AIR CURRENTS Volume 12 Issue 1

AIR CURRENTS The Official In-Flight Magazine of Gulfstream International Airlines

Upscale & Downsized A Community With Feeling

UNPLUG & UNWIND ON CAT ISLAND

THE GENTLER SIDE OF FLORIDA Green Cay Wetlands

ART PART TWO Fishartista Kim Rody

SHIFT HAPPENS

Book Excerpt From The Shifter Y O U R C O M P L E M E N TA RY G U I D E T O F L O R I D A A N D T H E B A H A M A S

Michael Owen - International Football Player PRC 200

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What’s Inside

Volume 12 | Issue 1 | 2011

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Welcome Aboard Flybys Island Hopping Florida Fanfare Customs Information Route Map

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FEATURES

BAHAMAS BOUND Cat Island: Unplugged and Lovin’ It Sleeping beauty of the island nation.

FLORIDA FUN Green Cay Wetlands 100 acres of a gentler Florida.

BOOK BAG Shift Into Summer Reading An excerpt from Janice Hardy’s fantasy adventure, The Shifter DINING Chef Dean James Max Dazzles at 3030 Ocean With his 20/20 vision of fresh food.

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16 Wish List Shopping worth taking a vacation for, with fine jewelry from Tiffany, Cartier, Bvlgari & more.

48 Downsized & Upscale Schooner Bay, Abaco: best of vintage village life comes alive 52 Kim Rody: Act 2 From insurance exec to artist extraordinaire capturing the Bahamian seascape.

54 Coral Sands’ Four Cottages Offer Dream Homes Away From Home.

Coral Sands Resort on Harbour Island.

On the Cover: Bahamian Parrot by Anthony Hepburn 6 | Volume 12 Issue 1

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Welcome Aboard Dear Valued Customer,

M

any of you who fly on Gulfstream know us for our frequent flights to The Bahamas, but what you might not know about is the unique relationship we share with the island nation. Under our Continental Connection service, we operate more flights to more destinations in The Bahamas than any other U.S. airline. We provide service to eight international airports in the Islands of The Bahamas including Freeport, Grand Bahama, Bimini, Andros, Marsh Harbour and Treasure Cay, Abaco, Governor’s Harbour and North Eleuthera, and Exuma. And there are great things happening!

The Bahama Islands are bursting with world-class resorts, intimate and romantic boutique hotels, adventure, eco-venture and fishing lodges, each designed with its own character and flair to entertain, amuse and pamper, and most of all, acquaint you with a the most beautiful beaches and waters in the world. Please take some time to read about some of my favorites in this issue, including the very laid-back world of Cat Island.

New properties have opened and more are on the way. Sandals Emerald Bay, Exuma opened in 2010 with butlers for every suite, and a location on one of The Bahamas’ most scenic islands. Nearby Grand Isle Resort & Spa, the most luxurious of Exuma properties, is under new management and continuing to earn the highest accolades. Internationally renowned marine scientist, conservationist and artist, Guy Harvey of Guy Harvey Outpost Resorts, reopened the famed Bimini Big Game Club to rave reviews. In Eleuthera, dining is all the rage with the concentration of internationally respected fine chefs in Harbour Island and the fun resorts of Cape Eleuthera and The Cove on the mainland. In Abaco, the Ritz-managed Abaco Club on Winding Bay is a world of luxury unto itself. And throughout Andros and other isles, quaint inns or smart fishing lodges make visiting feel like coming home.

So as you plan your summer vacation or consider what to do next winter, take a fresh look at the Family Islands of The Bahamas, and most important of all, call us. You can use your Sunpac for a flexible vacation with no change fees.

No other airline to The Bahamas can offer that or the convenience of eight islands for your pleasure. We’re committed to these islands where we truly believe “It’s better in The Bahamas” and it’s best in the Family Islands.

Sincerely, Dave Hackett Chief Executive Officer Gulfstream International Airlines P.S. For a complete listing of available resorts, inns and locations in The Bahamas, please visit the following websites: Out Islands: www.myoutislands.com; Grand Bahama: www.Bahamas.com.

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$ISCOVER THE 6ILLAS AT #APE 3ANTA -ARIA

AN UNMATCHED OPPORTUNITY TO OWN PRIME BEACHFRONT REAL ESTATE IN THE BEAUTIFUL SOUTH "AHAMAS %ACH SQUARE FOOT VACATION HOME IS BEAUTIFULLY APPOINTED WITH RICH HARDWOODS AND )TALIAN MARBLE AND GIVES YOU UNINTERRUPTED VIEWS OF THE #ARIBBEAN 3EA %NJOY FULL ACCESS TO ALL THE AMENITIES OF #APE 3ANTA -ARIA "EACH 2ESORT AND MAXIMIZE YOUR RETURN ON INVESTMENT WITH THE VILLA RENTAL PROGRAM

The OfďŹ cial In-Flight Magazine of Gulfstream International Airlines

PUBLISHER KENT JIMISON PUBLICATION DIRECTOR WENDY CLEMENTS EDITOR DIANE PHILLIPS CREATIVE DIRECTOR JANICE HARDY

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EDITORIAL STAFF ALEXAVIA DORSETT CRAIG ELDON CLAY SAUNDERS ADVERTISING SALES KENT JIMISON TRAVEL MEDIA INTERNATIONAL (954) 346-0712

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ADVERTISING SALES FOR FLORIDA & GRAND BAHAMA ADVERTISING OPTIONS, INC. (561) 369-8265 ADVERTISINGOPTIONS@EARTHLINK.NET CONTRIBUTING WRITERS CRAIG ELDON â&#x20AC;˘ MARGIE KAYE CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS ANTHONY HEPBURN LINDA HUBER â&#x20AC;˘ THE TRAVEL GUYS

Nya has a secret she must never share. A gift she must never use. A world she must never question. And a sister whose life depends on her doing all three.

THE SHIFTER by Janice Hardy BOOK ONE

OF

THE HEALING WARS

And look for BLUE FIRE,

BOOK TWO

OF

THE HEALING WARS

Published by Balzer & Bray An Imprint of HarperCollinsPublishers Sold at bookstores ever ywhere, or online at: www.barnesandnoble.com â&#x20AC;˘ www.borders.com www.target.com â&#x20AC;˘ www.harpercollinschildrens.com www.amazon.com â&#x20AC;˘ www.indiebound.org

TRAVEL MEDIA INTERNATIONAL 10001 VESTAL PLACE CORAL SPRINGS, FLORIDA 33071 (954) 346-0712 FAX (954) 252-2123.

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AIR CURRENTSŠ 2011 is published quarterly for the approximately 1,000,000 passengers who travel annually on Gulfstream International Airlines. Copyright 2011 by Travel Media International. All rights reserved. Reproduction in part or in whole is prohibited. All opinions expressed in AIR CURRENTS are solely those of the contributors. While every reasonable care has been taken, neither AIR CURRENTS nor its agents accept liability for loss or damage to photographs and material submitted to this magazine. Information contained in these pages is subject to change without notice. Volume 12, Issue 1, 2011.

Subscriptions available for $16.00 per year. Please send check or money order to: Travel Media International, 10001 Vestal Place, Coral Springs, FL 33071, Attn: Subscriptions.

www.JaniceHardy.com 10 | Volume 12 Issue 1

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Spring Is Here...

"AY 3TREET p .ASSAU "AHAMAS 242.302.2800

-ARINA 6ILLAGE 0ARADISE )SLAND (ARBOR "AY 3HOPPING #ENTER -ALL AT -ARATHON 3,0)! $EPARTURES ,OUNGE

Double the Pleasure, Double the Fun at Belle & Maxwell’s

The Perfect Segway: We’ve Found It The newest excursion in town turns out to be on twolegs. Nope, not your two legs, but the two legged battery operated device given each participant during The Bahamas Segway & Beach Experience. Rated TripAdvisor’s #1 attraction in Nassau, the three hour experience begins with a scenic ride to a 200-acre privately owned property in the southwestern part of the island at which time participants are given lessons on how to operate their mobile Segway devices in addition to a safety course. A guided tour follows with participant zipping through salt lakes and canals, mangroves and pine forests with information being piped on the sights of flora and fauna. The expedition culminates with participants ending on at a picturesque sandy beach where they’re free to collect shells or wade in the shallow azure waters of the Atlantic Ocean.

Perfect for children and adults. Bahamas Segway & Beach Experience offers three daily tours. Monday 8:30am, 11am and 1:30pm, Tuesday – Friday; 9:30am, 12:00pm and 2:30pm. To book your Segway tour, call (242) 376.9016 or (242) 467.8764 or visit www.bahamassegwaytours.com.

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An adorable restaurant tucked away at the south end of West Palm Beach has developed such a fan base that it had to double its size, double its hours and for those who love Belle & Maxwell’s, that means double the pleasure.

Everything about Belle & Maxwell’s is a shout-out that this is anything but chain store fare, starting with the name. The restaurant was named after the former owners’ cats, Belle & Maxwell. When a striking woman named Michelle Taylor took it over a few years ago, she left the name, but brought with her the energy of a lively and healthy kitchen. She met a tiny tucked away treatery with an even tinier garden —a hideaway with a half dozen tables for cappuccino, teas, a few pastries and one heck of a great roast beef sandwich. The original flair is still there. Knickknacks hang from the ceiling. European plates dot shelves. New and old books and magazines are everywhere. There are gifts and greeting cards and antique postcards. The garden is larger, the bar is inviting. Deliberately mismatched tables, chairs and table settings add to the charm. But now the menu has expanded. Belle & Maxwell’s still serves a mean roast beef au jus on French bread, but Michelle and her team also whip up a slew of salads from pear and Gorgonzola to a warm spinach salad with roasted potato. Lunches like French Brie, apple and walnut sandwich and dinner like filet mignon. From cheese platters for starters to angel hair pasta to an array of desserts (chocolate croissant bread pudding to die for), Belle & Maxwell’s café is off the beaten path but well worth beating a path to. Open for lunch and dinner Monday - Saturday. 3700 S. Dixie Highway, West Palm Beach. (561) 832-4449.

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Hands Off My Lunch

Male Bag It takes a real man to carry a bag. No one knows that better than the men who are at the forefront of fashion, boldly sporting the hot, new over-the-shoulder leather look of the MALE BAG. Created by the late Harl Taylor, a Bahamian who studied in Paris under Givenchy and Karl Lagerfeld and worked in the House of Rochas before returning to the islands, the design was just recently uncovered among the drawings he left behind. By the time of his death in 2008, Taylor had created more than 30 styles of the Harl Taylor BAG and replicas are drawing high prices even today with more stores carrying and more celebrities craving the distinctive Harl Taylor line of clothing, carvings and bags. Taylor’s genius lay in a combination of clean lines and the materials that made them come to life, a marriage of straw and sisal plait with luxurious silk lining in a casual bag or a tee-shirt adorned with rich beading, mother of pearl, sea shells or gemstones.

Now, his legacy lives on with the MALE BAG and with a scholarship program. The first award recipient, Theodore Elyett Sealy, will attend Taylor’s alma mater, Parson’s The New School of Design summer program in New York City. And it’s a pretty good bet he’ll be carrying a MALE BAG. For the rest of those males who know they are real men or the women who want to reward them, the MALE BAG is available at www.harltaylorbag.com or www.harltaylorbag.com/malebag.html.

Tired of coworkers stealing your lunch? Perhaps it’s time to make your sandwich a little less appealing to the casual refrigerator snooper.

