5 Best Things/5 Things Missed the Most

I love these lists! Can't wait to see what comes up on the replies.

Five best things:

1. Crucians are the nicest, most respectful, and helpful people I have ever encountered.

2. No snow, ice, or seasonal affective disorder in the "winter".

3. It's absolutely beautiful here -- water that is a dozen different shades of blue and green at any given time, flowers in bloom year round, flambouyant trees that positively drip orange or yellow flowers in the spring and summer, green mountains, pastel houses, white sand, colorful fish, and so much undeveloped green space.

4. There is a real sense of community. We knew more of our neighbors in two weeks here than we did in four years of DC condo living in a building with only 42 units. One person can connect you with whoever you need to know -- it seems there is only one degree of separation between you and everyone else on the island.

5. Driving. A traffic jam at Sunny Isle is when there are more than 15 cars lined up for the lights between Sion Farm, the highway, and the entrances to the main shopping are on STX. Honking is a good thing (it's hello or thank you, not f*** you), and other drivers will stop deliberately stop to let you make a right turn or pull out of a side road or parking lot without waiting forever. (Since we drive on the left, right turns here are like left turns in the states: they can be impossible to make when faces with a ton of oncoming traffic.)

Things I miss most from the mainland. (None of these things, either individually or collectively, will ever be enough to lure me back. I don't even like the bi-monthly day trips we make to San Juan because it's too much of a reminder of what life in DC was like.)

1. Diet Vernors soda. (It's primarily a Michigander thing.)

2. A DMV that can get you in and out for anything you need in only an hour or two because the processes for getting licenses and registrations only require one stop (at the DMV!). Trust me, NOTHING will prepare you for getting your car registered or getting your drivers license down here. The STX DMV looks like it should be in Hooterville (it's an open air wooden building with benches and one bay where cars are inspected by the infamous Macho, who is, as far as I can tell, the only vehicle inspector on STX). It took a total of three days over two weeks time, three trips to the DMV, and one trip to the doctor for my hubby to get his VI drivers' license. Don't even get me started on registering the car we shipped down -- it was so bizarre that we end up laughing ourselves silly over the hoops that are set up for us to jump through. (Sadly, the DMV isn't an anomoly when it comes to the VI government.)

3. Getting food delivered. We came from an urban setting in which all of the Chinese food restaurants delivered, plus we had a local Dr. Delivery service that would pick up food from over 50 other local restaurants and deliver it for a flat $3.50 charge. We figured that delivery was out completely once we moved here. Much to our amazement, the local Dominos does deliver pizza during specific hours, thanks to a driver who is excellent with the kind of directions one must give when living in a place where 95% of the roads are unnamed. We're slowly adjusting to having to pick up or own carry out from the local Chinese restaurant.

4. Those perfect fall days when the air is cool but the bright sunshine is warm and brings out the brilliant oranges, reds, and yellows as the leaves turn.

5. Fairly reliable and timely snail mail service. The US mail is erratic down here. I brought my job with a DC non-profit advocacy group down with me when we moved. Some things mailed from my office arrived in 3-5 days, while one card send by a dear friend/colleague didn't arrive until six weeks after it was posted in DC. Finding ways to pay all of your bills online, by phone, or in person instead of mailing them will save you a lot of stress and possible a lot of late fees, too.

Thanks for asking this, JD. It was a fun exercise and should spark a very interesting discussion.

HC

Hmm...things I miss:

Arby's
Krispy Kreme
Taco Bell
Burger King
Vernors (I'm from Lake Orion, MI)

The BEST things? Hmmm...too tuff to answer that on a message board! haha!

HipCrip, your post made me even more excited about our upcoming move. We arrive around 3pm on April 16th. I am so glad it will be daylight still!

