St. Croix This Week / Featured Articles
This Spring the Virgin Island's Humane Learning Center celebrates its third year of humane education outreach on St. Croix. A sponsored project of the St. Croix Foundation for Community Development, the Humane Learning Center promotes compassion, respect and responsible human behavior towards all living beings and the environment. "My goal, having provided humane education to students on St. Croix for the past 9 years, is to decrease interpersonal violence and improve the safety and quality of life on St. Croix for both people and animals."
Continue reading "An Animal Story" »
It is summer in lovely warm St. Croix and time for baby birds. Even though the weather is conducive on the island to breeding all year long, most birds naturally have their babies in late spring and summer.
The White Cheek Pintail has a large group of downy yellow striped ducklings who immediately, after hatching, need to follow in line and keep up. They swim and forage for food on their own yet remain near the mother.
Continue reading "St Croix Birds - Up Close and Personal" »
ARTfarm LLC
340-514-4873
Wed, 3-6 pm, Sat, 10-12 noon
Farmer / artist Luca Gasperi continues the tradition of quality, fresh, organically-grown tomatoes, microgreens, salad mixes, cooking greens, fruits, herbs, veggies, edible flowers and coconuts, potted trees and pineapple plants. www.artfarmllc.com
La Reine Farmers' Market
340-778-0998
Sat, 6:30 am 11 am
Run by the Dept. of Agriculture, vendors offer herbs, carrots, yams, collard greens, lettuce, beets, parsley, chives, mango, avocado, eggfruit, guava, okra, pumpkin, arugula, Chinese cabbage, Soursop, plants & trees.
Continue reading "Farm Fresh: Where to Find It" »
When Edoardo Seghesio came to California from the Piedmont area of Italy in the late 1800s, he settled in Sonoma County like so many other Italian immigrants. These early Italian settlers did what they knew best; they farmed grapes.
"A half dozen of these Italian families were the original settlers in the wine industry," said Byron Gregory of Prestige Wine Group. "The Martinellis began their winery in 1896; there were the Rafanellis..." Sonoma County, with its cool evenings and warm days, enjoyed a climate ideal for Zinfandel grapes which reminded the immigrants of the fruit-rich wines of Italy.
Continue reading "Wine in the VI: Best Pick! Seghesio Family Vineyards" »
Now you can get authentic Mexican dishes prepared fresh daily at Maria's Cantina, the newest restaurant in Gallows Bay! "Most of what we serve are my family's recipes, the rest is my own version of what I like," says owner Maria Fonrouge.
Maria is actually from Mexico, specifically Acayucan in Veracruz, and says, "my home town is just like St. Croix!" She lived in the US briefly before arriving here almost three years ago. "My family is really awesome, all my values are from my parents, they always taught me to work hard because that was the only way to make dreams come true. My mother is hard-working; we use to own a cheese factory and I remember her going every single day to sell the produce. Together my Mom and Dad made so many sacrifices to give me an education so I would have a better future."
Continue reading "Maria's Cantina - Little Mexico in Gallow's Bay!" »
 Born on St. Croix, Carlos is from a typical family of five, he says, with no other members having an artistic bent. He and his wife, Andrea, live in Estate Two Brothers, Frederiksted, and now have two grown children of their own--one who works at Universal Studios in Orlando.
A self-taught artist, Carlos has worn a lot of hats in his life--taxi driver, carpenter, Hess refinery worker, shark oil distiller, and commercial fisherman. "I have always enjoyed painting, but I have always had to work other jobs to support my family through the years," he explains.
"I started when I was ten, as a student at St. Patrick's School, sketching by the light of a kerosene lamp. I built a small canoe and painted on it the Three Star logo from a box of matches of the same name. This triggered people to request drawings or paintings from me. I decided to study books with drawings and pictures and it evolved from there. I soon began to paint marine life and aquatic scenes with people in them. Now I'm including historical structures."
Continue reading "Meet Cover Artists Carlos "Tuna" Garcia" »
Pinterest to help in the planning of their destination weddings. For those of you who have a Pinterest account or for those who haven't signed up yet, Pinterest is a great tool!
I remember the old "wedding binder." Once engaged, you purchased a 3", 3-ring binder along with dividers, clear plastic page protectors, a label maker, color-coded tabs, markers, and pens. This contraption was your "wedding bible." Any ideas, thoughts, photos, rate sheets, etc. were placed here. Anytime you met with someone, the wedding binder was with you to collect or reference information--it was your life until you said, "I do."
Continue reading "VI Bridal Guide: Pinning Your Way to the Altar" »
When you walk through the streets of downtown Christiansted, you are bound to observe a quantity of old cannon, some painted in the Danish colors of red and white, others maintaining their original black hue. You will note that some are placed against old masonry walls on the street corners, a sensible protection against automobile encounters that would cause equal harm to car and wall, whereas the cannon would survive almost any collision.
These relics of life in the former Danish colony carry a message. While Denmark removed and reclaimed all furniture and other inventory from official buildings in connection with the sale of the Danish West Indies in 1917, the cannon were considered outdated and excess baggage, of little use to Denmark , neither then nor for future purposes. They remained at the forts of Frederiksted and Christiansted as decorative mementos rather than weapons of defense. In a sense, that had been their fate from the start. Not a single cannon fire was opened against any enemy from either of our two forts, but just the same, the artillery soldiers stationed there underwent rigorous training in cannon use and maintenance. It is ironic that neither pirates nor enemy nations attacked the forts; in the case of Christiansted in part thanks to the large coral reef surrounding the harbor except at the eastern end's channel, towards which all the cannon were aimed.
Continue reading "A Legacy of Cannon" »
Located at Renaissance St. Croix Carambola Beach Resort & Spa, Sweet Bottom Dive Center is managed by husband and wife team Greg and Mel Gapen, both PADI Dive Instructors. They have lived on St. Croix for 3 years and have made it their home. "Coming from the Phoenix area was quite a change for us," says Greg, "but it was easy to adapt to the culture and beauty of the Virgin Islands."
With its beautiful North Shore location at Davis Bay, Sweet Bottom Dive Center is primarily a shore diving site. The shoreline is located closest to "The Wall," just over 100 yards away! This makes it an easy dive for both inexperienced and more advanced divers. Davis Bay is also one of the best locations on the North Shore for fun, safe snorkeling.
Continue reading "Diving is sweeter with Sweet Bottom Dive Center!" »
by Bry Locher
Opportunity is everywhere on St. Croix! Everywhere you look on our island, there are a multitude of opportunities waiting for you! Whether you want to move here and retire or move here to build the next phase of your career, many opportunities are available for you.
As you enjoy your vacation, think about how you could make this enchanting island a permanent part of your future. Would you like land high in the hills to build the home of your dreams? Perhaps a waterfront house to relax in while watching the sunrise over the water every morning? Or maybe a low-maintenance condo where you can walk out the front door and put your toes in the sand? Whatever your individual dream may be, we can make it a reality.
Continue reading "Calabash Realty -- 20 Agents at Your Service" »
Part 7 in a series Excerpts from "Arts in the U. S. Virgin Islands" by Ruth S. Moore and David M. Hough of the Caribbean Research Institute of the College of the Virgin Islands, 1967, for the Virgin Islands Council on the Arts.
TOWNHOUSES and public buildings were recently analyzed by the Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts in its book, Three Towns. The writers suggested that the simple Danish pavilion was a desirable style for contemporary adaptation saying, "A common construction in the West Indian tradition is the half-timbered building, the skeleton building, with its pillars, girders and panelling. This could be developed and converted into other forms of light constructions..."
Continue reading "Arts in the U.S. Virgin Islands: Part 7" »
 Salt River Bay National Historical Park and Ecological Preserve was established in 1992 to preserve the cultural and natural resources at Salt River Bay, with a specific mission to develop these resources for the education and enjoyment of the public. This Park is one of only five Parks in the National Park System established under a co-management agreement. As a result, the majority of the landholdings are Federal lands supervised directly by the National Park Service. Yet the Park's waters and some of its public and all of its private lands are supervised by the Department of Planning and Natural Resources of the United States Virgin Islands. This supervision includes the critically important five-acre Columbus Landing Site and Fort Salee.
Above the Columbus Landing Site the National Park Service operates a seasonal Visitor's Contact Station. The building was constructed 1958-62, and was purchased by the National Park Service in 2007. In 2012 the Park celebrated its 25th Anniversary, and we began holding a series of public exhibitions in the space. While there are no permanent interpretive installations, we continue to offer a series of temporary exhibits in 2013 as well as interpretive ranger services.
Continue reading "Salt River Bay National Historical Park and Ecological Preserve at Columbus Landing" »
 Roger Shepherd, of Premier Wines and Spirits on St. Croix, had no trouble selecting our "Best Pick" wine -- Mollydooker's The Boxer, of course.
"I love the Mollydooker wines!" said Shepherd. "They have a tremendous cult following on St. Croix, and the winery spends nothing on advertising. It's word-of-mouth," he said, adding that Mollydooker is Aussie for left-hander.
Mollydooker wines, largely shiraz and shiraz blends, are fruit-forward and sport cartoon labels designed by one the vineyard's two left-handed owners. Based in the McLaren Vale wine region of South Australia, the boutique winery was founded by Sparky and Sarah Marquis in 2005. Shortly thereafter, The Wine Advocate named The Boxer as "Best Value Red Wine in the World." It chose The Violinist as "Best Value White Wine." Over the years, Mollydooker has produced five wines that scored 99 points from Robert Parker of The Wine Advocate.
Continue reading "Wine: Best Pick! Mollydooker - The Boxer" »
Country singer/songwriter John Eddie has partnered with St. Croix residents Jeff and Renee Barstow to create the Lowlife Bar & Refuge, a very unique dining, drinking, and entertainment emporium at the heart of the Christiansted boardwalk. The name of the restaurant comes from John's song "Lowlife," one of several of his tunes recorded and made popular by Kid Rock. The Lowlife is an open-air country roadhouse with an amazing view and a distinctly Caribbean vibe, that appeals to the "cowboy, pirate and poet" in all of us. Hailed as the best live music venue in the Caribbean, the Lowlife stage has showcased local talent and artists drawn to St Croix's "Tennessee by the Sea" from throughout the United States.
Continue reading "Living the Highlife on the Christiansted Waterfront" »
Born the only girl (and a tomboy) into a large family in Hartford, CT, Marilyn admits that "drawing was my favorite thing to do even as a child. My father was also artistic in that he wrote many short stories and three entire historical novels."
"Painting is the only thing that Ican do well - so I love it - love colors, nature, sketching people in airports, doctor's offices, etc. and Ilove recording the unique features of each person I sketch. I do water colors and acrylics - never ceasing to be blown away by the colors of the Caribbean. Itry to have at least a little red in most of my paintings. Iuse lots of pure strong colors. I have enjoyed pencil drawings and pen and ink."
Continue reading "Meet Cover Artist Marilyn Phillips May" »
Your wedding photographer is one of the key elements that will ultimately complete your wedding vision. Once everything is said and done and regular life resumes, only your wedding photos allow you to relive the all the moments you cherish.
Because the visual nature of photography allows the viewer to respond immediately to what they see, you usually know right away if a photographer's style is right for you. Within the Virgin Islands destination wedding market, couples have a wide range of options and might be surprised by the level of talent, style, and price ranges available. Once you've narrowed your selections, its time to consult your budget--my recommendation, make photography a priority based on the value of the investment.
Continue reading "Bridal Guide: Picture Perfect" »
Dive Experience turns 30 this year! Owner Michelle Pugh, 35-year resident of St. Croix, learned to dive in LA in 1970. It all started with a high school class in tide pool biology followed by swimming lessons and an open water dive class at North Hollywood YMCA.
Michelle dived weekends and holidays and worked part time with Fish & Wildlife in the summers while attending school in San Diego. In the fall of 1977, she had a chance to go to St. Croix to teach diving. She fell in love with St. Croix and its diving and decided to start her own business.
One of her most incredible dives was in 1979 as a photographer in Canada shooting killer whales for the book, A Whale Called Killer, by Erich Hoyt-- an experience that would serve her well later on.
Continue reading "Dive Experience - At 30 Years, The Name Says It All!" »
Part 6 in a series
PERSONAL ADORNMENT was forbidden to slaves. An older woman might wear a small bag around her neck containing items of medicinal or magical value, but no jewelry was permitted. With emancipation, jewelry became a symbol of freedom for this group.
Most traditional of all forms of jewelry is the twisted West Indian bracelet. Visitors to West Africa note the similarity between local versions and those used as currency in Africa. The same general designs have also been found in sunken Viking ships in Norway.
Skills, as well as tools of the trade, have been handed down through the generations. The Clendenen and Jacobs families of Christiansted, the Bennersons of Frederiksted and the Carneiros of St. Thomas are among those who have long been known as jewelers carrying on the traditional techniques.
In former days when turtles were plentiful, tortoise shell was an item for export and an important material, also, for the local jeweler. All kinds of jewelry were made from the pliable shell by local craftsmen.
Continue reading "Arts in the U.S. Virgin Islands" »
By Patrice Kelly
At Hamilton Real Estate, established on St. Croix in 1957, we know real estate transactions are one of the most important financial decisions most people make in their lifetime. It’s important to stay well informed. Our firm reviews every sale at the Recorder of Deeds Office as well as the MLS content. We believe this is the only way to truly evaluate island wide performance, value, inventory, and trends. Put our experience to work for you!
PERFORMANCE. The numbers indicate St. Croix is experiencing a “Buyer’s Market” with the 2012 numbers of sales and dollar volume declining from 2011 when there were 429 sales totaling $73.5 million and 2010 when there were 534 sales totaling $95 million.
Continue reading "Annual Survey of Real Estate Sales" »
by Anne Salafia
This month we tip our hats to the African- Americans who have left their stamp on the world. We honor their achievements and, like old-time storytellers, we hand down the history of these remarkable men and women--whether from the political arena, the arts, sports or science.
Long before Congress designated February as Black History Month in 1986, the Virgin Islands celebrated the accomplishments of our black native sons and daughters. Since the sixties, the Territory has made a point of recalling the lives and works of eminent Virgin Islanders.
Continue reading "St. Croix Celebrates Black History" »
 Paul E. Joseph, legislator, editor, publisher, and fearless civil rights leader is recognized as one of territory's most distinguished citizens. He was born in Christiansted and matured into a giant of his time. An eloquent speaker, he took over the West End News, a daily newspaper, which he used to champion causes in the interest of his fellow men and for improvements for his town of Frederiksted. In 1933 he was appointed to the Colonial Council and then elected to the Municipal Council of St. Croix. In 1964, just two years before his death, the 5th Legislature of the VI named the ballpark, located in Frederiksted, the Paul E. Joseph Ball Park (today a multi-use, 5,000-seat stadium and home to the USVI National Soccer Team) recognizing his interest and struggles on behalf of the people of Frederiksted. Paul married the former Elaine Gabriel and enjoyed 33 years together. One of their five children was a boy named Alva who later became a printer, aka "Square Deal." His son, Jose Joseph, is our featured cover artist for February and March.
Continue reading "Meet Cover Artist Jose Joseph" »
 by Bry Locher
The start of a New Year brings a fresh sense of optimism as we look at the challenges the real estate market has faced during the recent past and the exciting reasons to feel good about the future!
Throughout the US, home values are starting to increase. Nationwide surveys showed, in December 2012, the largest increase in home prices in the last several years. This has led to increased consumer confidence and an understanding that these rock-bottom prices aren't going to last forever. Now is a great time to buy!
Continue reading "Understanding Opportunities in Today's Real Estate Market" »
Part 5 in a series
Excerpts from "Arts in the U. S. Virgin Islands" by Ruth S. Moore and David M. Hough of the Caribbean Research Institute of the College of the Virgin Islands, 1967, for the Virgin Islands Council on the Arts.
WOODWORKING has been an important part of Islanders' lives on sea and on land. Boatbuilding, for instance, has been another craft of necessity and one which has set a high standard of fine workmanship.
Throughout the Caribbean native sloops and schooners are still being built with tools that have changed little since the sixteenth century. The most reliable winds in the world - Northeast Trades - make it possible for sailboats still to compete commercially with modern vessels. There were never as many boat builders on the U.S. Virgin Islands as there were on neighboring British islands. Many of those that were here left before the turn of the century due to a Danish tax imposed on fishing boats with keels. However, there are still a few builders on all three islands and it is not unusual to see a workman shaping a crook of a tree into a framing timber.
Continue reading "ARTS in the U. S. Virgin Islands: Woodworking" »
 Big Beard's Adventure Tours has been offering daily Full and a Half Day Buck Island Snorkel Tours as well as Sunset Sails from St. Croix for over 33 years!
The Full Day Sail, on our 42-foot sailing catamaran "Renegade," departs at 9:30 am and returns at 3:30 pm. "Renegade" was designed and built right here on St. Croix, and is the only sailboat on St. Croix with a glass bottom viewing window!
Continue reading "See Buck Island Our Way!" »
by Nina York
Local residents cannot fail to notice a remarkable number of visitors from our former mother country of Denmark coming to our islands and touring it in groups. While there has been a longtime interest among Danes in visiting these islands, the current weekly 250- passenger non-stop direct flights by the Danish Bravo Tours charter company has considerably facilitated the long journey from northern Europe to our tropical environment. The incentive to spend time in a sunny, balmy climate is particularly strong during the Danish fall and winter, when dark and dreary days with miserable weather contributes to making the Danes some of the world's most eager and frequent travelers.
Continue reading "Increased Danish Visitation Brings Joy To The VI" »
 Happy New Year! 2012 is behind us and 2013 presents us with a fresh start! If you are like me, you make a few New Year's resolutions as a way of improving yourself or your experience for the year ahead.
As you focus on your wedding plans this year, one word to have at the top of your ever-growing To Do list is delegate. Because the bride is the star of the show, everyone looks to her to set the pace during the planning process and, depending on your personality type, this fact may present itself as an opportunity or a real challenge.
Continue reading "One Word to Know" »
 Founded in 1947, The Buccaneer is the longest running, family-owned resort in the Caribbean. Recently named one of the top 30 resorts in the Caribbean by readers of Conde Nast Traveler in its annual Best in the World awards, The Buccaneer offers the perfect blend of modern amenities with old world charm. With three beaches, two pools, an 18-hole golf course, eight tennis courts and a full service spa and salon, the resort offers world-class amenities for every traveler. A full-service wedding department is also available, with packages designed for 2 to 100 guests, and locations like their secluded Whistle Beach or historic Sugar Mill.
Continue reading "Award-winning Culinary Options at The Buccaneer" »
 This 100% Tempranillo wine hails from the celebrated wine region of the year for 2012-- Ribera del Duero in the Castilla y Leon region of Spain. Celeste wine is a Crianza which means that is is aged at least two years, with at least a year in barrel. These are the rules of neighboring region Rioja and are not strictly enforced although they have been adopted readily.
The Ribera del Duero is home to one of the most famous wines in the world and certainly the most prestigious wine from Spain, Vega Sicilia. But, since I don't have $300 a pop to drink that, I am recommending Celeste at 1/12 the price. A great bargain wine that is perfect for stewed meats and all kinds of tapa. I like it to be decanted and enjoyed as a cocktail wine by itself. It has lovely dark berry aromas with a light touch of vanilla.
Continue reading "Wine in the VI: Best Pick!" »
 The history of our island is mirrored in its old church structures, many of which have recently been restored. The Moravian brethren, arriving here in the 1730s from Saxony in today's Germany, founded their mission to bring Christianity to the enslaved part of the population. Their handsome yellow buildings at the entrance to Christiansted and red-roofed white wooden church mid-island, along with a contemporary church in Frederiksted, attest to their continued importance.
The historic Anglican (Episcopalian) churches built in Gothic style include St. John's in Christiansted, and in Frederiksted the beautifully restored St. Paul's church, which had been damaged by a fire in 1996. These and other Anglican churches bear witmess to the large English population which settled here (and also brought us our custom of left lane driving.
Continue reading "Island Worship" »
After being an ocean lifeguard, running a sailing center and beach club in Florida, where he started a kite boarding program, Bill Kraft loved St. Croix on his first visit in 2000 and opened Kite St. Croix on the island's East End. Today, 13 years later, he's expanded the business and operates KiteSurf/PaddleSurf St. Croix.
Kite boarding is the 'thrill of a lifetime' but an extreme sport that requires three basic half-day lessons to learn mobility and safety techniques. Using the latest equipment, practice takes place at the East End Marine Park with a chase boat and helmet radio to maximize learning time.
Stand Up Paddle boarding (SUP) is the fastest-growing sport in the world. It's accessible to all, easily mastered by most in just one lesson, will bring you a great core work out, and is an amazing way to explore our beautiful waters. For this program, they go to Mermaid Beach at the Buccaneer where Paddle Yoga classes, paddle excursions, and rentals are also available.