Think Geek’s new Organ Transport Lunch Cooler is big enough to hold a typical frozen meal, plus a couple of sodas or snacks.

So save your lunch from getting pinched by a coworker too cheap or lazy to get his own lunch. Do so in a way that looks cool and is guaranteed to turn heads and get people talking! www.thinkgeek.com.

On Your Mind?

On Your Shirt.

For years Despair, Inc. has been making us laugh with demotivational posters, calendars, and other knickknacks. Now, they have T-shirts to say what’s on our minds. Even if our minds are pretty snarky at times. www.despair.com.

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Takeaway Treasures

Great gifts and souvenirs too good not to take home

1:

Bvlgari. Bvlgari Boutique, Crystal Court at Atlantis, (242) 363-5824. John Bull, 284 Bay Street, Nassau (242) 302-2800.

2: Coin of the Realm, Nassau, Charlotte and Bay Streets. (242) 322-4862.

3: John Bull, 284 Bay Street, Nassau, (242) 302-2800; Crystal Court at Atlantis, Paradise Island, Dunmore Town, Harbour Island, Fisherman’s Village, Bimini Bay Resort & Marina.

3: The Perfume Shop. Nassau, (242) 322-2375.

4: Elle is 284 Bay Street, (242) 302-2800.

5: Colombian Emeralds International, Celebrating Life’s Most Memorable Moments. Port Lucaya Marketplace. Grand Bahama International Airport. Rawson Square, Bay Street. 240 Bay Street.

Atlantis, Beach Tower. Atlantis, Royal Towers. Marina Village at Atlantis. 1-800-6-NO-DUTY or www.ColombianEmeralds.com.

6: Dooney & Bourke. 284 Bay Street, Nassau, (242) 302-2800; Marina Village, (242) 363-1156.

7: Cartier. Cartier Boutique, 284 Bay Street, Nassau, (242) 302-2872; Crystal Court at Atlantis, (242) 363-5808.

8: Movado. John Bull, 284 Bay Street, Nassau, (242) 302-2800; Crystal Court at Atlantis, Paradise Island, Marina Village, Mall at Marathon, Harbour Bay, Palmdale, Marsh Harbour, Abaco, Dunmore Town, Harbour Island, Emerald Bay, Exuma, Port Lucaya Marketplace, Freeport Grand Bahama.

9: Coach. 303 Bay Street, Nassau, (242) 326-0557.

10: Chanel. John Bull, 284 Bay Street, Nassau, (242) 302-2800; Crystal Court at Atlantis, Paradise Island, Dunmore Town, Harbour Island, Fisherman’s Village, Bimini Bay Resort & Marina.

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Pandora. John Bull, 284 Bay Street (242) 302-2800; Mall at Marathon; Harbour Bay; Marina Village; Marsh Harbour, Abaco; Harbour Island, Eleuthera and Emerald Bay, Exuma.

2: Bvlgari. Bvlgari Boutique, Crystal Court at Atlantis, (242) 363-5824. John Bull, 284 Bay Street, Nassau (242) 302-2800.

3: Rebecca Jewellery: John Bull, Mall at Marathon (242) 393-4406, Palmdale and Harbour Bay. 4: Cartier. Cartier Boutique, 284 Bay Street, Nassau, (242) 302-2872; Crystal Court at Atlantis, (242) 363-5808.

5: Chanel. John Bull, 284 Bay Street, Nassau, (242) 302-2800; Crystal Court at Atlantis, Paradise Island, Dunmore Town, Harbour Island, Fishermanâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Village, Bimini Bay Resort & Marina.

6: Marc Jacobs: 284 Bay Street, Nassau, Bahamas (242) 302-2800 , Crystal Court at Atlantis, Paradise Island, Marina Village, Mall at Marathon, Harbour Bay, Palmdale, Marsh Harbour, Abaco, Dunmore Town, Harbour Island, Emerald Bay, Exuma, Port Lucaya Marketplace, Freeport Grand Bahama.

7: Tag Heuer. John Bull, 284 Bay Street, Nassau, (242) 302-2800; Marina Village, Crystal Court at Atlantis, Paradise Island, Marsh Harbour, Abaco, Harbour Island, Port Lucaya Marketplace, Freeport Grand Bahama.

8: David Yurman Boutique. Bay Street (242) 302-2878; Crystal Court at Atlantis; Marina Village; Paradise Island; Marsh Harbour, Abaco; Harbour Island; Bimini Bay, Bimini; Port Lucaya Marketplace, Freeport, Grand Bahama. (242) 302-2878.

9: Ray Ban: 284 Bay Street, Nassau, Bahamas, (242) 302-2800; Marina Village, Crystal Court at Atlantis, Paradise Island, Marsh Harbour, Abaco, Harbour Island, Port Lucaya Marketplace, Freeport Grand Bahama.

10: Graycliff. West Hill Street across from Government House, Nassau. (242) 302-9150.

11: Alex Fragga. 284 Bay Street, Nassau, Bahamas, (242) 302-2800; Marina Village, Crystal Court at Atlantis, Paradise Island, Marsh Harbour, Abaco, Harbour Island, Port Lucaya Marketplace, Freeport Grand Bahama. www.aircurrentsmagazine.com

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Bahamas Bound

Island Hopping Your guide to The Islands of The Bahamas

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ust 50 miles east of South Florida’s coast lie over 700 tropical islands and cays that combine the seascapes of the Caribbean with the untouched quality of the South Pacific. Flamingos walk the shallows in search of shrimp while just beyond, along the sun-drenched pink-and-white sand beaches, iguanas feast on hibiscus flowers. In The Bahamas, “fast paced” is confined to wave runners and roulette wheels. Here, world-class resorts offer accommodations for families, business travelers, and couples in search of seclusion.

The Abacos

The famous red and white candy-striped lighthouse still serves as a beacon to all the sailing, fishing and yachting enthusiasts who come to play in the tranquil waters of the Abacos. The 130-mile stretch of bays, beaches, secluded inlets, pine forests, lagoons and pastel New England-style villages welcomes visitors who seek first-class diversions. The Albert Lowe Museum, located on Green Turtle Cay, highlights the area’s unique culture, from its shipbuilding traditions to its local artists. This quiet island escape entices those seeking unspoiled beaches and an extremely laid-back atmosphere.

Andros Andros is the largest island in The Bahamas and the fifth-largest in the Caribbean, attracting divers and fishing enthusiasts, as well as casual sightseers.

Mostly flat, its 2,300 square miles is one of the biggest unexplored tracts of land in the Western Hemisphere. It consists of pine forests, thick impenetrable bush, mangrove marsh and palm-lined beaches along the east coast, riddled with lakes and creeks, and most of the local residents live along the eastern shore. The Andros Barrier Reef, the world’s third-largest and healthiest barrier reef lies off the coast, and divers come from all over the world to explore it.

The reef plunges 6,000 feet to a narrow drop-off known as the Tongue of the Ocean. The island also offers a vast array of Blue Holes for the experienced diver. These underwater cave systems are found both inland and in the ocean, and though no one has even gone in one and out the other, it is believed that they do connect. Bonefishing here is among the best on earth, and Andros is also known for its world-class marlin and bluefin tuna fishing.

Bimini

Left: Blue holes in Long Island.

Top: Beaches in Exuma. Middle: Taking a stroll in Bimini. Bottom: Nipper’s in Abaco.

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Bimini is made up of three major islands—North, South and East Bimini— each rich with history and natural resources. Most of the islands’ population, about 1,600 residents, live in Bailey Town in North Bimini, while the main tourist center is in Alice Town, also on North Bimini. Most of the hotels, restaurants and fishing operations can also be found here.

It’s believed that this tiny island was once part of the road system of the Lost Continent of Atlantis. But today it’s the fishing that makes Bimini world renowned.

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Bahamas Bound Cat Island Named after the pirate Arthur Catt, Cat Island is the sixth largest island in The Bahamas, located near the Tropic of Cancer. With temperatures in the high 60s during the short winters, rising to the mid-80s in summer, and pristine virgin beaches, Cat Island is one of the most beautiful islands in The Bahamas. Local historians claim that Cat Island residents were the first to see Columbus. The great explorer himself was believed by some to have been welcomed here by the Arawaks.

Beautiful beaches offer an array of water sports. Boating and diving

are among the main reasons to go to Cat Island, and diving lessons are available for novices.

Eleuthera Eleuthera is one of the longest islands in The Bahamas, 110 miles from top to bottom. This intimate isle of rolling hills and lush green forests beckons visitors with the subdued charm of yesteryear.

Quaint colonial villages echo the history of the island’s pilgrim settlers who arrived over 300 years ago and named the land Eleuthera, “freedom” in Greek. Vacationers indulge in that same carefree spirit

The Hassle Free Way To Fly GULFSTREAM INTERNATIONAL AIRL I N E S Provides business and leisure travelers with over 140 scheduled, daily, non-stop flights to 24 destinations. Currently GIA ser vices 8 destinations in Florida, 10 in the Bahamas.

is specifically designed for frequent business and leisure travelers. Travel can be much more convenient with SunPac. For more information or purchase visit:

www.gulfstreamair.com e-mail: SunPac@gulfstreamair.com or call 1-800-688-7225 or 954-985-1500 x272

F E A T U R E S •No Penalties for reservation changes or cancellations •Earn Continental Airlines’ OnePass frequent flyer miles •Name transferable •Two complimentary checked bags per passenger •Available in packs of 12 or 24 One-ways •Valid for travel in either direction •Valid for one full year from date of issue •Price and taxes determined by your city pair selection •Last seat availability *Reservation Required, Non-Refundable, No reissue or extension

22 | Volume 12 Issue 1

as they roam miles of pink sand beaches that lead to lush plantations where exotic fruits from pineapples to mangos grow in abundance.

The mile-long Cave at Hatchet Bay invokes the Earth’s past with spectacular stalagmite and stalactite formations that glitter by torchlight.

Harbour Island Best known for its soft sand pinktinged beaches, Harbour Island is a tiny, celebrity-studded island.

Only three miles long by one mile wide at its broadest point, it boasts more restaurants, tony inns and examples of charming doll-house like architecture per square foot than any other island in The Bahamas.

Most people traverse the isle by golf cart and whether you are stopping by the famed Arthur’s Bakery for a baguette or Pink Sands, Rock House or The Landing for a meal, you’ll find visitors and locals friendly and welcoming on this island steeped in tradition and proud of its cottagelike feel.

The Exumas This 100-mile-long string of 365 islands and cays—most of them uninhabited—is the yachting mecca of The Bahamas. These waters, some of the prettiest in The Bahamas, are also ideal for fishing (bonefishing especially).

The Exumas stretch from Beacon Cay in the north to Sandy Cay in the south. The Exuma National Land and Sea Park, protected by The Bahamas National Trust, encompasses much of the coastline.

The park is accessible only by boat and is one of the major natural wonders and sightseeing destinations, with an abundance of undersea life, reefs, blue holes, and shipwrecks. Portions of the James Bond thriller Thunderball were filmed at Staniel Cay. Not far from George Town, the largest settlement on Great Exuma, is the rapidly growing Emerald Bay area with the luxurious 5-star condotels at Grand Isle Resort & Spa and the famous Greg Norman Golf Course. www.aircurrentsmagazine.com

Grand Bahama Island A favorite port of Old World pirates and modern day rumrunners, Grand Bahama remains largely untouched since its swashbuckling days. Those seeking adventure can explore uncharted primitive forests, scuba dive through prehistoric underwater caverns, or swim side by side with dolphins. Freeport/ Lucaya offers posh resorts with service designed to pamper, splendid oceanview suites, and nightlife from casinos to musical revues. This tropical metropolis appeals to the sports minded with championship golf, renowned tennis facilities and deep-sea fishing. Discover vibrant island history where remnants of the Arawaks, the native Bahamians, depict the ancient culture that invented the definitive tool for the skilled beach bum: the hammock.

