I Pink I Like it Here
A few weeks ago, I received a text from my mom saying she'd booked us tickets to Bermuda for Labor Day. She was going to be in the city to help me move and figured we were both so stressed we deserved some time off, so an island getaway seemed like the logical next step. Bermuda is actually a quick flight from NYC and since she'd found a deal on a hotel room, it wasn't overly expensive. We arrived Friday evening and the next morning headed straight to the beach club associated with the hotel we were staying at, the Hamilton Princess Bermuda. We spent most of the day there until it began to look grey and we hopped onto the shuttle just in time as the rain started. That afternoon we explored Hamilton and did a little shopping while it was raining, and though there wasn't much in the small town, we found an adorable shop called Atelerie which had some very trendy finds. We headed back to the hotel for dinner at Marcus' a popular spot run by chef Marcus Samuelson. My mom and I are both total foodies, not to mention avid Food Network watchers, so we were thrilled when Marcus himself walked by and said hello to us. The menu seems simple but it is executed with such unique flavors and skill that it made for an incredible meal.
The next day we decided to explore the island a bit more and we asked a cab to take us to the town of St. George, the oldest continually occupied British settlement in the New World. It's a charming and colorful little town with a building in every color you could imagine. We walked around a little, snapped some photos, and then ate lunch by the water. We then went to find a cab back, though unfortunately there were none at the taxi stand and though we called twice, still none came. One thing to note about Bermuda is that you cannot rent a car and the only way to get around is by cab or by moped. Finally, a cab pulled up, but he said he was off duty. He then referred us to a nearby car that he called a "gypsy cab," in other words just a local who was willing to drive us to where we needed to go. In most places in the world this would seem so sketchy but on a small island like Bermuda, it was just another day. Our unofficial cab driver wound up giving us a tour around the southern half of the island, stopping at lookouts along the way and even giving us time to explore some of the beaches and coves and take in the pink sand. It was a wonderfully serendipitous experience and he did not mind taking the time to explain more about the local culture of the island. Finally he dropped us off at Horseshoe Bay, one of the most popular beaches on the island, and we spent the rest of the afternoon on a lounge chair by the pristine turquoise water. We headed back to the hotel in time to clean up for dinner in town at Barracuda, a decent laid back restaurant.
Our final day was the most laid back of all since it rained for most of it and we spent the morning sleeping in then slowly heading to lunch at Marcus' before a few hours at the salon getting massages and pedicures, eventually laying out by the hotel pool once the sun came out again. We decided to head to dinner at Tucker's Point, a resort at the other end of the island, known for their elegant restaurant The Point. We were certainly not disappointed and they even brought me a little birthday cake at the end since it would be my birthday in a few days.
It was a much needed vacation and I left feeling wonderfully refreshed and not quite ready to head back to reality...
