It’s only February and surprisingly we have some tropical activity in the Caribbean, which usually a phenomenon of the summertime. Yes, there “Invest 90″ hanging around the Yucatan Passage. It’s packing winds of 30 mph and last night’s satellite image showed it hoovering just east of the Texas Mexico border and heading ENE. It’s not expected to intensify nor survive for long and should only affect St. John’s weather as part of the “butterfly effect”.

St. John School of the Arts Presents: Free Film Tomorrow Night

REMINDER: Concrete, Steel and Paint

Tuesday, February 7, 2012
7:30 pm at St. John School of the Arts, Cruz Bay

St. John Live Music Schedule for tonight, Monday, February 6

High Tide – Rascio on Steel Pan – 4:00 – 6:30 – 714-6169
La Tapa – Samba Combo – 6:30 – 9:30 – 693-8141
Maho Bay Camps – Open Mic with Bo & Lauren – 7:00
Ocean Grill – Chris Carsel – 6:30 – 9:00 – 693-3304

See the weekly schedule

Karen Paddling at Maho Bay
Like to Try? Lessons and Board Rentals

Paddle boarding, one of the newest popular water sports, has definitely arrived here on St. John as can be testified by the number of paddle boarders out yesterday at Maho Bay.

St. John Live Music Schedule for tonight, Sunday, February 5

Aqua Bistro – Lauren – 3:30 – 6:30 – 776-5336
Beach Bar – Morgan O Kane – 5:00 – 777-4220
Concordia – Bo – Sunday Brunch 10:00 am
Driftwood Dave’s – Live Music – 1:00 – 4:00 – 777-4015
Miss Lucy’s – Samba Combo – 10:00 am – 2:00 pm – 693-5354
Ocean Grill – David Laab – 6:30 – 9:00 – 693-3304 – Shipwreck Landing – Hot Club of Coral Bay  – 7:00 – 10:00

See the weekly schedule

St. John Seen From the Air

St. John Live Music Schedule for tonight, Friday, February 3

Aqua Bistro – Mark Wallace & Rich Greengold  – 5:30 – 8:30 – 776-5336
Beach Bar – Morgan O Kane – 9:00 – 777-4220
Castaways – Mikey P – 9:00 – 777-3316
Driftwood Dave’s – John W Lee – 7:00 – 10:00 – 777-4015
Fatty Crab – Jon Herington Band – 9:00 – 775-9951
High Tide - 80s Party -Fund raiser for relay for life team – 9:00 – 714-6169
Morgan’s Mango – Lauren – 6:00 – 9:30 – 693-8141
Ocean Grill  – T-Bird – 6:30 – 9:00 – 693-3304

See the weekly schedule

Reef Bay Great House 1960

Photo by Jack Boucher

Reef Bay Great House 2011

Photo by Shaun O’Boyle

St. John Live Music Schedule for tonight, Thursday, February 2

Banana Deck – Steel Pan by Lemuel Samuels – 6:00 – 9:00 – 693-5055
Castaways – Dance Party – 11:00 – 777-3316
Driftwood Dave’s – Just Mike – 7:00 – 10:00 – 777-4015
High Tide – Inner Vision – 8:00-11:00 – 714-6169
Miss Lucy’s – Jazz with Rich and Greg – 6:00 – 9:00 – 693-5354
Morgan’s Mango – Mark Wallace – 6:00 – 9:30 – 693-8141
Ocean Grill – Chris Carsel – 6:30 – 9:00 – 693-3304
Skinny Legs – Lauren – 6:00 – 779-4982

See the weekly schedule

Friends of the Virgin Islands National Park February 2012 Seminar Series

Telephone: 340-779-4940
E-mail: info@friendsvinp.org
Friends of the Park Website

FULL MOON DRUM CIRCLE • Feb. 7, Tues. • 6:00pm – 8:00pm
Meet: Natl. Park Visitor Ctr.; Bring: A drum if you have one;
Seminar Fee: $25 Mem / $35 Non Mem • Max Group: 20

TREASURES OF THE VIRGIN ISLANDS I & II
Feb. 8, Wednesday • March 7, Wednesday • 1:00pm – 4:00pm
Meet: Charlotte Amalie Waterfront at R&J Latte’s;
Bring: Energy & creativity;
Seminar Fee: $55 Mem / $65 Non Mem • Max Group: 12

BOTANICAL & HISTORIC HIKE • Feb. 11, Sat. • 9:00am – 1:00pm
Meet: Annaberg parking lot;
Bring: Sunscreen, hat, lunch, water, & hiking shoes;
Seminar Fee: $45 Mem / $55 Non Mem • Max Group: 25