Nassau Captains of all walks of life have long welcomed the sight of the

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beaches for the ultimate in water sports and relaxation. The club scene comes alive with lively cabaret shows and upscale casinos where visitors revel—and gamble—into the night. From steel drum bands to cab drivers, the inherent charm of the locals makes a stay in Nassau truly a pleasure.

Paradise Island Enjoying a day on Grand Bahama Island. sheltered harbor in Nassau, the capital of The Bahamas. Parliament Square in downtown Nassau displays the island’s colonial history with the Old World pageantry of the Supreme Court and the traditionally dressed police force. Visitors roam through the straw market filled with handwoven baskets before heading to scores of designer boutiques that house fine jewelry, watches, leather and perfumes. Hit the white sand

Aptly named, this island treasure attracts the world’s most recognizable people for worldclass yachting and casino action, Bahamian style. Stately hotels line the sugary sand beaches and pristine reefs adorn the shallow coastal waters. Though the jet-setters call this port the Monte Carlo of the New World, the island’s West End retains the flavor of its colonial past with white picket fences, exotic flowering plants and breezy front porches. Visitors can slip into the island mentality without leaving luxury behind. 4

Volume 12 Issue 1 | 23

J

ust 55 miles off the coast of South

Florida lies Grand Bahama Island. A unique destination where you can bask on endless beaches, kayak through national parks, swim with dolphins, snorkel in crystal clear waters, golf, boneďŹ sh, rejuvenate in a world class spa or do nothing at all.

For our latest special rate promotions or our ongoing $50 rebate offer visit us at www.grandbahamavacations.com and enter the special rate code bahamas50.

Bahamas Bound

Cat Island: Unplugged And Lovin’ It Sleeping beauty of the island nation Nothing moves at any speed you can’t stop by flagging it down.

T

By Diane Phillips

PHOTO BY LINDA HUBER

here are places that stick in your memory like peanut butter, all yummy and comforting. Cat Island is like that. The 48-mile-long boot-shaped isle in the central Bahamas earns its title of the sleeping beauty of the island nation every day the sun rises over the dozens of its tucked away coves and un-trod beaches. Twenty years after my first visit, ten years after my second, even after my third, I leave this intriguing island in the sun longing for more. There is always something new to uncover, discover and love about the place that wears its signature as home to the highest elevation in The Bahamas—Mount Alvernia at 206 feet known as the Bahamian Alps—with intense pride. Here is an island that has it all—the celebrated elevation, a history steeped in drama (was it the original landing place of Christopher Columbus?), breathtaking panoramic views, blue-green waters with amazing shallow reefs, excellent bone-fishing and kayaking, miles-long stretches of baby powder fine sand beaches, tiny inns that feel like home and the most naturally and blessedly untrained genuinely hospitable people you could hope to meet.

The litany of what Cat Island has is equally matched by the benefits of what it doesn’t. One hundred fifty square miles of no traffic, so no traffic lights.

Unless you count a child stealing ripe hog plum, no crime. No locks on doors.

No fast food restaurants, blinking signs, sirens, daily papers, big box stores or mass market resorts. Nothing that moves at any speed you can’t stop by flagging it down. Total population, 1,700, give or take a newborn. Until Bank

Left: Fernandez Beach. Below: Greenwood Beach Resort & Dive Center, Port Howe.

Father Jerome’s St. Francis of Assissi Catholic Church at Old Bight

PHOTO BY LINDA HUBER

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PHOTO BY THE TRAVEL GUYS

PHOTO BY LINDA HUBER

of The Bahamas opened a branch two years ago, Cat Island did not have a bank. Residents rotated, every few weeks one person carrying everyone’s pay to Nassau, 125 miles away to cash their checks or make deposits, pay utilities bills and return bearing receipts and big boxes of KFC from the big city. As far as ‘resorts’ go, even using the term on this island begets a smile. There’s the Greenwood Inn at Port Howe, especially popular with Europeans, with 16 rooms and eight miles of beach, Shanna’s Cove with a beach post cards were created for, Hawk’s Nest with accommodations to accompany its 28-slip marina. All 10 hotels in Cat Island combined have fewer than 150 rooms. Fernandez Bay Village, the best-known, has expanded to 15 rooms and cottages from the 10 it had in the early 1990s when I first stayed there, and longed to return before I left. Rooms still do not have clocks or radios or internet or TV. Dining is still on the beach by tiki torches and candlelight,

The Hermitage One of the most recognized structures in The Bahamas, The Hermitage is an architectural wonder as much for how it was constructed as for its design. The imposing sprawling stone buildings that rise 206 feet above sea level atop the highest peak in The Bahamas, Mt. Alvernia, were designed and built by hand by a reclusive priest who occupied the personal monastery until his death in 1956, interspersing kneeling and praying in the tiny chapel for one with a miniature pew or sleeping on a narrow slab of plank and hard stone. The image of starkness outlined against a broad sky must have appealed to the spiritual side of its creator, a man born in England as John Cyril Hawes who studied architecture prior to joining the priesthood. In his mounting pursuit of deeper spiritualism accompanied by an increasing eccentricity, Hawes moved to The Bahamas, converted to Catholicism and took the name Father Jerome. It was under that name that he left his mark on the architecture of the country. His distinctive schools and churches in Nassau, Exuma, Long Island and Cat Island are among each of the island’s most remarkable structures. By the time he built the crowning glory that would become his personal spiritual sanctuary, Father Jerome had so embraced the sacrificial life that he shunned wheelbarrows, tools and any other mechanical advantage, preferring the back-breaking labor of hauling the heavy stones up steps he carved from the mountain. The solitary work that included stations of the crucifixion satisfied a need in his soul as the man who would later be recognized as a genius withdrew more and more. The Hermitage pays homage to a hermit whose lasting contributions included the Little Hermitage in Nassau, St. Augustine’s College, two churches in Long Island and Cat Island’s distinctive treasure. There is no admission charge. In fact, there is no one guarding the buildings where visitors have been known to picnic, photograph, videotape and Twitter images of a structure and a way of life that symbolized pleasure in bird song and beauty.

Volume 12 Issue 1 | 27

Bahamas Bound

28 | Volume 12 Issue 1

PHOTO BY LINDA HUBER

conversation and promises of new friends being best friends for life accompany sundowners and later, the night is populated by the sound of a guitar or guests gathering by the bonfire joining in for an old island tune. Owners Tony and Pam Armbrister have agreed to one concession—go-slow internet in the lounge for those who would need to have their laptops surgically removed.

Unlike resorts where rustic means shower before you arrive, Fernandez Bay Village combines tropical with comfortable—a natural, beachside feel, open roof garden baths in the privacy of spacious wood and stone villas with two-story high ceilings, loft spaces, inviting patios overlooking the water.

I’m not alone in my love affair with Cat Island, the place where actor Sidney Poitier grew up and his father farmed tomatoes and where Jimmy Buffett, Jackie Onassis and Oprah Winfrey have managed to lunch without causing so much as

an uplifted eyebrow. When you live among 18th Century ruins of plantations built long before there were barges and tools, an island whose birthright was probably stolen by an accident or act of Parliament in 1926 that changed its name from San Salvador to Cat Island, when you are home to The Hermitage (see sidebar), it’s easy to grasp how deep the roots of history reach and

understand how that history has set you apart from places less cursed and less blessed.

Writer Shonalee King, in a homily to the place where she spent summers as a child with her grandmother, wrote of her return: “Everything looked the same, right down to the old yellow and red and blue rows of plastic seats in the small terminal…In a dozen years since my

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last trip, Cat Island’s slow and steady pace hadn’t picked up a nanosecond.

A week could go on for two month and I loved every minute of it.”

In a story for this magazine a few years back, writer Jerry Luciani described a week on Cat Island recording his brave foray into Bahamian gamesmanship, a round of dominoes with a grandmotherly type. “One evening,” he wrote, “we ventured over to Hazel’s Seaside Bar in Smith’s Bay to play dominoes.

Hazel Brown is a Bahamian women in her early eighties with dark skin and grey hair, a local legend and killer dominoes player. We pulled up three chairs to the wooden table and sat down across from her. She flashed a grandmother’s smiled and shuffled the tiles. Then with a powerful whack she slammed her domino onto the table with such force that I jumped out of my seat. I never knew dominoes to be a contact sport.” By dint of island luck, Luciani won the game. Hazel graced him with a grin. “She gave me a highfive and handed me a bottle cap, the

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Far left: Old Armbrister Plantation.

Left: Hawk’s Nest Resort. Below: Fernandez Bay Resort. Cat Island Surfing.

reward to winning. I tucked it into my pocket as a treasured souvenir.”

For an unplugged vacation, what greater souvenir is there? 4 Continental Connection flies to Cat Island from Fort Lauderdale three times a week.

Bahamasair is among other airlines flying from Nassau. For more information on places to stay and things to do in Cat Island, go to myoutislands.com, click on Cat Island.

Volume 12 Issue 1 | 29

WHY AN “Out Island”?

WHY

Stella Maris Resort Club?

Consider:

There: A tourist-metropolis. . .crowded, noisy, with bumper-to-bumper traffic. A vacation machine, in which you count for little. Lost in sheer numbers.

Here: Peace, tranquility, unspoiled nature. Lots of space to lose yourself in. Oldfashioned hospitality.

The expense? Discover real vacation values: Very reasonable hotel rates. Daily FREE activities. “Sun & Sea”. . .”Diving”. . .”Fishing”. . . ”Honeymoon” packages. Bungalow rentals for 1or more weeks.

Our Advice?

Looking for Shopping Malls?

Hot Night Clubbing? Flashy Casinos? Fast paced water sports? No, we don’t have it.

Or, looking for warm-hearted friendliness, beautiful facilities. . . the oceans, the beaches, water sports at their best. . .in an enchanted island retreat. . .for just a small number of visitors?

Then you belong with us.

Call Us.

R E S O R T C L U B Long Island, Southern Bahamas www.StellaMarisResort.com info@StellaMarisResort.com

800-426-0466 • 954-359-8236 Fax 954-359-8238 242-338-2051 (0) (3), Fax 242-338-2052

Be at Peace Peace and Plenty Resorts offer three small, intimate and relaxing hotels on Great Exuma for your vacationing pleasure. Complete with the amenities of home, Peace and Plenty Resorts give you a pampered haven you’ll come back to again and again. Spend your days enjoying our beautiful beaches, snorkeling, PADI scuba, fishing and more. Spend your nights dining at one of our restaurants, sampling the cuisine of local chefs. However you choose to spend your time, Peace and Plenty Resorts will make it memorable.

Peace and Plenty Resorts (800) 252-2210 • (242) 336-2551 • www.peaceandplenty.com

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SAMMY T’S Beach Resort

Cat Island, Bahamas

Awaken your soul...

The peace and quiet, the food, the staff, is what makes Sammy T’s the place you are searching for. Our resort has the feeling of home, and we like to think that we have invited some friends over for a couple of days, just to relax and regenerate themselves.

