usvi-on-line
Trip Report 1/9-1/16
Trip Report 1/9-1/16
St John Friday 1/9-Friday 1/16
LysaC & Hubby
From: Southern New Hampshire
To: Coral Bay!!
First & foremost- Tankinis rule!
Second- Our love of St. John is as strong as ever.
Third- Our perfect day was Tuesday:
- Woke up, watched sunrise, fed bannaquits, drank coffee, cooked eggs & bacon.
- Hit Vie's, bobbed in water, baked in sun, got garlic chix & honeyed Johnny cake & homemade iced tea, headed back to beach, read, baked, dreamed.
- Back to cottage for nap & shower.
- Miss Lucy's for lobster tail & pork tenderloin, watched the glow bugs dance in the waves lapping at the shore.
- Back home for Superbad.
- Fell asleep to the sounds of rain drops & coki frog.
Onto the nitty-gritty...
Why Do So Many Things Go Wrong Right Before Vacation?
Does this happen to anyone else? In previous years, in the immediate weeks preceding a STJ vaca, we have experienced the furnace backing up, the kitchen sink faucet exploding, the Rotti being diagnosed with cancer & needing emergency surgery, the Yorkie needing butt surgery (don't ask), etc, etc.
This year, pre-vacation disasters included:
1. The ice storm of the century causing crazy destruction & lost power for 8 days, basement flooding, bucket flushing, generators failing, losing 3-4 days of work, lotsa $$ spent on gas for generator, etc, etc;
2. My tooth breaking;
3. The Rotti & the Yorkie getting REALLY sick. We thought for sure the cancer had come back for the Rotti until the Yorkie starting vomiting everywhere too. Sounds gross but it was a positive for us!
Fear of Flying & Being an Ati-fan:
My motivation for booking this trip was to get back on a plane. A few years ago I had a bad flight & it caused major flying anxiety. Ativan came highly recommended for easing this anxiety & I'll add my name to the list of Ati-fans. Ativan + Pink Floyd's Dark Side of the Moon on the IPOD is a great way to relax on a plane & coincidentally brought back teenage memories of sitting in my room, in the dark, 2am, candles lit, incense burning, smoking Camels, ... aaahhhh.
Just Enough cottage:
On Upper Carolina with a view of Coral Bay harbor & all the surrounding hillsides.
http://justenoughstjohn.com/Just-Enough.htm
This is a beautifully crafted & well-maintained post & beam (I think) style cottage w/ smooth dark wood floors & tile, screened windows, french doors & two wrap-around wooden decks. There are 2 levels: Lower level has living area/kitchen & Upper level has bedroom/bathroom/walk-in closet & is accessed by a short outdoor stairway. Most important, the owners did not cheese-out on anything. No tacky decor, no flimsy furniture, no crappy appliances. Everything we needed was there & of good quality. Cathy Noonan, the rep, was welcoming, keeps the cottage fresh & clean and provided us with pick-up, drop-off & a vehicle!
The kitchen was stocked & everything worked. On the Lower level, inside, there's a futon/couch w/ handcrafted coffee & end tables, breakfast bar w/ chairs, glass table & chairs. Outside is 2 chaise lounges, table & chairs w/ umbrella, hammock & grill. There was also a radio/CD player with @ 15 CD's to pick from & a small collection of books.
It was nice having the futon/couch. Very comfy and we could stretch out & read & take a nap. I hate those undersized bamboo lookin' couches we've had at other places- too small, not comfy, not nap-able at all.
Upstairs, the king-sized bed was big w/ pillows galore, screened windows on three walls offered beautiful views & tradewinds, the tiled shower was open concept & had a screened window & view of Coral Bay, the walk-in closet had many shelves & hangers and there was a small TV w/ DVD player. The deck upstairs is just a bit narrower and has two chairs and a big hurrican shutter you can sit under if it's raining and you want to be outside.
The highlight was bannaquit feeding time. There were so many of them that they actually lined up on the railing and nearby chairs for their turn in the sugar bowl. Watching these tiny yellow birds gather on the deck in the AM, hubby & I with coffee & still in pajamas, stretched out on the chaise lounges as the sun rose and lit up the Coral Bay hillside... magical.
