Escape to Anguilla

By Lisa Vermette
HippoPress.com

"A Trip to the Beach: Living on Island Time in the Caribbean," by Melinda Blanchard and Robert Blanchard, 2000, Three Rivers Press, 296 pages.

"A Trip to the Beach: Living on Island Time in the Caribbean," shares the dream and the reality of escaping to a Caribbean island. It is told with such a conversational tone that you feel like you are chatting with old friends instead of reading a book. Whether you have ever been to the Caribbean or not, you will put down this book and be able to describe the island of Anguilla (an-GWIL-la) as if you had visited it yourself.

Melinda and Robert Blanchard have been married for nearly 30 years. They have started eight businesses together, including Blanchard & Blanchard, the award-winning line of specialty foods. For the past eight years they have divided their time between their home in Norwich, Vt., and Anguilla, where they operate Blanchard's Restaurant.

The commitment to Blanchard's seemed to come about quickly, but it had been in the back of Melinda's mind for years. Blanchard & Blanchard had done well until a large account defaulted and the Blanchards were forced to make a hasty deal to avoid bouncing all their checks. New York investors came in and the Blanchards ended up with a "smaller piece of a bigger pie." They needed a change.

A friend in Anguilla called one day to tell them of a run-down bank-owned restaurant that would be perfect for them. Although scared about pulling it off financially, they jumped in with both feet.

Melinda, a New York City native, is known as a skilled chef ("A Trip to the Beach" includes a few of her favorite recipes, including grilled tuna with coconut rice cakes, crisp Thai snapper, gazpacho, banana cabanas, and banana bread). Robert, a seventh-generation Vermonter, is well-versed in construction. With this combination, Blanchard's Restaurant became a success.

Moving to Anguilla was the easy part. Difficulties came when most of their supplies, including wood, trees, plants, wine, food, furniture, and kitchen equipment, had to be shipped from Miami. Buying and shipping were expensive, and duty had to be paid on every item that came onto the island.

Melinda writes, "It wasn't until our ice cream machine stopped running that I truly realized the costs of doing business on a tropical island. I called the store in Florida where I'd bought the machine, and because toll-free numbers don't work from Anguilla, it took a $90 phone call to determine that I needed a small rubber belt-only $3, they said." The part ended up costing $215 after the $85 Federal Express charge, the $22 duty, and $15 to have someone help the Blanchards get it through customs quickly.

Despite constant challenges with scheduling, money and red tape, Blanchard's Restaurant opened in the fall of 1994. With gourmet food, an extensive wine list, and a loyal clientele (including some celebrities), the business thrived. Melinda and Robert went home to Vermont after closing Blanchard's for the season in the summer of 1995. In early September of '95, Hurricane Luis—a Category 4 hurricane—destroyed all of Blanchard's Restaurant except the extensive wine cellar. Melinda and Robert didn't hesitate to rebuild and are still in business today.

There is a fantastic online newsletter with gorgeous pictures and news of Anguilla at http://www.news.ai/index.html. You'll find a link to Blanchard's Restaurant where you can view pictures, read the menu, and meet the people.

After reading this book, I find myself wanting to visit a Caribbean island. Being pragmatic and not wealthy I doubt I'll ever be able to follow a dream of building and rebuilding all for the love of a location, but "A Trip to the Beach" makes it all seem possible. It's a book I'll be passing around to friends and family.

Lisa Vermette can be reached at hippo@hippopress.com