Part of The SBP Team at the 2012 Beachside Bash: (L to R) Ted, Benoit, Magda. (Mai hidden) Connie, Nadine, Peg, Pascale, Kathy

For those of you who have never been to our Beachside Bash, it’s a fun evening party designed especially for you, our very special clients, our on-island partners and any of our villa owners who happen to be on-island at the time. It is hosted by St. Barth Properties and we use the occasion to launch the upcoming Season and unveil our latest Live your Dream catalogue. We’ll begin with an apéritif and hors d’œuvres followed by dinner and dancing. The ever popular Solely will be strumming his guitar as he sings to us.

Beachside Bash 2012 – Ted with Bob and Marilyn (Villa La Danse du Soleil)

This year’s Beachside Bash will be a very special one because the 2014 Season marks the 25th anniversary of when I founded St. Barth Properties and trademarked my mantra Live Your Dream®. When I first set foot on St. Barth for the very first time in 1986, I was living my dream and I hope all of you do the same.

What’s more? We are celebrating this special event at the elegant beachfront Hotel Taïwana. What a spot! It sits directly on one of St. Barth’s most gorgeous beaches – Flamands. It’s the perfect place to mingle while enjoying the ambience. We even offer valet parking!

Taïwana restaurant

The theme throughout the evening will be SBP’s 25th Anniversary, so if you want to wear something in silver you have plenty of time to shop for it. LOL – 7:00 PM is the start time. We can begin celebrating with une coupe de Champagne, a Planteur’s Punch or perhaps a Mojito.

I can’t wait to see you all on St. Barth and at the SBP Silver Anniversary Beachside Bash on November 14th 2013. If you want to make a reservation at one of our villas or hotels, just contact me at pegwalsh@stbarth.com or one of our St. Barth Specialists at reservations@stbarth.com. Our USA office concierge Julia Hurd will be sure to add you to our Guest List and send you an invitation. Please RSVP at your earliest convenience.

Part of the SBP Team at the 2012 Beaujolais Nouveau: Benoit, Peg, Ted, Mai, Magda, Nadine, Kathy

P.S. If you can, “Stay just a little bit longer”… our annual Beaujolais Nouveau wine tasting will begin precisely at 7:01 PM on November 20th at Le Cellier du Gouverneur wine shop in Gustavia…”Oh, won’t you stay just a little bit longer? Please let me hear you say that you will” and Julia will be pleased to send you an invitation to join us for a toast. We can be our own connoisseurs and critique the new vintage. As a bonus, the 2013 St Barth Cata Cup catamaran regatta is being held Nov 18-26 and we are hoping for first place for our sponsored boat captained by aspiring 2016 Olympic contender John Casey– What a month to be on St. Barth!

I just returned to St. Barth after attending the 3rd annual Travelweek trade show that was held in Sað Paulo, Brazil. Pascale Minarro from my St. Barth office was with me and we enjoyed meeting top South American travel agents whose clients want to come to St Barth for vacation. It was mostly all work but we did get a chance to shop for our Havaianas flip flops – a must.

Dining with my colleagues: From center: Sebastien Maingourd – Hotel Christopher, Sabine Masseglia – Hotel Guanahani; Pascale Minarro- St Barth Properties St Barth office; Gonzalo Pena – Hotel K2 in Courchevel; Peg; Aymeric Bourdin – Hotel Tom Beach; Anne Dentel – St. Barth Tourism Committee; Christiane Chabez – Brazil’s’ rep for St. Barth Tourism

The significance of the Havaianas brand is that they are made in Brazil – The country is famous for them; they last forever and come in all sorts of colors and patterns. The Company has a huge store in Sað Paulo where throngs of people rush to purchase their very own. Many of them buy 10+ pairs for themselves, their friends and their family members. I did my part and bought enough to replace the brochures I had packed in my suitcase with loads of flip flops which I plan on giving as gifts. (I noticed that TSA was curious enough to go through my bag; I wonder what they thought when they saw all of them?)

