Anguilla is holding an exciting fund-raising auction on Friday, February 5th, 1999. . . .
January 15, 1999 - Site Map - Click to enlarge pictures

The purpose of the auction is to raise funds for the restoration of Wallblake House. The theme is To Save Wallblake House for the Nation.

Money raised last year has already been spent in restoring the outbuildings, but much more is needed to repair the sadly neglected main building whose roof threatens a total collapse during each tropical storm!

The cocktail buffet party and Silent Auction start at 6pm sharp, at the House of Chandeliers (in the Inter Island Hotel in South Hill). Entry is free, there is a cash bar and a complimentary food buffet. The main auction, including the special art screen, starts at 7:30pm.

Naturally, you want to jump on an airplane so that you can be here for February 5th, but if that is not possible, do not despair. You can bid by Email for ten select items from the auction. If yours is the highest bid, you will be notified by email and can arrange payment. This is the first Internet auction in Anguilla, perhaps in the Caribbean.

[email protected]

Personal cheques, traveller's cheques, and cash will be accepted at the the live auction on February 5th.

Visit the Wallblake House web page at wallblake.ai to see the building and read about restoration plans and progress.

Directions to the House of Chandeliers: from the airport parking lot, take the only exit and turn left, then turn left again and drive past the airport entrance, straight through the roundabout, and follow the main road west to South Hill. Stay left/straight at the Sandy Ground roundabout and watch for the Inter-Island Hotel on the right in about 2 miles. At the hotel drive past the main entrance to the 2nd driveway. Park in the back by the door to the Chandeliers ball room. If you reach Anguilla Trading or the Loblolly Art Studio, you went 1/4 mile too far. Coming from West End hotels, follow the main road and watch carefully on the left after passing Loblolly Studio at South Hill Plaza.

American Eagle Adding Third Flight. Starting January 19, 1999, American Eagle is adding a third daily San Juan-Anguilla flight to their schedule. Flight 5526 leaves San Juan at noon and returns at 1:21pm. This is normal each winter as the number of tourist bookings increases.

Ferries Resume Service. The Anguilla ferries have resumed their suspended service between St. Martin and Blowing Point, Anguilla, allowing them to go back to their original schedule of a ferry every 30 minutes during the daylight hours.

New Karaoke Bar. "Deja Vu" has opened in Sandy Ground, offering Karaoke every night except Wednesday, 8pm until 2am.

Book Now for Millenium in Anguilla. Many places in Anguilla are already starting to book up for next New Years, since it is also the eve of a new millenium. If you want to be in Anguilla January 1, 2000, you should probably make a reservation now.

African Beads, an exhibit with workshops, opened at the Devonish Art Gallery on Friday, January 8th with a reception from 5:30 to 7:30 PM. Featured is the work of Joyce Griffths and Carrolle Devonish, as well as beadwork from various places in Africa. Click here for a picture from the opening.

January 18-28: Anguilla Stamp Expo at the Post Office. See the history of Anguilla in stamps and see the history of Anguilla Stamps too. Mon-Sat, 8am - 3:30pm.

February 6-7. First Annual Anguilla Flower and Garden Show. Ruthwill Auditorium in The Valley.

January 30. Devonish Gallery Opening Reception for Virginia Hobart. Exhibit runs until February 19th. Other exhibits at the Devonish this season include:

Peg Gregory. Saturday, February 20, Opening Reception, 5:30 to 7:30 PM. February 20 to March 5.
Weme Caster. Saturday, March 6, Opening Reception, 5:30 to 7:30 PM. March 6 to March 19,
Doug & Shari Erickson. Saturday, March 20, Opening Reception, 5:30 to 7:30 PM. March 20 to April 9.
Carolyn Caldwell. Saturday, April 10, Opening Reception, 5:30 to 7:30 PM. April 10 to April 30.

Malt's Plants raises tropical plants from seeds and cuttings: palms, oleanders, whatever is needed for landscaping. Malt only grows plants that thrive in Anguilla and specializes in palm trees. A very interesting place to visit, and to buy some plants for your garden.

Directions: from the airport parking lot, take the only exit and turn left, continue straight past Island Car Rental, then take the next right up the Rey Hill. At the top of the hill, go full right and then take an immediate left. Follow the road past Paradise Apts and you should find the sign for Malt's on the left.

Date: 1/6/99 4:25:00 PM
Subject: Comments from recent trip

Happy new year and keep up the good work. Reading your newsletters is like a minivisit to Anguilla. Today we awoke to 16 degrees in Washington and the high is 32. Now we know why you relocated to Anguilla.

