Many of my friends tell stories of the fun they had growing up at the Tivoli Club, Club Caribe, the Esso Club, Pova Club, the Palm Beach Club, and various other social hubs. Aruba in its infancy offered social settings where families paid a membership fee, and the club organized a calendar of activities for its members. The Tivoli Club even had its own Carnival parade, Aruba’s Lighting Parade traces its roots to organizers from that social circle.

Aruba’s well heeled, all knew each other since they belonged to the same club, their kids interacted, grew up together, got married. Businesses were born and deals were struck, over an ocean of cocktails, and music.

We could be expecting a revival of a similar concept, updated for the current millennia at Alba Quarter, in the heart of Oranjestad on the corner of Oode Schoolstraat and Nieuwstraat.

A complete quarter was fenced by INARCH N.V. Architects, it will be the home of the Alba Club, a social center for 125 lucky members. The membership will include access to the pool, the restaurant, the club house/lounge, with many extra options and services, such as private event venues, meeting rooms, a steam room, sauna, an icy plunge pool, and a bridal suit.

Club 125, will offer for a modest monthly fee, the opportunity to meet like-minded people in a social setting, while the kids jump in and out of the pool. (Membership #001 and #007 are already spoken for.)

The urban area, now partially demolished and fenced will at a later stage also offer boutique accommodations. But I saw the vision, the old 85-year-old trees, the perfect symbol of renewal and resilience, the gorgeous post-colonial floors, with ornate colorful tiles, the mud walls with pieces of coal sticking out defying gravity, they are thick 125-year-old, the aged wooden beams, the low doorways, the cistern, all architectural elements that would be beautifully incorporated into new construction.

As I already told you, INARCH, N.V. an Interior and Architectural Design firm, has been active since 1984. The staff consists of Interior Designers, Architects and Structural Engineers, which allows them to undertake ambitious projects. It is a family business. With a young, educated, and ambitious generation driving the bus, Xena and Thais, and a proud dad overseeing the action, Carlos. They are all working for mom, Millie, says Xena.

Carlos Profet, the CEO of INARCH NV still has his eyes on the Lucky Strike building on Wilhelminastraat, but meanwhile Alba Quarter keeps him busy.

And it is certainly in the spirit of the time with OIG, Oranjestad Investor Group and WIG, Wilhelmina Investor Group, on speed dial with the Minister of Finance and Economy.

Alba Quarter, like Kura Hulanda, now Kura Botanica in Curacao, or the French Quarter in New Orleans, the Latin Quarter in Paris, will be a 14-room, mixed use property with event spaces, scheduled to open its first phase in about 6 months. The infrastructure is being laid right as we speak.

The famed resort on Palm Beach celebrated work anniversaries just recently, 25, 30 and 35 years of service, recognizing team members, at an elegant black & red party in the Morris Lapidus ballroom.

Glenn Farro, Director of the Resort’s HR department, served as master of ceremony. He has been with the resort for almost 40 years, throughout its different incarnations.

Farro noted it was a privilege to celebrate a truly remarkable group of team members, twenty-three individuals, who have not only shown commitment but have built the very foundation of the resort’s success over more than 66 years, The twenty-three honorees stand for a combined 660 years of experience.

This milestone speaks volumes about dedication, Farro added, and the kind of passion that makes the team truly extraordinary.

General Manager Gerome Luciano asked for a warm round of applause for the honorees, whose stories remind us that growth and achievement are always possible. Each journey is unique, he explained, where everyone develops differently, strengthening their own career, and benefitting the entire organization, greatly.

The Minister of Tourism, Wendrick Cecilia, also on hand on the occasion lauded the team’s achievements, congratulation all individuals on their dedication and the consequent rewards of a career built on passion.

The resort’s culinary team served a delicious 3-course plated dinner just before the official ceremony started.

The minister, general manager, and the HR department executives all praised the honorees, lavishing them with certificates and gifts, 9 on their 25th anniversary, 5 on their 30th and 3 on their 35th. Team members absent that evening Kenneth Lacle, Alfredo Bermudez, Johnny Geerman, Beverly Pieternella, Alvin Kross, Enrique Lacle, Maria Camarena, and Errol Dacosta will be feted at their department.

