%)
Caribbean
A Taste of...Anguilla
05/06/10 09:40
What is it? Hungry’s Lunch Truck
Where is it? The Valley
Describe it? Feasting your eyes on Anguilla’s shocking turquoise beaches is free. Feasting anywhere else will cost you an arm and a leg. The small island off St. Maarten (population: 13, 000) has a reputation for fine – but costly – cuisine. To save a few bucks, do as the locals do and visit Hungry’s Lunch Truck in The Valley. Owner Irad Gumbs, a professional chef, serves a host of Anguillian specialty soups like whelk, conch and pea with pig tail. The humble truck also whips up salads, pastas and quesadillas you won’t find at Taco Bell ... lobster in a tortilla, anyone?
How much? $5 US for a bowl of soup, $14 US for a lobster quesadilla.
FROM MY FOOD AND SOUVENIR COLUMN IN
|
The Big Picture: Caribbean Scene
20/04/10 17:31
A Taste of...The Dutch Caribbean
07/03/10 15:45
What is it? Keshi Yena
Where is it? Aruba
Describe it? There is a very strong Dutch flavour on the ABC islands (Aruba, Bonaire, Curacao), and that flavour is gouda. Though they seem a tad incongruous with the steamy Caribbean environment, wheels of this Euro-cheese abound in local grocery stores. But the best way to go Dutch is to sample Keshi Yena at a traditional restaurant. It’s a succulent stew of ground beef, chicken, raisins, prunes, nuts, olives and spices, all stuffed into a gouda and baked.
How much? $16 at Papiamento, a restaurant set in an old colonial manor (Washington 60, Noord)
FROM MY FOOD AND SOUVENIR COLUMN IN
Read on for the recipe from Papiamento.... Read More...
Aruba's Aloe-mentary Therapy
26/02/10 14:53
By Reb Stevenson
ORANJESTAD, ARUBA –Alongside tobacco, unprotected sex and high fructose corn syrup, sunburns rank amongst the 21st century’s biggest health no-no’s.
However, just one glance at Aruba’s pristine white beaches reveals that many a sunbather shrugs off the doctor’s orders and persists in baking their epidermis into a deep, throbbing scarlet.
On the bright side, for folks who feel that “colour” yields incomparable bragging rights upon their return to Northern climes, Aruba is quite possibly the world’s best place to burn.
This is because the small Caribbean island, which is part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, is the world’s largest exporter of a popular natural remedy for ailing skin: aloe vera.
READ MORE...
Colours of Aruba
07/02/10 10:16
Got there fast, Takin' it slow
05/02/10 22:24
Hey everyone! I’m happy to report that within just five hours of landing in Aruba, I heard Kokomo played on a steel drum. What I’m sayin’ is: this place really delivers.
All my ’80s dreams of bright colours and cheesy songs about living recklessly on tropical islands are coming to life. Thus, I am allowing myself to write in this bold turquoise font.
More to tell you in the coming days...stay tuned!
A Taste of…Mexico
23/11/09 13:09
Where is it? Guadalajara
Describe it? Despite all the teachings of the venerable Taco Bell academy, the truth is that Mexican food in Mexico goes well beyond the burrito. Case in point: tortas ahogadas. This ultra-local dish is consumed almost exclusively in Guadalajara, Mexico’s second largest city. A crusty baguette is filled with tender, roast pork and served alongside a searing sauce (dried chili pepper, vinegar, garlic and oregano). The idea is to lubricate the Sammie with the spice and chase away last night’s tequila binge. And make sure you really immerse it – after all, “ahogadas” means “drowned.”
How much? $4 at this restaurant (El Abajeno) in the suburb of Tlaquepaque.
Married by Martha
02/11/09 13:53
No whopping church wedding for you, thank-you-very-much: you and your sweetheart are heading to the Caribbean for a laid back beach wedding. As for the decorations? You can’t be bothered with those, either. 
May as well assign that job to the next best person: Martha Stewart. The relentless homemaker has teamed up with Sandals Resorts, offering a selection of six customizable themes with names like Flutter of Romance, Chic & Natural, Jailbirds in Love and Vision in White. Couples can expect all the usual good things that come with Martha’s tasteful touch: coordinated colour palettes, flowers, cakes, favours, etc. Fun extra add-ons include parasols to shield guests from the sun, petal-strewn aisles and candy buffets.
Starting in January, Weddings by Martha Stewart will be available at all Sandals Resorts and Beaches Resorts in the Caribbean. For more information, go to www.sandals.com/weddings or call 1-877-SANDALS.
Starting in January, Weddings by Martha Stewart will be available at all Sandals Resorts and Beaches Resorts in the Caribbean. For more information, go to www.sandals.com/weddings or call 1-877-SANDALS.
State of Grace
03/05/09 10:55
REB STEVENSON
SPECIAL TO THE STAR
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico–Sure, there's a beach nearby. But Old San Juan is so stacked with culture, history and nightlife that an urban Caribbean holiday suddenly seems feasible.
