Bart -my real name-
Senior Insider
This is an excerpt from a trip report that I'm writing that I'm quickly losing steam on, but I wanted to post something on this strange day of contrasts. I think I've figured out the answer to the question that is "Sunday?"
Sunday, December 8[SUP]th[/SUP] 2013
It was again cloudy, windy and rainy in the morning but soon it just turned to cloudy and windy. It was off to Le Gaiac for brunch at 11. We did this same brunch 4 years ago to the day and we loved it then, but this time around it was much, much better. There were endless varieties of seafood……rolls, wraps, ceviche, capriccio (3 different types), fresh oysters, seafood salad, little “shot glasses” filled with seafood and fruit combinations, seafood and veggie combinations, shrimp cocktails and tempura, half langouste (for an extra charge), etc, etc. They also had some regular (and more exotic salads) of course a huge dessert table with probably 20 different types of little bites.
Also new for us this year was the addition of live music……a guitar player and bass player. A very nice touch that really completed the picture. (As an aside, the guy looked just like Rodriguez from “Searching For Sugarman” and even did the song “I Wonder”). All of the food was wonderful, but the seafood was the star and all of it could be “tongue-chewed”. I tried on all of it and if you had no teeth, you could still “chew” it with your tongue. It was that tender!
All this (including a bottle of wine) came to 156 euro. A bargain compared to the 233 we dropped at L’Sola the night before (also with a bottle of wine) and the setting was much nicer. I can’t imagine a better way to start a Sunday on St. Barts than the Le Gaiac brunch.
After this major feed, we needed to walk it off a bit before taking to the roads again so we walked up the hill/driveway/road above Le Toiny and kept going until we ran out of land. Off to the left we had views of Petite Cul-de-Sac, GCDS and Marigot - - again, a big surprise to see that view when coming around the bend. Off to the left and up, up, up we came to a runway for model airplanes stretching from a cliff above the sea on one end to a very steep hillside on the other. Very strange and unexpected!
Then it was over to Nikki Beach for the Bikini Brunch(?)…..some type of party where we met Charlotte (ccg) and Bill (gilbe006). The party was in full swing when we got there and shortly thereafter people were dancing on tables. There was a woman walking around giving (charging for) shoulder massages, there was a fashion show happening, there was a DJ cranking 70’s and 80’s tunes, and there were costume changes by the waitresses (including Supergirl, and leopards and tigers, complete with ears and tails). At some point the music stopped and some older gentleman proposed to his girlfriend, she accepted and the next thing you knew, one of the waitresses was pouring champagne over her shoulder from a 9 liter bottle! The contrast between this scene and Le Gaiac was startling, but fun.
We hung around until the party wound down and then decided to walk St. Jean beach. A bunch of people were tearing it up windsurfing in the high winds at dusk and by the time we got to the end it had pretty much transitioned into night. On the way back we stopped at Emerald Plage, a place we’d never been, but it looked inviting all lit up and bright on a semi-stormy night. There was a foursome there who was ordering drinks and one of the guys ordered champagne so we did the same. We chatted with them a little and one of them, Phil, was a forum lurker (who promised he’d start posting soon!). Anyhow, we got another two glasses and decided it was time to move on. I asked the bartender where the bathroom was and he said they didn’t have one! Ouch. We asked for the bill……..48 euro for 4 glasses of champagne! Double ouch!!! This will likely my first and last visit to Emerald Plage!
The foursome (Phillip, Nancy, Patrick and Lisa) took pity on us and invited us back to their place at Emerald Plage for some more wine and for the use of the bathroom, so we went. We had a great time meeting these folks from Nashville and ended up killing a few bottles of wine (there were 6 of us!) and after a while we headed off to Andy’s for dinner. A great time was had by all and hopefully they’ll start posting soon.
So ends a perfect Sunday in not so perfect weather on St. Barts.
Sunday, December 8[SUP]th[/SUP] 2013
It was again cloudy, windy and rainy in the morning but soon it just turned to cloudy and windy. It was off to Le Gaiac for brunch at 11. We did this same brunch 4 years ago to the day and we loved it then, but this time around it was much, much better. There were endless varieties of seafood……rolls, wraps, ceviche, capriccio (3 different types), fresh oysters, seafood salad, little “shot glasses” filled with seafood and fruit combinations, seafood and veggie combinations, shrimp cocktails and tempura, half langouste (for an extra charge), etc, etc. They also had some regular (and more exotic salads) of course a huge dessert table with probably 20 different types of little bites.
Also new for us this year was the addition of live music……a guitar player and bass player. A very nice touch that really completed the picture. (As an aside, the guy looked just like Rodriguez from “Searching For Sugarman” and even did the song “I Wonder”). All of the food was wonderful, but the seafood was the star and all of it could be “tongue-chewed”. I tried on all of it and if you had no teeth, you could still “chew” it with your tongue. It was that tender!
All this (including a bottle of wine) came to 156 euro. A bargain compared to the 233 we dropped at L’Sola the night before (also with a bottle of wine) and the setting was much nicer. I can’t imagine a better way to start a Sunday on St. Barts than the Le Gaiac brunch.
After this major feed, we needed to walk it off a bit before taking to the roads again so we walked up the hill/driveway/road above Le Toiny and kept going until we ran out of land. Off to the left we had views of Petite Cul-de-Sac, GCDS and Marigot - - again, a big surprise to see that view when coming around the bend. Off to the left and up, up, up we came to a runway for model airplanes stretching from a cliff above the sea on one end to a very steep hillside on the other. Very strange and unexpected!
Then it was over to Nikki Beach for the Bikini Brunch(?)…..some type of party where we met Charlotte (ccg) and Bill (gilbe006). The party was in full swing when we got there and shortly thereafter people were dancing on tables. There was a woman walking around giving (charging for) shoulder massages, there was a fashion show happening, there was a DJ cranking 70’s and 80’s tunes, and there were costume changes by the waitresses (including Supergirl, and leopards and tigers, complete with ears and tails). At some point the music stopped and some older gentleman proposed to his girlfriend, she accepted and the next thing you knew, one of the waitresses was pouring champagne over her shoulder from a 9 liter bottle! The contrast between this scene and Le Gaiac was startling, but fun.
We hung around until the party wound down and then decided to walk St. Jean beach. A bunch of people were tearing it up windsurfing in the high winds at dusk and by the time we got to the end it had pretty much transitioned into night. On the way back we stopped at Emerald Plage, a place we’d never been, but it looked inviting all lit up and bright on a semi-stormy night. There was a foursome there who was ordering drinks and one of the guys ordered champagne so we did the same. We chatted with them a little and one of them, Phil, was a forum lurker (who promised he’d start posting soon!). Anyhow, we got another two glasses and decided it was time to move on. I asked the bartender where the bathroom was and he said they didn’t have one! Ouch. We asked for the bill……..48 euro for 4 glasses of champagne! Double ouch!!! This will likely my first and last visit to Emerald Plage!
The foursome (Phillip, Nancy, Patrick and Lisa) took pity on us and invited us back to their place at Emerald Plage for some more wine and for the use of the bathroom, so we went. We had a great time meeting these folks from Nashville and ended up killing a few bottles of wine (there were 6 of us!) and after a while we headed off to Andy’s for dinner. A great time was had by all and hopefully they’ll start posting soon.
So ends a perfect Sunday in not so perfect weather on St. Barts.