Maybe this only happens at the holiday season, but on several flights some passengers' luggage was left behind, to come on the next flight, which can be quite inconvenient if you are on the night flight and have no luggage until 3:30 the next afternoon. Please suggest to readers that they pack a bathing suit and change of clothing in their hand luggage. When we went to pick up our luggage at 10:30 p.m., a family of 5 was crestfallen that they had NO LUGGAGE and they were all wearing longsleeved shirts, long pants, and pullovers. In previous years American has offered "denied boarding" (ticket vouchers good for one year) if you'd take the night flight when they were overweight, but this year they aren't doing that. Instead they just aren't taking all the luggage. [editor: The problem is that Anguilla's runway is too short and not level enough, and doesn't have re-fueling facilities. This means that American Eagle can't carry a full load of people and luggage into Anguilla. We have had our luggage left behind in San Juan several times. I like your idea of a carryon backup - in fact you probably only need what is in the carryon anyway!}

Please give a plug to Mala's Caribbean Cottage and Roti Hut in George Hill, open from 10:30 a.m. until 10 p.m. Her prices range from $4 US for a vegetarian Roti to $6 for a goat and vegetable or chicken curry and vegetable to $10 for shrimp and vegetable. She also had a conch and vegetable. They were light and delicious. THe cottage is quite cute and service was excellent. Excellent value for the price. [editor: We have an article about Mala's Cottage on our web site. Click here.]

Although we didn't visit it, we heard from another family with boys that the Landing Strip Restaurant (Chinese) next door (in a little mall) had large portions and good prices. [editor: we have the menu on our web site. Click here.]

Finally, as a librarian, I ask that you pass along this tip about the Library. For an $8 US deposit, they will allow you to check out unlimited titles. They have a wide selection of paperbacks and some hardbacks that make good "beach reading." Hours are 9:15 to 5 most weekdays (I think they close earlier on Wed.). Please suggest to people that they make their $8 deposit a contribution to the library when they return their last set of books. [editor: Good Tip for all our avid vacation readers.]

Your faithful reader - Susanne Thevenet AKA [email protected]

Read more email from visitors.

• Credit cards are accepted at Fairplay IGA, Albert Lakes, and Vista.
• If you are a gourmet, you might want to do some grocery shopping in St. Martin, especially on the French side. They have a well-stocked "Match" supermarket with Parisian delicacies flown in every week. This is located in Marigot, a short taxi ride from the ferry or a longish walk.

Update on Sombrero Article: Jason Butterworth has posted an article on Sombrero Island, originally published in "Anguilla Life" magazine, at this web site: www.sombrero.ai/island.htm

Web Page: web.ai/art

Email: [email protected]

Mainstay Villa has a new domain name for their web page: mainstayvilla.com

Haddalli Villa in Blowing Point now has a web page.

Rainbow Reef Villas in Seafeathers have a nice web page.

Bankie Bank Has His Own Site at www.bankiebanx.com, where you can order his CDs.

Terra Firma Villa is For Sale, and you can see it on the web at terrafirma.ai

Windsong Villa is also for sale, as indicated by this web site.

C.E.G. Ltd, a company incorporation and management firm in South Hill Anguilla, has a web page at ceg.ai

Counsel Ltd., offering accounting and company management services in Anguilla, has a web page at counsel.ai

Rendezvous Bay Hotel is described on this web page.

La Petite Maison D'Amour is described on this web page.

Harney Westwood & Riegels, a law firm from the British Virgin Islands, has opened an office in Anguilla and has a web page at www.hwr.org

Legend has it that the name derives from "journey cake", meaning a bread that could be cooked ahead when going out to work or on a journey.

In any case, there are as many recipes for Johnny Cake as there are cooks in Anguilla, ranging in style from something like hard-tack to something more like a donut. If you eat at local places in Anguilla, you will have Johnny Cakes eventually.

Here is the recipe for the "johnny cakes" that Ethne and Nat Richardson serve at the Palm Grove Bar and Grill at Junks Hole Bay.

Johnny Cakes
3	Cups Flour
1/4	Cup Cornmeal
2	Tablespoons Baking Powder
1	Tablespoon Salt
3	Tablespoons Sugar
1	Tablespoon Margarine
2	Tablespoons Vegetable Oil
1-1/2	Cups Water
1/3	Cup Frying Oil for Cooking

Sift together flour, cornmeal and baking powder. Mix together with salt, sugar and margarine. Make a well in the flour mixture and add vegetable oil. Add water slowly. Mix carefully until mixture is not sticky. Knead into a ball until smooth. Cover and let sit for 15 minutes. Roll dough into a long strip and cut into small pieces. Knead each piece into a small ball. On a floured surface, flatten each ball with a rolling pin or your finger tips and palms. Add about 1/3 frying oil into a frying pan or enough oil to cover bottom of pan. When oil is hot, add flattened cakes. Fry on one side for 2-3 minutes, turn and continue with other side until both sides are golden brown.

Servings:   1-1/2 dozen