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St. Johnopoly: It’s Here!!!

stj overview

After months and months of waiting, the very first St. Johnopoly game has arrived! And it looks amazing!!! Thank you to all of you who pre-ordered and a big thanks for all of your patience while we endured manufacturer delays. I promise it is worth the wait!

For those of you who have pre-ordered, your games will ship from Connecticut next week. Games are currently in transit to both Connecticut (online orders) and St. John (on island sales.) We expect the games to be available on island mid to late September. Once on island, they will be available at:

  • St. John Brewer’s Brewtique
  • Woody’s
  • The Beach Bar
  • Skinny Legs
  • St. John Beach Bum

It’s not to late to get yours! Order now and have it next week. You can order it at www.StJohnopoly.com/order or by clicking here. 

stj money

stj tokens


Enjoy a Daily Reminder of St. John…

Elaines Calendar

If you’re like me, you simply can’t get enough of anything and everything St. John. So you could imagine my surprise (and sheer happiness!) when I checked my post office box at PostNet the other day and found a package from Elaine Estern!

For those of you unfamiliar with Elaine, she is an amazingly talented watercolor artist on island. Elaine showcases her art at Coconut Coast Studios, which is located down the hill from Gallows Point and across the street from Frank Bay. Elaine recently released her 2015 calendar and we feel so incredibly fortunate to have received one.

Elaine’s 2015 calendar is titled “Artistic Arches.” Here are a few images from the calendar…

elaine calendar 1

elaine calendar 3

elaine calendar 2

Stunning, isn’t it? Elaine’s calendar is on sale now for $25 plus shipping. You can purchase it on her website at www.CoconutCoastStudios.com or by calling (340) 776-6944.


Try Your Luck in Cruz Bay

parrot club 1

Did you know you have the ability to exchange a penny for more than $14,000 right in the heart of Cruz Bay? Seriously, you can!

Chances are you’ve probably walked by the Parrot Club while cruising through Wharfside Village a time or two, but how many of you have actually walked in? It’s a pretty cool spot, especially during a rainy day.

The Parrot Club is the island’s only gaming center. It has a ton of slot machines, roulette, black jack and more. It is fully air conditioned, so it’s a great place to chill on a hot day, and it also has a full bar. We wandered through the other day and saw a jackpot of more than $14,000 on a penny slot. Alas, if it were only that easy to exchange a penny for $14,000… 🙂

Parrot Club 5

parrot club 2

Parrot Club 3

The Parrot Club is located on the beach next to Waterfront Bistro. It is open Monday through Thursday from noon to midnight, Friday and Saturday from noon to 1 a.m. and on Sundays from 4 p.m. to midnight. They also have a pretty good Happy Hour from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m.

So next time you’re at Wharfside, stop in and check it out. And in the meantime, you can check them out on Facebook here.

Parrot Club 4


What’s on Your Bucket List?

Two of my girlfriends enjoying their first Painkiller at the Soggy
Two of my girlfriends enjoying their first Painkiller at the Soggy Dollar last weekend

So you know you’re in a pretty good spot in the world when it consistently makes the world’s best beaches and top spots in the world lists. I was recently pursuing Islands Magazine’s Top 100 Bucket List Trips and found several spots to be pretty familiar. See if you recognize any … I’m sure you will.

100. Drink a Painkiller at the Soggy Dollar Bar, BVI More than Bora Bora overwater bungalows, more than Caribbean all-inclusives, more than Hawaii beach resorts, the top travel advice people search for on islands.com is our Painkiller drink recipe. Sure, you can make one at home, but to have the ultimate Caribbean tropical drink, go to the ultimate Caribbean beach bar that’s home to the Painkiller: the Soggy Dollar Bar on beautiful White Bay in the British Virgin Islands.

soggy

54. Soak in the Baths, British Virgin Islands As photographer Jen Judge wrote in ISLANDS magazine about her photo of the BVI’s Baths, “I honestly think this scene could have played out exactly as we see it here 30 years ago, 60 years ago or 200 years ago. … I’d be glad to park myself on that beach for a while, waiting for a boat to come into the frame, and shoot it all over again.”

