Playa Grande Tour with VCHT

"Ides of March Soiree"

VCHT- A Botanical Evening – March 9, 2012

Vieques Humane Society Benefit Auction

New Store in Town

There is a new home goods store in town located below Lynn's Hippie Dippie Hair Salon in the former Connections office space.  Marilyn (formerly of the Dawg House in Esperanza if you have been around that long) has opened Todas Las Casa.  She has lamps, curtains, pillows, tablecloths and fabric pieces available, among other things.  She is sewing small items like curtains, tablecloths and pillow covers herself and has someone to produce larger pieces.  There are some potted plants and herbs as well.  John is putting up some Nathan's hot dogs out front, so you can stop in and shop and then get some sustenance. 

As mentioned before, Siddhia's gallery hosting the 12 x 12 canvas benefit for the Humane Society next month.  The canvas are available at the gallery now.  Pick one up and create a masterpiece.  You don't have to be able to paint either.  The only rule is that whatever you do must fit on the 12 x 12 canvas.  You have to finish it by March 14 as they all go on display on the 15th to the 21st for the silent auction segment.  On the 22nd, there will be a grand finale auction and reception.  This will be an amazingly fun event. 

The ferry issue has been quiet the last couple of weeks.  The boats are running and seem to be relatively on schedule, or as on schedule as they ever were.   The issue this week is gas.  We were out on Wednesday, fuel came in Thursday and by yesterday afternoon only premium gas was left.  From now until at least Easter, the island will be busy.  Busy means that the rental cars will all be spoken for and that means lots of big gas tanks to be filled.  Remember that if you have half a tank of gas you really are running on empty and need to go to the pump.  There is a new gas line etiquette that I haven't yet figured out.  The large gas station has the premium pump on the side by the air machine.  When the regular gas is gone, the line snakes around the pumps out front and somehow you get to the premium pump.  It looks very confusing and I would suggest sending someone from the car to watch how the system works before getting close to the pump.  That way you will be sure to know when it is your turn.  

JC

Vieques: The Caribbean's Unlikely Design Destination

The Newsweek Magazine story about Hix Island House
Read about it HERE.

VCHT - Birdwalking

VCHT presents the Vieques Pops: March 3, 2012

Vieques Clean Up News - Noticias sobre la Limpieza de Vieques

Cleanup News from James Brantley, NAVFAC ATLANTIC in PDF form
Download ENGLISH       Download ESPAÑOL

Huffington Post on Weddings in Vieques

Congratulations Sandy on being published.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/sandy-malone/overdoing-it-at-your-wedd_b_1277774.html?ref=weddings
and if that's not enough she was interviewed by JC Hayward, DCs CBS affiliate Channel 9’s news anchor.

Cafe Arenamar is Back

After a brief hiatus, Chasti has reopened Arenamar Cafe at Sun Bay.  He has a full menu of Puerto Rican taste treats such as pastelillos along with some excellent burgers.  Even more excellent are the frozen margaritas and pina coladas.  And, he delivers to the beach when he can.  Yes, that is correct, Chasti will deliver to your beach chair on Sun Bay.  As you can imagine that makes for some pretty interesting beach afternoons.  The cafe is open seven days right now, and will be until Chasti is exhausted.  787-741-0200.

The Coqui Fire Anniversary Cook Off was a huge success last week.  The party raised $625 for the Humane Society.  Maria from the Mar Azul and I manned the door and therefore did not manage to get much in the way of food.  We did get some corn ice cream made by Misonia and it was outrageously good.  If you ever run across this ice cream give it a try.  Obviously, the traditional recipe is not chock full of Coqui Fire hot sauce.  The ice cream, being corn based, has a slightly grainy texture and is sweet without being over the top.

On the 25th, the Vieques Concert Society is hosting an African drumming and dance concert at Hector's by the Sea.  Concert tix are $20.  There is also a dinner after the performance for $100.  This is a benefit that allows the Society to bring musical instruction to the youth of Vieques.  For more info call 787-413-2450.

