# St Barts Forums > St Barts Trip Reports Forum >  >  Trip report

## MIke R

Just back from a 9 day trip. We like to do 9 days because it gives us 7 solid days of vacation that do not involve travel.


Here are some details:


*Jet Blue*: After  a fun decompression evening in Boston's north end, we took the non stop down from Boston and it was outstanding. Wheels  up at 7:08 and touch down in SXM at 10:53. That  will now be our routine  for certain and  BTW we did a park and fly with Sheraton and got a great suite and free parking for $189


*Delta*: writing this report as I am on the plane flying north and so far so good....on time..friendly worker bees.....developing


*St Bart's Commuter*: As usual their service was excellent and they had us on the island by early lunch time. With carry ons only we breezed right on through In Transit and were latched on to the first Caribs before we knew it. Another of many many  fast, stress free, seamless trips down we have done


*Auberge petit anse* : Again just what we want and need.....simple clean functional and so on the water, you re almost in the water...a view second to none anywhere on the island too.....in a very quiet and peaceful part of the island ......perfect!


*Beaches*: We stayed in the hood for most of the trip.....with Petit Anse, Colombier and Flamand all a short walk away, and with as diverse and different as all those three beaches are, we were perfectly content to go to those beaches and not use the car


*Weather*: Beyond belief good.......warm to hot and breezy the entire time with very little rain that all fell at night


*Mosquitoes.*.....what mosquitoes?...the lack of rain and constant breezes made them a complete non factor


*Transat and West Indies Regatta:* two terrific low key, laid back, fun happenings .....the quay was alive the whole week with local arts and crafts....terrific local food and drink and some pretty good music as well at night...of particular was an African drum band that was very good and many of the local kids were up on stage dancing along with the beat..we particularly enjoyed that evening on the quay. We thoroughly enjoyed both these off season events and loved the laid back vibe with them both. Many of the Transat crews hung around the entire week after the race and hung out in Select (of course!) and it was great to get to talk to them about their race


*Food:* As many of you know  food  is  not  the  center of our St Bart's vacation universe/experience but despite that we ate very very well......I had the pleasure and honor of cooking for Theresa and Mikes dinner party and went and got a big old mahi, grilled that with a lime,cilantro, white wine,  butter basting and whipped up a shiitake mushroom and pea risotto to go with the mixed salad Theresa put together...was very  pleased with the results and no leftovers tells me everyone was happy with dinner......another day I got some great looking fresh fettuccine at KikiMo and made a fettuccini with Parma prosciutto, artichoke hearts, and peas in a garlic cream sauce made with LOTS of that great French butter and loads of garlic ....and again no leftovers ......we got a half chicken, a rack of ribs, and a half a lobster tail from the BBQ in the butcher parking lot in St Jean and took them home and it was all very very good.....made up a tortilini salad with lots of veggies in the salad to go with the BBQ stuff  and  dinner was just amazingly good!!! ......we would do that again for sure.....long lunches on our waterfront patio with fresh fruit, prosciutto and melon, cheeses and pates and olives and of course great bread along with a bottle or three of wine, made us very happy campers.




As far as restaurants go we went we went to the following:


*Gloriette* ...terrific lunch ...feet in the sand dining and it was great to catch up with Peter and Sandra and see their beautiful baby...Lobster Cassowhatever  was to die for good as was the grilled goat cheese salad ......


*La Carre*...outstanding dinner.....the Teres Major was so good it was a religious experience and of course the chicken wish bones were great too......truffle oil popcorn was interesting as well and they had Sicilian Planeta which   Is my favorite Red so that completed a fun night out and a terrific dinner 


*Hideaway.*....still the same despite the  new decor...still laid back and unpretentious and good food...


*Creperie.*.....most underrated resto in town.....terrific meal there and dessert almost every night there too


*Select..*.....Heart stopping double bacon cheeseburger with fries with a Carib...any questions?


*Petit Colombe......*every morning for their bread of the day, croissants and other sugary delights......also they provided sandwiches for our boat excursions to Colombier which were very good as well especially the curried chicken on baguette with lettuce and tomato 


*L'Entracte..*...was excellent...first night dinner there and we had a goat cheese salad..a really good chicken Caesar salad, beef carpaccio and a cheese pizza....food and service were both very good 


*Random things..*.....not only are retail shops more and more blowing off the European custom of closing  for lunch but there is also a push for retail to be open on Sunday now  .....sad......parking issue is going to kill retail in Gustavia as the cars are mostly worker bee cars .......you see very little parking and yet at the same time you see empty restaurants and  shops!...as a resort retailer myself that would be a major concern for me .....your customers HAVE to be able to park near by or they won't come .....you learn that in almost every single retail conference you attend !......grocery stores are all pretty much better than ever .....