Continue reading "KiteSurf / PaddleSurf St. Croix Pulls Out All the Stops" »
"CASA of the Virgin Islands is a program of VI Volunteer Advocates for Children, Inc., a nonprofit organization whose mission is to operate programs which serve and benefit children in foster care on St. Croix. I took over as Director in 1997 and have been offering student art cards for the holidays for 13 years now with much community support.
It started in 2000 with a school contest on all 3 islands where we found 8 businesses who were interested in buying our art cards. The overrun was sold out to individuals by word of mouth. Gail Widmer's art students at St. Croix Central High produced 7 of the first 8 cards and the 8th came from a St. Thomas student.
The following year, Phyllis Biddle, Head of the Art Department at Good Hope School, got involved,. Her student's artwork today amount to half of what we take in. Without her enthusiasm and commitment, we would not have sustained the program for 13 years. Other schools and teachers have participated over the years but not with the steadiness of Gail and Phyllis.
The second year, we added notecards and printed 12 holiday cards--10 from Central, 1 from St. Thomas, and Good Hope sent us Ray Thomas' Santa Lizard--the card we credit venture. With a loyal customer base today, we sell 25,000 cards to individuals and businesses annually raising much-needed funds for continued operation of our CASA program.
Continue reading "Casa Holiday Art Cards" »
 by Amy Land-de Wilde
Coldwell Banker/Land-de Wilde Realty
When visiting St. Croix, ask people why they decided to buy property here and you'll get a lot of responses that sound like this-- "It's such a friendly place; I felt like I belonged here right away." "It's peaceful and not very commercial." "It's so beautiful, and there's a lot to do; so it's great for my family and friends when they're visiting." "The food is terrific-- there are so many good restaurants!" "My money bought so much more here than it did on the other islands because it's a big island and also undeveloped." "Love that it's under the American flag."
While real estate markets are starting to recover throughout the US, we generally lag a bit behind. For that reason, you can take advantage of the biggest buyer's market we've experienced in a long time! The intersection of great inventory priced to sell with the lowest interest rates in history makes it so beneficial for you if you've been contemplating a second home or investment property in a resort area.
Continue reading ""My Money Bought So Much More Here"" »
 by Nina York
In the days before aviation, the Danish West Indies population relied on a few trusty sailboats for inter-island traffic. Best known among these was the schooner Vigilant, which after having served since 1812 in the Baltimore, Maryland area under the name Nonsuch, in 1825 was sold to a Danish merchant in St. Croix, who gave it the Vigilant name. Meeting its end in 1928 in Christiansted harbor during the disastrous hurricane of September 12, it nevertheless for over 100 years plied the waters between St. Thomas and St. Croix as the reliable ferry service it was known to be, carrying Governor von Scholten and many other notables between the islands for their daily duties.
This in spite of the fact that the seas between our islands, a distance of just over 40 miles, are anything but calm, even on days when the waters near shore appear like a mirror. This may be in part due to the great depth of the Caribbean Sea in that particular area, know as the Puerto Rican Trench. The coast of St. Croix is known for its sudden steep drop quite near the shore, which contributes to creating the interesting undersea "wall" with its many interesting corals and aquatic life in general.
Continue reading "Island Maritime Connections Yesterday and Today" »
In the spirit of spreading a little holiday cheer I've decided to take a break from my usual etiquette lessons to focus on gift giving which can be fun, fuel your creative side, and bring you joy.
Consider creating welcome gift ("goodie") bags for your guests as they arrive on island to celebrate your nuptials. They will love the time you have taken to create something special for them. This is an opportunity for you to be creative as well as informative as you introduce your guests to what's coming in the days that follow and what you love about your destination. This is where you can elaborate on your theme, colors, location, events, etc. Depending on your budget, you can go minimal or extravagant.
Continue reading "Wedding Goodie Bags" »
Part 4 in a series
Excerpts from "Arts in the U. S. Virgin Islands" by Ruth S. Moore and David M. Hough of the Caribbean Research Institute of the College of the Virgin Islands, 1967, for the Virgin Islands Council on the Arts.
BASKETRY was an art of necessity in the past when man was more intimate with and dependent on his natural surroundings for support and security than he is today.
In the Virgin Islands nature supplied man with roots, rushes, vines, bark, grasses, cane, bamboo and the fibres of palm and coconut. In earlier days, basketry supplied the Virgin Islanders with mats, baskets, ornaments, huts, shelters, traps for fish and game, cradles, utensils and furniture.
The first basket makers were the Indians. Historians speak of "cunning flat-bottomed baskets with four sticks at the corners which served as tables when they were turned upside down." Basketry techniques were utilized in roofing, shelters, and walls; it was combined with clay to create waterproof containers.
Continue reading "Arts in the U. S. Virgin Islands: Basketry" »
It's a new day at Renaissance Carambola Beach Resort! St. Croix's only branded resort is located on the North shore of and 100 hundred yards from the world famous "Wall" which drops to 3200 feet--a world class diving destination in itself. "With unparalleled cuisine and a broad stroke of Caribbean fare, our culinary team approaches dining as an experience," says Orvin Sanes, Director of Food and Beverage. "We believe in freshly squeezed, locally grown, and farm to table. We do our best to provide dining options that reflect this beautiful, lush and bountiful location." There has been a deep commitment and investment in the renovation of rooms-- contemporary Caribbean design with full patio and kitchens truly presents the home-away-from-home experience.
Continue reading "Dining Options Reflect St. Croix's Bountiful Location" »
 The Miles character from the movie Sideways went a long way to discrediting Merlot. One thing is for sure though--he was not referring to any Washington State Merlots in his rants!
Washington state is becoming known for their Merlots. Bing cherries and a lovely old world dustiness make this wine so unique. We are featuring the merlot from Chateau Ste. Michelle winery this month. Look for it in some of our wonderful St. Croix restaurants.
CSM Merlot has a unique blend of 91% merlot with a touch each of Syrah, Cinsault and Cabernet Franc, resulting in the richness you see in the glass. This everyday red is aged in both French and American oak barrels.
Continue reading "Wine Best Pick: Chateau Ste. Michelle Wine Estates-- Now I'm a Believer!" »
 The University of the Virgin Islands continues the celebration of its 50th Anniversary with the release of Volume 26 of its international literary gem, The Caribbean Writer, a book dedicated to nature and overflowing with brilliant writing and art in celebration of the natural environment.
"We are pleased to continue in the tradition of excellence which both the University and The Caribbean Writer represent with this new volumn of the journal. It is this spirit of excellence that has ensured the success and vitality of the journal for so many years," says David Hall, President, University of the Virgin Islands.
Tregenza A. Roach, Editor adds, "We are pleased that this volume has drawn such an array of art and literature from across the Caribbean diaspora--from literally every place where Caribbean people and their descendants have lived or settled."
To order copies, contact Quilin Mars at gmars@live.uvi.edu or place orders at www.thecaribbeanwriter.org
 Sunday, January 27, marks the 26th annual Hibiscus Bloom Show & Plant Sale held at UVI Great Hall from 1:00 - 5:00 pm. The St. Croix Chapter of the American Hibiscus Society meets regularly throughout the year learning all kinds of techniques in order to produce these wonderful blooms for public display only twice a year--once at this January Show and the second time is at the annual St. George Village Botanical Garden Show in March. These wonderful blooms only last a day so, even then, you don't get to see them for long!
This year, this group of gardeners, will get brushed up on potting techniques and how to mix soil, learn about plant health and pest control, setting up a feeding schedule and how to prepare blooms for show, all the while growing and taking care of "foster" plants for the annual sales at the Bloom Show and at the Ag Fair in February. Grafting and starting plants from seeds and cuttings is also taught during the year and will be included in one of the workshops at this year's Bloom Show.
Bradley Christian will be at the January Show with all his exciting ways to wear, use, and decorate with Hibiscus. Want to know how we judge blooms? Did you know that there are "single" and "double" blooms? What can you do to make the blooms last two, sometimes three days? How can you make the best soil mix for Hibiscus? Want to learn about starting root stock, air-layering, repotting, and hybridizing Hibiscus blooms? Come see us in January at the Bloom Show! For more information, call 340-773-7461 or email stcroixhibiscussociety@gmail.com.
 The Governor Juan F. Luis Hospital and Medical Center (JFL) is the sole-safety net hospital on the island of St. Croix, US Virgin Islands and is licensed for 188 beds. We offer our community a full array of medical and specialty healthcare services that cover all needed treatments including, but not limited to, acute, emergency, rehabilitative, and ambulatory care.
In 2011, JFL embarked on a transformation and invited the community to be part of it. The team is working tirelessly to ensure our hospital is vibrant, successful and sustainable. Recognizing that there is much left to do, JFL and the community will meet the Audacious Goal, "To be the most TRUSTED patient-family centered Health system in the Caribbean by 2020."
JFL announces the Virgin Islands Cardiac Symposium: The Heartbeat of Caribbean Women for February 7th - 9th, 2013 at the Bennie & Martha Benjamin Conference facility in St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands. The symposium presents an opportunity to engage in interactive, educational sessions regarding emerging trends, best practices, and new technology in the field of cardiology, with a focus on women's health.
Register at: www.caribbeanfamilyhealth.org or call Toll Free at 855-247-8364. Visit us at www.jflusvi.org Like us on Facebook
 Schooner Roseway will sail back into Gallows Bay on December 24th to finish out what has been a busy year for World Ocean School!
After wrapping up a season of educational programs in the Virgin Islands in April, Roseway set sail for West Palm Beach, Florida and then on to Savannah, Georgia where she spent a month working with local schools and participating in the Savannah Tall Ships Festival. From there Roseway made stops along the eastern seaboard as she headed north before reaching her homeport of Boston. There she welcomed over 700 students on board for programs throughout the summer, including 14 students from around the country who participated in a 20-day expedition to Nova Scotia.
This fall she returned to Savannah to continue educational programs and will set sail for St. Croix on December 15. Once back on island, Roseway will serve island students as well as welcoming locals and guests back on board for her sunset sails each evening.
For a complete schedule of events and sails, visit www.worldoceanschool.org or call 340-626-7877.
This is the second Rule of Real Estate. A year ago, we were seeing a steady monthly increase in the number of pending sales. The closing of the Hovensa refinery has taken the wind out of our "sales". The majority of 2012 buyers are full time or part time residents. Maybe it's because we locals are used to the ups and downs of island life. It is surprising that, with the upturn in many real estate markets, we have yet to see a new group of stateside buyers investing in the V.I. If you are ready, willing, and able to purchase, you could double your investment in the next 5-10 years.
Continue reading "Buy Low, Sell High" »
Believing in the "healing power of massage therapy," Debra Aronstein and Margaret Luce opened Tropical Therapy 22 years ago! "We opened up a very small place in Gallows Bay, and a year later we had more business than we could handle," says Debbie. They soon moved to a second, larger location and brought in more therapists to help with the growing clientele. Five years ago, they once again outgrew their space and opened the Full- Service Spa they have today - St. Croix's largest with eight treatment rooms, two estheticians, and six massage therapists.
The therapists at Tropical Therapy are licensed in Swedish Massage, Deep Tissue Massage, Rolfing, Reflexology, Hot Stone Massage, Pregnancy Massage, and Acupuncture. T heir licensed estheticians are skilled in Body Polishes and Body Wraps. They have been the recipients of twelve "Best of St. Croix" awards, by the readers of the Daily News, over the years.
Debbie points out that, "not only do local clients continually rebook because of the care, professionalism, and knowledge that Tropical Therapy delivers, but tourists also often make this their first stop on their vacation to get rid of aches and pains that they've brought here with them."
Tropical Therapy carries and uses only the finest dermalogica products and excels at Facial Treatments! "Each facial is customized for the client and only products designed for their skin type are used. From soothing botanicals, to the newest antiaging advances, we team up with dermalogica to make sure everyone leaves their facial treatment with new, improved skin!" says Debbie. If you want to take it up a notch, they also offer microdermabrasion.
For an appointment or more information, call 340-773-5333.
Part 3 in a series
Excerpts from "Arts in the U. S. Virgin Islands" by Ruth S. Moore and David M. Hough of the Caribbean Research institute of the College of the Virgin Islands, 1967, for the Virgin Islands Council on the Arts.
CARIB INDIANS (continued)
In 1587, there was a written reference to Indians seen living on the Virgin Islands in John White's journal of his voyage to Virginia. He found pottery fragments made out of the clay of St. Croix, and reported members of his party having seen eleven savages and a cluster of houses.
The seventeenth century settlers found no Indian life on the Islands. The Indian cultures were destroyed to be replaced by European and African influences.
Imagination, resourcefulness, ingenuity and adaptability might be the words that best characterize the traditional arts of the Virgin Islands. Particularly during times of poverty, local material resources were used in many ways, such as cane trash and palm thatch roofs, small boats made from old galvanized metal and toys from many varieties of natural materials. Tetrahedonal kites, made from cane and tissue with imbedded blades or razors, could cut down today's manufactured models.
Continue reading "Arts in the U. S. Virgin Islands: Carib Indians, Continued" »
Thursday, November 8th is the traditional Cruzan Rum party and registration. Racing will start Friday November 9th and continue through Sunday the 11th, followed by prize giving and the famous rum weigh in. Racing will take place in the Buck Island Channel and, if conditions are favorable, spectators will see a race to Christiansted Harbor and back.
If you plan on watching the races, get a front row seat and head to Buck Island for the day. For those watching on land, the beach at the end of Miss Bea Road, Cotton Valley shores, or lunch at Duggan's Reef or Blue Water Terrace all provide good views of the regatta.
Continue reading "20th St Croix International Sailing Regatta" »
by Nina York
At a time of celebration of the ties of friendship uniting our Virgin Islands and our much larger nearby sister commonwealth of Puerto Rico, it behooves us to look back in time to observe the development of interaction between us and these nearby locations. We learn that the larger island of Puerto Rico was acquired by Spain at an early time, only ceded to the United States in 1898 as a result of the Spanish-American War. The transfer did include Vieques and Culebra, small islands today known informally as the Spanish Virgin Islands because of their proximity to us.
Not merely because of its location near St. Croix, but because of the large number of Viequenses, as the inhabitants are known, having migrated to St. Croix in the 20th century, that island is dear to the heart of many Crucians (as local residents here are called), with family ties and frequent visits back and forth. A large exodus took place just before World War II, when the U.S. Navy expropriated a large part of the island, to use as a bombing range. In part as a result of many protests, the Navy finally ceded the occupied territory back to the people in 2003. Today, Vieques, measuring about 21 miles by 4 miles, has become a popular tourist destination and is known for its many fine beaches.
Continue reading "Danish Ties to Vieques, an Island of Puerto Rico" »
 Although the experience of a destination wedding is vastly different in many ways than your traditional "home town" wedding, there are several things that remain the same. One detail that can never be overlooked is etiquette, specifically as it pertains to sending Thank You cards following your event.
It would seem that sending Thank You cards would be obvious. According to the "rules" of wedding etiquette the couple gets a year to send thank you cards to their wedding guests. This is a bit much, considering once the wedding is over interest in all things wedding quickly fade for the bride and groom. Not to mention life has a way of getting in the way and next thing you know it's been six months since you've said your I-do's. The goal should be to send them out within two months of your wedding date. If you need help, make a party out of it by inviting your bridesmaids or family members to assist you!
Continue reading "VI Bridal Guide: Expressing Thanks" »
A self-taught artist from Dominica, Elwin Joseph (his mother's only boy), moved to St.Croix in the early 70's at a very young age. "I grew up with my grandmother, grandfather, aunts, uncles, and cousins. Some of them moved with us but some stayed behind and others went on to the states, Canada, and England."
Elwin started drawing in kindergarten and has never stopped, however he didn't paint all through school and only took basic art courses at St.Croix's Central High School. "My favorite subjects are people and their every-day life. I love painting and drawing people! I also like painting old buildings with history and character--there is something in those subjects that motivates me to just keep on painting...I love them! Landscapes and seascapes also interest me."
Continue reading "Meet Cover Artist Elwin Joseph" »
"I grew up in a farm in Bulgaria where I learned to cook from my grandmother who made everything from scratch - from the plants in her garden and the animals on the farm. My grandmother was the 'village healer' and believed you could cure most ailments with plants and food," says Yonka Maynard owner, along with her husband Damon, of caf. fresco in Christiansted.
We've been here 3 . years and came down from Maryland. But I've lived in New York, Bulgaria and the Dominican Republic. Growing up, we traveled a lot since my father was a "listener" for the western governments during communism out of Bulgaria.
Continue reading "Made with Pride Just for You" »
 Once again we are so lucky to live in these islands and have such an abundance of fine dining and fine wining!
This month we are talking about one of the most prestigious producers of Zinfandels on the planet, Turley. If you are reading this and on island be aware that Christina Turley will be hosting a fundraising dinner at The Buccaneer on November 9th to benefit two St. Croix schools. She will be sending us Zinfandels that are normally only available at the winery.
You can find Turley wines at many of our stunning restaurants throughout the island. I encourage you to take advantage of several by-the-glass offerings that are available in several dining hot spots. Turley wines are made by Ehren Jordan, who has participated himself in several fundraisers for local students in the past. Ehren, and his wife Ann Marie, own a separate winery named Failla that focuses on Sonoma County Chardonnay and Pinot Noirs. Keep a lookout for these wines as well - everything this man makes is incredibly delicious!
You have to appreciate founder and owner, Larry Turley - a man who loves Zinfandel so much he started his winery right in the heart of Napa Valley, a prestigious and expensive area where Cabernet Sauvignon is king!
Let me end with a quote from Ehren Jordan that falls in the 'shots fired' category, "We feel in general that Cabernet people drink the label and Zin lovers drink the wines."
One of the most popular events of the season are the monthly Art Walks in Christiansted. On the third Thursday of the month, except April, find yourself meeting old friends, making new acquaintances, tasting a bit of wine and seeing the latest offerings produced by our local artists! It's fun!
Here's the schedule and here are the participating stores & studios:
aka Gallery, Art at the Top Hat, Bassin Fine Art, Crucian Gold, D&D Studio, Designworks, Henle Studio, ib designs, Joyia, Love and Light, Maufe Gallery, Mitchell Larsen Studio, and The Goldworker.
 St. Croix native, Johanna Bermudez-Ruiz, award-winning director and producer of the documentary "Sugar Pathways," has signed with United Films, Los Angeles, who will work to get it broadcasted on national television.
"We are very excited about our recent acquisition of Sugar Pathways. We think it is a moving story that will touch a wide audience and shed light on a little known cultural migration," says Jason Connell, President & Founder of United Films.
"Sugar Pathways" tells the story of the unwilling migration by Puerto Rican families from Vieques to the US Virgin Islands and their will to survive, integrate, and contribute to the culture, economy and politics of the USVI. The documentary has been shown at film festivals and cinemas around the world.
Johanna Bermudez-Ruiz heads Cane Bay Films LLC, an independent production company dedicated to producing high-quality, impacting documentaries, films, and PSA's. She is represented by the Krieger Creative Group here on St. Croix.
For more information, visit www.canebayfilms.com
 The Virgin Islands--Puerto Rico "Friendship Committee" is celebrating 48th years!
Since 1964, their annual Festival has transformed from one Friendship Day into a month of fellowship and patriotic pride. They've also become more inclusive recognizing the contributions of native Crucian brothers and sisters.
A host of events and activities have developed to celebrate our profound and deep friendship--a Religious Concert, Queen Show, Family Fun Day, Governor's Reception, and Village are now traditional staples. New this year, art exhibits and student workshops at the Caribbean Museum of Arts and the opening of the Hispanic Collection at the Florence Williams Library in Christiansted.
Let's remember the good things this partnership has accomplished by embracing each other in fellowship and friendship.
by Bry Locher
Opportunity is everywhere on St. Croix! Everywhere you look on our island, there are a multitude of opportunities waiting for you! Whether you want to move here and retire or move here to build the next phase of your career, many opportunities are available for you.
As you enjoy your vacation, think about how you could make this enchanting island a permanent part of your future. Would you like land high in the hills to build the home of your dreams? Perhaps a waterfront house to relax in while watching the sunrise over the water every morning? Or maybe a low-maintenance condo where you can walk out the front door and put your toes in the sand? Whatever your individual dream may be, we can make it a reality.
Continue reading "Calabash Real Estate: 20 Agents At Your Service" »
Lavender and lemongrass is a recipe for relaxation at the Buccaneer Hotel's Hideaway Spa & Salon. "A relaxing and rejuvenating massage is a great way to start a first time Spa experience," says Corinne Farinola, Assistant Manager. "It will give your mind and soul a 'time out' to recharge your body's batteries."
From there, Farinola recommends venturing out to what the Spa calls its Fountain of Youth Anti-Aging facial. "We use mineral-rich marine spring water based products to increase cellular turnover and stimulate the production of elastin and collagen. It leaves your face feeling fresh, soft and invigorated."
Not only does the Hideaway have a treatment side where you can sip herbal tea in Zen-like surroundings and enjoy these extraordinary treatments, but there's also a beauty salon for services such as facials and make-up, manicures and pedicures, and hair.
