TheEaseof Antigua - Wall Street Journal

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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
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DRINKING
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STYLE
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THE WALL STREET JOURNAL.
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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
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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