The Hilton Aruba Caribbean Resort & Casino first opened in 1969 as the luxurious Aruba Caribbean Hotel. Then in 1984, in need of renovations, it changed ownership. The new partnership with the Golden Tulip, a global hotel chain originally established in the Netherlands, took it over in November 1986. The first part of the reopening included the Caribbean Wing,176 rooms, it was followed by the Garden Wing, 80 rooms, and the Barbizon wing, 120 rooms, plus 30 cabanas.

While the island’s economy was suffering from the closure of the refinery at the eve of Status Aparte, two years earlier, the hotel was continuously doing well, hiring staffers, and running the Fandango nightclub, The French Room, and the Gazebo restaurant.

In the following years the Grande Dame of Palm beach enjoyed a successful run as the Golden Tulip, then again it was blessed by a change of ownership around the millennium, reflagged as a Radisson and finally in July 2015, it went full circle and returned to its Aruban roots when it was picked up by the Aruba Growth Fund, becoming the upscale Hilton Aruba Caribbean Resort & Casino, with 355 charming guest rooms, at the edge of an unmatched beach, nestled in enchanting gardens.

Visitors are now waiting for the next highlight as the resort welcomes The Westerly, the hotel’s new oceanfront tower in early 2026, located on the water’s edge, within the property, offering an elevated guest experience and privileges of a boutique hotel, in addition to deluxe resort services, refinements and comfort.

As team members’ names appeared on the big screen with their original file photos, from their old workbooks, the room erupted with thunderous applause and laughter.

Recognition certificates and monetary gifts were presented to:

YOUN MARTINEZ, Pool & Beach attendant.

MARIO JIMENEZ, who enjoyed a great career trajectory from General utility to General utility Supervisor.

CESAR SALDIVAR, who enjoyed a great career trajectory from Bus Person to Waiter-in room dining,

AUDREY SINCLAIR, Waitress.

LOURDES RIDDERSTAAT, Waitress.

WINNIE MABALAY who enjoyed a great career trajectory from Waitress to Bartender/Cashier.

GEORGE LOPEZ, who enjoyed a great career trajectory from Pool attendant, Tradesman 4, Tradesman 3, to Pool Team Supervisor.

BRIGITTE HERNANDEZ, who enjoyed a great career trajectory from Banquet Server, Banquet Hostess, Assistant Banquet Supervisor, to F&B Supervisor.

ROSENDO JEAN PIERRE COLINA who enjoyed a great career trajectory from Mini bar attendant, Barback to Bartender/Cashier.

MILAINE ARISTOMENE who enjoyed a great career trajectory from Room attendant to Floor supervisor.

SORAIDA WERLEMAN who enjoyed a great career trajectory from Seamstress, Uniform Room Attendant, Housekeeping Evening Supervisor.

LILY POLSBROEK, who enjoyed a great career trajectory from Sales Manager, Sr. Sales Manager to Sr. Regional Sales Manager.

ZULAICA QUANDUS, who enjoyed a great career trajectory from Laundry Attendant, Sr. laundry Attendant, Guest Valet Attendant, F&B Cashier to Waitress

ROSALVA JACKSON, who enjoyed a great career trajectory from Assistant Laundry Sorter, Filing Clerk, Telephone Operator, Reservations Agent, Administrative Assistant, to Security supervisor.

BENITO CROES, Head Butcher.

I have a new spot for you, for days where you are a tourist on your own island, it is not new, it has been there forever, but perhaps you were hesitant to stop by, before.

I am now letting you know; you should feel free to visit, artists Marian Abath and Ciro Abath, at their home/atelier in Noord, you will find a charming gift store, a sculpture garden, a flameworking studio, a lively Aruban garden, a friendly guide, two dogs, and something to talk about the rest of the afternoon. (Open Monday, Tuesday, Thursday 10 am to 1pm)

Terrafuse, Arubaglassceramics, is an NGO launched in 2008, aiming to promote the art of glass, ceramics, and bronze.

While Marian is a glass artist, and her torch workshops are popular among visitors and locals, Ciro is a multi-everything experimentalist, with a special interest in the island’s pre-historic artifacts, people, and way of life, including anything to do with nature, land, sea, air. He is one of the most prolific artists on the island.

