andy
Reged: 10/06/02
Posts: 215
Loc: Englishman in St Barth
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Hi all. Yes I am still alive, but haven't been posting lately, as we've been moving in to a new house, and generally pretty busy.
Thought I'd let you know that my neighbour at the Villa Creole has changed the name to "Bacardi Café" and has done a great decorating job (Cuban style). He's added some great Fajitas to his menu, and enchiladas etc,. I'd highly recommend it there (when its full at the H) lol (BDR)
The piano bar that I mentioned earlier in the year is gradually picking up, (the Glacier Show), regular live music.
Had a great dinner at The Cap Sud, love the new decorations at the Entracte, haven't tried La Vela yet..... will do soon.
Good music at the BAZ bar, Gommier re-opened, good as ever.
Wallhouse still top of the pops.
Matthew has started school.
Manchester United trailing a bit in the Premier League.
Cheers all
Andy
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Mike R
Reged: 05/26/03
Posts: 15742
Loc: Stinson Lake - New Hampshire
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whats the new decor look like at L"Entracte??..amd more importantly...did my license plate make the cut with the new look???..tex mex eh???..I dont know about that..thats heresey here.....mexican restaurants go out of their way in their advertising to say they do not do TexMex
Edited by Mike R (12/12/04 01:36 PM)
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Kara Brooks
Reged: 09/30/02
Posts: 1394
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Only Andy would sing the praises of practically every other restaurant on St. Barths other than his own -- this is why we all love you Andy and why everyone on this site always visits the Hideaway (plus the food is pretty damn good too). In fact, Bob and I had plans to eat at The Hideaway tonight but Bob threw his back out a few days ago necessitating the postponement of our trip. Hope to catch up with you in a few weeks. (Can't believe Matthew is already old enough for school!)
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tim
Moderator
Reged: 06/18/03
Posts: 6004
Loc: Vélo, Virginia, Vitet
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Had a delicous hot goat cheeze salad at the Hideaway last week. Nobody anywhere does it better - at any price. Everyone in our party of six had equally great meals.
One of our French dinner companions was speaking English with quite an accent as he discussed the Hideaway lighting with Andy. When he attempted to say "the lighting will focus on the table", it came out in a too loud voice as "f_ck us on the table." As other diners turned around to see what we were about, Andy was anxiously correcting the pronunciation, "Focus, focus, he said focus!" LOL. A good time was had by all, and Andy was his usual gracious self.
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The best moderation is the least moderation.
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Mike R
Reged: 05/26/03
Posts: 15742
Loc: Stinson Lake - New Hampshire
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I'm not a warm goat cheese salad person, but Wendi says Andys is the best on the island...
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karma is a beautiful thing at times
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bto
Reged: 04/10/03
Posts: 1437
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Miker -
Try a bite of Wendi's next time. It's different from all the others I've tasted in St. Barth. I dream about this salad and my kids even liked it!
Bev
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KevinS
Reged: 07/23/03
Posts: 3416
Loc: Boston
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MikeR and I are of the same school here - I just can't do goat cheese.
I can't do goat either, although I've tried it in every way that I can find - sauteed, roasted, stewed, curried, soup, etc. I used to have a Jamaican secretary in NYC who told me that my problem was that I just wasn't getting good goat. I think that my problem is that I just don't like goat. Or goat cheese.
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KevinS
Reged: 07/23/03
Posts: 3416
Loc: Boston
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I might visit the new Bacardi Cafe if only I could find a place to park at Villa Creole. It is worse than Gustavia!
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Mike R
Reged: 05/26/03
Posts: 15742
Loc: Stinson Lake - New Hampshire
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hmmm...goat???..veal???...goat??...veal????...
I'll go with the veal thank you....LOL/BDR
Wendi just doesnt understand because I love Riccota ( pot cheese for you paisons) so much, I eat it with a spoon right out of the container...but goat cheese, which sort of has the same consistency...I dont like....*shrug*
Edited by Mike R (12/12/04 04:46 PM)
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KevinS
Reged: 07/23/03
Posts: 3416
Loc: Boston
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L' Entracte - Did it have pirates before? While I don't recall it being open when I drove by, there were one or two large painted pirate statues hanging out there. It's becoming clearer now... lots of workmen hard at it and kicking up sawdust too. Or am I remembering the wrong place? On the land side of the harbor, down from La Route des Boucaniers and towards La Cantina, BNP Paribas, and Goldfinger? I know I've been there, but I can't recall the name, and I think it is L'Entracte... It is so sad when you get old and your memory starts to fade...
