A secluded beach
in Anguilla.
white linen, with almost
as many hiking trails
as there are sparkling
beaches. You might want
to pack your gym shoes
and enjoy some workouts
en plein air if you visit
during its Food & Rum
Festival (Oct. 30–Nov.
2) in Rodney Bay Village.
This grand gastronomic
event will highlight
Caribbean cuisine with
cooking demonstrations,
tastings of more than
40 rums from across
the region, lectures by
culinary personalities
and more. The festival
centers on a combination
of meals whipped up by
renowned international
chefs, with concerts
held on Saturday and
Sunday evenings.
The resort de rigueur
in St. Lucia these days,
Jade Mountain, has also hopped on the culinary tourism
train with the assistance of fusion master Chef Allen Susser
of Chef Allen’s Restaurant in Miami. Allen, the pioneer
behind New World Cuisine, has brought his typical flair for
the tropical and the sweet-and-salty to what is now known as
“Jade Cuisine,” with fresh seafood such as Caribbean lobster
and conch from surrounding waters taking center stage. Like
Jade Mountain’s mosaic of colors in its main pool, the gastronomic influence of Allen’s imagination is adding oomph
to this breathtaking property; its architectural design of
open spaces and bridges
lets nature right in.
Anguilla
Style and substance
Anguilla is known for being low key and smooth,
with placid days of glass-bottomed boats gliding
along the gentlest of
shorelines. Once a year,
though, the sliver of land
off the coast of St. Martin
wows the region with
Tranquility Jazz Festival (Nov. 6–9), a who’s
who of contemporary
music greats (past performers have included
Diane Schuur, Mike Phillips, Onaje Allan Gumbs
and pianist Monty
Alexander). It’s island
relaxing at its finest, with
jazz aficionados adding
sizzle to Anguilla’s
33 beaches.
Unlike music bashes on other islands, this is a more
elegant affair, with some of Anguilla’s most posh accommodations options playing a part in bringing haute evenings to mu-sic-filled nights. This year, Grammy winner Patti Austin kicks
off the festival at CuisinArt Resort & Spa, a Mykonos-style
beachfront resort on most travelers’ gold lists. CuisinArt
has a groundbreaking organic hydroponics garden, boasting
produce that ends up in the resort’s kitchens. Monday and
Thursday nights at CuisinArt, lucky patrons who’ve reserved
a space ahead of time at the chef’s table get to watch their
