Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Cruise, Oct 30th,2010 Magical Western NewTR link 4/10

[podsnel]

We are going down on 5/28-6/4. We are looking forward to it. We are using this trip as a graduation present to our oldest son who will be entering high school in the fall. Both our boys know about the trip however, our DD9 does not. We are going to surprise her the day we leave.

So you are there after all of us- we have an 8th grader, too (which I guess you know!)- where does the time go?

 

[rentayenta]

Your photos are fabulous and just what I needed on this 12*, windy, cold, day.

 

[podsnel]

Your photos are fabulous and just what I needed on this 12*, windy, cold, day.

The weather here is crap, too- but we're warming up. Ice everywhere, though- another snowday for the boys.

How 'bout a wave of Caribbean Food Porn to warm us all up?

 

[nenner1]

The weather here is crap, too- but we're warming up. Ice everywhere, though- another snowday for the boys.

How 'bout a wave of Caribbean Food Porn to warm us all up?

Woohoo!!!

 

[podsnel]

How bout some Caribbean food porn from our trip to warm us all up?

First night, dinner at Morgan's Mango.

Bushwacker-

Mojito-

FLYING FISH - BARBADOS (when Flying Fish is available) $9.00
Tender flying fish fillets lightly battered and flash fried.

Special salad-

Flank Steak-

VOODOO SNAPPER - Haiti $27.00
Fresh grilled snapper served with our spicy black magic seasoning and island salsa.

A salmon special- it was delicious!

Beach Bar snacks-

tuna bites
Blackened tuna bites seared and served with a
cool cilantro ranch dipping sauce. $13

crab dip
Chock full of Blue crabmeat in a creamy dip that includes
bacon and sherry. Served with tortilla chips $10.50

Lunch at Caneel Bay Beach Bar & Grill before our Kayak/Hike/Snorkel-

Bushwacker-

Burger with Blue Cheese-

Salad with Shrimp-

Chicken Quesadilla-

Salad with tomato & mozzerella-

Dessert-

Just kidding!! On Monday night, we had a Chef come to the villa to cook for us. Ted's Supper Club-

Panfried tuna dumpling Amuse- these were AMAZING!!!!

Shrimp App-

Scallop App-

Shrimp App-

There was also a short rib app, but I missed the pic. FOR SHAME!!!!

Foccacia-

Ted's Supper Club cont'd next post-

 

[burly]

mouth is watering.................................

 

[podsnel]

More Ted's Supper Club-

Baby field greens, pear, prosciutto, parmesan-

Jillian gets the Homemade Ravioli (I wish I had taken a pic of it plated, it was AMAZING!

Filet Mignon-

Tuna-

Tuna served with gnocchi-

On to dessert-

Almond lace cookie Napoleon-

Chocolate Molten Cake-

That meal was fabulous! The next day we were headed to the BVI's and had lunch in Norman Island on the Willy T. Conch Fritters-

Mahi sandwich- CRAZEEEEE fresh!

That night, take-out Sushi from Happy Fish. We had a couple bites before I took a pic, though!

 

[nenner1]

OMG thanks a lot, I gained 10 pounds just LOOKING at that......wow!!!

 

[podsnel]

On Weds night, it was dinner at La Tapa. We come back every year. we love this restaurant.

House made mozzarella, beet salad-

Mozzarella Soup-

Hands down best app, wish I would have had them! steamed PEI mussels, white wine, garlic, fresh herbs, lemon & light cream

I had this-escargot, leeks, shiitakes, garlic, viognier, cream. Too fussy-

Mahi with beets and wild rice- Mahi is sooooo wonderful and moist in the Caribbean, I never like it at home-

Shrimp with Linguini and pine nuts-

Rack of lamb- it was yummy!

Drink of the year- Grey Goose, Club, Splash o' Cran-

Then of course, it snowed 18" in NJ....so you get a bonus day of food porn! That day we went to Trunk Bay, where I love the spicy wings-

On the way back into town, a few of us went up to Plancha del Mar for happy hour- they have $8 pitchers of Sangria!!! Ole!

Hummus-

We went back to the villa, cleaned ourselves up, and headed back into town for dinner at the Waterfront Bistro.

Mixed Greens, grape tomatoes, pickled red onions, brioche croutons,sherry walnut vinaigrette-

French Soup Gratinee-

Arugula & Roasted Beets, shaved fennel, pistachios,gorgonzola, balsamic mint vinaigrette-

Seared Sea Scallops, kaffir-lime curry sauce,cilantro relish. This was mine, very tasty, but lukewarm.

Rosemary roasted Organic Chicken Breast,baby vegetables, truffled macaroni gratin, rosemary dijon sauce. Kevvie always gets this and the onion soup here, he raves about both-

Sauteed Mahi Mahi & Sea Scallops, coconut chili rice, sugar snap peas, shellfish bisque- piping hot, totally delish!