Peg’s Havaianas at Travelweek in Sao Paulo

Every year Travelweek gives each person a pair and asks them to wear them on the last day of the show which is always called “Havaianas Day”. This year, we were given a pair with the 2013 slogan and theme of the event, “Feel the World” written on them in bright pink. It was fun to relax a bit while wearing them.

Pascale and I in front of our booth on Havaianas Day – Our feet said, Oh what a relief it is!

I came back to beautiful St. Barth on Sunday in time to share the good news that it’s official…April 16 was the day our villa rates went down and will stay that way until December 15, 2013. It’s Value Season. Some villa prices are almost 40% less than their High Season rates. Spring temperatures in most of the US can be very fickle. – Not so in St. Barth where it is about 85 degrees during the day and 75 degrees in the evening and to top it off, we have nice breezy trade winds. I just love it here. If you are interested in staying in one of our hotels, there are some terrific packages available. Our Specialists can help you choose the one that is just right for you. Do you prefer a villa? Consider reserving one of our villas that offer our Drive, Dine and Relax package which includes your rental car and an evening when a private chef will come to your villa to cook and serve a very romantic dinner.

Villa Les Embruns – available as part of the Drive, Dine and Relax Package

If you time it just right, you can be here for Les Soldes when everything in the boutiques goes on sale. There is no competition in France (therefore not allowed in St. Barth either) so all of the shops must have their sales at the same time; the government determines the dates. In France the sales are in January. However, that is High Season in St. Barth so, naturally, the dates are chosen carefully so as to ensure that the boutiques have the opportunity to make the most euros before Les Soldes can begin. This year the sales period is from May 04 to June 06, 2013. The prices are further reduced as time goes by, so you can take your chances and come down towards the end but you won’t have the selection you would have if you go in early May.

So, come on down! For assistance with your trip, please contact me at pegwalsh@stbarth.com or one of our St. Barth Specialists at reservations@stbarth.com.

After 27 years of being in St. Barth, I learned that what we thought was a fact is actually a factoid! Now, convincing people of this newly discovered information is going to be a huge challenge because people won’t believe me. I am hoping that you can help spread the word.

It started out this way: Last week we took an island tour with Hélène Brenier, the owner of St. Barth Easy Time Tours. Our clients have raved about the various tours that she offers and I wanted to experience one for myself. Hélène was born in St. Barth and knows her island well. She is also the founder of St. Barth Essentiel a non-profit organization dedicated to “protect that which creates diversity, the originality, the beauty and the harmony of St. Barthélemy.” In other words, she is the “watch dog” whose main interest is protecting our precious island and preserving the environment.

Connie, Peg and Hélène in front of the St. Barth Essentiel office on the top of Gustavia

We began our around-the-island tour by going to Saline and stopping at the salt pond where we learned about the island’s history of making salt. It was a difficult job but it brought in some income. The salt production stopped in 1972 when the island decided to rely on tourism as its major industry. We heard lots of tidbits about the people who settled here as we continued our tour. Most of the men had to go to St. Thomas to make a living. One such gentleman went home to see his wife once a year and as a result they produced 23 children! Phew! We saw the little “case” (house) where they were born and lived. Today, the siblings range from 50 to 90 years old.

Saline Beach

Back to the point of my blog. We stopped at the top on Grand Fond to admire the view. There is a lookout spot with a large map detailing the area. Soon after this map was put up, an old-time local fisherman telephoned Hélène to tell her that the map was wrong. The artist had called the body of water on this map the Atlantic Ocean. The fisherman said that St. Barth is surrounded entirely by the Caribbean Sea, the Atlantic is much further to the east of here and that the map needed to be corrected. What??? I was always told that the wave action that connects Grand Cul de Sac Lagoon and Marigot Bay is caused by the fact that this is the very spot where the Atlantic Ocean meets the Caribbean Sea. Hélène thought so too. Everyone thinks this factoid is true.

