andynap
Senior Insider
SBH TRIP REPORT- 2/20/17-3/3/17-
For those that don't know, my wife is recently handicapped so a lot of planning went into this trip to make it as seamless as possible. Starting off at PHL there was a wheelchair available from AA from curbside all the way to the plane which was great. First Class helped too- seat 2 C is close to the bathroom. A Bloody Mary before take-off was surely welcomed. We brought our walker from home and the flight attendant stowed it. The flight to SXM was seamless and got in early. The plane did not disembark at the gate but on the apron with those long steps down. Not to worry- the ground crew came up with a chair and carried Phyl off the plane to a waiting wheelchair to the bus and terminal where Rinaldo from PIV was waiting at the Transfer Info Desk with our SB Commuter tickets in hand.. He got our bags and we went thru the ground floor security area to an elevator and upstairs. There was an hour and a half wait for SB Commuter so we had some wine and relaxed. The airport had a redo and there are shops all over in addition to food take-out and bars which were jammed.
For 1 month before the trip, Phyl worried about getting up and down the commuter plane's steps and practiced in physical therapy going up and down steps but when the time came she did the steps like a champ. A short 10 minute ride and we arrived. When we got off there were the smiling faces of Ken and Mary greeting us from the upstairs window. I didn't remember this from before but the bags will just sit on the carousel until someone inside hits the belt button- me in this case. Wimco and PIV were waiting outside for us and a fast checkin with Odile at Gumbs and we were off to Villa Cap again on St. Jean beach. I left Phyl to unpack and did some fast shopping at L'Oasis- 2 cans of bug spray, butter, eggs, bacon, cream and milk for the morning. A nice friendly black cat appeared so I added a bag of cat food.
We don't usually have appetizers or dessert with dinner so the lunches/dinners below are sparse in quantity but were very good in quality for the most part.
2/20- We had a 7 PM reservation at LeRepaire with Amy, Phil, Ellen and Rosemond. I drove past the restaurant for a go around so I could get the passenger side on the Le Repaire side and the traffic was horrible. It was 6:50 PM and it was a standstill. It took 15 minutes for go around but there was a space for me to pull in straight and Phyl was able to get the walker out and into the restaurant pretty easily. 4 smiling faces were there to greet us.
Dinner at Le Repaire with Amy, Phil, Ellen and Rosemond. I had one of the specials- marinated wahoo with vegetables. Excellent dish.
2/21- first order of business- Boulangerie Choisy in Lorient for breakfast pastries and bread- very good stuff.
I didn't compare these to any other bakeries- parking was key.
Then off to rent a wheelchair at Les Du Nord Medical in Mangliers. Done. I took a ride to scope out restaurants that had easy access, either straight in or with one or two steps. Le Repaire, Tamarin, La Langouste, Eddy's, Cote Port and Les Bananiers all fit the bill. L'Esprit had some steps but not too bad.
2/21- Dinner at Les Bananiers with Mary and Ken. We had a reservation at 7 but I got there early to get one of 6 parking spaces in front. One thing about having a walker- the restaurant will let you in no matter what time it is. Very pleasant waitstaff and a nice table. Phyllis was dying for snails (picture) and it was super- garlicky butter, a splash of Pernod and bread to dip. She had nems to start.
I had the duck breast- rare- which came with potatoes gratin. The duck was very tender and moist and very tasty.
2/22- Lunch at Cote Port- with Pat and Lloyd. Table against the window- Pat reserved and a very pleasant lunch. I went with the special beef with rice, wine and coffee- 18 euros for all.
2/22- Dinner at Eddy's- got there early to get a parking space- they let Phyllis in before 7 altho there was a line waiting outside. After 30 minutes the place was almost full. Fabulous waistaff. Great sauteed wahoo with rice, plaintains, potatoes, squash, broccoli and beans.
2/23- SBHonline party followed by dinner at Carpe Diem. Note to Carpe Diem- put a sign out so everyone will know where you are. Nice party with $5 drinks and free apps.
Dinner after was tagliatelle with clams - very tasty.
2/24- lunch at home.
Dinner at Les Bananiers. Very nice pizza for me and garlicky snails for Phyl.
2/25- La Langouste has been off my radar for a while but their easy access to the restaurant was a clincher and Annie was at the desk to take my reservation. A super dinner for me- sea bass flambeed tableside with a side of vegetables and Phyl had the lobster tagliatelle.
2/26- Dinner with Maggie and Roger at Le Repaire. The amuse bouche was cod fritters and tomato concasse. I ordered the special risotto with mussels and calamari and it was just OK. It's tough to do seafood with risotto and I think the dish was on the steam table too long..
2/27- On to the hot restaurant du jour- Orega. I told Greg over the phone we would be early so I could get Phyl in safely and he was expecting us. He is the charmer for sure- kisser, hugger, tier of ladies shoelaces and great greeter. He was quick to note that the art store his (ex)wife uses is his.
The amuse bouche was a nice watermelon soup, lobster raviolis with lobster broth for me and Phyl's duck confit with wild mushrooms was the best according to her.
2/28- Lunch at Gloriette. A great party going on since it was Carnaval Day.
I only go there for one thing- Lobster Cassolette- still very good altho I thought the portion was slightly smaller than when Peter was there. Phyl had the Goat Salad.
Kimberly Reed and Kona were gracious to invite us for cocktails and snacks high up Vitet and what a view-
The snacks were so many and so good that we skipped dinner.
3/1- among the restaurants I wanted to go was Tamarin but the stone driveway and long boardwalk entrance I thought were too daunting forPhyl to use the walker so I brought the wheelchair and had a very nice lunch with a Lobster Salad for Phyl and Shrimp, Calamari with marinated vegetables for me. Excellent scenery and very good food.
