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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!

Business Spotlight: A Fun Day for the Whole Family on Salt Deck!

Business Spotlight: A Fun Day for the Whole Family on Salt Deck! 2

I’m sure that everyone has been wondering what’s going on with the British Virgin Islands….Well , right now they stand as CLOSED until at least September 1.  But, that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t plan to get out on the water while you’re here.  And one of St. John’s newest boats, The Salt Deck, offers a unique experience in and of itself!

Read moreBusiness Spotlight: A Fun Day for the Whole Family on Salt Deck!

North Shore Tour

North Shore Tour 5

Happy Sunday Funday!  For those of you who are dreaming about those Caribbean Blues this morning, here’s your fix!  I took a drive out North Shore Road and stopped at some overlooks this weekend to get some fresh air and take in the post-Sahara dust views.

You’ll still see a little bit of haze in these pictures but, man, it’s so good to have the vivacious blues back in sight.  You’ll also notice there is still a WEE bit of brown on the hillsides but after the dust cleared this week, we got a ton of rain!  Things should hopefully be greening up nicely very soon!

Enjoy!

North Shore Tour 6
Cruz Bay from the overlook

 

North Shore Tour 7
Caneel Bay from the overlook on North Shore

 

North Shore Tour 8
Caneel Bay gate – Still no updates on the future of the property…

 

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Hawksnest Beach from Peace Hill

 

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Gibney Beach from Peace Hill

 

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Jumbie Bay with Great Thatch and the BVI in the background – Also from Peace Hill

 

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Jost, boats and blues

 

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Trunk Bay looking magnificent as ever! Have you noticed recently, the shoreline resembles the shape of a heart? 🙂

That’s all for this morning, but I hope these sights of STJ help to kick your Sunday off right.

Real Estate Spotlight: Seagrass Villa and New Site Navigation!

Real Estate Spotlight: Seagrass Villa and New Site Navigation! 14

Good Morning and a happy weekend to you all!  This morning, we are sharing the amazing Seagrass Villa info with you once again in order to highlight some fresh changes we have made to the site.  Now you can find all of the Real Estate info in one place!

new real estate listings tab
New Real Estate Listings tab^^ Click through on the photo to go straight to that page.

Additionally, we have added tabs in the navigation bar for Vacation Rentals, Local Livin’ Profiles, Bars and Restaurants, Boat Charters and Virus Updates.  We have sorted the most recent stories under each of these categories for easy viewing of YOUR favorite topics!  But don’t worry, they will all still be found on the main NOSJ page as we release the most current posts.

For more information on Seagrass Villa, contact Tammy Donnelly via email at 340 Real Estate!

We will be making continual updates to the site in order to help improve the overall reader experience.  Thank you to all for your continued following of this page and for sticking with me while I’m getting the hand of things 🙂  I hope you all have a WONDERFUL weekend!

New Video Series Featuring Love City Locals

New Video Series Featuring Love City Locals 15

A few weeks ago, we highlighted ancestral St. Johnian, Ital Delroy Anthony in our first “Local Livin'” profile.

When I saw this amazing video pop up on Facebook yesterday, I was beyond excited!

I reached out to the videographer, Spencer Chaney, about permission to share this with you and about our dual interests in sharing the stories of the beautiful individuals who make up the Love City Community.

Spencer has just moved to St. John and started his company, Island Media Co.  His goal with this mini-series, Rooted in the Caribbean, is to “give a voice to the unheard.”

This is episode 1 and I, personally, am very excited about seeing more of his work!

Enjoy!

 

Local Livin’- Stories from Love City – Nisha Jones

Local Livin'- Stories from Love City - Nisha Jones 16

Right now, a vast number of people everywhere are battling mental health issues and many are heightened due to the pandemic, protests and general state of the world. Here, on St. John, these issues are further intensified as we enter another hurricane season with ongoing PTSD from the 2017 storms lingering and very limited access to local mental health care services. This is a story of a woman who was raised here, worked hard to realize and pursue her dreams and has committed to being a part of the solution to this problem locally….

Read moreLocal Livin’- Stories from Love City – Nisha Jones

StJohn.Deals Launches!

StJohn.Deals Launches! 17

We have some big news this morning that is going to help improve your overall St. John vacation experience AND support and promote St. John based businesses!

Do you remember when we mentioned the merger of News of St. John with a deals website and a radio station? Well, the next phase of STJ Media starts today with StJohn.Deals!

StJohn.Deals is a website, similar to a Groupon platform, which will allow travelers to purchase discounted lodging, boat trips, dining and activities, long before they arrive on vacation!

