STJ Trip Report - Day 1 - 4 : (60% - ugh)
Posted: Tue Aug 12, 2008 11:10 pm
So, my first trip report. Photos hopefully will follow when i get back.
First: Thanks to everyone on the board that offered their advice to help an STJ virgin. This was a 15yr anniversary celebration for the wife and I, albeit a bit early. Kids go back to school in Sep, so we celebrated our Oct anniversary in Aug. Special Thanks to the grandparents (both sets) for taking care of 3 boys, while we indulge ourselves.
Landed in STT on Saturday. Rented from Discount on STT. Great service. Pickup in 5 minutes. Plane on time despite sitting in line at Newark for 45 minutes. Luggage inside of 30 minutes. All bags accounted for. So far so good.
Did some grocery shopping in Red Hook. Great little place right down the road from the car barge. If I ever remember the name I'll put it up. EXPENSIVE!!! Makes NYC look like a bargain. Note to self: as expensive at it was, it's a huge discount compared to STJ grocery shopping. Consider bringing cold cuts BTW. 9.99/lb for ham is just insane. And that's STT prices.
4wd - as long as it doesn't rain you're OK without one, but OMG some of the roads/driveways are damn near 45 degrees. If it rains you're proverbially screwed without one.
Thank goodness we brought some frozen fillets, rib eyes and lobster tails and bacon. 3 days in, 3 days supporting the local STJ economy.
Grabbed the 4PM barge which proceeded to depart at 4:15. Slow ride to STJ, must have been conserving fuel. Arrive STJ almost 5pm. No worries. I'm relaxing
.
Ok, just got to the villa and OMG - views are breathtaking. Pool - Awesome. Did I mention views are breathtaking.
FOOD:
Arrival Saturday Day 1:
Dinner Aqua Bistro - Good food & drinks. Place was empty. Something about a party somewhere involving everyone on the island with August birthdays. Hmmm.
Sunday Day 2:
Breakfast In: Pancakes. Substance for a good day of drinking.
Lunch: Sandwiches using overprices STT coldcuts.
Mid-day: Smoothie Stand on Centerline and Rt 20. OMG. On the daily schedule. Ridiculously overpriced but who cares. Smoothies are awesome and I'm on vacation.
Dinner: Bar-B-Q Filets. MMMMM.
Monday Day 3:
Breakfast In: Grape Nuts cereal.
Lunch: Skinny Legs - EXACTLY what I expected and what a great place. Great Burger, better drinks. My type of bar to hang out with a bunch of friends. You will not be disappointed going here.
Mid-Day: Smoothie Stand on Centerline and Rt 20. New flavor today. Liked day 1 smoothies better, but who cares. Has rum in it and I'm on vacation. Besides - road to house 20 yards down the road.
Dinner Bar-B-Q Filets again. MMMMM.
Tuesday Day 4:
Breakfast: Bacon and eggs.
Lunch: Brown bagged it today again. Cold cut sandwiches.
Mid-Day: That damn smoothie stand got in our way again. Back to the day 1 traditional selection again. More rum.
Dinner: Chateau Bordeaux - OMG - Appetizers to DIE for. Order the tuna sashimi and the lobster Ravioli. Dinner was GOOD, but slightly disappointing after the fabulous high from the appetizers. Without Question in two of the top 3 appetizers I've ever eaten - and I've been around some of the best restaurants. Desert brought the high back. Bananas in some decadent Rum sauce. As if the bottle of Cab wasn't enough. And some chocolate thingie that weighed about 20 lbs on the plate. Dig to wife: At least I ordered the fruit.
Note to everyone. They just reopened after revamping themselves for the low season. Not as expensive as they are during high time. Ok, 3rd day dinner out just went the way of the do-do bird. Too many leftovers.
Beaches:
Day 2 - Trunk Bay - my goodness I want to scoop all this sand up and take it home for my backyard. Water too. Snorkeling great. Busy though. "It's a touristy spot"
Day 3 - Lameshur - Great sand, but lots of stuff in there that hurts your feet. Nice snorkeling, but not as good as Trunk. Make sure you gots a 4wd with you cause you aint making this place without it. My inards are still shaking. BUT - if you want to be practically the only people there, this is it.
Day 4 - Leinster/Watermelon - Snorkeling was outstanding. Turtles, fish up the wazoo - I mean I was in a school of fish like the little things in my fish tank. Couldn't see anything else but these fish. Barracuda, and a stingray. Did I mention the big ass turtle? Pretty quiet also. A long walk along the shoreline but well worth it.
Sitting on the deck almost cold writing this on day 4, trying to let my dinner digest, looking out over the lights of coral bay. What a view. Moon and stars out. STT the other way in distance, looks like a smaller version of nyc at night. STJ a nice scattered few lights. Like an island should be. Good to see nature still in play.
Haven't really bought many souvenirs yet. Everything made in China. WTH? Some nifty beer coolers and a "If found send to STJ" tee shirt
Someday someone will need to explain to me why i waited so long to some here. Told wife this is where I'm going to retire. Can do this everyday.
Get up whenever. Leave for the beack, whenever.
Snorkel till whenever. Dinner. Whenever. Just need to make sure i have a lot of money.
What a place.....
Almost forgot: margaritas, daquary's, after we get back before dinner. And DAMN! We're in bed at 9:30 every night (well except tonight as I write this)....
Off to someplace new tomorrow. Not sure where, we'll see tomorrow. Whenever we get up. We might decide to go in the pool first, or not. No plan, just whatever mood hits us.
PS. Thank the man upstairs for acceptable weather in this risky time of year. A few spotted showers (they seem to need it though), and some clouds that let you stop sweating for 30 minutes out of the hour, but no strong winds. So far weather has not influenced any decisions.....