Continue reading "A Day at the Spa" »
Part 2 in a series
Excerpts from "Arts in the U. S. Virgin Islands" by Ruth S. Moore and David M. Hough of the Caribbean Research Institute of the College of the Virgin Islands, 1967, for the Virgin Islands Council on the Arts.
"MODELERS" might be the term to characterize the people of the later migrations. Their pottery was based on three-dimensional creature motifs. The work is less refined, thicker and lacks the technique and patience of their predecessors, but it is rich in imagination. It is not known whether they made their figurines from whim or because of some animalistic religious necessity. For whatever reason, they created a seemingly endless bestiary. Bowls are shaped like animals, handles have heads, faces are on knobs, heads appear everywhere possible. Female nude figures, human faces, masks, frogs turtles, dogs, ducks, monkeys - everything living that they saw or imagined they converted into creative pots.
These later Indians were farmers who may have engaged in trade as well. This possibility is suggested by some figurines found in the Islands, which appear to be a representation of Choc-Mool, a major Mayan God of Yucatan. One investigator has this to say: "The modeling is much more naturalistic than anything of this nature I have seen illustrated for the Greater Antilles of the Virgin Islands . . . the figure appears as if lying on its back so that the bowl proper is formed by the chest and abdominal regions."
Continue reading "ARTS in the U. S. Virgin Islands" »
by Nina York
Fascinating relics from former days that carry an iconic message of St. Croix are the numerous windmill ruins that like giant inverted thimbles dot our scenery. These old limestone structures, originally equipped with sugar-cane crushing machinery, a turret, and sailclothcovered wings became a ubiquitous part of the local scenery from the mid-1750's. As the primary motive power available, thanks to the almost perpetual trade winds that bless our islands with their cooling breezes, the windmills contributed significantly to the prosperity of the Danish West Indies.
At the height of the cane sugar cultivation boom around 1800, over 200 of these sugar mills, as we call them, could be found in every corner of the island, often on hilltops for obvious reasons. Two thirds of St. Croix was used for sugar cane fields - even slopes that seemed too steep for the purpose were used, aggravating the already onerous work of the enslaved population. While animal mills were also used for the cane crushing, and at a later date steam powered machinery, it was the free and available wind power that dominated as the energy source for this purpose.
Continue reading "Wind Power - An Old Denmark Tradition" »
What is a Marine Protected Area (MPA's) you may ask? MPA's are marine areas designated for protection and/or management because of the area's importance or uniqueness. MPA's can enhance the local economy, protect and restore ecosystems, mitigate effects of overuse, provide recreational opportunities and supplement fishing catch through spill-over outside its boundaries.
The St. Croix East End Marine Park (STXEEMP) was established on January 15, 2003 in order to achieve its mission of protecting significant marine resources, promoting sustainability of marine ecosystems, and conserving and preserving significant natural and cultural areas for current and future generations. It includes 17 miles of shoreline spanning from Green Cay to Point Udall and wrapping down around to Great Pond Bay.
Continue reading "St. Croix East End Marine Park" »
When it comes to weddings, most of the focus is on the bride, and rightfully so, as most of the planning is typically done by her. What about the groom? The groom's role is often reduced to getting the perfect ring and showing up on time! In the planning hullabaloo, one area that could use some attention is the groom's attire.
I have seen all shapes, sizes, and ages of brides and a myriad of dresses, all beautiful in their own way. Brides take the opportunity to pamper every inch of their bodies--coiffing and primping to feel worthy of gracing the gown they have hand picked for their special day.
Continue reading "VI Bridal Guide: What About the Groom?" »
Marjorie was born in New York City and attended the University of Pennsylvania then the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts and the National Academy of Design in New York--the two oldest art schools in the country.
"My mother's family was in the sea salt business in Bermuda and the Turks and Caicos islands and I spent the better part of my infancy in Salt Cay in the Turks. I listened all my childhood to my grandmother's takes of home. The Caribbean has always been home, with my parents moving here to St. Croix when I was in college," explains Marjorie.
Continue reading "Cover Artist Marjorie Robbins" »
"It is dubious that you can find a more picturesque setting on the island." Mary Scribner describes her location off Strand Street in Frederiksted right on the beach where she and her husband, Bob, opened Turtle's Deli in 2002. "We didn't know what we wanted to do with the deli when be bought it 11 years ago," but Mary knew she could bake bread and make sandwiches!
Nestled among the grape trees, where you can choose to sit undercover or wiggle your toes in the sand, Mary and Bob now offer 21 different sandwiches and 5 salads.
Continue reading "Tale of Two Turtles" »
 Silver Oaks is one of those iconic wines that make people get a dreamy look in their eye as they remember their first taste. I wanted to feature this wine this month because of a very personal memory.
Fourteen years ago this month I adopted Grace-- The Best Dog Ever from the St. Croix Animal Welfare Center. It was the best decision I had ever made! If you have an opportunity to adopt a Crucian Coconut Retriever, take it and they will be the most wonderful pet!
After a stop at The Galleon to show off my new boo, we went home to where I was living at the time, beautiful Grapetree Beach. As things happen here, the news was already out that I had adopted The Best Dog Ever. The name Grace wasn't reached until we figured out she couldn't get out of a car without getting tangled in the seat belt every single time! Friends stopped by and we opened a bottle of Silver Oaks Alexander Valley Cabernet Sauvignon.
Continue reading "Wine in the VI: Silver Oak Cellars" »
by Carol Bareuther
St. Croix is truly a tropical paradise. Yet nowadays even paradise faces environmental pressures stemming from factors such as population growth and pollution. Thankfully, there are several programs in place to assure the island's natural resources remain pristine for future generations. Here's just a few:
Blue Flags at Palms at Pelican Cove, Tamarind Reef Resort and Green Cay Marina. "The Blue Flag program is an environmental award given to beaches and marinas making a special effort to implement sound management with respect to the local environment," explains USVI Blue Flag coordinator, Valerie Peters. "To attain the Blue Flag, beaches and marinas have to comply with a number of strict criteria including environmental information and education, environmental management, safety and service facilities, and water quality."
Continue reading "What's the Good News? The Environment." »
By Greg Hamilton
"I'm in real estate, sell real estate, buy real estate, looking at real estate, considering getting into real estate." You hear these comments all the time, but "What is Real Estate?"
Webster's dictionary defines real estate simply "as property in buildings and land" while Investopedia expands the definition to "land plus anything permanently fixed to it, including buildings, sheds and other items attached to the structure." But what is the history of the word "Real Estate?" The first known usage of the word was in the year 1666 and came from the earlier 1540's terms, real possession and realty. The term was first used in England with the word "Real" being descended from a Latin word meaning "King" and the word "Estate" added as part of the feudal system whereby all lands were part of the King's estate. The term real estate first showed up in laws written in England in the late 1600's. By 1828, in Webster's first dictionary, the definition of the word "real" included the language "in law, pertaining to things fixed, permanent or immovable, as to lands and tenements: as real estate, opposed to personal or movable property."
Continue reading "What is Real Estate?" »
“Pottery-making Arawaks from the Gulf of Paria appear to have been in the Antilles about the time of Christ and in the Virgin Islands around the year 1080.”
Part 1 in a series
Excerpts from “Arts in the U. S. Virgin Islands” by Ruth S. Moore and David M. Hough of the Caribbean Research Institute of the College of the Virgin Islands, 1967, for the Virgin Islands Council on the Arts.
Although the arts story of the Virgin Islands begins with the decorated pottery of the Indians, recorded history begins when Columbus sailed west and the New World took shape. It was on his second voyage in 1493 that he came upon the islands he named the Virgins and dropped anchor in Salt River on St. Croix to replenish his water supply.
Continue reading "ARTS in the U. S. Virgin Islands" »
In recent years, our Virgin Islands connection with our former colonial mother nation Denmark has grown exponentially, mainly thanks to the new medium of the internet. While the person-to-person interaction with Danes will always be the favored kind of contact, so much information has become available digitally that affords us a deeper understanding of each other’s cultures and history, in addition to facilitating contacts between institutions as well as individuals.
It is quite astounding how many avenues of internet contact just in the field of Denmark-Virgin Islands relations can be found, in particular voluminous records concerning the Danish West Indies. It is impossible to include a full list, but we hope those shown will prove to be of interest.
Continue reading "Today's Danish Connections Offered by the Internet" »
Bryan Updyke moved to St. Croix in 1989, from Sweet Valley Pennsylvania, after hurricane Hugo. The neighbors thought he was crazy, but he bought and moved into a wrecked house, and put it back together himself.
After a visit here to see her sister, who introduced her to Bryan, Jill moved here from Maryland in 1995. They shared a love for being on the water and, when they heard about Hobie's new pedal kayaks in 1998, opened up Virgin Kayak Tours in Cane Bay. These kayaks are propelled through the water with either paddles or foot-operated pedals and offer a new way to explore the beauty of St Croix, while getting a full body workout!
Continue reading "Virgin Kayak Tours" »
One of the key features for choosing St. Croix as your wedding location is the spectacular natural beauty that abounds. Numerous beaches, gardens, vistas, historic churches and architecture lend themselves to unique venues. No matter what venue you choose, the Caribbean light plays a key role and can be one of the many factors in determining the time of day for your wedding.
Late afternoon/evening is the most common time and offers not only cooler temperatures but deep blues and crimsons in the sky and sea as well as a setting sun. Bear in mind that there is almost no twilight in the tropics and light disappears rapidly once the sun has set. Plan to complete the ceremony before the sunset to have ample time for portraits. Always best to err on the side of the natural light.
Continue reading "Considering the Light" »
"I'm Phyllis Biddle and I came to St. Croix eleven years ago to teach art at The Good Hope School. I attended Albertus Magnus College and Yale University Art School in New Haven, Connecticut before getting my MFA from Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond.
Prior to coming to the island, I was Program Director at The Richmond Children's Museum in Virginia. I'd also taught painting and printmaking at Hopkins Day Prospect Hill School in New Haven, Connecticut, and at St. Catherine's/St. Christopher's Schools in Richmond. It was in 2000 that I got a call from The Good Hope School on St. Croix asking me to come and teach painting and printmaking to their middle and upper school students.
Continue reading "Meet Cover Artist Phyllis Biddle" »
 Enclosed by historic buildings, Danish-brick staircases, and old stonework floors and walls sits Christiansted's newest eatery. The Court Yard Restaurant, owned and operated by the Sperber family, Miles, Emily, Victoria, and Lily, opened last November in a wonderful, old yard, through an arched walkway off Company Street. A huge, old lantern lights the way in the evening.
A chef for more than 30 years, John Buseman's lunch and dinner menu is simply prepared in a relaxed atmosphere with an emphasis on local and American dishes. Come in for great seafood, fresh salads, pizza, steaks, and homemade desserts - something for everyone!
Continue reading "The Court Yard Restaurant" »
Never has Moscato been so popular, gaining 100% in sales in 2010 and 73% in 2011. The grape is being touted by rappers and reality TV stars and also being reviewed favorably by wine magazines - Wine Spectator gave the Batasiolo 87 points. Never has a grape hit big with so many audiences.
The great news is that the Moscato grape, which grows all over the world is also found to have high concentrations of antioxidant flavonoids, this means that the possible benefits of red wine consumption may also be present in muscat wine!
Continue reading "Wine in the VI: BENI DI BATASIOLO" »
 You are invited to Come Home to St. Croix in July on the grounds of the Estate Whim Museum in Frederiksted. Explore Crucian history and culture through music, dance, exhibits and lectures. This special eight day celebration, in its second year, highlights family connections through reunions, research and other activities. Join us in celebrating St. Croix history and culture, whether you are a visitor, were born and live here, live away, or have chosen to make St. Croix your home.
The Crucian week begins on Sunday July 15, with a Ceremony Honoring the Ancestors, an exhibit opening and reception. Some of the week's highlights include workshops and lectures on "Getting Started with your Family History, Midwives of St. Croix, Cariso and Quelbe : Songs of Social Relevance" and walking tours. Exhibits include family stories and photographs from the Olsen, Finley, McGee, Cornelius and Sealey families. On Friday, July 20, the World Music Under the Stars concert will feature a Grand Crucian Quadrille with music by Stanley and the 10 Sleepless Knights. Come early and take the special Quadrille 101 class at 6:00 pm and learn the Virgin Islands official dance. Close out the week with an Old Time Family Fun Day with music, food and games.
Continue reading "Come Home To St. Croix, 2012" »
Goldsmiths, silversmiths, and metalsmiths are waiting to show you their wares!
From workshops, on or off site, local artisans have created the perfect souvenir -- keepsakes that incorporate all that we love about life on an island inspired by its beauty, culture, people, and history.
A metalsmith, often shortened to smith, is a person involved in making metal objects and uses traditional metalsmithing techniques. The term metalsmith often refers to artisans and craftpersons who practice their craft in many different metals, including gold, copper and silver.
Continue reading "Hand Wrought Jewelry" »
Emancipation came to the Danish West Indies19 years before Abraham Lincoln's Emancipation Proclamation in the United States. It was on July 3, 1848, that St. Croix's African population revolted against the Danes, who owned the islands at the time, and successfully broke and bonds of slavery freeing slaves on all three US Virgin Islands.
What set the island's most momentous historical event in motion was an 1847 mandate from King Christian VIII of Denmark stating that all babies born from that time forward would be declared free, but that slavery wouldn't be abolished in the Danish colonies for another twelve years. This didn't set well with the African population and it was Moses 'General Buddhoe' Gottlieb, an enslaved African with great leadership and diplomacy skills, who led the near bloodless rebellion that ended with Governor General Peter Von Scholten proclaiming 'from this day forward the unfree of the Danish West Indies are henceforth free.'
Continue reading "164th Emancipation Day" »
The scents, sights, and experiences of summer on St. Croix are at Mango Melee and Tropical Fruit Festival held each year at the St. George Village Botanical Garden. A joint effort of the VI Departments of Agriculture and Tourism, UVI's Cooperative Extension Service and Agricultural Experiment Station, and the Botanical Garden, this festival has become one of the most anticipated events in the Virgin Islands each summer.
This year the 16th annual Mango Melee and Tropical Fruit Festival will be held Sunday, July 1, from 12 noon to 6pm. This activity-packed day offers fun and food for residents and visitors of every age.
The displays in the Great Hall feature the staggering variety of mangoes and other tropical fruit being grown here on St. Croix, and the opportunity to talk to experts about how to grow these fruits. Over 90 vendors will be offering a huge assortment of crafts and food.
Continue reading "16th Annual Mango Melee" »
So far, 2012 has been a year of major change for St. Croix, which in turn affects the entire Virgin Islands. The economic downturn in the U.S. and many other areas of the world did not leave our islands unscathed, but the announcement of the April closing of the huge Hovensa (formerly Hess) refinery, the islands' largest private sector employer, sent shock waves through every employee household, indeed the entire community. With no other comparable industry on the island to absorb the over 2,000 now idled employees, many for the first time of their lives, the closing is life-changing to all.
While this presents a major challenge to our community and government, St. Croix has weathered numerous crises before that tested our population. By comparison with the catastrophic Hurricane Hugo that nearly destroyed the island in 1989, yet never brought the Crucians to surrender, the current crisis is seen as an opportunity for new ideas for our future development.
Continue reading "Lost: Hovensa... Found: New Vision" »
 This trademark treatment involves the use of bamboo as extensions of a therapist’s fingers during a specialized massage. The pieces are warmed to quickly penetrate and relax muscles. A variety of movements, drawing from Swedish and deep-tissue, dissolve knots and relieve tension.
Nathalie Cecilia, the creator and master of Bamboo Massage Therapy, was born in Nimes, South France. After receiving a Master’s degree in Philosophy and Languages from the Universitee Des Lettres De Montpellier, she taught, did translations, and traveled Europe and the world before deciding to change directions.
Continue reading "Bamboo Fusion" »
Five years ago, it would have been difficult to find a "greathouse" for sale. Today, there are a myriad. In fact, the opportunities to own historic properties are incredible, with options ranging from greathouses to in-town houses to large acreage with old sugar mills, factory and village ruins, all in varying states of preservation and all unique! Many of the homes were built with the old yellow Danish brick which was abundant (leftover ballast from the ships) and also with cut coral stone, also in good supply and very solid to provide hurricane resistance. Some great houses were built along the coastline and others nestled in the hills. The in-town houses were built by wealthy, European merchants, often in the neo-classical style, with arches, quoins, and galleries, or small shingle-sided hip roof cottages built by Africans and their descendants. The properties are numerous but here are a few to start.
Continue reading ""Historic" Opportunities" »
Clean, fresh, and uplifting...Tamarind Spa is a lovely tranquil place to pamper yourself or a loved one. The minute you walk in you smile . . . the spa is bright and airy with a spectacular ocean view. The staff is equally cheerful with excellent skills and top notch products. According to Julie Streetman, the spa's coordinator; "the spa is all about details - it's about being attentive and making clients feel relaxed and special."
Tamarind Spa recently opened in suite #9 of Tamarind Reef Resort. It offers a variety of massages, skin and nail care treatments with an enviable view of the Caribbean Sea. It's a great place to unwind and get pampered while watching the rolling waves, swaying palms and sailboats. All you need is a cocktail while you relax remarked a recent guest . . . and yes . . . you can do that. The Deep End Bar and Restaurant is just steps down the path.
Continue reading "Relax and Enjoy Tranquility at Tamarind Spa" »
As a former Professor at the College of the Virgin Islands (CVI) for twenty years, I was more than ready to celebrate the 50-Year Golden Jubilee on January 27!
Visitors and residents who "discovered" St. Croix in the 50s, 60s, and 70s, watched St. Croix grow from 2,000 to 62,000 people. I came to St. Croix in 1960 and watched this growth from 1962 to 1986 when the VI Legislature voted to open a 2-year Community College in the Territory. This was the beginning of CVI on St. Croix and St. Thomas with campus development proving to be quite a challenge.
Continue reading "UVI Turns 50!" »
 Enduring monuments of former days, the historic buildings of Christiansted and Frederiksted, exemplifying Danish tropical town architecture characterized by arched walkways, or displayed in a handful of great houses scattered outside the towns, contribute to the very special atmosphere found on this island. While the glory brought about by the riches garnered from the lucrative cane sugar cultivation is no longer a part of our economy, the fact that we still possess so many handsome structures as legacy of those times is worthy of celebration. Over the years, numerous hurricanes and an earthquake with tsunami, fires and the impact of the tropical climate have all been major challenges to preserving this legacy, yet we can observe a substantial number of buildings, public and private, that have successfully weathered all these hazards.
Continue reading "Celebrating our Historic Architecture" »
Do you have a constant yearning to be out on the crystal blue Caribbean water? From those looking for picturesque scenery, to those who want to cruise fast, jump some waves, and feel the wind on their face, West End Water Sports is the place to be on St. Croix. Located on Rainbow Beach, 1 mile north of the Frederiksted Pier, West End Water Sports caters to all ages and experience levels and provides a new fleet of top-of-the line jet-ski's for you to rent year round.
Jet-Skiing is a great time for people of ALL ages and experience with the modern "Jet-Ski" being much sturdier and easier to ride than its predecessors of years ago. Brian and Scott, the friendly owner/ operators, explain how easy it is by telling new riders simply to "hop on, press start and squeeze the trigger (after the safety briefing of course!)."
Continue reading "West End Cruzin'" »
For many couples, planning a wedding is like stepping into a scene from Lord of the Rings. It is a journey, arduous at times, smooth at others, that begins with a ring and (hopefully!) ends in a joyous celebration where you are the honored guest.
Remember that there will be challenges along with the triumphs. As you embark on your journey, you must be careful to avoid one of the main pitfalls along the way--indecisiveness. As you go through the gauntlet of budgets, families, dresses, seating arrangements, etc. you will be tested. The one thing that will get you through, your shield, your armor, your tour de force is not only your ability to make decisions, but to stick to them, execute them, and move on.
Continue reading "Your Platinum Wedding - Your Way!" »
by Niarus Gillian Benjamin
"My name is Niarus Gillian Benjamin. I am married to Jason Walker. I have two daughters Keren, 3 and Rayna, 2 and two dogs Mortimer and Pepper.
I was born in Dominica, West Indies and came to St. Croix when I was 9. I attended Evelyn Williams Elementary School, Arthur A. Richards Jr. High, and Central High School, graduating in 1989. I went to Moore College of Art and Design in Philadelphia (1989-1994), graduated in 1993 Suma Cum Laude, with a major in Fashion Design and Construction, but did an extra year in painting and drawing. I interned at Anne Klein in New York and, with a scholarship to Indonesia to study batik, I worked there with Twila Wilson who is still my friend. I do freelance 3-D interior drawings for her design business.