For the consumer, this site is a great way to see what’s out there and save a little dough on a lot of fun things.

For the business, this is not only an additional way for them to promote and highlight their services, but also to trade gift certificates for various forms of advertising.

I won’t bore you with the details…But check out the site at http://StJohn.Deals.

Let us know what you think and feel free to save some money by purchasing a gift certificate today!  Additional deals will be added regularly so please check back.

Businesses- If you are interested in submitting deals and/or advertising with us, please register here  https://stjohn.deals/my-account/

The Restaurant Report – Regulations and Updates

The Restaurant Report - Regulations and Updates 18

Good Afternoon and Happy Monday!  I’ve got lots of restaurant related info and some updates from the Governor for you today.

So, today is the day that many restaurant owners have been dreading.  Today, all restaurants in the territory are required by the Government of the Virgin Islands to switch over to disposable dishes, utensils, napkins and drink containers in an effort to further limit the spread of COVID-19 to employees.

The original order, issued on June 1, 2020 from the Office of the Governor set the original deadline for this order for June 8. They then moved it back to the 15th and then to the 22nd in order to allow establishments to make accommodations and stock up on supplies. So, it’s upon us now. What does it mean for restaurants and their guests?

Over the past few years, the Virgin Islands government has been receptive to concerns about the environment and ways that we can lighten our carbon footprint.  Since 2017, rulings in favor of bans on plastic bags, plastic straws and non-reef safe sunscreens have been celebrated as the territory moved into a more sustainable future.  Reusable cups and straws are seen more and more frequently in stores and restaurants and in the hands of residents and visitors as they move through town.  Now, we go back to disposable everything….temporarily…

Some restaurants on St. John rely heavily on takeout containers already and many serve drinks exclusively in plastic cups.  However, the impact of this ruling on fine dining establishments is an inflated cost and endeavor. They have had to source and pay for disposable items in order to accommodate their clientele. Additional costs associated with increase in frequency and amount of trash removal will likely further affectRestaurant Report - U.S. Virgin Islands the small businesses.

In light of the recent closures and then transition to take-out only, the absence of tourism during some of our busiest months AND limited capacity regulations, these additional costs could issue a huge blow to the bottom line of some of our favorite establishments.

Governor Bryan has been diligent in both actions and updates in regards to the COVID-19 pandemic. He and his administration have worked tirelessly to walk the line between protecting and informing the community and keeping the economy afloat.

In his address to the territory today, Governor Bryan stressed that “We are at an interesting place in community response to the pandemic.” It’s important that both residents and visitors alike practice safe measures in order to keep the doors of the territory open.

Read moreThe Restaurant Report – Regulations and Updates

STJ Weekend Update – COVID-19, The Westin and More!

STJ Weekend Update - COVID-19, The Westin and More! 19

Good morning!  I wanted to take some time today to update you all on a few things that I had specific requests about.  Some of it is good, some not so much…

COVID-19

I’m afraid I have a bit of not so great news this morning.  As of yesterday, Friday June 19, St. John has two new cases of COVID-19.  As of June 12, there had only been two cases in Love City and both were travel related.  Tuesday we were informed of an additional travel related case and yesterday our first community transmission was announced.

I think the thing to remember about St. John is that, while this doesn’t seem to be a high number, we have had ZERO cases reported here since the beginning of April.  And now there are two in one week.  One of which is a resident who has not traveled outside of the territory.  Additionally, STJ is unique in the fact that you can hop around from business to business in just a few hours time (in Cruz Bay or Coral Bay).  So, it gets a bit scary when people who are infected could be moving around so quickly, unaware that they are carrying and spreading the disease.

If you’re traveling to St. John in the coming weeks, please exercise caution and be aware of the current limitations, social distancing and regulations.  Monitor your temperature and if you are feeling ANY irregularities with your health, call the Department of Health COVID hotline immediately (340-776-1519).  For both your own safety and for that of the Love City community.

STJ Weekend Update - COVID-19, The Westin and More! 20

Staff members in shops and restaurants have been given the overwhelming task of being the messenger on some of these regulations.  Please be patient with them!  Yes, they are glad to be back to work and open, but wearing a mask for an eight hour shift with the temperature and humidity index rising every day is not an easy task!  BIG LOVE to our service staff on island!  Buy them a drink, throw a little extra on that tip and/or kick them a little extra kindness while you’re here!

Read moreSTJ Weekend Update – COVID-19, The Westin and More!