Saturday, May 25, 2013

Barefoot Buddha


Type: Restaurant

Name: Barefoot Buddha

My experience: 
Byron and I only went to Barefoot Buddha in the first place because Dog House Pub wasn’t serving food, and frankly I wanted food, not drinks. It was in the late afternoon and I was starving and I didn’t want to go to Hooters, or the McDonalds that’s slower than molasses in January (as my parents would describe it), so we figured we’d check out this Barefoot Buddha place. As you’re walking in, you seem to have left St.Thomas and entered new world filled of incense, tea, peace, love and tranquility. People were there alone, with their lap tops and tea, some couples, and some with friends, really people of all shapes, sizes and ages. It had this really peaceful vibe, some might describe it as a “hippy” place, but really it is one of the few places I’d feel comfortable going to alone and enjoying some peace and quiet in St.Thomas. When you approach the counter, you see a shop to your right. It is stocked with pretty dresses, purses, and little nicknacks. I didn’t have the time to go through and look at it all, but I’m sure if I did, I’d want to leave with half the store. There were colorful wallets with elephants on it, owls.... alright I’m getting carried away. I proceed to order, still nervous, not knowing if I’d even like the food or not and kept my eyes away from the shop. We sat and waited for our food, and as I sat and contemplated if I wanted to try some of their delicious sounding tea, but I got my order of food before I made up my mind and when I started to chow down, I completely lost my train of thought. The wraps were green and the food tasted so natural! I never had such a delicious wrap in my whole life. It was jam packed with flavor and I didn’t care who was in the room, I ate that thing like a dog who got into the butter and had to finish it before it’s owners took it away. Ok, sorry for getting so descriptive, but this place really surprised me. I believe if you want a little break from all the Caribbean and need a place to relax, this place should be at the top of your list. 



Barefoot Buddha most compatible with:
-The Hipster
-The Relaxed
-The Adventurer 
-The Introvert 

Barefoot Buddha least compatible with: 
-The Wild Child
-The Stereotypical Tourist  
-The Cultural

The price range of Barefoot Buddha is in the Penny Pincher Zone

"What am I?" If you don't know what interests you classified under, find out here!
http://www.barefootbuddhavi.com

Please feel free to leave a comment for any questions, concerns or to share your own experience! 

Beni Iguana's Sushi Bar and Restaurant


Type: Restaurant and Bar

Name: Beni Iguana’s Sushi Bar and Restaurant

My experience: 
First of all, let me say that I’m not much of a sushi person. The craziest I get is typically california rolls... but I do love california rolls. So one day while Byron and I were out in Haven Sight, we figured we’d try Beni Iguanas. We walk in and it is as open as a gymnasium, very boxy with high ceilings, but only notice that after you see to the giant fish tank guarding entrance. It’s pretty neat, filled with exotic fish and gives the room flair. We had the option of sitting at the sushi bar (it had little floating wooden boats that were empty, but I guess on a busy day they would fill them with sushi? I’m not too sure about it) or sitting at a table; we took the table. The mussels were really good, it was my first time trying them, so don’t exactly take my word on it, take Byron’s, he said they were tasty. My california rolls were delicious, and Byron said his was pretty good. Not his best sushi, but still decent. What really made it so delectable for me was this sauce they had. It was amazing! I have some in my fridge now because I liked it that much. I’d say, if you were on vacation and you wanted some sushi, this would be a pretty decent place to go. 


Lots of drinks on the menu! Yumm

Beni Iguana’s most compatible with:
-The Social Butterfly
-The Relaxed
-The Adventurer 

Beni Iguana’s least compatible with: 
-The Cultural 
-The Stereotypical Tourist  

The price range of Beni Iguana’s is in the Goldy Locks Zone

"What am I?" If you don't know what interests you classified under, find out here!
http://whatsyouradventurestthomas.blogspot.com/2013/05/how-this-all-works.html


More info at
http://beniiguanassushibar.com

                       Please feel free to leave a comment for any questions, concerns or to share your own experience! 

Friday, May 24, 2013

Northside Bistro


Type: Restaurant and Bar

Name: Northside Bistro 

My experience: 
When Byron’s parents came down to visit, he was turning 22, so for his birthday we wanted to go somewhere nice. We’ve passed Northside Bistro a few times and always wanted to check the place out. The commercial also displayed that the bistro had amazing Atlantic views and the only brewery in St.Thomas, so we had to go. We arrived at night, and their decor was lovely.  We all had a few drinks, and I got the duck and then for dessert, key lime pie! (I wish the pie were to be a little bigger, but you know how those fancy places are) Over all, it was a good birthday dinner. One thing I must warn you though, if you aren’t local, you might have a hard time finding it, and also parking is a hassle. Besides that though, I believe it is worth the miniature struggle and the price. 



