The Digest | New Jersey Magazine
Issue link: https://magazines.vuenj.com/i/1180832
I n order to enjoy my time as an outsider, I knew I had to surrender to the awkwardness of it all. So aer lunch I headed up to my now-ready room, a 1,106-square-foot oceanfront suite bigger than my Jersey City apartment. With every intention of changing into my swimsuit and making my way to the beach, I instead found myself lounging on top of the daybed on my private balcony with a chilled glass of rosé. It seemed almost perfect timing as I watched storm clouds roll in overhead and a soaking rain shower soon followed, clearing up almost completely a few minutes later. With absolutely zero pressure to do anything—din- ner wasn't until 7pm—I couldn't help but think of all the things I could be doing instead. Should I check out the pool? Plop under an umbrella at Grace Bay? Find out what the Pink Bar was? (Spoiler alert: it serves all things pink. ink rosé wines, champagnes and coordinating cocktails that use strawberries, watermelon, cran- berry juice, etc.) e FOMO forced me to get up, change and head back downstairs. Framing Wymara's open-air walkways were trellises covered with fuschia-colored bougainvillea flowers, a bright pop when compared to the resort's outdoor wooden furnishings that reference the island's powdery sands. I grabbed a chair by the in- finity-edge pool and became acutely aware of the hot sun beating down on my skin, the slight island-y tunes being played in the background and a feeling of tiredness I hadn't noticed earlier. I made it through barely half of Lena Dunham's "Armchair Expert" podcast episode before calling it a day. Breakfast picked up at Stelle where I had dinner the night before. In the morning, guests are welcomed to a breakfast buffet and by night, the indoor-outdoor restaurant features an à la carte menu with a Southeast Asian flare. I decided to keep it light as I had an alfresco yoga session in store for me at the villas. General Manager Rolf Lippuner, formerly with Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts, wished us off and sent his apologies for the villa's absence of a beach. What I wanted to say was that if it's good enough for Drew, it's good enough for me. V U E N J . C O M 140