Big bro and sis-in-law are on Island, and our fabulous feeding frenzy continues. Last night, we enjoyed a wonderful dinner at Luna Rosa – it’s one of my favourites… Sorry I didn’t get any food pics, but we all devoured our meals before I remembered my trusty camera tucked away in my shorts! I started with delicious calimari, stewed in a rich tomato sauce
served with polenta, and had a perfectly grilled veal chop for my main course. Everything was delicious, and we all enjoyed the food, ambience and usual great conversation.
I had the delightful opportunity to be taken to dinner at Blanchard’s Restaurant last evening, and have to say it’s still the “gold standard” on the Island. The atmosphere is welcoming
, and service excellent, and the food………superb. I started with wonderful vegetable spring rolls, then had Mel’s Ciopino, a seafood stew with shrimp, scallops, mussels and mahi mahi in a rich and delicious tomato ambrosia. Great dinner, lovely wine. Simply perfect.
Nobody ever strolls by Jean-Pierre Straub’s work quickly. Most stop in their tracks… Straub is a marquetry master, inlaying wood veneers to create these superb works of art. Born in Strasbourg, he now lives and work in St. Martin. He came to visit the gallery yesterday, and very kindly brought in 5 new pieces, each first-rate. I re-installed the gallery today, and am featuring a showcase of his work in the main front room.
The view of Meads Bay when the surf is rolling in is one of the loveliest things to see on Anguilla – positively hypnotiz
ing…. Luckily, I was snapped out of my reverie by the gracious staff at Straw Hat when my spicy snapper sandwich arrived. It’s SO good! I seem to order it every time I visit SH for lunch, and never regret it. Believe it or not, there was barely a speck of food left on my plate when I was done. That campari hit the spot too…
Sweet Lucy has been wandering a little after our evening walkies lately, and only when my neighbour sent me this pic, did I realize that it was “Jock”, the border collie down the road, that has been the object of her affection. Too sweet…
Thanks for the pic, Roger!!
This has to be one of the most remarkable and innovative dishes on Anguilla…. It’s a grilled watermelon and chevre (goat cheese) salad, that is absolutely superb. At Jacala, on Meads Bay. I had a wonderful lunch there yesterday with an old and wonderful friend visiting from Boston… The conversation and food were both edifying!
Waking Jean-Baptiste is a wonderful artist – Haitian born, now living and working just outside Paris, France. The gallery has shown his work for several years, and I think his work is a terrific amalgam of Haitian subject matter, such as village life and Haitian boats in harbor, with an almost French Impressionist overlay. I hope you share my enthusiasm for this fine young painter.
It’s a good thing I’m a power-walking fool, or these lunches out might really get the best of me………. Had a lovely lunch at Cuisinart today – an old favourite. Their gardens are lush and gorgeous as always – such a pleasure to stroll through. I always enjoy the burger and fries poolside – I think their fries are among the best on Island. Great presentation too!
Cuisinart’s main dining room has a display of metal sculptures from the Gallery – they look great in the indoor\outdoor setting. I especially love this one of the ladies in the rain, on such a great sunny day, as today was.
There are, of course, many wonderful art galleries and artists studios on Anguilla. One of the finest is Devonish Gallery, located in the West End on the main road. I had the pleasure last evening to attend the opening of an exhibition by the artist Antoine Chapon at Devonish. This Bordeaux-born artist has lived in St. Martin for years, and his current exhibition of oils and giclee prints on paper and canvas is definitely worth a visit. His work captures the ethereal nature of the landscape – very fine work indeed.
My dictionary defines “flotsam” as 1. wreckage from a ship found floating. 2.odds and ends. To those who love to walk Anguilla’s many beaches, beachcombing is part of the fun, and for an artist like Iris Lewis, with an eye for beauty in the everyday, our beaches are an endless source of subject matter for her paintings. The gallery has just received 3 of the new “Flotsam Series” paintings in, and I think the quality of these works is first-rate. The flotsam, mostly old washed up ropes, frame the landscape of the painting – such wonderful original work by this artist. Information on individual paintings can be found in the “artists” section of this site, by clicking on Iris Lewis’ works.
on Anguilla!