Northside Bistro most compatible with:
-The Perfectionist
-The Relaxed
-The Honeymooners 

Northside Bistro least compatible with: 
-The Wild Child
-The Stereotypical Tourist  

The price range of Northside Bistro is in the Big Spender Zone

"What am I?" If you don't know what interests you classified under, find out here!
http://whatsyouradventurestthomas.blogspot.com/2013/05/how-this-all-works.html


More info at
http://www.northsidebistro.com

 Please feel free to leave a comment for any questions, concerns or to share your own experience! 

Thursday, May 23, 2013

Bad Ass Coffee


Type: Cafe

Name: Bad Ass Coffee 

My experience: 
Down on the island, it is very different from the states; there is NOT a Starbucks on every corner here. Therefor you are very limited if you want to “go get coffee”. Bad Ass Coffee is really good for just that though. Not only do they have Coffee drinks, but they also have a little deli too. Their frozen coffees are perfect for the hot, humid days and there is tons of comfy seating for you to choose from (if it’s not busy). It is at one end of Yacht Haven, so it’s a good way to start your day of shopping. Also, if you need a relaxing place to do some paper work, or writing, this is a good place for that too. It is near my work, so if I get hungry, I can go grab a sandwich and coffee and be on my way! Oh yeah, and it has Wi-Fi too. 



Bad Ass Coffee most compatible with:
-The Relaxed
-The Professional
-The Introvert

Bad Ass Coffee least compatible with: 
-The Wild Child
-The Adventurer 
-The Cultural 

The price range of Bad Ass Coffee is in the Penny Pincher Zone

"What am I?" If you don't know what interests you classified under, find out here!
http://whatsyouradventurestthomas.blogspot.com/2013/05/how-this-all-works.html


More info at
http://www.badasscoffee.com

 Please feel free to leave a comment for any questions, concerns or to share your own experience! 

Fat Turtle


Type: Restaurant and Bar

Name: Fat Turtle 

My experience: 
The first time I’ve eaten at Fat Turtle was the first day we moved to the island. One thing that drew me to it, and I hate to say this, but I saw the Real World cast eating there, and thought that it would be really cool to see it for myself. Don’t be fooled though, just because it looked like a huge party all the time on Real World doesn’t mean it always is. They do hold concerts there on occasion and have events going on randomly because it’s in the middle of Yacht Haven. The food is pretty good, I always get cheeseless pizza when I go there (I’m lactose intolerant), and every time except for once was it amazing. It also has some really nice views of the Yachts, right against the water, and is all outside seating. It’s one of those places that has a good mix of locals and tourists. It can get busy down there though, so watch out when you want to go. If you want something more relaxed, go during the day, or when there aren’t any cruise ships in on a week day, but if you want more of a wild time, go during the night or on a busy ship day. It really can become two different places. 



Fat Turtle most compatible with:
-The Wild Child (During the night)
-The Social Butterfly
-The Family (During the day)
-The Relaxed (During the day)

Fat Trutle least compatible with: 
-The Perfectionist 
- The Professional  

The price range of Fat Turtle is in the Goldy Locks Zone

"What am I?" If you don't know what interests you classified under, find out here!
http://whatsyouradventurestthomas.blogspot.com/2013/05/how-this-all-works.html


More info at
 Please feel free to leave a comment for any questions, concerns or to share your own experience! 

Grand Cru


Type: Restaurant and Bar

Name: Grand Cru 

My experience: 
Byron and I have heard that Grand Cru was a very nice place to eat, but expensive so we shied away from it. About two weeks ago now we found a reason to celebrate, so we figured we’d go try Grand Cru. It is in Yacht Haven, which is a nice location itself, and right up on the water, by the million dollar yachts. We first get seated inside, (I requested it since I wanted some air conditioning) but since it was wednesday (margarita Wednesday) , there were some noisy people hanging out at the bar, so we moved ourselves outside. The inside wasn’t huge, but looked like a set from the new Great Gatsby movie. It was beautiful and vibrant. (I suggest if your on vacation, sit outside because the view is outstanding) So we get seated outside, and we were the youngest couple there, and we were very happy about that. The scene was romantic, and the drinks were tasty and unique. My meal was very flavorful and Byron enjoyed his as well... we even got dessert! All in all, it wasn't perfect, but it was tasty, in a relaxed area, and a bit expensive (as we knew going into it).




