Photo of the Day

Vieques South Coast

St. John Music Schedule Thursday April 14

Banana Deck – Steel Pan by Lemuel Callwood – 6:00 – 9:00 – 693-5055
Castaways – Mikey P Rocks the House – 8:00 – 777-3316
High Tide - Steven Sloan – 7:00 – 10:00 – 714-6169
Island Blues – T-Bird – 7:00 – 10:00 – 776-6800
Miss Lucy’s – Rich & Greg - 6:00 – 9:00 – 693-5244
Ocean Grill – Rascio Steel Pan – 7:00 – 9:00 – 693 3304
Skinnylegs – Lauren – Guitar & Vocal – 6:00 – 779-4982
Westin, Cruz Bay Prime – James Cobb – 6:30 – 10:00 – 693-8802

See Weekly Music Schedule

Note: I’m doing the best I can to present an accurate music schedule, but to be sure, it would be a great idea to call the restaurant or bar beforehand to confirm.

St. John Photo of the Day

Trunk Bay

This is undoubtedly the most photographed scene in all St. John. It’s a magnificent vista and is always beautiful no matter what the conditions. On Monday afternoon, however, the conditions were just about perfect, clear skies and white fluffy clouds.

More Monday Afternoon Photos

Cruz Bay from North Shore Road Overlook

Cruz Bay Sunset, from Taxi Parking Area, Cruz Bay Beach

Two Earthquakes Last Night
Last night we experienced two moderately strong earthquakes. I was awake for the first, a 5.3 at 12.28 am and slept through the second, a 5.1 at 4.28 am.

It was a pretty good shake that only lasted a few seconds. I thought about going outside, but it was over before I made my move. A Facebook friend wrote this: “…The cat climbed onto my chest and then the shaking started and when a pan fell over in the kitchen it scared us both pretty good…”

St. John Music Schedule Wednesday April 13

Castaways – Steven Sloan – 7:00 – 777-3316
Coconut Coast Studios – St. John Flutes – 5:30 -7:00 – 776-6944
High Tide – Chris Carsel – 7:00 – 10:00 – 714-6169
Larry’s Landing – James Jams – 10:00 – 693-8802
Sun Dog Cafe – Open Mic – 7:00 – 10:00 – 693 8340
Westin, Cruz Bay Prime – David Laabs – 6:30 – 10:00 – 693-8802

Note: I’m doing the best I can to present an accurate music schedule, but to be sure, it would be a great idea to call the restaurant or bar beforehand to confirm.

See Weekly Music Schedule

St. John Virgin Islands – Ceiba, Puerto Rico – Vieques, PR

Air Force Thunderbirds at Ceiba Air Show

Just got back from a trip to Vieques where I’ve been shooting photos and gathering information for the update of my “Vieques” book, which is currently sold out.

George Miller

I flew with my friend, George, who has a twin engine Beechcraft Baron to Ceiba for the air show there. On the way home he dropped me off in Vieques, where I spend the next four days.

I posted albums of the photos I shot at the Ceiba Air Show and on Vieques on Facebook. Click to see)

Vieques

Back in St. John this morning, I run into Ghost at the Post Office. He tells me that he wants to show me a small graveyard that he discovered hidden in the bush.

It’s right above Grande Bay on a road that’s on a property owned by a friend of mine. She’s there when we drive up. She acts kind of strange, but I take some photos and leave.

Ghost and Cactus

Then the Ghost karma hits me. On St. John, and I imagine anywhere else, people either love Ghost or hate him. Turns out that my friend is one of the latter. I get a phone call soon after I leave for home about Ghost being there and her not wanting him to be and I try to explain that I’m really an innocent bystander, but it looks bad.

Small town life can be really rewarding at times, but sometimes it can be complicated…

(The Ghost, aka Curtney Chinnery, is a performance poet, fairly well known on the streets of Cruz Bay.)