For those that don't know, my wife is recently handicapped so a lot of planning went into this trip to make it as seamless as possible. Starting off at PHL there was a wheelchair available from AA from curbside all the way to the plane which was great. First Class helped too- seat 2 C is close to the bathroom. A Bloody Mary before take-off was surely welcomed. We brought our walker from home and the flight attendant stowed it. The flight to SXM was seamless and got in early. The plane did not disembark at the gate but on the apron with those long steps down. Not to worry- the ground crew came up with a chair and carried Phyl off the plane to a waiting wheelchair to the bus and terminal where Rinaldo from PIV was waiting at the Transfer Info Desk with our SB Commuter tickets in hand.. He got our bags and we went thru the ground floor security area to an elevator and upstairs. There was an hour and a half wait for SB Commuter so we had some wine and relaxed. The airport had a redo and there are shops all over in addition to food take-out and bars which were jammed.
For 1 month before the trip, Phyl worried about getting up and down the commuter plane's steps and practiced in physical therapy going up and down steps but when the time came she did the steps like a champ. A short 10 minute ride and we arrived. When we got off there were the smiling faces of Ken and Mary greeting us from the upstairs window. I didn't remember this from before but the bags will just sit on the carousel until someone inside hits the belt button- me in this case. Wimco and PIV were waiting outside for us and a fast checkin with Odile at Gumbs and we were off to Villa Cap again on St. Jean beach. I left Phyl to unpack and did some fast shopping at L'Oasis- 2 cans of bug spray, butter, eggs, bacon, cream and milk for the morning. A nice friendly black cat appeared so I added a bag of cat food.
We don't usually have appetizers or dessert with dinner so the lunches/dinners below are sparse in quantity but were very good in quality for the most part.
2/20- We had a 7 PM reservation at LeRepaire with Amy, Phil, Ellen and Rosemond. I drove past the restaurant for a go around so I could get the passenger side on the Le Repaire side and the traffic was horrible. It was 6:50 PM and it was a standstill. It took 15 minutes for go around but there was a space for me to pull in straight and Phyl was able to get the walker out and into the restaurant pretty easily. 4 smiling faces were there to greet us.
Dinner at Le Repaire with Amy, Phil, Ellen and Rosemond. I had one of the specials- marinated wahoo with vegetables. Excellent dish.
2/21- first order of business- Boulangerie Choisy in Lorient for breakfast pastries and bread- very good stuff.
I didn't compare these to any other bakeries- parking was key.
Then off to rent a wheelchair at Les Du Nord Medical in Mangliers. Done. I took a ride to scope out restaurants that had easy access, either straight in or with one or two steps. Le Repaire, Tamarin, La Langouste, Eddy's, Cote Port and Les Bananiers all fit the bill. L'Esprit had some steps but not too bad.
2/21- Dinner at Les Bananiers with Mary and Ken. We had a reservation at 7 but I got there early to get one of 6 parking spaces in front. One thing about having a walker- the restaurant will let you in no matter what time it is. Very pleasant waitstaff and a nice table. Phyllis was dying for snails (picture) and it was super- garlicky butter, a splash of Pernod and bread to dip. She had nems to start.
I had the duck breast- rare- which came with potatoes gratin. The duck was very tender and moist and very tasty.
2/22- Lunch at Cote Port- with Pat and Lloyd. Table against the window- Pat reserved and a very pleasant lunch. I went with the special beef with rice, wine and coffee- 18 euros for all.
2/22- Dinner at Eddy's- got there early to get a parking space- they let Phyllis in before 7 altho there was a line waiting outside. After 30 minutes the place was almost full. Fabulous waistaff. Great sauteed wahoo with rice, plaintains, potatoes, squash, broccoli and beans.
2/23- SBHonline party followed by dinner at Carpe Diem. Note to Carpe Diem- put a sign out so everyone will know where you are. Nice party with $5 drinks and free apps.
Dinner after was tagliatelle with clams - very tasty.
2/24- lunch at home.
Dinner at Les Bananiers. Very nice pizza for me and garlicky snails for Phyl.
2/25- La Langouste has been off my radar for a while but their easy access to the restaurant was a clincher and Annie was at the desk to take my reservation. A super dinner for me- sea bass flambeed tableside with a side of vegetables and Phyl had the lobster tagliatelle.
2/26- Dinner with Maggie and Roger at Le Repaire. The amuse bouche was cod fritters and tomato concasse. I ordered the special risotto with mussels and calamari and it was just OK. It's tough to do seafood with risotto and I think the dish was on the steam table too long..
2/27- On to the hot restaurant du jour- Orega. I told Greg over the phone we would be early so I could get Phyl in safely and he was expecting us. He is the charmer for sure- kisser, hugger, tier of ladies shoelaces and great greeter. He was quick to note that the art store his (ex)wife uses is his.
The amuse bouche was a nice watermelon soup, lobster raviolis with lobster broth for me and Phyl's duck confit with wild mushrooms was the best according to her. 2/28- Lunch at Gloriette. A great party going on since it was Carnaval Day.
I only go there for one thing- Lobster Cassolette- still very good altho I thought the portion was slightly smaller than when Peter was there. Phyl had the Goat Salad.
Kimberly Reed and Kona were gracious to invite us for cocktails and snacks high up Vitet and what a view-
The snacks were so many and so good that we skipped dinner.
3/1- among the restaurants I wanted to go was Tamarin but the stone driveway and long boardwalk entrance I thought were too daunting forPhyl to use the walker so I brought the wheelchair and had a very nice lunch with a Lobster Salad for Phyl and Shrimp, Calamari with marinated vegetables for me. Excellent scenery and very good food.
