Posted August 15, 2007

HOW TO USE THE "WHILE YOU'RE HERE" SECTION OF OUR WEBSITE

Visitors to St. Maarten come armed with gift- or self-shopping lists, and this island makes it all very easy. PRINT THIS PAGE AND SHOW IT TO THE SHOPKEEPERS; tell them you read about them on Jeff Berger's JMB Communications website! (See copyright, bottom of page).

Important: Parking on Front Street, Philipsburg, is prohibited but there are few signs saying so. Park in the municipal lot two short blocks behind the courthouse at the center of town. Avoid parking on side streets as well. Cars parked even in unsigned no-parking areas are often towed.

Zhaveri, Our Favorite Jewelry Store -- Bring this page, mention this site, and get a ....  

FREE 14 K GOLD DIAMOND PENDANT with any purchase over $250!

Zhaveri Jewelers has become our favorite stop for jewelry on the island for two simple reasons: they have excellent quality and the prices are very reasonable. Zhaveri's President is Deepu Budhrani, who went to college here in Massachusetts and had the brains to stay in St. Maarten's warm weather.  Deepu has great prices on high-quality jewelry -- diamonds, watches, rings, and far more. The store has two downtown P-Burg locations, both 53A Front Street and 103 Front Street. One is near the center of Philipsburg, just east of the Courthouse, diagonally across from Little Switzerland (the place with the loud bells that sound every 15 minutes), while the other is to the West beyond the Windmill Shop.

Both stores are usually quite busy with repeat customers and savvy ship passengers. Haggle a little! Ask for Deepu or Henna (that's Henna, above), or VJ and tell them we suggested you visit. If you spend more than $250 AND mention the Jeff Berger / JMB Communications website, you'll get a free 14 carat gold diamond pendant. Well worth your visit. Deepu is in SXM from October to May, then goes to their seasonal store in Ketchikan, Alaska. Great people, fine quality, and prices you will NOT match at home....

WEBSITE COUPON FOR ZHAVERI JEWELERS IN SXM AND CARIBBEAN GEMS IN KETCHIKAN, ALASKA

Please Patronize Our New Sponsor:

Souvenirs / Beach Coverups

Downtown Philipsburg's Windmill Shop, our annual souvenir stop, is overstuffed with literally thousands of T-shirts, from the eye-catching hand-painted to the tacky stuff somebody is bound to buy, though I've never seen anyone do it. There’s also a countless selection of other souvenirs here. Windmill is on Front Street not far west of the center of town. Like many other souvenir and jewelry shops here, Windmill is operated by émigrés from India, many of whose families have been here for generations.

There's a new place in Philipsburg that we've already visited several times -- Rima, located on the pondfill diagonally opposite the green Heineken bar that used to be a Windward Islands airplane. The place is a perfect first stop on your trip, since it features thousands of gorgeous beach coverups (pareos or pareos depending on your spelling preference) plus shirts, blouses, sheer scarves, and numerous other items for yourself or friends at home, all at wholesale prices. Great stuff! Please tell Mr. & Mrs. Rima that you saw Rima on Jeff Berger's Website!

MUCH MORE shopping info is below...please read on!

Gorgeous Handbags, Couture, & Perfumes

Head-turning, drop-dead brilliant silk-flowered, hand-made "blooming baskets" (floral handbags) are yours from Blooming Baskets by Lisa in Maho Plaza on the Dutch Side. Blooming Baskets is operated by two transplanted Pennsylvanians, Michele and Lisa. You'll find their store crammed full with the same bags already seen on Oprah and Sex And The City. Well worth a second look -- and a third. Many sizes and colors. A must stop -- say hi for us! The name of the place: Blooming Baskets by Lisa. Their website is here. They carry lots more than "Blooming Baskets," too.

If couture is your interest, check out Marigot, capital of the French side of the island. Designer shops a la Rodeo Drive are here. There are many great souvenir stops here too. Plan a morning strolling through Marigot . . . and you'll be highly rewarded. Even if you're NOT in a shopping mood, the French pastries will make you want dessert right after breakfast.....

Perfumes...get them at Oro de Sol next to the Arhawak Bar/Restaurant on the Marigot waterfront. They often have versions before they're introduced in the States.

