BANANA MOON. The Easter vacation is coming and with it the much-anticipated beach ritual of camping in bikinis. You’re gonna love me after you finish reading this blurb, because I found a most amazing new swimwear store. Don’t ask me about fit, or size, or price point, I didn’t check, but I can tell you [...]
Posted in Bati Bleki, Local News 
Tags: Aruba's, Bati, Bleki, Column, Coster, Rona, Social 
Comments OffARUBA INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY. March 8th was a good day, with more than 600 women registered for the conference organized by the Minister of Economic Affairs, Social Affairs and Culture, the ever-warm, beautiful and charismatic Michelle Hooyboer Winklaar. The day offered a mix of traditional and new age wisdom and was both thought-provoking and entertaining [...]
TIERRA DEL SOL OPENS NEW CHAPTER. Two condo owners at Tierra Del Sol, both well-established businessmen in the real estate and customer service fields are heading a group of investors taking over a minority interest in the fabulous property. They will also take over the managerial responsibilities and within four months at the end of [...]
Palm Beach – In late September of 2012, three well-established media personalities took to the airwaves for a new talk show with no-holds-barred! Aruba’s broadcasting queen Erin Croes, the owner of Magic 96.5FM, recruited them to heat up her radio station, three times a week, Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday, from 11am to 12noon. Erin personally [...]
Posted in Local News Tags: Coster, Croes, Erin, Fecunda, Magic 96.5FM, Pica, Rona, Tabitha Comments OffARUBA ON A ROLL. Eagle Beach Aruba was rate #9 among Trip Advisor’s best 25 beaches in the world. I am surprised they did not specifically name Bucuti Beach Resort & Tara Suites, quips the perhaps a tad presumptuous Ewald Biemans! Aruba has been on a roll, congratulations he adds. I went on line to [...]
ZSAZSA THE QUEEN OF BIJOUX. Kimberly Wever is as beautiful as she is talented. In May of last year she got interested in jewelry, pursuing the subject with a passion. If you see some of her creations, you’d think she’s been in the biz for years. Check out her collection at Masy’s Boutique, on Santa [...]
Posted in Bati Bleki, Local News Tags: aruba, Bati, Bleki, Column, Coster, Rona, Social Comments OffVIVA CARNIVAL. We watched the 59th edition of Aruba’s Grand Carnival Parade from the shaded sidewalk just across the governor’s mansion. By the time Royal Carnival Group got to us, their Proud Peacock was wilted and dragging. Carnival looked surprisingly sad and lifeless, though our beautiful Carnival Queen and her dancers did their best to [...]
BEST DESSERTS. I went on and on last week about how press-members enjoyed the hospitality and the food at L.G. Smith’s Steak & Chop House, when we were entertained by chef Scott Neuman, from Oregon USA, who talked about his childhood culinary roots in Texas, while introducing us to his authentic Western menu. Western as [...]
ECOTECH DESERVES PRAISE. At the beginning of the year my friends at ECOTECH sent me a small questionnaire asking me to rate their performance. As I was giving them top ratings in 8 service areas I realized how good and reliable this company is in managing and disposing my household waste. Thank you for everything. [...]
ARUBA – Alhambra Casino & Shops – Radio and TV personality Tabitha Fecunda offered her clients, fans and friends a post-holiday reception at Fusion, a stylish music, cigar and wine lounge with live piano entertainment alternating with the enchanting sounds of singer, guitarist Angelo Kolman. The evening at Fusion started with a champagne toast as [...]
Posted in Local News Tags: aruba, Coster, Fecunda, Fusion, Jacqueline, Rona, Suttle, Tabitha Comments OffWINE FOOD & ART. Today’s columns only talks about Wine, Food & Art, which reminds me that the Westin Resort Aruba just announced that its annual festival is set for June, stay tuned for exact dates, and that this year promises new event formats and guest celebrity chefs! FOOD GLORIOUS FOOD. I feel like I [...]
NEW YEAR’S RESOLUTIONS. We noticed over the last few days more people jogging, walking and biking. Apparently they all made a new year’s resolution determined to win the battle with their bulge. Me too. And that’s why on January 2nd, 2013, I showed up at Runners at Plaza Margarita, a specialty store for runners, bikers [...]
WHER’S THE BEEF? AT URATAKA CENTER. We were invited this week for Happy Hour in the cunucu, in Santa Cruz, at some off-the-beaten-path hilltop with a nice breeze, where the goats, lizards and chicken, frequently feast on the beans, peanuts and corn, our farmer-at-heart host was attempting to grow. Right at the center of the [...]
SOME OF THE HASSLES, DIM THE APPEAL OF AIR TRAVEL . Two of my friends booked a trip to Aruba in December, making the reservation as early as September. Since they were coming from Venezuela, they tried to fly Tiara Air, but could not get any air seats, so they naturally opted for DAE, Dutch [...]
Oranjestad – El Gaucho Argentine Grill hosted a group of radio personalities for dinner and drinks, celebrating the successful conclusion of 2012. The party was given by Magic 96.5FM director Erin Croes, better known as the queen of the airways, and her business associate Jacky Erasmus. Invitees included all DJs and news reporters, attesting to [...]
GLITSINESS AT LA CABANA. Over the past few months, construction took place within the lobby of La Cabana Beach & Racquet Club, where they built an in-house casino! Finally on December 5th, Glitz Casino opened its purple doors, and within the first 48 hours overpaid all jackpots – something about the machine settings paying out [...]