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Mike R
Reged: 05/26/03
Posts: 15742
Loc: Stinson Lake - New Hampshire
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They go with totally non typical St Barts decor.....totally tacky wacky decor which of course I like for that very reason..they started out with a cowboy/rebel theme....a big ol Chevy truck right up front which was also a dining table....posters of Cuban and American rebel cowboys....tres cool...then he went with a marine theme....big tacky looking sharks he got from Florida....pirates....parrots.....etc..that was kind of cool but I liked the whole rebel theme better.....and as always..he had some kind of wallpaper portraying lesbians going at each other in the Mens room...to include wallpapaer on the toilet seat...that was pretty cool too...but now..I dont know what direction he has gone.....but either way..Im sure its cool...people who go against the grain, and make a statement, and yet still have a great product despite all that, and most of all..dont take themselves so seriously.....like Jean Louis and Andy... rock!!!!
Edited by Mike R (12/12/04 05:33 PM)
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Island Visitor
Reged: 12/19/02
Posts: 10396
Loc: Retraité
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We have only done L'Entracte once but thoroughly enjoyed it. I really could not tell that they were going for a "theme" other than just being casual and kind of cool. It looked like the type of place along a harbor that thirsty sailors would come into for beer and a bite to eat.
Glad to hear that it is open again and we will certainly plan on going there when we are next on the island.
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andynap
Reged: 10/24/02
Posts: 12148
Loc: Philadelphia
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Anybody who wants a rare Chesseburger done differently should try Andy's Beef Carpaccio- outstanding lunch entree.
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Andy -
St. Barts- where no day is ever the same and one day is not enough
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andy
Reged: 10/06/02
Posts: 215
Loc: Englishman in St Barth
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Thanks for all your nice comment, I loved the "focus" on the table, stil laugh at that.
The new Entracte decoration is more soft than usual. White walls, arty pictures but still the same feeling. They have this enormous blue plastic coconut tree outside that lights up from inside at night. You can see it from miles away, definately worth an entry in photo of the month contest. Jean Louis said that he wanted to do a complete change of deco so that everyone would notice, and knowing him it means that in 2 years he'll probably go bananas again. Still same good prices and quality, darn he's even lowered his daily special to €8, can't beat that(and not going to try!)
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Mike R
Reged: 05/26/03
Posts: 15742
Loc: Stinson Lake - New Hampshire
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Thanks for the update Andy..sounds like he has subdued it a bit ( for now - as you said ) but I like the idea of the palm tree....looking forward to eating both there and at your place - as usual
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karma is a beautiful thing at times
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Kara Brooks
Reged: 09/30/02
Posts: 1394
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Quote:
You can see it from miles away, definately worth an entry in photo of the month contest.
This reminds me -- we have a new winner of the Andy's Hideaway Photo of the Month: Latest Winner
Congratulations on winning an all inclusive dinner for two at Andy's Hideaway!
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Kara Brooks
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Marilee
Reged: 10/09/04
Posts: 37
Loc: Pennsylvania
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Wow, Kara! What a great surprise to click the photo of the month link and see our favorite frog! In this photo he was taking a much deserved rest after a shower - with me! We look forward to enjoying our next dinner at Andy's.
Marilee
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rb22
Reged: 10/21/04
Posts: 57
Loc: Redondo Beach, CA
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Hey,
this is scary, 10 years ago parking was not an issue, you've got the little fuzzy hairs up on the back of my neck, is SBH overrun????
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Marilee
Reged: 10/09/04
Posts: 37
Loc: Pennsylvania
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Over run? Well. . . no, but, parking can be a bit of a challenge - especially in St. Jean and Gustavia during the busier times of the day - i.e. late morning (looking for lunch), late afternoon/early evening. I've posted a couple of photos of traffic and some of the parking in St. Jean in the photo gallery here on the site. Here's a link to one - the other is pending approval from Kara before it's available. link
If you find a place that looks like your "car" will fit in it safely, and there are no signs, plastic pylons or lockable barracades (the kind that collapse and are found near Le Piment in St. Jean near Andy's Hideaway) that prohibit parking there, take it!
