Another year has sneaked past us, and it's time to celebrate the end of 2008 and the beginning of 2009. New Year's Eve is known as St Sylvestre on St Barth, and, as always, the island is ready to welcome in the new year. The festivities in Gustavia, organized by the association Rhum et Gingembre, will take place on the Quai Général de Gaulle starting at 8:00 pm with skits, music, dancing and drinks. Fireworks will be set off at midnight over the water, and if previous years are an indication, they will be spectacular. Throughout the day on December 31, Le Go�t de Vin on Rue Oscar II in Gustavia will be offering a free wine and champagne tasting. La Plage restaurant, on the beach at the Tom Beach Hotel in St Jean, is also hosting a New Year's Eve party with music by "Addicted 2 Paradise" (who can't identify with that?!) and fireworks at midnight. And, don't forget the 13th Edition of the New Year's Eve Regatta. The sailing yachts will depart at 10:00 am and sail around the island, which usually takes about two hours. The Awards Ceremony will take place on the quay in Gustavia late in the afternoon, usually around 5:00 pm.
First Boats in the Transat Classique Lagasse to Arrive December 16 or 17
This year is the premier of the Classic Transat Lagasse, which is reserved for traditional yachts and classic sailboats. The race started in Douarnenez, a fishing port in Brittany, and will finish in St Barth, after a stop in Agadir, Morocco. The boats departed Douarnenez for Agadir, where the first boats arrived on August 27. They set sail from Agadir on November 28, and the first boats are expected to arrive in St Barth on December 16 or 17. As always with these transatlantic races, a large welcoming party of tourists and locals will be waiting in Gustavia to welcome the crews. Tents are being put up on the square in front of the museum on La Pointe for the welcoming party. The festivities will continue on December 20 with a regatta of local sailors and sailing school students at Public followed by cocktails and a barbecue on the beach, sponsored by St Barth Properties. On December 21, the sailing vessels will sail around the island with cocktails afterwards at Le Bistro on the harbor in Gustavia. The principal sponsor of the race, the Canadian telecommunications company Lagasse, will host a gathering at La Plage in St Jean on December 22, and the awards ceremony will take place the evening of December 23.
WIMCO will introduce a discount dining card that will be good for 10% off at many St. Barts dining spots from January 4th to December 14th 2009. More details here.
St Barth Rose is now available. The grapes are from a private vineyard on the slopes of Grand Fond. For more information, call 590 690 54 18 55.
Good news for all of you who remember La Gloriette and Albert's delicious vanilla rum (rhum vanille). You can now buy La Gloriette's rhum vanille at the AMC grocery store in Gustavia. It's in the aisle with the fruit drinks next to the aisle with the wine and liquor.
Funny Face, the bookshop in Gustavia, is closing and has already begun selling all of its furnishings.
Central Park opened on November 21 in the previous location of La Gamelle in Gustavia. It is owned by one of the two owners of L'Entracte (the restaurant with the blue, neon coconut tree on the harbor in Gustavia). The restaurant is open Monday-Saturday from 7:00 am to 3:00 pm and from 6:00 pm until they close. The Plat du Jour at lunch is 10 euros or 15 euros with a drink and coffee.
Le Diamant, in St Jean by the lagoon, has reopened with its usual menu of French and Creole cuisine and the addition of pizzas to eat there or to go.
Cuisine, an Italian restaurant, will open sometime between December 5 and December 10 in the former location of La Saladerie on the harbor on La Pointe in Gustavia.
A few new boutiques have recently opened in Gustavia. Vilebrequin, a popular brand of men's bathing suits, has opened a flagship store next to Bulgari. Reef has opened a boutique across from Bijoux de la Mer and Christiane Celle, who has a clothing boutique in St Jean, has opened an art gallery.
St Barth Properties "Featured Villa of the Month" - VILLA POLO
A perennial favorite of many St Barth vacationers, Mont Jean's Villa Polo is a true vacation home. Guests return again and again to experience its casual comfort and fabulous water views. Newly redecorated throughout, it has even more appeal. An open, one-level floor plan encompasses a well- equipped kitchen and spacious living and dining areas. Two king bedrooms are located at either end of the villa and both have large baths en suite with double sink vanities and bidets. A guest bath is just inside the villa entrance. Glass sliders frame the beautiful view and provide access to a charming, covered dining terrace - also just refurnished - beside the pretty pool. There is ample space and comfortable chaises for sunbathing, poolside, as well. One of Villa Polo's special features is a large gazebo with BBQ - great for dining in, and entertaining friends. Visit their website for more information.
