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Local News

2014 Seasonal Closings

Closed Sign

It’s that time of year folks … seasonal closing time. Here’s a list of who’s staying open and who’s closing for a bit.

Staying Open:

  • 420 to Center
  • Across the Street Bar 
  • Asolare
  • Baked in the Sun
  • Barefoot Cowboy Lounge 
  • Beach Bar 
  • Cafe Livin’ (May close one week for maintenance)
  • Castaway’s Tavern  
  • Chateau Bordeaux
  • Chester’s  
  • Cruz Bay Landing 
  • da Livio’s 
  • Deli Grotto
  • Driftwood Dave’s: Opening at 1 p.m. (though dinner) Monday through Friday until November 1
  • Etta’s West Indian Cuisine
  • High Tide 
  • Jake’s
  • P & P’s: Open Tuesday through Saturday. Must call (340) 693-8587 for reservations.
  • Quiet Mon (May close the last week of September for maintenance)
  • Sam and Jack’s Deli (Hours may vary depending on demand; visit their website for more info)
  • Sogo’s
  • St. John Scoops 
  • Sun Dog Cafe – (They will be open throughout, with a brief maintenance period in early October. During that time, they will serve lunch and use the bar at Virgin Fire.)
  • Tap Room 
  • Uncle Joe’s
  • West Indies Delight
  • Westin
  • Woody’s 

Closing: 

  • Aqua Bistro: Closed September 6 through September 11
  • Banana Deck: Closed September 1 through October 15
  • Cafe Concordia: Closed September and October
  • Cafe Roma: Closing September 1; Reopening October 3
  • Caneel Bay Resort (including restaurants): Closing August 26; Reopening November 1
  • Coral Bay Caribbean Oasis: Closed; Reopening September 1
  • Fatty Crab: Closing this Saturday: Tentatively reopening October 15
  • Joe’s Rum Hut: Closing September 2 for three weeks
  • La Tapa: Closed as of August 23; Will reopen either October 11th or 17th
  • Lime Inn: Closed as of August 24th – They’re holding a pig roast at Oppenheimer that day and all are invited; Bar reopens bar September 23 with food; Restaurant will reopen in early November; Exact date to be determined by weather
  • Margarita Phil’s: Closed for September
  • Miss Lucy’s: Closed September and October
  • Morgan’s Mango: Will close 1-2 weeks in October – Dates Undecided
  • Motu Bar: Closing August 15; Reopening in October
  • Ocean 362: Closed August 25 through October 15
  • Ocean Grill: Closing August 31; Reopening September 29
  • Pickles (Tentatively)
  • Rhumb Lines: Closed September 16 – October 18
  • Ronnie’s Pizza Closed; Reopening September 15
  • Shipwreck Landing: Closed September and October 
  • Skinny Legs: Closed August 31st – September 27th except for NFL Sundays (the 7th,14th,and 21st); Will be open 1 p.m. to 7 p.m. then with a limited menu. Reopening September 28
  • Tamarind Inn: Closed August 27 to September 9 for maintenance
  • The Fish Trap: Closing August 22 through October 7
  • The Terrace: Closing October 1 through October 25
  • Tourist Trap: Closing August 23; Reopening September 23
  • T’ree Lizards Restaurant (Cinnamon Bay Campground): Closed September and October
  • Vie’s Snack Shack: Closed September and October
  • Virgin Fire: Will celebrate the end of season with a party on August 30; Reopening October 1.
  • Waterfront Bistro: Closed September 1 through October 9
  • Zozo’s Ristorante: Closing August 26; Reopening November 1

Undecided:

  • De’ Coal Pot 

Troves of Treasures at Caravan Gallery

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Every now and again, you come across a place on the island that simply blows you away. Caravan Gallery is one of those places.

Radha Speer opened Caravan Gallery back in 1991 after realizing there was very little silver jewelry available for purchase on island. Her intention was simple: she wanted to provide unique, ethnic and one-of-a-kind jewelry at great prices. Having traveled extensively, practiced yoga for several years and traveled in India, it was important to Radha that the store have a spiritual element as well. Thus Caravan Gallery was born.…

Caravan Gallery is a unique St. John treasure in our opinion. Located on the second floor in Mongoose Junction, it offers a variety of items from jewelry to gifts to authentic artifacts. Caravan’s collection of African masks even compares favorably to that of the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City – Pretty impressive if you ask us. The collection is so amazing that a board member of the Smithsonian Museum of African Art recently popped in and purchased several items for his personal collection.