baths again 19. Hop the Caribbean by boat Go where the wind takes you — literally. In bareboat sailing, the weather is your only guide as you navigate purely via your line of sight. Catch this catamaran year-round on St. Thomas at CYOA Yacht Charters in Frenchtown, on the western side of Charlotte Amalie. This veteran company offers both bareboat and crewed charters in the U.S. Virgin Islands, the British Virgin Islands and the Spanish Virgin Islands. Choose your adventure — you’re the captain. sail

15. Move to the USVI No, this isn’t as exotic as some of the wishes this high on our Wish List 100. But ISLANDS readers absolutely love dreaming about what it would be like to live on an island. And some of them actually take that leap. The USVI is a great balance of a move that’s very doable for people from the mainland U.S., and this Caribbean destination has comforts of home and an island vibe that makes you feel like you’ve found a permanent vacation.

move to usvi

Let’s be honest… I’m pretty sure number 15 is pretty tempting.

Want to see the entire list? Click here to do so. 

What’s on your bucket list? Feel free to leave it in the comments section.


Could It Be??

Fedral Sign August 2014I was cruising down Centerline Road over the weekend, and it looks like the emergency “fedral” repairs are finally complete! And we have to say, it looks pretty darn good! It also means that St. John, once again, is the home of no traffic lights. See for yourself…

Centerline fixed 2

Centerline fixed 1Looks pretty nice, right? So as you can see in the first photo, there’s been a little graffiti going on regarding the proposed Coral Bay marina. Voicing opinions for or against the project = cool. Spray painting property = not cool. Just saying…

Now I hate to say that the road is completely finished because we all know what happened when we said the ferries were finally up and running … that’s right, they stopped running. They’re still sitting in Cruz Bay, and from what we hear, they’re not going to run anytime soon. The latest gossip on island is that the ferry companies aren’t interested in paying for the upkeep. Not too sure how much truth there is to that, but it seems like a valid argument considering the operators never asked for these boats.

Hopefully they start running soon, or at the very least, move so our off-island friends can enjoy their view from the Spice Cam once again.

spice cam shot


A Little Maho this Monday…

Happy Labor Day everyone!

So as I mentioned on Facebook this weekend, I have a few of my girlfriends in town. I brought them over to Maho yesterday for a little snorkeling and check out who we found summing out in the bay…


On the Market: Half-Acre in Coral Bay

340 land listing august 2014

How does a half acre lot near Coral Bay for only $90,000 sound to you? Pretty darn good, right?

This parcel, located off of Centerline Road, in Carolina has sweeping valley views and gets great breezes. Scoop it up quickly because it probably won’t last.

Sorry we don’t have any pictures yet … looks like you’re going to have to book a trip to the island to see it for yourself.

Looking for more information? Contact Tammy at 340 Real Estate Co. at [email protected]


Weekend Happenings …

Daily STJ January 22 2014

Happy Friday everyone! There’s a lot going on this holiday weekend, so we wanted to give you a quick rundown of the best of the best…

Tonight – Friday, August 29th…

Anyone up for free drinks? Castaway’s is debuting its first ladies night of the season tonight. What’s that mean exactly? It means that all ladies on island can drink any well drinks free tonight – yes for free! – from 9 p.m. to midnight. Hmmm, think they got wind that News of St. John has some girlfriends in town?? Either way, works for us! Hope to see you all there!

Sunday, August 31st…

The 15th annual Love City Triathlon is happening this Sunday at 7 a.m. sharp. The triathlon includes a half-mile swim around Maho Bay, a 14-mile bike ride along North Shore, Centerline and King’s Hill roads, and then a 4.15-mile run down to Annaberg. There’s also an aquathon course, which is similar to the triathlon minus the bike ride. Lastly, the event also includes a SUP Tri Course. That course includes a half-mile swim, a four-mile SUP paddle and a 4.15 run. Spectators are welcome.