To get to St Barth, you must first fly into Princess Juliana International Airport in St Maarten (unless you're taking a private charter from San Juan).
- WinAir is the most popular airline flying between St Maarten and St Barth. The St Maarten Daily Herald recently announced that WinAir has added a 19-seat Twin Otter to its fleet, increasing its number of airplanes to six. They also stated that another plane would be added to the fleet during the first week of December to further their attempts to accommodate all passengers during high season.
- New passport scanners were recently installed at Princess Juliana airport and have been causing delays and long lines. Airport officials have considered re-introducing manual checking of passports until the problem with the automated system can be corrected. If you are already checked in and your baggage is loaded on the plane, the plane will wait for all passengers to board before taking off. However, plan for extra time if you only have carry-on luggage or you could miss your flight. The delay with the automated scanning is thought to be due to the fact that the data scanned from the passports is sent to Curacao where it is checked against an Interpol database. Justice Minister David Dick's intention is to link the passport-scanning system directly to the Interpol database to shorten the delay.
The Carl Gustaf Hotel Offers the "Winter Savings Bank"
From January 7 to January 31, 2009, the Hotel Carl Gustaf is offering savings from 15% to 30%. This luxury hotel sits high on a hill overlooking the beautiful harbor of Gustavia. Having recently undergone major renovations, the hotel is scheduled to reopen in December 2008. Their remodeled Carl Gustaf Lounge is an ideal place to enjoy a cocktail at sunset, which you can follow by dinner at their newly designed gourmet restaurant, Victoria's. Other additions include a new reception area, a 4-bedroom Royale Suite with an infinity pool and 820-square foot terrace, and a Boutique Spa by Carita, featuring this well-known Parisian cosmetic product line and spa treatments. Each reservation at the discounted rate includes a continental breakfast, airport transfers and champagne upon arrival. Minimum stay is three nights, with a three-night deposit required upon reservation. For more information or to make a reservation, call 011 590 590 29 79 00, Monday - Friday from 9:00 am to 6:00 pm or send an email to Alexandre Firer at reservation@hotelcarlgustaf.com.
1-Bedroom Suite This 800-sq ft suite offers a private plunge pool for two people overlooking the harbor, a spacious living room, a fully-equipped kitchenette, a separate bedroom with a king bed and a bathroom with a multi-jet shower. The rate from January 7 to January 31 is 799 euros/night, which is a 30% discount from the usual 1140 euros/night.
2-Bedroom Suite This 1200-sq ft suite has a private plunge pool for four people overlooking the harbor, a spacious living room, a fully-equipped kitchenette, two separate ensuite bedrooms with king beds and two bathrooms with multi-jet showers. The special rate if 1179 euros/night, which is a 30% discount from the normal rate of 1685 euros/night.
Royal Suite The new 2600-sq ft roof-top Royal Suite has a panoramic view of Gustavia harbor and features a 600-sq ft living room and four bedrooms. The suite is surrounded by a 2600-sq ft walled garden terrace and exquisite pool. The nightly rate for this breathtaking suite is 2975 euros/night, a 15% savings off the usual 3500 euros/night.
The Yacht Club, located on La Pointe in Gustavia, is celebrating its fifth anniversary with several changes. First, the interior has been redesigned to look more like a lounge. Gone is the all-white decor. It's been redone in black with yellow and red pillows and candles. Second, They are now hosting live music Tuesday through Saturday from 10:00 pm until 12:30 am. Superhero, a trio from New York who plays classic rock, launched the advent of live music. After 12:30 am, the DJs take over. Keep in mind that there is an informal dress code here: men cannot wear shorts and the dress is "casual chic."
Music around the Island with Papaguyo and Nungan from Paris
From November 30 until December 14, Papaguyo will be playing Live Island Funk in many different venues on the island featuring Benji + Annie (aka "Nungan" from Paris). Benji began playing the guitar at age 16 and has played with the band Days of Wild at the Bitter End in New York City. After recording in Italy with a DJ for a project for Electro/House, Annie went to St Barth where she met Benji and the musicians from Days of Wild. Since then, she and Benji have been composing and playing songs together. CDs by Papaguyo, Days of Wild and Nungan are for sale at Tropic Music in St Jean.
