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Thu
10 ^th

Cupcake Adventures: Cupcakes in Haiti

Posted by Julie - "Girl on the Move" — No Comments

Cap-Haïtien is a port city on the north coast of Haiti in the Caribbean. Look no further than Goût Sucré Pâtisserie for cupcakes in Haiti.

One thing you should know about me is I love cupcakes. Anytime my 4th graders need to create a team name, it is some variation of the Traveling Blue Cupcakes. Sometimes the cupcakes are blue, sometimes they’re dancing, but these kids know that if it’s traveling + blue + involves cupcakes, then I’m in! Often when I travel, one of the first things I research is cupcake shops. Consequently, I’ve been to more than 100 cupcake shops. And now I’ve had my first experience with cupcakes in Haiti!

On our way home from a day trip to Satama Hotel, I was pleasantly surprised to discover Cap-Haïtien, Haiti has a cupcake shop. I couldn’t resist checking out a new cupcake shop, so we made a quick stop! It was quite a treat to check out the cupcakes from Goût Sucré Pâtisserie. Decorated in pinks and purples, the store was quite adorable! You also just had a feeling when you walked in that it was going to live up to its name, Goût Sucré, meaning sweet taste.

The Cupcake Trifecta

The variety is not the same as is typically available at many cupcake shops in the United States, but they are not able to source as many ingredients in Haiti, so it is understandable. The cupcakes are reasonably priced and in terms of the cupcake trifecta:

•Cake to Frosting Ratio – Knocks it out of the park!

•Cake – A basic American grocery store vanilla cupcake.

•Frosting – The frosting had a different texture than expected. However, I’m not sure if that is exclusive to this shop or if this type of frosting is simply more typical in Haiti.

Finding the Cupcakes in Haiti

If you’ve spent much time in Cap – O’Kap to the locals, Cap Haitien most formally – you know that the Boulevard is the place to be. With the exception of Denny’s (not the tired American chain but possibly the best BBQ chicken you’ll find in Haiti), if you’re looking for a restaurant you’re going to find it on the Boulevard. The Boulevard du Cap-Haitien is the uncharacteristically wide stretch of road lining the coast which Google Maps will tell you is Mardi Gras Reef, but don’t get excited because you won’t want to touch this beach with a 10 foot pole. Drive northwest over the small mountain to some lovely beaches, and come back to the Boulevard for some food. From the Auberge du Picolet, where my sister and brother-in-law had their wedding reception, to Barik the cowboy bar. Yes, I’m serious. There’s something for everyone in Cap.

While this cupcake doesn’t make my list of Top 10 Favorite Cupcakes, the custom creations look great and it’s great for Haiti to be opening new and different businesses like this. So, if you’re looking for cupcakes in Haiti, or simply want to support local businesses, I’d recommend a visit!

More Than An Earthquake

Posted by Julie - "Girl on the Move" — 3 Comments

Haiti travel will reveal a a country filled with serene beaches, vibrant art, valuable history and people working hard despite limited opportunities.

Ayiti.

Land of Mountains.

Pearl of the Antilles.

Long held public perception of Haiti is that it is a country filled with destruction and mass poverty. People imagine millions upon millions of Haitians living in tents unable to feed themselves or their families. People imagine piles of rubble from the buildings that collapsed in the earthquake. People imagine a country only able to survive with the help of outside organizations.

And there are kernels of truth in those perceptions. 25% of Haitians live in extreme poverty. Haiti ranks 163rd out of 188 on the 2016 Human Development Index. The literacy rate hovers around 60%. Haiti is prone to natural disasters and it is indeed a third world country. There is corruption in the country.

But it is also so much more.

It is a country filled with serene beaches, breathtaking waterfalls, vibrant art, and valuable history.

It is a country filled with people working hard despite limited opportunities.

When Haiti gained its independence on January 1, 1804, it not only became the first black republic in the world, but it became the first country in the Western hemisphere to abolish slavery. There is so much rich history to be gleaned as the Haitian Revolution is the world’s only successful slave rebellion.

Haiti was a major tourist destination in the Caribbean after World War II and people came in droves to visit this island nation. The art, the music, the culture, the beaches drew people in to this nation occupying the western portion of Hispaniola.

Several natural disasters and a tumultuous political period have left pain, heartache, and uncertainty, but they have not extinguished the beauty.

Sans-Souci Palace

The ruins of Sans-Souci Palace, built from 1810-1813, look different than when King Henri I was in residence but what remains nestled in the vibrantly green mountains are worth seeing (And on this point of interest I’m slightly biased because this is where my sister and brother-in-law got married).

Wedding photos courtesy Hunter Kittrell Photography

Ile à rats

Ile à rats, translated Island of Rats, is a serene escape with a misleading name as there is not a rat to be found! However, there is a grove of trees in the center surrounded by fine white sand and snorkeling in waters whose color is not found in the 8-pack of Crayolas but only in the 120-pack!

Haiti travel will reveal a country filled with serene beaches, vibrant art, valuable history and people working hard despite limited opportunities.

Citadelle

The Citadelle sits on top of Bonnet a L’Eveque and is one of the most popular tourist destinations in Haiti. The trail to the Citadel is 7 miles and can be travelled on foot or horseback. The top of the fortress offers breathtaking views in every direction and throughout the fortress you’ll find more than 160 cannons and tens of thousands of cannonballs resting in piles.

Haiti is so much more than an earthquake and it is open for business. I would highly encourage you to explore the idea of Haiti travel in this beautiful country. The Haitian Tourism Board says it best, “If you like history, culture, adventure and you want to be stimulated by the new and the different, it’s time to EXPERIENCE HAITI.”

As with most of my posts, some links may be affiliate links. This means at no additional cost to you, I may make a small commission on anything you buy through the link.

If you’d like to experience Haiti travel, I wanted to give you some additional reading I’d encourage you to explore…

Reading about Haiti

Haiti Tourism

Day in Labadee

NY Times Haiti Tourism

Wed
11 ^th

My Sister’s Wedding

Posted by Girl on the Move — 7 Comments

I have been waiting three months to write this post 🙂 My sister got married August 15th and I have been waiting to get the pictures from the photographer to write about her wedding. When I first sat down to write this post I thought through several different ways to introduce this post. I could write about how even though I’ve been to 20 weddings in the last three years this one was the most special. I could write about how I was apprehensive about helping my sister plan a wedding while I was living in California and she was in Haiti. I could write about so many things but they just didn’t feel right. And then it hit me…I don’t need an introduction. What I need is an invitation. Since so many of our friends and family were not able to join us in Haiti for my sister’s wedding I want to invite all of you to the virtual wedding celebration.

We’ll kick off this wedding celebration with our trip to Haiti…

As my sister’s maid of honor I scoured the Internet to make sure that I didn’t leave any of my maid of honor duties undone…and yet all of these shots were not on any of the lists that I found! Might I suggest to the The Knot that they add, “Get appropriate vaccinations,” to all future Maid of Honor duty lists!