On March 3rd, the Vieques Pops are (is?) at the W. (never could get that english rule right)  I understand that there just a few tickets left.  Call the Trust at 787-741-8850.

Also on March 3rd, the Mayor is hosting a "Dia Para Los Animales".  The Day for the Animals will be at the plaza in Isabel from 10am-2pm.  Juntos, the educational arm of the humane society, is working with the municipality to promote good animal care.  The video produced for the humane society will be running in a loop during the day.  There will also be a blessing of the animals around noon.  If you wish to have your pets blessed, just make sure they are on a leash (or in a carrier), vaccinated and well behaved.  My pets do not qualify in the "well behaved" division and will be staying home.  There will be a focus on the free range horses of the island.  As much as they make Vieques unique, there are simply too many horse/vehicle incidents. 

There is another pothole update.  On the fake middle road, which is the first left past the Green Store heading out of Esperanza, there is a hole on the east side just past the rotary club.  It is not that deep, but it is just wide enough to cause your front tires to head off in whatever direction they choose.  If they choose to go left, it can be dicey for the oncoming car.  The good news is that since this is an election year, we will get new pavement. 

The fin and feather people on the wildlife preserve are cracking down on speeding, and also on the Medalla can in the cupholder that you swear you aren't drinking.  Be sure to obey the 25 mph speed limit.  Besides being a fairly safe speed, it avoids spending your lunch money on a federal traffic fine and keeps your car from being airborne after hitting the lomos (speed bumps).   The bridge to Blue Beach is still closed, but the crane is gone.  This must mean things are moving along.  Meanwhile, the detour is another reason to keep your speed down.  The washboard surface is a killer.  It has the ability to rattle your fillings out, so imagine what it is doing to the car. 

Remember, the airport is not just for flying anymore.  The Crabwalk at Isla Nena Cafe is a great place for lunch.  Lyman is up to his old tricks with the chi chouito thing.  (that's a shot of bad rum and anise).  Have a couple of those and you won't need a plane.  The conch fritters are really, really good and you get a pretty nice view of the main island. 

JC

FoodSpace

Wednesday, February  29th
for our 1st "COOKING CLASS"
Chefs Sean and Michael will teach you to master a few easy techniques for creating simple COLD SAUCES
The class is limited and advance Reservations are Required
$20 per person plus tax & gratuity
Please feel free to come in "Good Spirits!"
www.FoodSpacePR.com 787.704.9851

REGIONS OF ITALY at COCONUTS

Saturday, February 18, 2012
“CALABRIA”

PRIMI
Insalata di Melanzane-Eggplant salad with garlic, chiles, vinegar& tomato
Licurda-A traditional soup with shrimp, potatoes, onion & herbs served with garlic toast
PASTA
Tortelloni di Gamberi -Large shrimp-filled pasta dumplings with anchovy, garlic & red pepper flakes
SECONDI
Pesce Spada Salmoiglio-Grilled swordfish with vinegar, lemon & garlic served with roasted potatoes
Maiale Calabrese-Roasted pork rack chop with tomato, basil, artichokes & porcini mushrooms
DOLCE
Dolce di Ricotta Semplice-Ricotta cheesecake with lemon syrup

787.741.9325 for  Reservations & Information
FRIDAY-TUESDAY 10:30 a.m.-9:30 p.m.

Lots to Do

This week is chock full of stuff do to.  So much so that you might need a vacation afterward.  Obviously, Tuesday is Valentine's Day.  If you are a "wait til the last minuter", you can grab flowers at the new Weddings in Vieques Office right across from the vegetable market.  The official name is Flowers in Vieques, but just go to the old chinese restaurant...same place. 

Tuesday night, Dance with Vieques Baila at the coliseum beginning at 5pm.  This is always a fun time and you definitely get to dance til you drop.  Coconuts is offering menu specials for that night which include sea scallops and duck.  Jimmy is running a seared tuna special at Coqui Fire. Yum and yum.  The Inn on the Blue Horizon is also featuring a special dinner.  That place is a pretty romantic one.  Trade Winds has a great Prosecco by the bottle for around $36.  Having tried some, (of course), I can say it is good and would complement a lobster dinner just perfectly.