A few people have asked me what the local Vitet eggs look like in Marche U.....they look like this..and they are not refrigerated so dont look there..this is an incredibly great tasting egg of you can find it


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Try this stuff in your coffee  instead  of that gloppy cream which comes out of those small containers .....it very much had a consistency of light cream  or half and  half  that we are all used to at home and it lasts much longer than that Creme Legere

image.jpg


Boat day at Colombier with the lime flag
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Safran at finish 
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Lena is working on an iMovie that should be done by tomorrow and I will post

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## andynap

Very good report. We are 12 days next year and I'm sure we will eat in a couple of days.

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## MantyPam

Excellent reporting!   :thumb up:  

We're doing 10 days next year for the first time.  This is the only vacation spot where I'm not ready to go home by day 7!  

Thinking about trying JetBlue out of Chicago next year.  United is our typical flight, but the price difference with JetBlue is almost too hard to pass up.  

great vacation recap!

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## MIke R

I forgot to mention the snorkeling on both boat trips to Colombier were incredible.....lots and lots of turtles a huge Eagle Ray and a big  ol nurse shark

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## cec1

Great report, Mike . . . a successful birthday celebration & return visit, it seems!

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## andynap

I assume your restaurant list was complete so no Esprit?

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## MIke R

> I assume your restaurant list was complete so no Esprit?



Yes and 
Nope .....didn't get get to it

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## MIke R

> Great report, Mike . . . a successful birthday celebration & return visit, it seems!



Dennis....the rhum labels look fantastic.....I had forgotten all about that little project of ours

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## amyb

What a perfect vacation for your crew. Glad it all worked out for you. And now, on this cinco de Mayo, Happy Birthday old boy!

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## MIke R

A few few more images ......Lena s iMovie will be ready tonight and it looks very good and I will post it 



image.jpgimage.jpgimage.jpgimage.jpgimage.jpgimage.jpgimage.jpg

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## MIke R

Another interesting tid bit ...... I showed up with my posse to score some fish at the Fishmonger where no English is ever spoken ..... So I ask in French for a Mahi and the boss guy answers me in English ....we get to talking and I tell him I do what he does for a living and it turns out he somehow has a girlfriend in Newport Rhode Island and is coming up this summer .....so we exchanged phone numbers and I am going to try and get him on a tuna trip if the timing is right....

oh oh and a really good sized mahi which easily fed 10 people came to 60 euro

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## Earl

MikeR...So I guess you get "Senior Insider" when you turn 60?  :eagerness:

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## MIke R

> MikeR...So I guess you get "Senior Insider" when you turn 60?  :eagerness:




No  I Think it has more to do with how long  one has been annoying the hell out of people in here  :Devil Laughing:

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## julianne

Wonderful report, Mike. Love the pictures, especially the one of Lena and little Ava. Wasn't it just yesterday that Lena was gazing eye to eye with the iguana on your terrace?! Where has the time gone!

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## andynap

When you turn 70 you get Super Senior Pest

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## ccg

"so we exchanged phone numbers and I am going to try and get him on a tuna trip if the timing is right...."

Can you get him on the Hot Tuna?  That is my favorite boat from Wicked Tuna.  I'd like to spend a day with them.

Enjoyed your report and pictures.  looking forward to your report next year from JVD.

C

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## MIke R

> "so we exchanged phone numbers and I am going to try and get him on a tuna trip if the timing is right...."
> 
> Can you get him on the Hot Tuna?  That is my favorite boat from Wicked Tuna.  I'd like to spend a day with them.
> 
> Enjoyed your report and pictures.  looking forward to your report next year from JVD.
> 
> 
> C




I know the boys on the Hot Tuna very well..they are uhmmmmm.....very  different..I also grew up with Tuna.Com guy Dave....come on up and I l  introduce you around....

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## Earl

> No  I Think it has more to do with how long  one has been annoying the hell out of people in here



I guess I have to be more annoying...geez, I was trying! :Very Drunk:

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## cec1

Fun pictures to see, Mike . . . and the girls are really cute -- they're going to be the objects of even more affections as they grow older!  I'm glad that the Rhum labels brought back a good memory Mike . . . people at the Hotel always get a kick out of them.

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## MIke R

> I guess I have to be more annoying...geez, I was trying!



i can  give you a quick overview on what buttons to push on whom......LOL

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## ccg

Thanks for the invite, would love to come back up to the Cape.  We have not been in a very long time.  Hope the season is a good one for you.