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So how did all of these artifacts from around the world end up in a small shop in St. John? Well as we mentioned, Radha has traveled extensively. During her travels, she began bringing back small treasures, which soon bloomed into a full-on collection.

“It’s such a thrill to be able to buy these incredible artifacts and share them with people who will treasure them,” Radha said.

And the best part – some of these treasures cost as little as $3. Others, however, depending on the rarity of the piece, can cost upwards of a thousand.

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Radha and her staff also create and sell jewelry she’s named “St. John Opal.” While kayaking along a remote shore of St. John, Radha discovered this truly unique stone, which turned out to be a type of green opal. Never cutting the stone from the earth, she collects pieces that fall naturally, has them cut by stonecutters in Asia and custom made into jewelry in Bali and India. The outcome is beautiful. See for yourself…

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Radha holding a piece of the St. John Opal

Caravan Gallery also happens to be the first store on island to offer the famous St. John Hook Bracelet. They’ve even had a pretty famous country star pop in to buy one. We’ll have more on that another day…

In the meantime, please stop by Caravan Gallery and check out some of Radha’s treasures. It’s located on the second floor in Mongoose Junction (upstairs from Ocean Grill) and is open Monday through Friday from 9:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. and on Sundays from 11a.m. to 7 p.m.

More on the Proposed Coral Bay Marina

st. john marina landside view

So yesterday morning we received a 37-page document regarding the proposed Coral Bay marina. I have to admit, what I read what jaw-dropping. The presentation contained information on seven phases including a proposed mega yacht marina, upscale shopping area, boutique resort and more.

I contacted Rick Barksdale, one of the principles of the proposed yacht club, shortly after reviewing the document. I then shared excerpts of the presentation with all of you.

I initially thought the presentation was created for up upcoming meeting at the Legislature Building. I’ve since been told that’s not the case.

When I reached out to Rick, I stated that I thought he misrepresented his intentions for the proposed yacht club in previous conversations with me. I stated that I felt he “pulled the wool over my eyes.” The following is Rick’s initial response to me, of which he granted me permission to share:

“The wool has been pulled over your eyes, but not by me.

Our intentions are for a full service marina and an upland complex. This fact is clearly stated and is free for everyone to see through our permit application.

The document in question is over 2 years old. At that time we had the occasion to connect with funding sources and potential investors who asked us to package our marina project with other potential development opportunities with a minimum of CapEx of $100m.

After heartfelt consideration of the options we decided that while many opportunities exist, a marina that serviced a wide variety of vessels from local sail and power boats, charter boats, transient boats and yachts would best serve St. John.

We’ve streamlined our permitting process with both territorial and federal agencies by minimizing our project and at every turn sought advice from a wide variety of locals and experts.

Don’t be fooled Jenn. This is an attempt to create panic.

They are clearly trying to divert attention from a thoughtful, well planned marina project application opposed by those who seek to limit a better life for St. John families now and in the future.”

I then asked Rick to send me the most current proposal. I also asked him to clarify which of the seven phases mentioned in the 37-page presentation were included in his current plans. The following is his response:

“The entire ‘new proposal’ as you refer to it is available at the library and at the DPNR office here on St. John. But it is not ‘new’ it is the only proposal we’ve ever submitted. Our permit application is hundreds of pages of technical data and drawings and is too big to attach.

As described in our permit application, the St. John Marina project consists of docks for a variety of boat sizes and types, upland parcels including Coco Loba, Voyages, Island Blues and across the street, the Shoreline Inn and vacant land next to it.

You’ve seen the illustrative drawings of what we are proposing in our permit application and they look nothing like what you’ve posted!

The bottom line is our comprehensive permit application is the result of years of painstaking research and coordination with permit authorities. Those that oppose a sustainably managed environment, culture and economy will resort to any means, including misdirection from the facts and creating hysteria.

If you want facts, check out our permit application and/or go to the Facebook page for The Summer’s End Group.”

So at this point, I’m really not sure what to think. We do know that the 37-page document we referred to yesterday was in fact created by the Summer’s End Yacht Club. They stated that it was outdated, but we are not 100 percent convinced of that. We are also not sure who the “they” are that Rick refers to with regard to people who are trying to “divert attention…” We’re going to leave it up to all of you to make your own decision on whether or not this proposed marina is in the best interest of the community.

