. . . that’s what I would call it. Just before “holiday season” begins . . . a period when “low season” rates still are in place. Colorful and growing social activity . . . restaurants & shops have re-opened after the annual holiday hiatus. Proprietors and staff are refreshed, smiling, and eager . . . temperatures are pleasant, and the rain mostly falls at night! A winning combination.
My visit is a brief one . . . only to Thursday. How can anyone, however, forego an opportunity for even a brief time on our favorite island?
My arrival, nonetheless, was out of sync for my usual travel patterns. That is, I arrived on a Sunday – late afternoon, which I never recall doing (in 38 years!). I was surprised, thus, to find Marche U closed . . . Jojo’s closed . . . and an unfamiliar calm as I drove from the airport to Marigot Bay.
The tranquility, by the way, was in contrast to my flight from SJU to SBH . . . which was quite a bumpy ride, almost entirely engulfed in grey clouds. For anyone old enough to remember Rod Serling, it was 60 minutes from “The Twilight Zone.” Finally, at 4:55, I said to myself . . . “well, it’s time to see SBH.” Sure enough, the winged chariot securing my safety dipped below the clouds – Gustavia only a fleeting scene as we seized the runway, using every inch of it to the end (with a gratifying sense of the pilots being in total control!). An innervating experience.
The Villa yielded a sufficient quantity of vodka to provide a welcoming drink . . . and a dip in the pool told me that I was “home!” Then . . . on to Santa Fe for dinner with close island friends. Expecting that I would have its famous “Dover Sole,” I – instead – succumbed to Manu’s recommendation of fresh local Yellowtail Tuna. With mashed potatoes and a wonderful puree’d tomato sauce (“gilding the lilly,” we added frites on the side), I didn’t think again about my longing for Dover Sole.
. . . until tonight. It was a special item for dinner at Maya’s, so I went with my instinct. A great choice! The evening was beautiful, with a couple of large, attractive (some, by contrast, are gross in size & proportions) cruise ships beautifully illuminated at the entrance to the harbor. The small, dimly lit “tenders” ferrying passengers back to their mother ships were images of romance . . . reminding me of summers past when I used to watch (and sometimes ride) “water taxis” carrying happy partygoers from town to town along the bay at Fire Island.
Both restaurants were “packed” . . . testimony to my earlier comment on the bustling activity that has become associated with this “shoulder season.”
Breakfast saw me at one of my favorite spots – Le Jardin, next to Marche U. Always fluffy scrambled eggs, with a great pot of hot tea.
La Gloriette was a full house for lunch (fortunately, unlike Bart’s rainy visit on Sunday . . . it was a gloriously sunny afternoon). Returning to the Villa . . . there were some phone calls, emails to answer, and sufficient time for a nap. Such a luxury is rarely known away from SBH.
Today’s pleasure only was diminished by a falling tree . . . a beautiful, old Flamboyant tree at our parking area fell during the night – a casualty of the rain-soaked ground (“arboreal suicide,” as noted by a neighbor). Taking down (but not breaking) an electric power cable . . . and blocking most of the road . . . it got early morning attention from our gardener and his team of chainsaw wielding helpers. Now . . . on the BRIGHT side (pun intended), we have a new vista of Mt. Vitet that has been concealed for many years. A silver lining.
On my way home last night, by the way, I stopped at Tamarin for an after dinner beverage with owner Paco (his wife, Julie, was at home with their young son). The place was busy . . . though not frenetic. Patrons lingered late into the evening, soaking-up good company and the beauty of the restaurant’s exquisite landscaping and nighttime illumination. All the testimonials offered about the restaurant are well deserved.
Tomorrow: I'm thinking breakfast at O'Corail (also great eggs!). Meetings . . . lunch at my “office” . . . an afternoon nap (maybe a chance to crack-open a recent gift, a book about the personal relationship between FDR & Churchill) . . . an early evening business meeting . . . then dinner. Not sure where . . . right now, I’m thinking Eddy’s.