Grand Cru most compatible with:
-The Honeymooners 
-The Perfectionist
-The Introvert
-The Relaxed 
-The Professional

Grand Cru least compatible with: 
-The Wild Child
- The Cultural 

The price range of Grand Cru is in the Big Spender Zone

"What am I?" If you don't know what interests you classified under, find out here!
http://whatsyouradventurestthomas.blogspot.com/2013/05/how-this-all-works.html

More info at


 Please feel free to leave a comment for any questions, concerns or to share your own experience! 

Greengos Caribbean Cantina


Type: Restaurant and Bar

Name: Greengos Caribbean Cantina

My experience: 
Wandering around after a morning of errands around the water front area, Byron and I needed a quick place to grab a bite to eat. We have heard about Greengos from many people and thought it sounded like a good idea since it was within walking distance and, from what our friends told us, really good. When we found it in a back alley street (the way I described that sounds sketchy, but more like it’s tucked away in-between all the chaos of the shops), we walked on in and took a seat. It was a cute place, well decorated, and cozy. It is apart of the historic district, so the architecture was beautiful. In the corner of the small restaurant, was a little bar and also had a display of little nicknacks you can purchase with their name on it. It was unlike a lot of places because it wasn’t crowded with tacky island decor, but instead had a dia de los muertos (Day of the dead) theme to it, that really stood out. Our food was delivered fast and was excellent (in my opinion). The portion size was perfect too, I was satisfied, but not loosening up my belt strap and falling into a food coma. We left very pleased with our experience!



Greengos Caribbean Cantina most compatible with:
-The Adventurer 
-The Social Butterfly
-The Hipster 

Greengos Caribbean Cantina least compatible with: 
-The Relaxed
-The Professional
-The Stereotypical Tourist 

The price range of Greengos Caribbean Cantina is in the Penny Pincher Zone

"What am I?" If you don't know what interests you classified under, find out here!
http://whatsyouradventurestthomas.blogspot.com/2013/05/how-this-all-works.html

More info at


 Please feel free to leave a comment for any questions, concerns or to share your own experience! 

The GreenHouse


Type: Restaurant and Bar

Name: The GreenHouse

My experience: 
I have eaten here many times because it was right by my old work, HOTLOOK sunglasses. The first time I ate there was when Byron and I were traveling, making sure this was a place we were willing to move to. It is right on the water front, by all the jewelry shops and the few random gift shops and has an amazing view of the cruise ships. The decor is touristy and the food is simple. Most menu items are what you would see anywhere in America, and they gave it a splash of Caribbean. It is a good place to dine at when you need a bit to eat after you’ve been shopping all day (or working in my case). Also the drinks are pretty good, and their happy hour is buy one get one free, which is great when you are with a group of people, or even just a group of two! Over all, it might not be anything fancy or super memorable on your vacation full of adventures, but it is a good bite to eat in a convenient spot that won’t burn a hole through your pocket. 

Me drinking a strawberry daiquiri...
YUM



The GreenHouse is most compatible with:
-The Relaxed
-The Stereotypical Tourist
-The Family
-The Social Butterfly

The GreenHouse is least compatible with: 
-The Perfectionist 
-The Professional
-The Cultural 

The price range of The GreenHouse is in the Penny Pincher Zone

"What am I?" If you don't know what interests you classified under, find out here!
http://whatsyouradventurestthomas.blogspot.com/2013/05/how-this-all-works.html

More info at



 Please feel free to leave a comment for any questions, concerns or to share your own experience! 

Monday, May 20, 2013

Fish Tails


Type: Restaurant and Bar

Name: Fish Tails

My experience: 
After a long day at work in St.John, Byron decided to take me out to eat, whoohoo!! We were in the Red Hook area and had sooo many choices, but as we were walking out of the ferry station we saw Fish Tails staring back at us, just begging for us to come and eat with them (not literally though, restaurants can’t talk silly!). So we wandered in and were greeted nicely and brought to our table. It was dark by this time, but the stars beamed off the ocean beautifully as we dined. It had a very nice scenery along with a nautical theme that gave the restaurant a great flow of continuity. The food was great! They had all sorts of fish on the menu (Fish Tales... get it?) and it was all fresh. It was a great way to end the day! Especially if you just sent all day in St.John and came back on the ferry; it’s right there!  



