todd, MJ, and Annie.
Shopping: I'm not a shopper. Period. But I do enjoy browsing through gourmet food and wine shops, so I was excited to hear from Carole (former owner of L'Estaminet restaurant in Grand Case) that she has opened l'Epicerie Gourmande, a gourmet food and wine shop in Oyster Pond, right next to where the old Tabba Khaddy restaurant was. We stopped by one afternoon to visit Carole and sample her wares. Carole is a true wine expert, and she opened a bottle of a delicious white wine made entirely with the Sauvignon Blanc grape. It wasn't Sancerre, but from another region, and unfortunately I can't recall the name now. Perhaps she'll see this and help me with that; I think it started with a "C". We enjoyed the wine while we chatted about her business and the products she'll be offering when she gets all of her stock from Normandy. I wanted a bottle of Bordeaux for an evening we had planned later in the week, and she suggested her favorite which proved to be exactly what was needed with the delicious pates she carries in the store. She was actually quite busy while we were there, with local residents stopping in to pick up a fresh baguette, some meat, and a cold beer to enjoy for lunch on the little table she has set up out front. She plans to offer rotisserie chickens and other prepared foods soon, and we wish her the best.
One day we went to Philipsburg to meet Gary and Belinda (WBLcouple) off their cruise. We picked up Annie a bit early with the intention of walking the boardwalk and doing some shopping along the way to Honky Tonk (where we were meeting for lunch), but it was incredibly hot with no breeze at all, so we just wended our way to the restaurant and escaped to the shade for a cold drink or two. Gary and Belinda arrived right on time, along with their friends Rayna and Paul (TTOLers, but I don't know their screen name), and we were shortly joined by Bill and Elaine, and Barbara. We had a lovely time, and the food was actually pretty good! I had a Greek salad and David had a jerk chicken wrap which was huge, and served with delicious French fries. But the best thing was the frozen vodka lemonade, which was delightfully cold on this very hot day. I wish I knew our server's name, because he was so very good to our large and pretty demanding group. The only negative about this place is the music, which is very loud and made it harder to converse. I joked that I was going to tell Simon that Annie said the music was too loud.
Anyway, after we left, I looked for the Elements glass jewelry store, which I had read about either on TTOL or Facebook. It's on Front Street near Antoine's restaurant, and sells handmade glass jewelry that is quite unique. The artist is from South Africa, and the staff in the store is extremely friendly and helpful. I picked up a necklace and earrings that I'm sure I'll enjoy for a long time. I got the feeling that the man behind the cash register is the artist's husband, although I could be wrong about that. The prices are quite reasonable and the pieces are beautiful. That, and a pair of ridiculously expensive toenail clippers, was the extent of my shopping in Philipsburg this year. I definitely won't forget to pack those again!
Final Observations: Since I didn't take notes this trip, I'm sure I've left out somewhere we went or something we did. I'm actually surprised that this report ended up being as long as it was. Traffic was not as bad as it had been in years past, and I have to believe that the causeway has helped in some small way. Twice on the way back from Marigot the traffic was backed up going into Simpson Bay and we jumped on the causeway to avoid the backup. Another day we got caught in a huge jam coming back from Mary's Boon and we could see that the causeway was also a parking lot, so there was nothing to do but turn around and go have a cocktail at Karakter to wait for the situation to ease.
The seaweed was definitely the worst I've ever seen it, but we never let it affect our plans. After the loss of revenue due to Hurricane Gonzalo, the island needs our business, and we did our best to help!
But without question, the friendships that we have made with other island visitors, as well as local residents and business persons, are what will keep us coming back for many years to come. Until next year!
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