The blue brick cobblestone streets are still supercharged with Spanish romance, seemingly oblivious to the fact that Puerto Rico has been a U.S. territory since 1898. From the pastel-hued buildings to the salsa music that beckons from hole-in-the-wall cafes, it's clear that a hedonistic spirit reigns in these parts.
Hotel El Convento presides over sleepy little Plaza of the Nuns in the heart of the old town. You can't miss it – just look for a grandiose, colonnaded exterior that is almost ironically softened by a buttery yellow paint job.
Read More...
Heating Up in Old San Juan
20/02/09 12:30
Want more Puerto Rico?
See my other videos:
HANGIN’ TWO
TASTING TERMITES
Read the stories:
A SPICY SALSA OF CULTURE
GLO - KAYAKING
THE GALLERY INN
A Saintly Souvenir
03/02/09 12:46
Where is it? Puerto Rico
Describe it? An old Catholic tradition in Puerto Rico, these handmade, painted wooden saints came back into vogue in the 1960’s as a secular collectible. Due to the importance of Three Kings’ Day (Jan. 6), the smart choice for an authentic souvenir is the three wise men.
How much? It varies depending on craftsmanship, but we got this one for $28US at a shop in Old San Juan.
FROM MY BIWEEKLY FOOD AND SOUVENIR COLUMN IN
Glo-Kayaking
17/01/09 12:35
By Reb Stevenson
FAJARDO, PUERTO RICO–Kayaking in the pitch black seems counterintuitive – idiotic, even.
Apart from the weak green strobe effect coming from the safety lights on our lifejackets, we are as blind as the bats that occasionally dart overhead.
And we keep crashing into the mangroves.
A group of 20, we glide in single file down the narrow canal.
READ MORE HERE
Tasting Termites
09/12/08 23:22
It’s hard to believe that I’m already on my 15th video (hear that horn? It’s my own. Toot, toot!).
On a serious note, thanks to everyone who has been watching, even if you’ve been watching through wincing eyes.
If you’ve missed something, it’s all available on my YouTube channel, www.youtube.com/rebstevenson. Please subscribe, rate and comment if you can.
On a serious note, thanks to everyone who has been watching, even if you’ve been watching through wincing eyes.
If you’ve missed something, it’s all available on my YouTube channel, www.youtube.com/rebstevenson. Please subscribe, rate and comment if you can.
Old San Juan: A Spicy Salsa of Culture
08/12/08 13:01
By Reb Stevenson
OLD SAN JUAN, PUERTO RICO - Carlos Sanchez brags that he can “conquer” me with salsa.
The 21-year-old has all the sex appeal of a kid brother. But there he stands outside Nuyorican Café, smoking a cigarette and eyeing me up with smug confidence.
“If you really want a girl, if you dance salsa, you can get her,” he insists.
“Ok. Show me,” I prompt, doubtful.
Read More...
Extra! Extra!
08/11/08 04:26
Travel writers love Saturdays!
Here is a round-up of some of my work that has appeared in papers across Canada over the past few weeks.
ST LUCIA: JAW-DROPPING ACCOMMODATION
A Canadian-born architect’s fantasy comes to life in a whimsical (and oh-so-pricey) hotel in Soufriere, St. Lucia.
Sick of taupe bedspreads (well, they’re taupe NOW, who knows how they started out?) and drab lighting at chain hotels? The Gladstone Hotel is a bizarre pastiche of artist-designed rooms. Read my story here.
Here is a round-up of some of my work that has appeared in papers across Canada over the past few weeks.
ST LUCIA: JAW-DROPPING ACCOMMODATION
ENGLAND: A TIMBERED TOURIST MAGNET
Rye’s Mermaid Inn is uber-haunted...by Tudorphiles like me.
BOX SET! Watch my video on Rye here.
TORONTO: 37 TAKES ON COOL
MADAGASCAR: THE MOVIE 
Read my interview with writer/directors Eric Darnell and Tom McGrath, who explain how a special trip to Africa inspired the creative team of Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa.
St Lucia Hits the Heights
20/09/08 11:52
Liquid Viagra, or Just Twigs in Booze?
06/09/08 20:18
What is it? Homemade spiced rum
Where is it? St. Lucia
Describe it: Stumble into any of the cute wooden rum shacks on St. Lucia and your eyes will be drawn to a batch of this boozy brew – which looks rather like kindling steeping in Kool-Aid. It’s an “under-the-counter” libation, a.k.a. an aphrodisiac. Recipes vary and are handed down through generations. The flavourful (read: throat singeing) liquid is based on strong rum and may or may not contain honey, crème de menthe, anise, raisins, cherry, cinnamon roots, bois bande, grenadine and marijuana root. They say it will “put lead in a man’s pencil” and make a woman “squishy in the knees.”
How much? A shot is $3.50 Eastern Caribbean Dollars , which is $1.50 Canadian.
FROM MY BIWEEKLY FOOD AND SOUVENIR COLUMN IN
YES! This product has been tested and approved by REB