Belgian Waffle

My new favorite munching place in Cayman is The Brasserie Market, and I’m not alone! The casual lunch bistro next to The Brasserie is wildly popular, and it deserves to be: the lunch offerings at The Brasserie Market are fabulous. Choose from giant made-to-order salads with delicious add-ons like shrimp, prosciutto or fresh caught fish, AMAZING burgers (including Kobe beef, turkey or veggie), yumm-o hearty soups, and terrific sandwiches on Cuban, Focaccia or French bread. The food is fresh and beautiful, and the atmosphere is fun & happening, so this place is always PACKED!

We knew it wouldn’t be long until those clever folks at the Brasserie came up with a lovely “grab & go”, or “sit & savor” Breakfast Menu. You can swing by and pick up a fresh baked scone, muffin, croissant, bagel, breakfast bread, or toast. Or, for a little more fuel, grab some of their “soon to be famous” House Granola & House Made Yoghurt (WOW) or Steel Cut Oatmeal. You can also opt for a Cayman Sandwich, Patties, a Sausage Roll, or a Panini. If you have time to linger over the morning paper, you can do a little people-watching, and enjoy one of these gorgeous breakfasts:

Authentic Belgian Waffle with choice of whipped butter, berry compote, fresh fruit, and whipped cream (CI $7.99 Whole, $4.99 Half)

Two Eggs Any Style with Hash Browns, Toast and Choice of Bacon or Sausage (CI $8.99)

Breakfast is served daily 7:30AM-10:30AM. One more thing: the coffee is superb! Treat yourself soon!

The Brasserie Market     Cricket Square     www.brasseriemarket.com     345-945-1814

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Beyond Basics

Anti-Aging (Deep Sigh!) If you are over 30 years of age, chances are you spend time slathering on sunscreen and anti-aging products to keep looking young. Don’t forget two important areas where the skin is often ignored: the hands, and the decolletage, or chest area. The skin on your chest and hands tends to be thinner, and vulnerable to aging, since these areas may not be as moisturized. Perhaps they are overlooked in your sun protection regime. These two crucial areas may give away the secret of your age.

Take steps today to revitalize the skin on your chest and hands with a Beyond Basics regimen specially customized to reveal a more radiant all-over glow in these highly visible areas. Check out these unique beauty treatments, designed to rejuvinate your skin:

Skin Tightening/Wrinkle Reduction Comfortably achieve a more youthful, tightened and toned appearance. The laser stimulates collagen production that produces a firming effect in slack skin. Safe for all skin tones.

Chemical Peels A broad range of peels are available to address concerns such as dark pigment, age spots and fine lines

Laser Skin Rejuvination Laser service precisely targets skin imperfections caused by sun, age spots, & uneven skin tone

Anti-Aging Hand Treatment Exfoliating and deep hydrating treatment combined with the most luxurious hand massage you can imagine. Repachage Hydro-moisture mask and a re-texturizing/peeling cream will leave your hands looking young and vital.

LED Lights Light Therapy promotes collagen production, smoothes skin texture, improves skin’s firmness, restores skin’s natural cellular activity, reduces the appearance of aging and damaged skin cells (fine lines, wrinkles, and dark spots on the skin)

Let the skincare pros at Beyond Basic Medical Day customize an anti-aging program for you, to restore your youthful glow. Call 345-945-2737 for a complimentary consult.

http://www.beyondbasics.ky/home.html 

Beyond Basics                  Smith Road Plaza              345-945-2737 

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Governors Square

Tomorrow, September 18th will be a fun day at Governor’s Square. Cost-U-Less is celebrating their three year anniversary in The Cayman Islands a wee bit early with a big sale on household & grocery items, and many Governors Square stores are jumping on the bandwagon to make it a festive & interesting day! Make sure to stop by and see a fantastic Funky Monkey fashion show, nibble some free sweets, and even sip a free Mimosa! Here are a few of the things going on tomorrow at Governors Square:

Cost-U-Less: serious savings on household and grocery items, all day!

TCBY: free yogurt samples, all day

Tortuga Liquors: wine tastings & free sample of rum cake

Spa Del Soul: full service salon offering a 20% discount on the Thai herbal massage Friday & Saturday

Funky Monkey: Cayman’s hippest fun wear boutique for all your yoga, sporty & beachy needs! Check out The Rack for 40-75% off. Don’t miss the fashion shows at 11:30 and 1:00 PM on Saturday!