Stay Current on Everything That's Happening in St. Maarten:
Get Our Free Weekly St. Maarten Newsletter!

Join our list for all the latest SXM news, info on how to get deals on airfare, and much more. We'll cover new restaurants, cruise info, hotel deals, and much more. We're also covering the island's orderly movement toward independence from both the Netherlands Antilles and French Guadeloupe (long story).

WE WILL NEVER SELL OR RELEASE OUR MAILING LIST TO ANYONE. How often will we mail? Usually every Monday. It depends on when there's news. We won't waste your time. Just type your email address in the box below, then click Submit to sign up.

Looking for St. Maarten / St. Martin Paintings?

Here are just four examples of what artist Frenchy Loeb is doing with island scenes:

The paintings are, from left to right, Friar's Bay, Boulevard de Grand Case, Grand Case Sunset, and Cupecoy Cliffs. Large prints (10 x 14) are just $30 each, small prints (7 x 10) are $20. Many more are available.

SPECIAL OFFER FOR VISITORS TO THIS WEBSITE ONLY:
Three for the price of one. Email Frenchy (link in next paragraph), tell her you saw the offer here, and she'll fill you in.

You can buy paintings online, but send an email to Frenchy first so she can tell you where to look for pictures that may be of particular interest to you. To email her, click here. Or if you just want to go directly to her site, visit www.frenchy-art.com. Tell her we sent you!

The artist spends a lot of time in SXM -- not all of it painting:

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You would do well to come to the Front Street, Philipsburg, shopping area more than once and walk the street to fully appreciate all it offers. You'll find places here selling beautiful handicrafts that rival anything you can get anywhere... awesome shopping opportunities abound. Same is true in Marigot, except some stores there are a bit pricier.

Ric's Place

After you've shopped, stop by Ric’s Place in Simpson Bay, on the lagoon side of Airport Road just north of the drawbridge and relax for a while. This is the new location of the place that was hugely popular downtown. The new place is triple the size of the old, has off-street parking, but the same great food and atmosphere. See Ric's website . (Also see our restaurant listings for more restaurant info.)

When Should You Shop? Check The Cruise Ship Schedule:

BRING SXM TO YOUR PC --
DOWNLOAD ONE OF OUR ST MAARTEN SCREENSAVERS

Last Mango In Paradise -- the Jimmy Buffett Parrothead Store

There's a popular Jimmy Buffett store on Front Street (it's officially called "Last Mango In Paradise") where Parrotheads can get almost anything they've ever wanted -- even a picture with SHARKMAN (take your camera). Recordings of Buffett, whose Caribbean travels sometimes take him here and to neighboring St. Barts, are often heard in the background at many local bars and restaurants. (For the not-so-legendary Cheeseburger in Paradise, take a day trip to St. Barts - you'll find the bar that inspired the song right in Gustavia, on the harbor. See next paragraph.) Buy Buffett's "Carnival" album at Last Mango. There’s a lot of truth to its lyrics....

Incidentally...according to Last Mango owner Rodger, the bar in St. Barts that Jimmy wrote Cheeseburger In Paradise about is Le Select. In November 1999, Le Select celebrated its 50th anniversary and Jimmy brought down the Coral Reefer band for a free concert on the dock. "What a show it was," Rodger writes, "with Jimmy and the wonderful, 79 year young, Marius Stackleborough (owner of Le Select) going back thru 30 years of reminiscing. I've been to too many bars throughout the Caribbean and Florida, who claim to be the bar Jimmy wrote the song about...But, straight from Jimmy's mouth, it was, indeed, Le select where it originated."

Rodger designs and wholesales items to the Margaritaville stores. Below, honeymooners Tracie & Gerry pose with SHARKMAN!

Wine & Liquor

Don’t miss the Guavaberry Liqueur Shop at the eastern end of Front Street. Free tastings....you’ll be hooked in no time. Great stuff :)

For Wines, Vinissimo on the French side (Marigot) is the best. In fact they're doing so well they've just opened in St. Barts and will soon open in Anguilla. Buy yourself some GOOD wine and mention us. PRINT THIS PAGE, BRING IT WITH YOU, and you'll get a free wine tasting AND a 10% discount off your purchases.