The Lookout at Grand Fond

A Close Up of the Lookout’s Map with the Incorrect Information

Hélène researched and researched but each person she consulted insisted that the fisherman was wrong. Finally she decided to ask for assistance from a geologist who is a real authority on the subject. He reported that, indeed, the islands in the Lesser Antilles (which includes St. Barth) are solely in the Caribbean Sea. “According to the definition of the IHO (International Hydrographic Organization), the only islands that officially have Caribbean and Atlantic coasts are: Cuba, Haiti, Santo Domingo, Puerto Rico and Trinidad.” He went on to say, “In conclusion, officially, the island of St. Barthélemy is not washed by the Atlantic Ocean but by the Caribbean Sea only. Custom, says otherwise.” I was thrilled to learn this new fact. I always knew that some islands such as the Bahamas and the Turks & Caicos claim that they are in the Caribbean but they are too far north and are actually in the Atlantic Ocean but for some reason no one seemed to know that St. Barth is surrounded by the Caribbean Sea. Until now, that is…

Grand Cul de Sac View

A few days after our island tour, I had a site inspection at the Hotel Guanahani & Spa. I was admiring one of their newly refurbished suites and when I went out onto the suite’s deck to admire the view, the staff member who was escorting me pointed to that very spot in the lagoon and said, “That is where the Atlantic Ocean meets the Caribbean Sea.” …Not! When I corrected her, she was not at all impressed and looked at me as if I had lost my marbles. That factoid has been circulating for so many years that it is a real challenge to convince people otherwise. Hélène and I now know this new fact is true and now you know it too. Spread the word, s’il vous plaît.

Hotel Guanahani & Spa

P.S. Once you have selected your accommodation in St. Barth by contacting one of our Specialists at reservations@stbarth.com, our concierges can arrange an island tour with Hélène. It is a must do!

You’ve opted for the Deluxe One Bedroom Pool Suite with its full view of Gustavia’s picture-postcard harbor and the lush hills dotted with the iconic red-roofed villas. It’s all so St. Barth.

You are sure to love the full-sized air-conditioned living room with plush comfy seating and all the techno amenities: LCD TV, DVD player, iPod docking station and complimentary WiFi. It opens to a private terrace with tropical foliage and your own plunge pool. The fully-equipped kitchenette is a nice convenience. The bedroom (king) is accessed through a set of French doors, and the sumptuous marble bath is en suite with a private WC.

Start your day with breakfast delivered to your terrace while drinking in the magnificent view with your juice and café au lait. Then head out to cove-like Shell Beach. It’s a nice walk and the swimming is delightful. Stay on for a leisurely lunch at feet-in-the-sand-casual restaurant Dõ Brazil. Meander back to the hotel mid-afternoon in time for your spa appointments. The Carl Gustaf is home to the luxurious Boutique Spa. Branded by the legendary Carita sisters of Paris, it offers a full menu of services – massages, facials, mani-pedis and more.

Sunset cocktails are a St. Barth tradition and guests at the Carl Gustaf have the best “seats on the island.” Your options are: pop the cork of a bottle of bubbly to enjoy on your private terrace with a little fromage, or join fellow guests in the Lounge. The Planteur’s Punch is rumored to be the island’s best. Dine tonight at Victoria’s and watch the chef prepare your meal in the glass-enclosed kitchen. The food is divine and their list of Caribbean rums will tempt you to linger for a nightcap. Back down to your suite, end a perfect day with a midnight dip in your private pool. Sleep well! Tomorrow those fabulous boutiques are waiting for you.

Bonne nuit.

If you would like to pamper yourself with a stay at the Carl Gustaf, contact reservations@stbarth.com or call 1 866 617 4578.

Dear Mom,

It had been over thirteen years since we’ve celebrated Christmas on St. Barth. Spending a week at Villa Les Mouettes with our three children Reegan, Lilia and Nate was amazing. We all enjoyed the beautiful beaches, magnificent vistas, and fabulous food. Villa Les Mouettes offered us an ideal base for our relaxing week as it is very private and quiet. The three comfortable bedrooms worked well with our family (three teenagers). The fully equipped kitchen with indoor/outdoor dining options was perfect for the times when we weren’t out experiencing the gastronomic bonanza that is St. Barth. We invited Doc and you over for dinner one night and we all loved dining on the covered open-air veranda. Spending Christmas morning opening presents with you in our matching PJ’s for the first time in years was a highlight of our week and one that we will always remember.