Bon Voyage!
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Marilee
Reged: 10/09/04
Posts: 37
Loc: Pennsylvania
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rb22 - here's the other link. . .
parking in St. Jean
I'm sure a lot has changed in 10 years but St. Barth's is still Paradise and, in my humble opinion, one of the most beautiful places on earth.
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tim
Moderator
Reged: 06/18/03
Posts: 6004
Loc: Vélo, Virginia, Vitet
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St. Barth est finit, overrun, past tense, last season. It's obvious from reading this forum that nobody who's anybody would be caught dead there.
Luckily for me I'm not nobody who's anybody.
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The best moderation is the least moderation.
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Mike R
Reged: 05/26/03
Posts: 15742
Loc: Stinson Lake - New Hampshire
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Quote:
Hey,
this is scary, 10 years ago parking was not an issue, you've got the little fuzzy hairs up on the back of my neck, is SBH overrun????
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I'd be willing to bet my lunch money that more then a few people will say its overrun next week and the week after..... thankfully it still isnt overrun in May/June yet.....but you'd have to be doing a pretty good impression of a deaf, dumb and blind man to say its not overrun in other times..but then again, some people actually like that sort of thing...Thank God for that or there wouldnt be a low season for others to embelish
Edited by Mike R (12/14/04 09:48 PM)
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BillK
Reged: 10/02/02
Posts: 1376
Loc: Aurora (Toronto) Canada
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We've been travelling to SBH from mid Jan to mid Feb since 93. We've never had a problem parking nor getting reservations (except for Maya's and we don't go there anymore). The restaurants are busy but not crowded. The staff is at full compliment and service is great. Stores are fully stocked and everything is open. I know Eric, Midwest Mike, Carol H, Andynap, Lloyd and many others from the board travel around this time as well and as yet it "ain't" overrun. Xmas New Years seems to be the only time when the island is swamped.
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BillK
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andynap
Reged: 10/24/02
Posts: 12148
Loc: Philadelphia
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I go in January-February because I need a vacation from the cold and ice here. SBH has a "vibe" then and as for crowded it takes 5 minutes to get thru St. Jean- big deal. As BillK says all the restaurants are open and everything is stocked. If you don't like people- don't go.
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Andy -
St. Barts- where no day is ever the same and one day is not enough
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tim
Moderator
Reged: 06/18/03
Posts: 6004
Loc: Vélo, Virginia, Vitet
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SHHHHHHHHH.....
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The best moderation is the least moderation.
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Kara Brooks
Reged: 09/30/02
Posts: 1394
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January (right after the holidays) is actually one of the quieter times on the island and one of our favorite times (we've actually found this time period to be less crowded than June and July). Everything is open and the 70-80 degree swing in temperature on the day you arrive is one of the all time great things (IMHO).
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Kara Brooks
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Mike R
Reged: 05/26/03
Posts: 15742
Loc: Stinson Lake - New Hampshire
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One would actually have to have gone to SBH in May and June and Sept/Oct and also in Dec-March to legitmatelty know the difference between the two and therefore have an opinion based on real experiences, not just hearsay... and on that note I think its great that those who go in Dec/March do go...fantastic...keep the good work up!....LOL...just like I'll encourage all those folks who are having a great time next week in 45 minute lift lines and 2 hour dinner waits, to continue to do that..... I dont want to see those people here in April no more then I want to see the winter crowd in St Barts in June....its all so very.....symbiotic....LOL...
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karma is a beautiful thing at times
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BillK
Reged: 10/02/02
Posts: 1376
Loc: Aurora (Toronto) Canada
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Good point Tim.
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BillK
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Mike R
Reged: 05/26/03
Posts: 15742
Loc: Stinson Lake - New Hampshire
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January right after the holidays is pretty much a good time to go to any winter resort..we are very quiet here for about 10 days....then the you know what hits the fan and its insanity until April
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karma is a beautiful thing at times
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Cheri
Reged: 10/13/02
Posts: 1686
Loc: St. Louis, Missouri
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Quote:
Xmas New Years seems to be the only time when the island is swamped.