Cat Island is renowned for its totally tranquil atmosphere, its lush natural vegetation and miles of untouched spectacular beaches, including our private beach nestled within a cove.

Sammy T’s offers a varied and entertaining schedule of sporting and leisure activities.

The resort features six individual one- and two-bedroom villas. All rooms are equipped with air-conditioning, ceiling fans, DVD library along with full bedroom and living room furnishings and a kitchenette with a microwave, refridgerator and coffee maker.

Sammy T’s Beach Resort • Bennett’s Harbour, Cat Island • The Bahamas (242) 354-6009 • Fax: (242) 354-6010 • info@catislandbeachresort.com • www.catislandbeachresort.com

...like no other place on earth

• • • • •

• • • •

Boats for rent and guides for hire Renowned Bahamian-American cuisine Freight & passenger air service available Full-service marina - deep water dockage

Friendly, casual atmosphere Beautiful secluded beaches Incredible SCUBA, snorkeling & fishing Charming waterfront cottages Unique swimming pigs, nurse sharks & iguanas

www.stanielcay.com | info@stanielcay.com | Bahamas: 242.355.2024 | US: 954.467.8920

Imagine...

youself at Pigeon Cay!

Pigeon Cay promises romance and offers the ultimate in privacy, seclusion and breathtaking views. Each of the seven cottages is equipped with all comforts of home and all are steps from the beach, located along a private 3-mile stretch of white, powdery sand beach.

Instead of glitz and glamour, there is nature at her finest, incredible beaches to walk or run, turquoise waters to swim or snorkel, hills to climb or bike, caves to dive, or play a round of golf on a Par 6 course.

Pigeon Cay Beach Club Cat Island, Bahamas Phone/Fax 242-354-5084 e-mail: pigeoncay@starband.net www.pigeoncay-bahamas.com

Unlock Life WHERE YOUR JOURNEY BEGINS. Less than 200 miles from Florida’s coast, The Bahamian island of Abaco is home to the village of Treasure Cay and our laid-back resort of the same name. More than three miles of sleepy white sand beach anchor a genuine Caribbean paced experience; reminding guests of a truly relaxed way of life.

Served by multiple daily direct fights, Treasure Cay is home to a highly regarded 150-slip marina and a 6985 yard classic Dick Wilson golf course.

Guests enjoy the choice of three restaurants/bars, fishing, scuba, boat rentals and more. Accommodations range from standard rooms to deluxe rooms to one, two or three bedroom suites offering full kitchens and a living area with private balcony. *No surcharges on credit card fuel purchases.

1-800-327-1584 or 1-954-525-7711 www.treasurecay.com

The Hot test Deal in The Baha m a s...When Turtles Fly! Who said rates would be this low? It would have to be when turtles fly!

Searching for discounts on Bahamas Hotels? When Turtles Fly package starts at just $499 per person. That is a $100 per person savings on an already great deal of 3 nights of deluxe accommodations, round trip airfare on Continental Airlines from Fort Lauderdale to Treasure Cay Bahamas (TCB) and all taxes and service charges on both flight and room. Based on double occupancy in either a Deluxe Club Room or Waterfront Room. Add on nights at $50-117 per person per night.

A Perfect Day at Small Hope Bay

Great diving and so much more!

What is your idea of the perfect island vacation?

If it is scuba diving one of the largest and most unexplored barrier reefs in the world, great snorkeling, superb bonefishing, laying in a hammock, exploring nature, more Bahamas diving, having a cold Kalik, strolling on the beach, reading a good book, meeting interesting people, spending time with your family, or by yourself, I think that I have the place for you ...

This small Bahamas all-inclusive resort is more than just another Bahamas hotel, we are the most established dive resort in the Caribbean. Our environment is very safe, peaceful, secluded, and a great romantic getaway. Come join us for a new adventure, a true Bahamas experience, a family vacation, a relaxing holiday retreat on the beach, or the Caribbean vacation of your dreams.

Celebrating 50 Years of Perfect Days!

With only 21 cottages and all inclusive rates, the Perfect Day is right here ...

www.smallhope.com

See our blog and testimonials. Follow us on YouTube, YouTube Testimonials, Facebook & Twitter

Totally All-Inclusive Small Hope Bay Lodge

Fresh Creek, Andros, Bahamas (800) 223-6961 â&#x20AC;˘ (242) 368-2013/2014 SHBinfo@smallhope.com

SKY’S THE LIMIT

Put your feet up, relax and enjoy a book on our lovely pink sand beach. Or you can find food, solace and the beverage of your choice at the Bistro, with a full-service swim-up cocktail bar. Sky Beach Club seamlessly blends modern amenities with the splendor of unmatched natural beauty and excellent service.

Accommodations range from luxurious poolside bungalows to 3200-square foot, four-bedroom, four-bath villas with private pools. Our elegant residences feature an abundance of glass to capitalize on the breathtaking views. Every detail is dedicated to modern luxury, comfort, and total privacy.

Sky Beach Club Resort Amenities Include: Amazing views of the Atlantic and the Caribbean.

Secluded pink-sand beach.

Contemporary dining in the Bistro.

Infinity edge beachfront pool with swim-up cocktail bar.

Gated resort community.

Energy efficient green construction.

Concierge Services for island activities, fishing charters and pre-arrival pantry stocking.

Located 7 minutes south of the Governor’s Harbour airport.

For information on Reservations or Real Estate Sales contact us at (800) 605-9869 or visit our web site www.SkyBeachClub.com

Florida Fun

Florida Fanfare

Your guide to the Sunshine State

M

ention Florida and instantly images appear of white-sand beaches, endless expanses of blue sky, sunshine and sparkling turquoise waters, but Florida offers much more. World-class restaurants, shopping, museums and cultural events fill city streets, while theme parks, nature preserves and historical parks cover more square miles than sunbathers. Here are just a few of the many things to do while visiting Florida.

Fort Lauderdale Often referred to as the “Venice of America,” Fort Lauderdale is worldrenowned as a yachting and sporting destination. Boating enthusiasts enjoy the Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show, one of the biggest in the world. Water lovers will also delight in water skiing, kite surfing, canoeing and kayaking, while landlubbers will revel in hiking, biking and fishing.

Fort Lauderdale’s diverse ecosystems provide a magical world of flora and fauna. Scuba Diving magazine has named Fort Lauderdale one of America’s “Best Dive Destinations” and “Best Overall Value” for diving. For those who enjoy a more leisurely day, Las Olas Boulevard provides boutiques and art galleries, world-class cuisine, sidewalk cafes and jazz houses. Tucked away in the heart of the city is the Riverwalk Arts & Entertainment District, a delightful assortment of shopping, dining, waterfront parks and major cultural attractions.

Key West Visitors to Key West can pet a shark, tour a cemetery, visit Hemingway’s former home with a wall dedicated to portraits of his wives and lovers, or experience the riches of a spectacular salvage expedition. The island’s beaches offer ample sunning and water sports opportunities, while beneath the surrounding turquoise waters, historic shipwrecks, a living coral reef and a myriad of marine life beckon underwater exploration. Hardly a weekend goes by without some kind of special event or festival. January brings the Key West Literary Seminar, celebrating the island’s heritage as a writer’s haven. In July, the 10-day Hemingway Days Festival begins with writer’s workshops, costume contests and other activities. In late October, Fantasy Fest features revelry and surprises to the island.

Land lovers can discover the coral reefs without getting their feet wet at the Key West Aquarium, the first tourist attraction in the Keys. And no visit to Key West is complete without viewing a sunset at Mallory Square or atop La Concha Hotel.

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Wander along beautiful Tampa Bay, with shops, restaurants and sights for visitors of all ages.

Top: Stunning bridge view in Tampa. Right: Bay Harbor in Miami. Middle: The Southernmost House in Key West. Far right: Fort Lauderdale Beach. www.aircurrentsmagazine.com

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Volume 12 Issue 1 | 39

Florida Fun Miami

“Tuppy's Abaco Parrots” 20” X 16” Acrylic on Linen

fishartista® • Original paintings • Gicleés on paper & canvas - all sizes • Notecards, holiday cards & posters

From parks to animals, shopping to nightlife, you can be sure to find the right activity to fit your personality and budget. Nature lovers will enjoy Everglades National Park, the third largest national park in the continental United States, with 1.5 million acres of rare and beautiful ecosystems. Miami Metrozoo lets you experience the excitement of the world’s jungles with more than 800 animals in a 290-acre habitat. For late-night fun, head for South Beach and Coconut Grove, where you can dance the night away in a trendy nightclub, sample the fare at a world-class restaurant or shop at the stylish boutiques. Check your calendar because Miami also hosts festivals throughout the year, including Taste of the Grove, a food-lover’s paradise, Coconut Grove Arts Festival, for those who are more artistically inclined, and Calle Ocho, an extravaganza of Cuban music, food and dance.

“Settled In” 30” X 40” Acrylic on Canvas

Kraken, a floorless roller coaster that plunges underwater. Downtown Orlando boasts Church Street Station with restaurants, shops and games for the whole family. Cypress Gardens in Winter Haven slows you down and offers stunning botanical gardens and Southern belles in billowing skirts. On the water, the action-packed water ski shows are as thrilling as they are entertaining.

Pensacola Known as the “City of Five Flags,” Pensacola’s history gives tourists the chance to soak in its varied and colorful past. Historic Pensacola Village offers guided tours of exhibits including furnished period houses, museums, and archaeological sites spanning from the earliest Spanish explorers to the 1920s. The downtown area burgeons with art galleries, theatrical and symphony performances, big-name musical stars, and delightful restaurants and shops ranging from down-home to exquisite. To the west is the Naval Air Station, which boasts the worldrenowned National Museum of Naval Aviation and hosts the Blue Angels Homecoming Air Show each November. Boasting some of the most pristine white sands in the state, Pensacola’s breathtaking beaches offer the perfect setting for a seaside vacation. Nearby Milton offers opportunities for camping, canoeing, kayaking and tubing along its crystal-clear spring-fed waters.

Tallahassee Cinderella’s castle in the Magic Kingdom.

Orlando “ASDI Wind Blows” 24” X 48” Acrylic on Linen

In fine gift shops throughout Abaco

772-341-6566 www.fishartista.com kim@rody.com VHF ch.16: “Spirit”

40 | Volume 12 Issue 1

The Orlando/Kissimmee/Lake Buena Vista area is home to some of Florida’s best-known attractions.

Walt Disney World theme parks guarantee to bring out the child in us all. Adventurous types will want to check out Universal Studios Florida, where they can “ride” their favorite movies. More thrills can be found at SeaWorld’s newest attraction,

With its rolling hills, canopied roads of moss-draped oaks, and Southern charm, Tallahassee defies the stereotypes most people hold when it comes to Florida. With the Gulf 25 miles away and the Georgia border only 14 miles to the north, Tallahassee is strategically located in the foothills of the Appalachians and at the juncture of Florida’s Panhandle and peninsula.

Magnificent plantation houses, the newly restored capital building and the Museum of Florida History reflect the city’s deep-rooted history.

Florida State University, home of www.aircurrentsmagazine.com

The Goodwood Museum in Tallahassee.

the Seminoles, is the second largest university in the state. The city is brimming with school spirit, and football season is a colorful and exciting time to visit when there is a game in town. With college students around, a thriving nightlife is far from lacking. But if a leisurely day about town is more your style, you will find every sort of shopping, dining and interesting things to see.

many contrasts. In land mass, Palm Beach County is the largest county east of the Mississippi. Stroll, bike or jog almost the length of the city along tree-lined waterfront Flagler Drive. Enjoy the myriad dining and nightlife options of Clematis Street in the revitalized downtown buzzing with entertainment, art galleries, boutiques and activities.