Continue reading "Cover Artist Niarus Gillian Benjamin" »
Nestled in the lush vegetation of the old Queen Quarter Hotel is the newly renovated and recently opened Reminisce Restaurant. Run by long-time locals, Win Welsh and Nicole Bogel, they love listening to the stories brought to them by guests each week of what life was like at one of their favorite places back in the 60s and 70s. Win will be at your service during the day and Nicole at night.
Continue reading "Recalling the Past To Mind at Reminisce" »
 By Karylyn Parsons - The Prestige Wine Group
We are so thrilled to have Jim Bernau joining us this year for the Food & Wine Experience!
2011 was an amazing year for WVV, winning both Oregon Winery of the Year AND Wine & Spirits magazine Winery of the Year! What better way to celebrate than to hit the beach in the beautiful VI.
Like Sauternes and foie gras, oysters and Champagne, the pairing of Pinot Noir and salmon is legendary. WVV makes wonderful Pinot Noirs and protects that pairing by practicing ecological sustainability. "Salmon Safe" is a program that strives for clean watersheds for native salmon to spawn and thrive. This year, Jim was awarded the first ever "Hero of Salmon" for his efforts and now Willamette Valley Vineyards will be one of the first wineries in Oregon to become carbon neutral.
Continue reading "Wine in the VI: Food & Wine Experience" »
Excerpts from Shards from the Past by Chris Goodier
Small objects rise to the surface of the earth sometimes and place themselves in our paths as mememtos of the past. On St. Croix, strollers find chaney--shards remaining from fine china imported in the 18th and 19th centuries when the island was covered with sugar cane. Greathouses were outfitted lavishly with the finest mahogany furniture, porcelains, glassware, silver and linens, but these luxury trappings eventually fell by the wayside.
Contents of the greathouses were swept away by hurricanes, earthquakes, and a massive fire burn. A way of life was gone, but shattered porcelain, left behind in the ruins, reappeared on the soil all over the island especially after great rains.
Continue reading "Chaney: An Untold Story" »
For the fast, St. Croix is one of the very few races in the world that offers qualifying slots for the two major World Championships of Ironman, the big Kahuna in Hawaii and the Ironman 70.3 World Championships in Las Vegas. This elite endurance event has welcomed most of the legends of the professional triathlete ranks and remains a race that is an essential line in any successful resume.
The St. Croix Ironman 70.3 Triathlon is held annually, with the help of hundreds of volunteers, on the first Sunday in May and begins with a 1.2 mile swim that leaves from the beach in front of Hotel on the Cay, in the middle of the Harbor, and exits near the Christiansted Fort.
It is with the bike leg, however, where the race really starts. This 56-mile circumnavigation of St. Croix includes massive climbs, treacherous technical turns, and unrivaled scenic beauty that tests an athlete's concentration. At the 20-mile mark is the race's very own signature...The Beast. With an assent of only .7 of a mile long, imagine riding a bicycle up the stairs of the Washington Monument!
Upon arriving back in Christiansted, the bikers morph into runners and head out on a 13.1 mile run finishing back at the Fort. Come out to the race on May 6 and see for yourself what has kept these athletes coming back to St. Croix for almost a quarter century.
The St. Croix Food & Wine Experience (April 17-22), named one of the Ten Best International Food and Wine Festivals by Forbes Travel, showcases the diverse cuisine and wine available here on St. Croix. The multi-day event includes gourmet dinners, wine seminars, wine auctions, and the annual culinary competition, A Taste of St. Croix.
Continue reading "The 12th Annual St. Croix Food & Wine Experience Is Here!" »
By David John Goldstein, Ph.D., RPA, Chief, Interpretation and Education, National Park Service
2012 is clearly one of the most exciting years for the National Parks on St. Croix. Buck Island Reef National Monument celebrates its 50 years since President John F. Kennedy signed enabling legislation. Christiansted National Historic Site, with 60 years, and Salt River Bay National Historical Park and Ecological Preserve, with 20 years, both celebrate anniversaries as National Parks. With these important milestones in mind we invite the public to come and see the new faces and changes taking place in each park.
Continue reading "St Croix National Parks Birthdays" »
One of my favorite books about real estate is the above titled book by Harvard University Professor Marjorie Garber that begins: "What do college students talk about with their roommates? Sex. Twenty years later, what do they talk about with their friends? Real estate. And with the same gleam in their eyes."
Kirsten Kemp's book "Flipping: Confidential" says: "Houses are like bodies: They tend to look better dressed. Without furnishings and decor, even the loveliest home is nothing but some walls flanked by a floor and ceiling."
Continue reading "Sex and Real Estate" »
 Located on Frederiksted's Estate Mt. Washington Nature Preserve surrounded by the labyrinth and the rainforest, my Art and Yoga Studio offers you a truly unique opportunity for "VIUnscripted" time and space. Mesh your mind, body, and heart with the beauty of this tranquil valley, while discovering more about your personal creative potential through Kundalini yoga and art. This yoga takes you through a series of postures that opens your chakras, guides your creative energy, keeps your body strong and supple, enhances mental focus, promotes relaxation, and encourages patience. The art classes will further de-stress you with gentle challenges for finding that part of SELF which empowers the ability to make new, regenerate, and put all things into a fresh perspective.
Continue reading "De-stress, Make New, and Regenerate Through Yoga & Art" »
Excerpts from Divers Information on "The Romantic History of St. Croix" by Florence Lewison, 1963. St. Croix Landmarks Society.
THE ST. CROIX LANDMARKS SOCIETY is an island organization with many long-range plans for restoration and preservation projects. It is a non-profit organization dependent upon membership fees, donations,and such money-raising projects as its annual House Tours.
The Society's headquarters are outside of Frederiksted at Estate Whim Plantation Museum, one of the island's most beautiful showplaces. Its restored eighteenth century greathouse re recreates the opulent life of the sugar cane planters when the island was at the peak of its agrarian prosperity.
Continue reading "The St. Croix Landmarks Society" »
According to Wikipedia, Stand up paddle surfing (SUP), or in the Hawaiian language Hoe he'e nalu, is an emerging global sport with a Hawaiian heritage. The sport is an ancient form of surfing, and reemerged as a way for surfing instructors to manage their large groups of students, as standing on the board gave them a higher viewpoint. This increased visibility of what was going on around them such as incoming swell.
Continue reading "Hoe he'e nalu Anyone?" »
We are all familiar with the adage "The customer is always right." In my opinion, it should continue on to say "...when the chosen service provider is an ideal match." When hiring wedding vendors (florists, officiates, photographers, etc.) keep in mind that they are interviewing you as much as you, the client, are interviewing them. The client has somewhat of an advantage, in this case, as they usually have the opportunity to feel, taste, and preview what a perspective vendor has to offer in advance. However, the vendor has no idea what to expect when they take on a client.
How do you go about finding your ideal match? Begin with rapport building. If you want A+ vendors, become an A+ client! We all know how it feels to be disappointed in a person or product, therefore it is important to exhibit the qualities you want to see reflected back. Vendors usually aim to please their clients, but keep in mind satisfaction is a two way street. Understand that the popular service provider may or may not mesh well with you or your vision. The goal should be to enjoy the experience with your vendors as much as you love their product.
Continue reading "Finding Your Perfect Match" »
On third Thursdays (except for April 12), from November through June, the doors of galleries, jewelry studios, and fine retail stores stay open till 8pm to celebrate historic Christiansted's Art Thursdays!
Wind through the streets of town to find paintings, photography, handmade jewelry, fine furniture, handcrafted woodwork, and ceramics from Company Street to Strand Street. This popular series started fifteen years ago as an idea to merge the town's art galleries into a monthly event. Soon jewelry stores (St. Croix has amazing hand made jewelry), and other retailers came on board.
For a relatively small 'island' community, St. Croix has a rich, diverse, and vibrant art scene. Enjoy it all, along with dinner, at one of the many fine restaurants in town. Make a night of it!
See you soon at Art Walks on February 16 and March 15 -- Art @Top Hat, aka Gallery, Bassin Fine Art, Crucian Gold, Designworks, D&D Studio Fine Art Photography, The Goldworker, ib designs, Maria Henle Studio, Maufe Gallery, Mitchell Larsen Studio, The Sanctuary Studio and Gallery, Watch your Step Art Studio and Yellow House Gallery.
Toni Lance has been busy preparing for two solo art shows this season. In February, she will be showing new watercolors and oils at the Walsh Metal Works Gallery in Peter's Rest and in March, the Maria Henle Studio in Christiansted will host a show of bird photography from Lance's St. Croix Avian Sanctuary where she cares for injured and orphaned birds.
"One Moment" will be a new body of Lance's paintings from the past two years. There are watercolors of birds captured preening, exploring and resting, with the light falling gently on the feathers. Lance's controlled and detailed use of watercolor takes us deep into one moment with the bird. In a total contrast, she has also painted a number of bold and colorful oil paintings of West Indian figures. Again, 'one moment' is captured with a simple clean composition and sense of light.
Continue reading "Toni Lance Shows" »
The Galleon Restaurant at Green Cay Marina will be handing over its famous cuisine to a chef who's been specializing in fine dining.
Hailing from Cumberland, Maine, Kenneth Biggs is committed to quality products, perfect cooking techniques, and flavors that are exactly right. He has maintained extremely high standards at Star Boggs in Westhampton Beach, L. I., as Chef de Cuisine, at the French bistro Amelia's on Nantucket, and at the Regatta of Falmouth on Cape Cod.
Continue reading "The Galleon Restaurant" »
What is Larimar anyway? Its a rare blue variety of pectolite found in the Dominican Republic but sold throughout the Caribbean. Its coloration varies from white, light-blue, green-blue to deep blue.
For a little history, The Dominican Republic's Ministry of Mining records show that in 1916 Father Miguel Domingo Fuertes Loren requested permission to explore and exploit the mine of a certain blue rock he had discovered. Pectolites were not yet known in the Dominican Republic and the request was rejected.
In 1974, Miguel Mendez and Peace Corps volunteer Norman Rilling rediscover Larimar on a beach. Miguel took his young daughter's name Larissa and the Spanish word for sea (mar) and formed Larimar, by the colors of the water of the Caribbean Sea, where it was found.
Continue reading "Larimar...A Gem of a Souvenir!" »
This event gets better every year drawing an audience from the mainland, Puerto Rico, and neighboring islands.
The First Day Opening Ceremony recognizes those who have contributed significantly to the fair in the past and have the Pavilions named after them. The ceremony culminates with the presentation of the Crop and Livestock Farmer of the Year awards before the cutting of the ribbon at the entrance to the Farmer's Market.
This is an all-day event for fairgoers. Come hungry, thirsty, and curious. Look for take-home trees, plants, flowers, and wonderful fresh produce, see award-winning cattle, chickens, donkeys, goats, pigeons, rabbits, sheep, and pigs, and eat fantastic food and take some home. Anyone who wants to get an insight into Crucian cuisine should not miss this!
Exhibitors' booths overflow with crafts and curiosities and the Soul Train will allow you to see it all. Rides and games for the children, too.
This is one of the largest Ag Fairs in the Caribbean right here on St. Croix. Don't miss it!
February 18, 19, & 20, 10 am - 5 pm, Rudolph Shulterbrandt Agricultural Complex, Centerline Road. Adults $5, Children & Seniors $3. Handicapped parking. For more information, call 778-0991.
By Carol Bareuther
February's designation as Black History Month offers a wonderful opportunity to focus on the achievements of black men and women throughout history. While this month-long observance was officially designed by the U.S. Congress in 1986, its celebration dates back much further in the U.S. Virgin Islands, says Frandelle Gerard, executive director at Crucian Heritage and Nature Tourism, Inc. (CHANT). "Remembering the lives and works of famous Virgin Islanders is something that has occurred since the 1960s and before," says Gerard. "Nowadays, the Governor will issue a proclamation designating February as Black History Month and local dignitaries and historians will primarily visit the schools to teach the students about the achievements of famous Virgin Islanders."
Continue reading "Black History Month" »
 The recent reopening after renovations of the Frederiksted Ingeborg Nesbitt Clinic, in Danish times known as the Frederiksted Hospital, brought back memories among many citizens of early times. Today, however, probably no one is alive who can recall first hand what took place there prior to the sale of the Danish West Indies to the U.S. in 1917.
Historical records from Danish archives, however, tell a moving and compelling story about the sad state of public health in these islands around the turn of the 20th century. Infant mortality in particular was alarmingly high, primarily because many infants were born to single working mothers, most of whom had not received any counsel on child care. The alarming statistics were brought to the attention of Crown Princess Louise of Denmark, who took a keen interest in the islands and their health system.
Continue reading "Early Health Care Initiatives" »
The Virgin Islands are a wonderful place to visit especially if you happen to love food and wine! We have many visitors throughout the year from the wine and hospitality industry and, in March, we welcome Pio Boffa from Pio Cesare winery in Italy.
Pio is the 4th generation family member to run this amazing winery. We were fortunate enough last year to have a visit from his nephew, Cesare - Generation 5!
Pio Cesare Winery was founded in 1881in the beautiful town of Alba, in Piedmonte, Italy. They produce some of the most iconic wines from all of Europe. This month our featured wine is Pio Cesare Gavi . The Gavi wine is made from the Cortese grape, translated literally to courteous because it is just so nice! Gavi is the town where the grapes are harvested. The wine is fermented at low temperature in stainless steel tanks and held on the lees for 4 months. The bottling is traditionally done around this time every year in late February-early March.
Continue reading "Wine in the VI: Pio Cesare Gavi" »
Ever catch yourself daydreaming about living in the Caribbean? Or owning a second home, condo or rental property on an island in the sun? How about an investment property? A beachside restaurant, perhaps? Now may be the most opportune time in decades to "just say yes!" Or at least to investigate possibilities and give some earnest consideration to your dreams.
Interest rates are at historic lows, hovering around 4 percent for a 30-year mortgage. This, in turn, results in appreciably lower monthly payments than we've seen in a long time. Although properties on St. Croix may hold their value better than those in many areas, prices have dropped and there are bargains to be had. (That's where a professional real estate agency, like Coldwell Banker Land-de Wilde Realty, is essential.) What's more, sellers are more willing than ever to consider offers below the asking price. At present, sale prices average roughly 20 percent lower than the listing price. Not the case a few years back.
Continue reading "When Opportunity Knocks...Live the Life!" »
 by Carol Bareuther
Relax. Restore. Rejuvenate. The Renaissance St. Croix Carambola Beach Resort Spa is a destination unto itself. Escape the stresses of the world and enter a universe where tranquility rules and a full-service menu of spa treatments await to pamper as well as transform you into a whole new healthier person in body, mind and soul.
"We offer a wide variety of treatments, services, customized packages and monthly themed specials - we're full service," says spa manager, Denise Lindsey. The 2,200-square-foot, nearly million dollar state-of-the-art spa is luxuriously appointed with artistically inlayed earthtone travertine tile, graceful bronze statuettes and island mahogany furniture. There are three treatment rooms, a couples room complete with five-head showers ideal for washing off after an exhilarating wrap or scrub, white leather pedicure chairs and even a hydraulic hair salon chair where vibrating rollers massage your upper and lower back while you get a shampoo. Five massage therapists, two nail technicians, two estheticians and a professional hairdresser are ready to serve you Mondays through Saturdays and Sundays by appointment.
Continue reading "State of the Art Island Oasis" »
Part 18 in a series
Excerpts from Divers Information on "The Romantic History of St. Croix" by Florence Lewison, 1963, St. Croix Landmarks Society.
The picturesque wharf area of Christiansted is now a National Historic Site under the supervision of the U. S. Park Service, which offers daily walking tours of the area and buildings. Enquire at their office in the old Fort for the schedule.
FORT CHRISTIANSVAERN. A typical example of 17th and 18th century military architecture built by the Danes. Finished in 1749, it was a garrison for the army and later a police station. Many changes have been made: a Commandant's quarters, a powder magazine, a stable and other parts added.
Continue reading "Christiansted Historic Site" »
Spread Holiday Cheer with CASA
 Christmas is thought of as the time of miracles and, in many ways, it takes a miracle each year for CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates), a small non-profit, to produce it's "home grown" holiday cards. Art teachers encourage students to participate, local businesses donate shipping, volunteers help package the finished cards, and retailers generously take them in and sell them!
CASA Holiday cards are sent all over the world by people who buy a pack or two, as well as local businesses who use them as their "corporate" greeting to customers and clients. This year, they have ten new images and, as always, a few favorites from the past. If you plan to use holiday greeting cards, use CASA cards and give a child Hope while celebrating the true spirit of the season.
In its 12th year, this fundraiser is an integral part of the funding needed to operate the CASA program, serving children who have been abused and neglected, at Virgin Islands Volunteer Advocates for Children. Started in 1994, CASA is a 501(c)(3) non profit tax exempt organization that monitors the child's life while they are in foster care, and advocates to insure their basic needs are identified and addressed. For more information, call 340-718-2272.
Continue reading "Kids Helping Kids: 2 Opportunities" »
Captain Mike is from the small, but lively town of New Paltz, NY. His first boat was a leaky row boat he found abandoned on the Walkill River when he was 12 or 13. "My dogs were my faithful crew and it was amazing how much I learned about boating from that little boat!"
"There's no better way to build a good boating foundation than to start small and work your way up. I think a lot of people skip that but I know it helped me."
Continue reading "Meet Captain Mike" »
"I grew up in Marin County, California with a passion for drawing. When I was just 5 years old, my Mom would have me look at something, close my eyes, visualize it, then draw from recall. I suppose this made me very detail oriented! My engineer Father taught me how to draw everything. My parents were supportive and encouraging. While I studied both flamenco guitar and opera, it was graphic art that I was most interested in and, in fact, studied it at the Art Institute of Houston.
I've done illustration, layout, design and airbrush professionally. I have worked with a prominent decorator on various projects such as restaurant murals, paintings and faux marquetry of the banquet floor of a major downtown San Francisco hotel.
Continue reading "Meet The Artist: Susan Snow" »
If you insist that Christmas is defined by a snowy landscape with Santa Claus, sled and reindeer, and warming yourself by a blazing fireplace, our tropical Christmas may disappoint you. Admittedly, local traditions have had to yield Santa a place in our tropical celebration of Christianity's major holiday. Tradition plays a large role in the Virgin Islands, and back in former days of slavery, Christmas and Easter were the only times the enslaved population were given time off. That called for celebration, which consisted of dressing up in costumes - masquerading - and making calls at other plantations, where dancing and merrymaking marked these gatherings. But with religious life playing a large role, churchgoing to celebrate the birth of Christ was and remains a major seasonal activity.
Continue reading "Crucian Christmas Traditions" »
Many of you may know George and Cynthia (Thia) Tyler as the original owner's of Schooner Bay Market Place...but the Tyler's, who sailed to the Virgin Islands in 1987 from Annapolis Md, first business on St. Croix was the little Alley Galley deli and liquor store below the Comanche Hotel. They sailed around for a couple of years, but lost their boat in hurricane Hugo (1989) but, because of their entrepreneurial spirits, they stayed to helped rebuild our island.
Continue reading "Alley Galley - Back to the Beginning" »
This wonderful wine, crafted from 100% Brachetto grapes, is grown exclusively at the La Rosa Vineyard in the town of Acqui Terme located in the Piedmont region of Italy. Piedmonte literally means foot of the mountains. This northern Italian region, known mostly for truffles and big red wines, has had an increase in the popularity of their sweeter wines such as Moscato and Brachetto.
Rosa Regale has amazing aromas of rose petal and raspberries. Although perfect for chocolate you can also pair it with salty cheeses and it is a surprising compliment to Latin and spicy Asian dishes.
Continue reading "Wine in the VI: Banfi's Rosa Regale" »
Monday, December 26, Mt. Victory Camp will host its annual Christmas Second Day Party - the traditional Boxing Day Pig Roast that's become a don't-miss on everyone's holiday calendar starting at 2 pm - until.
"It's a real Caribbean event, the music, the food and drinks, and the beautiful tropical forest all combine in a special way! For us it's a time to celebrate the holidays, and catch up with all our old friends," says Mt. Victory co-owner Mathilde Wilson. "There's truly nothing better than the good vibes at Mt. Victory - kids rolling on the hillside and visiting the tortoise colony, family groups picnicking together, the Jungle Bar with its unique island drinks, and great music with dancing in the dirt under the mango tree!"
Continue reading "Boxing Day" »
By Nina York
For the second consecutive year, a new three-month educational program, originating in Denmark for personal development of young people ages 18 to 30, has chosen the Virgin Islands as their training site. After a few days in New York City in mid-November, the team of 25 young people and two leaders/instructors heads for St. Thomas where the agenda calls for three weeks of learning team building, followed by one week of optional activity. This is followed by three weeks of personal growth training at the Ridge-to-Reef Farm in the hills of the northwest corner of St. Croix, where the group will also be celebrating Christmas in as close to Danish style as the tropics will allow. Last year, the participants spread cheer by visiting homes for the elderly or disabled and singing Christmas carols - English as well as Danish, and sharing joy and gifts with the children at the Queen Louise Home for disadvantaged youngsters. The subsequent week of leisure allows them to attend the island's seasonal festivities, from food fairs to parades, concluding with another three-week session in St. Croix at Discovery Grove in Estate Canaan, offering volunteer service in the community. This program allows Danish visitors a way to give thanks for getting to know the islands, their beautiful scenery and weather and for friendships with the local population. Last year's group helped maintain the Ridge-to-Reef farm as well as painting buildings at Island Center. Similar activities are in store for this year. A final week of leisure is spent on the island of St. John, a perfect vacation spot. The program is repeated a second time for another group for March through May.