The Dance Studio: Offering lessons to all ages in ballroom dancing, Bollywood, Indian Classical and Salsa. Stop in Saturday and watch dancers perform!

Bon Vivant: Offers the very best products to make your culinary experience the most pleasurable! Visit the green egg by the tent for a sample!

Welcome Home: Beautiful, truly unique home furnishings. Stop by for 5% off and a Mimosa!

Just Add Water: ladies boutique with stunning evening & casual wear. Chic handbags and amazing sparking costume jewelry! Stop by for a Mimosa and 15% off shoes!

Perk Up: Coffee, Salads, Sandwiches, yummy sweet treats. Free samples Saturday 11:00AM-1:00PM!

I just mentioned a few of the businesses at Governors Square, but there are many, many more. Make a plan to stock up at Cost-U-Less (we are in the middle of hurricane season, after all!) and have a little fun with the other folks at Governors Square, too. Don’t miss the free samples at TCBY! (You’ll end up buying a full size treat, if you’re anything like me.) Make sure you catch one of the Funky Monkey fashion shows; all the clothes are terrific and just perfect for our busy island life.

See you there!

Governors Square     West Bay Road

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Wine & Wings? WHAT? OK, maybe not together, but if you like either wine OR wings, you have two great reasons to turn off the TV tonight and visit the best wine happy hour in The Cayman Islands at The Brick House! Wine Down Wednesday (WDW) is taking place tonight, September 1st, 2010 and every Wednesday night from 5:00 PM to 8:00 PM.  It’s all about $5.00 wine, $5.00 appetizers, and 25 cent wings! Here are some tasty examples of the the wine & food pairings tonight:

Cono Sur Pinot Noir, Chile 2009 This voluptuous Pinot with rich aromas is recognized for strong cherry, plum and strawberry hints, finished with a subtle spiciness. Scallop and Shrimp Chimichurri Skewers are grilled and basted in a fragrant green Chimichurri sauce.

Cono Sur Cabernet Sauvignon Blanc, Chile 2009 Elegant and crisp, with refreshing citrus and gooseberry notes, this lovely wine will go well with the food pairing of Saffron Mussels: PEI mussels sauteed in a Paella-style seafood broth with onions and garlic.  

Come hang out in the lively and fun atmosphere, grab some excellent wings from 4:00-11:00 PM, and enjoy an ice cold beer. The Brick House is located at the back of Grand Harbour in Red Bay, always draws a good crowd for this happy hour. It’s worth getting out of the house for a glass of wine and a yummy appetizer. Grab a buddy, head out of the office NOW, and pop down for some mid week relaxation! Cheers!

The Brick House: 345-947-3456

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Agave Grill

An authentic Mexican Cantina does exist here in Grand Cayman. Tucked into Ed’s Plaza in Industrial Park is a perfectly delightful, self-proclaimed “hole-in-the-wall” serving delicious food called The Agave Grill. Every meal is prepared with the freshest and highest quality ingredients available. Most of the menu dishes feature meat (which is typical for traditional Mexican dishes) and the Agave Grill uses US “Choice” inside rounds, marinated with chilies for 24 hours, “mesquite smoked” and then oven braised for four hours. There are tasty chicken, vegetarian and locally caught seafood options to choose from as well.

You can order “to go”, or wander in and see what the daily specials are on the chalkboard. By all means, order yourself a famous house margarita, made with their signature prickly pear-infused tequila.

With Cayman temps reaching the 90s, and only dipping down the 80s at night, stay cool with the special Agave summer drinks. Check these out:

Infused Margaritas:Choose from Prickly Pear, Mango, Pineapple, Salty Grapefruit Chi Hua Hua and Jalapeno

Agave Michelada:Why drink a plain old beer when you can have a Michelada? 1 Pacifico, Spicy Old Bay salted rim, half a lime, drop of hot sauce, drop of Worcestershire sauce, a spoonful of Pico di Gallo, and fresh oyster (if available)

Mexican Beers:Pacifico. Negra & Coronas

Ceviche: Try the ceviche of the week.

Agave Grill   Ed’s Plaza          Industrial Park     345-947-5555

www.agave.ky

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Charming Compatible Beads

I finally made my way into 24k-Mon Jewelers & Art Gallery today, and the first thing I thought of, is “Why did I wait so long?!” This lovely jewelry store and art gallery has a wealth of truly unique treasures, many of them produced locally, with a wide variety of price ranges to suit every budget. It’s really like two stores in one. Most retail establishments that try the dual approach can’t pull this off, but 24k-Mon is the exception; the jewelry offerings and the artwork are seamlessly displayed. Much of the handcrafted, locally made jewelry is unique enough to be labeled artwork!