C

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## JEK

> I guess I have to be more annoying...geez, I was trying!



You need to post more. You are over 40,000 behind Mike :)

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## Theresa

I'm glad we were able to celebrate your b-day and spend time with you and your girls. Thanks for another wonderful day on the water, a definite highlight of our trip.

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## Theresa

And I neglected to thank you for a delicious dinner chez nous. I just wish Ava had allowed poor Wendi to enjoy her meal. Ava is in love with you guys. 

Now what is the story about the risotto war between you and Andy?  Yours was delicious. 

I would love love to judge a cooking contest between you two.  I've had the true pleasure of being a dinner guest at each of your tables, so it would be a real competition.

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## MIke R

I dont know....we re Siciilian..we  fight over and yell over food....its what we do....we cant  help it......just like I yelled " everybody out of my &*&^%$  kitchen NOW " when I started dinner at your villa.......even though it wasn't my kitchen.... :tongue: 

Andy just disagrees with me...and Giada...and Mario....and Lidia...and Emerill....and Anthony.....on how to finish a risotto..thats all

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## andynap

I don't disagree with all those TV chefs- just you wanting to change the recipe.

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## Earl

> You need to post more. You are over 40,000 behind Mike :)



Quality not quantity!

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## tim

Mike, thanks for an outstanding report and photos :thumb up:  :thumb up:

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## Peter NJ

Good times

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## MIke R

Here is Lena's movie she does every year from vacation....but there is a funny story that showed me just how clever she can be with trying to match the images with the lyrics.....she is using Zac Browns "Island Song" as her movie song this year....and she couldnt figure out what image to match to the line "Lose track of your timing"..UNTIL we were in Marche U at the check out line and she noticed the clock for St Barts time was broken and 20 minutes behind the clock next to it showing New York time.... so she screams...'give me a camera!! ".....you ll see how perfect this is in the video.......enjoy!!

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## amyb

The sound you hear is my clapping and cheering BRAVO!  Well done, Lena girl!

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## andynap

Terrific- should be the theme video for this site. Amazing what the kids can do with an iPad. Bravo

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## tim

Loved Lena's video, what a talented young lady!

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## JEK

Very cool!

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## noel

Wonderful!
A collector's item!

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## phil62

Great job, Lena. You have a flair for this for this and should probably pursue it. I've done a bunch of these slide shows and I know the effort that goes into them. Keep up the good work.

Phil

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## Rosemary

Lena!  Thank you!  Lovely.

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## Toni

Great report, Mike and well done, Lena!

Oh, and Happy Birthday!

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## rivertrash

Great video!  Thanks, Lena.

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## Spring

great video--thanks for sharing!

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## stbartslover

Nice video Lena, thanks!

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## julianne

Magnifique, Lena! Perfect song choice and juxtaposition of photos You should send it to the Tourist Bureau.

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## stbartshopper

We tried 7 days when we first went and it was not long enough. Then we went for 10 days. Time flew by too quickly. Now it has been 14 days for a number of years and my wife wishes it was longer.
Wonderful report! You also shared ways in which people can have a lot of enjoyment in SBH and not necessarily break the bank. Thank you for your insights.

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## TJH

Complete fabulousness. Well done.

(and my own private laugh was that at the beginning of the video, a pop up ad to go to the Wisconsin Dells for Spring Break! Um…no…)

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## JoshA

Nice vacation you had there, Mike!

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## Earl

Awesome Lena...absolutely AWESOME!!!

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## SherylB

Please pass on HUGE kudos to Lena! That was truly awesome.  I LOVE how she matched the lyrics of the song to the pics.  SO well done. That girl is talented!

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## MIke R

Lena read all your kind comments and she thanks you all...

She is very much looking forward to making her summer movie  that she  usually does, and the JostVanDyke movie next spring as well.....

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## sbhlvr

Loved it. Please tell Lena she did an awesome job and can I hire her to do ours?..:eagerness:

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## jim2

She shows real talent.  Skip college...head to film school.  Really enjoyed it. Thanks for sharing.

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## Theresa

Can't wait to see her JVD video. Will you spend time in Virgin Gorda too?  Sure, it's touristy, but well worth seeing. We will definitely spend time in both places when Ava is a little older.  Surprisingly, SBH is easy with a baby/toddler. JVD might be a bit rougher, but you know that. 

Saba should be on your hit list in the next few years.  We fell head over heels in love with it and can't wait until Ava is old enough to head to the top of Mt. Scenery with us.....

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## fins85258

Lena.....................Great Video, which film school do you plan to attend?

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## katva

Love the video!  Excellent job!

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