Country clubs etc

Old Jan 31st 2009, 8:14 pm
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Default Country clubs etc

Does anyone know about country clubs and members' bars etc on the island frequented by many British/American expats?
We're a British/American couple residing on the Sandy Lane estate for much of the year and familiar with the restaurants, bar scene etc, but would be interested in learning about other high-end options.
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Old Jan 31st 2009, 10:26 pm
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Default Re: Country clubs etc

I'm strictly low-end work, home, work, home...sometimes I forget where I am!

What about Royal Westmoreland? http://www.royal-westmoreland.com/ or

Apes Hill which should be up and running soon...

Do you golf, sail, like polo?

Hope this helps!
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Old Jan 31st 2009, 10:40 pm
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Default Re: Country clubs etc

Originally Posted by zanne
I'm strictly low-end work, home, work, home...sometimes I forget where I am!

What about Royal Westmoreland? http://www.royal-westmoreland.com/ or

Apes Hill which should be up and running soon...

Do you golf, sail, like polo?

Hope this helps!
Yes, we'd definitely be interested in joining polo/sailing clubs if you know the names of any that aren't too far from Sandy Lane?
We know a couple of friends with properties at Royal Westmoreland, so going for a snoop next week!
What's Apes Hill???

Thanks so much for the info!
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Old Jan 31st 2009, 11:32 pm
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Default Re: Country clubs etc

Here's a link for Apes Hill:

http://www.apeshillclub.com/main/index.html

It is really spectacular IMO (I am slightly biased though!)
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Old Jan 31st 2009, 11:44 pm
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Default Re: Country clubs etc

Originally Posted by zanne
Here's a link for Apes Hill:

http://www.apeshillclub.com/main/index.html

It is really spectacular IMO (I am slightly biased though!)
It does indeed look pretty spectacular!
Biased??? - how so?
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Old Feb 1st 2009, 1:22 pm
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Default Re: Country clubs etc

Try the Barbados Yacht Club as well. it's members only, I wouldn't say posh, upscale, but you will find loads of expats there (and locals).. but I think you have to know someone to get an invite to apply for membership. The do have a nice beach side bar area for eats and drinks, nice changing rooms and lots of people ship boats.
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Old Feb 1st 2009, 1:31 pm
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Default Re: Country clubs etc

Originally Posted by Sunniebgi
Try the Barbados Yacht Club as well. it's members only, I wouldn't say posh, upscale, but you will find loads of expats there (and locals).. but I think you have to know someone to get an invite to apply for membership. The do have a nice beach side bar area for eats and drinks, nice changing rooms and lots of people ship boats.
The Yacht Club looks great - will have to scout around and see who I know with membership for an invite!
Thanks!
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Old Feb 1st 2009, 8:29 pm
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Default Re: Country clubs etc

I've heard you actually need 50 members to vouch for you to become a member. It sounds ridiculous, though.
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Old Feb 1st 2009, 9:43 pm
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Default Re: Country clubs etc

Originally Posted by Foxy_fromCanada
I've heard you actually need 50 members to vouch for you to become a member. It sounds ridiculous, though.
My gosh, 50?!!! That's hysterical....
I must say I've been pleasantly surprised at the great people we've met so far, but there's not really a "social set" yet because of meeting people out in bars etc, none of the friends we've made know each other (not yet, anyway). I suppose we're just looking for somewhere we're it's a little organised and we can build up a bit of a set of our own.
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Old Feb 1st 2009, 11:54 pm
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Default Re: Country clubs etc

not sure how true that is, as I do know some ex-pats who are members and seem to have no problem joining (being able to pay the membership fee and monthly bar tab helps)... or maybe it's just knowing one person who can vouch for you and they will get 50 of their friends to do the same.
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Old Feb 2nd 2009, 2:44 pm
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Default Re: Country clubs etc

I mean absolutely no offence by this so please don’t take any, but your original post and your follow-ups here were so truly exceptional for this board that I suspected you might be taking the mickey.

For what it’s worth, Holders Season will soon be upon us. See http://www.holders.net. It’s not too long a drive from Sandy Lane, so you won’t have to worry about commuting. (You might have noticed that nowhere in Barbados is too far from anywhere else. It’s like living in Chelsea, apart from all those dreadfully unfortunate homes with pit latrines that you have to pass on the way from The Cliff to the polo ground.)

Anyway, if you do enough meet-and-greet at the Holders events, it’s virtually guaranteed that you’ll meet the kind of “high-end” people (unquenchably posh accents; kids called Oliver and Emily; familiar with Pimms; humour-free and a little slow on the uptake) whom I’ve been avoiding like plague since I graduated from Oxford a couple of decades ago.

Almost certainly, one of those can get you into the Yacht Club. I was invited to be proposed for club membership (you do not need 50 approvals; you do need one proposer), but sadly my agenda was too full and I had to decline the invitation.