Christmas morning Nate, GrandDoc, Lily, Reegan and Mimi at Villa Les Mouettes

Christmas Night 2012 at the Santa Fe Restaurant

When not relaxing on one of the island’s beautiful beaches like St. Jean or Gouverneur, we were able to relax on the terrace by Les Mouettes’ nice oval pool (and the water was warm, too!).

Villa Les Mouettes

We hope to renew our tradition of “Christmas in St. Barth” and enjoy all that the island and Villa Les Mouettes have to offer.

Everyone rushes to see Santa and his helpers arrive on St. Jean Beach on Christmas Day

A big Thank You to the villa manager Julien and his wife/housekeeper, Cynthia. Kudos to you and to SBP for making it possible for us to have such a wonderful holiday vacation.

Love,
Mark and Cynthia

If you would like to enjoy a stay at Villa Les Mouettes please contact reservations@stbarth.com or call + 1-508-527-7727 or 1-800-421-3396

Sunday lunch at Nikki Beach: Ok, so what is the hype all about? I saw it firsthand. If you want to party all afternoon, this is the place to go. Be ready to spend big euros – they recommended that my daughter-in-law select a 345 euro magnum of Rosé when she asked about the wine. She kindly declined and ordered a much less expensive bottle. If you do order the expensive stuff, they make a big deal out of it and come running out with sparklers on the bottle when they deliver it to your table. We enjoyed our wine, took our time and shared appetizers before ordering our main courses. I love people-watching so it was entertaining to see diners get up and dance and then later end up dancing on the tables while the DJ’s decibels steadily increased.

Sunday Lunch at Nikki Beach

By contrast, we enjoyed a leisurely lunch at the Hotel Saint-Barth Isle de France’s beachfront restaurant, La Case de L’Isle on another day. The setting is gorgeous; it has a view of Flamands Beach. My crispy chicken salad with fresh ginger, cashew nuts and poached eggs breaded with coconut was delicious. My grandson Tommy Jr. especially enjoyed the shrimp & marinated chicken wok (not to mention the gorgeous young woman who constantly walked by our table modeling some very sexy swimwear). Actually all the guys at our table were quite enthralled with the fashion show. (The restaurant has one every lunchtime and features another one on Tuesday evenings.)

Dinner at the Santa Fe was, as always, a fabulous experience. Almost everyone ordered the Langouste (aka Caribbean Lobster) Thermidore while I had their famous Dover Sole. Andy’s Hideaway is always a must for a fun casual dinner with pizza and their signature Pierrade when we all cook our combo platter with duck, chicken and beef on the hot stone in front of us and then we dip the cooked results in one of 4 yummy sauces (Think fondue [but without the oil] that we “more mature” folks used to have at dinner parties).

Dinner at the Santa Fe

One evening, our St. Barth Properties Concierges arranged for us to have private a chef, Manu. He cooked and his assistant served us at Villa Au Soleil where Tom and his family were staying. Appetizers were served while we looked out over the pool to the view of the twinkling lights of St. Jean. We then moved to the dining area for our meal. This particular evening was a real highlight of the week. We spent a leisurely evening wining and dining and having great conversation. Manu topped it off with an incredible Soufflé Grand Marnière with ice cream vanille.

Several years ago, Tom, Tommy Jr. and Tyler took a Scuba diving course and were certified here in St. Barth; they dive whenever they are in St. Barth. So, on Wednesday, we had arranged for them to meet us for lunch at Le Select after their dive. A Cheeseburger in Paradise is a “must” when you are vacationing in St. Barth.

Lunch at Le Select

Every vacation should include a night out at Le Ti St. Barth. Our St Barth Concierge Magda Votava reserved an excellent table for us and we had an up-close-and-personal view of their sexy fashion show followed by a very professionally done cabaret show. Steve and I go there often when we have guests; this particular night we saw a totally new show and it was really great.

