December 2015 | Rum Therapy

December 29, 2015June 6, 2019

Rum Therapy’s Top 10 Rum Recipe Posts of 2015

We recently posted the Rum Therapy Top 10 Island Posts of 2015, and are following up with the top rum recipe posts of the year. As with the top island posts, we never know which recipes will make the top visited posts of the year and there are always a few that surprises.

Here are the 10 most visited Rum Therapy Rum Recipe Posts of 2015, starting at the bottom and working up to #1. Which recipes have you tried?

10. Nilla Killa

The Nilla Killa brings back good memories for us. During our first trip to White Bay, JVD and the Soggy Dollar, as we jumped in the water to swim ashore, our captain told us to be sure and sample a Nilla Killa, which of course, we did. Apparently others have enjoyed a Soggy Dollar Nilla Killa, making this recipe one of the top visited recipes of the year.
Get the Nilla Killa Recipe here.

9. Banana Daiquiri

Can’t beat the taste of this delectable Caribbean rum cocktail and we’ve had the pleasure of sampling a few good ones, including the extremely tasty ones served at Saba Rock Resort in the BVI. Find the recipe here:
Banana Daiquiri

8. Miami Vice

How can you beat the taste of a Strawberry Daiquiri intertwined with a Piña Colada? Exactly. Probably why the Miami Vice recipe was one of the top visited of the year. Find the recipe here:
Miami Vice

7. Lime in de Coconut

This frozen concoction screams tropical umbrella drink, in or out of a coconut! Find the recipe here:
Lime in de Coconut

6. Dirty Banana

The flavor of fresh banana mingled with dark rum and coffee flavored liqueur will remain etched in your mind, long after your Jamaican vacation! Recipe here:
Dirty Banana

5. Bushwacker

Bushwackers’s. Delicious. We sampled our first Bushwacker atop Paradise Point in St. Thomas many, many years ago and were pretty much hooked. I mean, who wouldn’t be? Chocolate, rum and the amazing overlook of Charlotte Amalie – wow, paradise. Apparently others are hooked too…Find the recipe here:
Bushwacker

4. Frozen Rum Runners

Yes, we love Rum Runners and the best one we’ve ever had was actually in the very non-tropical (but gorgeous!) South Lake Tahoe, California on the beach at The Beacon. We haven’t been able to exactly replicate the taste of the Rum Runners at the Beacon, but this recipe is delicious non-the-less:
Frozen Rum Runner

3. Bahama Mama

Oh my goodness, this one packs a punch with 3 different rums and Kahlua, but my oh my – it tastes great. Find this popular tropical cocktail recipe here:
Bahama Mama

2. Painkiller

The fact that the Painkiller made the list is no surprise, really. This delicious tropical rum delight can be found in nearly every restaurant and bar in the Virgin Islands – and other regions as well. It’s easy to make and the taste will surely remind you of relaxing in the sun and sand on your favorite island…Recipe here:
Painkiller

And the number one most searched recipe on our site for 2015?

#1 – Caribbean Rum Punch!

Caribbean Rum Punch differentiates itself from an “Authentic Rum Punch” in that a variety of fresh fruit juices can be used, creating tastes that can vary immensely depending on the combination. The recipe calls for orange and pineapple juice, but why not try mango or papaya for a completely different taste? Find the basic recipe here:
Caribbean Rum Punch

Be sure to watch for even more rum recipes in the coming year on our site and subscribe to our YouTube channel to see videos on how to easily create some of our favorite rum drinks.

Find more rum recipes here:

Rum Recipe Picture Directory

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Pictures and other content may not be re-used without written consent from Rum Therapy, LLC

December 26, 2015August 5, 2019

Rum Therapy’s Top 10 Island Posts of 2015

With the end of 2015 fast approaching, we thought we’d find out which island posts were the most visited and compile our annual list of Top 10 Island Posts of the Year. As in years past, some of the posts that made the list are a little surprising, while others are, well, rather expected. Some were written this year, and some have been around for a few years. At any rate, if you happened to miss any of them when they were published, now’s your chance to check them out. We’ll start with 10 and make our way to #1.

