Dune…a food-lover’s heaven on Paradise Island

Posted on March 29, 2011 by Island Inns

I hate the term “foodie” but if the shoe fits…you know, when the food is almost as important as having sunny weather on your vacation? It’s rare to have absolutely fantastic food in the islands but one place that never misses the mark is Dune at the Ocean Club on Paradise Island. Of course it’s all down to chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten (foodies know who I mean!). The One & Only Ocean Club is legendary and Dune was his creation about 10 years ago. His signature of taking full advantage of fresh local ingredients has put Dune on the culinary map. We were lucky enough to enjoy our 25th anniversary there. The setting of Dune Bar is breathtaking, especially at sunset. I dressed for dinner and perched on a stool like an undiscovered movie starlet! (you know they filmed Casino Royale at the Ocean Club?) We then moved on to the gorgeous, understated chic of the dining area with it’s dark wood and flattering low light.

Just to whet your appetite…start with a ginger cosmo and go on to Peekytoe Crab Salad with Mango followed by Lamb Crusted with Black Trumpet Mushrooms and Leek Puree. Warm Chocolate Cake with Coconut Sorbet puts you into bliss. Afterwards all you’ll want to do is go to your room or suite and bask in the glow of a dinner well spent! That’s food-lover’s heaven!

Recipe for Dune’s Ginger Cosmo
Mix 3 oz. cranberry juice, 2 oz. vodka, 0.5 oz cointreau, 0.5 oz ginger base, and a touch of lime juice in a shaker. Serve in a martini glass. Enjoy!

Where to Stay: One & Only Ocean Club, Paradise Island, Bahamas

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Mad Dogs and Englishmen

Posted on July 16, 2011 by Island Inns

“Mad Dogs and Englishmen”…what does this phrase bring to mind? If you are of a certain age it will be Joe Cocker (his album of 1970) or if you are of an even more certain age, the great Noël Coward who originated the phrase and the song in 1931 while driving from Hanoi to Saigon. To the great astonishment of his travelling companion he put the entire song to memory having no pen or paper with him!

You would be forgiven if you thought he wrote the song about his beloved Jamaica, sitting in his garden at Firefly under the bleaching midday sun, enjoying the panoramic views. Firefly was his second house in Jamaica (he had rented Goldeneye from Ian Fleming) and he built it in 1956 on land once owned by the famous buccaneer Henry Morgan. You can imagine both of them standing there staring out to sea, altho’ for completely different reasons!

Coward frequently joined his celebrity friends Errol Flynn, Liz Taylor and Laurence Olivier at Jamaica Inn and Round Hill and entertained jetsetters and royalty at Firefly. It must have been a very creative atmosphere as he wrote 300 songs in his lifetime. But not only was he a composer he was an actor, dancer, singer, director and most surprising of all, a comedian! For all of this he was nicknamed “The Master”. His wry comment on this nickname was “Jack of all trades, master of none.”

Noel Coward in 1972 by Allan Warren

Knighted in 1969,  Sir Noël Coward enjoyed Firefly until his death in 1973. One of the most wonderful tributes I can imagine was given to him by Lord Mountbatten on the occasion of his 70th birthday… “There are probably greater painters than Noël, greater novelists than Noël, greater librettists, greater composers of music, greater singers, greater dancers, greater comedians, greater tragedians, greater stage producers, greater film directors, greater cabaret artists, greater TV stars. If there are, they are fourteen different people. Only one man combined all fourteen different labels – The Master.”

You can visit Firefly as it is open to the public complete with piano, views and midday sun.

“In tropical climes there are certain times of day
When all the citizens retire to take their clothes off and perspire
It’s one of those rules the greatest fools obey
Because the Sun is far too sultry and one must avoid its ultry-violet rays… Mad Dogs and Englishmen go out in the midday sun”

If you want to experience Noël Coward’s Jamaica you can stay at two of his haunts:

 

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The Real Pirates of the Caribbean (or “Here’s Johnny!”)

Posted on June 20, 2011 by Island Inns

I was watching a biography of Johnny Depp last night which was very interesting. What a unique individual. Johnny Depp fans will probably know this but he based his portrayal of Jack Sparrow in Pirates of the Caribbean on Keith Richards. To paraphrase him “I think pirates at that time were considered the Rock Stars of their era, so who better to base Jack Sparrow on than the biggest rock star of our time…Keith Richards?”  Filmed in the Grenadines and Bahamas, three sequels later “Pirates” movies are still blockbuster events.