COASTAL ECOLOGY • Feb. 12, Sun. • 9:30am – 3:00pm
Meet: National Park Visitor Ctr.; Bring: Lunch, water, sunscreen, & snorkel gear;
Seminar Fee: $75 Mem / $85 Non Mem • Max Group: 18

BUILD GREEN • Feb. 18, Sat. • 10:00am – 12:00pm
Meet: Skinny Legs Restaurant to carpool;
Bring: Notebook, building plans, & ideas;
Seminar Fee: $35 Mem / $45 Non Mem • Max Group: 20

MARINE BIOLOGY SAIL • Feb. 19, Sun. • 9:00am – 3:00pm
Meet: Natl. Park Visitor Ctr. Dock;
Bring: Snorkel gear, lunch, water, towel, & sunscreen;
Seminar Fee: $85 Mem / $95 Non Mem • Max Group: 30

HERITAGE EXHIBIT TOUR • Feb. 22, Wed. • 10:00am – 12:00pm
Meet: Cinnamon Bay parking lot; Bring: Notebook;
Seminar Fee: $25 Mem / $35 Non Mem • Max Group: 30

KAYAK CANEEL BAY I & II
Feb. 24, Fri. • Apr. 15, Sun. • 10:00am – 1:00pm Meet: Caneel Bay parking lot;
Seminar Fee: $75 Mem / $85 Non Mem • Max Group: 15

LEAP YEAR STARS • Feb. 25, Sat.. • 7:30pm – 9:00pm
Meet: Estate Concordia Pavilion;
Bring: Blanket, flashlight, pillow, & binoculars (if you have them)
Seminar Fee: $35 Mem / $45 Non Mem • Max Group: 35

St. John Live Music Schedule for tonight, Wednesday, February 1

Aqua Bistro – Rascio on Steel Pan – 5:30 – 8:30 – 776-5336
Castaways – Kenny Floyd – 8:00 – 777-3316
Coconut Coast Studios – St. John Flutes – 5:30-7:00 – 776-6944
Driftwood Dave’s – Paradise People – 7:00 – 10:00 – 777-4015
High Tide – Chris Carsel – 6:00 – 9:00 – 714-6169
Sun Dog Cafe – Wednesday Night Jam – 7:30-10:00 – 244-9713

See the weekly schedule

Annaberg Horsemill 1959 photo by Frederik C. Gjessing

Annaberg Horsemill 2012

St. John Live Music Schedule for tonight, Tuesday, January 31

Castaways – Karaoke Night – 9:00 – 777-3316
Driftwood Dave’s – James Cobb & Michael Beason – 700 -10:00 – 777-4015
High Tide – Erin Hart – 4:00 – 7:00 – 714-6169
Morgan’s Mango – Greg Kinslow – 6:00 – 9:30 – 693-8141
Ocean Grill – Rascio on Steel Pan – 6:00 – 9:30 – 693-3304
Shipwreck Landing – Chris Carsel – 6:00 – 9:30

See the weekly schedule

The shallow flats just off the Leinster Bay Road offer easy access for fly fishermen to enjoy their sport in one of the most beautiful setting anywhere.

St. John Live Music Schedule for tonight, Sunday, January 29

Aqua Bistro – Lauren – 3:30 – 6:30 – 776-5336
Beach Bar – Sol Driven Train – 4:30 – 777-4220
Concordia – Bo – Sunday Brunch 10:00 am
Driftwood Dave’s – Live Music – 1:00 – 4:00 – 777-4015
Miss Lucy’s – Samba Combo – 10: 00am – 2:00pm – 693-5354
Ocean Grill – David Laab – 6:30 – 9:00 – 693-3304
Shipwreck Landing – Hot Club of Coral Bay – 7:00 – 10:00

See the weekly schedule

Press Release: Rae Ellen Lee’s My Next Husband Will Be Normal

My Next Husband Will Be Normal

Rae Ellen Lee, the owner of what once was the Canvas Factory in Mongoose Junction has followed up her first book, If the Shoe Fits, with her new memoir, My Next Husband Will Be Normal.