10. Staniel Cay Yacht Club, Exuma Cays, Bahamas

On Jimmy Buffett’s list of “10 great places for a Waterside Drink”, the Staniel Cay Yacht Club is a great place for just that, and a whole lot more…
Find out what’s so special about SCYC from our visit this year.
Staniel Cay Yacht Club, Exuma Cays

9. Coco Beach Bar & Grill, Treasure Cay, Bahamas

In 2015 we made our first trip to The Abacos, a chain of islands in the Bahamas located just 175 miles east of Palm Beach, Florida. We were stunned by the gorgeous beaches and enjoyed some time at a few unique beach bars; one of which was Coco Beach Bar & Grill located on beautiful Treasure Cay Beach. See more about this laid back beach bar and the views you can enjoy while sipping a cold rum punch here:
Coco Beach Bar & Grill, Treasure Cay, Bahamas

8. Angels Rest, St. John

Although we swam out to visit Capt. Peter in his floating bar by the name of Angels Rest during a visit to St. John in 2014, the post continues to get a lot of views. Why wouldn’t it? Visiting Angels Rest was definitely one of the highlights of that trip! Find out more about Capt. Peter and Angels Rest here:
Angels Rest, St. John

7. The Fight Against the Bite

Apparently we aren’t the only mosquito magnets out there. A post we wrote in 2013 on protecting yourself from bug bites while on vacation still gets a lot of visits. Even if you’re not a “high attractor” type, you might find the information in this post interesting:
The Fight Against the Bite

6. Bomba Surfside Shack, Tortola

This one was a surprise. For several years in a row, the post on our Bomba Shack visits made the Top 10 list. We’ve had the chance to visit the Bomba Shack during the day when it’s quiet and when you can sit and enjoy the view across Cappoons Bay to Jost Van Dyke, and we’ve also had the chance to check out a famous Bomba Shack Full Moon Party where, for research purposes of course, we sampled a bit of the mushroom tea. Always an adventure, find out more about the Bomba Shack here:
Bomba Surfside Shack, Tortola

5. Barhopping on Jost Van Dyke

Although a few things have changed a bit since we first posted this article, Barhopping on Jost Van Dyke continues to be a very popular post. Probably because it’s a favorite destination for many of our readers! There’s a big change coming to White Bay in January with the addition of a new bar called Hendo’s Hideout. Check out a list of other bars you can visit while visiting Jost Van Dyke here:
Barhopping on Jost Van Dyke

4. Callwood Rum Distillery, Tortola

Want to experience a slice of Tortola history dating back as much as possibly 400 years? Then be sure to visit the Callwood Rum Distillery in Cane Garden Bay while visiting Tortola, British Virgin Islands. Check out our post to see more photos and find out about the rum they make there, including the infamous Panty Remover…
Callwood, Rum Distillery, Tortola

3. Compass Cay, Exuma and its One Full Time Resident

Our entire visit to the Exuma Cays was filled with amazing sites and water as clear as a swimming pool. Compass Cay is a small cay in the chain where you can swim with pet nurse sharks and enjoy an incredible quiet beach called Crescent Beach. Apparently you enjoyed looking at the gorgeous hues of blue found around Compass Cay and learning the story of the only person that resides there full time too, as it was the 3rd most visited post of the year. Read more about it here:
Compass Cay and its One Full Time Resident

2. Health Benefits of Spending Time in or Near the Ocean

This was an eye-opening post to research and put together as we have always felt that spending time in the sea has been therapeutic for us. As it turns out, there is some scientific evidence to support that theory. Find out more here:
The Health Benefits of Spending Time in or Near the Ocean

1. The Ultimate Rum Therapy Playlist

And the most visited post of the year! The Ultimate Rum Therapy Playlist! It’s no surprise, this was a fun list compiled with suggestions from our beach loving readers. We continue to update it from time to time, so if you run across a song you think should be on it, be sure to let us know!
The Ultimate Rum Therapy Playlist

Thank you for another wonderful year at Rum Therapy! We appreciate you following us, reading about our island adventures and sharing your island adventures with us. Looking forward to more “island time” in 2016!

Cheers!

To see more island posts, check out our Island Blog Directory

copyright©Rum Therapy
Pictures and other content may not be re-used without written consent from Rum Therapy, LLC

December 16, 2015June 6, 2019

Love City Excursions and a Boat Named CatZilla

Imagine waking up and thinking “I get to go to work today!” and by work I mean running a charter business in St. John, US Virgin Islands. That’s the reality for Joe and Katie Zachary who own Love City Excursions, a full service excursion company based on the beautiful island of St. John. So just how did they do it? How did they relocate to a beautiful island and start their own business? Here’s their story.