Finally, mine- Yellowfin Tuna Nicoise, fingerling potatoes, roasted grape tomatoes, haricot verts, baby artichokes, Nicoise olives, poached egg, warm herb vinaigrette. Luke warm, but delicious flavors. I used to make this at home- I need to do it again (it's fairly easy to recreate, the vinaigrette has a lot of tarragon). Pre-poke-

Post-poke-

Pam & Pods shared a dessert, it was a chocolate brioche bread pudding. Pam thought it would be more chocolatey....Pods smirked and gobbled it up. He thought it was great!

Five more pics to go!

 

[podsnel]

I realized while posting this I forgot to show the most important drink of all. A Painkiller, made famous at the Soggy Dollar Bar in Jost Van Dyk-

I know, it doesn't look like much- but it's a great cocktail. It's basically Rum, Pineapple juice, orange juice & coconut cream with nutmeg grated on top. This and bushwackers are a necessity on every VI vacation! Painkillers taste like lightened up pina coladas, kind of. Bushwackers? They taste like a milkshake- but they are soooooo not a milk shake! Recipes vary, but it's a frozen drink with Cream of Coconut (sometimes), kahlua,ameretto, Bailey's, white &/or dark rum &/or coconut rum, sometimes vodka, sometimes 1/2 & 1/2, sometimes banana rum, sometimes hershey's syrup. And nutmeg. Best frozen drink on the planet!! Here we are, having our last one of the trip in St. Thomas before the plane-

We had a few hours to kill, so we spent them at the Ritz Carlton. Which has a public beach. With a LOT of iguanas, but that's a story for another day. The woman working there said Bushwackers were invented on STT. I don't know about that, but the bartender at the Ritz Carlton makes a mean one! And....we had lunch at the Coconut Cove Beach Bar & Grill there.

Pam had a quesadilla-

Rich had a chicken salad-

Pods & I both had a fish sandwich with Caribbean slaw- the fish was snapper. it was an excellent last meal for our vacation!

Great place to spend a few hours before flying home to winter, I have to say!! Back to the cruise the next time I post!

 

[tinkmom2]

Thanks so much for updating your trip report. I could dream of being somewhere nice We got 18inches of snow here today!

 

[MEK]

Talk about a food fest! Wow. Good thing I'm not on a diet (today ) or that would have been sheer torture. I want one of each. The sushi looks great.

Bushwacker eh? Interesting. I'll have to goggle that because that sounds like a fun drink to make. $8 pictures of sangria. WOW!

 

[MAGICFOR2]

You're welcome, Tammie! Is it as nasty today on the West Coast as it is on the East Coast (and everywhere in between)?

No, I almost don't want to tell you - it's been sunny and close to 60 here - very strange. We had almost a year's worth of snow in November though. I'll try to send some sunshine your way!

The food porn is amazing! How fun that you had a private chef - way to live it up!

 

[dizneeat]

Thank you!! Thank you!! Thank you!!

Now only do you take wonderful pics of beaches, turquoise waters and happy people ...............

food porn, too!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Thank you so much for the update, it was just what I needed. Lots of work to get through until half term and the occasional visit to your thread brings me back to the good life!

 

[kid-at-heart]

No, I almost don't want to tell you - it's been sunny and close to 60 here - very strange. We had almost a year's worth of snow in November though. I'll try to send some sunshine your way!

The food porn is amazing! How fun that you had a private chef - way to live it up!

MAGICFOR2,
You may send me some of the 60 degree weather. This is our deepest snowfall since 2000/2001. Brrrr. It is 1 degree at the moment but my spouse said, at least it is above zero. Silly man.
We are planning to visit Oregon this summer. I am from the NW (Spokane) and we have been trying for many years to find jobs in the NW, preferably OR but WA will work just fine also. Problem arises in finding good jobs comparable to what we have here. Our summer visit is to scout out places we would like to live and then target those areas for jobs. Sorry I am rambling; I will attribute my rambling to "snow brain". I will now return this station to the regularly scheduled program "Ellen's Entertainment for her Friends".

 

[trish.]

Officially UN-subscribing!

I am 4 days into a 30 day detox/cleanse program (gluten free, dairy free, everything organic, everything raw whole foods, etc) and I almost PASSED OUT looking at your food porn!

Off to eat an apple...or maybe an organic banana. Unfortunately it doesn't dance.

(but keep it comin' anyways!)

 

[CRdisMom]

drooooool!

 

[rentayenta]

The weather here is crap, too- but we're warming up. Ice everywhere, though- another snowday for the boys.

How 'bout a wave of Caribbean Food Porn to warm us all up?

Love food porn. Love Sangria. Love Mojitos. Love chops. Love seafood. That looks like it was a delicious trip!

Last night DH made a coconut ginger soup that was to die for. He also made a mean chicken curry. Not shabby for a white boy. I am feeling a little sick so I didn't get to enjoy as much as I normally would.

 

[Wicket's Mom]

Oh so much good food & such wonderful accommodations! There ought to be a law against not taking us!

Kid-at-Heart, my DIL is from Spokane. From what I hear it is very depressed, not many jobs right now.

 

[englishrose47]

Great pix Ellen !!! So much to chose from to pick a favorite !!!But that chicken and potatoes looked awful good !!!!