FOR THE LOVE MUSIC. The Hard Rock Café introduced a band which would be playing every Tuesday, from 9 to 11:30pm, Mojambo, put together by Will Roth, a quirky sound and light man from Ohio with a passion for Folk Rock. Will recruited the rock-steady Eric Jan Eman on guitar, classically trained drummer Michael Bislick, [...]
DAHER & CO WILL GLAMORIZE YOU. The new store at the Alhambra Casino & Shops is fabulous. Claudia Daher Ponson, stocked the fashions, from Brazil, one-of-a-kind outfits, shoes, clutches and jewelry, and decorated the place fabulously. I put a glitzy dress on hold, then forgot to stop by and try it out this weekend, but [...]
URBAN REVIVAL. I went downtown this week to see for myself how gorgeous it will be, and confirmed it will. The main street is shaping up as a promenade with coconut trees and flower-beds, shops and eateries. And there are visible signs that things are turning around significantly, with new stores and new facades to [...]
Palm Beach – Three popular media personalities are celebrating 60 days on-the-air next week. In late September broadcasting queen Erin Croes, the owner of Magic 96.5FM, conceived a brand new radio talk-show, starring three of her close friends, Jacqueline Suttle, Tabitha Fecunda and Rona Coster. She even gave it a name, 96.5% Pica – which [...]
YESTERDAY, TODAY & TOMORROW. Rory Arends’ book should be available for sale at all book stores this week. Launched Thursday with the help of the Minister of Tourism, Rory’s book recounts history from his own individual perspective, having witnessed the island’s growth, working as a professional in the tourism industry, from the late 50s to [...]
SAMOA THE TREASURED ISLANDS OF THE SOUTH FACIFIC. So the last time we spoke I was in Sydney Australia, admiring the nicely sculpted legs of Aussie joggers. On our last day in the city we took a ferry from Circular Quay to Manley beach, which is an hour away at the mouth of the giant [...]
AUSTRALIA, THE LAND DOWN UNDER. I never plan any vacations, I wait for a friend to come up with a do-able plan, and an invitation, and that is how I get to see the world without doing much research or planning. Thank-you Yvonne for the trip to Surinamand thank-you Jodi for the trip to Morocco; [...]
THE LOCAL STORE IS A HIT. My son David Coster, reports that the Local Store, at the heart of town, across Royal Plaza Mall is a hit. The ambiance and the vibe reminded him of the golden days of the Whiskey Road House on Palm Beach, where he practically lived in his early teens. The [...]
HAPPY BIRTHDAY. It was my birthday week and on Facebook alone I had more than 180 well wishers, showering me with their attention including Minister Otmar Oduber. I must admit, it felt good. The first party on Friday, shared with another Libra, the multi-faceted Mariza Garcia, was Oktoberfest at Dushi Bagels Bierhaus. It was a [...]
SETAR’S CHALLENGE TO KEEP UP WITH THE TIMES. I recently switched from my beloved Blackberry Torch to an iPhone. You’ll love it, everybody said. After two months, at the end of the honeymoon, I don’t hate it, but I don’t love it, and I try to use it as little as possible since by bill [...]
SOLD TO THE HIGHEST BIDDER. Ling & Sons IGA Supercenter, which started as a family business in 1949, changed hands just recently, having served six generations in the Savaneta, San Nicolas and Oranjestad outlets. It was a smart move, because a business with no internal succession, must sell while it’s hot! The super-educated kids moved [...]
ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION. On Thursday, Café the Plaza will be celebrating its 21st anniversary. Over the years the Dutch café had nurtured a loyal local following, there to enjoy the almost-best-sate-in-town, with super friendly service in a casual ambiance. You will meet the two owners at the bar on Thursday, Hans Notter and Harry Koeman.
Posted in Bati Bleki, Local News Tags: Anniversary, Bati, Bleki, cafe, Cas, CENTER, Convention, Coster, Expo, Hans, Harry, Koeman, Notter, plaza, Renaissance, Rona, the, Trimon, Winfred No Comments »TRANSITIONS. At the Marriott Aruba Resort & Stellaris Casino, is saying farewell to a much-appreciated Vice President and General Manager, Kevin Schwab. In the summer of last year, Schwab was awarded the Breakthrough Leadership Training Award and Global Award for General Manager of the Americas by Marriott International, which gives you an idea how brilliant [...]
WHO MOVED MY CHEESE. Is a title of an amazing book about change in the workplace, written more than 10 years ago. Most people are fearful of change because it feels like they are losing control over their lives, but the book shows that a positive attitude about change is what matters most! So now [...]
* SHE’S BACK. Sometimes in 2005 I dropped my Bati Bleki column in the Diario, I don’t remember why, maybe because some editor stuck it in the back of the newspaper, adjacent to the obituaries instead of its regular spot on page 14. The column ran in the Diario since mid April of 1994, imagine, [...]
Posted in Bati Bleki, Local News Tags: aruba, Bati, Bleki, Coster, Daily, Diario, Rona No Comments »ORANJESTAD – The ATA, in cooperation with the Ministry of Tourism, Transportation & Labour, produced a colorful coffee table book in celebration of the island’s recent milestone of marking 50 years in tourism titled “A Golden Aruba from A to Z—Celebrating 50 years and beyond in tourism.” The project was initiated and overseen by Myrna [...]
Posted in Local News Tags: aruba, Bislick, book, Causey, CosterTina, Jansen, Myrna, Rona No Comments »
Aruba Time