Real pirates at that time were not quite so entertaining and much to be feared. But rumor has it they had some form of democracy, if only to vote on where they should sail next to plunder. And what a wardrobe! They often wore the traditional garb of sailors but also acquired new outfits and finery from their victims, stripping both passengers and seamen of all their money and clothes. From a clothing standpoint the fictional Captain Jack Sparrow may have been more true to character. Blackbeard may rank as the most interesting visual…his facial hair (which he declined to shave) was “braided and tied with small ribbons and he grew it to extravagant length and it apparently came up to his eyes. Prior to confronting his prey he placed lit fuses under his hat that extended to his beard. This created a ring of smoke and fire around his face.” * I would definitely give up my gold!

About 1650-1720 was the golden age of piracy in the Caribbean Sea which was then called the Spanish Main. The Spanish, French, Dutch and English were all jockeying for power in the area. England and Spain were deadly adversaries and Queen Elizabeth named her best sailors privateers and gave them permission to have a go at the Spanish ships. When peace broke out and their services were no longer needed many of these legitimate privateers (and there were French & Dutch privateers preying on each other’s ships as well) took the short step to piracy. Pillaging and plundering ships and seaport towns, violently treating resisters and seizing fortunes at will, pirates were ruthless, brutal, adventurous and motivated by a desire to live free and as they pleased. By the early 1700s pirates were the completely illegal leftovers from the Golden Age and if caught were immediately hung. They lost their last remaining refuge in Nassau, Bahamas where they had made their home after being chased out of other areas.

So let’s say Pirates of the Caribbean took a lot of liberties with the truth. It is just imagination run wild. But if you find yourself in a Caribbean town, walking down a narrow street on a warm evening when the breeze is floating up from the harbour and if you have a little bit of that imagination yourself  you just may see the ruffle of a shirt and catch a glimpse of Captain Jack. Or maybe it was just Keith Richards.

Visit Island Inns to choose your own island treasure.

*quote from www.cindyvaller.com

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Rosie and the Robbers

Posted on May 19, 2011 by Island Inns

Now this may seem like a tall tale but it is absolutely true!
We were on a flight from Nassau to North Eleuthera a few years back going to one of our favorite places, Harbour Island in the Bahamas. We overheard two passengers talking about a bank robbery that had just happened the day before…gunmen had held up a bank in Spanish Wells (another small island) and had used a very fast cigarette boat as their getaway car. As we listened it dawned on us that we actually knew the person who single-handedly saved the day…it was our friend and sometime pilot, Rosie! And this is how it transpired…
She was flying her small plane back from Nassau to North Eleuthera when she heard the police transmission about the robbery on her radio. Being Rosie she took the robbery as a personal offense and so she thought she would go looking for them. As their bad luck would have it she spotted them and decided to circle their boat while calling on her radio for help. The fact they were armed didn’t deter her and she kept circling and buzzing them until they panicked and ditched the boat, heading for shore. Rosie kept them in her sites, calling the authorities who picked up the hapless robbers. I’m sure no one believed their outlandish story in prison about escaping in a boat only to get caught by a plane! Rosie’s comment: “I guess they did not expect an airplane with an attitude that day.”

You might run into Rosie on Harbour Island. Where to stay:

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Dog Gone?

Posted on May 6, 2011 by Island Inns

We recently got a dog. Not a large dog, just a little dog. One small enough to be carried in a bag over your shoulder. One who can travel on the plane with us. That is the idea. So now we’re interested in islands in the Caribbean or Bahamas who will accept dogs.  I was surprised to see that most islands will allow your small pet with proper certificates of good health from your vet. As each island is a nation unto itself the rules vary. so you really must check but here’s our take on it.

Easiest of all are the US Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico where pets can enter with a health and inoculation certificate from your vet dated 2 weeks prior to arrival.

The Bahamas is another spot without much hassle…animals must be at least 6 months old and have a valid certificate stating it has been vaccinated against rabies not less than 1 month or more than 10 months prior to arrival. That works for me.

And another very easy place to go with a small pet are the French islands such as St. Barths or St. Martin who allow pets over three months old which are admitted temporarily with certificates of good health issued by your veterinarian. That doesn’t seem too daunting. The French people love their dogs which are usually preferrable to children in restaurants. At one posh restaurant in France we watched as a little well behaved dog sat at the master’s feet under the table cloth. So much quieter than children! So upon investigation we found that all of the resorts we handle on the French islands will accept a small dog. Small is the operative word. No wolfhounds allowed! Of course to get to St. Martin or St. Barths you must land at St. Maarten, the Dutch side of the island. Happily pets can enter St. Maarten with a health certificate issued by a veterinarian dated less than 10 days prior to departure. The pet must have a rabies vaccination between one month and 12 months prior to entry. So again, no problems.