Wednesday evening, the Cash and Carry is hosting a wine tasting, featuring some labels from Oregon.  The cost is $15 and starts around 5 or so.  Island time will probably make it closer to 6.  Also, the Cash and Carry has a circular with specials each week.  Yes, just like a real grocery store.  Stop in and see.

Thursday night is the Coqui Fire anniversary party with door proceeds going to the Humane Society.  The fun begins at 7pm. .   Also that night is a group showing of Vieques artists at the Siddhia Hutchinson Gallery from 6-8pm.

My sister just sent me an email about using egg whites on burns.  I cannot believe I didn't know this before.  Just think about it.  The one thing we have on the island is eggs, and we don't need a boat to get them.  There are chickens everywhere.  Not only will your sunburn feel better, but you will be helping to control the chicken population by using those extra eggs.  Additionally, with all the yolks left over you can whip some serious hollandaise sauce.  This is especially pertinent for me as a hen, 5 chicks and a rooster have taken up residence in my front yard.  The rooster is particularly not nice.  I am carrying a broom just to get in the front door. 

In the spirit of the new "green" Vieques, we now have rugs made from recycled plastic available on island.  Maggie at The Emporium, which is now housed in its new digs in the old laundromat building across from the Mar Azul, has these fabulous area rugs.  The rugs are distributed by my friends Lynda and Frank who moved to Vieques this summer from my hometown.  The rugs are perfect for island living.  You clean them by turning on the hose,  (wish I could clean my kitchen that way too), and they will not rot like lots of other fibers do in our climate.  Stop in to see them and all the other offerings at the Emporium.

The Vieques Pops will once again by offering great music at the W on March 3 to benefit MANTA and other educational programs offered by the Vieques Historical Society and Conservation Trust.  Call the Trust at 787-741-8850 for all the info.  Hurry, the tickets sell out fast.

JC

REGIONS OF ITALY at COCONUTS Saturday, 2/11/12

PRIMI
Crostini due Vie- Crostini with prosciutto and olives with roasted peppers and pecorino
Brodetto- A traditional seafood soup with tomato and saffron.

PASTA
Lasagna Marchigiana- With pork, prosciutto, mushrooms and vegetables in a besciamella sauce

SECONDI
Tonno con Finocchio- Seared fresh tuna steak with ground fennel in a tomato orange sauce
Maiale alla Griglia- Grilled pork rack chop with sage and tomato on caramelized onion polenta

DOLCE- Tiramisu

787.741.9325  for  Reservations & Information
OPEN FRIDAY-TUESDAY 5 p.m. - 9:30 p.m.

This Week @ Coconuts

DAILY OFFERINGS

AppetizersBresaola w/grilled red onion, Gorgonzola & balsamic vinaigrette $10
Thai-style lobster cakes w/sweet chili sauce $10

Entrees
Pasta di GiornoPenne w/broccoli & white beans in a white wine sauce $16
Veal Scallopini w/caper brown butter & lemon on large-grain couscous $23
Grilled duck breast w/ginger-orange sauce on Asian eggplant salad $23

House-Made Desserts
Flourless Chocolate Espresso Torte $7
Lime Tart $7
Coconut Custard Tart $7
Tres Leches Cake $7
Italian style Chocolate Cake
w/Chocolate Ganache $7
Tembleque $5

~de

We've Seen a Few Boats

There have actually been sitings of large water craft resembling ferries sailing between Vieques and Fajardo recently.  There were two protests last week in San Juan attended by several Vieques residents.  The word on the street, as usual is full of misinformation and conjecture, with regard to why we have so much trouble with the boats.  These rumors range from employee sabotage to ensure overtime pay to lack of funding by the legislature to little green men stealing the boats as they leave port.  We really don't know what the real scoop is.  But, the upside is, while I won't go so far as to say that the boats are on schedule, we do have reports of people going to the big island and being able to get back the same day.  Things are looking up.

