St. John Soon Come

I am so ready to take these people to St. John I can hardly STAND it. Beach soon come. The last time we all were on STJ it was June of 2009! Almost two years ago. Mama snuck a trip in there last March but they were almost 2 years younger then.
I can't wait to take them hiking. We might try Ram Head if we are feeling particularly brave. We are staying in a tiny 2 bedroom cottage near Lameshur. To those unfamiliar with St. John, this basically means at the far end of the universe! Well, the universe that is St. John anyway. Quiet, blissful, peaceful. My little slice of heaven.

I can't wait to take them swimming. Floating in the turquoise blue sea. Cruising the windy, single lane roads. Doing as little as possible and just enjoying one another. Just two more weeks.

An Insane 2011

I love to travel. LOVE IT. A lot. That said, I think I might be overdoing it in 2011, even for me. Like they say ... you only live once! When you see an open gate, walk on through.


It started with almost a week in New Orleans for work. A great, great trip where I got to hang out with my favorite Nola-ite and also two of my favorite Tennesseens! (Is that a word?) SO MUCH FUN!

I just returned Wednesday from San Diego. A short trip, also for work. While there, I explored Gaslamp, the Seaport Village, Old Town San Diego and Coronado! Packed in it. Totally planning to take the family back there next Summer when I have to go back for work.

Next up, St. John for 10 days in April. Over Easter. Ella's spring break. What a lucky gal. We are staying at an adorable cottage near one of my favorite beaches. Just the four of us. I am eager to completely become one with my Virgin Islands Mango Ale and my beach chair! Pictures soon come. This will be the first trip back for the kids in while (I got to do a girls trip last March) and they are pretty excited.

In May, Hung is venturing to New Zealand for 11 days. I am a little jealous but he more than deserves a boy trip! In late May, over the Memorial Day holiday, we'll make our annual (2 years running) camping trip with the Gills to far middle of nowhere Virginia.

In June, another turn for me! Spain, Portugal and possibly Morocco (depending on the political situation) with two of my favorite girlies! Tickets are purchased, hotels/apartments are booked, car reserved. So far, in all my travels, I've only ventured internationally to London & Cambridge. This should be QUITE the adventure. I am very excited but it seems very surreal. It doesn't seem like its real life.

In late June we have a weekend trip to Atlantic City planned for Dave Matthews CARAVAN! A music festival with some of my all time favorites ... other than Dave - Amos Lee, Grace Potter, Ray Lamontagne, Michael Franti, David Gray! It is going to be AMAZING!

July will bring a quick trip to Christiansburg. A shared birthday girls' weekend with my favorite southern bestie. There isn't much to do in Christiansburg, but there are wineries and it is mid way from Knoxville, TN and Northern Virginia!

Late July/Early August, I pack up and head away for work again to Miami Beach. Not an ideal summer location, but yummy mojitos and a king size bed to myself for an entire week! Though I have to work my tail off, it is a fun time and will be here before I know it!

September - semiannual beach trip to our condo in Virginia Beach!

October, I'll be heading out with my favorite new mom for another girls weekend to Rehoboth Beach. Our annual tradition takes us there typically in May, but between a June due date for my bud and all of my travels, October seemed more civilized!

Nothing, so far, planned for November or December ... though I am eager to hit NYC between Thanksgiving and New Years eventually. Maybe this will be the year!

2012 promises to bring Boston, Montreal, St. John (again over Carnival this time!) and San Diego --- mostly work related, but all looked very much forward to!

Things to Do: St. John (refreshed and updated)

Well well well ... St. John is just a short 36 days away! FINALLY. So, I decided it was time to update and refresh this old list! I know ... obsessed.

Here is my recently compiled list of things to do. It may take me 10 trips to get it all done but this is a start. I don't even want to do some of the things on this list but I did want to keep track of all the possibilities!

Bold things I have done.
Bold italics things are things on the list for this trip.

TREATS

Cocoberry Shake from that place in Wharfside
Mojito from Joe's Rum Hut
Ice cream from I Scream
Colombo's
Any Smoothie from the smoothie truck
Garlic Chicken & Tarts @ Vie's
A hot dog at Beach Dawgs
Root Beer @ the Tap Room
Candy's Barbeque
Uncle Joe's BBQ & ALL the sides to go back to the house
Baked in the Sun sandwiches
Steak Sandwich and Crab Wontons at the Beach Bar
Potato Salad at Starfish Market
Create a Beach smorgasboard at Deli Grotto
West Indian treats - Sogo's (across from Lime Inn)
Appetizers and drinks at Zozo's bar @ sunset
fresh greens from Josephine
freah tuna or mahi-mahi, either by the dock or at the Fish Trap Market
Orange cake at Mosquito Bites (sadly Mosquito Bites came and went before I had a chance!)

RESTAURANTS

Tourist Trap - lobster roll & drink right/keep left
Rhumblines
Donkey Diner especially breakfast & Pizza!
ZoZo's
Inn at Taramind Court esp breakfast
Sweet Plantains (worth multiple trips)!
Miss Lucy's
Miss Lucy's for Brunch
La Tapa
Maho Bay - esp breakfast
Island Blues - esp that drink w/ nutmeg
Aqua Bistro
Cafe Roma
JJs Texas Coast - esp breakfast
Pastory Gardens
Skinny Legs - blue cheese burger!
Shipwreck Landing Restaurant
Asolare Sunset dinner
Happy Fish - sushi

BARS

Woody's
Beach Bar
Go to the Tap Room for a VI Pale Ale (Free WIFI)
Sputnik
Quiet Mon
Front Yard
Gecko Bar
Compass Rose (Free WIFI)

BEACHES/SNORKELING

Salt Pond
Vie's Beach
Hawsknest
Maho - kiddie friendly
Gibney
Francis Bay
Caneel Bay
North side of Haulover, Pelican Rock and Paradise Point
Drunk Bay
Honeymoon beach
Night snorkeling
Lime Tree Beach
Snorkel at Turtle Beach at Caneel Bay
Snorkel Chocolate Hole
Denis Bay
Jumbie
Trunk Bay
Cinnamon Bay

HIKES

Hiking Reef Bay *maybe (stand on Reef Bay and look back up the hillside, you are getting the same view that has existed since the island was formed)
Waterlemon - hike and snorkel
Brown Bay hike and beach
Ram Head Trail
Solomon & Honeymoon Beach hike
hike to Drunk Bay & Blue Cobblestone Beach from Salt Pond

EVENTS/SPECIALS

Sunday Jazz @ Beach Bar
Pastory @ sunset
$3 painkillers at Beach Bar on Sunday afternoon
Arrange a Forum Happy Hour w Pia & Ruth
Morgan's Mango Mango Margaritas and Tuesday Lobster Night
Full Moon Party @ Miss Lucy's

ON ST JOHN

Rent a dinghy
Cook more at the Villa
Watch the sunset from the Villa
Drink in the pool
Sunset Sail
Learn to dive...
kayak to Hurricane Hole from Crabby's
learn to sail this 35' Du Four sloop called Gypsy Spirit around the island
Visit the Animal Shelter
Kristen Maize showing at the Michael Banzhaf Gallery
Nightdive
Book a massage with Nomadic Spa
Play mini golf at Pastory Gardens

OFF ST JOHN EXCURSIONS

Rent power boat for BVIs - Ocean Runner
Jost Van Dyke in power boat from OR w/captain
Virgin Gorda
Day Sail to the BVIs
Ferry to Tortola
Ferry to Jost

SHOPPING

St. John Spice - Say Hi to Ruth!
Mongoose Junction
Pink Papaya
Jolly Dog & Skinnys
Freebird