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Trip summary: Days 9-13
#110487
10/25/2016 07:18 AM
10/25/2016 07:18 AM
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Joined: May 2008
Posts: 702 Lake Texoma, Texas
cruzer
OP
Traveler
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OP
Traveler
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 702
Lake Texoma, Texas
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Composing these reports isn't too difficult, but overcoming sand gravity enough to enter my thoughts becomes more difficult with every passing day. I started this over 24 hours ago, but kept getting distracted. Or sleepy. Or thirsty.
Over the last 5 days we seem to have hit our optimal dining stride, starting the day with the small croissants that GCBC provides, followed by an earlier lunch and then dinner. We tried Grain du Poivre last trip for lunch and returned this trip for dinner. The menu is limited in low season, but very tasty, including the main course accompaniments. I finally got my duck confit. I have added this to my list.
Other restaurants included another lunch special at Le Taitu; goat stew at Le Ti Coin Creole (my favorite goat on the island); a conchless lunch at recently-back-from-vacation L'Escargot; our standard dinner of appetizers at Bistrot Caraibes, whose smoked salmon was better than ever; lunch at Champagne Bistro, accompanied by a bottle of Chardonnay we picked up next door at Select Wine Cellar because Sylvain didn't have a bottle of Pinot Blanc chilled down; Piazza Pascal, and the always excellent grilled squid appetizer; Our standard excellent beef filet with blue cheese sauce and tasty vegetable accompaniments at L'Auberge Gourmand; and, finally a Sunday lunch at Hercules, where they had a guy playing a steel drum and I had the Haitian specialty, Griot, along with accras made with tania instead of flour and a pair of Ti punches to wash it down. If you notice a preoccupation with food and dining, well that's my main reason for coming to this island (Shirley's favorite reason is in the next paragraph, perhaps).
After spending 10 days within a 7 klick radius of Grand Case, we finally ventured over to Philipsburg for the afternoon. Shirley, somehow, found something she didn't already have from Blanc du Nil. Then stopped for some always delicious Guavaberry Coladas, and wondered if they can't fit in another jewelry store on Front Street. Oh, and I thought it would be safe to visit Vince at Royal Jewelers. It wasn't, but Shirley is happy, so who am I to complain.
We decided to visit Carole at her grocery store in Oyster Pond but the store was closed. I hope everything is ok with her, but we'll try to stop by again this Thursday.
Our usual cast of characters gathers one day for wine tasting with Sylvain at Select Wine Cellar. This time we had a bubbly, 3 whites, 3 reds, a dessert wine, and an Armagnac with a selection of cheeses, pates, sausages and breads. IMO, this was the best one yet, even if we didn't start until 6:30.
We still haven't ventured beyond Petite Plage and Grand Case Beach, and probably won't until we relocate next week for 3 nights to Mary's Boon.
Peeve: Cars who pass you, only to take the next turn. Then again, why not?
This is probably a good stopping point.
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Re: Trip summary: Days 9-13
[Re: cruzer]
#110490
10/25/2016 08:26 AM
10/25/2016 08:26 AM
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Joined: Apr 2001
Posts: 14,654 Brookfield, CT.
pat
Traveler
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Traveler
Joined: Apr 2001
Posts: 14,654
Brookfield, CT.
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Sounds like a perfect trip doing what you want when you want and hitting all the high notes but with no particular agenda. Very nice and thank you for taking us along.
Respectfully,
pat
"Always keep your words soft and sweet, just in case you have to eat them."
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Re: Trip summary: Days 9-13
[Re: cruzer]
#110491
10/25/2016 08:39 AM
10/25/2016 08:39 AM
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Joined: Jul 2001
Posts: 7,132 St Louis, MO
SXMNorm
Traveler
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Traveler
Joined: Jul 2001
Posts: 7,132
St Louis, MO
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Thanks for the update. Have a great time.
Next SXM visit -November 2023. Also January 2024.
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Re: Trip summary: Days 9-13
[Re: cruzer]
#110493
10/25/2016 08:57 AM
10/25/2016 08:57 AM
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Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 82,976 Central Florida!
Carol_Hill
Traveler
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Traveler
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 82,976
Central Florida!
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Sounds like some lovely dining experiences! Looking forward to the rest of the story
Carol Hill
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Re: Trip summary: Days 9-13
[Re: cruzer]
#110495
10/25/2016 01:44 PM
10/25/2016 01:44 PM
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Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 97
ib4ut1
Traveler
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Traveler
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 97
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I believe you are the guy who ordered the last Griot so that I didn't get any!!!!! <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Yikes.gif" alt="" /> The gentleman who played the steel drum was really good. We thoroughly enjoyed Hercules and are glad we discovered this neat place. My wife had grilled snapper and I had the ribs. Excellent!
Last edited by ib4ut1; 10/25/2016 02:03 PM.
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Re: Trip summary: Days 9-13
[Re: cruzer]
#110505
10/28/2016 05:10 PM
10/28/2016 05:10 PM
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Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 4,412 Rhode Island
RonDon
Traveler
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Traveler
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 4,412
Rhode Island
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cruzer said: Champagne Bistro and Select Wine Cellar are adjacent to one another in the Orange Grove shopping center, immediately on the left as you make the right turn at the Harley shop on Union road to get to Simpson Bay.
Champagne is open for breakfast and lunch only, M-F. Oh thanks soon much! We had eaten a lunch there a couple of years ago and couldn't remember the name or location (probably because we go to SXM to eat great food at too many places). I remembered it was sort of a shopping center and it was on the left side. Thanks to your help we can now return.
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Re: Trip summary: Days 9-13
[Re: cruzer]
#110506
10/28/2016 10:08 PM
10/28/2016 10:08 PM
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Joined: Apr 2014
Posts: 1,233 Middle Tennessee
TravelHat
Traveler
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Traveler
Joined: Apr 2014
Posts: 1,233
Middle Tennessee
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cruzer said: TravelHat, thanks for the pikliz suggestion. I asked Hercules and he had it for me the next night. By itself, it is a fiery dish but somehow loses the heat when eaten with griot and creates an excellent tasting meal. I doubt I'll ever eat griot without it again.
Hercule seemed to indicate you can order it from him on the spot. That's great, glad you enjoyed. Does he have Barbencort Rum to wash it down?
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