Joelle and Dave Visit: Brunch, Tiki Beach, Moonlit Movies

We had a great time with Brent's sister and brother-in-law a few weeks ago.  It's so fun to spend some two-on-two time with our siblings as they come and visit.  Joelle and Dave's trip was full of fun activities.  Starting with...Sunday Brunch!  We picked them up from the airport at noon and drove straight to Agua.  It was the perfect way to kick off their vacation.

I didn't take many pictures this time (too busy eating and enjoying the company!), but to see more food shots, check out our other Agua brunch post.

The iguanas were sunbathing at Lime Tree Bay when we got home.  We counted at least ten out there!  

Monday we did lunch at Tim Buc Tuu and then walked around George Town a bit.

That night we dined at Tiki Beach.  This place has a fun beach-y vibe, even if the food isn't necessarily our favorite on island.  I love the large gauze strips hanging from the ceiling!

On Tuesday we went to Camana Bay, stopping at Black Trumpet for a chocolate croissant. 

During the summer, Camana Bay does "Moonlight and Movies" where they set up a screen and chairs in one of the courtyards for an evening showing.  This week it was Mamma Mia!, one of Joelle's favorites.  It was the perfect movie for the outdoor setting, so fun and happy.  This was our first time going to Moonlight and Movies, and it was so fun!  We brought towels, beach chairs and a cooler full of picnic items.  Jenn met us there after work, and we both said we wish we would have done this more last summer.  I highly recommend for locals and visitors alike. 

Part 2 from Joelle and Dave's visit will come next.  Still a few days worth of pictures to edit!

Sar and Gar Visit - Ristorante Pappagallo, Hell, Camana Bay, Calypso

As I mentioned in my last post, we had crazy bad weather the week Sarah and Garret were here.  Technically May is the start of rainy season, but usually that just means it will rain for a little bit a few days a week, and then be super sunny and hot the rest of the time.  But poor Sarah and Garret.  Rain.  Every.  Single.  Day.  The first two days they were here, we got 13 inches of rainfall.  It was a monsoon!  I was incredibly bummed, but Sarah and Garret kept a good attitude.  We did our best to think of rainy day activities, including going to the movies and doing a week-long Modern Family marathon.  And lots and lots of good eating :)

Tuesday

There was a brief break in the rain so we headed to George Town.  Did a little shopping there, including a stop at It's Sugar.

As the rain picked up, we went to Margaritaville for drinks.

That night we dined at Ristorante Pappagallo.  Brent and I have been here one other time - our first week on island!  I'm glad we got a chance to go back with Sarah and Garret.

Wednesday

Another gray afternoon meant a chance to do some sight-seeing.  First up, a stop at Hell.

Next we headed to Camana Bay, where we walked around a bit and got treats from Black Trumpet.

Sarah and I both got this amazing little dessert.  Chocolate mousse with a cheesecake center surrounded by chocolate ganache.  Wowzer.

Up to the observation tower

That night, we joined Jenn and Nate for dinner at Calypso Grill.  Another restaurant we went to early on and were just waiting for a good excuse to go back :) 

Crispy mango shrimp, duck with oranges and cranberry, sea bass with chipotle sauce. I tried a little of everyone's and it was all delicious!

Whew, that's enough for now.  I'll save the last pictures for a third and final post!

Joy's Visit - Pirate's Week

On Friday night, we headed to George Town for the Pirate's Week festivities. We got there early and were surprised by how empty it seemed. We secured a spot in front of the water and watched the crowds flock in. It was tough work saving room for Jenn and Nate, but we held our ground.


I'm embarrassed at the amount of firework pictures I took, but decided not to bore you with more than two. It was a good show!


After fireworks, the five of us explored the food vendors and ended up at our favorite, Stingray Kisses Donuts. Donuts have become a Pirate's Week tradition!


We left George Town and headed to Jeremy and Sheena's for an 11.11.11 party. Brent had the idea to celebrate the date with a get together, but with Joy here I didn't want to organize anything. Luckily Sheena stepped up to co-host, and they threw a great party! We had mozzarella sticks, licorice, pretzel sticks, beef jerky (all stick foods to look like the number "1"). Brent created an awesome trivia game where all the questions related to the number one or eleven. Then we did a little countdown to 11:11 pm. It was a lot of fun, and a good chance to show Joy what great friends we have.