Le Ti St. Barth on Tuesday night

Friday – their last day. Magda had booked a full day catamaran trip with Miguel, the St. Barth Sailor. Unfortunately I had some last minute and urgent work to do so I had to back out at the last minute and I was not able to go out with them as planned. However, Tom called me about 12:30 to check in with me and see if I could join them. I told him I would love to, so they arranged for a dinghy to come and get me in Gustavia at 2:00 pm and take me to meet them at their mooring by Colombier Beach. I held onto the sides of the dinghy for dear life as we sped to meet them. When I made the transfer from the dinghy to the catamaran, I was happy to see that I had made it just in time to join them for a late lunch. They had anchored off of Forchue Island earlier where they snorkeled and had been served hors d’oeuvres before heading to Colombier. Miguel served us a fantastic lunch that had been prepared by one of my most favorite chefs, Jean-Claude Dufour, the owner-chef of L’Esprit restaurant in Salines. (We all had dined at L’Esprit a few nights earlier and loved the alfresco experience.)

Lunch by Colombier Beach aboard the St. Barth Sailor’s catamaran

Of course beach time and boutique shopping filled out the rest of their week. If you get a chance to vacation in St. Barth with your family, it will create memories of a lifetime. Live Your Dream®.

Your terrace is the perfect place to begin the day with a poolside breakfast discretely delivered by room service. Grab your iPod and that new novel and head to the beach. Comfy umbrella’d chaise lounges await. Take a stroll along that wide stretch of sugar-white sand and you’ve earned a libation. The beach bar staff can muddle up a mean mojito. Come lunchtime, slip on a pareo, wriggle your feet back into your sandals, and saunter up to La Case de l’Isle; it’s one of the islands’ loveliest alfresco restaurants and the rosé corks will be popping. Try the Daily Wok – fresh and delicious – with a bottle of Clos Beylesse. Everyone adores the lunch-time fashion show presented each day by the hotel’s boutique. If you’re inspired to do a bit of shopping, don’t miss the signature lacey couture by French designer José Balensi (stunning!) and the line of men’s swimwear by Gerry St. Tropez.

Are you in the mood for a massage? The spa menu, in collaboration with the world renowned Natura Bissé and Intraceuticals skin care brands, is decadent and couples massages are offered in the Spa Pavilion. Ensconced in a tropical garden, it is uber romantic. Services come with dessert, a beautifully presented trio of icy fruit sorbets. We think you’ll be ready to return to the comfort and privacy of your suite and ease into the night.

Pop open a bottle of bubbly and enjoy the approaching twilight, the gentle breezes – and each other. The hotel concierge will be pleased to assist with dinner reservations and you would love PaCri, neighboring Hotel Taiwana’s upscale Italian resto – just a short walk down the beach. The Gnocchi and the entire experience here is exquisite.

To end a perfect day, curl up on the pool-side banquette back at the La Case de l’Isle’ and sip a digestive – St. Barth Style. Vanilla Rhum. Yum.

When you return to your suite. You’ll find chocolates on your pillow. Sweet.

Bonne Nuit

For more information contact: StBarthIsledeFrance@stbarth.com

Constructing anything in St. Barth always takes longer – WAY longer – than a contractor promises and getting delivery of new appliances and furniture via container ship pretty much never arrives when it is supposed to. It’s “Island Time,” after all. So, when the owners muttered, “The Peg Walsh Room” it often meant, “Why did we ever listen to Peg?”

Not so now – I went up to Petite Saline to inspect the new Villa Sky and toured the property with the very proud owners; they had taken advantage of the time it would take to add the new bedroom to completely update the kitchen and to refurbish the bathrooms. I love the results! The new master is privately located on the right hand side of the villa and has its own entrance, a 4-poster king bed, a 50” Satellite TV and DVD player and en suite bath with double sinks, a toilet and a rain shower.

On to the brand new kitchen: The lady of the house is a wonderful cook so the kitchen was designed just for her and also for you if you enjoy cooking while you are on vacation. Many people find it to be very relaxing to do so. Valcucine cabinetry and appliances are the top of the line and the wine cooler features two temperatures – one for whites and one for the reds. The kitchen is air conditioned and can be closed off from the living room if guests prefer to hire a private chef. There is a separate entrance from the driveway.