Katie grew up in a small town in Colorado and after graduating from high school AND college in 6 years – she was burnt out! Two weeks after graduating, she packed up and moved to St. John for a bit of adventure and a different pace of life. She lived and worked in St. John for about a year, then left to travel through Europe. She ended up in Boston, but missed St. John so much she decided to move back.

Meanwhile, Joe, who had grown up in Nashville, Tennessee, graduated from the University of Tennessee. A year after graduating, he decided to move down to St. John, a place he had visited as a kid and loved. He immediately got a job working on boats and on the beach at the Westin and eventually started captaining To make a long story short, these two island loving adventurers eventually found love together and just got married this past summer.

They began to work together on their dream of owning their own business and opened Love City Excursions earlier this year. Starting a business in the islands was not without a bit of drama though. They encountered MANY trials and tribulations with purchasing a boat in the VI’s, but their new boat, CatZilla finally arrived July 13th.

CatZilla (photo: Love City Excursions)

Katie said, “She was shipped down here the same day we got married. I was actually at our wedding rehearsal standing at the altar on the phone with the trucker because our trailer blew out 3 tires on the way from North Carolina to Florida where it was being put on a shipping container. Thankfully, my amazing bridesmaid took the phone and my credit card and took care of it so I could get through our rehearsal!”

CatZilla is a 33 foot world cat power catamaran. She is built for off shore fishing, so she handles the waves and rough weather that the area sometimes gets like a dream. She’s a very large boat, so the name “CatZilla” is fitting! Although Katie can also captain the boat, Joe usually takes the helm while Katie, whose degree is in marketing, runs the business end.

Love City Excursions offers completely customizable full and half day charters in the USVI and BVI. Charters generally leave from the National Park Dock in Cruz Bay. I asked what their most popular charter was and Katie said, “We seem to get a lot of requests for a trip called The Triangle, which is snorkeling at Norman Island, eating lunch over there and then Soggy Dollar.”

Every excursion is a bit different though as guests choose what they want to do from island hopping to bar hopping, and snorkeling to exploring.

Sandy Spit (photo: Love City Excursions)

I asked what makes Love City such a highly rated excursion company – already! Katie said, “What makes our excursions great is two things. 1. We are a family run business so from start to finish. You’ll be dealing with Joe and I and we are both very happy when we make our guests happy. We use the slogan, The Best Day of Your Vacation, and it really, really is people’s favorite day while they are here! 2. Our Boat. CatZilla is the largest small powerboat on St. John and she can handle the weather like no other boat out there. It’s a dry, fast, and super comfortable ride.

The Baths, Virgin Gorda (photo: Love City Excursions)

I had just one more question to ask before wrapping up our interview. What is the BEST and WORST part about living on St. John? Katie answered, “The worst. Ahhh. Island life challenges. The normal things: groceries are expensive (almond butter is $27.99), apartments are at a premium and very scarce right now, gas is expensive, our power goes out a lot, everything takes a long time to accomplish, our apartment floods when it rains, you’re always fighting mold and mosquitos, sometimes there are scorpions in your bed (or on your pillow,) I received mail last week from December of 2014, and things just don’t work the same here. We all joke that we’re about ten years behind the states. And the hardest thing of all is being away from our families. But on the flip side, the BEST part of living here. Easy. The community here. Everyone helps everyone else and anytime someone is in need the entire community bands together to help anyway they can. That’s also probably why it’s called Love City, or at least a large part of it. St. John is safe, beyond beautiful, and we are SO lucky to call it home.

Trunk Bay Overlook (photo: Love City Excursions)

Would you like to find out more about booking an excursion with Katie, Joe and Love City Excursions?
Call them at 1.340.998.7604 or email: [email protected]

Check out their website for more info: Love City Excursions,
and follow them on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram to keep up with all their latest news and info!

December 10, 2015September 25, 2019

The New Ivan’s Stress Free Bar

Update: Unfortunately, a few years after Ivan completed construction on his new bar, it was destroyed by the hurricanes of 2017. This is what it looked like during our last visit. The small building on the left is the current bar and we have not heard anything yet about Ivan’s plans to rebuild either the bar or the campground.

