Page 70 - Real Style Spring 2017

camana bay at night.
But there’s so much more than walking to be enjoyed in Cayman. From scuba diving to exploring the hulls of ancient shipwrecks—and some of the Caribbean’s best marine life—to helicopter rides across crystal clear lagoons, paragliding and sur ng, it’s a maelstrom of healthy opportunity.
By complete coincidence, Canadian stylist Janette Ewen was vaca- tioning on Cayman at the same time, so we hooked up and chartered a luxury yacht to visit Stingray City on the shallow sandbanks far out in the ocean. There, over several years, shoals of majestic rays have been tamed (with regular feeding and petting by the captains of tourist boats) to such a point that they now swim freely among visitors who ock daily, in the hundreds, to observe the fascinating spectacle. The rays are gentle by nature and, in years of the attraction’s operation, there have been no incidents. After dancing with the denizens of the deep in the shallow waters, we jumped back on our yacht and headed to bustling peninsula
Rum Point, where we enjoyed a boozy lunch in a throbbing local beach bar. Oh what we’d give to be back there, with Janette, right now!
For those who prefer a more relaxed schedule, wandering George Town, Grand Cayman’s clapboard painted capital, delivers great shop- ping and a chance to watch some of the world’s most luxurious cruise ships berth. Alternatively, an afternoon spent at The National Gallery of the Cayman Islands is a great way to learn about the island’s abundantly diverse history in an air-conditioned, contemporary environment.
And how about matters epicurean? Is the island food good? Let’s just say we’re never short of choice. For dinner, one evening, we visited Morgan’s Seafood Restaurant, a venue that, in a clutch of ne dining es- tablishments, ranks among our favourite Caymanian outposts. Boasting some of the island’s nest sh, lobster and shrimp, Morgan’s, set as it is at the water’s edge, also caters to those who prefer turf as much as we do surf. Their beef tenderloin, we can attest, is deliciously succulent and their rack of lamb is as plump and pink as we’ve ever enjoyed.
Another evening found us in Luca, a chic Italian (Grand Cayman hosts gastronomy from the globe’s every corner) resto on the ground oor of The Caribbean Club, a residential community overlooking the Caribbean Sea. Drawing the cool crowd, the world-class destination also serves some of the island’s best cocktails, so we felt suitably inclined to sink a few (The Don Draper approved Old Fashioned being our tipple of choice) as we plundered the menu. Take a tip: Try the pappardelle with braised beef short rib and porcini ragout, the recollection of which, even now, is enough to transport us back to Luca’s candle-lit dining room. Bliss!
70 Real Style Spring 2017
the outside terrace at the kimpton’s avecita restaurant.
PhotoS, Left: Cayman iSLanDS DePartment of toUriSm, the kimPton Seafire reSort anD SPa, riGht: Cayman iSLanDS DePartment of toUriSm, JULie CorSetti, DeeP BLUe imaGeS