For all you coffee lovers on STT...

Teresa,

I hear you about missing Barnes and Nobles. We live in Key West (originally from Long Island, New York) and the closest one is about a four hour drive (actually any store other than a pretty poor K-Mart and a small Sears is a four hour drive). We just got a Starbucks about a year ago, I'm not crazy about their coffee although my husband likes it, but I love their baked goods. I am stocking up on books from Amazon.com for our move to St. Thomas on August 1, (I wonder if they ship to St. Thomas?) and when we change planes in the Miami airport we will get our last Starbucks fix for a long time.

We can't wait for the move, some days it seems like forever, others I don't know how we will get everything done.

Nancy

Nancy,

Sounds like you are already used to living in STT. Just a K-mart to shop and using internet to ship books. 🙂 Actually we have used amazon.com quite a bit. They ship rather quickly to boot. If you love pastries, I have found 5 bakeries on STT. Frank's in Sub-base is fabulous and they have great sandwiches for lunch and great bread. Cream and Crumb is smaller but has great donuts. Mini donuts and Aunt Nellie's - I have not tried (both in Charlotte Amalie), but the scent tells me that they have promise. There is another in the Wheatley Center that I have not tried nor caught a whiff. 🙂 I just looked in the yellow pages and there are several more on STT. I just need to find them and try them out! This is not going to be good for my goal of losing weight.

I was once in your exact position. I moved in August of last year - seems like more than a year... About this time last year I was full blown crazy woman. I was wrapping up my career as a computer programmer, researching my heart out on island living, posting and reading on this board several times a day, and worrying about everything. My husband was already on island so I felt alone. Ah, flashback. It's funny how I brought too much stuff, didn't bring what I really needed, and wish I had known what I needed before I moved. The less you can live with the better. Well, good luck with your move and relax - it will all come together.

Teresa

Hey Teresa,
Piaa here from KC 🙂 Reading your post what stuff did you wish you had bought and what do you wish you had left? I know, I know, I'm sure I read a post before but it's always so much fun to read and hear things. Well, we decided that Les (hubby) will move to STJ soon - about 2 weeks or so - and I will stay here in KC until about August, so I am also a crazy woman right now buying all kinds of crap, oops valuable household items 🙂 that I know I wont be able to live without, but am almost positive that I wont need any of once we arrive. Our Jeep made it great, although it wouldn't start when we went to pick it up and it took a couple of hours or so to start - that along with the strange smell it acquired on it's travel across the water - was an interesting start to island time and island living - I loved it 🙂 Hope to get together once we arrive. Thanks for all your advice, along with everyone else on this forum - you guy's are the best 🙂
ps, who did you work for in KC before you left, Les was also a programmer years ago - maybe your paths had crossed?

Hello Piaa,

I worked for DST as a mainframe programmer. Old style Cobol not the new fangled things like C++ that they have now. I am so out of it, I am sure C++ is not the newest thing either. I am jealous that you will live on STJ. With Chris's work, we have to be available on STT. STJ is our weekend get away place. It is a vacation whenever we want it.

Ah - the things we should have left and things we should have brought. My list changes all the time. I guess I would have brought more summer clothing, many more sandals (at cheap prices), more swim wear, and more beach towels. Sam's Club had snorkel gear, beach towels, patio furniture, etc at really good prices. I could have made money bringing that stuff in double and selling it! I would have brought more carpet pieces at discount. Near 40 Hwy and Noland Rd there is a resale store that had carpet so cheap. Tile floors can really hurt your feet and shins after walking on them all day. The carpet helps a lot, but it is expensive here. I would have brought a boot scraper to get all the sand off our shoes and feet before going inside. We left some furniture behind that we wish we could have brought now. I also have way too many work clothes that I don't need here. I don't need pantyhose here! I would have brought more bookshelves. I would have bought a free standing mirror. I have no place to hang a mirror. (Cement walls limit so much) Also on Noland Rd is a Pier 1 outlet store. I think I would have purchased a lot more there. I would have brought an umbrella stand and a lot of umbrellas. Not for the just for rain, but sunshine as well! I would have brought more hats. I would not have brought so many dishes. Think about how many dishes you want to do by hand every day. I would have brought a gas grill. I brought way too many blankets - I mean what was I thinking? I would have brought a generator. Most of the things I wish I had brought are things I have bought since moving here. They are just so expensive.

