Page 472 - The British Big Four

out a day-long tour with stops at these
TH E PErFU M Ery, ST. g Eo rg E’S
and clothes shops, hairdressers and spa,
tiny bookstore, artist studios and galleries
that are all tucked in amongst historic
homes, buildings and walk ways.
At the busier west end of the Island,
the Royal Naval Dockyard’s Clocktower
Mall is a must for recreational shoppers.
The Mall houses small branches of
Hamilton department stores, art and
craft stores attractive gift shops, as
well as fashion clothing, jewellery and
accessory boutiques. You can shop and
then drop in at the Mall’s world famous
Haggen Dazs ice-cream parlour for well-
deserved refreshment.
It’s a short distance to the east side of the favourite, one that reflects Bermuda’s
Dockyard. A bustling marina and working
boatyards line the way to old naval
storehouses, now studios for artisans
o ering a wealth of handmade creative
arts and crafts, ‘Made in Bermuda’. What
more memorable souvenirs can you take
home with you?
The best showcases for Bermuda-made
arts and crafts are the local galleries: the
Bermuda Arts Centre at Dockyard, the
Bermuda Society of Arts, Masterworks
Museum of Bermuda Art and the Bermuda
Craft Market all have regularly changing
schedules of shows and exhibits. The
Bermuda National Gallery in City Hall &
Arts Centre in Hamilton hosts visiting
international exhibits, a complement
to their permanent collection which
includes important Bermudian paintings
and furniture.
A number of resident working artists
have their studios in the Bermuda Arts
Centre at Dockyard—another west end
highlight. Venture around the corner
and step into the vast hall of Dockyard
Glassworks where hot furnaced and
flameworked glass, fused glass jewellery
and glass beads are all produced; stay
a while and watch a demonstration of
glass blowing. Take home your personal
natural light and vibrancy. Next door at
Bermuda Clayworks, featuring renowned
potter Jon Faulkner, you can look on while these magnificent tomes and ‘visit’ the
potters work and then you can buy their
contemporary hand thrown designs.
There are some smaller galleries and
studios located across the Island, these
are listed in the telephone directory’s
Yellow Pages and an enterprising guide
or a knowledgeable taxi driver can map
taSte
artists’ studios. Before setting out, keep a
broad mind on what exactly constitutes a
‘studio’, as artists in Bermuda can work in
uncommon locations and it is best to call
ahead to confirm their availability.
Local writers add an important layer
to the cultural ‘products’ of the Island,
their books are available in bookstores,THE
gift shops and from the writers directlycroS
as often they are the featured evening
guests during hotels’ ‘Bermuda Nights’.T
Children’s books top the list of ‘bestS
sellers’ and the lead characters are often
popular locals: tree frogs, colourful fish,U
gombeys and birds. Take home gifts could
include volumes on local flora and fauna,c
scientific expeditions or our maritime
history, or what about a novel basedk
on the lives of the Island’s pirates and
buccaneers? And, there’s that well-known
work, ‘The Tempest’, by Mr. Shakespeare.
The collection of co ee table books
covers virtually all aspects of Bermudian
life: personalities, homes and gardens,
ship building and sailing from days gone
by to nowadays. Turn the pages of any of
Island again and again from the comfort
of your armchair at home.
Throughout Bermuda you’ll come across
fragrant, local favourites to take home
as reminders of your island vacation: a
spoonful of Bermuda honey to sweeten
your days, a bottle of peppery sherry
condiment to add a special zip to your
choice homemade dishes, a phial of newly
refined Bermuda perfumes to capture
the essence of the Island in a range of
exotic fragrances, and don’t forget
a delicious rum cake!
Every excursion to
Bermuda brings its
rewards. The rewards
are as varied as the
clouds in our sky.
E
r
GOTOBERMUDA.COM
of Bermuda
FOOD IS INTEGRAL to the pleasure of a Bermuda vacation.
Good food—along with famous Bermudian sociability—is
being served island-wide and end-to-end in fine, world-class
coUrTESy FairMonT ProPErTiES restaurants, convivial pubs, casual cafés and co ee shops as
well as in mobile carts parked in just the right places.
aFTErnoon TEa, Elbow bEacH bErMUDa
Flavours in Bermuda range from the truly international to
the traditionally local and reflect the genuine diversity and
cosmopolitanism of both the Island’s resident population
and its visitors. French, Italian, British, American, Caribbean,
Portuguese, North African, Indian and Far Eastern influences
all infuse Bermuda’s cuisine and can spice up your vacation
with deliciously tempting variety.
A recent count revealed more than 150 eating places in
Bermuda. Those listed below are arranged according to
cuisine, convenience, ambience, after work and after hours,
etc. However, it would be impossible to cite every island
establishment and we all know that sometimes the most
satisfying experiences come from simply following the crowd
and, of course, your nose.
FINE DINING
Fine dining and elegant surroundings make it a pleasure to
dress up and have always been available in Bermuda’s hotels.
That tradition continues at Fairmont Hotels’ Waterlot Inn in
Southampton and Harley’s in Hamilton. The Point at Rosewood
Tucker’s Point, Beau Rivage at Newstead Belmont Hills and
Ocean Echo at The Reefs are equally fine choices. The latter
two restaurants o er the bonus of exceptional views—the one
overlooks Hamilton Harbour, the other its own South Shore
beach. And speaking of views, those from Blû Bar and Grill at
Belmont Hills are awesome, especially at night.
Naturally, fine dining can also be found in the City of Hamilton
and its environs. On Front Street, there is Port O’ Call, popular
with local businessmen and politicians and the recently opened
RED, which highlights quality meat and fish infused with your
choice from the flavours of various great cuisines. Just o
Front Street there is Little Venice, the doyenne of Bermuda’s
Italian restaurants. For groups and special occasions, the
Venetian takes this restaurant’s fine dining experience to the
waters of Hamilton Harbour. Call ahead to reserve cocktail or
dinner cruises.
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