The other master bedroom with en suite bath is on the left hand side of the living room as is the adjacent king/twin bedroom with renovated en suite bath. Two more bedrooms (king and queen) are on the he pool level and also boast renovated en suite baths. There are oodles of places to enjoy outdoor living and you will be mesmerized by the stunning view and photographical sunsets. Oh and that 44 Ft. heated swimming pool – delightful! If you need to burn some calories as a result of trying all of those fabulous St. Barth restaurants, there’s a glassed enclosed fitness room that includes among other things, two treadmills; you can enjoy the view while you are huffing and puffing.

Villa Sky is centrally located and is fully screened. All of the bedrooms, the kitchen and the fitness room have AC. The villa is an ideal choice for those looking for privacy, a peaceful setting, outstanding views and comfort. For more information and/or to reserve your special time at Villa Sky, contact reservations@stbarth.com or call 1-800-421-3396; +1-508-528-7727. Draw straws to see who gets to stay in the “Peg Walsh Room” and let me know how you like it!

Bonjour! It’s Sunday morning. Your terrace is the perfect place to start your day with a breakfast of fresh fruit and French pastries that will provide sustenance for you to explore the Pointe of Toiny via a two-mile walking path. Your sound track will be the Caribbean surf. If you finish up early you may have time for a yoga lesson on the beach and even a swim in your private pool. Au naturel

Brunch time! The hotel’s restaurant Le Gaïac is famous for its Sunday Brunch so block off at least two hours and enjoy the food – and the view. It’s an experience. The buffet is beautiful and bountiful. Eggs are cooked to order and a chef mans the grill. May we suggest a bottle of Rosé? Esprit de Sainte-Marguerite Château Sainte-Marguerite (2010).

Relax a bit before visiting Toiny’s Serenity Spa Cottage for one of their special treatments. We recommend booking the St. Barth Chill – the island’s version of a hot stone massage. Think sea shells and Ligne St Barth exotic oils. Gentlemen might also enjoy an old-school shave on the Cottage’s porch.

Not that you ever have to leave the hotel on your perfect Sunday but you might be tempted to shop a bit at the boutiques in St. Jean and continue on to Gustavia to enjoy a sunset cocktail at Shell Beach’s Dð Brazil.

End your day with a very private dinner pour deux on your terrace (or elsewhere on the hotel’s property). Chef Stéphane Mazières is the only chef in the Caribbean to have been awarded “GRAND CHEF RELAIS & CHATEAUX.” He will be pleased to meet with you and to create your personal menu and advise you on the wine.

Time to put up that red flag.

Bonne nuit

Visit http://www.stbarth.com/hotels/LeToiny/home.htm for more information and for reservations please contact letoiny@stbarth.com.

Flamands Beach

Villa La Sirène

I love the way they redid the living room; they added a sectional sofa and there’s a mirror on the wall which means that you can actually see the view when you are facing it; the kitchen has all the bells and whistles including a Nespresso machine; the air-conditioned master bedroom has a king bed and there’s a second king bedroom with AC off of the living room. Both bedrooms share a bath.

Villa La Sirène Living Room

The outdoor dining terrace has folding glass doors so you can dine outside and enjoy the view even if it is a bit windy. The swimming pool is delightful so you will have to decide if you want to sit poolside or go down to the beach and lounge amongst the palm trees before taking a dip in the sea. If you don’t feel like leaving the beach, you can walk to the Hotel St. Barth isle de France and/or the Hotel Taïwana for a delicious lunch or dinner.

Villa La Sirène Dining Room

Generally I am the person who decides what to name our villas. I noticed that the owners have a mermaid at one end of the pool and a statue of a mermaid on the dining terrace so I decided to name it Villa La Sirène. If you would like to vacation at Villa La Sirène, call us at 1-800-421-3396 or + 1-508-528-7789. You can also email reservations@stbarth.com. See you on the beach!