P2JW017000-4-D00100-1--------XA CMYK Composite CL,CN,CX,DL,DM,DX,EE,EU,FL,HO,KC,MW,NC,NE,NY,PH,PN,RM,SA,SC,SL,SW,TU,WB,WE BG,BM,BP,CC,CH,CK,CP,CT,DN,DR,FW,HL,HW,KS,LA,LG,LK,MI,ML,NM,PA,PI,PV,TD,TS,UT,WO Carrie Brownstein of ‘Portlandia’ on her favorite (non-bird) things Dan Neil has seen the future of the automobile—and it’s pretty cool D12 EATING | D11 DRINKING | STYLE © 2015 Dow Jones & Company. All Rights Reserved. | FASHION | DESIGN | DECORATING | ADVENTURE THE WALL STREET JOURNAL. **** | TRAVEL | GEAR | GADGETS Saturday/Sunday, January 17 - 18, 2015 | D1 TAKE MONDAY OFF The Ease of Antigua Roddy Grimes Graeme for The Wall Street Journal (Shell’s, Shirley Heights); Matthew Hraneck (yacht); Alamy (windmill) Its stress-zapping beaches and smooth sailing—plus no shortage of rum creativity—make for an eminently manageable long Caribbean weekend ISLAND TIMES Clockwise from top left: Fried fish from Shell’s double-decker bus; a restored windmill at Betty’s Hope plantation; every Sunday’s a party at Shirley Heights; a yacht at Nelson’s Dockyard. BY CHRISTINA VALHOULI DAY ONE // FRIDAY NTIGUA MAY HAVE gained independence from the U.K. in 1981, but this Caribbean gem still has an undeniable British vibe. Cricket is practically the national religion and reminders of England are everywhere on display, from the Georgian naval docks used by Admiral Nelson to Shell’s Double Decker Fish & Chips restaurant, housed in a bus that looks like it took a very wrong turn off Piccadilly Circus. Antigua is probably best known for its powdery beaches (there’s said to be one for each day of the year) and its boating, with enough yachts parked at its marinas to form a luxury armada. It also has an impressive variety of dining and night-life options that all add up to an ideal and easy winter getaway packed into an island that is little more than fifty miles around. 4 p.m. Arrive at V.C. Bird International Airport, to which you can fly directly from New York City in under five hours. It’s just a few miles north of the capital, St. John’s, but don’t linger—you’ll come back tomorrow. Rent a car, and bring along a good map and plenty of patience: Replacing sunfaded road signs is apparently not a high priority on this laid-back island. For low-key luxury, stay at the beachfront, all-inclusive Curtain Bluff, a half-hour away, on the southwest coast (from $1,230 a night; curtainbluff.com). After checking in, enjoy afternoon tea with sea views on the veranda, or, if you crave something stronger, a punch made with smooth, 7 p.m. From Curtain Bluff, drive 10 minutes west along Old Road to Jacqui O’s Beach House (Love Beach, 268-562-2218). This shabby chic restaurant is decorated with shell chandeliers and billowy blue and white curtains. Be sure to try the tuna tartare with mango and mint. After dinner, settle into a lounger on the beach and sip a Pink Sand, a tart mix of coconut cream, triple sec, rum and grenadine. 9 p.m. If you’re in the mood for a nightcap, stop in at OJ’s Beach Bar & Restaurant, which is practically next door (Crabbe Hill, 268-460-0184). OJ’s is casual, open to the ocean breezes, and enthusiastically decorated with conch shells, coral, nets, buoys and pretty much anything else that has washed up from the sea. Order a Wadadli beer, brewed nearby, and rub elbows with locals. DAY TWO // SATURDAY 8 a.m. Have breakfast at Curtain Bluff, where you can sample the local Please turn to page D4 INSIDE LUCKY STRIPES They’ve rarely been more zingily in fashion D3 FARRO AND AWAY Whole grains don’t feel dutiful when they’re this delectable D8 BEAST FRIENDS Animal figurines are highly collectible, if not easily cuddled D9 P2JW017000-4-D00100-1--------XA Composite MAGENTA BLACK CYAN YELLOW A local Cavalier rum. Either way, chances are good you won’t resist the pull of the surf for long. Go ahead— take a dip. A more affordable hotel option is the 18th-century Admiral’s Inn, near the southern tip of the island and the historic Nelson’s Dockyard, still in use today. (from $195 a night; admiralsantigua.com). ON WINE Quality Merlot among the mayo? Lettie Teague revisits supermarket vino D7