Below is the description from the back cover:

“Lee’s first memoir, I Only Cuss When I’m Sailing, (first published as If The Shoe Fits) chronicles her move with husband, Tom, from Montana to the West Coast to live on an old boat, fix it up, learn to sail, and set off for the Caribbean.   “ . . . charming, witty, beautifully observed, and above all, delightfully genuine. –Living Aboard Magazine

“In My Next Husband Will Be Normal, Lee and her husband ditch their sailboat and fly to the U.S. Virgin Islands with a down payment for a mom and pop business on St. John. The plan:  when they aren’t sewing canvas bags at their little shop, The Canvas Factory, they’ll be beach potatoes. But there are risks to living in paradise one cannot anticipate, especially on an island where residents bask in the mantra:  You can do anything you want, as long as the rest of us know about it. For soon after unpacking their flip-flops, the husband—a former Republican state legislator with a silver crew-cut and solid traditional values—realizes he is really a she. Convinced the world needs more humor, Lee rations the angst in favor of the picturesque and absurd. Adding heat to the story is a cast of colorful cats, customers, and Caribbean personalities. Toss in a few sex toys, some steel pan music, a pinch of voodoo—and stir.”

My Next Husband Will Be Normal – Link to Amazon.com

St. John Live Music Schedule for tonight, Saturday, January 28

Castaways – Dance Party – 11:00 – 777-3316
Driftwood Dave’s – Guitarist James Milne – 700 -1 0:00 – 777-4015
Winston Wells Ball Park – Cruz Bay – Morgan Heritage plus Niyorah, Melame Gange &Bambu Station – 6:00 – 422-0289
Morgan’s Mango – Luba – 6:00 – 9:30 – 693-8141
Ocean Grill – Rascio on Steel Pan – 6:00 – 9:30 – 693-3304
Rhumblines – Lauren – 7:00
Shipwreck Landing – Mike Miknut – 6:00 – 9:30

See the weekly schedule

St. John Film Society presents:

Concrete, Steel and Paint

Tuesday, February 7, 2012
7:30 pm at St. John School of the Arts, Cruz Bay

Directed by Cindy Burstein and Tony Heriza
55 minutes, 2009, Documentary

When men in a Pennsylvania state prison join with victims of crime to create a mural about healing, their views on punishment, remorse and forgiveness collide.  Finding consensus is not easy, but as the participants move through the creative process, mistrust gives way to genuine moments of human contact and common purpose.

This complex story raises important questions about crime, justice and reconciliation, and dramatically illustrates how art can facilitate dialogue about difficult issues.

JOIN DIRECTOR TONY HERIZA AND MURAL ARTS PROGRAM ORGANIZER JANE GOLDEN FOR DISCUSSION AFTER THE SCREENING!

TONY HERIZA Since co-founding the Community Media Workshop in Dayton, Ohio in 1974, Tony Heriza has been involved in many aspects of media for social change: producing, editing, teaching and working with community organizations. His work has been broadcast nationally on PBS and featured in many festivals. He is now the Director of Educational Outreach for the American Friends Service Committee and teaches documentary film at U Penn / Philadelphia.  Along with his co-producer, Cindy Burstein, he is an active member of the New Day Film distribution co-operative.

JANE GOLDEN As a young artist Jane  was initially hired by former Mayor Wilson Goode to help combat the graffiti crisis plaguing the city. She reached out to graffiti writers to help turn their destructive energies into creative ones.  Under the direction of Golden, the Mural Arts Program has become the nation’s largest mural program earning Philadelphia international recognition as the“City of Murals.”  The Mural Arts Program has created more than 3,000 murals.  In addition, Golden has developed art education and workforce development programs that serve youth and adult offenders at area prisons, detention centers, and residential placement facilities, utilizing the power of art to break the cycle of crime and violence in Philadelphia’s communities and sparking a national dialogue based on the concept of restorative justice. In addition to leading the Mural Arts Program, Golden has been an adjunct professor at the University of Pennsylvania and a guest instructor at Princeton University. Golden holds a Master of Fine Arts from the Mason Gross School of the Arts at Rutgers University, and degrees in Fine Arts and Political Science from Stanford University.

St. John Live Music Schedule for tonight, Friday, January 27

Aqua Bistro – Mark Wallace & Rich Greengold – 5:30 – 8:30 – 776-5336
Beach Bar – Sol Driven Train – 9:00 – 777-4220
Castaways – Mikey P – 9:00 – 777-3316
Driftwood Dave’s – Mark Wallace – 7:00 – 10:00 – 777-4015
Island Blues – Get Right Band – 7:00 – 776-6800
Miss Lucy’s – Reggae on the Bay- Inner Visions – 6:00 – 11:00 -Round trip shuttle -leaves Fatty Crab 6:00 ($20.00 r/t) – 693-5354
Morgan’s Mango – Lauren – 6:00 – 9:30 – 693-8141
Ocean Grill – T-Bird – 6:30 – 9:00 – 693-3304

See this week’s live music schedule