Continue reading "Danish youth Group" »
by Nina York
The year 2011 commemorates no event in Danish West Indies history, but nevertheless will be remembered as remarkable for its current demonstration of cross-Atlantic friendship and connection between Denmark and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
Complementing the substantial number of group and individual visits to the islands during the winter months, when Denmark's climate is cold and dark, the Danish West Indian Society, a long-standing friendship organization that features exchange visits with St. Thomas and St. Croix Friends of Denmark Societies, brought 54 members here in late March. As guests in the homes of the Friends of Denmark, the group brought the attendance at the annual March 31 Transfer Day commemoration (of the day the islands changed hands to become part of the U.S.) to a record number of nearly 300 at the lovely grounds of the Carl and Marie Lawaetz Family Museum north of Frederiksted. Concurrently, as mentioned by the keynote speaker at that event, a group of 23 young Danes were experiencing a 3-month life-coaching and volunteer service seminar here, spending a month on each island and acquiring understanding of island culture.
Continue reading "A Year to Remeber" »
 Not sure what to do with your guests? Want to enjoy a few hours on a boat with a few friends or family? With Seaside Tour, you can take a nice romantic cruise for two, or plan a fun celebration with family, all for the same reasonable price. Seaside Tour operates a new, 25- foot custom glass-bottom boat with canopy top for shade and open sides for a good breeze and to view the shore. The glass bottom allows you to take in all the wonderful underwater life surrounding St. Croix. The whole experience is a great off-shore photo opportunity as well!
Continue reading "Boat Tour with the Frenchman!" »
Harvesting fresh ingredients on a weekly basis, local business owners Calisle Siedenburg and Bale-Shabaka Kaza- Amlak have recently launched their new Renuatum Naturals line of handmade organic cosmetic and healing products available at Renuatum Spa's new Christiansted location at Kalima Center on King Street and island wide to select retailers.
Utilizing local plants like Hibiscus, Aloe, Noni and Coconut,the products are definitely tantalizing. The Hibiscus Honey Exfoliant, for instance, with its bright red color, looks good enough to eat! The addition of pink Himalayan sea salt adds a memorable energetic charge on the skin!
Continue reading "Renuatum Spa" »
So, how is the real estate market these days? It's definitely a "buyers' market!" There are many great properties and terrific low interest rates - under 5% if not under 4%. According to our local MLS statistics, which do not include private sales, the selling price of houses is averaging 22% below the asking price. With over 300 houses and 180 condos actively listed for sale, "Make an offer" is the buzzword.
Continue reading "The Buzzword" »
Elisa McKay, the youngest of eight children and a self-taught artist, grew up in Harlem, New York. After years of working and teaching in the Electronic Data Processing field, Elisa returned to college for a BA in English from the City College of NY. In 1978 she left the big city and migrated to St. Croix in the US Virgin Islands.
Here she taught English, raised her young daughter, Ayanna, and became a caregiver/companion to her aging parents, Ogese and Hedi McKay. Her father was a musician and artist himself.
Continue reading "Meet Cover Artist Elsa McKay" »
We are an island that is obsessed with The Food Network. It makes perfect sense living in a culinary paradise such as St. Croix where you can enjoy a gourmet experience from a beach bar, in the rain forest with a slow-down dinner, or at one of our many fine dining restaurants on island.
St. Croix is so passionate about food that we devote an entire week to celebrate it once a year in April at The St. Croix Food and Wine Experience. A week of elbowing up with famous chefs from around the corner and around the world tasting amazing dinners learning so much about farming, cooking and, of course, wine!
Continue reading "Wine in the VI: Wente Vinyards and The Food Network" »
 The history of our island is mirrored in its old church structures, many of which have recently been restored. The Moravian brethren, arriving here in the 1730s from Saxony in today's Germany, founded their mission to bring Christianity to the enslaved part of the population. Their handsome yellow buildings at the entrance to Christiansted and red-roofed white wooden church midisland, along with a contemporary church in Frederiksted, attest to their continued importance.
The historic Anglican (Episcopalian) churches built in Gothic style include St. John's in Christiansted, and in Frederiksted the beautifully restored St. Paul's church, which had been damaged by a fire in 1996. These and other Anglican churches bear witness to the large English population which settled here (and also brought us our custom of left lane driving.
Continue reading "Island Worship" »
by Jennifer Travis, Park Ranger
Each spring and late summer, sea turtles migrate thousands of miles to nest on St. Croix beaches. Why? Sea turtles nest on their natal beaches as a general rule and, no doubt, picked St. Croix because our beaches have specific characterics - nesting is more successful and/or more common on dark, clean, quiet beaches. Sandy Point is perfect!
Sandy Point was established as a National Wildlife Refuge in order to protect habitat for nesting leatherback sea turtles, to protect the Aklis prehistoric archaeological site, and preserve a stand of the endangered Vahl's boxwood tree.
The Turtle Watch Education Program at Sandy Point National Wildlife Refuge began in 1997 in order to increase knowledge and awareness of nesting sea turtles and to enhance conservation through education. Facilitated by a US Fish & Wildlife Service Park Ranger, the program is broken into two segments--Nesting Watches and Hatchling Watches. The refuge is closed during this time to protect hatchlings and the Watch program has been designed to mitigate this closure.
For more information call 340-690-9452 or email Jenn at jennifer_travis@fws.gov
Continue reading "Coming Home To Nest" »
Part 17 in a series
Excerpts from Divers Information on "The Romantic History of St. Croix" by Florence Lewison, 1963, St. Croix Landmarks Society.
INDIGO AND COTTON. These were once two of the island's staple crops, along with cassava and tobacco. The French tried out indigo plantations, as the blue dye was valuable in Europe until the sea route to India opened new sources. There were two species of the plant on St. Croix.
When the Danes bought St. Croix, the first Governor to look it over thought it had a large enough area for 1,000 cotton plantations in addition to an equal number for sugar. This optimistic figure was never reached but the Oxholm map published in 1794 after nearly ten years of surveying showed approximately 40 cotton estates all east or south of Christiansted. Export figures show that an average of 93,000 lbs. of cotton was shipped out for several years around 1780; had gone down to 79,000 lbs. in the early 1790's, and slipped to 11,000 lbs. after the turn of the century. From this time on cotton became less important and these estates converted mostly to cattle farms. The last cotton ginnery in Christiansted didn't close down until the 1920's, however, and the one at Estate Longford closed about the same time.
Today in the spring and summer the wild cotton still can be seen with its pods bursting over the East End hills.
Continue reading "Some Folk and other Lore, Part 2" »
 "The Blue Water Terrace family is proud to bring you an experience of indulgence that piques all five senses. Join us and let time stand still as you relax and take in the sweeping view of Buck Island, the Caribbean breeze, the old-country aroma of apple and pecan pie baking in the oven, and the decadent flavors you're about to experience in Lori and Aaron's mouthwatering cuisine. The hardest part? Deciding what to have! Let nature, love and our family take care of the rest.
The Blue Water Terrace is the pinnacle of our restaurant dreams in the Caribbean. Operating multiple delis, restaurants, and markets during our 20 years combined experience on St. Croix, we've built a reputation of excellence and expedience, and a knack for getting you what you need on the fly - from last minute caterings, and Buck Island box lunches, to replacing the Thanksgiving turkey you attempted yourself last year! And we've worked hard for the Daily News Reader's Poll recognition as Best Restaurant, Deli, Specialty Market, and Sandwiches and then the Best Entree at Taste of St. Croix for Lori's famous Fried Chicken.
Continue reading "It's Blue Water Terrace!" »
 Editor Opal Palmer Adisa decided to focus this special, silver anniversary issue on Haiti to pay homage to their survival of the 2010 earthquake, that devastated the country, and to commemorate their role as freedom fighters.
Volume 25 features prose and poetry by some of Haiti's local as well as internationally celebrated writers such as Edwidge Danticat, winner of the 2009 Fellow 'Genius Award,' Evelyne Trouillot, novelist and professor at Haiti's State University and Marilene Phipps- Kettlewell, winner of the Iowa Award for short fiction. It also showcases the works of emerging Haitian-American voices such as Mchelle Y. Remy and Wilna Julmiste.
The Caribbean Writer goes bi-lingual with this volume, English and French, forging ahead to reach a wider readership in the Caribbean region, as well as positioning itself for a more diverse international market. Also featured in this 640-page volume are 70 pages of poetry by some of the leading Caribbean poets, including Kamau Brathwaite, Jennifer Rahim, Ernest Pepin, and Sonia Sanchez, plus 100 pages of prose, a special section of Haitian Art, and interviews with Earl Lovelace, who recently won the 2011 Carribbean Literary Prize, and Trinidad- American writer Elizabeth Nunez.
Continue reading "The Caribbean Writer" »
Excerpts from The Living Arts & Crafts of the West Indies, By Walter & Florence Lewisohn, 1973, VI Council on the Arts
Old and new handicrafts have roots deep in the past. Far from disappearing, local crafts and arts keep sprouting anew and branching out in many directions from their ancient traditions and intermingled cultures.
Island crafts arose from the life of the plantation and the boundary of the ocean. Their arts arose from the poetic imagination of the unsophisticated mind stimulated by an environment of warmth, beauty and natural wonders. Out of this came work that was an outgrowth of a special place, of time, necessity and the making-do with the materials which came to hand.
Continue reading "Handicrafts' Artistic Spirit" »
Think reggae music, and one usually thinks Jamaica - the land of Bob Marley and Dennis Brown, Third World and Gregory Isaacs, Garnet Silk and Sizzla. Yet, reggae has long since gone beyond the shores of its country of birth and is now an international phenomenon. For the past fifteen years, the Virgin Islands has developed a unique reggae movement that has captured the support and attention of reggae lovers across the world. With artists like Midnite, Pressure, Dezarie, Niyorah, Mada Nile, Batch and others leading the way, VI reggae is an identifiable force in the world of reggae.
Continue reading "Crucian Riddims" »
by Nina York
Wherever your journey through St. Croix takes you, its history follows you. No area on this little 84 square mile island is untouched by past events. On October 9th, the St. George Village Botanical Garden presents the 2nd Annual Fall Heritage Festival. This celebration recognizes the history of Estate St. George (originally known as No. 27 Prince Quarter) and pays tribute to the individuals who lived and worked there. Since opening in 1972, the Garden has evolved as an educational and recreational resource center, going far beyond being a showplace of beautiful tropical flora in a historic setting of the ruins of a former sugar cane plantation. The site has been inhabited for nearly 2,000 years, first by Amerindians that made their way here from South America, later by a succession of English/Irish/Danish owners and administrators of the extensive sugar estate, along with a large enslaved contingent. The latter were field workers, carpenters, masons, and house servants, watchmen, as well as children who performed tasks in the field from an early age.
Continue reading "St. George Fall Heritage Festival" »
 Part 16 in a series
Excerpts from Divers Information on "The Romantic History of St. Croix" by Florence Lewison, 1963, St Croix Landmarks Society.
ALL through these early centuries the Negroes of St. Croix developed their own customs and their own secret ways of compensating for the hard and sometimes cruel life. There was the joyfulness of music and dance and religion. Superstition often played a large role in adjusting to the environment as it also still did with the white population. Among the most interesting of the superstitions are those involving our local spirits.
JUMBIES. These supernatural beings were to St. Croix what voodoo was to Haiti and Obeah to Jamaica. No one has ever laid hands on a Jumbie, but they were as prevalent as were New England witches. They fought a losing battle and retreated mostly to a position of respect in folklore, love potions, food beliefs and medicinal lore.
The term carries over in such local botannical names as Jumbie Beads, Jumbie Pepper Bush and Jumbie Cutlass.
Some sixty years ago there stood a huge silk cotton tree at Estate Crequis which bloomed in the low narrow valley where there was a perennial "gut" or watercourse. This tree was a redezvous over the years for the remaining Jumbie believers. It was thought to contain a supernatural force which made the tree walk at night.
Continue reading "Some Folk and other Lore" »
by Carol Bayreuther
Lavender and lemongrass is a recipe for relaxation at the Buccaneer Hotel's Hideaway Spa & Salon, especially when these delightful ingredients are part of a delicious body wrap. Kelly Greer, a well-known local photographer and self-proclaimed 'spa-a-holic', can vouch first hand for this wrap's incredible relaxing and rejuvenating powers. "The first step was a buff and polish of my skin until it felt all nice and tingly. Then came the wrap itself. These wonderfully aromatic potions and lotions were all rubbed into my skin and then I was wrapped in a gauze-like material that made me feel all warm, enveloped and relaxed. I had a facial and head and neck massage while the wrap was on. Then, when the gauze was removed, all the lotion had absorbed and my skin had the most incredible soft and silky feel. It was just amazing, just what I needed after weeks of work."
Continue reading "A Day at the Spa" »
 What's happening in real estate these days? First and foremost, there are great opportunities. Secondly, short term rentals are on the upswing. Thirdly, a dialogue on "agency" and how to get the best representation for your real estate transactions is at hand.
Opportunities are everywhere. There are great prices on homes as the market continues to put downward pressure on sellers. If you are serious about selling, your price has to be realistic and considerably lower than it would have been in 2006. There is a lot of competition, so the condition, location, and amenities of a house or condo are very important. There is an increase in land sales as building is an alternative to an overpriced market. There are great commercial opportunities as well with terrific options for buying established businesses (see article photos).
Short term rentals are doing very well, with bookings into next summer already. This bodes well for next season and for investment purchasers interested in short term rental income. Rental rates are higher and the property is available for owner use as well.
Continue reading "Ever-Changing Real Estate Market" »
 Toni writes, "I have been a permanent resident on St Croix for 30 years, painting and looking after birds. Originally growing up in Laguna Beach, California, I had a tremendous love of birds and photography from an early age. I was fortunate enough to be given a scholarship for college in that area from the Laguna Festival of Arts. For two years, at Humboldt State, I studied Photography and Wildlife Management. I was good at drawing and painting and the photography equipment was expensive, so I spent the next two years at Long Beach State studying Biomedical Illustration. That is really where I had my training for the detail and rendering. There I was being trained to paint human subjects and worked often with cadavers, but my passion was entirely birds and animal subjects."
Continue reading "Cover Artists Toni Lance" »
I have been saying for years this is the year for Spanish wines! Not to be outdone by my insistence that this is also the year of Rose, so it only makes sense that in these hot summer months the wine we cover is a Spanish Rose. The
Miguel Torres De Casta Rosada, produced for 40 years, was first created by Miguel Torres Carbo with a combination of traditional Garncaha and Carinena grapes. This wine is perfect with pasta, traditional Spanish tapa and cheeses, serve chilled. It is very refreshing with a one-two punch of aromatics that offer up red berry and tropical fruit notes.
When you are tasting a wine, the majority of your impression comes from smell, about 80%, so it is very important that when you try new wines you enjoy them from a good glass without too many outside interferences.
Miguel Torres Winery is located right outside Barcelona, recently named the culinary capitol of the world. If ever in that part of the world you must visit. It is simply the most amazing tour. Realizing the importance of aromatics in the wine, they tour you through a year in the vineyard - starting with the smell of Spring and bud break, going through summer, and burning fires of fall, then changing to winter and the smell of snow!
In the meantime, enjoy this fine summertime wine!
"The more we care for the earth, the better our wine"
-- Torres Family Winery
Yvonne Villgas and her husband Eddy Ortiz opened El Flamboyant over ten years ago in their now well-known mid-island location. Yvonne's parents were from Puerto Rico and her mother had a Latin food restaurant in Estate Profit for years. Yvonne learned everything she knows about cooking from her mother and sister and always wanted a place of her own. Now its Yvonne's turn to cook and serve coveted family recipes. "I love to cook," she says. "This is fun for me. I will do this for a long while. Love the compliments. Love what I do." At first she had a lot of patrons from Puerto Rico but now the locals come mostly for the seafood and Puerto Rican rice and beans! "We use only fresh vegetables and seasonings like aji dulce (sweet peppers), cilantro, and recao--"can't cook without them," Yvonne says. "My local patrons are crazy for stew beans with pumpkin!" El Flamboyant offers up a Caribbean, Latin, and Seafood menu. If you like fresh fish, lobster, conch, and shrimp, or chicken, steaks, and pork chops, you have to try the way they do it at El Flamboyant! The Shishkabob Booth is open Thursdays and Fridays during Happy Hour. Located mid-island between Centerline Road and the Highway on Route #663, they are open every day. Check our ad for hours and the St. Croix Map #28 to find us!
The largest environmental change that took place on this island in the last millennium after the Danish purchase of St. Croix from France in 1733 was the logging of the forests that covered much of the island. The French had already started in their unsuccessful attempt to create profitable sugar cane plantations, but the Danish clearing was far more extensive, making two thirds of St. Croix into sugar cane and, to a lesser degree, cotton fields. Some of the hardwoods harvested here were used locally but primarily exported to Denmark as well as to other islands less richly endowed with trees. Ultimately, this change of scenery was instrumental in bringing about a climate change towards less rainfall, which over time eliminated many streams that appeared on maps of former days. Today, only during prolonged periods of heavy rainfall will those streams reappear.
Continue reading "Denmark and St. Croix's Environment" »
There is evidence that gold and iron were the only metals used by humans before copper. In Greece, copper was known as chalkos. In Roman times, it was known as aes Cyprium, aes being Latin for copper alloys and Cyprium from Cyprus, where it was mined. The phrase was simplified to cuprum, hence the English copper. Venus represented copper in mythology and alchemy, due to its lustrous beauty and its use in producing mirrors.
Continue reading "Radiant Copper" »
by Toni Lance
They call me the " Bird Lady. " And for good reason. I am a bird person. I watch them, I rehabilitate them, I photograph them and I paint them. And one of my favorite times of year on St. Croix is when new birds migrate to the island.
Running along the mudflats and protected sandy waters at Altoona Lagoon are the charming little Ruddy Turnstones. I love taking a morning drive down there to watch the fishermen clean their fish and the little Turnstones picking in the sand and wetting their orange legs. With breeding plumage of mahogany, black and white, these lovely small shore birds appear in little groups in the winter months.
Continue reading "St. Croix's Featherd Snow Birds" »
St. Croix Recycles.org (also knows as the Recycling Association of the Virgin Islands -- RAVI) is a grassroot organization of individuals, businesses, government agencies, non-government agencies, organizations, and clubs.
Continue reading "Are You Good To Go?" »
As part of my Natural Resources program at the UVI Cooperative Extension Service, I conduct hikes for schools where parents serve as chaperones. As we hike places like Sweet Bottom Bay, Spring Bay, Manning Bay, Fareham Bay, Jack Bay, Isaac Bay, Bodkin Mill, Caledonia Valley, Estate Thomas, French Billy Pond, Annaly Bay, the hikers are always amazed at the beauty of these natural treasures as if seeing them for the first time. It is from this experience that I recognized an interesting phenomenon - very little is known about St. Croix's natural history by the very people who live here.
Continue reading "Gone Bush!" »
 by Carol Cramer-Burke, Program Director, S. E. A.
* When swimming, snorkeling or diving, enjoy the view but don't ever touch or stand on coral. The tiny coral polyps are very fragile and can be easily destroyed.
* Don't take shells from the beach - they can serve as homes for crabs, octopus and other marine creatures. Shell fragments make up a large part of our beautiful sandy beaches. U.S. Customs will confiscate sea shells and sand found in luggage.
* Enjoy the beach but don't leave litter behind! Trash left on the beach is easily washed or blown into the ocean where it can strangle or suffocate sea turtles, birds and other creatures.
* Keep automobiles off of the sand. Green, hawksbill and leatherback sea turtles nest along our shores. Cars compact sand, crush nests and destroy vegetation that is needed to provide appropriate habitat for nesting turtles.
Continue reading "25 Ways to Protect the Marine Environment" »
 Established in 1952, Christiansted National Historic Site was the first unit of the National Park Saystem in the US Virgin Islands. The park's historic buidings and grounds commemorate the Danish heritage (1733-1917) of the town of Christiansted, St. Croix, which was named in honor of the reigning King of Denmark and Norway, Christian VI. In the 1700s, Christiansted was part of a mercantile system that linked Europe,West Africa, and the Caribbean in the infamous "Triangular Trade." Christiansted was the first town in the Lesser Antilles to be built on the grid system and to have a building code. Its distinctive colonial architecture reflects the town's status as capital of the Danish West Indies (1755-1871); the great wealth generated by the export of cane sugar, molasses, and rum; and the influence of government building inspectors.