There were no insect issues, barely a mosquito or no-seeum to be had and only one ant incident that was our fault. We were diligent about keeping the doors closed so as to not let things in and the owners provided those electric bug paddle/swatter/thingies.
My hubby only used the electric paddle once, on himself, and he said it was a decent volt o' the electricity.
I think Just Enough was a great deal at $1,000 for the week (off-season rate). The website is spot-on in terms of pictures & description except for one thing: the website mentions a "well-lit stairway" to the cottage but not the fact that there are a decent amount of stairs. This is not a cottage for anyone with a disability, bad knee, bad foot, elderly, really out of shape, etc. We are borderline "really out of shape" so walking UP the stairs to the car sucked but it did not affect our enjoyment of the cottage or our vacation. Hell, we needed the exercise anyway.
Books I Read:
To Kill a Mockingbird- Read it if you haven't. I did not cross paths with this book in high school so it was new to me and was soooooooo good. Felt like I was being told a story rather than reading it myself. I fell in love with Scout and her hometown and the people in it.
Plum Spooky- An "In Between the Numbers" Stephanie Plum book by Janet Evanovich. I laughed MY ASS OFF. There were monkeys involved!... as well as the Easter Bunny, Sasquatch & a Fire Farter!! Anyone who is a fan of the series MUST read this.
Triggerfish Twist- Tim Dorsey. Number 4 in a series, based in Florida, drugs, violence, serials killer, cocaine, used car salesmen and lotsa laughs. Fast-paced satire about America, her people and all their issues.
Movie We Watched:
Superbad- Watch it if you haven't, watch it AGAIN if you have. I thought it was funnier the 2nd time. And I was sober.
Beaches We Visited:
Francis Bay Beach- Just as mellow as Maho (Maho was packed with people). Visibility was not great for snorkeling due to windy conditions causing strong currents out in the bay. I did see the ass end of a turtle & a ray swam right up to shore while hubby and I were getting our toes wet. We loved bobbing like lobster buoys in the clear calm water near shore & watching the pelicans dive.
Vie's Beach- Waaay busier than we expected... at one point there were almnost 20 people on the beach! We had the mornings pretty much to ourselves but by 12 people were pouring in. We camped out inside the big seagrape tree mid-beach... like a natural private cabana. We LOVE the chaises, did a lot of reading, baking & bobbing in the water. Snorkeling was OK, visibility not great due to windy conditions & the current was too strong to go out around the rocks to the right.
Hawksnest- We hit this on our last day & it was incredibly busy... @ 20+ people, a radio, beach sports... but no one was in the water. Too cold for you people? It was 10 degrees in New England that day. 10!!!!! So I went in the water. Snorkeling not too shabby, visibility outstanding.
Breakfasts:
Donkey Diner- New owners, awesomely nice people. Food just as good as ever since the recipes have been passed from owner to owner. I do think the pancakes are better than I remember. I recc. The Sampler Plate- everything you could possibly crave in the AM for $10. Good pizza too! We ate here A LOT cuz it's aaaalll goooood .
Big Belly Deli- Had b-fast here & it was yummy. These guys seem happy, rockin' out to the Stones at 9am, slinging french toast & breakfast sandwiches.
We did breakfast on the deck a few times too. Casual dress (pajamas), damn good view & hubby thought the cook was cute .
Lunches:
Island Blues- Terrible. And this used to be our favorite lunch. One guy was bartender AND waiter and it was lunch-rush busy. My mahi sandwich was tasteless, out of chix fingers for hubby and then chix sandwich was the saddest I've ever seen with a dry portion of chix smaller than a piece of Silly Putty & a similar sized piece of wilted iceberg lettuce. We did not return for a second try.
Shipwreck Landing- Drooling thinking about the pulled pork sandwich w/ cole slaw that I slathered in curry sauce. Good GOD it was good! Hubby's burger looked Ok and he said it was alright. Pretty fresh kiwi/strawberry drink.
Hightide- This is a decent lunch place but never gets any props. Very good chix fingers & fries, awesomely flavorful blackened mahi sandwich, good blackened chix wrap, decent pasta salad, great waitstaff, superb people watching.
