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Keep Calm and Travel On

Greetings from the city of macaroons, croissants, beautiful art, strong coffee, and many other things – PARIS!
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Long story short, Erika and I both have to be in Geneva, Switzerland for business. When I heard that she had never been to Europe I quickly convinced her to fly over early so we could enjoy a quick stop in Paris! Our plans today include seeing as much of the city as possible together and sleeping tomorrow, when we reach Geneva.

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Luckily, we were able to fly business class over to Paris which meant that sleeping was easy thanks to seats that fully reclined and plenty of champagne, wine, cheese, and delicious food. Our Air France flight left JFK Airport at 4:45pm just as the rain began in New York. We spent the first hour chatting and sipping wine before enjoying a four course meal. I have never enjoyed food in flight like this before.

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L’amuse-bouche: Salmon and Granny Smith Apple

Appetizer: Poached shrimp and champagne foie gras terrine

Main Course: Pan seared beef with flat beans and risotto

They served a wine paired with each course, my favorite of which was the champagne!

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Our adventure went a bit awry this morning when we arrived at Charles de Gaulle only to find out that the train system wasn’t working. We ended up having to take a bus to another nearby train station and then commute an hour into the city. While it wasn’t the easiest trek, and involved three transfers, we met some wonderfully sweet women who gave us plenty of help and recommendations. It also allowed us to only spend 9 euros versus 60 euros for a cab!

Our hotel allowed us to check in early which means that the camera card has been emptied, our phones are charging, and we’re changed and ready for a day in the city!

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New Years 2013: St. Croix Style

After a day of internet issues and lack of wi-fi on both flights today, I’m finally back to pick up where I left off in sharing our St. Croix adventures!

After a day of exploring St. Croix via the roads, trails, and beaches on Monday, we were ready to toast to the new year together as a large group. IMG_1419

Sunday night we realized that we still didn’t have any firm New Year’s Eve plans and since we cooked in the 2 nights previous, we thought it would be fun to go out to dinner somewhere. We didn’t really know if going into Christiansted was a safe idea with the New Year’s Eve craziness and figured that a large group would be hard to keep together during the night. Therefore, instead of bar hopping, we decided to take it back old school style and pre-game at the house during our evening dance party before being seated for a 10pm dinner at a nice restaurant on the island near our house.

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A local shop owner highly recommended the New Year’s Eve party at The Galleon Restaurant as the restaurant is known for their extensive wine list, reliable food, and live music. The 10pm seating was a perfect option for our group as it allowed us to toast to the new year together at the restaurant during their champagne toast and have some time to hang out together at the house. We made the reservations sight on seen but the Yelp reviews also helped seal the deal. IMG_1426

The night overall wasn’t exactly what our group had in mind, but we still enjoyed ourselves. After all, when you’re a group of 9, you can bring the party anywhere you go. We definitely dropped the average age of the dining clientele by around 20 years when we were seated which put a bit of a damper on our party spirits and noise levels. The food at The Galleon was very good and the wine menu lived up to the reputation however the staff and service left something to be desired. I wasn’t starving, so chose to enjoy appetizers instead of a main course. Raj and I split the tuna appetizer and I enjoyed the lobster ravioli, which stood out above the other dishes, as my entrée. Our group also liked that they didn’t have a pre-fixe menu for New Year’s Eve, unlike many other restaurants. This gave each person the freedom to find something that pleased their taste buds and budget.

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After quite a few glasses of delicious chardonnay later, our group toasted in the new year together with champagne, compliments of the house. The party hats, beads, and noise makers were fun props for a few pictures and helped us truly feel like we were kicking off the new year versus just having a nice dinner out on the island.

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After making out with the local restaurant guppy, better known as Shrek, it was time to call it a night.

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One magnum of champagne, shared poolside between friends and a few conversations about resolutions later, it was time for us to turn in, ready to dream about all 2013 has in store for us!

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St. Croix Adventures: Exploration

Greetings and Happy New Year from St. Croix! Each year, while on vacation, I think about doing a New Year’s post that talks all I’ve enjoyed this year and all I want to accomplish next year. But, some how I never get around to doing it so I’m going to keep that trend alive today by sharing with you our adventures in St. Croix that we enjoyed today on our exploration day.

Each time Bo and I visit a new place, regardless of whether we are staying on a resort or not, we rent a car to enjoy the island and take in all the sights. It’s a great way to enjoy a change in scenery, take a break from the beach, spend time together, and have fun driving. Today, in our Jeep Wranglers, 7 of us explored St. Croix from one end to the other.

Before heading out, Bo and I went on a sweaty and way too hilly 3 mile run and enjoyed a breakfast out on the porch with everyone of eggs and rye toast.

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We didn’t really have a planned route today, just knew that we wanted to experience different parts of the island that we’d heard about such as the rain forest, Rainbow beach, and the most Eastern point of the United States.

We left the house, on the Northeast shore, around 11 and were able to accomplish all our goals by 5:30!

First stop, the most Eastern point of the United States, just a few minutes from our house this week. It provided amazing views of the Island in addition to St. John and St. Thomas while also taking in the Millennium Memorial.

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Our next stop on the great adventure was Fredrickstead, where most of the cruise ships dock and a small historic town in St. Croix. While the town was smaller and more run down than I expected, it was still nice for lunch. Along the water was a postcard “tropical” setting complete with huge conch shells and palm trees but just one block over the food was over priced and a bit sketchy. We were so thrilled that we’re staying on the Christiansted of the island as we feel safer and there are far more bars, restaurants, and beaches.

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We had lunch at a small little restaurant on the square that we wouldn’t recommend and walked around the streets taking in the sights. It was also pretty hilarious to watch the guys jump down to find shells for their ladies. There were HUGE conch shells near the pier.

Our next stop was Rainbow Beach, the 3rd rated beach on the island but also a beach that offers jet skis! We spent 2 hours enjoying strong sun, crystal clear waters, white sand, and 30 minutes on 2 person jet skis. We decided that while $60 per half hour was pricey, it wasn’t bad if you split it between two people.

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Last but not least, was the rain forest. It’s amazing how quickly the temperature and climate changed within just a few miles. I was waiting for Baloo from the Jungle Book to drop off and say hi or an anaconda to drop in our open Jeep.

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Such a great St. Croix day for the win! Tonight we’re going to a 10pm seating at The Galleon, a local water front restaurant with live music!

Happy 2013 and may this coming year be your best yet!

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