TEAGUE BAY — Former Vice President Mike Pence was spotted Sunday night at a St. Croix restaurant famous for its surf and turf and casual dining atmosphere.
Pence, in his fifth day on island, dined with his wife Karen, U.S. Secret Service agents and a VIPD Special Operations Bureau officer at Duggan’s Reef in Teague Bay on the east end of the island. It was at least his second public sighting since first arriving on Wednesday.
“St. Croix is such a beautiful island,” Pence said smiling as he left the restaurant with his wife and entourage.
The restaurant, chock-full of memorabilia from Vietnam war veteran and owner Frank Duggan’s tour of duty in Indochina as well as assorted sports and assorted St. Croix knick knacks, is just hundreds of yards from where Pence is staying with his wife in a condo on a hill above the restaurant.
The former vice president and Indiana governor is reportedly staying
at Villa Madeleine Resort Condominiums. Each villa features French doors opening out to a walled courtyard featuring a sun deck and private pool. Villa Madeleine typically rents for at least $2,000 per week in high tourist season.
Parking is limited during the tourist season — which runs from December to March in St. Croix — and condominium residents, who are limited to one parking space per unit — have complained that the U.S. Secret Service is taking up too many spots during Pence’s visit, according to Jezebel.
While on island sources close to Pence told NBC News Sunday that the former VP is planning to form a policy-focused fundraising committee that would help him maintain a relationship with donors, which he will announce in the coming weeks.
Duggan’s Reef, where Pence most of his time chatting with his wife Karen at a table in the southeast end of the restaurant, is most famous for its steak and lobster or “surf and turf,” which can set customers back at least $30 for one large-serving plate.
Pence hasn’t owned a home for at least 10 years, because he used an official residence as governor of Indiana and then vice president of the United States. He will reportedly return to the Hoosier state to purchase a home there.
The units are mostly two-bedroom, two-bath, luxury 1,200-square-feet units located on a hilltop above the restaurant where Pence and his wife ate.
“Villa Madeleine Vacation Villa Resort Condominiums sits hillside and is comprised of 43 villas. Each condo villa is separated with lush tropical landscaping and small gardens. All condo vacation villas feature French doors opening out to a walled courtyard featuring a sun deck and private pool along with your Caribbean ocean water and island views. Villa Madeleine condo villas feature full kitchen amenities, an indoor dining area and great room which open out to your pool deck. All are individually owned & decorated in the owners style with tropical island panache. All villas have air-conditioning, Mexican tile floors, cable televisions, wireless internet and telephones. There’s tennis on grounds and beaches, restaurants, activities are just a short drive away,” TripAdvisor said.
The premier unit at Villa Madeleine — the largest of the villas — is a former restaurant at the top of the hill that has been converted into a presidential suite for guests willing to pay top dollar for exclusivity.
Villa Madeleine got an “excellent” rating on TripAdvisor — 5-point-zero out of 5.0 — the highest rating possible.