Renew Your Love with Ceremonies of St. John

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It’s no secret that St. John is the ultimate destination for couples. With the help of Ceremonies of St. John, you can commit yourself to your husband or wife all over again. Relive your wedding day by reconfirming your love and continued life together, on the beautiful, tropical island of St John.

Revisit the past, but look forward to the future while rekindling the romance and reigniting the passion.
Ceremonies of St. John’s Wedding Vow Renewal Package includes:

  • Minister to perform your vow renewal ceremony
  • Location and time of your choice
  • Keepsake certificate announcing your vow renewal on St. John
  • On site wedding coordinator
  • The necessary permit from the Virgin Islands National Park to renew your vows on the beach or in the plantation ruins
  • Private car to transport the couple to and from the wedding location. Transportation departs immediately after ceremony concludes. Additional transportation fee will be applied for couple’s residing in the Coral Bay area.

Couples are encouraged to bring their families and friends along, so to share their happiness together. There is no license required for vow renewals, nor is there a waiting period you have to be on-island. The ceremony can be casual with bathing suits or more formal in dresses and suits.

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The cost for a vow renewal package is $400 plus a 20% service charge.

Stacy Mulcare, owner of Ceremonies of St. John, lives and works directly on St. John, so she knows all of the ins and outs of the island and can address any need that may arise. Interested in learning more? Call Stacy toll free at 1-888-282-3933 or email at [email protected]

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Bar Wars: Happening Today

bar wars 2014Thanks Life on Our Rock for passing along this info…

Be sure to stop by The Beach Bar today, Saturday, at noon for the 14th annual Bar Wars competition.

Bar Wars is a charity event that happens each August. The event tests the bartending and waitressing skills of participants who happen to work at a variety of our favorite eating and drinking establishments. Each team has to work together to create, serve and drink beverages, all while completing an obstacle course.

The best part of the competition is that all of the proceeds from the event – it costs $100 per team to enter, $50 to buy back in  – will be donated to the Family Resource Center, which helps victims of crime in St. John, St. Thomas and Water Island.

Click here to read about last year’s Bar Wars competition. 

Get Great Low Season Deals; Support the National Park

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The pool and view from Great Expectations, one of the villas participating in the new Villas for the Park program

Hey everyone, happy Friday! As you all know, we’re in the midst of low season which means there are lots of great on-island deals to be had. There’s also a new villa partnership program we’d like to tell you about.

Villas for the Park is a new partnership between St. John villa owners and villa managers, and Friends of VI National Park. The partnership’s goal is to raise funds for protection, preservation and education in the Virgin Islands National Park.

The way it works is simple: All you have to do is book your villa directly through the Friends of the VI National Park, and a portion of the rental will automatically be donated to the Park. In addition, you will also receive a free one year family membership for Friends of the VI National Park. The membership card gives valuable discounts on shopping and activities with Friends Affinity Partners during your stay, as well as discounts on Friends of the Park Store merchandise.

Kind of sounds like a win-win to us…

There are several villas and villa management companies that are participating including:

  • Great Expectations
  • Cimmaron St. John
  • Coconut Coast
  • Island Getaways
  • VIVA! Villas
  • James M. Miller Property Management
  • 340 Real Estate Co.

Click here to learn more. 

So being that it’s low season, many villas and villa management companies are offering pretty significant discounts. Here’s a small sampling of some of the deals out there:

So not that you’ve got info on some great rental deals, it’s time to book those flights! Click here and here to read some tips on how to find the best airfare.

Working Out for a Cause…

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As you might imagine, we got a ton of emails here at News of St. John. A frequent topic includes on-island exercise options and gym facilities. Today we want to tell you about a cool new Zumba class that’s happening during the month of August and will benefit island charities.

Brittany MacNealy has been on island four the past four-and-a-half years. She recently became a certified Zumba instructor and now offers Zumba classes at the St. John School of the Arts several times a week.

Having worked for nonprofits back in the States and recognizing the difficulties that go along with raising funds, Brittany decided to do something about it. So every Saturday during the month of August, Brittany will donate 100 percent of the proceeds from her Saturday morning Zumba Basic class to a St. John nonprofit. How exciting is that?!