This is the same conclusion I have come to. We have been in December (first week), February, and many times in early to mid April. Our friends went the first week of August last year (they said it was way more crowded than they thought it would be). So, I've come to the conclusion that BillK's statement is true. The exception is.....shhhhhh.....when there are cruise ships in. It is then that we definitely see more people. However, the cruise ship leaves and it is back to pretty much solitude with no traffic jams and no problems getting reservations.
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Mikey
Reged: 12/01/02
Posts: 350
Loc: Westhampton Beach, NY
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Overrun??? We have been spent Christmas/New Years on SBH for the last dozen or so years. Yeah, that's the most crowded time for sure but hardly overrun. The worst of it is mid day on the road thru St. Jean going past Tom Beach. Often only one lane can move at a time...but who's in a hurry anyway. It ain't New York in rush hour...and if I get to wherever it is that I am going (beach, villa ,restaurant, shopping about covers it) 5 or 10 minutes earlier or later...so what!!!???
I have always been able to find parking in St. Jean and Gustavia (even on New Years Eve), have always been able to get into my favorite restaurants ('cause I'm flexible on dates...I'll take what's available when its available although I must admit to already having one reservation for Wall House early in our visit. I will book Maya's before leaving home 'cause its still a hot ticket...but that's all. The rest we play by ear and are never disappointed or shut out). Parking at Saline or Gouvernour has never been a problem either, especially since the new car park was built at Gouvernour.
The peak of the rush is 12/24 thru 1/1 or 1/2. The week prior to Christmas is a normal high-season week. The week after New Years sees a significant drop in traffic (except in front of the school in L'Orient...early morning and mid-afternoon). By then the mega-yachts have left the harbor also, the beaches empty considerably and life is wonderful.
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Plus ca change, plus c'est la meme chose.
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Island Visitor
Reged: 12/19/02
Posts: 10396
Loc: Retraité
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More is okay so long as it is more of what St Barts is and not more of what St Barts isn't.
By that, I mean that to date Saline and Gouverneur have not been built up, small and familiar places such as Le Select et al still do a nice business, hotels are boutique in nature and not sprawling 50 story affairs, and "shopping malls" still mean a collection of perhaps a half dozen stores.
St Barts HAS to be more of what it is because more of us want what it is.
That does not mean it must become more of what it is not. As such, until casinos go up and somebody builds a twenty story hotel or beach bars crowd each other out on Saline or they raze all the land across from the airport and build a megamall, then it seems that the basic model has not changed. Just as a human child grows up to be a human adult, St Barts has become more of what it was, not a totally new creature.
I realize that there are more villas and restaurants and bars and shops and such on St Barts now than there were Back In The Day. But more means more choices. Those who like Le Select dont have to do La Gaiac. And those who want to dine at Eden Rock as Garbo used to do can. Nikki Beach is not mandatory.
With no golf courses, no casinos, no Megamall, no "tourist sites", no giant resorts or such, St Barts strikes me as being about as laidback and simple as a place can be and still offer air conditioning and great vittles.
We can always go to Les Saintes, PSV, Mustique, Bequia, Cayman Brac or a dozen other places if we want to do the "Stranded on a desserted island" thing. For me, "France Lite" sans La Tour Eiffel mais avec beaucoup des plages est parfait.
Mais, c'est seulement moi...
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Cheri
Reged: 10/13/02
Posts: 1686
Loc: St. Louis, Missouri
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As usual, IV says it best. A powerful closing statement for all you lawyers out there......LOL
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andynap
Reged: 10/24/02
Posts: 12148
Loc: Philadelphia
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Quote: " A powerful closing statement for all you lawyers out there"
Really?
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Andy -
St. Barts- where no day is ever the same and one day is not enough
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Midwest Mike
Reged: 10/01/02
Posts: 786
Loc: Hawkeye Heaven
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A traffic jam in St. Jean may mean a 10 car backup...usually happens when someone is trying to turn to go up the hill to VSJ,Tropical, or a villa...a 1-2 minute wait doesn't bother me. I'm like Andy...nice to break up the winter. Would rather go skiing over spring break when it is warmer in Colorado...although we don't ski as much anymore...skiing is work and I like laying around way too much.
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Mike R
Reged: 05/26/03
Posts: 15742
Loc: Stinson Lake - New Hampshire
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Re: Parking
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