Monday, September 1st…

Another zany island parade happens next Monday at 11 a.m. You’re all invited to join in walk, dance or bike alongside the decorated trucks in Coral Bay. There’ll be fun, music and food happening all day in Coral Bay, at Pickles and over the ball field. There’s even going to be a bounce house at Oasis after the parade … So fun!

Have a great holiday weekend everyone!


What Would You Do?

Ok folks, I’ve decided to take a break from the news today. Instead I’m looking for some advice…

I have a few girlfriends coming to the island this weekend. They’re twenty-somethings and thirty-somethings, and none have ever stepped foot on St. John. They’ve been texting me nonstop with crazy questions for weeks now like, “Should I bring wedges or flip flops?” Flip flops of course. “Does it shower every day there?” Yes, but it’s not a big deal. “Is it expensive?” Only if you want it to be. You get the point…

So, my question to all of you is… If you had friends visiting the island for the first time, what are some must-sees in your opinion? Please leave your thoughts in the comments section.

Here are a few thoughts I have…

Visit some ruins…

Daily STJ November 8 2013

Snorkel with some turtles…

Maho turtleDo a little hiking…

Daily STJ July 14 2014

And of course, some beaching…

Francis
Francis

Ok, your turn! Please leave your suggestions in the comments section. Thanks!


Federal Agencies Offer Input on Proposed Coral Bay Marina

Coral Bay August 2014

So as you know, the proposed Coral Bay marina has been a pretty hot topic both on and off island lately. Well today we wanted to share some information with you that leads us to believe that this marina is facing an uphill battle due to environmental concerns. Just to recap, the Coastal Zone Management committee has 30 days following last Wednesday’s meeting to either approve or deny the permit. Here’s the latest…

Jean-Pierre Oriel, Director of CZM, contacted both the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association and the US Department of Interior Fish and Wildlife Service and asked for their comments on the Summer’s End Marina proposal. Here’s a few items taken directly from their responses:

From the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association…

“… as we expressed after reviewing the previous version of the marina, which consisted only of a marina for smaller vessels … we continue to have concerns regarding the potential project impacts to seagrass beds and water quality in the bay. In response to the past permit application for a smaller marina, we had recommended that the applicant explore avoidance and minimization of project impacts to seagrass, including through alternatives such as the construction of a marina at an alternate location. Instead, when Summer’s End acquired the property, they proposed a larger project that includes the currently proposed marina for small vessels and vessels up to 120 feet in the South Club and up to 80 feet in the North Club based on notes in our project file.”

“ … the project has gotten larger rather than smaller, resulting in greater impacts to benthic habitat that is used by sea turtles as well as creating the potential for greater water quality impacts in the bay, which contains habitat for ESA-listed and proposed corals in addition to sea turtles. For this reason, we continue to have concerns regarding this project. As part of the federal permit process, a Section 7 consultation under the Endangered Species Act (ESA) will be required.”

“… the project may require an essential fish habitat (EFH) consultation with NMFS Habitat Conservation Division (HCD) as part of the federal permit process. By letter dated June 2, 2006, NMFS HCD provided comments to the USACE in response to a previous major land and water application for a small boat marina only in the same location. At the time, NMFS HCD had significant concerns regarding the proposed marina and associated impacts to the dense seagrass beds in the area, as well as potential impacts to water quality.”

Click the following link to read NOAA’s entire response: NOAA Response

From the Fish and Wildlife Service…

“While the applicant states that there are not wetlands in the project site, there are special aquatic sites such as seagrass beds which are regulated by the Clean Water Act.”

“A total of 2500 square feet of marine bottom will be directly impacted by the placements of piles; however the entire footprint of the project should be considered for impacts.”

Regarding the Summer’s End Group’s proposed mitigation plans, the Fish and Wildlife Service does not think think the plans are adequate.

Lastly, the Fish and Wildlife Service stated that the permit should not be issued until its concerns and recommendations are adequately addressed.

Click the following link to read the Fish and Wildlife Service’s entire response: Fish and Wildlife Service Response