Here are the nonprofits that will benefit:

  • August 9th: St John Cancer Fund
  • August 16th: Animal Care Center of St John
  • August 23rd St John School of the Arts
  • August 30th Gifft Hill School

Each class will be held at 9 a.m. at the St. John School of the Arts. Classes last one hour.

Not familiar with Zumba? Zumba is an upbeat workout that combines fun music with easy to follow choreography. Click here to learn more.

Brittany is licensed to teach Zumba, Zumba Toning, Aqua Zumba and Zumba in the Circuit. For more information on Brittany and her Zumba classes, please visit bmacnealy.zumba.com

New Cruz Bay Webcam Debuts…

There’s a new webcam in town, and we have to say, it’s got a pretty darn good view!

The folks over at Grande Bay recently launched a brand new website. And with that new website came a brand new webcam. It’s perched high atop the resort and has an incredible view of Cruz Bay harbor. Click the image below to see it for yourself…

grande bay webcamWe haven’t checked it out at night yet, but we’re pretty sure it captures some remarkable sunsets. You can check it out 24/7 at www.GrandeBayResort.com/webcam

(And on a side note, we’d like to thank Grande Bay for their participation on our St. Johnopoly game!!)

Want to see more webcams? We have a full list of them at www.newsofstjohn.com/webcams

Here are a few of our favorites…. (Click the image to see the live webcam.)

Esprit, Bordeaux Mountain
Esprit, Bordeaux Mountain
Great Expectations, Chocolate Hole
Great Expectations, Chocolate Hole
Island Stones, Catherineberg
Island Stones, Catherineberg
Skyridge, Upper Carolina
Skyridge, Upper Carolina

Hansen Bay Owner Fined for Blocking Access; Situation Ongoing

A majority of the mesh and netted fencing has been removed. The structure remains.

Hey everyone, happy Wednesday! So we admit that we’re a tad late to the party on today’s story, but we thought it’s something you’d all be interested in.

So a few months back, we mentioned to you how a person came forward in Hansen Bay and stated he was the owner of the stretch of beach commonly used by locals and tourists for snorkeling, sunbathing, swimming and overall R&R. We also told you how he erected a fence, put up some barbed wire, a makeshift little hut and basically blocked public beach access. We then mentioned, about a month later, how the barbed wire was removed and everything was back to normal.

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March 2014
April 2014
April 2014

Well since that last post in April, the fence had been put up again, and removed, and put up again, and removed… So much was happening over there in terms of beach access that we simply couldn’t keep up. Well today we’d like to tell you that the powers that be have stepped in and are trying to rectify the situation. The owner, however, is fighting them. Here are the details…

The Department of Planning and Natural Resources issued a Notice of Violation (NOA) against Elroy Ashtain stating he constructed “an unpermitted wooden structure” and a fence earlier this year. As a result, Mr. Ashtain was was fined $10,000, told to cease any further development and was also ordered to remove all structures from the property.

That didn’t happen.

It was also noted in the NOA that “the respondent claims to be the owner of the property, however true ownership of the property is uncertain at this time.”

Mr. Ashtain responded and requested a formal hearing on the matter. Here is his response in which he likens territory laws to “cob webs”:

ashtain hering request

 A hearing date has yet to be scheduled. We’ll keep you all posted on this one…

St. Johnopoly Launches New Website!

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So we are super excited to share with all of you a few updates on St. Johnopoly. First and foremost, we have an awesome new website that just launched today. Please check it out at www.StJohnopoly.com

The website has several images of the game to give all of you a better idea of just how cool this is going to be! We have pictures of the game board squares, the money, the tokens and more.

We also have a page dedicated to the four charities that will receive a portion of the sales from St. Johnopoly. We’re happy to announced that we gave out our first two donations last weekend to Team River Runner and Friends Helping Friends.

We also have a page dedicated to our sponsors, so you can see exactly which businesses (and one super famous animal) are involved with the game.

We’ve also moved all of our online sales over to the site. As we’ve mentioned a time or two, there is a limited number of games available so please preorder yours today. Games are being pre-sold for $45 plus shipping. We are still anticipating our ship date to be late August. We’ll keep you posted if anything changes.

In the meantime, please head on over to StJohnopoly.com and check it out! You can also click here to do so.