Last week was the week without electricity.  There were several times the power went out, for several hours at a time.  We think that everyone was so tired of hearing the same blah, blah, blah, about the boats that the power was shut off to give us something else to talk about.  The upside (there is always an upside) is that those of us who are too lazy to fire up our generators regularly like we are supposed to, had no choice in the matter. 

There is a lot going on over the next week.  Vieques Baila is hosting its annual Valentine's Day dance at the coliseum across from the Mar Azul from 5-10pm.  Admission is free, a tasting buffet is offered for $10 and there are dance demonstrations, lessons, raffles and silent auction with the money raised benefiting the youth of Vieques. 

On the 12th, from 4:30-7 you can shop the jewelry sale and show at the Trust.  There will be wine available to make your shopping that much more fun.   Flowers in Vieques is offering Valentine's flower specials.  Order now 787-667-8478 to get in ahead of the game.  If you forget, but don't want her to know you forgot, you can grab some fresh stems on Tuesday across the street from the vegetable market.

On the 16th, the Coqui Fire Anniversary cook-off is being held at the Mar Azul.  Jimmy and Dan are graciously making the Humane Society the beneficiary of this event.  Admission is $5.  So wake up your taste buds and come out for a great time and a great cause.

There is something going on at the Cash and Carry this weekend.  What it is????  Anyone's guess, so you'll just have to go to find out.  The owners are bringing something new to Vieques.  While you are there, grab some wine from La Cava. 

The Siddhia Hutchinson Galley is again hosting the 12 x 12 event to benefit the Humane Society.  Last year students in Vieques created original works on 12 x 12 canvas.  The pieces were then auctioned and lots of money was raised.  This year the event is expanded to include artists of all ages.  Also, art of all types is welcome.  The pieces will be on display from March 15 to March 21 with the grand finale on the 22nd.  Call the gallery for more information.  787-741-1343

Just a quick pothole update.  Watch the shoulder on the Garcia Road heading toward town on the flats outside Esperanza.  The shoulder is crumbling and can make for some dicey driving if you meet an oncoming car.  Also, after the flats going into Esperanza on the blind curve, there is a large hole.  It covers a good share of the lane, so be aware. 

JC

Full Moon Drum Circle February 7

Full moon Drum Circle,  5:30 pm at Sun Bay     
All welcome/ no experience necessary!
Organic community musical experience… 
Bring a drum/percussion tool /& chair…or just yourself!      
Martes 07 de febrero
Círculo de Tambor de Luna llena, 5:30 pm, en Sun Bay
Todos bienvenidos

Crabwalk Cafe

Come to the Crabwalk at Isla Nena Cafe
Vieques Airport
OPEN 7 days a week from 7AM to 5 PM
serving Chef Lee's Daily Specials
Try our Honeybun French Toast
or Beignet and Coffee
the Quiche of the Day
Huevos Rancheros
and the Pork N Burger
Ask about
our referral Discounts
and your Special Occasion Gift
Yes, it may be a bit out of the way, but where else in Vieques can you get
a view of El Junque
no loud sounds from the BoomBox Cars
ample parking
Reasonably priced meals
a ChiChau with your Rum Punch
and a full bar?
jts

Make YOUR Voice Heard!!!

Go Caribbean's Reader's Choice Awards:
Voting has begun at About.Com to vote for your favorite Hotels, activities, etc.
About.com has officially opened the nomination process for its 2012 Readers' Choice Awards. Categories include Favorite Caribbean Attraction, Activity or Tour and Favorite Caribbean Hotel. Please visit About.com's website to nominate your favorites and encourage others to both nominate and vote.

To make a nomination, just visit: http://gocaribbean.about.com/od/beforeyougo/tp/2012-About-Com-Readers-Choice-Awards.htm or
http://tinyurl.com/7xtelpc if the above link is broken.
-jts

Zagat names Vieques in Top 8 Foodie Getaways in the World

Zagat, The Name in the Restaurant Industry for ratings, names Vieques number
five Foodie Getaway in the World
http://blog.zagat.com/2012/01/8-best-foodie-getaways-around-world.html
-jts