Marty...I am getting my fill of favorite restaurants now, but check out copykat recipes dot com (don't know if links are OK here). They have some great knock off recipes you can try at home. I made the Olive Garden salad dressing at home and it was so similar! And come on, post your best list : )

Brandy

My "Best" list would take too long! Haha! And it would be too hard to limit myself to just 5! And too hard to put them in order, too!

HC,

You're welcome. I thought it might provide those of us contemplating a move some varied insight on life in the VI. I've lived numerous places in the US: NYC, Boston, Vegas, San Fran, Tahoe and Upstate NY. Each of those moves started with a spark of inspiration much like the one that has lead me to this message board. My experiences have led me to believe you don't know what you're truly gonna miss about a place until you're gone and all you have to relish about it are your memories. However, that isn't such a bad thing if the place you're moving to fullfills the fantasy or desires that spurred you to move. We're in our 30's and a bit more settled than we used to be so thinking about a move to the VI is a bit more daunting then previous moves. We're making decent money, own a house, two cars, close to both sides of the family and Upstate NY is cheap so we live pretty well. I understand perfectly about missing the fall. It's my favorite season. However, there are few things prettier than the color the Atlantic Ocean can turn in the tropics at about 60-80ft when the water clarity is good. That intense dark aquamaring color. Thanks for your post and for helping to stimulate our imagination.

JD

this is going to be a fun thread!!!

the 5 best things about living in the VI (in no particular order)...

1-the natural beauty: the sea, the beach, the mountains, the tropical vegetation.

2-the fabulous weather.

3-the friendly locals who will go out of your way to help you.

4-days off are so much fun!! so many beaches/hiking trails from which to choose!!

5-bragging to all my friends in the states about how fab life is in the VI. none of them can outdo me because in live in the most beautiful place in the world.

the 5 things missed the most (also in no particular order)...

1-family and friends in the states.

2-my old apartment's view of center city philadelphia.

3-the mummers.

4-philly foods: water ice, tastykakes, soft pretzels.

5-being able to visit my old haunts (my grade school and hometown) whenever i want.

yes, i was a philly girl, which explains #'s 4 and 5. 😉

LOL....99% of the people on this board probably have never heard of the "Mummers". We live at the Jersey Shore and I think New Year's would be a little strange without them. Oh yeah....I'd miss those Cheese Steaks too.

Top 5 best things:

1) People are very friendly and helpful.

2) Gas is cheaper than on the mainland.

3) All my friends are insanely jealous that I live in paradise.

4) The Brew Pub in Christiansted.

5) The awesome weather.

Top 5 missed things:

1) Being able to wear a leather jacket or heavy coat on occassion.

2) Chik-fil-a

3) Best Buy

4) Barnes and Noble

5) Seeing family and friends regularly

I'm with Marty - my best list would be too long and involved. Most of it is philosophical. The best things have to do with removing yourself from the stresses of stateside life. Slowing down and enjoying your time here. No keeping up with Jones'. So, that another thread perhaps.

Things I miss: not in any particular order
1. Grocery shopping late at night. USed to do my best grocery s hopping at 1 AM.
2. Beaches you can drive your car on.
3. Pine trees and spanish moss
4. My mom
5. Real gardening where you had plenty of soil and unlimited water.

Also agreed, not enough to make me go back 🙂

T A S T E Y K A K E S:

My sister came down and brought an assortment. Want to split a case of Candykakes or butterscotch Krimpets?

Missed the Most:

1.) Chili's, starbucks, Applebees, etc.

2.) Real stores that carry all the stuff you want without the 30% mark-up.

3.) Borders or Barnes & Noble

4.) Getting up on a Saturday morning, getting the MG out and driving for hours to where-ever just for lunch. Enjoying the open road.

5.) concept of customer service and a can-do attitude.

Like the most:

1.) Unreal Beauty
2.) Mostly friendly people who respond to kindness with kindness.
3.) Trafic - what traffic
4.) No snow or ice
5.) and about 50 other things.

yeah, e-mail me with the details! just click on my name, and you should be able to go straight to e-mail.