The next day, Joy, Brent and I went back to George Town a few hours before the parade to explore and get lunch. "It's Sugar" is quickly becoming one of my favorite stores. I don't ever plan to buy anything there, but it's so colorful and fun!


Brent was in awe of the "world's largest gummy bear." It was surprisingly heavy! They also had the world's largest gummy worm...$48 each!


We went to Beaches by the Bay for lunch. I stopped and asked if I could get a picture with these two friendly pirates.


Lunch was fun, but the crowds and heat made the parade a little less enjoyable. They do some a show where the governor gets captured by pirates, which I thought would be entertaining, but it was SO long and drawn out! We were ready to leave before the parade even started! Luckily we moved to a shaded, less crowded spot and enjoyed the first part of the parade from there. But I recommend skipping the preshow and just going to the parade for future attendees.

On Sunday we went to Spotts beach and on Monday afternoon we did a stingray city boat tour. Unfortunately I didn't have my camera for either of these events. You'll just have to check out Joy's facebook pictures for those adventures. But I did remember to bring my camera for our last dinner together. We went to Casanova, which is a restaurant right on the water in George Town. It was mine and Brent's first time there, and we really enjoyed it. Great food, atmosphere, view...and of course, company!


Check out that sunset!


I had a blast hanging out with my little sis all week. When we were in Cincinnati, Joy would come over for dinner once a week, and I really miss those evenings together. Joy was such an easy-to-please, laid back guest. I'm so happy we got to share a piece of our island adventure with her.

Before the visit I was thrilled that Joy would be here 10 days rather than just a week, but it still went by so fast! The apartment felt very empty without her on Tuesday. At least we get to see her and the rest of the family in a month at Christmas!

We love you, Joycerina! Thanks for coming to see us!

Lorren and Cole Visit - Part 2

I have to start by saying this is the 100th post on our little Grand Life blog. That feels like a bit of an achievement. Hope you've enjoyed following along with our adventure so far. I know it's been a blessing for me to be able to look back on old posts and fondly remember those first crazy weeks on island (and to realize how amazingly God has blessed us on this journey).

Now onto the purpose of this post...Lorren and Cole's visit - Part 2! After brunch on Sunday, we went snorkeling at Cemetery Beach.


Lorren asked me to hold her rings while she was in the water. I managed to snap a couple pictures before I got too nervous that a big wave would come and wisk them away!


We didn't have great weather for the week - it was pretty overcast with light showers throughout the day. On Monday is was rain, rain, and more rain all day long! We did have one really sunny day on Thursday, which provided the requisite Cayman sunburn. But for the most part it was on and off drizzle. L&C said they were glad it wasn't super hot and sunny, so I'm hopeful the weather didn't completely ruin their trip. I was only a little disappointed because we didn't get to do as many outdoor dining options for dinner.

Cole really enjoyed snorkeling, and spent a couple mornings on Seven Mile Beach. Here he is with one of his finds - a king conch! Don't worry, it was released back into the ocean.


On Tuesday we went to George Town. There were two cruise ships in that day (including the Disney cruise) so there was a nice festive feel.


The incredible "It's Sugar" candy store


It started drizzling so we stopped to get drinks at Breezes. I love the covered outdoor porch overlooking the water.


On Wednesday we went to Rum Point. I was thrilled - Rum Point is my favorite Grand Cayman spot. Love those hammocks!


On Thursday afternoon we went to Spotts Beach (I didn't bring my camera), and then went to Grand Old House for their $10 made-to-order Pasta Night. These pictures were taken at Lime Tree Bay before dinner.


Beautiful view


On their last night, Lorren wanted to do a dinner on the beach, so we got Kelly's Cajun Grill and watched the sunset. It wasn't the normal beautiful display of colors, but the dark clouds were pretty. We also got to watch some lightning in the distance which was really cool.


We had such a great time with Lorren and Cole. I really enjoyed having the opportunity to hang out just the four of us. We had some great talks and played games every night. It was a week I will always remember. Brent and I are very grateful that they took the vacation time, saved the money and left their kids for a week so they could visit us. We love you guys!