In the countryside, visit a farm, see

fields where sugar cane grows tall and cattle graze, pick fresh corn, strawberries and melons in season, take a safari-like ride on the wild side at Lion Country Safari where animals roam free, check out Dreher Park Zoo, the Norton Gallery of Art or top performances at the stunning Kravis Center within walking distance of CityPlace. Thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s never a shortage of things to do in the snazzy city of West Palm Beach and its surprisingly serene outlying areas. 4

Tampa Busch Gardens Tampa Bay is 335 acres of family adventure, combining world-class animal habitats with heart-stopping rides.

The exotic African theme whisks you to another land as easily as the roller coasters whisk you into the air.

For something different, try Duck Tours of Tampa Bay, a narrated 80-minute land and sea tour in a genuine WWII amphibious vehicle.

Wander along beautiful Tampa Bay, with shops, restaurants and sights for visitors of all ages. Be sure to stop by historic Ybor City, restored to its old-time charm. Watch Cuban cigar makers roll a stogie in Ybor Square, and dance the night away along La SĂŠptima.

West Palm Beach From the magnificently landscaped seaside mansions of Palm Beach to the rodeo grounds west of the city itself, the West Palm Beach area is a microcosm of Florida. Little surprise there are so

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Florida Fun

42 | Volume 12 Issue 1

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Green Cay Wetlands 100 acres of the gentler side of Florida

I

Hundreds of ducks dart from one wetland to another, barely noticing—or missing—visitors.

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f you are interested in a walk worthy of pages in the scrap book of your mind, try Green Cay Wetlands in Boynton Beach, Florida. There is nothing like it in South Florida and maybe nothing like it anywhere in the South.

Located on Hagen Ranch Road, just north of Delray Beach and so far west it is nearly into the Everglades, the county-owned park and nature center, run by two full-time staff and volunteers, offers a panorama of a gentler Florida rarely seen.

Wetlands meander through 100 acres, where cordgrass and Fakahatchee grass sway. Pickerelweed and Spatterdock add splashes of soft purple and white. Hundreds of ducks dart from one wetland to another, barely noticing— or missing—visitors. Coots fly low, indolent and oblivious as usual to any possible threat. An alligator swims lazily in the topic island ponds. Blue sky seems to go on forever. Thick cypress tress dot the shoreline. On a grassy knoll, two rabbits tease each other. A mile and a half of elevated boardwalks crisscross the wetlands.

As you wander, you wonder what makes the air feel so clean, the walk so pure and then you realize. Except for the nature center, there is not a building Volume 12 Issue 1 | 43

Florida Fun as far as the eye can see, not a vehicle, not a sign (other than on the rail of the boardwalk). This is Florida as it once was before man discovered its beauty and set about making a profit from it. In the 21st Century, this is virgin territory. You are inhaling air so fresh and unpolluted you feel healthier just for being alive in this untouched place.

And the irony is it wasnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t even real until a few years ago.

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It was a huge and highly successful green pepper farm.

In 1999, Ted and Trudy Ginsberg who had been farming since the early 1960s and raised their family on the vast acreage on what was then the western outskirts of civilization approached the county about buying the property. The Ginsbergs offered it at far below market value if the county and water utilities company would transform it into a wholly constructed wetlands to serve not only as a recreational outlet but to educate the public on the need for water conservation. As farmers, they knew how great the need to preserve and conserve water was. Only one percent of the worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s water is both accessible and potable, 97% is salt or brackish and two percent is frozen in glaciers. Construction of Green Cay Wetlands began in 2003. The park as it stands today opened in 2005. Among the sights and exhibits are the turtle pond, frog terrarium, alligator hole, wetland diorama and educational murals, emergent marshes and, hammock islands.

Entry is free. www.pbcgov.com/parks - search Green Cay Nature Center & Wetlands. 4

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“Ships are the nearest things to dreams that hands have ever made.”

-Robert N. Rose c.1910

The newest Marina on Harbour Island Slips from 50’ to 150’ | fine and casual dining | infinity pool 30/50/100 amp electric backed by marina generator water, cable, telephone, internet & water pump-out service n 25° 29.550’ | W 76° 38.269’ | vhf channel 16/9 800.688.0425 | marina@romorabay.com | www.romorabay.com

Book Bag Two words I didn’t want to hear with someone else’s chicken under my arm.

I froze. The chicken didn’t. Her scaly feet flailed toward the eggs that should have been my breakfast. I looked up at a cute night guard not much older than me, perhaps sixteen.

The night was more humid than usual, but a slight breeze blew his sand-pale hair. A soldier’s cut, but a month or two grown out.

Stay calm, stay alert. As Grannyma used to say, if you’re caught with the cake, you might as well offer them a piece. Not sure how that applied to chickens, though.

“Join me for breakfast when your shift ends?” I asked. Sunrise was two hours away.

He smiled but aimed his rapier at my chest anyway. Was nice to have a handsome boy smile at me in the moonlight, but his was a sad, sorryonly-doing-my-job smile. I’d learned the difference between smiles a lot faster than I’d figured out the egg thing.

“So, Heclar,” he said over his shoulder, “you do have a thief. Guess I was wrong.”

Rancher Heclar strutted into view, bearing an uncanny resemblance to the chicken trying to peck me—ruffled, sharp beaked, and beady eyed. He harrumphed and set his fists against his hips. “I told you crocodiles weren’t getting them.”

“I’m no chicken thief,” I said quickly.

“Then what’s that?” The night

Shift Into Summer Reading An excerpt from Janice Hardy’s fantasy adventure, The Shifter

S

tealing eggs is a lot harder than stealing the whole chicken. With chickens, you just grab a hen, stuff her in a sack and, make your escape. But for eggs, you have to stick your hand under a sleeping chicken. Chickens don’t like this. They wake all spooked and start pecking holes in your arm, or your face, if it’s close. And they squawk something terrible.

The trick is to wake the chicken first, then go for the eggs. I’m embarrassed

46 | Volume 12 Issue 1

to say how long it took me to figure this out.

“Good morning little hen,” I sang softly. The chicken blinked awake and cocked her head at me. She didn’t get to squawking, just flapped her wings a bit as I lifted her off the nest, and she’d settle down once I tucked her under my arm. I’d overheard that trick from a couple of boys I’d unloaded fish with last week.

A voice came from beside me.

“Don’t move.”

guard flicked his rapier tip toward the chicken and smiled again. Friendlier this time, but his deep brown eyes had twitched when he bent his wrist.

“A chicken.” I blew a stray feather off my chin and peered closer. His knuckles were white from too tight a grip on so light a weapon. That had to mean joint pain, maybe even knuckleburn, though he wasn’t old enough for it. The painful joint www.aircurrentsmagazine.com

infection usually hit older dockworkers.

I guess that’s why he had a crummy job guarding chickens instead of aristocrats. My luck hadn’t been that great either.

“Look,” I said, “I wasn’t going to steal her. She was blocking the eggs.”

The night guard nodded like he understood and turned to Heclar.

“She’s just hungry. Maybe you could let her go with a warning?”

“Arrest her, you idiot! She’ll get fed in Dorsta.”

Dorsta? I gulped. “Listen, two eggs for breakfast is hardly worth prison—” “Thieves belong in prison!”

I jerked back and my foot squished into chicken crap. Lots of it. It dripped out from every coop in the row. There had to be at least sixty filthy coops along the lakeside half of the isle alone.

“I’ll work off the eggs. What about two eggs for every row of coops I clean?”

“You’ll only steal three.”

“Not if he watches me.” I tipped my head at the night guard. I could handle the smell if I had cute company while I worked. He might even get extra pay out of it, which could earn me some goodwill if we ever bumped into each other in the early-morning moonlight again. “How about one egg per row?”

The night guard pursed his lips and nodded. “Pretty good deal there.”

“Arrest her already!”

I heaved the chicken. She squawked, flapping and scratching in a panic. The night guard yelped and dropped the rapier. I ran like hell.

“Stop! Thief!”

Self-righteous ranchers I could outrun, even on their own property, but the night guard? His hands might be bad, but his feet—and reflexes— worked just fine.

I rounded a stack of broken coops an arm-swipe faster than he did. Without slowing, I dodged left, cutting up a corn-littered row of coops running parallel to Farm-Market Canal. It gained me a few paces but he had the reach on my short legs. No chance of outrunning him on a straightaway.

Swerving right, I yanked an empty market crate off one of the coops. It clattered to the ground between me and the night guard.

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“Aah!” A thud and a crack, followed by impressive swearing.

I risked a glance behind. Broken crate pieces lay scattered across the row. The night guard limped a little, but it hadn’t slowed him much. I’d gained only another few paces.

The row split ahead, cutting through the waist-high coops like the canals that crisscrossed Geveg. I veered left toward Farm-Market Bridge, my side throbbing hard. Forget making it off the isle. I wasn’t going to make it off the ranch.

More market crates blocked the row a dozen paces from the bridge.

The crates were knee high and a pace wide, with tendrils of loose, twisted wire sticking up like lakeweed. Didn’t Heclar ever clean his property? I cleared the crates a step before the night guard. His fingers raked the back of my shirt and snagged the hem. I stumbled, arms flailing, reaching for anything to stop my fall.

The ground did it for me.

I sucked back the breath I’d lost and inhaled a lungful of dust and feathers.

The night guard crashed over the crates a choking gasp later and hit the ground beside me. Dried corn flew out of the crate and speckled the ground.

I hacked up grime while he swore and grabbed his leg. He’d left a pretty good chunk of his shin on one of the crates, and his bent ankle looked sprained for sure, maybe broken. He glanced at me and chuckled wryly. “Just go.”

I dragged myself upright, but didn’t run. He’d lose his job over me, and I’d guess he didn’t have many options left if he was working for a cheap like Heclar. I knelt and grabbed his hands, my thumbs tight against his knuckles, and drew.

For an instant, our hands flared tingly hot from the healing. He gasped, I groaned, then his pain was in my hands. I left the bad leg. It was a good excuse for letting me go, and Saints willing, he’d keep his job. If he didn’t, then at least I’d healed his hands. It was hard enough for native Gevegians to find work these days, and bad hands sure wouldn’t help.

Knuckles aching, I turned away before he realized what I’d done.

It wasn’t the first time I’d healed someone out of pity, but I tried not to do it often. Folks tended to ask questions I didn’t want to answer.

I took a step forward, but something large blocked my escape. Heclar! He swung at my head and I ducked, but not fast enough.

Pain bit into my temple and I thudded back to the ground. Heclar floated in the silver flecks dancing around my eyes, a blue-black pynvium club in his hand.

That cleared me straight. I was lucky he was so cheap he’d only hit me with it instead of flashing it at me.

The weapon was too black to be pure pynvium, but blue enough to hold a lot of pain. I didn’t want it flashed in my direction any more than I wanted to go to prison.

He scoffed and pointed the club at me. “Stinking thieves, both of ya.”

I grabbed the night guard’s shin and drew, knitting bone and yanking every hurt, every sting from his ankle. His pain ran down my arm, seared my leg, and chewed around my own ankle. Yep. Definitely broken. My stomach rolled, but there was nothing in it to toss up.

I seized Heclar’s leg with my free hand and pushed. The agony the night guard hadn’t revealed raced up my other side and poured out my tingling fingers into Heclar. I caught myself before I gave him the knuckleburn.

