Virgin Islands Cultureman: Mr. Justin Todman

Tyre Palm Brooms

Friends of the Virgin Islands National Park sponsored a tyre palm broom making exhibition with Virgin Islands culture man, Mr. Justin Todman from St. Thomas. After the demonstration, children were invited to ask questions:

“Mr. Justin,” asked one child, “what inspires you to make brooms?”

“It puts food on the table and it’s my art,” answered Mr. Justin.

St. John Music Schedule Friday March 18

Aqua Bistro – Mark Wallace – 5:30 – 8:30 – 776-5336
Beach Bar – Revisions – 9:00 – 777-4220
High Tide – John Lee – 7:00 – 10:00 – 714-6169
Island Blues – Mitch Woods – 3:00 – 6:00 – 776-6800
Morgan’s Mango - Lauren – 6:30 – 9:30 – 693-8141
Ocean Grill – Luba – 6:00 – 9:00 – 693 3304
Shipwreck Landing – Jimmi Prime Time Smith – 5:00 – 8:00 – 693-5640
Skinnylegs – Chris Carsel – 6:00 – 9:00 – 779-4982
Westin, Cruz Bay Prime – James Cobb – 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 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

Virgin Islands Photo of the Day

Salt Island, BVI

Press Release
St. John, US Virgin Islands (USVI)

Tyre Palm Boom-Making Demonstration
Thursday March 17th (St. Patty’s Day) 10:00 am – 2:00 pm
In Front of the Friends of the Virgin Islands National Park Store, Mongoose Junction Cruz Bay
Presented by: Master West Indian culture-bearer, Justin Todman of St. Thomas US Virgin Islands
Sponsored by: Friends of VI National Park.

Mr. Justin’s crafts will be available, on limited basis, at the Friends of VI National Park Store. Additionally, he has indicated his willingness to teach those interested to learn this dying art of our West Indian

Contact: Cid Hamling at Connections for potential classes
Phone: 776-6922 or email connectionsstjohn.vi

Note: Tyre Palm brooms should be of great interest to wedding planners, and those who value our culture.

St. John Music Schedule Thursday March 10

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
Inn at Tamarind Court – Tom Mason & the Blue Buccaneers – 8:00 – 776 6378
Island Blues – Red Carpet Rats – 7:00 – 10:00 – 776-6800
Miss Lucy’s – Rich & Greg – 6:00 – 9:00  – 693-5244
Morgan’s Mango – Mark Wallace – 6:30 – 9:30 – 693-8141
Ocean Grill – Rascio Steel Pan – 7:00 – 9:00 – 693 3304
Skinny Legs – Loren – Guitar & Vocal – 6:00 – 779-4982
Westin, Cruz Bay Prime – James Cobb – 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

Virgin Islands Photo of the Day

St. John Music Schedule Tuesday, March 8

Beach Bar – Tom Mason & the Blue Buccaneers – 8:00 – 777-4220
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: 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

Virgin Islands Photo of the Day

Cruise Ship Docked at Havensight, Charlotte Amalie Harbor, St. Thomas US Virgin islands (taken from helicopter)

Live Music on St. John Thursday, March 3

Banana Deck – Steel Pan by Lemuel Callwood – 6:00 – 9:00 – 693-5055
Beach Bar – ISH – 9:00 – 777-4220
Castaways – Spiritual Rez – 8:00 – 777-3316
High Tide – Steven Sloan – 7:00 – 10:00 – 714-6169
Miss Lucy’s – Rich & Greg – 6:00 – 9:00 – 693-5244
Morgan’s Mango – Mark Wallace – 6:30 – 9:30 – 693-8141
Ocean Grill – Rascio Steel Pan – 7:00 – 9:00 – 693 3304
Skinnylegs – Loren, Guitar & Vocal – 6:00 – 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

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

Virgin Islands Photo of the Day

Shopping on St. Thomas
Photo by Yelena Rogers

Live Music on St. John Sunday, February 27

Aqua Bistro – Lauren – 3:30 – 6:30 – 776-5336
Beach Bar – Inner Visions – 4:00 – 8:00 – 777-4220
Concordia – Bo – 4:00 – 8:00 – 777-4220
Miss Lucy’s – Sambacombo – 10:00 am – 2:00 pm – 693-5244
Ocean Grill – David Laabs – 6:00 – 9:00 – 693 3304
Rhumb Lines – T-Bird – 7:00 – 10:00
Shipwreck – Hot Club of Coral Bay – 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

St. John Photo of the Day

8 Tuff Miles

One thousand runners (550 women and 450 men) competed today in St. John’s popular 8 Tuff Miles Road Race. In addition to Virgin Islanders, participants came from 38 states and six foreign countries. The race began after the singing of the National Anthem and a Coast Guard helicopter flyover. The above photo was shot as the front runners rounded the turn at Mongoose Junction.

That’s Jeremy Zuber in the yellow shorts looking to break a new course record. Behind him looks like Ruthie David from St. Thomas favorite to win the woman’s division.

Live Music on St. John Saturday, February 26

Castaways – Kenny Floyd – 8:00 – 11:00 – 777-3316
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

St.Thomas Dockside Scuttlebutt
I rent a little dock space over at Sapphire Marina on St. Thomas and today I noticed that the marina was just about full. This is unusual for this time of year, when many of the boats take leave of the Virgin Islands during the dread Atlantic Hurricane Season. The other thing I noticed was that most of the formerly empty slips were now occupied by a fleet of top of the line sport-fishing boats.

I was told that most of these newly arrived vessels were refugees from the Gulf oil spill.

The sport fishing industry in the Gulf of Mexico is in big trouble. Really big, like it’s just about not happening at all, not now and probably not for a long time to come. Consequently, those in the sport fishing industry and who want to continue doing what they love to be doing are relocating, and many of them have chosen to come here to the Virgin islands, which some say is the sport fishing capitol of the world.

A captain from the Gulf Coast, who had arrived here on his sport fisherman described coming upon part of the spill.

Being someone who has never seen an oil spill, I had imagined it to be a shimmering film of oil floating on top of the water, making rainbow like colors in the sunshine, but something you could drive a boat through. Not even close.  The captain described it as an extremely large floating mass of thick gooey oil some 100 yards wide and an incredible six feet deep, a disgusting, impassable, mess that gets bigger every day.

It’s good to have new business come to the Virgin Islands, but not like this.

If you’re spending time in the Virgin Islands and have kids, the Butterfly Garden is a visit well worth taking. The kids will love it. There are excellent guides who will answer all their questions.

Below are some photos taken at the Butterfly Garden during a St. John Gifft Hill School Pre-Kindergarten class trip.

Butterfly Garden St. Thomas USVI