Friday, December 5 La Mandala - Gustavia at 8:00 pm
Saturday, December 6 Hotel Guanahani - Grand Cul de Sac at 7:00 pm
Sunday, December 7 Do Brazil - Shell Beach, Gustavia at 1:00 pm (lunch) and 8:00 pm (dinner)
Tuesday, December 9 Le Select - Gustavia at 7:00 pm
Wednesday, December 10 L'Isola - Gustavia at 7:00 pm
Thursday, December 11 La Banane - Lorient at 7:00 pm
Friday, December 12 La Mandala - Gustavia at 8:00 pm
Saturday, December 13 Hotel Guanahani - Grand Cul de Sac at 7:00 pm
Sunday, December 14 Do Brazil - Shell Beach, Gustavia at 1:00 pm (lunch) and 8:00 pm (dinner)
Le Bête à Z'ailes (BAZ), a bar and restaurant on the harbor in Gustavia, is now open for lunch from 11:00 to 3:00 pm.
Word is that the restaurant Le Diamant in St Jean will reopen as a pizza place.
Outlet Lounacie has recently opened on Rue du Général De Gaulle in Gustavia, next to M'Bolo. The boutique sells clothing, accessories and shoes.
You Tube, St Barth Style. Check out www.videobarth.com for videos on events in St Barth. You can view videos on Hurricane Omar, sports, cultural events such as the summer beach festivals and the SB Jam Music Festival, regattas, the Gourmet Festival at the Guanahani and much more.
The Hôtel Christopher is open until May 31, 2009, at which time it will close for one year for renovations.
Jet Blue will increase its flights from JFK to St Maarten from one daily flight to two daily flights beginning January 2009. And, hey, they still have unlimited free snacks!
Rumors are that a Delano Hotel, designed by Dutch designer Piet Boon, will open in St Barth in 2009. Speculation abounds on where the hotel will be located. Perhaps it will occupy the grounds of the previous François Plantation in the hills of Colombier or The Tropical Hotel in St Jean. The first Delano Hotel, an upscale resort, is in Miami Beach, and another one is under construction in Las Vegas. More to follow as news becomes available.
Every Tuesday at 6:30 pm, the Hôtel St Barth Isle de France in Flamands holds a fashion show at their restaurant on the beach.
During the third week of January, the Classic Yacht Regatta will take place in St Maarten. This regatta will include tall ships. So, if you're visiting St Barth during this time, plan a day trip to St Maarten to see these regal ships.
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A perennial favorite of many St Barth vacationers, Mont Jean's Villa Polo is a true vacation home. Guests return again and again to experience its casual comfort and fabulous water views. Newly redecorated throughout, it has even more appeal. An open, one-level floor plan encompasses a well- equipped kitchen and spacious living and dining areas. Two king bedrooms are located at either end of the villa and both have large baths en suite with double sink vanities and bidets. A guest bath is just inside the villa entrance. Glass sliders frame the beautiful view and provide access to a charming, covered dining terrace - also just refurnished - beside the pretty pool. There is ample space and comfortable chaises for sunbathing, poolside, as well. One of Villa Polo's special features is a large gazebo with BBQ - great for dining in, and entertaining friends. Visit their 
This 800-sq ft suite offers a private plunge pool for two people overlooking the harbor, a spacious living room, a fully-equipped kitchenette, a separate bedroom with a king bed and a bathroom with a multi-jet shower. The rate from January 7 to January 31 is 799 euros/night, which is a 30% discount from the usual 1140 euros/night.
This 1200-sq ft suite has a private plunge pool for four people overlooking the harbor, a spacious living room, a fully-equipped kitchenette, two separate ensuite bedrooms with king beds and two bathrooms with multi-jet showers. The special rate if 1179 euros/night, which is a 30% discount from the normal rate of 1685 euros/night.
The new 2600-sq ft roof-top Royal Suite has a panoramic view of Gustavia harbor and features a 600-sq ft living room and four bedrooms. The suite is surrounded by a 2600-sq ft walled garden terrace and exquisite pool. The nightly rate for this breathtaking suite is 2975 euros/night, a 15% savings off the usual 3500 euros/night.
From November 30 until December 14, Papaguyo will be playing Live Island Funk in many different venues on the island featuring Benji + Annie (aka "Nungan" from Paris). Benji began playing the guitar at age 16 and has played with the band Days of Wild at the Bitter End in New York City. After recording in Italy with a DJ for a project for Electro/House, Annie went to St Barth where she met Benji and the musicians from Days of Wild. Since then, she and Benji have been composing and playing songs together. CDs by Papaguyo, Days of Wild and Nungan are for sale at Tropic Music in St Jean. 