That would make his hands clench, and a hard, sudden grip on the pynvium club might be the enchantment’s trigger. Be just my luck to accidentally set it off.

Heclar screamed loud enough to wake the Saints. To be truthful, it was worse than he deserved, but sending me to prison for eggs I hadn’t yet stolen was worse than I deserved too.

The Saints are funny that way. 4 Janice Hardy always wondered about the darker side of healing. For her fantasy trilogy THE HEALING WARS, she tapped into her own dark side to create a world where healing was dangerous, and those with the best intentions often made the worst choices. Her books include THE SHIFTER, and BLUE FIRE. DARKFALL, the final book of the trilogy, is due out October 4, 2011. She lives in Georgia with her husband, three cats and one very nervous freshwater eel. You can visit her online at www.janicehardy.com or chat with her about writing on her blog, The Other Side of the Story.

Volume 12 Issue 1 | 47

&

Downsized Upscale

By Diane Phillips

Schooner Bay, Abaco: Best of Vintage Village Life Comes Alive

C

Club at Winding Bay with its magnificent onfucius once said that ‘Life is really The longing for tropical links golf course, spa, clubhouse simple, but we insist on making it peace, tranquility and fine amenities. And that is where the complicated.” Confucius would approve and a simpler life similarity between the outside world and a new community in the northern where people come Schooner Bay ends, right at the top of the Bahamas that is the epitome of downsized together in a hill where the Schooner Bay Commons and upscale. Called Schooner Bay, the traditional harbor has been laid out by Bahamian-born, development honors vintage harborside village atmosphere now world-renowned architect Jackson village principles, de-complicating life as Burnside. It is there where residents and we know it and re-creating the simpler guests will leave their cars and enter a world where the life with warmth that stretches beyond sunny days to the less complicated life begins. Transportation is by golf spirit and soul of the place and its residents.

Located on 330 acres in the southern part of the cart, bicycle or foot, one of the subtle differences that Abacos, Schooner Bay lies some 55 miles north of the encourage conversation and a sense of connecting with busy capital of Nassau and 185 miles east of Palm Beach, others. It is, after all, harder to connect when everyone Florida. Getting there is easy. A high speed ferry provides is burrowed inside slabs of steel barreling along at high twice weekly service from speeds.

Nassau to Sandy Point. Flights The longing for peace, land several times daily at the tranquility and a simpler Marsh Harbour International life where people come together in a traditional airport 28 miles away. Abaco’s harbor village atmosphere main town, Marsh Harbour with individually-owned (population 5,700) with green grocery and boutique restaurants, shopping, busy shops, where a neighborhood marinas and a lively social bank, friendly K-6 school scene, is a half hour’s ride with guest lecturers adding down a well-paved road. to the curriculum, medical Eleven miles in a southeast facility, marine services, direction from Marsh Harbour is the world-class Abaco hardware, a pub, even an 48 | Volume 12 Issue 1

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artist-in-residence has had broad appeal. But heart of the settlement is Schooner Passage It’s more than a the biggest surprise has been the appeal to with shops or small businesses downstairs development, say those who already call The Bahamas home. and loft-style apartments above. In order to its fans, and there “Everything a small town has—plus,” says preserve the view for all, nothing—including are many. They call it Abaco real estate broker James Rees who the superstructure of a docked yacht—can a live-work-play bought in Schooner Bay himself. be higher than 26 feet off the waterline. In lifestyle in a town It’s more than a development, say its fans, homes and lofts, shuttered windows and without traffic where and there are many. They call it a live-workverandas figure prominently, taking advantage everyone has a view play lifestyle in a town without traffic where of island breezes and paying tribute to island of the water and everyone has a view of the water and less is architecture. Designs conjure images of tony less is more. more.

Harbour Island or historic Hope Town or “Schooner Bay is about a better way of Green Turtle Cay. life in our country for people who love our “Even in hard economic times, Harbour country,” says James Malcolm, head of sales Island, Green Turtle Cay and Hope Town and marketing. “Of the 50 or so lots sold in two years, 80% were still quite active economically,” said Malcolm, head of were to people who already call The Bahamas home. We Schooner Bay marketing and sales. “It’s no accident. People know that is a unique phenomenon and it reaffirms to that us visiting love feeling part of a community. The automobile we are on the right track.” has contributed greatly to the degradation of the harbor A mile and a half of walking or jogging trails wind their village life as we know it.” way through natural coppice and along the shore. Beachfront Without driveways and garages, there’s more green lots hug a crescent harbor. In the center of the harbor, across space. A nine-acre site has initially been set aside for a plant a narrow 100-foot long bridge, is the island. Every island nursery and residents’ vegetable garden. Attention to and lot homeowner is entitled to free small boat dockage for preservation of the fragile marine environment is evident life alongside a stone bulkhead everywhere. While many lots are running the length of their small, all have either view of the property. Prices are reasonable water or are on the water. Median with a few lots still available at lot size is 4,500 square feet. Larger $120,000, but going fast. One lots are from 19,000-42,000 square hundred forty lots have been feet.

Jackson Burnside, released for sale so far. There The island style houses and the world-renowned will be 600 home sites and 50 less-is-more formula have made Bahamian business sites when the project Schooner Bay the current real estate architect, is completed. Nearly 24 homes success story of The Bahamas. designed the are expected to be ready for “Buyers come here and say, Schooner Bay occupancy by spring 2012. In the ‘Oh, my gosh, I’ve always been

Commons

50 | Volume 12 Issue 1

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looking for a place like this but I didn’t know a lifestyle that would attract those who New urbanism took it until I saw it’,” says Malcolm, who grew up appreciate what the real Bahamas is all about. on new meaning in Harbour Island and believes the newlyThey enlisted the expertise of DPZ (Duany when phrases like constructed town offers a way of life he ‘bicycles with baskets Plater-Zyberk & Co.). New urbanism took enjoyed as a child. “There was no internet, on new meaning when phrases like ‘bicycles in walkable villages’ no TV, no video games. We fished, rode our with baskets in walkable villages’ entered entered the bikes, built forts and boats. If you could swim, the conversation along with commonalities conversation you couldn’t get in trouble. You were outside they wanted to see. They wanted to ensure all day and you came back for lunch and you that sand dunes would be protected, that came home for dinner. It was a fabulous quality of life.” school children would learn the value of sea turtles along There will, of course, be high speed, TV and telecoms. with the value of a dollar, that architect Jackson Burnside Says the first resident, artist Antonius Roberts, “I love it would incorporate his common sense architecture into the because it is a wonderful opportunity to gather with likecommons area where others from around Abaco would come minded people who love the pristine, beautiful Bahamas.” to experience a taste of the simpler life. “For me, architecture Roberts, whose work is in international collections, said is more than making buildings, it is also making quality of he had long searched other islands for a second home and life for the people who live in and enjoy these places,” says studio, but fell in love with Schooner Bay the minute he Burnside. So specific is the project that a 96-page hardback saw how different the plans for it were. “The team that is book was created to describe its features and set forth its creating Schooner Bay is considerate of the natural beauty governance that includes a five-member board of governors. and seeks to preserve that beauty while creating a wonderful “Many people want to simplify their lives,” says Malcolm. community around a harbor.”

“They want to downsize. Even No small part of what sets before the recession, but certainly Schooner Bay apart is the creative the economic factors of the past team and its commitment to two or three year have caused preservation and tradition. The people to stop and ask, ‘Do I really idea was the brainchild of developer need all this?’” The answer, in Orjan Lindroth and his wife, Abaco at least, is clear. 4 designer, Amanda Lindroth, who left their footprint on the exclusive waterfront community of Old Fort Bay in New Providence. When they decided to turn their attention to Abaco, they set out to take the best of the lessons from harborfront villages and amplify them with www.aircurrentsmagazine.com

Volume 12 Issue 1 | 51

Kim Rody: Act 2 From Insurance Exec to Artist Extraordinaire Capturing the Bahamian Seascape

By Diane Phillips

O

n a recent Wednesday with the sun shining so brightly you almost needed sunscreen to drive, Kim Rody raced halfway across Florida in her Mini Cooper, packing in the miles.

By mid-morning she had zipped to Miami from her Stuart home 90 miles away, picked up art work from the printer, lines up the next job, hopped over to Dania Beach, dropped off five large pieces with a yacht interior designer, sent off work to Atlanta, another 15 pieces to Hope Town, Abaco and was off to the west coast.

Welcome to the world of Kim Rody, artist extraordinaire who is bringing the seascape of The Bahamas to life.

This is Act II for Rody, after she left the frenetic pace and daily grind of the business world behind to enter that most creative, and some would say nonplussed world, of art. It only takes a nano-nanosecond to realize that Rody brought the same energy with her to her new life that allowed her to rise so quickly in her former existence.

“I had my own State Farm insurance agency, had staff,” she said. “I was raised to go to school, go to college, make good grades, make a lot of money. I did that and I made a lot of money.”

So much money, in fact, that she was able to indulge her dual healthy hobbies of painting and SCUBA diving.

“I had started taking painting lessons when I was still in high school, but while I loved it, I was always struggling,” Rody said. Landscapes came out stiff, still life too—still. Her insurance agency was in Dallas and she was working with an art instructor there who advised her to work on a series. But a series on what?

Left: ASDI Wind Blows. Acrylic on Linen. 24” X 48” Top: Bling. Acrylic on Canvas. 60” X 48” www.aircurrentsmagazine.com

Her answer came suddenly and unexpectedly.

“In 1995, I painted a fire goby. I can remember the very day because it appeared on the canvas as if it had painted itself,” she said. The series began to emerge and so did the artistdiver. “It was so natural because there is so much life underwater, so much vitality.” It’s easy to see how Rody identified with marine life, especially the colorful fire goby, petite and packed with energy, darting in and out of reefs, constantly moving, searching, finding.

A certified dive master, Rody began spending her spare time in the water, returning to her native Florida as often as possible, flying to The Bahamas. The reef became her second home. Back in Dallas, she spent endless hours at the aquarium, recording the movement of marine life on sketch pads.

Her work grew in volume and size, but whether reduced to a note card or the size of a mural, like her 7-foot sea turtles, it had the Rody touch—acrylics, splashy yet with great attention to detail, vibrant, full of motion, painted in brilliant colors. Marine impressionism, as if you could see the water passing over the gills and scales of the fish.

By the year 2000, she sold her agency, moved back to Florida and took up painting full time. To say she’s never looked back is an understatement.

Commissions came readily, so did awards. “I’ve had great offers and commissions like one with an allexpense paid trip to Italy,” she said.

“They got a painting. I got two weeks in a villa in Florence. How great is that?” Not a day goes by that her work is not on exhibit somewhere between Florida and The Bahamas. In 2004, a piece called Sailfish was chosen as the image of the Stuart ArtsFest which draws more than 150 artists from all over. The image appeared on posters, fliers, hats, ties, cups and T-shirts.

Rody calls herself ‘fishartista’, also the name of her website. She says the longer she spends studying fish, the more soul she finds in her subjects.

“I try to capture the personality of each model I paint. Each of these creatures has a life and story of their own. This is the very feeling I want to convey to the viewers of my art; www.aircurrentsmagazine.com

Adrift. Acrylic on Canvas. 30” X 40” the soul of the individual sea creature as well as the surrounding peaceful environment where he is lucky enough to live out his entire life. I wish I lived down there.”