The photo on the right shows Ghost handling a prickly pear cactus. He immediately gets spines in his hands, which reminds me of another time with Ghost and the prickly pear.

If you’re a Ghost fan, and haven’t seen it already I have a cool video of Ghost catching a Tarantula.

St. John Happenings

Weekly Music Schedule

St. John Blues Festival 2011

St. John Blues Festival

Date: Wednesday, March 16th through Sunday, March 20th, 2011

Main concerts: Friday, March 18, 2011 and Saturday, March 19, 2011

Location: – Coral Bay Ball Field

Opening Party

Place: Sun Dog Cafe – Mongoose Junction – Cruz Bay
Time: 7:30 pm to 11:00 pm
Starring: Mitch Woods & The Rocket 88s
Cost: Free

Place: The Beach Bar – Wharfside Village – Cruz Bay
Time: 8:00 pm to 11:00 pm
Starring: Live Blues music all evening
Cost: Free

Place: Island Blues – Coral Bay
Time: 7:00 pm to 10:00 pm
Starring: James Cobb
Cost: Free

St. John Culture

Sugar Transportation - St. Jan, Danish West Indies (DWI)

Also Today
The Virgin Islands Department of Agriculture announces: Market Day featuring farmers offering fresh fruits and vegetables.
Today March 16, National Park ball field, downtown Cruz Bay from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Read Article in Virgin Islands Daily News

Tomorrow
Tyre Palm Broom Making Demonstration presented by master West Indian culture-bearer, Justin Todman of St. Thomas, from 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. Friends of the Park Store, Mongoose Junction, Cruz Bay, St. John. Mr. Justin’s crafts will be available for sale on a limited basis.

St. John Music Schedule Wednesday March 16

Beach Bar – Cathy Braaten Band – 9:00 – 777-4220
Castaways – Steven Sloan – 7:00 – 777-3316
Coconut Coast Studios – St. John Flutes – 5:30 -7:00 – 776-6944
High Tide – Chris Carsel- 7:00 – 10:00 – 714-6169
Island Blues – James Cobb – 7:00 – 10:00 – 776-6800
Larry’s Landing – James Jams – 10:00 – 693-8802
Shipwreck – Groove Thang – 8:00 – 10:00 – 693-5640
Sun Dog Cafe – Mitch Woods – 7:00 – 10:00 – 693 8340
Westin, Cruz Bay Prime – David Laabs – 6:30 – 10:00 – 693-8802

A word of caution: I’m doing the best I can to present an accurate music schedule, but to be sure, it would be a great idea to call the restaurant or bar beforehand to confirm.

Weekly Music Schedule

St John Photo of the Day
The Roanoke
Car Ferries
Running Between Cruz Bay, St. John and Red Hook, St. Thomas

Live Music on St. John Tuesday, March 1

Castaways – Steve & Friends – 7:30 – 777-3316
High Tide – T-Bird and Kenny – 7:00 – 10:00 – 714-6169
Island Blues – Bo & Lauren – 7:00 – 10:00 – 776-6800
Larry’s Landing – Classic Rock with John – 10:00 – 1:00 – 693-8802
Morgan’s Mango - Greg Kinslow – 6:30 – 9:30 – 693-8141
Shipwreck Landing – Chris Carsel – 7:00 – 10:00 – 693-5640

A word of caution to my visitors: I’m doing the best I can to present an accurate music schedule, but to be sure, it would be a great idea to call the restaurant or bar beforehand to confirm.

Weekly Music Schedule

Press Release: St. John US Virgin Islands

St. John Film Society
info@stjohnfilm.com
715-0551

Free Movie Night
7:30 pm Tuesday March 15^th
St. John School of the Arts in Cruz Bay.

A TRIBUTE TO ANNIE LOVE: (2010, 8 minutes) a short film by Jeremy Garza and Trent Myers.  This film documents the memorial tribute that took place in Coral Bay for Annie Love.