Miss Vie's- Eating lunch here is the perfect island experience. Nuff said.
Columbo Smoothie Stand- Hubby got something with peanut butter, Oreos and Meyers Rum and it was DAMN good. However, too much $$ and the only grumpy person we met on island. Like we were putting her out by ordering something. Yes, we both said Good Day.
Dinners:
Miss Lucy's- The 8oz caribbean lobster tale was huge & pretty sweet... for a caribbean lobster tale . Hubby's spiced rubbed pork tenderloin was salty, sweet & a touch spiced and really tender. Also had the Haitian Beef Stew and m'belly said yumma. We love Miss Lucy's.
Shipwreck Landing- Steak was OK but not good for the price. Taco Salad was a good portion & I had it with chix. The blender drinks here are like drinkable art with all the colors & fresh fruit. We had a kitty cat friend join us too... one of the reasons why I love STJ so much.
Skinny Legs- The American cheeseburger w/ the works is soooo messy & messy means good to this girl! The anti-blender Bushwackers here wackz the shit outta ya.
Aqua Bistro- Best dinner hands down. The New York Strip was as good as any steakhouse we've been to. The Bistro Rum punch is the cheapest mixed drink on island & kicks ass, the fried onions that came with the meal were the best I've ever had, the fish was a big portion and cooked perfect, everything was good.
Steak from Lilly's on the deck- decent cut of sirloin steak but pricey.
Bits & Pieces:
The last 4 visits, we've gone in early-mid December, considered a "shoulder season" time of year. We found the island to be much busier in January.
Met Ruth & Ron a coupla times & chatted about the new store & the sucky New England weather but, since we travelled carry-on only, never got back to the store to buy anything. We literally had no room for souvenirs. I had to carry my sweater on the ferry back to STT cuz it wouldn't fit anywhere. Have to plan better next time.
We made it a point to make Good Morning/Afternoon/Day a habit all the time and it really does make a difference. It's like the bridge to meet some really wonderful people, locals & visitors. We're kinda private people but wanted to be more outgoing this time. Loved chatting with the new Donkey Diner owners, the family of 12 from Mass., the group of 4 from Rhode Island, Miss Vie, the guy who moved down there with hopes of making wallpaper a new island trend , Cathy Noonan & hubby Clark, Sharon who drove us back to the dock, Barr Lewis at Syzygy, the girl at Lilly's gift shop, so many others.
Carry-on only was nice but, like I mentioned previously, leaves very little room for bringing things home because your New England winter outfit has to fit in the carry-on until you get the the airport & change. For us that was a pair of jeans each, sneakers, clogs, sweater, sweatshirt, light jacket. We were NOT wearing these clothes until we got the the airport so they all had to be squooshed in. That was the only drawback. FYI- our snorkel gear backpakcs were never questioned as personal items. I think it helps if you print your boarding passes before you get there- the less chance of people saying "no, you can't bring that", the better!
I really love visiting St John & I hope I always do.
LysaC & Hubby
From: Southern New Hampshire
To: Coral Bay!!
First & foremost- Tankinis rule!
Second- Our love of St. John is as strong as ever.
Third- Our perfect day was Tuesday:
- Woke up, watched sunrise, fed bannaquits, drank coffee, cooked eggs & bacon.
- Hit Vie's, bobbed in water, baked in sun, got garlic chix & honeyed Johnny cake & homemade iced tea, headed back to beach, read, baked, dreamed.
- Back to cottage for nap & shower.
- Miss Lucy's for lobster tail & pork tenderloin, watched the glow bugs dance in the waves lapping at the shore.
- Back home for Superbad.
- Fell asleep to the sounds of rain drops & coki frog.
Onto the nitty-gritty...
Why Do So Many Things Go Wrong Right Before Vacation?
Does this happen to anyone else? In previous years, in the immediate weeks preceding a STJ vaca, we have experienced the furnace backing up, the kitchen sink faucet exploding, the Rotti being diagnosed with cancer & needing emergency surgery, the Yorkie needing butt surgery (don't ask), etc, etc.