Today Rody clicks away with a digital camera instead of drawing on a sketch pad.

“This weekend when I was at Atlantis, I took about 600 photographs,” she said. “They will probably turn into 12 paintings over a period of time.”

What she captures on digital gets stored in her visual memory and she mulls it over without pressing herself for time.

Painting takes longer than selling.

Her work is snapped up almost faster than she can replenish it in places like Hope Town Harbour Lodge, the Mermaid’s Purse and Java cafe, all in Abaco, and Island Made Gift Shop in Eleuthera or at any of the other dozen or so galleries in South Florida.

Inspiration is never far away. “I go to The Bahamas and people say, ‘Oh, you must have so much fun, it must be so relaxing.’ Hah! I’m busy every second.”

Kim Rody is at a very special place in her life. She paints at night mostly, in the studio off her cottage in Stuart, Florida, choosing the colors of her palette by day, then working almost in total darkness, trusting her way. It’s that feeling process that leads to the sense of motion, she says, the contrast and complementing of colors up against each other.

“I’ve been told, ‘You paint like a man.’ I don’t know what that means but I know that the more I study fish and try to portray them, the more I realize how interrelated they are so more and more of my work is about groups or schools of fish, less of it just one fish.”

Rody has been able to make a success o her one-time hobby.

“I think being in business for 20 years really helped,” she said. “If you do art for a living, it’s a business. You have to know how to watch expenses, overheads, your margins. A lot of artists don’t have that experience. If I walk into a gift shop to sell note cards and they don’t want them, it doesn’t bother me. I used to sell life insurance.”

Few artists can say that—and fewer success stories can say they feel about their jobs how Rody feels about hers: “I can’t believe my life turned out this way. I feel like I’m on a dreamway, living my dream. Every day is a Saturday for me. I like to paint on Saturdays.” 4

Abaco Sailfish. Acrylic on Canvas. 97” X 47”

Volume 12 Issue 1 | 53

PHOTO BY COOKIE KINKEAD 2010

From family to celebrity friendly, a steady stream of vacationers, honeymooners, love birds, fishing buddies, and individuals looking to spend quality time away seek out this glorious destination year round.

By Margie Kaye

Coral Sands’ Four Cottages Offer Dream Homes Away From Home A

s if the world-renowned pink colored sand beach, sun streaked turquoise water, delectable island fare and laid back luxurious amenities weren’t tempting enough to make you pack your bags for the Coral Sands Resort in Harbour Island, Bahamas, they have recently added four new beachfront one and two bedroom colonial style cottages and another two-bedroom cottage to their inviting selection of accommodations offering just a few more reasons for you to come and stay a while at Coral Sands.

Brimming with attention to detail and indulgent comfort, these beautifully appointed dream cottages are awash in environmentally friendly function and designer décor, making them the ideal destination for an island escape.

54 | Volume 12 Issue 1

A wondrous blending of luxury and tranquility converge for the ultimate in relaxation. One two-bedroom and two one-bedroom cottages are located directly on the ocean front with breath taking ocean views; the other one bedroom model is nestled just 100 feet from the beach with a spectacular ocean view.

The cottages each feature plush memory foam king size beds stylishly dressed in fine Anichini linens, crowned with headboards and surrounded by custom night tables, a desk, and bookshelves beautifully designed to house your belongings, creating a comfortable and homey feeling.

Walnut plank wood floors adorned with area rugs add drama and warmth to each cottage, where every mood is enhanced with custom lighting and

decorative blackout window drapes.

Whether enjoying a book perched in the oversized reading chair, watching television on the 32” flat screen television or winding down to music on your iPod, every comfort and convenience is there for the guests to enjoy.

After a day spent basking in the sun, you can wash your cares away in the sensuous free standing bathtub illuminated by soft chandelier lighting or step into the large walk-in shower boasting oversized jet shower heads and www.aircurrentsmagazine.com

a sitting bench for a spa-like experience.

A round decorative porthole window invites sunlight, sunsets and star gazing, and adds to the essence of seaside serenity.

If you can’t get enough of nature’s beautiful surroundings, retreat to your spacious outdoor covered terrace with designer lounging furniture and day beds, and all the fresh air you can inhale.

The cottage wet bar complete with refrigerator, coffee maker and tea kettle keep your favorite libations and snacks close at hand for enjoying an intimate happy hour day or night.

You can double your pleasure and your living space in the new two bedroom cottage, Sea Oats, the ultimate beach front villa at Coral Sands featuring the same artistry and architecture of the one bedroom cottages. Sea Oats features two elegant master bedrooms, two luxurious bathrooms, kitchenette and dining areas presenting the ideal scenario for families and friends traveling together and maintaining their privacy when desired.

The master Colonial-style bedrooms are cloaked in warmth with walnut plank floors, area rugs and designer furnishings built with shee shan sustainable wood.

Elegant French doors stretch nine feet tall welcoming sunlight and awe

inspiring views of the world famous pink sand beach just steps down the path leading from the cottage.

The living/sitting room offers a tranquil setting indoors, as does the spacious outdoor covered terrace. With ceiling fans stirring the intoxicating ocean air and an array of inviting patio furniture grouped atop the Ipe hard wood decking, the living is laid back from sun up until sun down, and then some.

The beauty of this quaint 37-room boutique hotel lies in the understated elegance that transcends the property, set along the notorious pink sand three mile stretch of beach recognized as the most beautiful beach in the Caribbean by the Travel Channel, and consistently voted as one of the top five beaches in the world.

From family to celebrity friendly, a steady stream of vacationers, honeymooners, love birds, fishing buddies, and groups looking to spend quality time away seek out this glorious destination year round. With weather consistently warm, in the ’70s and ’80s, balmy nights and breezy days make for a comfortable stay with a no-brainer light dress code and mindset of “anything goes.”

Staying on the lush grounds at Coral Sands is an all encompassing date with down time, but if the adventurer in you beckons, Coral Sands’ efficient and friendly staff will happily arrange various island excursions including deep sea fishing, scuba diving, bone fishing, and scenic tours by bicycle or golf cart.

Whether a picnic on a private island is on your wish list or a historic tour of Dunmore Town is right up your alley, your hosts will make it happen for you.

When night falls and dinner plans call, gourmet dining is what’s on the menu at the resort’s own Terrace Restaurant, considered to be amongst the finest restaurants in the Bahamas, and boasting a new and delectably

varied menu. With culinary creations orchestrated by Executive French Chef Ludovic Jarland, there are tempting selections of surf and turf elegantly plated and sumptuously prepared to your liking. The chef himself often appears tableside to make his personal recommendations for a guaranteed palate pleasing experience. Pan Seared Mahi-Mahi in a Salsa Verde Sauce, Herb Crusted Rack of Lamb, and Caribbean Bouillabaisse overflowing with an assortment of lobster, grouper, shrimp, mussels and clams bathed in a vegetable broth are among the favorites ordered each evening, along with creative spins on the fresh catch of the day.

With all there is to savor at this beautiful island resort, isn’t it time to unpack your bags and stay a while?

Paradise awaits at Coral Sands, where the living is easy in your home away from home. 4 Chapel Street, Dunmore Town, Harbour Island, Bahamas. www.coralsands.com 800-468-2799 or 242-333-2350.

Volume 12 Issue 1 | 55

Dining culinary artistry he brings from the farm to the table.

“My life was set up for me with my family already in the food business,” he said. “But I didn’t want to take the easy way out. A visit to The Culinary Institute of America in New York confirmed my belief that being a chef was my calling, but I knew I needed to jump into the industry feet first to gain vital experience.

I started in Atlanta at a fine dining restaurant at The Ritz Carlton, where I worked with the right people who taught me about European cuisine. Then I moved to San Francisco and developed my own style, call it, ‘A laid back guy

Chef Dean James Max Dazzles at 3030 Ocean With his 20/20 vision of fresh food

C

hef Dean Max is a South Florida icon, a culinary wizard with a fresh boyish face, palpable passion and an Energizer pace. His home base is 3030 Ocean in Fort Lauderdale’s Marriott Harbor Beach Hotel where he turns his love of seafood into an art form, creating a different menu each day that’s hard to resist.

Max is a definite product of his environment. He grew up harvesting fresh vegetables and his own jalapeno crop at the age of nine on his family farm in Virginia, and fishing each summer on the shores of the Chesapeake Bay. He was in awe of nature’s bounty above and below the earth even then.

Max’s father was a food broker with a large grocery chain; his grandfather was a chef who honed his craft in an upstate New York resort and later as owner of a bed and breakfast in Cape May. Now in his early 40s, Max is an acclaimed chef with four restaurants under his helm, each renowned in their own right; each revered for the

By Margie Kaye 56 | Volume 12 Issue 1

who loves good food cuisine.’ In retrospect I learned my technique from the French and my love of food from my studies in Florence, Italy.”

Max’s first role as an executive chef and restaurant co-owner was at Atlanta’s Mumbo Jumbo followed by Brentwood California’s Woodside, where Max served as executive chef.

“I loved it there; every moment.

They have the best markets. The chefs and I would get up at 6:00am and surf, then be at the market by 7:00am to buy the produce. The best of all worlds.”

In 1999 Max was courted by Marriott and offered the opportunity to open his own “street restaurant” in South Florida. 3030 Ocean was the address, and the start of big things for Max in a town renowned for fine dining and an oceanfront landscape which entices guests from around the world.

The location was the perfect environment to showcase Max’s passion for seafood, the inspiration behind his first cookbook, A Life By The Sea. “My goal was to make a restaurant that patrons truly loved. There is a huge following now, nearly ten years later, consisting of sixty percent locals and forty percent hotel guests.

“My approach is personal involvement, where I get to know the local clientele and nurture those relationships by getting involved with the community and charity organizations. I personally host Junior Achievement and Kids in Distress events. In the past nine years we have raised over $150,000 for them.”

Another core value Max exercises is his work with small purveyors; a huge departure for big food establishments. “I work with seven purveyors just for seafood; ten produce people. One farm, Swank in Loxahatchee brings over 100 varieties of produce to us directly.

We use what local farmers grow, super fresh ingredients. It’s challenge from an accounting perspective but an important lesson in green living and sustainability. It’s what I grew up doing, what I believe in and what www.aircurrentsmagazine.com

Graycliff. FiveStarLuxuryatitsBest.

Good taste, great cuisine, superb wines, award-winning cigars and gracious living all come together at Graycliff Hotel and Restaurant, a beautiful, historic mansion, in the heart of Nassau.

THE HOME OF RELAXED ELEGANCE West Hill Street, Nassau, In The Bahamas

(tel) +1242.322.2796 (toll-free) +1800.476.0446 www.graycliff.com

Dining works for me and the quality of food I prepare.”

Max is proud to say that 3030 Ocean is one of the largest grossing restaurants for dinner in all of the Marriott chain. 3030’s success prompted Max’s invitation to open the restaurant Latitude 41 in The Renaissance Hotel in Columbus, Ohio, another Marriott property.

Max is also overseeing all food and beverage at the newly renovated Cheeca Lodge in Islamorada in the Keys, which suffered a fire last January and has reopened with a new main building and a new feel, Max style.

Max personally enjoys dining on a variety of dishes, from the fancy gourmet selections he dazzles his diners with, to basic comfort foods he craves such as cheeseburgers and chicken wings. Oysters and tuna ceviche are up there as well. “There’s so much I like. Clean, well prepared fresh natural food sums it up,” he says.

Max is a master juggler as well, managing to keep four restaurants running smoothly at any given time.

