The Frangipani Hotel (known simply as “Frangi”) became my favorite spot on Bequia. Located centrally in Admiralty Bay, the Frangi attracted “yachties”, land visitors, home owners and local bequians. Owned by Son Mitchell, a politician who would go on to become the country’s Prime Minister, and run by his wife Pat, the hotel was definitely the hub of Bequia’s social scene.
Having limited financial resources at the time I dined at the Frangi only when I was invited, and it was always a treat. I loved the way dinner was served, it was simple and always delicious. There would be one choice, whatever was on the menu was what everyone dining would be served, eliminating having to agonize over a menu and the need for waitresses to take orders. Simple! The food was brought out on platters or in bowls from which the staff served the guests individually.
Another favorite was of course the Frangi barbecue on Thursday nights. The three Mitchell daughters could be spotted during the day collecting colorful blossoms for the buffet table, which would be artfully placed around the food. When the bell was rung for dinner, everyone would line up with a big plate for the buffet table and a small plate for the steak. Everything on Bequia was home-made back then except of course the steaks, which were imported with great difficulty from the United States. The buffet table offered delicious concoctions such as conch, lobster salad, tuna salad, fried plantain and much more, everything local and always tasty. The steak was placed on the small plate, there was never any room for it on the plate already loaded from the buffet table! My only problem with the Frangi barbecue was the dessert table. I was always SO stuffed from the buffet that I never had room for the sweets, although I always managed to eat one or two of the several desserts on offer.
Thursday was a day I looked forward to every week – after four days of teaching it was nice to go out and be with people other than students and fellow teachers. I would set out from Friendship each Thursday before sunset, arriving at the Frangi in time to watch the sky fill with color over the bay. There were always people I knew milling around the bar, and ALWAYS new and interesting people to meet. I recall that the beverages were all $2.00 EC (very inexpensive!) and my drink of choice was rum and passion. The chatter at the bar got more animated as the rum flowed and more people arrived, making it a warm, convivial affair. This was the Frangipani “Jump-Up” and it was fun!
The steel band was called “The Frangicans”, and what they lacked in skill they made up for in enthusiasm! When they started to bang away on the drums everyone would start moving to the beat, and soon the sandy dance area in front of the band would be filled with writhing, twisting bodies.
On Thursdays I danced and danced and danced.