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Last month's survey will be available
<HERE> until June 15th.
Time is flying by and I am having trouble believing that everything moves at a slower pace here. Hard to believe half a year is gone already. Can you believe that I have been writing this column for a year? It has been lots of fun and I look forward to another year of keeping you up to date on "what's happening" on Vieques.
We have had sufficient rain that the island is green and lush and the neighbors houses are hidden behind trees that seem to be growing a foot a week! People in the landscaping and gardening business are working overtime this year but it sure beats a drought. Mangoes are falling everywhere, bananas ripening along with papayas, breadfruit and other exotics that I am not familiar with. Soon the canepas that make the beloved BILI will also be abundant! The rum concoction that is so popular with the locals at Patronales time! Last I heard Patronales (local festival in the Plaza) was scheduled for July 18th through the 22nd. Usually this is a huge party, alcohol flowing and the opportunity to dance the night away. Many bands perform in the evening and there are a few rides for the children to enjoy. I have not heard that it has been canceled so I am assuming that these dates are still correct.
Highlights for the Month of May were of course the annual Spam cook off held at the Mar Azul. This event was well attended this year. Many participated in the cooking end of it as well as showing up for the party. The folks at the Oasis did really well this year, James from the Inn on the Blue Horizon also competed, as did our friends from La Finca. Cousin Bob and his wife Jean come down from the midwest each year just to compete and one of the judges travels from NY! Okay to be fair he really comes down to visit his mother for Mom's Day but has judged for 3 years! The event includes entries in the appetizer, main course, dessert and sculpture categories. The judges said that this was the hardest year to judge so far, everything was delicious. Owen (Oasis) nearly took out a few judges with his Spam stuffed habaneros! Amy (Oasis and Mar Azul) took the prize for dessert with her Pineapple Spam Upside Down Cake! There were lots of others competing that I have not mentioned and please forgive me for that. I was so busy tending the bar that I missed most of the competition and only got to sample a few things. Tom (La Finca) wrote a terrific poem for the event and Billy (The Inn on the Blue) made a great Spam Lamp from the leftover tins used by James for his Spam and Goat Cheese Souffle! It is hard to believe that Spam can be the main ingredient in this culinary event and harder to believe that all the entries were fabulous! Hey Jim, I think next year you and Diana should attend and kick some butt like the first year!
Once again the folks at the Oasis treated us to a theme night. The Trailer Trash Bash was lots of fun and very cheap! Some of the food items included Pigs in a blanket, SOS, Turkey Pot Pie, Meatloaf, Elvis Fried Chicken, Deep Fried Snickers pieces, Jello with fruit cocktail and lots more. Nothing on the menu was over $7 and the staff dressed in their finest clothes! There were a lot of southern accents that I had not heard before! The theme nights continue through the summer the next one being Tues. June 5th featuring Portuguese food, Tues. June 19th featuring Indian food, Wed. July 18th with Mexican food, Wed. Aug. 1st providing a Spanish Tapas Night! The Oasis with the exception of the theme nights will be closed Tues. and Wed. through the summer. As this is now public knowledge the folks at the Oasis are bringing down a new Chef/friend who will be taking over the kitchen at the Crow's Nest. So not only will they have the Oasis they will have the Crow's Nest also. They are looking forward to reviving Tues. Social Hour that Liz made so famous and popular for years and the menu will feature more PR and Latin cuisine. We all wish them luck and great success when they open sometime in July!
Some of the restaurant changes that I am aware of at this time are Trade Winds serving Fri. through Sun. only, La Campesina serving dinner Tues. through Fri. and the Mar Azul's kitchen open Thurs. through Sun. Francois and Charlotte are looking to open the downstairs of their new bar/restaurant sometime in July. The name is not definite yet, I have heard it may be called La Seren, La Serena or The Mermaid, regardless of the name it is on the strip located next to Bananas! Don't forget that the bar at the Inn on the Blue Horizon is open to the public however they are only taking a limited number of reservations for dinner Thurs. through Sun. nights. Café Media Luna will be closed until sometime in July or perhaps August depending on parental obligations! No news on a baby yet! As far as Chez Shack, Duffy has not announced his summer plan as yet but the new bar area looks great. C'mon Duffy give me some news to write about! And remember if you are here this summer stop by El Sombrero Viejo and play Happy Hour Bingo! It has been a lot of fun and of course there is the chance of winning a free drink! Mr. Bob Kuhn, owner and Master of Bingo Ceremonies, is pretty entertaining with his performance! Karaoke continues on the island however not on a schedule, be sure to stop by Crab Walk Café to see what Friday Nights it is happening and where. Heard that the last one at La Campesina was well attended and lots of fun. Make sure you get a chance to see Trelvis is action and Owen. Sorry Owen that all your friends know about your other talents!
I have been a little upset by the lack of responses to the survey, many of you reading have not filled it out and some think it is only for the tourist to fill out, Not True! All responses will be used as a tourist guide to what everyone feels are the best offered on the island. You don't even have to answer all the questions if you don't want to! I need a few more responses to make it a valid. You have until about June 15th to participate so please take a few minutes to fill it out for us. Thanks! Results will be posted next month!
I am going to venture into a subject that I usually will not write about and that is the political situation with the Navy and Protesters. We are getting many reports from friends and family stateside that say the island sounds like a war zone according to news reports. We all know that that is not the case at all. Our tourism business is suffering because of this bad publicity. Training only occurs a few days out of the year and miles away from the civilian areas. Regardless of your feeling as to the situation with the Navy here please promote tourism for us. All of us in the hospitality industry here have tried to make your trips to Vieques fun. You know how incredible the beaches are, the wonder of Bio Bay and that the protesting does not affect daily life on the island. I have been spending hours a month researching and writing to keep you up to date on activities here and now am asking a favor from you in return. Many of us here would appreciate you taking a few minutes to write a letter to the editor of your local newspaper telling them of the experience that you had here. It would get the word out that life here is not dangerous, they are not dropping bombs in the center of town, there are not riots in the streets, etc. You can mention dodging horses and cows on the road, the need for sunscreen, overindulging in rum drinks or tequilas, these are the true dangers of Vieques! Please consider taking a few minutes out of your day and help spread the positive aspects of our island! We all appreciate it.
It has been really fun meeting so many of you on the island and hearing your comments about how lovely it is here. It has been great seeing our return visitors again and again. Special hellos to Manny and Kim Portela and all their family, Mary Beth and Wally, Ingrid and Tammy thanks for the Mahi Mahi and all of you don't wait another year to join us!
Next month survey results! Thanks for reading! The survey will be available
<HERE> until June 15th.
Thanks everyone for bearing with me through all this but there is just so much happening that I wanted to share with you. Again thank you too for telling me that you have been reading and chose Vieques because of
www.enchanted-isle.com . We are so happy that you are enjoying the site and that you are visiting our island. Hope to meet more of you soon!
Judy
PS: If there is anything you would like to see in the newsletter or have any feedback please email
Ask Judy. Thanks.
askjudy@enchanted-isle.com
If you have read some of the past letters by Peggy you will be familiar with the "must do" things here. If you have not read them I suggest that you take a few minutes to browse through them to become better acquainted with life here on the island. She has filled her columns with lots of "things you need to know" and I don't want to pass on the same information month after month! <click here for the archives>
If any of you would like to see something specific in this newsletter please contact the webmaster and I will do my best to investigate for you.
Email: whats_happenin@enchanted-isle.com