If you haven’t done so already, contact the US and UK embassies. Get on their social lists. This gives you the opportunity to drink bad wine at events of mind-bending fatuity with small numbers of people who are bright and interesting and other people who are interested in polo.

My best suggestion: go to Oistins Bay Gardens in the evening during the middle of the week (don’t go at the weekend), get a full Marlin dinner and a beer from Sonia’s place, eat macaroni pie and fresh fish off paper plates, and connect with some Bajans.

Doubtless polo, country clubs and the local expat yachting community have their place in a life well lived. But if you’re only here for a year, you might want to consider making it a somewhat less “exclusive” year.

All best wishes to you and yours. I sincerely hope that your time in Barbados is a happy and healthy one.
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Old Feb 2nd 2009, 3:08 pm
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Default Re: Country clubs etc

Originally Posted by asherman
I mean absolutely no offence by this so please don’t take any, but your original post and your follow-ups here were so truly exceptional for this board that I suspected you might be taking the mickey.

For what it’s worth, Holders Season will soon be upon us. See http://www.holders.net. It’s not too long a drive from Sandy Lane, so you won’t have to worry about commuting. (You might have noticed that nowhere in Barbados is too far from anywhere else. It’s like living in Chelsea, apart from all those dreadfully unfortunate homes with pit latrines that you have to pass on the way from The Cliff to the polo ground.)

Anyway, if you do enough meet-and-greet at the Holders events, it’s virtually guaranteed that you’ll meet the kind of “high-end” people (unquenchably posh accents; kids called Oliver and Emily; familiar with Pimms; humour-free and a little slow on the uptake) whom I’ve been avoiding like plague since I graduated from Oxford a couple of decades ago.

Almost certainly, one of those can get you into the Yacht Club. I was invited to be proposed for club membership (you do not need 50 approvals; you do need one proposer), but sadly my agenda was too full and I had to decline the invitation.

If you haven’t done so already, contact the US and UK embassies. Get on their social lists. This gives you the opportunity to drink bad wine at events of mind-bending fatuity with small numbers of people who are bright and interesting and other people who are interested in polo.

My best suggestion: go to Oistins Bay Gardens in the evening during the middle of the week (don’t go at the weekend), get a full Marlin dinner and a beer from Sonia’s place, eat macaroni pie and fresh fish off paper plates, and connect with some Bajans.

Doubtless polo, country clubs and the local expat yachting community have their place in a life well lived. But if you’re only here for a year, you might want to consider making it a somewhat less “exclusive” year.

All best wishes to you and yours. I sincerely hope that your time in Barbados is a happy and healthy one.
Ha! Well no offence taken chap, and I assure you I'm not taking the mickey. I fear my family may fit slightly into the category you describe (nice accents, posh kids' names) but hopefully we're not as offensive as some you describe! Or, at least, we're able to see the humour in ourselves.

I will certainly contact the embassies - as you say, the parties are probably little boring, but it might be a good way for us to meet families with a child of similar age and upbringing to ours (4 in July) as he will start school in September.

And luckily coming here we have a number of Bajan and ex-pat friends already, and we're certainly not just after an "exclusive" experience for the couple of years we're here - but it would be nice to have somewhere relaxing and safe for us to socialise in as a family that's a little more organised and introduces us to circles who know each other. As I said, at present our friends are very diverse and not necessarily people I'd introduce to each other! It would help us settle in quicker I thought if there was some kind of 'set' we felt we belonged to, though I see why you thought from my original post that may come across somewhat snobbish - don't worry, no offence taken, and I hope none caused!
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Old Feb 2nd 2009, 4:40 pm
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Default Re: Country clubs etc

No offence taken at all. On the contrary, a pleasure to correspond with you.

I don’t think I’ve seen the word “set” used in the same context as your use of it since I last tried to get through one of the Mitford memoirs. Your usage actually made me laugh out loud on a Monday morning. Many thanks for that, sincerely. You’ve read some Waugh, haven’t you?

The Oxford Society informs me that I’m the only alum on the island. I find that hard to believe. I suspect I’m the only alum on the island who has alerted the Oxford Society.

But if you’re an alumnus or alumna, please get in touch. We could sip a Pimms and reflect on the alma. But if you were at Cambridge or one of those ghastly little provincial universities, of course, we can never be in the same set. How would I introduce you to my friends? The very thought is horrid.
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Old Feb 2nd 2009, 4:50 pm
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Default Re: Country clubs etc

Asherman, you too have made my Monday, too funny!
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Old Feb 2nd 2009, 6:21 pm
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Default Re: Country clubs etc

Originally Posted by Ikon
It would help us settle in quicker I thought if there was some kind of 'set' we felt we belonged to
Which university were you at, in fact? If it was one of those ghastly little provincial places, I’m afraid you’ll find little comfort here. But surely even red brick universities have some sort of club where people like you can go. Do they not?

Last edited by asherman; Feb 2nd 2009 at 6:28 pm.
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