Each day of each week is plotted, alternating weekly, allowing him to spend a few days in each restaurant and Sundays at home with his family.

“All of my restaurants now get to enjoy my personal contact. I’m there, all the time, even if it’s just for a few days. When I grow larger I’ll have to pull in people to do it with me; people who know what I want, like Paula DaSilva, who was recently featured on Hell’s Kitchen.”

Though she finished second on the reality series cooking show, in real life she’s first in line with Max who hired her as a cook out of culinary school and groomed her to be Chef de Cuisine at 3030.

“That’s the key. An overall understanding of how a restaurant should run…I plan on growing slowly, doing it the smart way. For now, 3030 Ocean is where I spend most of my time with my farm team.

This is where the new chefs and managers of future restaurants train.

This is my home spot.” 4

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The Hassle Free Way To Fly GULFSTRE AM INTERNATIONAL AIRL I N E S Provides business and leisure travelers with over 140 scheduled, daily, non-stop flights to 24 destinations. Currently GIA ser vices 8 destinations in Florida, 10 in the Bahamas.

is specifically designed for frequent business and leisure travelers. Travel can be much more convenient with SunPac coupon books.

For more information or & sales please call: 1-800-688-7225 or 954-985-1500 x272 e-mail: SunPac@gulfstreamair.com or visit our website: www.gulfstreamair.com

F E A T U R E S •No Penalties for reservation changes or cancellations •Earn Continental Airlines’ OnePass frequent flyer miles •Name transferable •Two complmentary checked bags per passenger •Available in packs of 12 or 24 One-ways •Valid for travel in either direction •Valid for one full year from date of issue •Price and taxes determined by your city pair selection •Last seat availability *Reservation Required, Non-Refundable, No reissue or extension

For reservations please call Continental Airlines: 1-800-523-FARE or 1-800-231-0856

Dining

Air Currents’

Dining Picks

Anthony’s Grill Located within walking distance of the Paradise Island resorts and next door to Quiznos Subs, Anthony’s has been a staple of the Bahamian visitor diet for years.

The popular eatery with its kids-friendly atmosphere is open for breakfast (from 7:30am), lunch and dinner.

Starting at 11:30am and running straight through 11pm, you can order anything from the 8-page spread, including some two dozen choices of appetizers, soups and salads. Among the starter favorites: Anthony’s Super Combo—spinach dip, chicken strips, Buffalo wings, pork ribs, conch fritters, and the top choice—Anthony’s famous conch salad marinated, chopped, diced and served fresh each time. Main course choices include a hearty, hefty seafood platter, grilled Bahamian lobster tails, herb crusted red snapper, speared grilled shrimp, as well as burgers, pizza and the all-time meat favorite: sweet, tender baby back ribs. Authentic Cuban cigars can be purchased here. No reservations or jackets needed, casual, lively and fun. $$ Full bar with tropical drinks, beer, wine and cocktails. Breakfast 7:30am-11am, lunch 11:30am-4pm, and dinner menu available from 4pm-11pm. Nassau.

Alexandra’s at August Moon For the ultimate in variety taste the ever-changing menu at Alexandra’s. Choose tasting trios with a continent theme (Land of Dragons—Asian cuisine, Old Bailey—British) for $15 or sample individual plates for $7.50. While the menu may frequently change, the quality and service never do. Open Monday-Saturday.

Lunch 11:00am – 3:00pm, dinner from 6:30pm. Call (242) 362-6631 for reservations. Nassau.

Graycliff The only restaurant of its kind in The Bahamas, Graycliff blends old-world charm with 5-star dining.

Located in the main house of a 250-year-old Georgia style mansion, the restaurant’s menu offers the finest in traditional Bahamian meals as well as popular seafood and continental cuisines. Diners can feast on succulent Nassau grouper filet served on a bed of spinach with French Dijon mustard. The filet mignon with seasoned butter is a choice dish for patrons seeking a more familiar meal. Indoor and outdoor dining. Open daily for lunch from 12:30pm-2pm and dinner from 7:30pm.

Reservations required. Jackets required. West Hill St. Nassau; (242) 322-2796.

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Mangoes At Mangoes you’ll find pieces of the succulent fruit in almost every dish. A bold, but utterly delicious culinary idea. Seating up to 140, owner and Chef Brandon Sheffield mixes traditional Bahamian dishes with Continental cooking techniques for a scrumptious dining experience. Open Monday-Saturday, 11:30am2:30pm, 6:30pm-midnight. Reservations are preferred.

Call (242) 367-2366 for more information. Marsh Harbour, Abaco.

Shula’s Steak House Americans love affair with steak is as passionate as ever and with restaurants like Shula’s Steak House, it’s easy to see why. The real score card of Shula’s is the meat, custom center cuts of Certified Angus Beef® steaks handled with a secret aging process make up their award winning SHULA CUTS. Shula’s: check out the location nearest you. www.donshula.com and arrive hungry. Casual dress at all restaurants. Seafood, including dolphin, shrimp, oysters Rockefeller, stone crab, lobster and local fare almost as popular as the steaks, lobster bisque in season. And save room for dessert. You’ll be asked to order your soufflé in advance as each takes about a half hour to prepare, but like everything else worth waiting for, it’s a treat you’ll treasure.

Sloppy Joe’s A Key West institution, Sloppy Joe’s is a dining and social adventure with festive local fare and atmosphere. The famed Sloppy Joe sandwich is a savory mixture of ground beef, tomatoes, onions and celery. Make sure you indulge in a Papa Doubles, a favorite drink of Ernest Hemingway; it’s a sublime mixture of Bacardi light rum, grapefruit juice, sour mix, 7UP and local fresh lime. This celebrated hot spot plays live music three times daily and is definitely worth a visit. 201 Duval St; (305) 294-5717. Key West.

Tippy’s Restaurant, Beach & Bar For a true taste of the islands with a barefoot lunch and a casual happy hour, check out Tippy’s, a place where “you’ll see shirts and ties at lunch and bikinis or sarongs at dinner.” Patrons from all walks of life rub shoulders over a sumptuous menu filled with island spirit. Open seven days a week for lunch (12:30pm2:30pm) and dinner 6:00pm-10:00pm). Dinner reservations are recommended. (242) 332-3331.

Governor’s Harbour, Eleuthera. 4

www.aircurrentsmagazine.com

IMPORTANT NOTICE FOR YOUR ARRIVAL IN THE UNITED STATES INFORMACIÓN IMPORTANTE A SU ARRIVO A LOS ESTADOS UNIDOS On your arrival at any U.S. airport all passengers, including those in transit to another country, must fill out a customs declaration (blue) form and, if pertinent, an immigration form (green or white). To facilitate compliance with the necessary documentation you will find some brief instructions on this matter below. Many thanks to you for your cooperation.

ATTENTION • Write your country using English • Write male or female • If you are in transit to another country: Write down TRANSIT TO...in address in the U.S. www.aircurrentsmagazine.com

A su llegada a cualquier aeropuerto de EE.UU., todos los pasajeros, incluidos aquellos que realizan tránsito con destino a otro país, deben rellenar una declaración de aduanas (impreso azul0 y, si procede, un impreso de inmigración (impreso verde o blanco). Para facilitarles conforme a la documentación necesaria, encontrarán en estas páginas unas breves instrucciones al respecto. Muchas gracias por su colaboración.

ATENCIÓN • Escriba su país en INGLËS • Escriba MALE Ö FEMALE • Si está en tránsito a otro país, escriba TRANSIT TO ..en la dirección en EE.UU. Volume 12 Issue 1 | 61

Route Map Pensacola Tallahassee

Orlando Tampa

Freeport

West Palm Beach

Treasure Cay

Grand Bahama

Fort Lauderdale

Marsh Harbour

Key West

*** ** * ** * * **

Miami

The Abacos Bimini

North Eleuthera Nassau

Governor’s Harbour Eleuthera

Andros Town

*

Cat Island

* Andros

*

*

* ** ** **

Havana

Georgetown *** Cuba Route is Charter Service Only: ALL CUBA Charters are subject to U.S. Government approval.

The Exumas

Alliance Partnerships & Frequent Flyer Programs

OnePass is Continental Airlines’ award-winning frequent flyer program. When you enroll, you earn mileage every time you fly Continental Connection— mileage good for free travel rewards.

To enroll in OnePass, call (800) 523-FARE or visit the web site at: www.continental.com *Valid on all Continental Connection flights operated by Gulfstream International Airlines.

As part of our long standing Code-share partnership with Gulfstream International Airlines, you can earn miles on Continental Connection flights operated by Gulfstream International when booked with a United Airlines code and flight number. To enroll in Mileage Plus call (800) 421-4655 or visit the web site at: www.ual.com.

OnePass is Continental Airlines’ award-winning frequent flyer program. When you enroll, you earn mileage every time you fly Copa Airlines, Gulfstream coded flights— mileage good for free travel rewards.

To enroll in OnePass, call (800) 523-FARE or visit the web site at: www.continental.com

*Valid on United & Gulfstream International Airlines Code-share flights.

*Valid on Copa & Gulfstream International Airlines Code-share flights.

B E S T

F O R

I S L A N D

C A S T A W A Y S

All Butler The World’s First All-Butler Resort Sandals Emerald Bay is the world’s first All-Butler Resort, where every guest can enjoy the services of a personal butler who will take care of every want and need. From unpacking your suitcase to an impromptu picnic or dinner on your balcony, your butler is always on call — en-suite, by the pool or on the beach.

Global Gourmet

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The five restaurants that comprise the resort’s notable dining collection offer pairings of International cuisine with Beringer varietals corked exclusively for Sandals.

Caribbean’s

Best Golf Course

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TRAVEL & LEISURE GOLF MAGAZINE

®

Ocean Drive A GREG NORMAN-DESIGNED GOLFER’S PARADISE

The Sandals Emerald Reef Golf Club is a Greg Norman-designed 7,200-yard, par 72, championship golf course that hugs a rocky coastline, with emerald fairways and prevailing trade winds edged by the sea.

Your exotic private escape I S W I T H I N E A S Y R E AC H Sandals premieres a new level of luxury with the introduction of the world’s first All-Butler, Oceanfront Resort—Sandals Emerald Bay, Great Exuma, Bahamas.

This magnifi cent, award-winning resort offers its guests pampered intimacy amidst the secluded islands of The Exumas. Guests will find oceanview, butlerserviced rooms, suites and villas filled with features to indulge body and spirit.

Aficionados of world-class pleasure will discover a 29,000 sq. ft. Red Lane® SpaX featuring Dermalogica® products, a pro-grade tennis center and a Greg Normandesigned golf course.* If you seek out-of-the-ordinary luxury in the Out Islands, come experience your own exotic, private escape at Sandals Emerald Bay.

For more information call your Travel Agent or 1-800-SANDALS or 305-284-1300

sandals.com X

Spa services additional. *Green fees additional. Unique Vacations, Inc. is the worldwide representative for Sandals Resorts.

®

Emerald Bay Great Exuma, Bahamas

An Oceanfront Resort ROOMS, SUITES AND VILLAS APPOINTED TO PERFECTION Picture a sprawling island home, where the fine furnishings are inspired by the British West Indies, all the technologies are in place for your comfort, and windows overlook an endless sea of blue. This should give you the sense of what a typical suite is like at Sandals Emerald Bay. There are 183 rooms, suites and beachfront villas, and all come with the services of a butler trained to the exacting standards of the Guild of Professional English Butlers.