We loved Ivan’s Stress Free Bar on Jost Van Dyke the moment we first walked through the shell lined doors in 2010. It just had that unique, funky beach bar vibe that drew you in. Not polished, not shiny – it had sandy floors and shell art everywhere, including a very unique shell man standing watch out front. And then there was Ivan. The bars namesake/owner/proprietor was walking around, making sure his guests were having a nice time. Each subsequent visit was as enjoyable as the first.

Fast forward to 2014 when we heard that Ivan had made the very difficult decision to take down the old bar to pour a new foundation which had been sinking and possibly a danger to his guests. Although we understood, we were a bit saddened that the old bar would be gone.

Last month we had the chance to go back to Jost Van Dyke and spend a little time at the new Ivan’s. Here are some photos from that day.

Did the new bar have the same feeling as the old Ivan’s? No, definitely not. But, with time, the floor will get sandier and the shell art will fill up the walls again. Ivan’s still has Ivan, delicious drinks, a spectacular beach – and the view from the new deck is great! It still has friendly people and some of the old memorabilia. In time, we’ll all get used to the new building and begin to love it like we did the old bar. After all, it still is Ivan’s…

Have you been to the new bar? Tell us about it!

To see more Jost Van Dyke and other island posts, check out our Island Blog Directory

Copyright©Rum Therapy
Pictures and other content may not be re-used without written consent from Rum Therapy, LLC. All information is correct to our knowledge at the time of writing, but be sure to verify current information before your visit.

December 2, 2015June 6, 2019

Our Day with Wreck Life Adventure Center, St. Thomas

In the past, we’ve visited Jost Van Dyke while on a sail trip or via ferry, and during our recent stay in the USVI, we had a hankering to jet over to Jost Van Dyke to check out the new Ivan’s and enjoy a Painkiller – or two, on White Bay. Instead of taking the ferry over, we thought we’d see if we could hook up with a company that offered day excursions to JVD. A friend suggested Wreck Life Adventure Center, and owners John & Laurel Webb were able to squeeze us in for the day.

The Wreck Life Headquarters are located in Compass Point Marina which is on the east end of St. Thomas not far from Red Hook. We got there early, anticipating a fun day on the water and were greeted by John who goes by “Big Country”. Now, you just can’t help but smile when you meet Big Country. He’s a tall guy with a huge smile who loves joke around and tell stories, and we instantly felt part of the Wreck Life family.

John Webb (aka Big Country)

Our full day excursion started at about 8:30 am and we grabbed our gear and headed to the dock. Their brand new 31′ Island Runner with a center console is arriving any day now, so we boarded the boat normally used for their dive excursions for our day on the water.

What we thought would be just a trip over to Jost turned into an excellent day of exploration – topped off with plenty of time to enjoy White Bay and a few Painkillers… Wreck Life does an excellent job of finding out what your interests are and matching it with an perfect adventure on, and in the water.

Here are just a few highlights of our day with Wreck Life!

Peter Bay, St John

Driving by the North Shore St John beaches for some photo ops, a different way of seeing the gorgeous beaches and learning more about the area (like where’s Kenny Chesney’s house?)

Waterlemon Cay, St. John

Excellent snorkeling at Waterlemon Cay (snorkel equipment was provided), where we spotted the usual snorkeling suspects (such as Sergeant Majors and Parrotfish), and other rather uncommon snorkeling sights for us (nurse shark, sand diver, an eel and living coral!)

Nurse Shark

Sand Diver

Colorful “living coral!

Entering the British Virgin Islands at Great Harbour, Jost Van Dyke (John took care of all of the entry paperwork while we enjoyed the view)

Lunch at Foxy’s (Roti and Rum – yum), and a chat with Foxy!

And then to top off the day – a short boat ride over to White Bay where we spent the rest of the afternoon walking from Ivan’s to One Love and enjoying time in the beautiful White Bay water.

Ivan’s New Building

One Love

An afternoon enjoying the water of White Bay

The day was great and we loved the fact that the trip was catered to exactly what we wanted to do. Big Country would have accommodated most anything else we would have liked to pack into the fun day such as a stop at Sandy Spit or Sandy Cay – but we thought our personalized excursion was perfect just the way it was…

Have you done a Scuba Trip or Excursion with Wreck Life Adventure Center? Tell us about it!

To get more info on chartering a scuba trip or one of their personalized day excursions, contact Wreck Life by email at [email protected], check out their website and be sure to follow them on Facebook!

Find Wreck Life on our St. Thomas Map

To see more St. Thomas and other island posts, check out our Island Blog Directory