Ciro’s work is on display at Aruba Bank, the giant stone hatchet with fofoti tree roots, at the entrance. He created the monument of our three most prominent musicians on Plaza Padu in front of the government building; he sculpted Lady Justice at the courthouse, and the metallic coral lace at the front desk of La Cabana Beach Resort. The Aruba Airport, The Central Bank of Aruba, and the Aruba Investment Bank, are all his clients.

He is now busy creating a giant hermit crab that would be placed as public art in Oranjestad, next year. His work always centers arounds historic, cultural, and communal values.

The sculpture garden is filled with Ciro’s past work and the studies that led to the final versions we see in public places. Most impressive a perpetum mobile, a perpetual motion machine with different wheels, they differ in size, and they represent Aruba’s industrial trajectory from gold to oil, through various other industries. The interconnected flywheels look like steel but are made of foam, a material favored by the artist when working on preliminary concepts.

Visitors are welcome to visit the workshop with the ceramic kilns and learn about the process of creating a bronze sculpture, which is lengthy and intricate. A visit to the container turned boutique reveals a treasure chest of gifts and ornaments. (The blue dot carries good new to locals. Just ask)

There are many ceramics and glass works just lying around — this is a very artistic environment.

From the website:

Terrafuse has an impressive vintage gate, imported from Europe from a defunct glass factory, Terrafuse took over where its European counterpart let go. ​

On its fifth anniversary, Infini’s culinary team led by award-winning chef Urvin Croes decided to pick their top eight crowd-pleasers and serve them as a tribute to the restaurant’s anniversary, defining fine dining in Aruba.

The menu is enhanced with an expertly selected wine pairing.

Chef Croes just came back from Barbados from the Taste of the Caribbean culinary competition where he served as the Aruba team mentor. The chef reports his team of four culinary professionals and a bartender, represented Aruba well after being absent from the competition for 20 years. He is hoping to repeat that performance in next year’s Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Association, CHTA, meeting, eyeing for gold. This time the Aruba team came away with three medals, overall bronze for the team, and two silver individual medals.

Chef Croes recalls that 20 years ago, he won the student culinary competition at the local hospitality school he was attending and as a last-minute save, he was drafted to join the culinary team to represent Aruba at that same competition, in Miami.

He was a budding professional then, he is Aruba’s celebrity chef today.

A lot has happened since that first Taste of Caribbean competition, including years of working at renowned European kitchens under Michelin-starred chefs, plus extensive travel.

Upon his return to his home island, Chef Croes gave us White, an unforgettable restaurant he ran with his wife Maryann. Over the years his entrepreneurial instincts kicked in, and he now runs four restaurants under his Deja Vue company name.

Chef Croes has his fingers in many pots, at Infini, a studio with an exhibition kitchen, and at Poke Ono, serving Poke, Sushi and Baos, at the Renaissance Marketplace and at Blue Condominium. His latest involvement, Caya House, serving a Latin-Caribbean fusion, which has become a major draw on Palm Beach. Along with a number of business partners he also operates a vacation rental management company by the name of CasaGo Aruba with over 180 contracted properties.

The chef is a busy man yet guided by his passion creativity and a deep appreciation of local tradition, he stands in the Infini kitchen himself, bent over the stove, transforming dining into a celebration of flavors, culture, and innovation.

Menu #14 at Infini, is true to the restaurant’s name – standing for endless possibilities. It masterfully combines Aruban ingredients, with modern techniques turning every dish into a visual feast, and a story. Under the imaginative leadership of Chef Urvin Croes, Infini restaurant has introduced nearly 156 original recipes, welcomed over 40.000 guests, and continuously pushed the boundaries of fine dining here.

The restaurant’s current kitchen brigade includes Brian, Ivan J. Nicole, Jaime and restaurant manager Mark. Infini has over the years ‘graduated’ dozens of aspiring chefs, who are now working at fine dining establishments in Aruba and Europe. Chef’s influence on the level of job preparedness and culinary ability cannot be unacknowledged, as he runs one of the best cooking schools in the region, right at his kitchen.

The team puts down their precision tongs, and visits diners with each course to elaborate on the preparation and the ingredients. The sommelier does the same with every pairing. He is very knowledgeable and interacts easily with guests.