 For those who desire ease of ownership, St. Croix has 40+ condominium communities. Whether your style is beachfront, hilltop, or golf course living, there is a condo to suit your lifestyle!
Condominiums are especially appealing to those folks who plan to spend less than six months on island and who wish to earn income from rentals while they are off island. They also appeal to busy full time residents who wish to have their residence, pool, and grounds professionally managed. And condominiums especially appeal to people who like to have friends and neighbors nearby and to enjoy an active social life.
Since condominiums are planned developments, they usually occupy prime locations. The cluster style of building brings down the cost of construction, and condos generally cost half as much as nearby single family homes of similar quality. Condos also offer attractive amenities such as a beach, large pool, tennis courts, restaurant, or a golf course - all at an affordable price.
Continue reading "The Condominium Experience on St. Croix" »
 For those who desire ease of ownership, St. Croix has 40+ condominium communities. Whether your style is beachfront, hilltop, or golf course living, there is a condo to suit your lifestyle!
Condominiums are especially appealing to those folks who plan to spend less than six months on island and who wish to earn income from rentals while they are off island. They also appeal to busy full time residents who wish to have their residence, pool, and grounds professionally managed. And condominiums especially appeal to people who like to have friends and neighbors nearby and to enjoy an active social life.
Since condominiums are planned developments, they usually occupy prime locations. The cluster style of building brings down the cost of construction, and condos generally cost half as much as nearby single family homes of similar quality. Condos also offer attractive amenities such as a beach, large pool, tennis courts, restaurant, or a golf course - all at an affordable price.
The major drawback to condominium living is that residents must agree to abide by the rules of the condo association. For example, condos have rules regarding pets and rentals. Financing for condos is more limited than for homes, and buyers typically need a minimum of 20% of the purchase price as a down payment.
Continue reading "Easy Tropical Living" »
Excerpts from "Divers Information on "The Romantic History of St. Croix" by Florence Lewison, 1963, St. Croix Landmarks Society.
THE LABOR RIOTS. Two years later the frustration of the laborers came to a dramatic climax of riots and burnings. It began quietly enough on October first (1878) when new contracts were to be signed. This was a day free from work and the Negroes began to drift into Frederiksted in large numbers. Suddenly in the afternoon the rioting began and the first mob attacked the Fort and was fired upon. An urgent message sent to Christiansted for reinforcements did not arrive there until after midnight. By that time Frederiksted was a river of fire with all of Bay Street burning. The puncheons of rum in the warehouses exploded like cannon. The inferno went on all night and by dawn nearly half of Frederiksted was gone.
Continue reading "Century of Change Part IV" »
Cane Bay Dive Shop, the premier dive operation in the US Virgin Islands, and a PADI Five Star IDC Center on St. Croix, is dedicated to providing guests with knowledgeable, convenient, and trouble-free diving. The professional Cane Bay Dive Shop staff prides itself on "going the extra mile" to provide outstanding and personal service to meet the needs of individual clients.
Experienced divers enjoy the freedom to plan and execute their own dives. New divers are offered advice on buoyancy control and navigation as they follow the knowledgeable guides along Cane Bay's fabulous North Shore Wall.
Continue reading "Cane Bay Dive" »
Miguel Ferguson, pictured here with classmates Xaise and Amanda, lives and goes to school in Grove Place, Frederiksted. He's a 6th-grade student at the Eulalie Rivera Elementary School and will be graduating from the 6th grade this year.
Today, Miguel is an art student in Danica David's classroom but learned that he liked art in kindergarten. At that early age, his father taught him what he knew and his mother encoueraged him to do his best in art. He draws at home as well as in school.
"I like using my hands and mind to create and I love to use color. I have no favorite color -- I like them all! But my favorite things to draw are people and cars in pencil, markers, or paint," says Miguel.
Continue reading "Cover Artist: Miguel Ferguson" »
 Feature and photography by Quiana Duncan
Planning a destination wedding may seem a bit daunting, however the process is easier than you think. As a former destination bride and a current professional photographer on St. Croix, here are my top five recommendations for making your planning experience pleasant and smooth.
Develop Your Vision
When I first meet with a potential client I begin by asking "What is your vision for your wedding day?" Many times my client looks at me with surprise and says, "I'm not sure!" Most of my destination wedding clients have a general idea of what they want, but the details are fuzzy. The truth is the romantic visions you have must be practical while still maintaining your style. Many times we focus solely on our own needs and wants and everything and everyone else is secondary. And, why not, it's your day! But as you begin to develop your vision, consider what it will take to execute your goals. Yes, it is your day and with proper planning it can really be spectacular for everyone.
Continue reading "Wedding Planning" »
Our Caribbean climate makes us an ideal location to drink Rieslings year round. They're great with spicy foods, shellfish and many of our locally caught fishes as well as being an excellent Buck Island boat offering. Rieslings, simply put, pair well with our islands.
A new wine to island, Polka Dot Riesling from Pfalz Germany, features a brilliant white-gold color with lime and citrus aromas, soft pear flavor with floral notes. A crisp acidity, finishing with a nice level of sweetness, makes this an excellent food wine.
Continue reading "Wine in the VI" »
 By Sonia Jacobs Dow
Come Home to St. Croix this July and explore Crucian history and culture as they come alive through drama, music, dance, exhibits, family reunions, old-time games, workshops and lectures. Taste traditional foods, ramble the grounds of Whim Museum, learn about healing plants and herbs and start exploring your family roots in the Library's Family History Center.
Crucians trying to reconnect with their history and visitors wanting to learn more about Crucian culture will find both at this 8-day celebration hosted by the St. Croix Landmarks Society with tradition bearers and historians there to answer your questions.
Spaces will be available at the Museum for family meetings, so start planning a reunion around Come Home to St. Croix! The week begins with a ceremony to honor ancestors on Sunday, July 17th and continues with the opening of exhibits featuring The People of Estate Whim and family trees of various Crucian lineages. The day closes with a Ruins Ramble or exploration of Estate Whim, one of the Places That Matter on St. Croix.
Continue reading "Come Home to St. Croix" »
by Carol M. Bareuther
Emancipation Day is celebrated on July 3 in the U.S. Virgin Islands. This day, and the days leading up to this 163rd annual holiday, will be marketed by a number of celebrations and commemorations that visitors and locals alike are invited to enjoy.
Continue reading "Emancipation Day" »
 The history of our island is mirrored in its old church structures, many of which have recently been restored. The Moravian brethren, arriving here in the 1730s from Saxony in today's Germany, founded their mission to bring Christianity to the enslaved part of the population. Their handsome yellow buildings at the entrance to Christiansted and red-roofed white wooden church mid-island, along with a contemporary church in Frederiksted, attest to their continued importance.
The historic Anglican (Episcopalian) churches built in Gothic style include St. John's in Christiansted, and in Frederiksted the beautifully restored St. Paul's church, which had been damaged by a fire in 1996. These and other Anglican churches bear witness to the large English population which settled here (and also brought us our custom of left lane driving.
Continue reading "Island Worship" »
Excerpts from "Divers Information on The Romantic History of St. Croix" by Florence Lewison, 1963, St. Croix Landmarks Society.
BUDDHOE. During the slave rebellion several other figures emerged as heroes, honored to this day with loving memory in folk legend and song. One of these was Buddhoe, whose actual origins may never be known. His real name was Moses Gottlieb, but history knows him as General Bordeaux or buddhoe. He was a young, intelligent and handsome Negro, a skilled sugarboiler at Estate La Grange.
Buddhoe was reputedly a friend of Governor von Scholten's and it was this fact that later made the Governor's critics accuse him of complicity in the revolt for freedom.
When the conch shells blew and the bells rang, the Negroes had left their estates and headed for Frederiksted Fort. Buddhoe led the early morning march, yet he controlled the mob. Legend has it that he wore a colorful uniform, carried a sabre and rode a white stallion. The workers carried their cane cutting "bills" and some had fire brands. Buddhoe forbade burning or plundering and gave orders that no white person was to be killed.
Continue reading "Century of Change Part III" »
 by Rhonda Pessin, NC, LMT
Figuring out what to eat can be really challenging these days. With all the fancy advertising bombarding us from a high tech world, we can feel overwhelmed with trying to unravel fact from fiction. Our foods are over processed and adulterated with chemicals. Add environmental and emotional stress and our immune systems become weakened and we can find ourselves chronically tired with increased allergies, blood and sugar imbalances, aches and pains and illness. We need to reduce our toxic overload where we can. One way is to eat a more natural plant based, whole foods diet that provides adequate nutrition for our busy, stress filled lives.
Here some basic guidelines for healthy eating. We want to eat as close to the source as possible. There is more nutritional content in a whole grain then a more refined bread, pasta or pastry. Each time the whole grain is milled and processed it loses some nutritional content. In its most refined state such as a pastry with added sweeteners and preservatives, it becomes harmful to our health. The more miles a fruit or vegetable travels to get to your plate, the more nutritionally devitalized it is. Shopping at our local farmers' markets provides the freshest food. Fresh frozen is the next best choice. When we buy limp, canned vegetables loaded with salt, they have no fiber, no enzymes, little nutritional value, and can cause dis-ease.
Continue reading "Nutrition Made Easy" »
 Approaching the island's most upscale open-air restaurant, you will be enchanted first by the waterfall and Koi pond as you cross the bridge and begin your memorable evening. The Cultured Pelican's amazing staff is sure to set the tone of elegance as they seat you comfortably in the dining room, and introduce you to a tasty surprise: a unique, edible centerpiece. Wine lovers rejoice at the extensive selection of wines from around the world, and your server is happy to suggest the perfect vino to compliment each of your courses. With eleven reds and whites available by the glass and over 140 bottles in-house, every palate will be thrilled.
Succulent local lobster, fresh Caribbean fish, hand-cut steaks, and delicious soups and appetizers are prepared daily by acclaimed Chefs Kurt "Bruno" Moritz and Patrick "Yummy" James. The menu features fresh, local favorites like Lamb Ragu served over house-made parpadelle pasta, Braised Local Pork with colorful beet & bacon hash, and the famous Chicken Marsala meticulously prepared with an original "chicken mousse." Sicilian/ American proprietor Mitch Amarando brings the feel of Italy to the table with classics like Stracciatella: egg drop soup made with fresh baby spinach and your second tasty surprise: Nona's bread tapenade. St. Croix celebrated Chef Dave Vargas' influence as a consultant is felt and enjoyed, as a bite of the vegetarian housemade Ravioli will confirm with its flavorful spinach, herb, ricotta stuffing and savory sage butter sauce. Your senses will come alive during your feast; but make sure you save room for dessert!
Continue reading "The Cultured Pelican" »
Our wine of the month is Atmosphere Bismark Mountain Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon. The grapes for this wine come from the highest elevation in the Mayacamus mountain range. The winemaker, Paul Hoffman is a great friend to the Virgin Islands visiting often; he was once Sales Director at Bellows International here before moving to California to fulfill his dream of being a winemaker.
Paul says, "It wasn't until Christmas Day 2006, that the name for this wine was born. My friend's father-in-law, a self-proclaimed beer drinker and wine novice, began to tell us about his favorite wine. It was an Oregon Riesling that he had at a seafood festival, down on the docks, with his wife and two best friends, eating fresh catch, listening to music. He explained that they attended the same event every year and had the same wine so it was their favorite. That's when it hit me - it's all about the atmosphere - a perfect complement to my focus in the vineyard!"
Wine in the Warehouse is a highlight of this week-long event. Leeward Islands morphs theres into a trendy nightspot with specialty cocktails in the VIP Lounge. Winemakers pour for you in the Wine Room ( Paul will be pouring this wine) while music, dancing and excellent chefs cater to the crowd. This is truly a wonderful atmosphere to introduce you to Atmosphere wines. You will certainly remember where you were when you tasted it for the first time!
For Jan Mitchell-Larsen creating art glass is a wonderful escape into the whimsy. Her bright, colorful and functional glass pieces have a sense of humor and are made to be used.
The colors of Caribbean are captured in each piece and the plates make great accent pieces or exiting dinner ware. She creates a wide range of reasonably priced plates, clocks, frames and Christmas ornaments. For the past 16 years Jan has made Christmas ornaments for the White House Tree of Peace and for the last three years ornaments for the Oval Office.
Jan Mitchell-Larsen majored in dimensional design at the Philadelphia College of Art followed by an Artist-in-Residency at the Croyden College of Art in London.
Continue reading "Cover Artist Jan Mitchell" »
Opportunity is everywhere on St. Croix! While the economy may be struggling elsewhere, exciting new development projects such as Diageo and Home Depot are thriving here. Our local utility providers are working daily to improve the quality and diversity of services offered to our residents. Cruise ships are almost a daily part of our lives bringing smiling new faces to our island. Everywhere you look on St. Croix, there are a multitude of opportunities waiting for you! Whether you want to move here and retire or move here to build the next phase of your career, many opportunities are available for you.
As you enjoy your vacation, think about how you could make this enchanting island a permanent part of your future. Would you like land high in the hills to build the home of your dreams? A waterfront house to relax in while watching the sun rise over the water every morning? Or maybe a low-maintenance condo where you can walk out the front door and put your toes in the sand? Whatever your individual dream may be, we can make it a reality.
There are many exciting properties available for sale now on St. Croix with prices that are the lowest in years! Now is a great time to invest in real estate whether you want to make this your permanent home, a second home or an investment rental property. Our Realtors are familiar with every part of the island so we will take the time to meet you with you, listen to the details of what you are looking for and find the perfect piece of real estate for your individual needs.
Continue reading "Investing in St. Croix" »
by Toni Gatti
St. Croix Food and Wine Experience was voted last year as one of the Top 10 Best International Food and Wine Events by Forbes Travel magazine. This year's "feastivities" are going to be bigger and better than ever! This year's theme is "Honoring Women." So in celebration, this year we will be joined by these fantastic women of the industry: Danielle Kyrillos of Bravo Channel's Top Chef Just Dessert, accomplished chefs Anita Lo, Ana Sortun , Tiffany Derry and Liza Shaw, and winemakers Michela Moretti of Villa Cervia Com, Jennifer Halleck of Halleck Vineyards and Lindy Novak of Spottswoode. Below is a convenient breakdown of the week's events.
The Experience begins on Sunday, April 10th with Cuisine on the Green, a day of golf at Carambola where you are treated at each hole with bite-sized pairings of food and wine.
Continue reading "St. Croix Food and Wine Experience" »
 As you stroll through the streets of Christiansted and Frederiksted, you discover an assortment of buildings possessing a solid dignity and restraint, yet lightened by the graceful arches that dominate their facade. Their architectural style can be described as neo-classical, but the era in which these buildings were erected spans over 100 years and as a result various architectural styles, but all were built during the time that Denmark owned the island, between 1733 and 1917. Common to many of them is the use of imported Danish bricks, primarily from an area in southern Jutland, the peninsula connecting Denmark to Germany. These are characterized by a flatter shape than regular bricks and are invariably yellow rather than the usual terra cotta color. Occasionally, some historic buildings use uniquely tropical building blocks of coral, carved out of the reef that then and now surrounds the harbor of Christiansted and other locations near the shores of the island. That material, despite its surprising ability to support a building, would be totally illegal to remove and use for any purpose today. Coral reefs are recognized as being vital supporters of fish and other important marine life.
Continue reading "Historic Architecture" »
 by Frandelle Gerard
Frederiksted is arguably the most remarkable town in the Virgin Islands. Known to many for its deep water harbor and gingerbread houses, the town is filled with historical buildings dating back to 1753 when the town was established by the Danish Government. Frederiksted is also the place where freedom and insurrection were the catalyst for change in the social and economic structure of the island. Today, Freedom City is alive with activity. On a cruise ship day, the vendors line the streets, the taxi buses fill in where there are no vendors and visitors stream down Strand Street, through Budhoe Park and out to visit the historic, cultural and natural attractions on the island. But, a special group stands at the statue of the Freedom Fighter in front of the Customs House being regaled by a CHANT Tour Guide! Clear the road, all you clear the road, Clear the road, let the slave them pass, We a go for a-we freedom - from a famous caris, dates to 1848, and documents the emancipation of the slaves.
Imagine walking the streets of this historic town being led by a guide who grew up in the town when there were only a handful of cars and everyone walked to work, school or church greeting each other as they passed by. As Miss Asta leads the group through the Frederiksted Fort, the oldest building in the town, she relays her memories of when the Fort was the police station and the jail, "chil, leh me tell you! If you were bad, muda would tretin to tek you to de Fort for de nite! All de childrendem would behave after that." Miss Asta Williams is a celebrated story teller who intrigues the listener with Crucian folklore and historical facts.
Continue reading "CHANT Tours" »
 As the St. Croix Ironman 70.3 Triathlon approaches its quarter century mark, it proudly retains a place among the world's elite endurance events. St. Croix has welcomed most of the legends of the professional triathlete ranks and remains a race that, along with the Ironman World Championships in Hawaii, an essential line in any successful resume.
The race, which is held annually on the first Sunday in May, starts with one of the most iconic swims in the sport. Leaving from the beach in front of Hotel on the Cay, the swimmers can see thousands of spectators awaiting their arrival at the swim exit ramp located near the Fort in Christiansted. First though, the athletes must conquer the sometimes choppy water of the harbor, on their way through the 1.2 mile segment.
It is with the bike leg, however, where the race really starts. The racers gather their steeds and head off on what is an always hot, always hilly and frequently windy 56 mile circumnavigation of St. Croix. The route includes massive climbs, treacherous technical turns and unrivaled scenic beauty that test an athlete's concentration and desire.
Continue reading "St. Croix Ironman" »
Excerpts from "Divers Information on The Romantic History of St. Croix" by Florence Lewison, 1963, St. Croix Landmarks Society.
The Governor-General was always ahead of the home government. He was the first to give Negroes good government jobs, and twice a week he held brilliant receptions to which both Negro and white residents were invited.
REBELLION AND FREEDOM. Time was running out, and the stage was set for rebellion with the characters onstage: a liberal Governor; his free-colored mistress (Anna Heegaard); reactionary or dubious planters; a slow-moving home government; some 5,000 free Negroes, and some 17,000 slaves on St. Croix who wanted their freedom.
Continue reading "Century of Change, Part II" »
“The 2000s were a great decade for real estate overall” according to forbes.com. even after the housing bubble and mortgage crisis, there is still an average annual gain of 4.3% in value per square foot.
A sample of St. Croix property values indicates St. Croix real estate is appreciating at an even better rate.
In 1999 a typical home in Judith’s fancy sold for $200,000, and today that same home sells for $500,000. That an appreciation rate of 8.69% per year.
At Coakley Bay condos, the average price of a two bedroom condo was $100,000 in 1999, while in 2010 its price is $250,000. That’s also an increase of 8.69% annually.
Continue reading "Own a Piece of Paradise" »
The history of this island is an integral part of daily life, and numerous local groups and organizations contribute to promoting the public interest in our past for its culture and lessons for today.
At this time of year, we commemorate one major historical event that radically changed life on this island as well as on St. Thomas and St. John. On March 31, 1917, nearly 100 years ago, the transfer of ownership of what was then known as the Danish West Indies passed to the United States in exchange for $25 million in gold coin. What had previously been a rather impoverished remote outpost for Danish officials and military after the decline of the sugar cane industry now came under the command of the U. S. Navy in part as a defense site during World War I to protect against German invasion of the Caribbean and the new Panama Canal. The change of ownership prompted many local residents to seek their fortune elsewhere.
Continue reading "Transfer Day" »
 The strong cinematic images of of photographer Ted Davis are created using a wide range of professional tools like vintage cameras or the latest in digital photography. Davis says "I work to create a compelling image as if directing a movie; my goal is to create an emotional response by manipulating light, color, texture and composition." His photographic style reflects his knowledge and interest in taking the best features of a subject and emphasizing them. "My subjects look how they ought to look."
Creating memorable and desirable pictures is very familiar to Davis. Before moving to St. Croix six years ago, he spent twenty years in Hollywood, California appearing in motion pictures and television shows like Seinfeld, Doc Hollywood, Just Shoot Me, The Parkers, West Wing and many others. Camera work and script writing were also part of the mix and he says he's "still in the picture business, but now my pictures hang on your walls." The photographs are printed here on St. Croix using the very best materials made available to date in archival papers and inks, ensuring print permanence and quality.
Continue reading "Cover Artist Ted Davis" »
Galangal Restaurant, 17 Church Street, is located in the 1729 house in historic downtown Christiansted across from the fort. Its interior features original colonial Indonesian style woodwork, windows, doors and columns combined with Asian art. Exquisite lacquer on wood paintings of hill tribes in Vietnam, a royal lady and serene lake scenes are symbols of superb Asian craftsmanship and art. Thai Buddha carvings inside provide tranquility. Thai statues outside guarding the entrance against bad spirits. Terra-cotta Tomb Soldiers from China (copies) are watching the inside. All designed as a get away to some distant place to enjoy tantalizing food and good company.
