Cool Rental is a new car rental company with "personalized services" on Rue August Nyman in Gustavia. The brand new cars come with a CD player compatible with MP3 players and iPODs and a local cell phone at no extra charge except for the calls that you make. Phone numbers for numerous hotels, restaurants and shops have already been programmed into the phone. In addition, a concierge service is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Rates range from 70 euros/day in low season to 130 euros/day in high season. To reserve a car, call them at 590 590 27 52 58 or send an email to johann@cool-rental.com.
Although St Barth is quite often a dry island, if you keep your eyes open, you can find many local fruits and nuts growing wild around the island. A few examples are almonds, tamarind, sea grapes, cherries, little apples, corossol (or soursop), little apples and passionfruit. And, of course, the quenette. The quenette resembles a small, oval lime and grows on trees ranging from 18 to 30 feet. The yellowish-pink pulp, whose taste has been compared to a litchi, surrounds a very large pit. The tree is native to Colombia and Venezuela and appeared in the Antilles at the beginning of the 19th century. The fruit is often used in jams and syrups to flavor rum. But on a hot day, there's nothing like stumbling across a quenette tree and just popping open the thin skin and enjoying the tasty fruit.
(Editor's Note: On other English-speaking islands, this fruit is called the "genip".)
The Tom Beach Hotel in St Jean sits right on gorgeous St Jean Bay, recently voted the 8th sexiest beach by the Travel Channel. Until December 19, 2008, you can enjoy a free night with any reservation of six nights or more. The hotel's open-air, beachside restaurant, La Plage, is open year-round, serves excellent food in a relaxed atmosphere and usually has either live music or a DJ during the evenings. For more information or to make reservations, call 590 590 27 53 13, email them at tombeach@wanadoo.fr or visit their web site at www.tombeach.com.
Alton Brown's latest TV show, Feasting on Waves, premiered last Sunday on the Food Network. Those of us who were lucky enough to be watching it were rewarded with an unexpected stop in St Barth due to bad weather conditions. The show is a four-part series in which Alton and his crew sail around 15 different Caribbean islands on a 50-foot catamaran. The goal is to seek out quality local cuisine. Fortunately for Alton, the captain of the catamaran, Randy West, has lived in St Barth for over 25 years and was able to take him to several popular local venues. The first stop was Le Select for the famous Cheeseburger in Paradise and a local ti punch, made of cane syrup, rum and a slice of lime. Next on the agenda was a visit to Chez Ginette in Anse des Cayes. Ginette is known on the island for making and selling bottles of rum punch made from dozens of different fruits and flowers found on the island. The expression on Alton Brown's face when he smelled the passionfruit rum punch testifies to its strength! The final destination was The Wishing Well, locally known as Chez Rolande, in Flamands. Rolande's grandmother had a restaurant in Guadeloupe for 25 years, and Rolande learned how to cook authentic Creole food at her side. Today, her daughter helps her create the same dishes. Alton, and Randy, were lucky enough to have her prepare a fricassee of langouste, the Caribbean spiny lobster. Alton's comment upon tasting it? "She's a witch!"
If you're an avid Scrabble player and want to try your luck playing the game in French, the Association of Lézards des Cayes has organized the St Barth Scrabble Club! They'll be playing every Tuesday evening starting at 5:30 pm in the heart of Anse des Cayes in the Association's building.
The luxurious Hotel Carl Gustaf in Gustavia has been closed and undergoing major renovations for several months. They plan to reopen for the high season with a completely new restaurant, Victoria's, and a redesigned lounge. This is one of the best places to enjoy a cocktail while viewing a spectacular sunset over the harbor. The renovations also include a top-scale Boutique Spa and a 4-bedroom Royale Suite with its own infinity pool and Jacuzzi.
September is just around the corner. The summer beach festivals have ended, and the kids are headed back to school. This is traditionally the quietest, and hottest, month on the island. It's the time when many of the restaurants close their doors for a while and take time to make repairs and take vacations. The number of restaurants that are closing is too numerous to list all of them, but below are a few. But, not to worry. Enough good restaurants remain open that you can eat well every day. And, don't forget the fish market in Gustavia if you have a place to cook. There's nothing like some fresh dorade (mahi-mahi) on the grill!
. La Saladerie on La Pointe in Gustavia has closed. Rumors are that the rent was increased too much, and an Italian restaurant will open there. Perhaps, La Saladerie will find another location.
. K'fe Massai in Lorient will remain open throughout September and October. This restaurant may not look like much from the outside, but you're in for a treat once you enter. Enough said. You'll have to discover it for yourselves! They have two or three prix fixe menus with numerous delicious offerings from each.
. L'Entr'acte...Kudeta...L'Entr'acte - You know, the restaurant in Gustavia along the harbor with the blue coconut palm outside? Apparently, they have changed the name back to L'Entr'acte and have purchased La Gamelle in Gustavia, where one of the two brothers will be opening another restaurant. Kudeta, pronounced like coup d'etat, was apparently not humorous to those in the government.
The Hotel Le Christophe in Point Milou has been closed for one or two years with many speculations about its future, including the possibility of timeshares being offered. Haven't heard any details, but they recently had an ad in a local publication for a general manager, an assistant, maids and maintenance men for their re-opening in late October or early November. Stay tuned.
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Although St Barth is quite often a dry island, if you keep your eyes open, you can find many local fruits and nuts growing wild around the island. A few examples are almonds, tamarind, sea grapes, cherries, little apples, corossol (or soursop), little apples and passionfruit. And, of course, the quenette. The quenette resembles a small, oval lime and grows on trees ranging from 18 to 30 feet. The yellowish-pink pulp, whose taste has been compared to a litchi, surrounds a very large pit. The tree is native to Colombia and Venezuela and appeared in the Antilles at the beginning of the 19th century. The fruit is often used in jams and syrups to flavor rum. But on a hot day, there's nothing like stumbling across a quenette tree and just popping open the thin skin and enjoying the tasty fruit.
The Tom Beach Hotel in St Jean sits right on gorgeous St Jean Bay, recently voted the 8th sexiest beach by the Travel Channel. Until December 19, 2008, you can enjoy a free night with any reservation of six nights or more. The hotel's open-air, beachside restaurant, La Plage, is open year-round, serves excellent food in a relaxed atmosphere and usually has either live music or a DJ during the evenings. For more information or to make reservations, call 590 590 27 53 13, email them at 
The luxurious Hotel Carl Gustaf in Gustavia has been closed and undergoing major renovations for several months. They plan to reopen for the high season with a completely new restaurant, Victoria's, and a redesigned lounge. This is one of the best places to enjoy a cocktail while viewing a spectacular sunset over the harbor. The renovations also include a top-scale Boutique Spa and a 4-bedroom Royale Suite with its own infinity pool and Jacuzzi. 
The Hotel Le Christophe in Point Milou has been closed for one or two years with many speculations about its future, including the possibility of timeshares being offered. Haven't heard any details, but they recently had an ad in a local publication for a general manager, an assistant, maids and maintenance men for their re-opening in late October or early November. Stay tuned.