The Anniversary Menu #14

LIMPIA MAN

Cayena Cleansing Oil – Every guest gets a few drops of a golden elixir into the palm of his/her hand for a refreshing cleanse. A warm towel finishes the job.

You are now officially ready to start your culinary journey back in time, savoring recreated favorite dishes from thirteen earlier menus. The Cayena oil is custom made for Infini, and you may buy a bottle to go!

CELERY

The common denominator of three delicious Amuses is celery, the undervalued and underestimated root, inspiring three tiny bites.

Celery root appears in the form of the local croquet and a bitter ball, enhanced with Apple, Hazelnut, Yuzu, and Purple Wine Mustard, then the third bite, on a spoon, a tiny edible Cappuccino cup, topped with Beari Caviar.

The Amuses are paired with Broadbent Vinho Verde, Barcelos, from Portugal, a light and refreshing start to a terrific meal.

THE GARDEN

The salad dish is a fondly remembered appetizer from an earlier menu: A kadaifi egg nest, with a perfectly cooked bright yellow yoke and a garland of flowers, herbs and vegetables, dotted with incredibly tasty sauces. It’s almost a sin to put a fork into this creation, with Broccoli, Champagne, Buttermilk, Huatacay – an aromatic herb, Kidney Beans, and Rhubarb — we were supposed to break the yolk and swirl our spoons around. Delicious.

Champagne Ayala, Brut Majeur, Champagne, France, complemented this perfection.

CORAL

This delicate dish is a favorite among favorites, an elegant seafood presentation, just three bites of Langostinos and Strawberries, Beets, Cucumber, in a light orange sauce, this time with Lovage, another aromatic herb, .

Chateau Musar White, Bekka Valley, Lebanon, was selected by the sommelier for the pairing, an interesting choice since it came from Lebanon, where Bekka Valley is known for its wine industry and outstanding antique Roman temples.

JAMBO

A very locally inspired preparation, a la Jambo soup, made with Okra, Sea Bass, Scallops, Shrimp and Mussels, Cilantro and Nonna’s Pica Jelly.

The tasty soup was paired with Château de Fesles La Chapelle Chenin Blanc, from the Loire Valley, France.

LIMPIA PALADAR

A yummy white chocolate Mojito Bonbon followed as a palate cleanser. It was served on our knuckles, yes, like the salt escorting a tequila.

CON VIT

A three-way preparation of Duck followed, folded into a charcoal bao, rolled into a spring roll, and sliced, sprinkles with Peanuts, Papaya, Mango, Ginger and Hoisin, with some Char Sui and Parsnip puree.

This elaborate presentation of Duck three ways was paired with Marc Brédif, Chinon, Loire, France, a classic Cabernet Franc.

BARBACOA

This was a slow cooked rack of lamb, wrapped in agave leaves and baked, crusted in salt, to keep the juiciness of the meat. The generous Lamb Chop was served with Pineapple, King Oyster, Sweet Potato, Black Beans, flavored with Raz El Hanout spice mix and Guava.

El Enemigo Cabernet Franc, from Mendoza, Argentina, paired greatly with the earthy, aromatic meat.

Two desserts followed, both incredibly delicious, a cheese dish, chased by sweets.

PINK PANTHER

This Pink Peppercorn, White Chocolate swirl escorted truffled Pecorino cheese, Pear, Muscato and Verjus, juice from tart green grapes.

MANGO Y COCO

This refreshing composition delivered a slice of Mango, in a Champagne, Coconut, Lime, Cheesecake sauce.

Both desserts complemented the sweet and slightly bubbly Luca Bosio, Moscato d ‘Asti, Piemonte, Italy.

And that was not the end. We were served COS NAN DUSHI, Macaroon di Pruim, a miniature French almond and meringue cookie with prune filling, and a CUPCAKE to go.

It was a Pornstar Martini Cupcake, a passionfruit, vanilla vodka cocktail, in dessert form.

The menu was put together with local products from local producers and growers, Farm A Cure Fungi, Petite Greens, Ceramics by Rani, Happyponics Aruba, T2Pan, Lovemade, William Jansen, Mr. Webo and Nonna’s Gourmet.