CaribbeanSoul
SBH Insider
Time flies when you're having fun, and this trip certainly lived up to the saying.
After a morning by the pool with another bottle of champagne, we headed to Sand Bar for lunch. We had not had much luck there at dinner, so we thought lunch deserved a chance. I already posted about that experience, so I won't rehash it here. The highlight was meeting Chad and Shae, owners of our favorite jewelry boutique in Cruz Bay, St. John. If you're reading this, hello, and hopefully we'll see you again next January on STJ!
After lunch it was back to the villa for more sun, pool time, and libations while we started working through what was left in the refrigerator. For our final dinner, we returned to La Casina. It is right down the hill from the villa and had been consistently good on our previous visits. We briefly considered Barry or Pablo, but with a November trip planned near L'Isola, we decided to stay on the St. Jean side one last time. November will be a different experience with so many Gustavia restaurants within walking distance. We are already looking forward to revisiting some favorites.
At La Casina, I ordered the Branzino Alla Plancha, Kimberly had the Penne al Ragu, and we shared an arugula salad that was thoughtfully split onto two plates. Everything was very good and the service was excellent once again.
Sunday arrived, our last full day. Earlier in the week we decided one more visit to Nikki Beach would be the perfect way to end the trip. We were seated at a high top next to the DJ booth, which turned out to be ideal for people watching. We love the chaos. Kimberly calls it the happiest place on earth, and it is hard to argue with her. If you can't be happy at Nikki Beach, I am not sure what to tell you.
Kimberly joined in the fun with some ladies from Washington, DC and later with the saxophone player. It was a great afternoon and a fitting finish to our anniversary trip. We shared the sashimi platter and summer salad, while Kimberly also ordered the wahoo roll and gyozas. Before leaving, we ordered Chicken Satay and Crying Tiger Beef with noodles to take back to the villa. Both were outstanding later that evening.
Then came Monday, otherwise known as "sad plane day." Vincent, the only VIP service we use, arrived promptly to handle our bags and passports. We spent a few minutes enjoying the view and chatting about the villa, including some interesting stories about Irma, the pool renovation, and the villa's famous owner. If you are considering VIP service, I cannot recommend Premium VIP highly enough.
Our connection in SXM was tight, so the expedited service was invaluable. Phil, our SXM handler for the past several years, once again worked his magic, and we made it to the gate just in time for boarding. I will also give another shout out to Gumbs. Our Mini Cooper rental experience was excellent from start to finish.
That wraps up another visit to our treasured island. We never take for granted being able to return a couple of times each year. St. Barth is a special place for us and will continue to be for years to come.
Now it's time to look ahead. We are off to the BVI in a few weeks, so there is another adventure on the horizon. My best to all of the forum members and guests who followed along!
After a morning by the pool with another bottle of champagne, we headed to Sand Bar for lunch. We had not had much luck there at dinner, so we thought lunch deserved a chance. I already posted about that experience, so I won't rehash it here. The highlight was meeting Chad and Shae, owners of our favorite jewelry boutique in Cruz Bay, St. John. If you're reading this, hello, and hopefully we'll see you again next January on STJ!
After lunch it was back to the villa for more sun, pool time, and libations while we started working through what was left in the refrigerator. For our final dinner, we returned to La Casina. It is right down the hill from the villa and had been consistently good on our previous visits. We briefly considered Barry or Pablo, but with a November trip planned near L'Isola, we decided to stay on the St. Jean side one last time. November will be a different experience with so many Gustavia restaurants within walking distance. We are already looking forward to revisiting some favorites.
At La Casina, I ordered the Branzino Alla Plancha, Kimberly had the Penne al Ragu, and we shared an arugula salad that was thoughtfully split onto two plates. Everything was very good and the service was excellent once again.
Sunday arrived, our last full day. Earlier in the week we decided one more visit to Nikki Beach would be the perfect way to end the trip. We were seated at a high top next to the DJ booth, which turned out to be ideal for people watching. We love the chaos. Kimberly calls it the happiest place on earth, and it is hard to argue with her. If you can't be happy at Nikki Beach, I am not sure what to tell you.
Kimberly joined in the fun with some ladies from Washington, DC and later with the saxophone player. It was a great afternoon and a fitting finish to our anniversary trip. We shared the sashimi platter and summer salad, while Kimberly also ordered the wahoo roll and gyozas. Before leaving, we ordered Chicken Satay and Crying Tiger Beef with noodles to take back to the villa. Both were outstanding later that evening.
Then came Monday, otherwise known as "sad plane day." Vincent, the only VIP service we use, arrived promptly to handle our bags and passports. We spent a few minutes enjoying the view and chatting about the villa, including some interesting stories about Irma, the pool renovation, and the villa's famous owner. If you are considering VIP service, I cannot recommend Premium VIP highly enough.
Our connection in SXM was tight, so the expedited service was invaluable. Phil, our SXM handler for the past several years, once again worked his magic, and we made it to the gate just in time for boarding. I will also give another shout out to Gumbs. Our Mini Cooper rental experience was excellent from start to finish.
That wraps up another visit to our treasured island. We never take for granted being able to return a couple of times each year. St. Barth is a special place for us and will continue to be for years to come.
Now it's time to look ahead. We are off to the BVI in a few weeks, so there is another adventure on the horizon. My best to all of the forum members and guests who followed along!