Continue reading "Galangal Restaurant" »
 Join us for our 40th Anniversary Show February 25, 26, and 27 at the UVI Great Hall!
The St. Croix Orchid Society, founded in 1963, began with 7 enthusiastic orchid growers and soon became an Affiliate Member Society of the American Orchid Society. The show venues began at The Buccaneer Hotel but moved to the Christiansted Library, Barracks Yard, and finally to the American Legion Hall from 1994 to 2010.
Many people have dedicated their free time, over the years, to growing orchids and also growing the Society. These include past presidents such as Rita Forbes, Toni Grant, Maurisette Brin, Valerie Combie, Gladys Orr, Pat Ward, Debbie Ellis, Carmen Sagabien, Diana Freas Lutz, and current president, Michelle Thurland Martinez. Still others include Monique Thelamaque, Gleston Sergeant, Mrs. Jennie Lawaetz (charter member), Ira jacobs, Bacilisa jacobs, Alda Forte and the late Sally Schantz.
The St. Croix Orchid Society meets at UVI the last Sunday of the month. Activities include a Father's Day Sale, participation in the Botanical Garden Flower Show, Starving Artists Day, and various workshops throughout the year.
We welcome you to "Celebrating 40 Years of Orchids" starting February 25. For information, contact Michelle Thurland Martinez thurland@viaccess.net
Welcome to the 40th Annversary of the St. Croix Agriculture and Food Fair (Agrifest) running February 19-21! This event gets better every year and draws an audience from the mainland, Puerto Rico, and neighboring islands.
The First Day Opening Ceremony recognizes those who have contributed significantly to the fair in the past and have the Pavilions named after them. The ceremony culminates with the presentation of the Crop and Livestock Farmer of the Year awards before the cutting of the ribbon at the entrance to the Farmer's Market.
Continue reading "St. Croix Agriculture and Food Fair" »
Wow, that name says a lot, but what exactly does it mean? Let’s break this down so that it is easier to understand.
• Michele Chiarlo is the name of the winery
• Moscato (Bianca) is the name of the grape
• d’Asti means from the village of Asti
• Nivole is the proprietorial name of the wine
Or we could just say a lightly effervescent wine made from Moscato grapes in the region of Piedmont, Italy. Why, however, when we can just say Nivole, which means clouds and sounds much more romantic.
The Piedmont region of northern Italy is famous for its brick red wines, the beautiful Barolo and Barbaresco wines made from the Nebbiolo grape- however don’t be afraid to try their lovely white wines like Gavi as they are very refreshing and perfect for our tropical climate. The Chiarlo family has been farming and producing wines for 5 generations.
Moscato is one of the oldest grapes to have been documented throughout history, while the Romans were out conquering the world they were also planting these grapes along the way. Muscato is found in new and old world wine regions and is one of very few varietals that are able to produce wines and also be a table grape.
A simple and elegant pairing for the Nivole wine is to slice and freeze fresh mangos, of which there will be plenty soon enough. Plate the mangos and drizzle the plate with Nivole, be sure to leave enough for a glass for yourself. Don’t hesitate to try it with foie gras or spicy Asian influenced foods.
by JoAnn Jones
It used to be walking, but in today's high stress, fast paced, ever-changing world, the experts agree that yoga is the most recommended form of exercise. According to Stephen Cope of Kripalu Institute, "Yoga is probably the world's most perfect form of exercise. It cultivates cardiovascular health, and muscularskeletal strength and flexibility without the painful and damaging side effects of high-impact aerobics. It tunes up every organ system - respiratory, digestive, reproductive, endocrine, lymphatic, and nervous. It cultivates the body's capacity to relax and dramatically reduces the negative effects of stress." It does not require years of training and apprenticeship and the benefits are immediate!
The word yoga means yoke, conjugal, and union all referring to the connection of the body to the mind, the movement to the breathing, mental focus to relaxation, awareness to activity. This harmonious cooperation honors that the body and mind were meant to be equal partners and brings about a blissful feeling of wellbeing and health.
I learned Yoga and Tai Chi in college where they were taught as support practices to the highly stressful careers in the creative arts and have found them to be just as supportive for a stressful life in general. The slow, low impact meditation- in-motion is especially effective as I get older. I enjoy teaching a class in the beauty of the sunset on the roof at Fort Fredrik Museum every Monday, Wednesday and Friday. We would love to have you join us.
By Dr. Michael Connors
 “The Whim Antique and Collectibles Auction and Fair is the one island event not to be missed,” said Gerville Larsen, St. Croix Landmarks Society’s Chairman. “The air is filled with excitement as you find a bargain or that one special piece you can’t live without. Come to the stunning grounds of Whim Museum to learn about our rich decorative arts history on St. Croix or just hang out with family and friends while enjoying the antiques auction and fair and experiencing the wonderful food and drink.”
Continue reading "25 Years of Antiques Auctions" »
 The history of our island is mirrored in its old church structures, many of which have recently been restored. The Moravian brethren, arriving here in the 1730s from Saxony in today’s Germany, founded their mission to bring Christianity to the enslaved part of the population. Their handsome yellow buildings at the entrance to Christiansted and red-roofed white wooden church mid-island, along with a contemporary church in Frederiksted, attest to their continued importance.
The historic Anglican (Episcopalian) churches built in Gothic style include St. John’s in Christiansted, and in Frederiksted the beautifully restored St. Paul’s church, which had been damaged by a fire in 1996. These and other Anglican churches bear witness to the large English population which settled here (and also brought us our custom of left lane driving.
Continue reading "Island Worship" »
 Some Enchanted Evening presents a selection of show tunes, classic pop, American Songbook standards and more by Carole Demas, who originated the role of "Sandy" in Grease on Broadway. Ms. Demas has been praised by critics such as Clive Barnes and by Andrew Martin, who calls her "a powerhouse of musical theatre." She has performed off-Broadway in The Fantasticks, and appeared in numerous television shows, commercials, and regional theatre productions. A teacher for many years in the New York City school system, Ms. Demas also starred for 12 years in The Magic Garden on WPIX TV. She will be accompanied by her music director Ian Herman on piano and by guitarist Sean Harkness for one night only, Saturday, March 11 at 8:00 p.m.
Continue reading "Top Notch Musical Theater" »
Some artists are emotionally involved with their process; others resolve issues in methodical ways until the work is complete. Some are attracted to aesthetics; others rely on meaning to give value to their work.
ZemiZen is an investigation into two great cultures that receive information and come to an understanding of their living space in entirely different ways. Learn about your personal mental and emotional approach to creativity, your strengths and limitations through "Art and Consciousness" classes with Cindy Male. Visit her new west end studio in the lush setting above the Mt. Washington labyrinth.
Continue reading "ZemiZen: A Carefree, Conscious Attitude" »
St. Croix, the largest of the U.S. Virgin Islands, is rich in landscape, culture and character. The beautiful scenery -- lush rainforests and broad coastal plains -- and numerous outdoor recreational opportunities set against the turquoise Caribbean Sea is testimony to the fact that St. Croix deserves its reputation as a perfect family-friendly vacation spot for second-home buyers and visitors. It's a perfect location for all sorts of outdoor activities from golf on a Robert Trent Jones-designed course, lots of tennis where you can easily get paired with local talent, worldclass scuba diving, kayaking, horseback riding, and fabulous dining.
Continue reading "Real Estate Investing in St. Croix" »
Excerpts from "Divers Information on The Romantic History of St. Croix" by Florence Lewison, 1963, St. Croix Landmarks Society.
St. Croix in the 19th Century experienced a great period of social change; much for the better on the human level, worse on the economic. It was a time of alternating violence and quiet decline.
Continue reading "Century of Change" »
 By Abby Kidder, Executive Director
November marks the return of World Ocean School's historic schooner Roseway to Gallows Bay. This year, Roseway will continue the education programs at sea, begun five years ago, for the island's three public junior high schools as well as adding public elementary students to the program. Also new this year, the program will have space to serve private schools on the island. In total over 700 St. Croix students will participate in World Ocean School programs aboard Roseway, adding to the over 2,000 that have been served over the last four years. World Ocean School's director of education, Eden Leonard, says that this year is about extending the reach of these programs and "tightening up the academic connections to math, science, history, and language arts at sea."This translates into activities on board such as navigation, theory of sail, oceanography, teambuilding, poetry of the sea, speed/distance, reef ecology, and maritime careers. "After a week on board, the students feel a part of the crew and they understand that what they are learning in school has an actual application in the world," says Leonard.
Continue reading "Roseway's Ocean School" »
Long-time St. Croix resident Caroline Duprey is the "artist-in-residence" at Designworks, located in Apothecary Hall at No. 6 Company Street in Christiansted, where a selection of her work is always on display and for sale.
Caroline studied art at the Manchester Institute of Arts, Manchester, NH, Boston Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, MA, Ginger Norman Studio, Loudon, NH, and DeCordova Museum School, Lincoln, MA. Her work has been exhibited throughout New England and in the Virgin Islands. On St. Croix she is a regular exhibitor at the Good Hope School's Caribbean Fine Arts Exhibit, while on St. Thomas she has been invited to participate in several group shows at Mango Tango Art Gallery.
Continue reading "Caroline Duprey" »
Fifth-generation winemaker Karl Wente speaks on this wine: “Half of this wine is fermented in barrels, delivering a nice creamy texture, and half in stainless steel tanks, delivering a crisp minerality to the wine. It is this crispness that makes this wine unique to many other California Chardonnays. Further, we blend about 3% Gewurztraminer into the wine, causing floral aromatics to burst out of the glass, along with the classic aromas of apple, pear, and apricot. For these reasons and characteristics, I find that the Morning Fog Chardonnay is well “equipped” for the tropical climate.”
Wente Family Vineyards is the longest continuously-running family winery in California. They have been farming in the San Francisco Bay AVA (American Viticultural Area) in Livermore Valley for 127 years and all Wente properties practice sustainable farming by building healthy soil and recycling crop waste.
Morning Fog Chardonnay is featured in this issue because it pairs beautifully with local island dishes like Fresh Fish with Mango Salsa or Local Lobster. You can find it at some of our top restaurants such as The Galleon at Green Cay Marina, The Buccaneer Hotel, and Galangal in Christiansted.
When in California wine country, don’t miss the opportunity to visit this vineyard--complete with restaurant and golf course.
For more information visit: www.wentevineyards.com
eat@canebay just celebrated their 1st year of business on the North Shore. Sunsets and the coldest beers on St. Croix are just a couple attractions that bring locals and tourists to this popular destination. Here's what a few of the guests have said - "We tried eat@canebay for lunch one day and liked it so much, we went back for dinner the same day!", "A gourmet experience in tropical paradise," and "I love, love, love to eat at eat@canebay. I would probably follow Frank and Katherine through the gates of hell, salivating, fork in hand!"
Continue reading "eat@canebay" »
By Nina York
If you insist that Christmas is defined by a snowy landscape with Santa Claus, sled and reindeer, and warming yourself by a blazing fireplace, our tropical Christmas may disappoint you. Admittedly, local traditions have had to yield Santa a place in our tropical celebration of Christianity's major holiday.
Continue reading "Sharing Our Crucian Christmas Traditions" »
By Carol Bareuther
It's not snow or icicles, but festive lights, glittering garland and dazzling decorations such as stars, reindeer and candy canes, which deck the streets and alleyways of Christiansted at Christmastime. It wasn't always this way. In fact, up until the early 1950's the historic town didn't boast the warm holiday glow it does now. But, back then was when a benevolent group of gentleman, full of seasonal spirit, first illuminated the town with its spectacular ornamental trimmings. Thank the Gentleman of Jones for this holiday highlight.
Continue reading "The Gentlemen of Jones" »
 The history of our island is mirrored in its old church structures, many of which have recently been restored. The Moravian brethren, arriving here in the 1730s from Saxony in today's Germany, founded their mission to bring Christianity to the enslaved part of the population. Their handsome yellow buildings at the entrance to Christiansted and red-roofed white wooden church midisland, along with a contemporary church in Frederiksted, attest to their continued importance.
The historic Anglican (Episcopalian) churches built in Gothic style include St. John's in Christiansted, and in Frederiksted the beautifully restored St. Paul's church, which had been damaged by a fire in 1996. These and other Anglican churches bear witmess to the large English population which settled here (and also brought us our custom of left lane driving.
Continue reading "Island Worship" »
 Ayurveda is a profound science of preventive medicine and health care that has its roots in the ancient wisdom of India. Ayurveda comes from two Sanskrit root words, Ayur, or "life," and Veda, meaning "knowledge" or "science." Therefore, Ayurveda is usually translated as "the science of life."
The benefits are being integrated into the Treatments and Programs at Renuatum Spa & Wellness Center. Workshops teach a new balanced state of awareness creating a higher state of health. To quote Deepak Chopra in his book Perfect Health, "To change the printout of the body, you must learn to rewrite the software of the mind. Everything you eat, say, think, do, see, and feel affects your overall state of balance."
Choose from two workshops this Fall:
Introduction to Ayurveda
A one-day workshop including yoga, ancient philosophies, learning your constitution, and home therapies - including herbal applications, skin care, food choices, and illness differentiation. A fresh, organic Ayurvedic lunch is included. For the next workshop date call 718-2440.
Ayurveda: Beyond the Basics
A one-day workshop with more detailed information on the Ayurvedic theory and philosophy. Includeds handson treatments, chakra balancing, dosha dhatu charts, and in-depth studies of disease prevention. A great experience for the practitioner or those interested in furthering their own ability to prevent dis-ease and pursue optimum health. Fresh, Ayurvedic lunch is included. Sunday, October 23. Class size limited. Call 718-2440 to register.
Excerpts from "Divers Information on The Romantic History of St. Croix" by Florence Lewison, 1963, St. Croix Landmarks Society.
Some two hundred years ago there was born on Nevis in the British islands a somewhat small, frail and intense boy with blue eyes and red hair. He was the son of an impecunious third son of a Scottish Laird, and of Rachel Lavien. The date of his birth is now set at 1755 by newly discovered Danish documents. This makes Alexander Hamilton two years older than was thought.
Continue reading "Alexander Hamilton on St. Croix" »
The recent passing of Leo Carty, a beloved artist who had made his home in St. Croix since 1976, was mourned by many in this community and abroad, not least in Denmark, where he with help from friends found inspiration for his numerous paintings of island scenes of people and buildings in settings around the end of the 19th century.
This fine artist was born in 1931 in Harlem, New York of Trinidadian parents. He showed artistic talent from an early age, receiving a scholarship to the Museum of Modern Art School for Children, enabling him to graduate from New York's High School of Music and Art, and later attend prominent institutions Cooper Union and Pratt Institute. During the Korean War, the U.S. Air Force availed itself of his talent by having him illustrate manuals and safety posters. In New York, he started a greeting card company Anton Studios, using his own illustrations. He became a skilled cartoonist and contributed syndicated cartoons for a large number of African- American newspapers.
Continue reading "An Indirect Danish Connection" »
Is it our History, our Culture, our Size, our Environmental Diversity? Probably all of these and more. When visitors come to our island of St. Croix, they ask what differentiates us from other Caribbean islands?
For some visitors and certainly for our residents, our rich historical legacy stands out. Starting in the 17th century, interesting stories of European settlers (principally English, Irish, Danish,) enslaved African revolt and independence, mass migrations from other islands, are commemorated and celebrated in holidays and ceremonies, books, research and museums. Our history is evident in our every day life and architecture and contributes to our cultural uniqueness.
Continue reading "What Makes St. Croix Different?" »
"I have been painting for over 40 years. In 1965 I graduated from the University of Connecticut with a BFA in Art and taught High School Art for several years before raising a family.
After first visiting St. Croix in 1972 and subsequently purchasing a home here in 1986, I became thoroughly enthralled with the colors, the surroundings and the inhabitants of the island. Though my permanent home is in Connecticut, my heart is in St Croix, where I maintain a studio and paint whole-heartedly while in residence.
Continue reading "Nancy Pistilli Byrnes" »
By Karylyn Parsons -- West Indies
Sitting here as Hurricane Earl passes by, I am thankful that it left us mostly unharmed. I began counting blessings and it occurred me that we have had much more pleasant visits especially as far as the wine community is concerned.
This year St Croix played host to the amazing Bo and Heidi Peterson Barrett. They are probably the most famous wine making couple in the world. He from Chateau Montelena and the subject of the movie Bottleshock, she of such cult wines as Screaming Eagle and Le Sirena.
Continue reading "Wine in the Virgin Islands" »
 Ace Roti Shop is one of the fastest growing local lunch spots on St. Croix! Owned and operated by husband and wife (Anil and Arriana), the Roti Shop is named after their 2 year old son Ace.
Roti is a traditional Indian griddlecooked flatbread served with potato and chick peas (aka garbanzo or channa) as well as your choice of meat. Ace Roti Shop serves these two types of rotis:
Dhalpuri roti is made with a stuffing of ground yellow split peas, cumin (geera), garlic, and pepper. The split peas are boiled until they are al dente and then ground in a mill. The cumin is toasted until black and also ground. The stuffing is pushed into the roti dough, and sealed. When rolled flat, the filling is distributed within the roti.
Paratha roti is made with butter and is more of a traditional roti which is commonly served at Indian weddings and ceremonies. When this type of roti is almost finished cooking, it is then beaten causing it to break apart giving it its nickname "buss-up-shut" which translates to "burst-up-shirt" as it appears as a torn white t-shirt.
Continue reading "Ace Roti - Calling All Curry Lovers!" »
 What is Larimar anyway? Its a rare blue variety of pectolite found in the Dominican Republic but sold throughout the Caribbean. Its coloration varies from white, light-blue, green-blue to deep blue.
For a little history, The Dominican Republic's Ministry of Mining records show that in 1916 Father Miguel Domingo Fuertes Loren requested permission to explore and exploit the mine of a certain blue rock he had discovered. Pectolites were not yet known in the Dominican Republic and the request was rejected.
In 1974, Miguel Mendez and Peace Corps volunteer Norman Rilling rediscover Larimar on a beach. Miguel took his young daughter's name Larissa and the Spanish word for sea (mar) and formed Larimar, by the colors of the water of the Caribbean Sea, where it was found.
Continue reading "Larimar..." »
By Carol Cramer-Burke, Renata Platenberg and Jennifer Valiulis
That's right, we love bats! In fact, we like them so much that in 1999 SEA accepted responsibility for conservation of a colony of Cave Bats, also called Antillean fruit-eating bats, which have made their home in a Danish well tower. The stone structure and cool moist environment inside approximates a cave-like atmosphere. SEA installed fencing to protect the bats from molestation by people who often misunderstand these amazing and beneficial creatures.
Most of the frightening myths about bats are untrue. They do not become tangled in your hair although they are curious and may swoop close to get a look at what's going on. They are not blind; in fact they have good eyesight and also use sonar to locate prey and navigate through complex habitats in the dark. Bats in the Virgin Islands do not carry rabies or any other diseases that can harm humans and none of the five species of bats found here are blood eaters. There are only three species of vampire bats in the world and all are found in Central and South America.
Continue reading "SEA is 'Batty'!" »
By Domitila Vargas
Puerto Ricans have been part of this community from the beginning of the last century and have become a strong, powerful group of people working hard to improve themselves, their families and what became their new home, St. Croix.
Their influence was recognized in 1964 by the local Legislature, under Governor Ralph E. Paiewonsky, approving Act No. 1075 making a historical change. Columbus Day, observed in all the Americas as the Discovery Day, was now to be Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico Friendship Day. This bill called upon the citizens of the Virgin Islands to "observe the occasion with fitting ceremonies honoring Puerto Ricans residing in our midst and who have made substantial contributions to the advancement and progress of the Virgin Islands."
Continue reading "Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico" »
Julie San Martin -- ReMax St. Croix
The US Virgin Islands real estate market is unlike the US real estate market in one important respect - limited inventory. Consequently, real estate ownership in the USVI an effective tool for wealth preservation.
2010 is one of these windows of opportunity. Inventories have begun to level off and the number of closed sales is increasing. Buyers will get their best deals on St. Croix real estate - homes, condos, and land - during the next 12 months. It's counterintuitive to buy when few others are, but a wise investment!
Continue reading "Real Estate: Window of Opportunity" »
 The history of our island is mirrored in its old church structures, many of which have recently been restored. The Moravian brethren, arriving here in the 1730s from Saxony in today's Germany, founded their mission to bring Christianity to the enslaved part of the population. Their handsome yellow buildings at the entrance to Christiansted and red-roofed white wooden church midisland, along with a contemporary church in Frederiksted, attest to their continued importance. The historic Anglican (Episcopalian) churches built in Gothic style include St. John's in Christiansted, and in Frederiksted the beautifully restored St. Paul's church, which had been damaged by a fire in 1996. These and other Anglican churches bear witness to the large English population which settled here (and also brought us our custom of left lane driving.