There is fine artwork worthy of the Ritz-Carlton, and are priced accordingly. But there are tons of stunning pieces that look just as expensive, priced at just a few hundred dollars, and some are priced less. Owner Gale Tibbetts has a very wide range of original paintings and prints by local artists such as April Bending, Lorna Griggs, Debbie Tibbetts-Husted, Sue Widmer, Steve Warren, Hollace Katay, Guy Harvey, Jayne Ford, and Lois Brezinski. There are paintings and prints, and painted sculptures made of brass, bronze, porcelain, acrylic and glass. Choose from collectible items such as painted and etched wine glasses, tiles, teapots, vases, paperweights, hand painted hand bags, and porcelain dolls. There are lots of whimsical hand painted plaques for a lighthearted and inexpensive gifts.

Right now, there is a fantastic sale going at 24k-Mon Jewelers and Art Gallery! Most of the framed art prints are 40% off, and many other items in the Gallery such as sculptures and other art pieces are 50% off! Hurry in to get a special piece for your home. Or shop now for birthdays, the holidays, or other special occasions.

Sea Animal Charms

Do take a peek at the jewelry while you are there! The “Compatible Component” Beads, in Sterling Silver, are interchangeable with Pandora, but with a Cayman twist! Your bracelet can have a flavor that belongs only to you. Check out the Turtle, Ray, Mermaid and Conch pieces (also available in 14kt.) The beads can go onto earrrings, cords, bracelets, chains, and others accessories to create your own special jewelry. I fell madly in love with “Bee Line Designs”, a fresh and ravishing line designed by local, on-staff designers with bold, semi precious materials. The pieces started at $60.00 and could easily go higher but have a very expensive look that could fit in on any runway in NYC or Paris. It’s a timeless, sexy line that I am going to invest in. I haven’t seen anything that unique in a quite some time. Sophisticated and good looking! Patricia Ebanks, one of the designers, told me that a portion of each sale go to breast cancer awareness. So you can feel great about looking great!

14kt Yellow Gold Charm

24k-Mon Jewelers & Art Gallery

Located at Buckingham Square, Seven Mile Beach on West Bay Road

Telephone: 345-949-1499  www.24k-monjewelers.com

Open Monday through Saturday 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM

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Grand Old House

The Grand Old House is known for elegant dinners, the fantastic wine list, breathtaking sunsets, and a classic Carribean “Great House” venue. They are now “lightening up” considerably with a terrific and diverse Mix & Match salad menu that has proven to be very popular with the corporate crowd, the locals, and many visitors. Here’s how it works: you choose your base salad (like the “Chic to be Greek Salad”) and if you desire, you toss on a yummy protein (like New Zealand Lamb Chops). Some of the base salads are quite robust on their own and can stand up quite nicely without a thing added in, like the Caribbean Lobster Salad or the Thai Beef Salad.

BASE SALADS: Organic Salad with Cottage Cheese, Local Vine Ripened Tomatoes & Buffalo Mozzarella on Basil Gazpacho, Organic Vegan Salad, Grand Old House Caesar Salad, “Chic to be Greek” Salad, Caribbean Lobster Salad, or Thai Beef Salad

SALAD ADD-ONS: Free Range Chicken Breast, Mahi-Mahi, Snapper, Filet of Yellow Fin Tuna, New York Strip Loin 6 Oz, Black Tiger Shrimp, or New Zealand Lamb Chops

Open for lunch, Monday-Friday 11:45 AM to 2:00 PM, Open for Dinner, nightly 6:00 PM to 10:00 PM.

Telephone: 345-949-9333      www.grandoldhouse.com     info@grandoldhouse.com

Pop over soon and enjoy the great atmosphere, and leave without feeling stuffed! Grab a buddy, a date, or even dare to dine alone. You might spot me munching on the Organic Vegan Salad and taking in the sweeping views of the beautiful Caribbean Sea; I’m worth it!

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Italian Salad

For only CI $25.00, it’s possible to get an amazing gourmet meal at Casanova Restaurant, this weekend only. This price includes a fabulous meal, and a glass of wine to sip as you savor Casanova’s famous Italian food. It’s an extraordinary value, and a fabulous experience, at one of Grand Cayman’s finest restaurants. The locale could not be any more romantic; it’s perched by the Caribbean Sea. Come for the sunset and let the seabreezes soothe away the stresses of the week!