This year, pre-vacation disasters included:
1. The ice storm of the century causing crazy destruction & lost power for 8 days, basement flooding, bucket flushing, generators failing, losing 3-4 days of work, lotsa $$ spent on gas for generator, etc, etc;
2. My tooth breaking;
3. The Rotti & the Yorkie getting REALLY sick. We thought for sure the cancer had come back for the Rotti until the Yorkie starting vomiting everywhere too. Sounds gross but it was a positive for us!
Fear of Flying & Being an Ati-fan:
My motivation for booking this trip was to get back on a plane. A few years ago I had a bad flight & it caused major flying anxiety. Ativan came highly recommended for easing this anxiety & I'll add my name to the list of Ati-fans. Ativan + Pink Floyd's Dark Side of the Moon on the IPOD is a great way to relax on a plane & coincidentally brought back teenage memories of sitting in my room, in the dark, 2am, candles lit, incense burning, smoking Camels, ... aaahhhh.
Just Enough cottage:
On Upper Carolina with a view of Coral Bay harbor & all the surrounding hillsides.
http://justenoughstjohn.com/Just-Enough.htm
This is a beautifully crafted & well-maintained post & beam (I think) style cottage w/ smooth dark wood floors & tile, screened windows, french doors & two wrap-around wooden decks. There are 2 levels: Lower level has living area/kitchen & Upper level has bedroom/bathroom/walk-in closet & is accessed by a short outdoor stairway. Most important, the owners did not cheese-out on anything. No tacky decor, no flimsy furniture, no crappy appliances. Everything we needed was there & of good quality. Cathy Noonan, the rep, was welcoming, keeps the cottage fresh & clean and provided us with pick-up, drop-off & a vehicle!
The kitchen was stocked & everything worked. On the Lower level, inside, there's a futon/couch w/ handcrafted coffee & end tables, breakfast bar w/ chairs, glass table & chairs. Outside is 2 chaise lounges, table & chairs w/ umbrella, hammock & grill. There was also a radio/CD player with @ 15 CD's to pick from & a small collection of books.
It was nice having the futon/couch. Very comfy and we could stretch out & read & take a nap. I hate those undersized bamboo lookin' couches we've had at other places- too small, not comfy, not nap-able at all.
Upstairs, the king-sized bed was big w/ pillows galore, screened windows on three walls offered beautiful views & tradewinds, the tiled shower was open concept & had a screened window & view of Coral Bay, the walk-in closet had many shelves & hangers and there was a small TV w/ DVD player. The deck upstairs is just a bit narrower and has two chairs and a big hurrican shutter you can sit under if it's raining and you want to be outside.
The highlight was bannaquit feeding time. There were so many of them that they actually lined up on the railing and nearby chairs for their turn in the sugar bowl. Watching these tiny yellow birds gather on the deck in the AM, hubby & I with coffee & still in pajamas, stretched out on the chaise lounges as the sun rose and lit up the Coral Bay hillside... magical.
There were no insect issues, barely a mosquito or no-seeum to be had and only one ant incident that was our fault. We were diligent about keeping the doors closed so as to not let things in and the owners provided those electric bug paddle/swatter/thingies.
My hubby only used the electric paddle once, on himself, and he said it was a decent volt o' the electricity.
I think Just Enough was a great deal at $1,000 for the week (off-season rate). The website is spot-on in terms of pictures & description except for one thing: the website mentions a "well-lit stairway" to the cottage but not the fact that there are a decent amount of stairs. This is not a cottage for anyone with a disability, bad knee, bad foot, elderly, really out of shape, etc. We are borderline "really out of shape" so walking UP the stairs to the car sucked but it did not affect our enjoyment of the cottage or our vacation. Hell, we needed the exercise anyway.
Books I Read:
To Kill a Mockingbird- Read it if you haven't. I did not cross paths with this book in high school so it was new to me and was soooooooo good. Felt like I was being told a story rather than reading it myself. I fell in love with Scout and her hometown and the people in it.
Plum Spooky- An "In Between the Numbers" Stephanie Plum book by Janet Evanovich. I laughed MY ASS OFF. There were monkeys involved!... as well as the Easter Bunny, Sasquatch & a Fire Farter!! Anyone who is a fan of the series MUST read this.
