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!

Love City Legends Live On…

July 22, 2022 by Hillary Bonner

A heartfelt hello to all of you readers out there. It has been a ROUGH year or so for the Love City Community…There have been a lot of breathtaking losses of absolute legends and long timers here on St. John. And, there was one just last week that took my knees out from under me. And it got me thinking…

Let the Rain Fall!

July 21, 2022 by Hillary Bonner

I’m reporting to you today about an absolutely blissful RAINY morning on St. John! Admittedly, Teddy and I have been in Puerto Rico for the past few days, getting Asante all tucked into her dry slip for hurricane season. And, I have been absolutely reveling at the amount of rain we have received here and how GREEN everything is. And every time a drop falls, I think to myself, “Man, I hope St. John is getting some of this!” As, when we left on Saturday, things were so, so dry! Green with envy you might say I have been 🙂 Well, the residents and visitors of Love City woke this morning to rain pouring from the sky…Several reports even cited thunder and lightning! And over the past 24 hours we have received .41 inches of rain with more on the way. Which should get us well on our way to greening up those beautiful mountainsides again.

Customs Parking Lot Closed Next Week

July 20, 2022July 20, 2022 by Hillary Bonner

Good Morning, Good Morning! Just a quick heads up for all of you who will be on island next week…The Victor Sewer Marine Facility Parking Area (Customs Lot) will be closed from Monday, July 25 until Friday, July 29 for maintenance, repairs and painting.

Busy Bee Charters and Dive Shop Closes Their Doors

July 18, 2022July 19, 2022 by Hillary Bonner

I’m afraid I have some not so great news for all of you avid Coral Bay scuba divers out there today. Busy Bee Charters and Dive Shop announced earlier this month that they will be closing their doors on July 30 after 10 years in operation under the current owners. The beloved shop and charter outfit will no longer be in operation for trips at the end of this month, but you still have until August 15 to stock up on Busy Bee swag!

Real Estate Spotlight: Charming Coral Bay Home with Great Location, Pool and Incredible Views!

July 18, 2022 by Hillary Bonner

Good Morning, Good Morning! You guys, I have an absolutely to die for family home to share with you today! Three bedrooms and three and a half baths surrounded by lush tropical landscaping, spanning outdoor living areas and views of Coral Harbor all within walking distance to some of Coral Bay’s best dining and shopping…Like what you’re reading so far? Well, then, let me tell you a bit more about Seabiscuit…

Downtown Ferry Resumes Service Tomorrow!

July 15, 2022 by Hillary Bonner

Good Morning, Good Morning! I have a bit more travel news for you today before we head into the weekend! The Charlotte Amalie/Cruz Bay Ferry will resume services as of Saturday, July 16, making your travel days to and from St. John a bit easier!

Travel Alert- Bring Your Passport to Check-In Online!

July 14, 2022 by Hillary Bonner

Hello all you beautiful people out there! I wanted to take just a quick moment this morning to alert you all to something I have stumbled upon now twice in the past 48 hours. United Airlines is now, seemingly, requiring passengers traveling from the US Virgin Islands to upload a copy of their passports in order to check in online.

Introducing the New and Improved St. John Scoops!

July 9, 2022July 12, 2022 by Hillary Bonner

On Friday, I took some time out to go get some…ICE CREAM! St. John Scoops closed a few weeks ago for a renovation and expansion into the space next door to their original and beloved ice cream counter at Mongoose Junction. And, during Carnival, they re-opened in the beautifully renovated shop that used to be home to Just Beach. Let’s take a look!

Monday Beach Break!

July 9, 2022July 11, 2022 by Hillary Bonner

Good Morning, Good Morning! Getting a molasses-like move on your Monday? Me too! And sometimes when I’m feeling a bit slow to get into the work week, I take five for a drive down to Frank Bay for a little Vitamin Sea therapy. I don’t know about you, but for me, all it takes is hearing the waves and feeling the wind to get me kicked into gear 🙂

Caneel Bay Update- CBIA and EHI File Lawsuit Against US Government For “Quiet Title” Ownership

July 8, 2022 by Hillary Bonner

Good Morning, Good Morning….I have some, um…Interesting news for you all this morning. It might read like rainbows and sunshine in regards to the immediate future of Caneel Bay Resort at first glance. But, I urge you to take a closer look at what we have been talking about over the past several years in regards to Caneel Bay Resort, the state it has been left in and the seeming lack of empathy for the local community prior to the filing of this lawsuit. In which, EHI, LLC and, its affiliate, CBI Acquisitions lay claim to the ownership of the property upon which Caneel Bay Resort rests. Which, as we know it, is National Park land with a management company responsible for the operations of the resort.