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!

Real Estate Spotlight: A Perfect Space to Share with Friends at Blue Palm Villa

July 2, 2021July 2, 2021 by Hillary Bonner

Good Morning! I hope that all of you are gearing up for a beautiful holiday weekend and that Independence Day celebrations are on the horizon. But, before you head into the weekend, I want to share with you a beautiful space perched above Coral Bay that would be perfect for hosting your friends and family for holiday festivities!

Virgin Islands Freedom Week

July 1, 2021 by Hillary Bonner

In 2006, a proclamation was signed by Former President George W. Bush that designates the month of June as National Caribbean American Heritage Month. A month to celebrate the accomplishments of acclaimed Caribbean sons and daughters Alexander Hamilton, Secretary of State Colin Powell, Cicely Tyson, W.E.B Dubois, James Weldon Johnson, Harry Belafonte and Sidney Poitier to name a few.

It is a month designated in recognition of the contributions to community and the well-being and growth of American society by those born in the Caribbean islands. And now, as we exit this month of celebration of Caribbean culture and accomplishment, we find ourselves in the midst of Virgin Islands Freedom Week.

Travel Update- What to Expect When Traveling to or From St. Thomas

June 29, 2021 by Hillary Bonner

Hello to all you happy people out there! We just returned from a few days in the states, visiting family, basking in the amazing food and drink of the upper 48 and relaxing for a few much needed moments throughout the trip. This trip was the first time I have flown into or out of St. Thomas since September of 2019! And I was pleasantly surprised by the efficiency of both the staff at the Cyril E. King Airport and the Department of Health in regards to the arrival screening. So, for those of you with upcoming trips, I wanted to share my experience with you. Oh, and there are a few fun updates from the Governor’s weekly press conference in regards to COVID-19 travel tucked into the meat of this as well.

New Business Alert! Wharfside Village Hotel Opening This Month

June 28, 2021June 28, 2021 by Hillary Bonner

Good Morning! Last week, I was given and exclusive sneak peak of the newly renovated boutique hotel located on Cruz Bay’s Waterfront and I was so excited to see the updates and changes to this incredible space! All of the Wharfside Village has undergone an EXTREME makeover that encapsulates real world comforts with sleek and modern design and a “down island” feel.

Real Estate Spotlight: Side by Side Coral Bay Cottages with Endless Opportunities!

June 25, 2021 by Hillary Bonner

Two income producing cottages nestled into the hillside, high above Coral Bay, are currently on the market and move in ready with built in bookings! Coconut Hill Cottage and Tropical Tree House are solar powered, fully equipped and moments away from the quaint shops and restaurants in town, yet surrounded by tranquility and incredible views.

The Sargassum is Back!

June 23, 2021June 23, 2021 by Hillary Bonner

Many of you who have visited us during the early summer months over the years have become acquainted with the masses of brown seaweed that clouds our bays and beaches this time of year. Well, the sargassum seaweed is back in action in the Virgin Islands and this year it is a force to be reckoned with!

Reef Safe Sunscreen Guide

June 22, 2021June 22, 2021 by Hillary Bonner

A lot of you may not know this, but non-reef safe sunscreen is actually illegal in the USVI. In July of 2019, legislation was passed in the territory outlawing the sale and usage of sunscreen that is harmful to the marine life, and potentially harmful to you! The ban went into effect in March of 2020 and, well, there was kind of a lot of other things going on at the time that prevented it from getting proper coverage (pun intended) or enforcement. Ahem, COVID.

Unfortunately, the term “reef friendly” is not regulated, so it is easy to get confused about what is “safe” and what isn’t. I know that I have been swindled in the store while purchasing sunscreen I thought to be reef safe, only to get home and take a closer look at the ingredients to find that my spendy sunblock purchase had been in vain! I did a little digging to come up with a list of the no no ingredients and “safe” brands to look for so that you can make sure the same thing doesn’t happen to you!

Reef Safe Sunscreen Guide 9 — Five simple ways to protect the Marine Life!

Royal Caribbean Announces Return to the USVI

June 21, 2021June 21, 2021 by Hillary Bonner

On June 16, at the Fourth USVI Community Business Forum, cruise giant Royal Caribbean announced solid plans to return to the US Virgin Islands. With four ships charted to arrive on St. Thomas or St. Croix over the summer and early fall months, the cruise line projects 213,000 passengers and over $40 million in small business revenue by the end of 2021.

St. Thomas/St. John Power Outage Goes Into Twelfth Hour

June 18, 2021June 18, 2021 by Hillary Bonner

For those of you visiting right now, you might be wondering why in the heck you haven’t had power since just before midnight last night. For those of you who live here, you know why and I share your frustrations. For those of you planning a trip in the future, you might want to read on just to discover how common this massive inconvenience of a third world problem is in America’s Paradise…

Fourth of July Events Planned for Vaccinated Participants

June 17, 2021June 17, 2021 by Hillary Bonner

If you have ever been to St. John over the Fourth of July, you know what a grand celebration it is! In a normal year, St.John Carnival is the week leading up to, not only the US Independence Day holiday, but also the Virgin Islands Emancipation Day on July 3. A week filled with late night music and exhausted residents 🙂 begins with the much anticipated food fair and culminates on the morning of July 3 with an early morning/late night Jouvert celebration and a mid-day, very St. John style, parade on the fourth. Generally, there are also fireworks that evening.