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Update on 10 Tables

It’s not closing.  Probably.  Jeff at Chilly Billy’s says Scott and Cheri are leaving the island but a former chef from Asolare and Tage, is taking over the business. Paul Trujillo will continue the night time gourmet restaurant operation. The rest of the staff will also be staying. For now, the menu will stay the same.

ChillyBUT … while 10 Tables may be staying, is Chilly Billy’s? The business is again listed for sale, priced this time at  $375,000. Assets include a lease good until 2014.  "Great Ocean View!," the offering says. (Sure,  if you can see past the car barges and the truck traffic on the piers.)  Billy’s is a solid and successful restaurant, thanks to hard work of its owners.  But, there’s not much laid-back island ambiance.

Speaking of Tage, the Inquiring Iguana hears that Ted(?), an owner/chef at Tage(??) walked out of the place last week, taking his recipes with him.  No word whether he’s returned.  Interesting timing, given that the owner of the Balcony restaurant at Wharfside has just taken over management at four island restaurants, including Asolare and Paradiso. What are the chances he has an opening for a good chef?

Airport baggage is a mess

Half the baggage conveyor belts at St. Thomas’s King Airport have been inoperative since late January.  That means only one is working.  That also means there has been near-chaos on busy Saturdays during the season, when various airlines, simultaneously, have just landed flights and are trying to off load suitcases and people.  On those days, as many as 9 flights arrive within an hour of each other. 

Desperate passengers have been seen climbing through openings above the belt to the other side to try to offload their own bags from the airline’s carts, according to the Virgin Islands Daily News.  "It has passengers literally climbing all over each other and employees getting verbally assaulted, said Joanne Bohr, manager of cargo, ramp and passenger services, for Worldwide Flight Services.

Hawksnest, Trunk Bay begin charging for parties

The Virgin Islands National Park has started collecting fees for the use of its newly-renovated facilities at Trunk Bay and Hawksnest. Park regulations provide that special use permits be issued and costs for the Park’s monitoring and administering the activities be recovered, the Park said in a statement Activities which may require payment include weddings, picnics, parties and fund raising events. The Park is charging $25 for a pavilion at Hawksnest and $50 at Trunk Bay.

2006 Carnival schedule

PowellparkThe St. John Festival & Cultural Organization said the theme for this year’s event is Mas, Music and a Cultural Mix. A month of activities begins June 3 in Cruz Bay’s Franklin Powell Park featruring Pan-o-Rama, steel pan bands from the islands in day-long concert.  Other events including a seniors variety show at the Winston Wells Ball Field, the Prince and Princess Show, ending with J’Ouvert Parade and fireworks over Cruz Bay on July 4th. 

“The St. John Festival is one of the most exciting events on our calendar and travelers lucky enough to be visiting during this period are ensured an illuminating portrait of our past and present,” said Commissioner of Tourism Pamela C. Richards, describing last year’s event.  “From bike races to beauty pageants, the food fair to fireworks, this event truly offers something for everyone.”

Don’t miss this

Estern_1Elaine Estern’s weekly free pour and munchies spread at Coconut Coast Studios at Frank Bay. Wednesdays, 5:30pm.

Elaine’s whimsical impressions of island life, fish, dogs, and people can’t fail to bring a smile.  Lots of gift ideas, prints, original water colors and oils, painted tiles, gift boxes, even luggage tags.  Something for everyone. 

While we were there, and sipping a rum punch, a beautiful peacock sauntered past the cottage/gallery.     http://www.coconutcoaststudios.com/

2 tuff repeat winners

8tuff06Jeremy Zuber, aka "Zube", won Saturday’s 8 Tuff Miles road race.  This year’s record-setting time for the 25-year-old was 49:20.  It was his third win in a row.  The women’s division was won again by 32-year-old Regina Loiacano, who turned in a Cruz Bay-to-Coral Bay performance in :58:05.  Both Zuber and Loiacano live on St. John.

Zuber said, "I was slow getting to Bordeaux, but I just boogied," downhill into Coral Bay.  Loicano told the St. John Source she paced herself. " "I usually go out too fast, so this year I went a little slower."

Peter Alter, organizer of the 10th annual race, said 659 people registered for the event.

Volunteers to protect ruins

Looting of artifacts from some of the 75 "notable plantation sites" have alarmed staffers of the Virgin Islands National Park.  Among items already lost are sugar boiling pots from Maho Bay and an 1824 keystone from the ruins of Rustenberg Mill (http://stjohnbeachguide.com/Rustenberg.htm)

Park archaeologist Ken Wild has announced a plan to encourage volunteers from St. John and St. Thomas to visit the ruins and watch for changes.,  "We’ll have more photographs and a database so we will know a lot sooner when something goes missing," he told the Virgin Islands Daily News. Similar efforts by volunteer stewards are underway at other parks in Texas, Arizona and New Mexico. 

Wild said the V.I. Park is also using Global Satellite Positioning to improve the efficiency of Park rangers making rounds of the sites. 

Real Estate Update: price cuts

After a short-lived reduction in the number of houses for sale on the Multiple Listing Service, inventory is climbing again.  In the past week, three residences went on the market, boosting the total to 90 – near the record of 91. 

At least one major real estate firm on island has reduced prices on three properties in its printed ad, and s fourth is marked as having an "anxious owner."

Businesses for sale and commercial offers have increased almost 30% thanks, in prt, to the re-listing of Voyages de St. Jan, formerly an upscale restaurant in a terrible location for an upscale restaurant.  Space on the first and second floors is being subdivided into condominiums for office or retail use. 

Ronnie’s Rolling Pin, a pizza place and bakery, is also on the market again, although I swear when I drove by this week I saw a laundromat there.  I’ll look again.

An additional 10 land lots have also been added to the market.

Center near Westin still on the market

Even though the "For Sale" sign was removed over the weekend, Palm Plaza, a small shopping center a few blocks from the Westin resort is still for sale.  It’s offered by Calabash Real Estate of St. Croix at $2.6 million. 

The sales pitch for the two-story commercial property is that it’s "the perfect condominium conversion project."  Maybe so. 

Palm Plaza was a retail-hit several years ago when it opened, anchored by a wonderful gourmet deli.  When new owners moved in and went to work, vacancies among the other (maybe) dozen units began to appear.  Then the developer of the center sold Palm Plaza – to those gaming people from St Croix, and now they have it for sale. 

Calabash is also advertising "The Lantern" at Cruz Bay.  It’s half an acre, priced at $3.5 million, with "A site map, floor plans, elevations and permits available for developers to build 15 luxury condominiums."