PPS. Two more real days left before we leave on Friday <sigh>.
First: Thanks to everyone on the board that offered their advice to help an STJ virgin. This was a 15yr anniversary celebration for the wife and I, albeit a bit early. Kids go back to school in Sep, so we celebrated our Oct anniversary in Aug. Special Thanks to the grandparents (both sets) for taking care of 3 boys, while we indulge ourselves.
Landed in STT on Saturday. Rented from Discount on STT. Great service. Pickup in 5 minutes. Plane on time despite sitting in line at Newark for 45 minutes. Luggage inside of 30 minutes. All bags accounted for. So far so good.
Did some grocery shopping in Red Hook. Great little place right down the road from the car barge. If I ever remember the name I'll put it up. EXPENSIVE!!! Makes NYC look like a bargain. Note to self: as expensive at it was, it's a huge discount compared to STJ grocery shopping. Consider bringing cold cuts BTW. 9.99/lb for ham is just insane. And that's STT prices.
4wd - as long as it doesn't rain you're OK without one, but OMG some of the roads/driveways are damn near 45 degrees. If it rains you're proverbially screwed without one.
Thank goodness we brought some frozen fillets, rib eyes and lobster tails and bacon. 3 days in, 3 days supporting the local STJ economy.
Grabbed the 4PM barge which proceeded to depart at 4:15. Slow ride to STJ, must have been conserving fuel. Arrive STJ almost 5pm. No worries. I'm relaxing
.Ok, just got to the villa and OMG - views are breathtaking. Pool - Awesome. Did I mention views are breathtaking.
FOOD:
Arrival Saturday Day 1:
Dinner Aqua Bistro - Good food & drinks. Place was empty. Something about a party somewhere involving everyone on the island with August birthdays. Hmmm.
Sunday Day 2:
Breakfast In: Pancakes. Substance for a good day of drinking.
Lunch: Sandwiches using overprices STT coldcuts.
Mid-day: Smoothie Stand on Centerline and Rt 20. OMG. On the daily schedule. Ridiculously overpriced but who cares. Smoothies are awesome and I'm on vacation.
Dinner: Bar-B-Q Filets. MMMMM.
Monday Day 3:
Breakfast In: Grape Nuts cereal.
Lunch: Skinny Legs - EXACTLY what I expected and what a great place. Great Burger, better drinks
. My type of bar to hang out with a bunch of friends. You will not be disappointed going here.Mid-Day: Smoothie Stand on Centerline and Rt 20. New flavor today. Liked day 1 smoothies better, but who cares. Has rum in it and I'm on vacation. Besides - road to house 20 yards down the road.
Dinner Bar-B-Q Filets again. MMMMM.
Tuesday Day 4:
Breakfast: Bacon and eggs.
Lunch: Brown bagged it today again. Cold cut sandwiches.
Mid-Day: That damn smoothie stand got in our way again. Back to the day 1 traditional selection again. More rum.
Dinner: Chateau Bordeaux - OMG - Appetizers to DIE for. Order the tuna sashimi and the lobster Ravioli. Dinner was GOOD, but slightly disappointing after the fabulous high from the appetizers. Without Question in two of the top 3 appetizers I've ever eaten - and I've been around some of the best restaurants. Desert brought the high back. Bananas in some decadent Rum sauce. As if the bottle of Cab wasn't enough. And some chocolate thingie that weighed about 20 lbs on the plate. Dig to wife: At least I ordered the fruit.
Note to everyone. They just reopened after revamping themselves for the low season. Not as expensive as they are during high time. Ok, 3rd day dinner out just went the way of the do-do bird. Too many leftovers.
Beaches:
Day 2 - Trunk Bay - my goodness I want to scoop all this sand up and take it home for my backyard. Water too. Snorkeling great. Busy though. "It's a touristy spot"
Day 3 - Lameshur - Great sand, but lots of stuff in there that hurts your feet. Nice snorkeling, but not as good as Trunk. Make sure you gots a 4wd with you cause you aint making this place without it. My inards are still shaking. BUT - if you want to be practically the only people there, this is it.
Day 4 - Leinster/Watermelon - Snorkeling was outstanding. Turtles, fish up the wazoo - I mean I was in a school of fish like the little things in my fish tank. Couldn't see anything else but these fish. Barracuda, and a stingray. Did I mention the big ass turtle? Pretty quiet also. A long walk along the shoreline but well worth it.
Sitting on the deck almost cold writing this on day 4, trying to let my dinner digest, looking out over the lights of coral bay. What a view. Moon and stars out. STT the other way in distance, looks like a smaller version of nyc at night. STJ a nice scattered few lights. Like an island should be. Good to see nature still in play.
Haven't really bought many souvenirs yet. Everything made in China. WTH? Some nifty beer coolers and a "If found send to STJ" tee shirt
Someday someone will need to explain to me why i waited so long to some here. Told wife this is where I'm going to retire. Can do this everyday.
Get up whenever. Leave for the beack, whenever.
Snorkel till whenever. Dinner. Whenever. Just need to make sure i have a lot of money.
What a place.....
Almost forgot: margaritas, daquary's, after we get back before dinner.
And DAMN! We're in bed at 9:30 every night (well except tonight as I write this)....Off to someplace new tomorrow. Not sure where, we'll see tomorrow. Whenever we get up. We might decide to go in the pool first, or not. No plan, just whatever mood hits us.
PS. Thank the man upstairs for acceptable weather in this risky time of year. A few spotted showers (they seem to need it though), and some clouds that let you stop sweating for 30 minutes out of the hour, but no strong winds. So far weather has not influenced any decisions.....
PPS. Two more real days left before we leave on Friday <sigh>.