Fish Tails is most compatible with:
-The Relaxed
-The Stereotypical Tourist
-The Family


Fish Tails is least compatible with: 
-The Hipster
-The Adventurer 

The price range of Fish Tails is in the Goldy Locks Zone

"What am I?" If you don't know what interests you classified under, find out here!
http://whatsyouradventurestthomas.blogspot.com/2013/05/how-this-all-works.html

For more information about Fish Tails please visit
http://www.fishtailsvi.com/home.cfm


 Please feel free to leave a comment for any questions, concerns or to share your own experience! 

Delly Deck


Type: Restaurant and Bar

Name: Delly Deck 

My experience: 
Today Byron and I were doing some shopping around Havensight Mall and heard Delly Deck was a great place to eat. It is a cute little local restaurant that has been around since 1976, and from what some of my friends have told me, they have amazing food, particularly breakfast. We figured we would give it a chance. We quickly walk there since it is in the heart of all the shopping, and seat ourselves. I thought it was just outside seating, until I realized there was even more seating inside! This place surprised me how big it was! The menu was simple, pretty much like any diner, but with a Caribbean twist. I mistakenly ordered something that my digestive system couldn’t handle, (breaded chicken instead of grilled) but I still had half of it anyways. It was pretty good; pretty much like any local diner anywhere in the world. All in all, the location was really nice, the food was decent, and wasn’t that expensive. I will definitely be back for breakfast to try it again and see what all the hype is about! 



Delly Deck is most compatible with:
-The Family
-The Stereotypical Tourist

Delly Deck is least compatible with: 
-The Relaxed
-The Perfectionist
-The Cultural 

The price range of Delly Deck is in the Penny Pincher Zone

"What am I?" If you don't know what interests you classified under, find out here!
http://whatsyouradventurestthomas.blogspot.com/2013/05/how-this-all-works.html

Visit their website for more details at


 Please feel free to leave a comment for any questions, concerns or to share your own experience! 

Thursday, May 16, 2013

Big Kahuna


Type: Restaurant and Bar

Name: Big Kahuna

My experience: 
I have only eaten there once, but I have hung out there with some friends after work a few times. It is a nice location, right on the water front. One nice feature about the place is that it is close to where you can get a taxi and go back to the ship, or your hotel, and it has a very nice view of the cruise ships and the harbor. Their seats are mostly outside, you can choose to sit inside, if you want, but on a somewhat busy day, it’s kind of like dining in an elevator, cramped. 
So, after ordering, the food didn’t take that long at all to make, umm awesome, the last thing I want to do after work is wait for my food. I had some sort of a taco salad and it was good, but that’s if I can remember correctly because their drinks were strong. (I only had one, don’t worry). They do make some pretty good drinks though and you are defiantly getting your moneys worth of alcohol! Anyway, enough about the drinks! Our waitress was nice, but she knew how to give us our personal space, and I like that in a waitress! Oh, and don’t let me forget, free wifi! (if you’re not from St.Thomas or visit St.Thomas often, you don’t understand the outstanding glory of free wifi. It’s kind of like unicorns.)

In conclusion, water front location, nice view, limited tables, decent food, good/strong drinks, free wifi and respectful waitress. Not a bad date at all.



Big Kahuna is most compatible with:
-The Stereotypical Tourist
-The Social Butterfly
-The Wild Child

Big Kahuna is least compatible with: 
-The Professional
-The Introvert
-The Relaxed


The price range of Big Kahuna is in the Penny Pincher Zone. (Not bad, eh?)

"What am I?" If you don't know what interests you classified under, find out here!
http://whatsyouradventurestthomas.blogspot.com/2013/05/how-this-all-works.html


Visit their website for more details at


 Please feel free to leave a comment for any questions, concerns or to share your own experience! 

How This All Works


Let me quickly introduce myself before I start rambling off, my name is Alana, and I live in St.Thomas. I have been on island for about 7 months now with my boyfriend Byron, and have learned a pretty good deal about what there is to do and eat around here (mainly because the island is 31 square miles, but there are still a lot of choices, good and bad). 

(That's us!!)

Alrighty, that is enough about me for now, let’s get to the purpose of all of this! 