All in all, it really depends on what you can live with or without and how much money you live on. Some people buy or order their entire household on island. They are very rich people. Some middle class people come with nothing and rent furnished apartments and are glad they skipped the headache of figuring out what to bring. The rest of us, bring all the wrong things, some good things, and forget things they needed. However, many of us are glad for the experience, try to help others, and are just grateful for the 'problems' of living in paradise.

Speaking of K.C. people, someone had emailed me and had questions that I have forgotten and I think they were from K.C. They had talked to travelwoman about me. Anyway, I got a major virus (again) via junk email and have recovered, but forgot to get in contact with that person (I think). Anyway, if you are out there, send me an email again. Was that cryptic enough? Honestly I have this nagging feeling that I forgot to email someone and can't look it up. I hope they contact me again.

Well, Piaa, it is up to you what you want to bring and what you would rather store on the mainland or give away. Do remember, storing items on the mainland is about 75% cheaper than storing items here. Chris and I have often debated whether we should have brought virtually nothing and just bought things as we needed them. It is a nice dream. It is almost a year later and I still have over a dozen unpacked boxes! 🙂

Teresa

YES to a Barnes and Noble with a Starbucks!!!!! I love sitting in the overstuffed chair reading fancy books that I probably won't buy, sipping a cup of double chocolate fappuchino. Not really a coffee drinker but love that one.

There is a new coffee shop on waterfront street in town - didn't stop in but it looks like it's trying to be a Starbucks type place??? A & J Latte or something or other?? Tourists need a Starbucks! and I would think would keep them really busy - if the speed of service required could be met.

Hey Theresa,
Edgar Here! My office is right next to Barnies in the Buccaneer Mall entrance. They are painting as I write this, and I should be moved in by the weekend. I'm sure I will be a regular at Barnies, but I first have to finish the 5 pounds of Starbucks my daughter sent me before she left working there. My daughter checked with Starbucks about them opening here, and she was told there are no immediate plans for a company owned store, but there may be a licensed operation coming soon. Same coffee, no company benefits.

Piaa, I spent Saturday at Cinnamon Bay and darkened my tan.... jealous? My wife is! LOL We were going to have a moving sale last Saturday, but postponed because of the wickedly bad weather there. Hope to hear from Les when he gets in, maybe we can go Limin'. August will come quickly so hang in there.

"Island Ed"

Teresa,

First, I want to say I am new to this board...just found it. Second, I too, am originally from KC and 40 Hwy/Noland Rd were some of my old stompin grounds in high school. Went to Lee's Summit. I have lived in Dallas for 25 years.

We are purchasing a 2/2 condo in STT and are due to close next month. We have been coming to STT for 13 years (since our honeymoon) every year via a timeshare we bought (UGH) except it did get us (and many of our friends/family) there along the way. If we woulda had half a brain, we woulda bought then instead of now...oh well.

Would love to pick your brain about the "stuff". This will be a second home and we will rent it when we are not there, so we won't have a bunch of personal stuff there. I am guessing I will be returning after close (end of July) to clean up and fix up the place. Trying to figure out how I'm gonna get some of this stuff down there (no furniture fortunately).

Any insight would be greatly appreciated...from anyone out there! Thanks.

Deb

Is there a Starbucks in t Thomas?
Thanks

Hi Cigarrito,

I don't think that there is a Starbucks on STT (correct me if I am wrong fellow posters). However, there are a number of other really good coffee shops. I enjoy Beans, Bytes and Websites at the Royal Dane Mall in town near the waterfront. There are others as well.

Enjoy :)!
Mell

On the East End I am a regular at Cafe Latte at American Yacht Harbor. They have fast service and great coffee and a small selection of pastries. When downtown I like Beans,Bytes and Websites and the other coffee shop next to Foot Locker?? A&J Island Latte??
I have tried the Barnies in Havensight and both times been disappointed by the service and the coffee. Guess I need to try them again as they might be still working out the kinks.

No kinks David, the Barnies experience is about as good as you'll get there.

Teresa,

Just moved here two months ago; I can think of a lot more that just Starbucks and Barnes & Noble this place needs. I told my husband I'd rather live in PR b/c of Starbucks and Walmart. I was raised in the Seattle area, I need my Starbucks and B&N. Why wouldn't someone franchise a Starbucks, will all the ships that come in, you'd think they'd do well, I'd do it if I had the money!!!

FYI, Lena, Starbucks is NOT a franchise, so we just have to wait until they decide to come here.

In the mean time and in between time, Beans, bytes and Websites and A& J on the waterfront both offer superb espresso options.

