Bernie Sanders For President!

I support Senator Sanders for president. His key positions, Medicare For All, taxing the wealthy, and free education are exactly the prescriptions for a more just society that are needed in our country. Senator Warren has articulated progressive positions on many issues, but her campaign seems to lack the necessary popular support. Mayor Pete is a real disappointment to me. I had hoped that a fellow gay man would be more progressive, but his positions such as opposition to Medicare For All are terrible, and his red-baiting of Bernie Sanders is disgraceful. Joe Biden's time has come and gone. Bloomberg is simply trying to buy the nomination and the presidency, and there is no one else in the remaining field that has a realistic shot at winning the nomination on the first ballot at the convention with a plurality or majority of pledged delegates. Bernie Sanders can be proud of a lifetime of working for social and economic justice. That he has no major accomplishment in the Senate says more about the politics of his fellow senators and the senate as an institution than it does about him. Super Tuesday may well point to the obvious conclusion, Bernie, in the race for the Democratic party nomination, but if Bernie wins a plurality of delegates by the time the convention is held and the party operatives anoint someone else at a brokered convention, this will split the party and we will indeed have four more years of the criminal trump presidency.

Wednesday 2/16/20 St. Barth

As we prepare to leave here Thursday, I reflect upon some words of the great poet Hugo von Hofmanstahl, words of his character the Marschallin in "Der Rosenkavalier." Those words are, "Time is a funny thing." Because it seems but a short time here on this beautiful island, yet a long time since seeing Philadelphia, our house and beloved pets. To begin our last full day on St. Barth we walked up the many steps to the 18th century ruins of Fort Carl, perched on top of a high hill overlooking Gustavia. There are many interesting plant specimens present and very spectacular views of the surrounding area. Later, Dan enjoyed shopping and Jim returned to Shell Beach for sunning and swimming. Lunch was at Zion in St. Jean; this used to be Andy's Hideaway, but the decor and menu have totally changed. For dinner we returned to a favorite, Le Repaire, which was also the first place we dined the day we arrived - so it seemed to complete a circle. - Dan

St. Barth Tuesday 18 Feb. 2020

Since our guests left Tuesday morning, the day settled into leisure activities, with Dan reading a Daphne Kolotay novel and Jim walking to the pretty community garden in the morning before heading to Shell Beach in Gustavia for an afternoon swim. On a shopping expedition Dan bought a pair of red shorts, as friends will know, he is a great fan of color. For dinner we went to a venue new for us, Baz (Le Bete A Zailes) which serves sushi and other Japanese specialties. - Dan

St. Barth Monday 2/18/20

After Jim went scuba diving in the morning, Barbara, Marylin and I walked to Carambole Bakery to buy some quiches and a Citron tart for lunch. Then I played a few pieces by Mendelssohn, Chopin and Brahams on the piano at the Anglican Church of St. Bartholomew's. After some shopping we headed back to the villa. Jim showed up well before noon, and everyone enjoyed a casual mid-day meal. In the afternoon Dan read a novel, Marylin and Barbara frolicked in the pool, and Jim went for another scuba dive. Our rental agency held a cocktail party for its clients at La Guerite, at 6:30, then a hired car took us all out to Bananiers in Columbier for a farewell dinner with our guests, since it was their last night here in St. Barth's. - Dan

Sunday On St. Barth

In another beautiful part of the island, on the Grand cul-de-sac Beach, there is an elegant five-star resort: Le Serano. After a rainy morning Jim thought it would be OK to drive there, where we had a lunch reservation at Le Serano's restaurant, now called "Al Mare." A new chef recently took over, and both Italian and French dishes are offered. Marylin, Barbara and Dan all enjoyed either excellent Caesar or Nicoise salads, full of fresh ingredients. Before Jim's salad he had an exceptional starter, the piquant eggplant parmigiana, in a savory tomato sauce. Dan's dessert was a tiramisu. On the way back to the villa in Gustavia Jim took the mountain roads past Grand Fond Beach, Toiny, and the "Maison Nouriev," the former villa of the great ballet dancer Rudolph Nureyev, one of the most charismatic performers in any field. It was my luck and privilege to have seen him dance a few times at the height of his career, and the villa is a poignant reminder of those nights. - Dan

St. Barth Saturday Activities

A morning walk introduced our guests to Shell Beach, the community garden, Wall House Museum, and the far side of the harbor in Gustavia. For lunch we drove the rental car to Flammands, where the largest beach on the island is, as well as one of our favorite restaurants, La Langouste. The restaurant has a marvelous view of the beach and Atlantic Ocean with its aquamarine-colored waters. I enjoyed my salad of grapefruit, avocado and lobster medallions, followed by a chocolate molleaux with pistachio ice cream. Jim was the only one to brave the waves after lunch, and said they were inviting. Our guests Marylin and Barbara enjoyed an afternoon dip in the pool at the villa. A taxi took us all to Corossol, to eat at the typical Creole-French restaurant Au Regal. Everyone had fun and we were even able to see sunset on the beach at Corossol. - Dan

Friday Fun On The Island

Despite various, short rain showers in the morning, the four of us, Barbara, Marylin, Jim and Dan took walks around Gustavia, stopping for breakfast at La Gloriette. That small Cafe is run by the same people who also make the delicious vanilla fun liquor. For lunch we drove to Lurin, to enjoy the beautiful view from Santa Fe, a French eatery in spite of its name. Then we drove to Gouverneur Beach nearby, where Jim enjoyed a swim in the ocean. For dinner we were in Saline, at L'Espirit, a restaurant famed not only for its food but also the outdoor tables amid greenery. - Dan

Wednesday And Thursday On St. Barth

Wednesday was a relaxing on-and-off rainy day in this Caribbean paradise. We took a long morning walk, visiting the amazing garden near the hospital. Lunch in Grand cul-de-sac overlooking its beach at Aux Amis proved a break in the weather. Dan started a new drawing of the harbor while Jim shopped in Gustavia. A highlight of the day was dinner at Eden Rock's Sand Bar, a Jean Georges restaurant. Later Dan wrote a brief restaurant review of the great meal at the Sand Bar, for a web site about all things on St. Barth's. Thursday morning Jim had one of his scuba dives; he enjoyed another successful dive in the afternoon. Dan played intermezzi and other works by Brahams on the piano at the Anglican church. The day's biggest event was the arrival of friends Barbara and Marylin from Boynton Beach, Florida via St. Maarten. After we met their ferry, and we stopped at the villa, we all headed to Eddy's restaurant for a celebratory welcome meal. - Dan

Tuesday Activities On St. Barth

The big activities of the day: Jim went on AM and PM scuba dives (see photos) and Dan left his painting of the historic Anglican church (1855) for the church's administrator, who is away in London. A filling lunch we made in the villa was followed in the evening with dinner at Le Quartier General, which capped a good day on the island. - Dan