HEART OF THE SEA
by Lisa Denker, Charlotte Lagarde (57 min) 2002

Heart of the Sea is a portrait of Rell “Kapolioka’ehukai” Sunn, who died in January 1998 of breast cancer at the age of 47. Known worldwide as a pioneer of women’s professional surfing, at home in Hawaii Rell achieved the stature of an icon—not only for her physical power, grace and luminous beauty, but for her leadership in a community that loved her as much as she loved it.

By the time she lost a 15 year battle with breast cancer, Rell’s legacy had grown far beyond athletic feats.  HEART OF THE SEA tells her larger-than-life story.

St. John News

Merchants Question Timing of Park Renovation
While many agree that Cruz Bay Park needs to be upgraded, area merchants question why the work must be done during the height of the winter tourist season.
by Lynda Lohr for the St. John Source

Live Music on St. John Today, Saturday, February 12

Castaways – Kenny Floyd – 8:00 – 11:00 – 777-3316
Larry’s Landing – Craig Greenberg – 10:00 – 693-8802
Morgan’s Mango – Luba – Piano & Vocals – 6:30 – 9:30 – 693-8141
Rhumb Lines – Lauren – 7:00 – 10:00
Skinnylegs – Hot Club of Coral Bay – 6:00 – 9:00 – 779-4982
Westin, Cruz Bay Prime – James Cobb – 6:30 – 10:00 – 693-8802

A word of caution to my visitors: I’m doing the best I can to present an accurate music schedule, but to be sure, it would be a great idea to call the restaurant or bar beforehand to confirm.

Weekly Music Schedule

Cruz Bay Branch of Chase Manhattan Bank 1965

Cruz Bay, St. John US Virgin Islands (USVI)
It wasn’t until 1958 that St. John had its own bank. Before that year, people had to go over to St. Thomas to do their banking. Largely through the efforts of St. John administrator, George Simmonds, and Senator Julius Sprauve, the first Virgin Islands senator from St. John, the West Indies Bank and Trust Company was persuaded to open a branch on St. John. Senator Sprauve sweetened the pot by offering rental space to the bank at a reasonable rate.

In 1962, The West Indies Bank and Trust Company was taken over by Chase Manhattan Bank.

The photograph above was taken in 1965 and was provided by Bob Garrison, aka the Trail Bandit.

I was surfing the net, as they say, this morning and came across an article that jogged my memory of an event that occurred in Cruz Bay in 1972, a riot during carnival. Being that I rarely go out at night and that night was no exception, I didn’t find out about the disturbance until the next morning. Just as well.

Virgin Islands and Caribbean knowledge, history and genealogy

AS RESEARCHED BY LOUIS PAIEWONSKY JR
The 1972 St. John riot occurred in Cruz Bay, St. John, US Virgin Islands, at the close of the St. John Fourth of July celebrationson Tuesday night, July 4, 1972, and Wednesday morning, July 5, 1972.  It was led by a gang of around 50 youth.  One person was stabbed and a couple was injured.  Several of the booths were robbed of liquor.
The St. John police was unable to control the crowds and police officers were dispatched from St. Thomas to assist the St. John police.  Due to the rioting, a crowd of about 300 people gathered at the Cruz Bay dock, trying to board the ferries back to St. Thomas.  It was total pandemonium….
Copyright © 2010 Louis Paiewonsky Jr.

Locals will be enjoying some fairly substantial discounts at two St. John supermarkets.

It seems that the owner of the Dolphin Market has bought out his partner at the St. John Market and will be aggressively courting local business. To do this he plans to keep his stores well stocked and offer discounts to locals.

Starting today at the Dolphin Market in Cruz Bay, locals will receive a 10% discount on purchases of more than $25.00 and a 20% discount for those who spend $50.00 or more. You’ll have to identify yourself as a local and ask for the discount. The same discount will go into effect at the St. John Market located at the Greenleaf Commons shopping plaza across from the Westin beginning next week. According to the owner these discounts will be permanent.

Good T’ing!