Book four nights and get a fifth free is the deal being offered by the St. John Westin, as well as hotels on both St. Thomas and St Croix, according to the VI Hotel and Tourism Association. The offer is tied to the 90oth anniversary of "Transfer Day," when the islands moved from being owned by the Danes to becoming a United States territory. Book your stay by July 15th and you also get tickets to various activities on St. Thomas including admission to Coral World, the Atlantis Submarine, a ride on the Paradise Point Tramway, and discounts at several jewelry stores.
Villas and Resorts
Concordia expansion adds cafe and yoga
Estate Concordia is expanding with a new 1,500 square foot pavilion that began as a place for yoga instruction but which has now grown to accommodate a cafe, general store, massages, and artists. Concordia Eco-Tents and Estate Concordia Studios are on the island’s southeastern shores, about 25 minutes from Maho Bay.
The new cafe’s manager, Mon Phon, is a chef of some skill and experience, who will feature Caribbean and Asian Cuisine. One of the cafe’s highlights is a large grill which will encourage guests to "be the grill master" and perhaps cook their own.
A centerpiece oif the coinstruction is a 100-foot walkway which overlooks Salt Pond, Rams Head and Drunk Bay. Concordia’s construction blog says a date for the grand opening is fast approaching. In island-speak, that’s "Soon come."
Westin to expand parking
The Westin Resort plans to almost double its parking. Architect Theresa Roberts told a meeting of the St. John Coastal Management Committee the resort wants to add 161 spaces to the 204 it already has. She said details of a parking structure have not yet been completed. When they are she will present them to CZM for consideration, the St. John Source reported.
During the meeting at the Westin, the resort also sought and received approval to expand its water treatment plant, expand its hotel lobby for more to allow more sales space for timeshare units, and construction of a new building to house a carpentry shop.
Chef Trujillo’s plans for Paradiso
Paul Trujillo has moved on down the road from the Lumberyard’s Ten Tables to the upscale Paradiso Restaurant at Mongoose Junction. One difference is that he now has four people helping him in the kitchen. At his former operation, in Chilly Billy’s space, he had one or two.
But it’s Paradiso’s menu where Trujillo hopes to see the biggest difference. He’s working on the new menu by becoming familiar with vendors’ offerings of fresh meats and fish, vegetables, and fruits. Among menu changes changes, he hopes to add a rack of lamb.
Trujillo has been on island about five years, having worked also at Asolare and Chateau Bordeau. After those slots, he spent three months doing "gourmet deli" at Simple Feast. "That was the end of it," he said. "I’m not cut out for that. I need my own kitchen." But because there were no chef openings on island, he did landscaping work for eight months. "That was the best thing I could do to reset my mind and my enthusiasm."
Now, he’s back in the business and talking about it in a special two-part podcast. In this first segment, Trujillo talks about his new menu, the challenge of running an upscale restaurant kitchen on island and how sometimes the customer is not always right. Trujillo also reveals where he goes for lunch when he wants good food. Paradiso’s Web site is http://www.stjohnrestaurants.com/paradiso.htm.
Listen to the first part of our conversation with Paul Trujillo.
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Change coming for Caneel
Rik Blyth, the managing director at Caneel Bay Resort, has been tapped to head up the Virgin Islands Hotel and Tourism Association. He was chosen from among two dozen applicants for the position which counts some 300 hotels and tourism-related businesses as members.
"It’s a great opportunity," Blyth told the Virgin Islands Daily News. he succeeds Beverly Nicholson-Doty who headed the group for 14 years. Blyth said he hopes to be in the job 14 years, too. Nicholson-Doty left the spot when she was named by Gov. John deJongh to head up the islands’ Tourism department.
On his list of things to do, Blyth said, is to encourage more restaurants to participate in the group and to boost St. Croix tourism. The association’s Web site is http://www.virgin-islands-hotels.com/stthomas.htm.
My thought: Both Nicholson and Blyth are experienced and savvy about the importance of tourism to the Islands’ economy. Neither, it appears, have relatives who need jobs. Having these two people involved in boosting tourism, and counseling tourist businesses on island how to do more business by doing business better, is a very good news.
Sirenusa developer threatens to stop
A hearing to consider allowing the Sirenusa condominium project to add seven units was told by the project’s developer, "There is a good chance" it will shut down if approval is withheld. The St. John Source reported Carlos Marzano, the developer, said halting would result in a loss of jobs, government revenue, and a $35 million economic development opportunity.
Marzano’s request was opposed by more than a dozen community members who attended the Senate Committee of the Whole meeting at the Legislature Building. They complained Sirenusa has created air pollution and flooding in the area overlooking Cruz Bay, while sending boulders and debris onto nearby properties. Attorney Brion Morissette said Marzano has "aggressively pushed every conceivable limit at every conceivable turn. None of us are fooled by this poppy show."
The Virgin Islands Daily News’ report of the meeting said there were supporters for Sirenusa, including dozens of the project’s workers.
Marzano’s request has some distance to go for approval. It has to be sponsored by a Senator and then win approval of the entire Senate.
Senators to consider Sirenusa request
The St. John Coalition, a community group, is expressing "grave reservations" about permitting the Sirenusa condominium development to add units to the project’s construction. (Click on the picture for a larger version.)
In an e-mail to members, the Coalition urged its supporters to make phone calls and send faxes to members of the VI Senate who will be on island Monday night for another hearing about Sirenusa.
According to island residents near Sirenusa, if the land is rezoned to allow the additional units, it’s also possible a six story structure could be built as well as restaurants and gift shops."
Kayaking with dolphins
Years ago, we swam with sea turtles off Caneel Bay’s main beach. Tuesday, we went kayaking with dolphins off the beach at the St. John Westin.
The mammals were swimming, surfacing, and diving as close as 10-feet away from us, and just outside hotel beach’s the swim area buoys.
I’d brought my camera on the kayak trip, perhaps foolishly. But we were "exploring the neighborhood," since our villa, Blue Tang overlooks Great Cruz. When Mrs. Inquiring Iguana, Donna, spied the dolphins, I was happy I had the camera. I managed to get several segments showing them.
In previous years, locals have identified one dolphin who visited the island’s waters and named it "Splash." They were delighted when it returned one year with what was believed to be a child, which was named "Squirt." There’s no way to know if they are the dolphins we watched at Great Cruz, of course.
Hooters does St. John
Guess what just pulled into Great Cruz Bay, off the Westin beach?
Hooter Patrol IV, a new 97-foot yacht which, its Web site suggests, is a corporate boat. 
Even before you could see the name, you noticed the Hooters-orange rubber dinghy trailing the white yacht.
Mrs. Inquiring Iguana quickly rushed to the Blue Tang binoculars and reported, "The girls went below deck." Three guys were on the top deck, kind of piloting. Two others, wearing orange shirts (!), were in the back.
Then a group motored into the Westin. Mrs. I.I. said, "There they go, shopping, handbags in hand. Five chickie-wickies." The girls got out of the boat themselves, didn’t wait for anyone to help them, she added.
Wait there’s more. She then espied five other girls getting into another dinghy. So far, that’s 10 females and five guys.
Mrs. I.I. said, "Maybe it’s an employee incentive thing."
Saddest classified ad
In the St. John Tradewinds:
"FOR RENT: Partially furnished one bedroom cottage, w/d, a/c, deck, grill, $1,800/month+utilities, no pets, all views blocked by Grand Bay. 240-460-8609."
Click on the photo … house is at upper left hand corner, behind the condos.