Easter Egg Roll

Complete with easter dresses, candy, parents with video cameras and giggles...

All the little darlings all lined up along the wall that separates beach from lawn...

Notice the angle... we had a great view from our deck, as we ate homemade cinnamon rolls and a rum based Orange Juice drink... Island Life!

This girl was Jackie's favorite.

Had a HOPPY Easter...

Then went Snorkeling!

If you read yesterday's post, this is a reef squid, sadly, nothing from the Simpsons...

What Kind of Fish is This???

OK, we have two fish guides for fish that are supposed to be local for the island...

This guy is not in either...

we saw him in out bay today, 100 yards from our door.

Here's my first uploaded youTube video...

The fish is about a foot long...

Tail turned under like a lobster

Fin all the way around his body, waving

BIG bug eyes

Looks like something out of the Simpsons

First to identify him gets a shiny new dime

Come and Visit... Do you wonder what will happen???

Come and visit... You will eat at some of the best (cheap) places to eat on the island...

Come and visit... I will cook for you (like these Caribbean Pineapple Jerk Chicken Wings)...

Come and visit... we will go for a walk along the beach every morning.

Come and visit... We will go snorkeling

Come and visit... We will go to Duffy's Love Shack, the best parking lot bar on the island!

Come and visit... Even the "virgin' Island Strawberry Daiquiris are something special.

Come and Visit... We will enjoy an adult beverage served in a fish bowl.

Come and Visit... Where you will arm yourself with liquid courage...

Come and Visit... You will meet Cletus, the only Irish folksinger on the island...

Come and Visit... Where, armed with liquid courage, you will sing and dance with Cletus...

Come and Visit... We will hunt for sea turtles!

Come and Visit... we will take organized tours where you see scenery around every other corner.

Come and Visit... Where around the other corners are convenient gift shops...

Come and Visit... We will go to TRUNK BAY in St John, one of the tops in the world!

Come and Visit... You may leatn a little history (but just a little).

Come and Visit... We'll enjoy a nice light salad.

Come and Visit... You may get kissed on the ass.

Come and Visit... To see the wildlife.

Come and Visit... The door is always open (so it must be OK).

Come and Visit... You may learn the skills needed to catch a baseball boy.

Come and Visit... Lots to see

Come and Visit...  Memories to last a lifetime.

Sunrise While I Walk

I have started to walk a little earlier in the day... Cooler and I get to see the sunrise...

Turn a little different angle and new colors!

It almost makes you forget how early it is... but just almost.

Duffy's Love Shack in St Thomas

This week we are entertaining our first guests.  My wife's favorite aunt and her cousin (David and Becky shown above) are giving us locals a chance to be tourists for the week.  Taking the organized island tours, watching them haggle with the vendors (and then we swoop in and get a local's discount for them), snorkeling and sunning have been on my agenda all week... 

BUT, no trip to our corner of paradise would be complete without a stop at my favorite dive bar and grill... Duffy's Love Shack!


Literally, it is a shack located in the middle of a parking lot  in the Red Hook area of St Thomas (closest "town" to us).  It is our go to bar for a fun time.

Of course the foodie in me loves the food...


Blackened chicken nachos (above)... A little of everything (including a few SURPRISE hot peppers)!

Some kind of crappy health food salad that my cousin-in-law loved (how healthy can it be with a half cup of sour cream and a cup of guacamole on it???)

Personally... Their Blue Cheese burgers are the best on the island!  A little bacon (of course bacon!) just to set the mood!

But I guess when you get down to it... This is what really sets the mood...


The infamous DUFFY's SHARK TANK... 64 ounces of Booze (and a little fruit juice)!   Served in a fish bowl with straws for everybody!

And just in case there was not enough booze in the Fish Tank, Jackie wanted her signature, Lime in the Coconut (which I have spent many nights trying to replicate, but always seem to be just a shade short)...

Have you ever been charged $9 for a strawberry daiquiri?  At least when you order a $9 daiquiri at Duffy's, they let you keep the parrot glass (Jackie's Cousin's Daughter not included)...

Even the favorite aunt gets to go home with a logo beer mug "free" souvenir when she ordered a virgin daiquiri...

Yes, they made fun of me for a bit for photographing the food... Then the fancy glasses arrived and everyone was photographing the food...


Even people from other tables were photographing our shark tank...

That is a shark inside our drink...

When in St Thomas, don't miss Duffy's Love Shack... Best dive bar set up in a parking lot I have ever been to!

Red Hook Boondoggle...

BOONDOGGLE... term for a scheme that wastes time and money.


Take a close look at the "town" of Red Hook.  From this photo, can you guess where the center of town would be... Where the action is???

Did you guess the set of brightly colored buildings looking all European and interesting???

You would be wrong... Built several years ago, and occupied by two banks... that's it.  probably 30 store fronts, plenty of two and three story spaces for offices and storage...

Beautiful tiles, landscaped and in perfect condition...


And why shouldn't it be... No one is allowed on the premises.


I would guess that the developers were hoping to attract the high end storefronts that you can find in Charlotte Amalie.  Red Hook does not attract the cruise ship crowd...

Duffy's Love Shack... maybe seating for 25, but a GREAT burger, and a fun cocktail list.  Perfect service every time (the staff hustles to get your food and drink), reasonable prices and entertainment...


Just a little building thrown up on the edge of a parking lot.  Nothing fancy...


But, Duffy's is the center of town!