St Maarten/St Martin
12 August 2006 Newsletter

The July issue of Conde Nast Traveler recommended six "green islands" in the Caribbean. Dominica has no luxury resorts and few crowds, but lots of friendly locals (including my maid at Sappphire), mountains (sort of), and waterfalls in lush forests. About a third of Grenada is protected land and similarly lush. Guadeloupe is considerably closer and has a rain forest surrounding its volcanic top. There is a nude beach and one of the Club Med's also has a nude section. Jamaica features Blue Mountain Peak where they also grow Blue Mountain coffee (among other things). Nevis is just the other side of it's sister island, St Kitts. On a clear day we can see the peak of Mt Nevis sticking up about 8000 feet from our balcony at Sapphire. We've been there and it is similar to Saba, but larger and not so steep as to preclude beaches. Many old plantation homes are now fine resorts. St Lucia is famous for the twin conical peaks called the Pitons. It is a rather large island with diverse geographic areas and a rather well-developed tourist industry. We stayed at a Wyndham all-inclusive on the island and were appalled at the begging that occured outisde its confines.

Anguilla was not mentioned, but it is the shortest trip you can make, about five miles by ferries running every hour from Marigot. Being quite arid, it's certainly not "green" but does have some of the best beaches in the Caribbean. We're going over in early December for a few days at Cap Juluca and will report back considerably more at that time. Christian Moreau, chef-owner of Sol é Luna Restaurant recently took a quick trip to a wonderful Paul Bocuse dinner at the CuisineArt Resort. I had a great lunch there on a day trip to Anguilla a few years ago. They have a hydroponic greenhouse providing great veg. We even got a tour of the facilities outside of normal hours because a hydroponic farmer was visiting us and he talked his way into the greenhouse for a personal tour from the director!

The May issue of Conde Nast Traveler featured their 2006 Hot list of hotels, spas, and restaurants. Three caribbean hotels made the list: Sivory in the Dominican Republic (not Dominica), the Ritz-Carlton on Grand Cayman, and Le Sereno on St Barts (doubles start at $540 per night). It made the leadoff writeup on 130 hot new hotels.

GO TO THE ACTIVITIES FEATURE TO FIND THE CODES.

Activities and more - 13 August to 15 October
Marci's Mega Gym 2000 - 4 yoga classes with Valerie and one week admission to the gym
12 meter challenge: America's Cup Racing - two for one ticket on the number one activity in the Caribbean
Prince Rental Car - a week's rental in low season for only $50
Tri Sport - two for 1 kayak exploration of the lagoon
Octaedre Gems - earrings
Grand Case - Grand Case Cookbook

Simpson Bay Contest Winners
Horny Toad Guesthouse - seven low season nights for the price of five - Tom Van Veghel
Turquoise Shell Inn - seven nights for the price of five (until 31 Dec) - Susan Price
Unity Car Rental - $100 off a one week rental - Debra Lindholm
Halsey's Restaurant - $100 toward a meal for two - Jeanine Penta
12 meter challenge: America's Cup Racing - two for one ticket on the number one activity in the Caribbean - Jeanine Penta
La Guinguette Restaurant - $60 toward a meal for two - Jeanine Penta
Pack Light Rentals - A week's cell phone rental - Jeanine Penta
Grand Case - Grand Case Cookbook - Jeanine Penta

The rules make all other contests look like do-it-yourself brain surgery. Just find the codes, enter them on the form, click send - one form per contest. Good Luck.

Let's go over the rules:
Rule #1 - Visit the website(s) and find the entry code.
Rule #2 - Send in ONE entry using the form with all the contest codes for the contests you wish to enter.
Rule #3 - If the prize-awarding entity goes out of business before you claim your prize, you are unlikely to get your prize.
Rule #4 - Prizes are valid for one year from the award date.
Rule #5 - There is no rule number five.

It's a lot easier than other contests and there is no timeshare presentation. We choose an email randomly from all those received. If that person has entered multiple times, we throw them all out. If not, that person will win all the prizes for which the correct contest code has been entered. If all the contests have not been won by this person, another email will be chosen, etc until all prizes have been won. It isn't mentioned, but there are five slots for contest codes on the entry form. Thus, one entry can win five contests.

Future Contests:

15 October to 26 November
L'Esperance Car Rental - $100 off a weekly low season rental
12 meter challenge: America's Cup Racing - two for one ticket on the number one activity in the Caribbean
Blue Martini - $50 off a dinner for two
Grand Case - Grand Case Cookbook

Grand Case - 26 November to 24 December
California Restaurant - $100 off a dinner for two
California Apartments - $100 off a week's stay
Rainbow Café - $100 off a dinner for two
Ti Coin Créole - $50 off a dinner for two
Atelier des Tropismes - signed print from Paul Elliott Thuleau
Grand Case - Grand Case Cookbook
12 meter challenge: America's Cup Racing - two for one ticket on the number one activity in the Caribbean

NOT OUR CONTEST, BUT ... Club Fantastico is giving away a free week every month over the summer. Get to their website to enter.

---

RESTAURANTS

---

On 2 July the euro was at 1.278 and today it is at 1.276. Not much change. French side restaurants with many costs in dollars and many American (or Canadian) clients have been offering more favorable exchange rates. Some restaurants offer a 1 to 1 exchange. We got it at Ti Bouchon, Ti Sucrier, Auberge Gourmande, Sunset Café, California Restaurant, Bistrot Caraïbes, Le Cottage Restaurant, Rainbow Café, Pirate Beach Bar, Pedro's Beach Bar, Bikini Beach, and Restaurant du Soleil and noticed it at Layla's, Santal, Chez Martine, Marlin's Cafe, and all the lolos in Grand Case. Note that some only offer this rate for cash. As always, know what the euro is worth, what the restaurateur is offering for an exchange, and what the costs are on the menu. Finally, you are here to have fun and fine food, not to do complex financial calculations, so don't worry about it too much.

