USVI-On-Line

Does anybody besides me think of leaving a gift behind for the Villa that you rent? I mean I don't do it every time. But several times I have left items as a "gift" for the Villa. One time I left measuring cups and spoons. At Bongo Bongo I left a copper trivet because I knew it would match and look really cool in their kitchen.

I have done this too. A couple of times when I rented the same house the 2nd time, I brought things that I knew the villa didn't have. I've left behind beach towels too if I didn't have room in my suitcase to bring them home. We've left children's sand toys as well.

I know the best items are plastic because they don't rust. This Halloween we are renting La Papaya and I am thinking of bringing my Pampered Chef whopper chopper and leaving it. I love that thing. But I have an extra one. And I could use it while I am there. Then I could leave it. Please tell me that this is not tacky!

Barbara wrote:I know the best items are plastic because they don't rust. This Halloween we are renting La Papaya and I am thinking of bringing my Pampered Chef whopper chopper and leaving it. I love that thing. But I have an extra one. And I could use it while I am there. Then I could leave it. Please tell me that this is not tacky!

Not too tacky at all.

Funny this should come up...I was about to post the same thing. Nothing as nice, but I wanted to bring a fridge magnet from NC. get our friends to bring a NJ. That would be fun I think: bring a magnet from your home state to the house and leave it on the fridge.

Has anyone done that? I can't be clever enough to have thought of it first.

CariBert wrote:Since I love to cook, my one pet peeve is dull knives at the villa we are staying in. So I always bring a Wustoff knife sharpener and leave it for everyone to have and enjoy. This last time I added a lemon/lime squeeze juicer thing. My goal is to eliminate all dull knives on St. John, and make lime drinks very easy to make....

-Bert

I love you idea, Bert, but I think your goal is a bit lofty . I hate dull knives too so I always bring some knives knowing that the villa knives will be unless for the most part. My DH always brings a stone and steel for sharpening but if there is nothing there that is worth the trouble I always have my knives that will get us by. The knives I bring are my "traveling knives" and I don't leave them behind. Along with my knives and some spices, in my "traveling utensil" kit I have an assortment of kitchen gadgets that I can't be without such as a bamboo toast tongs, masher, chopper, a cutting board and a few kitchen towels and pot holders. I hate to try to prepare a meal in a kitchen that has nothing but junk in the drawers.

Ohhhhhhhhhhh I so like the idea of the frig magnets. Now I gotta go out and get some representing Virginia. What a great idea. But let me tell ya that I like the cooking kit even better. That is me. Wanting to cook and not enuf to cook with. We always go with other couples and we always share cooking duties. So each couple brings 2 or 3 recipes. That has been a hit. But I noticed the last few times that I brought some of my own spices. Now I am gonna add a favorite knife and of course my whopper chopper to that kit.

The Wusthof knife sharpener is a great idea. I just found it on Amazon.com. That is a great gift for the villa. I still think it is very gracious and a neat tradition to leave something there at the Villa. A great way to say thank you.

We usually leave a couple of martini glasses.

I all ways bring a gift. If we know the owners it might be more personal then if we don't. I bought the colored glass villa sign's that are at Cygnus by the road. I've done knives , alot of times there will be something that makes my life easier that I buy when there and I leave it.

Oh that is the fluffy side of you! See guys? That wasn't so hard!

we leave all the books we brought to read at the villa.

we don't want to lug them back!

We always tend to leave extra food stuffs;-usually Omaha Steak items for whomever ends up getting it...
That, as well as straws, and more than one drink mixing tin, or two over the years...
I think it would be great if we all could somehow network some sort of "who's staying at the same villa before/after eachother" type of scenario.
Tipsy gave us a lot of info last April of what to expect/ not to buy as far as her items left over for us.
Hell, we're family, right?
Anyone else think it's a good idea?
GREAT IDEA @ THE FRIDGE MAGNETS!!!!
Smiles-
MJ

I really love the idea of the frig magnets except that more and more villas have stainless frigs on which magnets don't stick so I'll have to think about that one a little more. I sure wish I had been able to find a knife sharpener in any kitchen we've rented. That's a great gift to leave. I always add my books to the house library as well.

I like the fridge magnet idea, I can use it to hold the big fat check I leave behind.