Triggerfish Twist- Tim Dorsey. Number 4 in a series, based in Florida, drugs, violence, serials killer, cocaine, used car salesmen and lotsa laughs. Fast-paced satire about America, her people and all their issues.
Movie We Watched:
Superbad- Watch it if you haven't, watch it AGAIN if you have. I thought it was funnier the 2nd time. And I was sober.
Beaches We Visited:
Francis Bay Beach- Just as mellow as Maho (Maho was packed with people). Visibility was not great for snorkeling due to windy conditions causing strong currents out in the bay. I did see the ass end of a turtle & a ray swam right up to shore while hubby and I were getting our toes wet. We loved bobbing like lobster buoys in the clear calm water near shore & watching the pelicans dive.
Vie's Beach- Waaay busier than we expected... at one point there were almnost 20 people on the beach! We had the mornings pretty much to ourselves but by 12 people were pouring in. We camped out inside the big seagrape tree mid-beach... like a natural private cabana. We LOVE the chaises, did a lot of reading, baking & bobbing in the water. Snorkeling was OK, visibility not great due to windy conditions & the current was too strong to go out around the rocks to the right.
Hawksnest- We hit this on our last day & it was incredibly busy... @ 20+ people, a radio, beach sports... but no one was in the water. Too cold for you people? It was 10 degrees in New England that day. 10!!!!! So I went in the water. Snorkeling not too shabby, visibility outstanding.
Breakfasts:
Donkey Diner- New owners, awesomely nice people. Food just as good as ever since the recipes have been passed from owner to owner. I do think the pancakes are better than I remember. I recc. The Sampler Plate- everything you could possibly crave in the AM for $10. Good pizza too! We ate here A LOT cuz it's aaaalll goooood .
Big Belly Deli- Had b-fast here & it was yummy. These guys seem happy, rockin' out to the Stones at 9am, slinging french toast & breakfast sandwiches.
We did breakfast on the deck a few times too. Casual dress (pajamas), damn good view & hubby thought the cook was cute .
Lunches:
Island Blues- Terrible. And this used to be our favorite lunch. One guy was bartender AND waiter and it was lunch-rush busy. My mahi sandwich was tasteless, out of chix fingers for hubby and then chix sandwich was the saddest I've ever seen with a dry portion of chix smaller than a piece of Silly Putty & a similar sized piece of wilted iceberg lettuce. We did not return for a second try.
Shipwreck Landing- Drooling thinking about the pulled pork sandwich w/ cole slaw that I slathered in curry sauce. Good GOD it was good! Hubby's burger looked Ok and he said it was alright. Pretty fresh kiwi/strawberry drink.
Hightide- This is a decent lunch place but never gets any props. Very good chix fingers & fries, awesomely flavorful blackened mahi sandwich, good blackened chix wrap, decent pasta salad, great waitstaff, superb people watching.
Miss Vie's- Eating lunch here is the perfect island experience. Nuff said.
Columbo Smoothie Stand- Hubby got something with peanut butter, Oreos and Meyers Rum and it was DAMN good. However, too much $$ and the only grumpy person we met on island. Like we were putting her out by ordering something. Yes, we both said Good Day.
Dinners:
Miss Lucy's- The 8oz caribbean lobster tale was huge & pretty sweet... for a caribbean lobster tale . Hubby's spiced rubbed pork tenderloin was salty, sweet & a touch spiced and really tender. Also had the Haitian Beef Stew and m'belly said yumma. We love Miss Lucy's.
Shipwreck Landing- Steak was OK but not good for the price. Taco Salad was a good portion & I had it with chix. The blender drinks here are like drinkable art with all the colors & fresh fruit. We had a kitty cat friend join us too... one of the reasons why I love STJ so much.
Skinny Legs- The American cheeseburger w/ the works is soooo messy & messy means good to this girl! The anti-blender Bushwackers here wackz the shit outta ya.