Check out what the chef has put together for you, June 25th-June 27th:

Appetizers (choose one):  

Soup of the Day

Fresco Con Vegetable-Garden Salad tossed with grilled veggies in basil-oregano dressing

Funghi Saltati Al Gorgonzola-Sauteed Mushrooms with gorgonzola cheese

Main Courses (Choose One):

Spaghetti Fradiavolo-Spaghetti sauteed with shrimp in a spicy marinara & basil sauce

Pollo Al Funghi-Chicken Breast sauteed in white wine, mushrooms and garlic laced with a touch of herb  cream sauce

Filetto Di Pesce Capri-fresh fish with a fresh diced mix of tomatillos, scallions, oregano, thyme & black olives in basil broth

Desserts: choose from Bread Pudding, Italian Tiramisu, Casanova’s Double Layer Chocolate Cake

Wine: Includes one glass of wine or one bottle of wine for 4 guests

Call NOW to reserve your spot! If you are dining alone, don’t be shy! Join the fun! 345-949-7633

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Tuna Tartar

Are you bored with the idea of another dinner at home? Are you staring into the fridge and wondering what to make? GO WEST! Don’t mind the rain; it’s cozy and nice inside the Cracked Conch’s lovely dining room, and the tempting new menu items are worth venturing out for! Chef Gilbert has a special touch with local, fresh seafood and herbs, and he knows exactly how to sear the seafood to bring out the flavors without overdoing it. He combines exquisite seafood, fresh-from-the-garden-veggies, a touch of flavorful sauces, a chutney, or a root puree to create the most amazing dishes. Check out these yummy new dishes at Cracked Conch:

Appetizers:

Honey Jerk Glazed Tuna Tartar (with Local Peppers & Cucumber Relish)

Fresh Goat Cheese (Garlic Crouton, Beetroot Chips & Puree)  

Main Courses:

Pan Seared Tuna (with Warm Potato Salad, Tartar Broth)

Butter Poached Mahi Mahi (with Pumpkin Puree, Crispy Veggies, Dark Rum Butter Sauce, Tomato Chutney)

Call for reservations! They are open for dinner 5:30-10:00PM. 345-945-5217

The Cracked Conch

www.crackedconch.com.ky

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Gordon

If you would like to have a pet at home, but can’t, there is still a great way to become a HERO in a dog’s life with the new sponsorship program at The Cayman Islands Humane Society. For as little as CI $40.00, you can sponsor a dog’s food bowl! A one month sponsorship is $40.00, 3 months is $120.00, 6 months is $240.00, and 1 year is $480.00. Isn’t that wonderful way to contribute to a pet’s new life?

If you can’t spare the $40.00, pop by and pick up a Gift Card for $5.00. There are donation cards that come in Birthday, Sympathy or General Donation variations. They will mail them out for you, or you can deliver them yourself. What a super idea for kids, co-workers or any animal lover.

The Humane Society has a wish list:  http://www.caymanhumanesociety.com/donate_wishlist.php. Volunteer dog walkers and groomers are always needed and greatly appreciated. The book store is in need of books, and volunteers to sort books, stock shelves, and sell the books. If you are a book lover, you probably already know that this store has a wonderful selection of books for only a few dollars each. The thrift store has just had a lovely renovation (complete with brand new hardwood floors) so clean out your closets and bring in those clothes and household goods you aren’t using. Good ole’ cash donations are always appreciated too!  This wonderful organization relies on the community, so please help out in any way that you can.

Last but not least, the Humane Society has the most amazing dogs and cats available for adoption! I was there a few days ago and I wish I had a huge home like Oprah, so I could bring them all home with me. They were all so friendly, loving, and just begging to come home to a loving family. Good friends of mine have three rescued Cayman “mutts” that are some of the finest dogs I know; two of them came from the Humane Society. (Their other dog turned up as a tiny puppy behind our office, abandoned by his mother, and grew up to be a big, strapping guy that has an absolutely fabulous life.)

To sign up for the new sponsorship program:

email info@caymanhumanesociety.com or call 345-949-1461

Be a HERO today!

By the way, the cute doggie in the picture is Gordon. He’s the Featured Pet: http://www.caymanhumanesociety.com/index.php. If you need a new best friend, or know of someone who might, please forward the link so Gordon can find his “forever home”!

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