Hopefully you have come across this blog because you are either on vacation, planning to go on vacation, or heck, you live on St.Thomas too and want to know a good place to eat, relax or have fun. One thing you might ask yourself, “It’s a lovely day outside, and I’m very hungry... So where is a good place for my family to go out to eat? Maybe even a place near the beach so we can relax after?”. Or you also may ask yourself, “Where is a place where I can drink as much as I want for as cheap as I can?” Well guys, I can answer both of your questions for you! But first, I have broken down different kinds of interests so you can have the best experience for you as an individual, group or family.

The reason why I decided to review places this way was for a few different reasons. 

First off, I’m 20 years old, an introvert and frugal, so for me to give a place a negative review because it was too loud, too crowded and too expensive would be a review only suitable for me (or others like me). As I like to say, “One man’s trash is another man’s treasure.” Maybe you are the kind of person who loves loud music, a good crowd and have an expensive taste along with deep pockets, good for you, you just found you’re new favorite vacation destination in St.Thomas! 
Another reason is there are all sorts of people who come here on vacation. We have the college spring breakers who will drink to they drop, the seniors who are looking for a quiet place to spend their retirement, and the families with little children who are looking for fun for the whole family. (the list goes on and on.) 
Also, if you go to some websites, they might give a review and say the place is the bomb diggity, and when you show up with your family, there’s it’s a bunch of drunk college kids everywhere. I have grown up with a mother who owned businesses and also have taken my fair share of business classes and one thing I learned was each business has their own target market. I will not be telling why this place is good or bad, I simply will be telling what is the best match for you


Now for the fun part...
I did my best to break down each interests and price (they are separate). You may find yourself matching with more than one of them, and that is completely normal. Also, your interests may change depending on the occasion. For example, you may go out with your boss and coworkers for a professional night of discussing numbers and deadlines, then the next night, you may go out with friends and get crunk. Whatever the case may be, I have it here. 





Interests
You Want
You DON’T Want
The Family
Family friendly.
Inappropriate around your family.
The Wild Child
A fun place to party, good music, open late, wide selection of drinks.
A quiet place, a dress code.
The Hipster 
A place that is a little different than the typical spots, cool atmosphere.
Crowded with typical tourists, well known places.
The Social Butterfly
A good place to socialize, hang out and meet new people. 
A place where you have to keep to yourself.
The Introvert
A quiet, calm place to keep to yourself, maybe bring a book to read or your laptop.
Loud music, and people tending to come up and talk to you.
The Relaxed
Calm place, either with or without socializing, you are on island time. 
To be on a strict schedule, a place where you feel rushed. 
The Perfectionist 
A place that can meet your high expectations, top quality, above and beyond service.
Tacky decorations, tasteless food, minimal service.
The Adventurer
A place that is different, you like to take risks, doing something out of the ordinary. 
State side restaurants and activities, anything low risk, and everyday things. 
The Cultural
To experience first hand the local culture and to widen your knowledge of the world. 
Touristy areas, fancy resorts, chain stores and restaurants. 
The Professional
A professional atmosphere, a place where you can do business or feel comfortable taking your boss/coworkers.
A party scene, somewhere that can distract you from your work.
The Stereotypical Tourist
A fun atmosphere that tries to mimmic the culture, but is commercialized, and maybe a comfortable resort. 
Any places that just locals go, any places that aren’t in the tourism magazines. 
The Honeymooners
A romantic atmosphere, one that you could give your date a once in a lifetime experience. 
A touristy place, lots of children, too crowded. 
 
Now for the money, it is broken down between 3 categories. 

Name
How Much
Penny Pincher
Cheap, economic
Goldy Locks Zone
Not too expensive, not too cheap.
Big Spender
Expensive


Example of how a review will look like.

"Title: A Restaurant 

My experience: 
**This is where I state some facts about the place, some of my own opinions and my experience**

(Then a photo or two)


“A Restaurant” is most compatible with: 
-The Family
-The Professional
-The Relaxed
-The Introvert

“A Restaurant” is least compatible with:
-The Wild Child
-The Adventurer 
-The Hipster
-The Cultural
The price range for “A Restaurant” is in the Goldy Locks Zone.

www.And then I will put a link to their website if they have one.com"


I will try to do as many different restaurants, resorts, bars, hiking trails, beaches, etc. as I can. Please, feel free to comment on any page with any further questions, concerns or suggestions on another place I should review. 

Over and out,
Alana