Aqua Bistro- Best dinner hands down. The New York Strip was as good as any steakhouse we've been to. The Bistro Rum punch is the cheapest mixed drink on island & kicks ass, the fried onions that came with the meal were the best I've ever had, the fish was a big portion and cooked perfect, everything was good.
Steak from Lilly's on the deck- decent cut of sirloin steak but pricey.
Bits & Pieces:
The last 4 visits, we've gone in early-mid December, considered a "shoulder season" time of year. We found the island to be much busier in January.
Met Ruth & Ron a coupla times & chatted about the new store & the sucky New England weather but, since we travelled carry-on only, never got back to the store to buy anything. We literally had no room for souvenirs. I had to carry my sweater on the ferry back to STT cuz it wouldn't fit anywhere. Have to plan better next time.
We made it a point to make Good Morning/Afternoon/Day a habit all the time and it really does make a difference. It's like the bridge to meet some really wonderful people, locals & visitors. We're kinda private people but wanted to be more outgoing this time. Loved chatting with the new Donkey Diner owners, the family of 12 from Mass., the group of 4 from Rhode Island, Miss Vie, the guy who moved down there with hopes of making wallpaper a new island trend , Cathy Noonan & hubby Clark, Sharon who drove us back to the dock, Barr Lewis at Syzygy, the girl at Lilly's gift shop, so many others.
Carry-on only was nice but, like I mentioned previously, leaves very little room for bringing things home because your New England winter outfit has to fit in the carry-on until you get the the airport & change. For us that was a pair of jeans each, sneakers, clogs, sweater, sweatshirt, light jacket. We were NOT wearing these clothes until we got the the airport so they all had to be squooshed in. That was the only drawback. FYI- our snorkel gear backpakcs were never questioned as personal items. I think it helps if you print your boarding passes before you get there- the less chance of people saying "no, you can't bring that", the better!
I really love visiting St John & I hope I always do.
-
Sun4MySoul
- Posts: 524
- Joined: Sun May 06, 2007 1:37 pm
- Location: NC
Thank you wish and thank you for the head's up about the stairs. I never did tell hubby about them so he was a bit surprised once we got there. I think he would've been grumpy if he knew in advance 
.
And, just like you said, it did not hinder our enjoyment of the cottage or the vaca. And, I dragged ass on our departure day so he ended up lugging the luggage to the car. I only felt a little guilty.
. And, just like you said, it did not hinder our enjoyment of the cottage or the vaca. And, I dragged ass on our departure day so he ended up lugging the luggage to the car. I only felt a little guilty.
Pia- there are lotsa dogs in your neighborhood and NONE of them were nuisance barkers. We actually felt safer with the neighborhood watchdogs around since we weren't able to lock the doors (there were locks but, with all the screens, if someone wanted to get in, they would).
There was one dog that we ran into a few times with the biggest ears we've ever seen. They were like two satellite dishes! The dog looked young, german shephard mix maybe, but smaller and smoother coat. A definite cutie!
There was one dog that we ran into a few times with the biggest ears we've ever seen. They were like two satellite dishes! The dog looked young, german shephard mix maybe, but smaller and smoother coat. A definite cutie!
Great Information
This is my first time, hope this goes well. I thank you for your reviews, love to get the real story on things. We are arriving in St Thomas for the first time on Feb. 3, 2009 then on to St. John on Feb. 5th, staying in Coral Bay. Great to hear about the Snorkel Gear thing and pre printing our boarding passes. Thank you again for that. Ro in Decatur Illinois
Ro- Welcome! Pre-printing your boarding pass at home before you leave and then at Keep Me Posted in the Cocoloba Plaza in Coral Bay before you head home is the best thing! American Airlines let's you do it 24 hours in advance too.
liamsaunt- Hubby and I were so sad at Island Blues. This was a lunch spot we frequented a lot. The sandwich specials, always kicked up with a chutney of some sort, were always sooooo gooood. Oh well.
liamsaunt- Hubby and I were so sad at Island Blues. This was a lunch spot we frequented a lot. The sandwich specials, always kicked up with a chutney of some sort, were always sooooo gooood. Oh well.
Boarding pass
LysaC, Thank you for the updated info on the Boarding pass thing. We can't wait to explore the Islands. Ro