Hillary Bonner

Hi! I’m Hillary Bonner. I’ve been on St. John for 8 years and have worn A LOT of hats in my time on island. Most of us do tho…A lot of times island life calls for ingenuity, flexibility and resiliency. And those things are what I kind of LOVE about the people in our Love City Community. Between boat days and day hikes and happy hours with so many happy faces, you may have seen me behind the bar at Asolare, Zozo’s, The Terrace or Drink (once upon a time, Motu) over the years. But after Hurricane Irma, I jumped from behind the bar into non-profit work. That desk job made me remember that, way back when, I DID go to college and I might have been letting some of those skill sets get a BIT rusty. My degree is in Journalism and Public Relations. When asked if I ever used it, my programmed response was, “Bar tending IS relating to the public.” But, back to the desk job…I was doing everything. Which is, again, what you do in a small office on an island. Events, marketing, handling in-kind donations, unloading containers, attempting to figure out logistics I didn’t even know how to spell, community meetings, board meetings, FEMA meetings. All of the meetings. One day, I decided that there were aspects I loved. And aspects…Well, not so much. So I started my own thing, supporting local small businesses and non-profits in the realm of design, marketing and events (specifically music related events…you’ll hear a lot about music from me). I have a bleeding heart for the small yet ambitious non-profits on St. John. And an overwhelming amount of respect for the small business owners who made their ideas take flight in a place where it’s very difficult to do so! I love life here on St. John. The highs are the highest and the lows are not so low as they can be in other places. The accessibility to Mother Nature on this little slice of perfection is unparalleled. She’s all around us all of the time. You can watch the phases of the moon, the rotation of the planets, the shifting of the sunset and the tides. Every damn day. Mother Nature’s restless spirit reflects the transient nature of the people here as well. That was hard for me at first. The coming and the going. But now, I like the fact that I will rarely visit a place that I don’t have a place to stay and a friend to catch up with from St. John. So, now, here I am (using my degree, Ma!). Contributing to a long standing super positive blog. Here I feel like I’m in a position to use my voice to entertain and inform you about the community and island that I love so much. I’m grateful for this opportunity and am ALWAYS open to story ideas! Let me know what, where or who you want to hear about!

Lovango Resort + Beach Club to Re-Open Next Week!

December 4, 2024December 4, 2024 by Hillary Bonner

On December 14, Little Gems Resorts’ Lovango Resort + Beach Club is set to re-open for their fifth season of splendidness on Lovango Cay. Just a short ferry ride from both Red Hook and Cruz Bay, the resort is home to a beautiful beach club, fine dining, casual lunch eats, hiking, snorkeling and overnight accommodations. And each year, they re-open in December with some fun new surprises…And this year is no exception to that trend. With expanded overnight lodging options, a new Executive Chef with a fresh menu, an adult- only plunge pool, updated cabana options and a “Gym in the Jungle,” this year at Lovango Resort + Beach Club is bound to offer an exceptional experience for any type of traveler.

STJ Hideaway: A Unique Dining Experience Opens in Cruz Bay This Week

June 18, 2024June 18, 2024 by Hillary Bonner

Good Morning, Good Morning! I have some VERY exciting news for all of you today. This week is the grand opening of an incredibly unique dining experience in the Lumberyard. Yes, yes, I know what you’re thinking. Dining in a parking lot? Well, let me just tell you that St. John’s newest dining spot, STJ Hideaway is much more than meets the eye from the outside. The food is an explosion of delight for your tastebuds with a focus on fresh, locally sourced ingredients and island infused flavors. The expansive cocktail menu offers drinks that are unique and complex with something for everyone’s palette. The staff brings “to the table” a wealth of knowledge and experience in the culinary industry on St. John. And the space? Well, once you step inside, you won’t for one moment remember that you are situated in an obscure corner of a parking lot in Cruz Bay….

Business Spotlight: Exciting Expansion Now Open at Wharfside Village Hotel on the Waterfront

June 4, 2024June 5, 2024 by Hillary Bonner

If you have been a frequent visitor to St. John over the years, Wharfside Village has likely been a staple for souvenir shopping, blissful beachside happy hours and memorable waterfront dining experiences. Since the 2017 hurricanes, a renovation of the complex has restored the waterfront dining and shopping mall to a stylish Caribbean oasis with native plants lining the walkways and beach front. In 2021, a new overnight experience was added to the eclectic complex when the Wharfside Village Hotel opened boutique hotel rooms in the heart of Cruz Bay. The new rooms offer a front row seat to the happenings on the beach in front of your favorite St. John establishments.