The August issue of Food & Wine goes on about "green" cooking. One of the things that make French cuisine so good and so expensive is the small farms following centuries-old tradtional ways of raising vegetables and meat. I've talked about this before and, in my own way, follow it up in the summer when I am not on the island. We raise chickens and lamb for meat, have free-ranging laying hens for eggs, and have about 900 square feet under intense cultivation. The meat chicks have access to grass as soon as they have enough feathers to withstand the cold. The five lambs are on two acres of pasture with a bit of additional grain as a morning and evening treat. The free-ranging hens are a constant source of amusement and this morning's egg never made it to the refrigerator, going straight into the local version of an egg McMuffin using local grass-fed, nitrite free bacon (or other days hot Italian sausage) from Lewis Waite Farm, our egg, fresh chives, cilantro, and tarragon from the kitchen garden, and topped with a bit of cheese from Three Corner Field Farm, another local farm, all between two toasted slices of bread from Klinger's. The bakery is a franchisee of Rockhill Bakehouse, started by Michael and Wendy London. Another approach is an omelet using the same cheese and herbs and adding whatever else you like. I picked an oyster mushroom and a bolete (porcini) last week and added some local goat cheese and onions.

Wine Spectator's Dining Guide listed two restaurants in the Caribbean on their honor roll of Grand Award winners: Greycliff in Nassau and Malliouhana on Anguilla. They list almost 4000 restaurants around the world and split them into 77 Grand Award winners, 700 Best of Award of Excellence winners, and about 2995 Award of Excellence winners. Pimms at Cap Juluca is one of the Best of Award of Excellence winners. Blanchard's, Koalkeel, Oliver's Seaside Grill, and Santorini at the CuisinArt Resort on Anguilla have Awards of Excellence as does La Samanna on St Martin and The Gate House on Saba. I've been to Greycliff and several places on Anguilla and the prices are one of the reasons that I purchased a condo on SXM. The former British colonies tend to have extremely high import duties, making everything quite expensive. For an insight into how frustrating this can be, read A Trip to the Beach by Melinda and Robert Blanchard.

The June Food & Wine had an article by Paula Wolfert on making kebabs. If you can't find that, you could pick up a copy of her Couscous and Other Good Food from Morocco. Probably the easiest approach is to head over to Marrakech Restaurant in Marigot.

Changes: It appears that Bananas has closed. The Burger King on the other side of the Dolphon Casino has also closed.

2006 Restaurant Closings	Dates
Bali Bar	Closed for September
Beau Beau's Restaurant	open all summer
Belle Epoque Restaurant	open all summer
Blue Martini	14 Aug - 5 Sep Sunday and Monday
California Restaurant	20 Aug - 20 Oct
Le Cottage Restaurant	September and 2 first weeks of October
Escapade	no vacation closing
L'Escargot Restaurant	Closed on Saturdays until October The cabaret show will close July through October, but can be booked for parties of 20 or more
Sol é Luna Restaurant	June 20 to July 12

---

BARGAINS

---

Caribbean View Condo: We are back in the USA, so our one-bedroom 1,000 square feet condo will be available for rent. The rate on the website is $1000 per week and you get a $50 gift certificate to Ama Bella, jewelers and more, a coupon good for the very best discount that Select Wine Cellar can offer plus a few tastes, a $50 coupon to the island's best new restaurant SkipJack's, a two for one ride on Celine's famous Lagoon Pub Crawl, a welcome champagne and an after-dinner drink from your choice one of the following: Auberge Gourmande, Sunset Café, or Montmartre, two free admissions to Golden Eyes, adult entertainment in Simpson Bay, and a 10% discount off the prices posted on Unity Car Rental's website. Moreover, I'll take $100 off for any newsletter subscriber. That brings the cost down to about $100 per night, tax and service charge included.

Coupons: Look on the SXM-Info website for a list of all restaurants and others that have coupons for some freebie or discount. There are several coupons there to make your vacation a bit cheaper. Here's a list of what you'll find:

Le Baccara Restaurant Bikini Beach Beau Beau's Kakao Beach Escargot Los Gauchos The Greenhouse Oizeau Rare Pirate Beach Bar

Paradise View Paris Bistro Pedro's Beach Bar Saint Germain The Wharf Lots here and here Select Wine Cellar Endless Summer Beachwear Good Cards (and gifts)

Those who like Club Orient might be interested in Club Fantastico. Check it out. Richard says "At Club Fantastico the Jacuzzi is percolating and the pool is a perfect temperature for skinny dipping late into the evening. The Caribbean Sea is aqua blue and warm as can be. They welcome all of you who are taking in the peace and restful summer with us. Starting September, things will be gearing up, so make your reservations now, and get a special deal. Chef Antonio plans his return in the fall. Dates not yet set. Music and fine cuisine will be the norm."

L'Esperance Hotel has great rates and is conveniently located. It's quite handy if you just need a night or two at either end of your vacation because of the wretched flight schedules. They have a lovely pool and offer free wireless internet access.

Sandy Molloy at Molloy Travel says that she can generally beat any rates you can get from the hotels. Give her a shot.