5 Best
1. Water,Water, Water
2. Sitting on the deck in the morning watching the cruise ships come in.
3. Great weather to work out in.
4. Happy hour on St. John
5. Slower pace of life

Things I miss
1. P.F. Changs
2. Going to Sporting Events/Concerts
3. Taco Bell
4. Road Trips
5. Skiing

you guys keep listing restaurants as the things you miss...I love all those chain restaurants, too. But with all the tourists, there must be a lot of great local places to eat out. are they all ridiculously over-priced? What about little stands that sell great local food like in Mexico and Haiti? I think I might be able to live without Applebees and PF Changs if there were some fun, new options.

PS things i wont miss about pittsburg
1. Snow, Ice, digging out my car
2. The fact that it is actually the Road Construction Capital of America and traffic is terrible
3. The fact that everyone owns a beamer or an audi and they will always cut you off.
4. the closest beach is Lake Erie. Enough said.
5. Snow, Ice, etc. again

I will miss for sure:
1. My family and friends
2. The Steelers!
3. Barnes and Noble, Starbucks
4. My church full of great people
5. My horses, lots of wide open spaces, our cabin in the mountains, being able to drive hours from civilzation

i might as well list what i won't miss about philly...i'll try my best to confine the list to 5:

1-lousy weather 9 mos. out of the year (snow, ice, cold, rain, ungodly humidity, floods)

2-road rage

3-rude people

4-overpopulation

5-overdevelopment

6-obnoxious eagles fans

7-white trash, inbred people

8-having to helplessly watch my grade school and swim club close down, my piano teacher's pretty victorian house being razed to make way for a housing project, and my best childhood friend's home become a crack house. 🙁

more that 5...guess you would say i'm pretty unhappy living here. 🙁

Meg,

Most people are listing restaurants as things they will miss because we just can't get them here. Sure, we have some incredible, absolutely DELICIOUS, places to eat here, but when you have a hankerin' for an Arby's Roast Beef w/ Horsey Sauce...ya gotta get on a plane! haha!

I gotta agree with Marty on the food. I was blown away by the number of great restaurants on St. Thomas and St. John but every once in a while I start jonesin for some T-Bell and I have yet to find any Chinese that I like. The good news is we are a short flight from the Eastern seaboard so we can always go home to fulfill our cravings and come back to paradise!!

So find a way to import your fav's or market them yourself so that all us ex-pat's can enjoy them!

shut up Marty! After reading this posting I had to get an Arby's fix...I haven't eaten Arby's since I left Ohio...grrrr! lol!!!

I looked into opning a Taco Bell when I got here...they wanted $475K just for the franchise! Then all the $$ that goes along with finding a building (we actually have a rundown building that used to BE a Taco Bell...but Marilyn shut it down), renovating and furnishing it, stocking the supplies, and hiring and training the staff! Too rich for this po' white boy.

I love mainland for

!. Old English Malt liqour
2. Colt 45
3. boone's farm
4. Billy D
5. bottle clubs

I love about VI
1. hvwnt moved yet

You can order online now! Check it out Dennis!

https://www.tastykake.com/ProductBrowse.aspx

InLoveWithStJohn, I've just fallen in love with you! Thanks for the valuable tidbit.

Like many others who've posted, my hubby is a butterscotch krimpets addict of the highest order. I've been baking him cakes to try and get his need for a "cakey-type" snack satisfied. While the cake has been yummy, we both know that it doesn't take care of that deep-seated need, spawned during childhood, to draw in the aroma of butterscotch as you unwrap the cellophane-encased goodie -- that, dear friends and fellow snackers, can only be satisfied by a real Tastycakes krimpet.

Thanks for the tip on what to get him to celebrate our one year anniversary on STX!

Gratefully yours,
HipCrip

Hey Hip...you're welcomed. Remember when they were wrapped in wax paper wrappers? Happy anniversity. I'm getting married this June...where else...in Trunk Bay.