Taste of Lovango Culinary Festival Returns to Lovango Resort + Beach Club

May 4, 2024May 6, 2024 by Hillary Bonner

Good Morning, Good Morning. I am elated to share with all of you today that the Second Annual Taste of Lovango Culinary Festival is right around the corner! This incredible event brings talented and renowned chefs from around the globe to our little corner of the world in the middle of the ocean. It merges chefs of international fame with some of our own accomplished culinary masters who exhibit their talents daily, right here in the US Virgin Islands. Taste of Lovango brings USVI partners to the forefront, presenting them the opportunity to work alongside accomplished chefs of notable fame and puts on exhibit an incredible opportunity for all of us to explore, dine and imbibe. If you will be in the territory between May 29 and June 1 and have any interest in the art and splendor of fine foods, wines and cocktails, you will not want to miss a moment of the Second Annual Taste of Lovango!

LAST CHANCE: Enter to Win a Dream Vacation for Two to St. John!

April 30, 2024April 30, 2024 by Hillary Bonner

Good Morning, Good Morning! This morning, we are sending out a quick reminder to grab your tickets for Island Green Living’s Earth Month Raffle TODAY as ticket sales close at 11PM tonight. Earth Day has come and gone, but this local non-profit’s efforts towards keeping St. John beautiful and sustainable continue each and every day of the year. Every year, their annual fundraiser gives each and every one of you an opportunity to win a trip to St. John for two while also supporting sustainability efforts for our favorite piece of paradise 🙂

Celebrate Our Earth – Win a Trip for Two to St. John!

April 17, 2024 by Hillary Bonner

Good Morning, Good Morning! Earth Day is right around the corner. And with it comes cause for celebrating this absolutely breathtaking place we call home (or your favorite home away!): St. John. This year, a non-profit that is absolutely dedicated to preserving that natural beauty via unique approaches to expanding sustainability efforts in the Virgin Islands is celebrating their twentieth anniversary. It inspires residents and visitors to think in terms of “Rethink, Reduce, Reuse, Recycle,” while also making it easier for us to do so here on St. John. In 2024, Island Green Living celebrates twenty years of a commitment to keeping the Virgin Islands beautiful and vibrant for generations to come. And you can help them continue their good work while also taking a chance at winning a trip to Love City for two, valued at $11,000!

Celebrate our Earth – Win a Trip for Two to Love City!

April 4, 2024April 5, 2024 by Hillary Bonner

Good Morning, Good Morning! It’s that time of year again folks! Earth Day is right around the corner. And, in their fourth annual Earth Month Fundraiser, Island Green Living is offering you the opportunity to help them “crush plastic” and advance sustainability on St. John while also getting a chance to win an incredible vacation for two to visit us here in Love City. This year’s vacation package has it ALL: Lodging, airfare vouchers, Jeep rental, dining, shopping, excursions AND voluntourism opportunities. In keeping with this year’s Earth Day theme of “PLANET vs. PLASTIC,” as an entrant in Island Green Living’s “Love City Vacation for Two” raffle you will make strides towards winning the battle against plastics pollution on island. While also putting yourself in the running for an amazing seven-night trip to St. John, valued at $11,000!

St. John Cancer Fund Event Returns to Love City

March 21, 2024March 21, 2024 by Hillary Bonner

Good Morning, Good Morning! I have some pretty incredible news to share with all of you today! On March 30, the St. John Cancer Fund’s (SJCF) Light up the Night Event will take place for the first time since 2020. This once annual fundraiser, the primary in-person fundraising event for SJCF, will take place at the newly re-opened National Park Ballfield (across the street from Mongoose Junction) on March 30 from 3pm-midnight. The in-person event is an incredible community gathering…There will be laughter, there will be tears, there will be a dunk tank, live music, a luminary ceremony and delicious food and drinks for purchase. And above all, there will be LOVE. Join us as we walk together to honor our loved ones lost, to celebrate the survivors, to cheer on the warriors in our community as they fight a battle with cancer.

Save the Date: Taste of Lovango Returns to Lovango Resort + Beach Club

February 27, 2024February 27, 2024 by Hillary Bonner

The tastiest celebration in the USVI is returning to Lovango Resort + Beach Club this spring! Last year, the boutique resort on Lovango Cay, just a seven-minute ferry ride from St. Thomas or St. John, hosted its first annual Taste of Lovango celebration of fine food, craft cocktails, delectable wines and accomplished chefs from around the globe. And, on May 29, the second Taste of Lovango weekend begins with an aim to explore, and elevate, our palates and culinary horizons.

Business Spotlight: Sail into the Season on Asante!

December 19, 2023December 19, 2023 by Hillary Bonner

Good Morning, Good Morning! How is everyone’s holiday season shaping up? We are in full-on Christmas cheer mode here in Love City with tons of extra special seasonal activities for all ages happening here on island this week (I’m tired AND overjoyed just thinking about it!). Slim Man’s Christmas lights are up and better than ever and the parking lot across from the post-office is literally overflowing with last minute gift senders and receivers. You know what other seasonally specific natural occurrence happens at just about this time of year? You guessed it…The Christmas Winds! These seasonally high winds (sometimes between 20 and 30 knots) traditionally blow into the Caribbean through the month of December, marking the true beginnings of sailing season. Which brings me to the main topic of this story…Sailing Asante!