The Mellow Season . . . it certainly is proving to be an appropriate description for my visit. I wish more of you were here to “play!”
My visit is a brief one . . . only to Thursday. How can anyone, however, forego an opportunity for even a brief time on our favorite island?
My arrival, nonetheless, was out of sync for my usual travel patterns. That is, I arrived on a Sunday – late afternoon, which I never recall doing (in 38 years!). I was surprised, thus, to find Marche U closed . . . Jojo’s closed . . . and an unfamiliar calm as I drove from the airport to Marigot Bay.
The tranquility, by the way, was in contrast to my flight from SJU to SBH . . . which was quite a bumpy ride, almost entirely engulfed in grey clouds. For anyone old enough to remember Rod Serling, it was 60 minutes from “The Twilight Zone.” Finally, at 4:55, I said to myself . . . “well, it’s time to see SBH.” Sure enough, the winged chariot securing my safety dipped below the clouds – Gustavia only a fleeting scene as we seized the runway, using every inch of it to the end (with a gratifying sense of the pilots being in total control!). An innervating experience.
The Villa yielded a sufficient quantity of vodka to provide a welcoming drink . . . and a dip in the pool told me that I was “home!” Then . . . on to Santa Fe for dinner with close island friends. Expecting that I would have its famous “Dover Sole,” I – instead – succumbed to Manu’s recommendation of fresh local Yellowtail Tuna. With mashed potatoes and a wonderful puree’d tomato sauce (“gilding the lilly,” we added frites on the side), I didn’t think again about my longing for Dover Sole.
. . . until tonight. It was a special item for dinner at Maya’s, so I went with my instinct. A great choice! The evening was beautiful, with a couple of large, attractive (some, by contrast, are gross in size & proportions) cruise ships beautifully illuminated at the entrance to the harbor. The small, dimly lit “tenders” ferrying passengers back to their mother ships were images of romance . . . reminding me of summers past when I used to watch (and sometimes ride) “water taxis” carrying happy partygoers from town to town along the bay at Fire Island.
Both restaurants were “packed” . . . testimony to my earlier comment on the bustling activity that has become associated with this “shoulder season.”
Breakfast saw me at one of my favorite spots – Le Jardin, next to Marche U. Always fluffy scrambled eggs, with a great pot of hot tea.
La Gloriette was a full house for lunch (fortunately, unlike Bart’s rainy visit on Sunday . . . it was a gloriously sunny afternoon). Returning to the Villa . . . there were some phone calls, emails to answer, and sufficient time for a nap. Such a luxury is rarely known away from SBH.
Today’s pleasure only was diminished by a falling tree . . . a beautiful, old Flamboyant tree at our parking area fell during the night – a casualty of the rain-soaked ground (“arboreal suicide,” as noted by a neighbor). Taking down (but not breaking) an electric power cable . . . and blocking most of the road . . . it got early morning attention from our gardener and his team of chainsaw wielding helpers. Now . . . on the BRIGHT side (pun intended), we have a new vista of Mt. Vitet that has been concealed for many years. A silver lining.
On my way home last night, by the way, I stopped at Tamarin for an after dinner beverage with owner Paco (his wife, Julie, was at home with their young son). The place was busy . . . though not frenetic. Patrons lingered late into the evening, soaking-up good company and the beauty of the restaurant’s exquisite landscaping and nighttime illumination. All the testimonials offered about the restaurant are well deserved.
Tomorrow: I'm thinking breakfast at O'Corail (also great eggs!). Meetings . . . lunch at my “office” . . . an afternoon nap (maybe a chance to crack-open a recent gift, a book about the personal relationship between FDR & Churchill) . . . an early evening business meeting . . . then dinner. Not sure where . . . right now, I’m thinking Eddy’s.
The Mellow Season . . . it certainly is proving to be an appropriate description for my visit. I wish more of you were here to “play!”