Oh, and B&N delivers with free shipping over $25!!

thank you Mel.
My husband, son and I are traveling to STT on 9/30 and will be there for 14 weeks on a job assigment. We need help trying to decide what to do about transportation. Should we rent a vehicle or buy a vehicle?
Thank you,
Cigarrito

I also miss Starbucks. I know that a lot of people have disdain for "corporate coffee" but those folks really know how to properly roast their beans, unlike most other coffee shops. Either that or they lace it with crack 🙂

You guys can keep your Starbucks, i'll take a WAWA coffee anytime!

Peggy! yeah!!!

I'll drink Starbucks in a pinch (burnt beans and all)....but prefer WAWA for on-the-go (have a cup of it right here from this morning's stop!) or some of the locally owned spots in my coffee-snob laden neighborhood. My favorite is Infusion - http://www.infusioncoffeeandtea.com/index.cfm and their wireless internet is free.

Funny how everyone has their own taste in coffee - like anything else.

PEETS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Hello All,

I am stateside now and am loving it!!! I am so sorry to all the islanders if I offend, but I am happy to be back stateside. I have Barnes and Nobles, I have Star bucks, I have a fabulous public library, I have wonderful grocery stores that will give you a sample of anything before you buy, I have discount shopping stores with great merchandise, I have Best Buy, I have Cheesecake Factory, I have Krispy Kreme, I have recycling mega centers, I have air conditioning and I could go on and on, but you get the idea. I miss my friends from St. Thomas and the beautiful water, but I don't want to live there again - it is great for some, okay for others, impossible for many, and uncomfortable for me. I would love to visit and hang at the beach and see friends for a brief period, but can't live there. Much love and well wishes for everyone living there or moving there. It is the right place for some.

I did enjoy R & J Island Latte on the waterfront on STT for some good coffee and good service while living there. Definitely cool to sit and sip coffee while staring at the ocean. One of our favorite places on island.

Teresa

Teresa,

Glad to read that you're doing well and feel good about the decision to relo! As you know, I luv, luv, luv the VI with all my heart and I am always toying with the idea of moving down......but I've found a cure for that.......

My daughter and I spent today in Manhattan!! ALL day - took the train up at 9am and just now getting back home in Philly. One day in Manhattan reminds me of why I can never move away from the East Coast.

It is great to love where you live - and also love the magnificent places you visit. I'm sure you'll visit the VI and will always carry those memories with you when you return.

-Blu

Good for you that you like where you live. Everyone has to know that for them self. I have never been a mall hopper and one to think I need to spend $4 on a cup of coffee when I can pay $10 for a fantastic pound of organic coffee beans. I don't like chain restaurants and as long as I can grow in my garden what I need I am content. I live close to all the big cities but hardly ever venture to them. There is no lure for me. The only thing what would make me reconsider from a move to the island would be no Internet access and starvation lol.
I think as long as I can make a living I can handle the island living.
I use to live in resort where I could not leave till the season was over. I was ok with that then. That was a long time ago. I will have to see how I would do now. Right now I am working on my husband he is a little more reluctant. I just don't want to wake up one day and think why did I not follow my dream. I know so many people who put off things till they retire just to pass away before they had a chance to do them. Live life to the fullest.

Iris

Iris, I so agree with you about following one's dreams. I had that conversation with someone recently, relative to people moving to the VI. How many people wait til retirement and then either never make it or they make it and pass away shortly after, without even having the opportunity to experience what they've been waiting for?

I always think that people should make the move NOT because of what they dislike about where they live now, but because of what they love about the VI.

My reference to Manhattan wasn't about giving the credit card a workout on 5th Ave or Madison - it was about everything that Manhattan represents - just an amazing place. They have sunset ballroom dancing in central park!! I stumbled upon it yesterday - everyone was there - people in ballroom gowns and full make-up and others in jeans. The band was live. The city has those kind of "other world" surprises around every corner - I could fill a page with everything that amazed me yesterday. Ok, enough. I am just hot on Manhattan right now.

Back to the VI. Some people are lucky enough to split time between the two. THAT's a good life!

For what it's worth, I think R&J's Island Latte next to the Foot Locker on the Waterfront is WAAAAAAAY better than Starbucks. They have awesome friendly customer service, the barista can make just about any drink that is thrown at them, and they roast their own beans right there! Never had a better latte! Plus the place is nice and clean, cool, and has an awesome waterfront view. Just my two cents.