Then it gets a bit harder where you must plan at least 6 months ahead…Barbados and St. Lucia, British Virgin Ialands, Antigua, Anguilla requires issuance of an import permit and the pet may have to be examined on arrival. These permits must be applied for and obtained months before arrival.

And there are some definite no go places…Jamaica, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Trinadad & Tobago have 6 month quarantine periods, so don’t even think about it!

Of course even tho’ an island may accept your dog you must check to see if the resort or villa will accept it also.

Will we be taking Daisy on our next trip? Well if it is to the Bahamas very possibly so. Or perhaps St. Barths. Anywhere else seems like just too much of an issue and she’ll just have to stay home and terrorize the cats. She’d rather be doing that anyway!

Resorts on St. Barths and St. Martin who accept SMALL dogs:

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Hot Fun in the Summertime!

Posted on April 20, 2011 by Island Inns

We have been visiting the Caribbean for about 25 years now and always in the winter, the time in the northeast when your mind and body are numb from seeing nothing but white, just endless white. And as the Caribbean has always been a destination for many in this part of the world to escape this white monotony, winter has become the Caribbean’s’ “high season” with the most expensive rates being charged. And it’s a glorious time to get away. But lately we’ve been seeing a trend for people wanting to travel to the islands in the spring and summer months also. Maybe it’s financial…most of the resorts lower their rates starting in mid April or early May and keep them low pretty much all the way until Thanksgiving. What about the weather? Surprisingly the islands during the summer months are only about 5-10 degrees warmer than the winter. And the water is blissfully warm. Yes, hurricane season officially starts in June but a hurricane prior to September or October is rare (tho’ not unheard of so it is a good idea to take trip cancellation insurance if traveling at this time of year). You may get a shower during the day which is nice to cool things off.

One year we decided to change our ways and try it out in the summer. The sun greeted us every day. Jeremy, who usually won’t put his big toe in the water unless it is as warm as a bathtub actually swam in the sea and wouldn’t get out! You will definitely want a room with air conditioning (altho’ many Europeans poo-poo this). Without it the nights would have been too warm for a relaxing sleep. One memorable morning I stepped from our cool room out onto the terrace and my sunglasses immediately fogged up. So yes, the weather is warm but isn’t that what summer is all about? Isn’t that what we fondly remember?  Sweating, jumping in the pool, spreading on the tanning lotion? (or now, the sunblock?). I don’t know what has happened in the past few years but it seems like our summers in the northeast don’t really exist anymore. Sure you get some sunny warm days… just not enough of them. And if you work cross your fingers that this weekend won’t be as gray and damp as the last one. What is going on here? Where are the summers of my youth? Well they still exist…just further south. It’s sunny. It’s hot. It’s humid. The water is deliciously warm.  It’s hot fun in the summertime!

So what will it be this year? Battling the breakers of the cold gray Atlantic or floating in a huge aqua bathtub sea in the Caribbean? These resorts are offering great summer specials to help you make the decision!

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The Hamburger Eating Lizards of St. Barths

Posted on April 14, 2011 by Island Inns

Prior to St. Barths being “discovered” (many moons ago!) there were still some remote places to go and just be by yourself on a beach. And one fine day that is just what a friend did. She went to JoJo Burger and got one to go and hiked to deserted Columbier beach to stretch out and enjoy lunch. Seconds later she was alarmed to be surrounded by lizards which were much bigger than your standard iguanas…more like small komodo dragons! And they were slowly approaching with just one thing in mind. Thoroughly frightened she jumped up and flung the greasy paper into the brush to let them fight over it while she ran screeching. She’s called them “hambuggah lizards” ever since. They’re still around. I recently encountered one of their relatives at Eden Rock at lunch time…probably looking for that burger I just ate!

Where to stay on St. Barths:

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Lunch in Paradise – Sip Sip on Harbour Island

Posted on March 21, 2011 by Island Inns

The Bahamas…and to be specific…Harbour Island is such a great place to get away from the miserable winter we’ve had. Just resting your eyes on that gorgeous blue water does wonders for the soul. I came across some pictures of our lunch at Sip Sip (Bahamian for gossip!) with the lobster quesadillas (talk about inView of the Beach from SipSipventive) and the best fish cakes I’ve ever eaten. Spicy! And the coconut cheesecake was a stroke of genius. Julie, the chef/owner is threatening to do a cookbook. I can’t imagine her letting everyone in on her secrets. We got there early (about 12:30)  to get a table without waiting.

And it is closed on Tuesdays. So that day you have to find another place to sip sip!

Where to stay on Harbour Island: Pink Sands, Coral Sands

And what do you do after lunch? Drive around in your golf cart and take some pics! Here’s a few that you might enjoy…Harbour Island Picture Album


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