Continue reading "Island Worship" »
For centuries, labyrinths have held great spiritual significance. Now everyone, from medical professionals to religious leaders, is touting the healing effects of these intricate walkways.
The labyrinth's coiled patterns have been found on pottery and clay tablets dating back 4000 years. The oldest existing labyrinth of medieval design is in Chartres, France, built around 1200 in the floor of Chartres Cathedral.
Labyrinths were a form of pilgrimage for some; people walked the path, ascending toward enlightenment. Many could not afford to travel to holy sites so labyrinths and prayer substituted for such travel. Later, the religious significance of labyrinths faded though recently their spiritual aspect has seen a resurgence.
Continue reading "Mt. Washington Labyrinth" »
Excerpts from "Divers Information on The Romantic History of St. Croix" by Florence Lewison, 1963, St. Croix Landmarks Society.
In 1773 Europe was in another of its states of tension over quarrels between various combinations of nations. The price of sugar fell, the coffee market crashed in Germany and a general slump culminated in England's trying to enforce the Tea Tax in the colonies. That was the year of the Boston Tea Party, which in any preceding year might just as well have been a molasses or rum party. It led to the outbreak of actual fighting in 1775.
England promptly switched from French brandy to West Indian rum for its navy, and the French began their unofficial aid to the northern colonies. In the West Indies the smuggling went right on.
Continue reading "Rum and Revolution, Part 2" »
First of all, please know that Lionfish are NOT harmful to you - just the environment! They do have venomous spines, however, so you don't want to touch them or any other fish for that matter. That being said, we could use your help with the USVI Lionfish Removal Effort!
 The Indo-Pacific Lionfish is a beautiful, dramatically colored, striped fish, with a bit of an attitude. It is often stationary, resting against rocks or under coral ledges allowing you to get a close view of it. Unfortunately the Indo-Pacific Lionfish is invasive and harmful to the environment. The Lionfish have been documented eating an average of 85% of the juvenile fish on a reef in a 5-week period. They are also prolific breeders - Lionfish have been observed breeding every month of the year; a single adult female can release over 30,000 eggs as often as every 4 days!
Continue reading "Lionfish be Gone!" »
 Toni writes, "I have been a permanent resident on St Croix for 30 years, painting and looking after birds. Originally growing up in Laguna Beach, California, I had a tremendous love of birds and photography from an early age. I was fortunate enough to be given a scholarship for college in that area from the Laguna Festival of Arts. For two years, at Humboldt State, I studied Photography and Wildlife Management. I was good at drawing and painting and the photography equipment was expensive, so I spent the next two years at Long Beach State studying Biomedical Illustration. That is really where I had my training for the detail and rendering. There I was being trained to paint human subjects and worked often with cadavers, but my passion was entirely birds and animal subjects.
Continue reading "Cover Artist Toni Lance: For the Love of Birds" »
By Toni Lance
When the water is clear, the fish can see you and on a rough day, you can't see them. There are times when you see no fish at all. There are the storms, when you either stay tucked on the ground or soar with the high breeze that might take you far from home. And then there are those days, when the wind is perfect and you and your friends are drafting each other low over the water and you spot the ideal fishing ground. The day is spent flying high, circling, diving, crashing, splashing, stuffing yourself with fresh fish, sunning, preening, and relaxing. Oh to be a pelican.
The Brown pelican is the smallest of the eight species of pelicans. With a wingspan of 6-8 feet, it is the only pelican that dives for fish from the air. The most distinguishing feature of the pelican is its long beak with a hooked tip and a huge gular or pouch. The Brown pelican weighs 6-12lbs and needs to consume about 4lbs of fish a day. With acute eyesight, the pelican dives for medium-sized bait fish, locally in the Virgin Islands called sprat or fry. The birds acrobatically dive from as high as 60 feet above the water to scoop up fish and as much as 30 gallons of water into their gular. As they lift their heads out of the water, the flexible pouch drains and they throw their head back to swallow the catch.
Continue reading "Oh, To Be a Pelican!" »
Be sure to catch the Crab Races, a popular local event featured several evenings per week at waterfront restaurants (check the Events Calendar for times and locations). Fun for adults and children alike, it's a great opportunity to get out and mingle, enjoy Happy Hour, and win some terrific prizes. Participating is simple: Examine the basket of hermit crabs ( there are all shapes and sizes), choose one that looks fast, and decide on a good "racing name" for your entrant. At the sound of the horn (or in this case a kazoo) the crabs are off and running to the cheers of the crowd! With several heats and lots of winners, it's good island-style fun!
By Claudia Lombard
Sea turtles are among the largest living reptiles. They spend almost their entire lives at sea, have scales and a bony shell (except leatherbacks), are cold blooded, breathe air, and lay their eggs on land. The earliest known sea turtle fossil dates back to 150 million years ago! St. Croix is home to four species of sea turtle. The leatherback, hawksbill, green and loggerhead sea turtle are found nesting on the beaches and swimming in the waters of the U.S. Virgin Islands.
Leatherback sea turtles are the largest sea turtle; females nesting on St. Croix average 6-800 lbs and the largest male ever recorded was more than 2000 lbs! After nesting in the tropics, leatherbacks migrate to the North Atlantic; a satellite transmitter was attached to a St. Croix nester and she was documented traveling all the way to Nova Scotia! Scientists have estimated that leatherbacks could be extinct within 10 to 15 years based on current levels of population decline.
Continue reading "Sea Turtles" »
Saturdays, 9-11am (beginning Jan. 2)
St. Croix Map #11
Organic sweet local tomatoes, salads, herbs, veggies, and a new farm have sprouted on the South Shore. All new farmstand, art gallery, gardens, rain catchment ponds, and livestock and sculpture gardens! During construction, farmer/artist Luca Gasperi plans to continue supplying customers with the highest quality fresh produce. www.ARTfarmLLC.com
Continue reading "Eat Fresh, Buy Local - A Farmer's Directory" »
A historical perspective of the development of St. Croix after 1917 shows a pattern of an island that gets discovered, goes through a period of growth, and then seems to go to sleep only to be rediscovered again. This pattern dates back to the late 1930's and 40's with the migration of people from Vieques and Puerto Rico. The island then went quiet until the late 1950's when the Grapetree Bay Hotel was built and the tourism market was born. Thru the 1960's hotels and condos were being built from East to West like Grapetree Beach, St. Croix by the Sea, Queens Quarter, Mill Harbor, Sugar Beach, The Reef, Gentle Winds, Sunset Beach and Granada Del Mar. By the early 1970's, St. Croix started suffering from growing pains and, with the US economy on a downturn, the island seemed forgotten by the travel industry. Fortunately, during the 1960's, the Harvey Aluminum Plant and the Hess Oil Refinery were built adding to the existing Cruzan Rum Plant giving the island some diversity in its economy.
Continue reading "Real Estate" »
Excerpts from "Divers Information on The Romantic History of St. Croix" by Florence Lewisohn, 1963, St. Croix Landmarks Society
THE relationship between West India rum and the American Revolution is one often ignored by the history books, perhaps because its story is not the most savory. It is a complicated tale of smuggling, slave trading and evasion of the British Acts of Trade - all of which were respectable New England occupations at the time.
The British Molasses Act of 1733, the New Molasses Act of 1765 and the 1765 Stamp Act set up an economic chain of events leading directly to the Revolution. In effect the New Molasses Act prevented the North Americans from trading with the French, Dutch and Danish islands for molasses by imposing a stiff duty, and as a consequence would have forced the New Englanders to abandon their rum stills and buy rum from the British West Indies. The effect on the rum distillers (63 in Massachusetts alone) was incalculable, as it was tied directly to the whole economic structure of the area, based on the rum and slave trade.
Continue reading "Rum and Revolution, Part 1" »
 Danes take great pride in their national flag, and display it not only on flagpoles in their gardens, but as little paper flags used to decorate everything from canapeALs to envelopes. The flag business is a thriving one in Denmark, not least around the celebration known as Valdemars Day, June 15, when legend has it that the Dannebrog, as the flag is called, made its dramatic first appearance in the year 1219, making it the world's oldest flag still in use.
That event was a battle between the Danish army, led by King Valdemar, and the forces from the Russian steppes, taking place in Estonia on the Baltic Sea. Legend describes the battle as going badly for the Danes, when a prayer was offered to God by Bishop Absalon, who was with the army, to provide a token of support for them. Soon, a red cloth sectioned by a white cross fell from the heavens, giving the Danes the moral courage to prevail in the battle.
Continue reading "Story About a Flag" »
Twenty years ago, Anchor Dive Center opened its doors at Salt River Marina. "I remember cleaning, painting, and building cabinets," recounts Laurie Dunton, owner. Prior to us, many companies occupied the tiny space, surrounded by all of its natural beauty, but none were as successful as Anchor Dive Center and, at that time, no one ever imagined just how significant Salt River would become!
Salt River Bay National Historical Park and Ecological Preserve was created in 1992 as part of the National Park System. This 1,015-acre park is home to some of the largest remaining mangrove forests in the VI, as well as a coral reef and submarine canyon and is studied by researchers year-round.
Continue reading "Salt River" »
St. Croix-born artist, Danica M. David creates what she likes to call contemporary folk art by brilliantly depicting her colorful Caribbean and religious culture.
She began studying art during her Junior year at St. Croix Central High School and was motivated to paint when she returned home from college trying to fill the blank wall space in her apartment. After several years of painting part time, she opened Danica Art Gallery in 2001. First on King Street, she now resides in historic Apothecary Hall on Company Street.
Danica is always searching for exciting local art to display in her gallery and each month manages to pull together a wonderful assortment of sculptures, prints, pottery, locally-made jewelry including her own West Indian line, hand-painted furniture, cards, and art clocks. Staples in the gallery are Sarah Lee Hayes pottery and Nancy Byrnes pastels. From June 17 through July 1, Danica Art Gallery will showcase student artwork from St. Croix Educational Complex and St. Coix Central High School.
Continue reading "Danica David" »
By Marilyn Chakroff
Summertime in St. Croix is mango season, and the abundance of the season will be celebrated at the 14th Annual Mango Melee and Tropical Fruit Festival at the St. George Village Botanical Garden on Sunday, June 27, from 12 noon until 6:30 pm.
Often described as "the Queen of Tropical Fruit," the mango reigns over the summer season in St. Croix. Nearly everyone can recall the first time they bit into a juicy, delicious mango. No other fruit evokes the warmth, flavors, and fragrant beauty of the tropics so well as the mango. The great interest and enthusiasm for this fruit is apparent in the exciting variety of activities at Mango Melee.
"Mango Melee" is the brainchild of staff from the St. George Village Botanical Garden, the VI Department of Agriculture, and the University of the Virgin Islands Cooperative Extension Service and Agricultural Experiment Station. Fourteen years ago, these three entities came together to find ways to promote the use of the mangoes that saturate the islands yearly. Since then, Mango Melee has become St. Croix's most popular summer festival.
Continue reading "Mango Melee" »
Having never attained a population greater than 5,600, Christiansted has always been small in size, but makes up for it in picturesqueness. Since its 1735 birth at the beginning of the Danish era in St. Croix, from 1733 to 1917, it moved from a humble beginning of wooden huts with thatched roofs to the grandeur of a building like the central part of Government House within less than 15 years. This confirms the rapid development of the economy that had been practically non-existent here during the years the island was owned by France. The former French village of Bassin where Christiansted is now had practically disappeared, and the island was abandoned.
 The Danish West Indian and Guinea Company purchased St. Croix from France and made rapid progress in developing a sugar cane economy throughout the island, supported by slave labor. The chief merchant Johan Wilhelm Schopen built Government House center section as a residence for himself and his family; in 1771, 16 years after the Danish Crown had taken over the ownership of the island, it became the seat of the Danish West Indian government, and Christiansted was now the capital of the Danish West Indies, a title it held until 1871, when, after a long period of decline, St. Croix ceded the role to Charlotte Amalie in St. Thomas.
Continue reading "Christiansted Celebrates" »
Come for the food and entertainment; leave with a better understanding of St. Croix's unique Culture and Heritage. This Cultural Kalaloo of Crucian Cuisine features a West Indian-style buffet -- a collection of wonderful local dishes, accompanied by the sounds of sweet steel pan,by LC & Company. Learn how to dance Quadrille with the Ay-Ay Cultural Dancers and watch in awe as the Guardians of Culture Mocko Jumbies, present...MOKOLUTION: The Evolution of the Mocko Jumbie! A Divi Resort exclusive! Barbeque Buffet starts poolside at 6:00 pm, followed by entertainment starting at 7:30 pm. Join us for a night of unforgettable food, fun, and entertainment!
Adults $27 / Children $20 / Seniors $22 Reservations are strongly encouraged as seating is limited For reservations and more information, call 773-9700 ext 712
 Christiansted, St. Croix, March 28th 2010-- The St. Croix Hotel and Tourism Association is rolling out two "Sweet Deal" packages to entice potential travelers to choose St. Croix as their vacation destination.
"SPRING INTO ONE SWEET DEAL"- Visitors who reserve a minimum four night stay from March 29-August 15, 2010 with travel from April 15-August 31, 2010 with Carambola Beach Resort, Caravelle Hotel, Chenay Bay Beach Resort, Company House Hotel, King Christian Hotel, Sand Castle on the Beach or The Palms at Pelican Cove will receive a 4th night free, $50.00 resort credit, a coupon booklet valued at $1000.00, 5 flavor sampler of Cruzan Rum and a $5.00 Casino Match Play from Divi Carina Bay Casino.
Continue reading "St. Croix Hotel Association: Two New Packages For Spring and Fall" »
 Is it our History, our Culture, our Size, our Environmental Diversity? Probably all of these and more. When visitors come to our island of St. Croix, they ask what differentiates us from other Caribbean islands?
For some visitors and certainly for our residents, our rich historical legacy stands out. Starting in the 17th century, interesting stories of European settlers (principally English, Irish, Danish,) enslaved African revolt and independence, mass migrations from other islands, are commemorated and celebrated in holidays and ceremonies, books, research and museums. Our history is evident in our every day life and architecture and contributes to our cultural uniqueness.
Continue reading "Real Estate: What Makes St. Croix Different?" »
By Abby Kidder
 It's year four for the World Ocean School's historic ship Roseway to be back in St. Croix providing education programs at sea for the island's three public junior high schools. Over 2000 students have studied aboard Roseway in the last four years and 2010 will add another 700. This year the focus is on developing a tighter connection to what these kids are already studying in math, science, history, and language arts. This translates into activities on board such as navigation, theory of sail, oceanography, team building, poetry of the sea, speed/distance tests, reef ecology, nautical terminology, and maritime careers. After a week on board, the students really feel they're part of the crew. And this year, Stevenson Formel Freight Services, operators of the M/V Norma H II, sponsored Roseway crew shirts for each and every student so they could look like crew too.
The World Ocean School is a non profit organization that creates and provides a method of experiential education at sea that affords teenage students a practical application for their studies as well as cultivating teamwork, community service, environmental responsibility, and cross-cultural friendships so that they gain insight into becoming empowered, motivated, and engaged citizens. To learn more or sail with them visit www.worldoceanschool.org or call 340-626-7877.
Excerpts from "Divers Information on The Romantic History of St. Croix" by Florence Lewisohn, 1963, St. Croix Landmarks Society.
A LITTLE RUM-INATION. Every planter had his own opinion about making rum and the variations were endless. While the best rum came from cane juice alone, it was also the most expensive process, and today there are only two or three brands in all the West Indies made this way.
The early planters were known to use such flavor pickups as Seville oranges, lemons, tamarinds or any acid fruit. The St. Kitts distillers added sea water and swore by it. Others used nitre, tartar, common salt, vegetable or mineral acids.
Continue reading "Molasses to Rum: Part 2" »
Among the over seven thousand Danish visitors to our islands every year, quite a few come here with a special mission: to locate information about a family member who many years ago, when the island belonged to Denmark, lived and worked here.  A substantial number came here as government workers, others as soldiers or gendarmes ( a hybrid soldier/police officer stationed here after 1909 ) or as employees or managers at the many sugar factories. Family lore in Denmark often contains tales of an adventurous relative who traveled to the distant colony and in some cases mysteriously disappeared.
Fortunately, St. Croix is well equipped to help these visitors (and visitors from many other areas who may have had family connections here) thanks to the unique resources we have available now. At the St. Croix Landmarks Society's Whim Plantation Museum Research Library you are sure to find many local citizens researching their family history, and Danish visitors to that library have often been able to garner valuable details about their ancestor here; they are also often ably assisted in their research at the Florence Williams Public Library in Christiansted.
Continue reading "Ancestor Discovery" »
St. Croix Water Sports owners Yener and Michelle invite you to join them for guided jet ski and snorkel tours on top-of-the line cruisers or by boat. They also have the islands only Professional Windsurfing School. Fun for the entire family, all located at Hotel on the Cay! Yener Korkut has been offering water sports at Hotel on the Cay, in Christiansted Harbor, for more than 25 years. An award-winning guitarist, he had a seven-piece band in Europe before moving to St. Croix. He also had a band and ran the windsurfing programs at Club Med locations in Djerba la Deuce, Tunisia, Agadir, Morocco, Kusadasi Turkey, Switzerland, and Guadeloupe.
Yener qualified for the Olympics in windsurfing, and is a Master Instructor having given many seminars in Europe and throughout the United States for the Boardsailing Instructors Group. He's also had articles published in windsurfing magazines (including his own system of teaching the sport) and is known internationally for his music receiving countless awards (see www.yenerkorkut.com). Yener's accomplishments also include a U.S. Coast Guard Captain's License, a black belt Sensei in Karate, and an Aikido philosophy.
Continue reading "St. Croix Watersports Center" »
 
You must be special if you're born on Christmas Eve! That was the case with Arisa Derricks 17 years ago, the winner of our April and May Covers Contest at the Ed Complex. A senior student in the Advanced Art II class, headed up by our February/March cover artist John Jones, Arisa won both months' covers, over her six classmates, with her sensitive, bright, and animated interpretations of two important events. "I've always been drawing - anything - since as far back as I can remember. I think my first attempt must have been with a crayon, but now I love dry pastels. I would love to learn more about watercolor and acrylic and to improve my hand drawing. My Mom has been very supportive and has been pushing me to develop my drawing for years."
Continue reading "Island Art: Arisa Derricks" »
Fresh, flavorful, and fantastically creative is what you'll find at Savant -- a hip, hot eatery located on Hospital Street in Christiansted.
 The menu is a mix of Thai, Mexican, and Caribbean cuisines and more. Try authentic Thai Currys, Fajitas, Cassava Crusted Fish or our signature Grilled Calamari. We buy fresh fish daily--Wahoo, Dolphin (Mahi-Mahi) or Yellowfin Tuna-- depending on what's running right from the local fishermen. We also incorporate local produce from island farmers--spicey mixed greens, tomatoes, cucumbers, edible flowers, and herbs all combine to create healthy, fresh and delectable dishes.
Covering all the bases, there are plenty of scrumptious meat dishes, too. Filet Mignon stuffed with Goat Cheese and Portobello Mushrooms, Molasses Baked New Zealand Rack of Lamb, and Maple Teriyaki Pork Tenderloin are among some of the favorites. Owner, Tom Miller, gives his chefs free reign to be as creative as they want and, because of that, Chef Eric Nielson and his team crank out zesty creative cuisine.
Continue reading "Savant: A Hip, Hot Christiansted Eatery" »
The St. Croix Food & Wine Experience - named one of the Ten Best International Food and Wine Festivals by Forbes Travel - is brewing a showcase of diverse cuisine and wine available on St. Croix for its well-anticipated, breathtaking 10-year anniversary! Local chefs, celebrity and top wine makers from the US Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico, Texas, Georgia, Oregon, and abroad have signed up to support this prestigious event set for April 13-17 here on St. Croix.
The St. Croix Food and Wine Experience is a 5-day event that includes gourmet dinners, wine seminars, wine auctions, and the annual culinary competition, "Taste of St. Croix." The event was started in 2001 by restaurant owners Katherine Pugliese, original owner of Bacchus and now the owner of eat @ Cane Bay, and Kelly Odom of Tutto Bene, and is recognized as the pre-eminent food and wine event in the Caribbean.
Continue reading ""A Taste of St. Croix" Celebrates 10th Anniversary" »
 Since 1988 St. Croix has hosted one of the world's great endurance events, the St. Croix Ironman 70.3 Triathlon. The big island has welcomed most of the legends of the professional triathlete ranks and has become a race that, along with the Ironman World Championships in Hawaii, has become an essential line in any successful resume. In 2008 alone, four time St. Croix winner Craig Alexander, won on Hawaii, and three time St. Croix winner Joanna Zeiger won the Ironman 70.3 World Championships in Clearwater, FL.
The race, which is held annually on the first Sunday in May, starts with one of the most iconic swims in the sport. Leaving from the beach in front of Hotel on the Cay, the swimmers can see thousands of spectators awaiting their arrival at the swim exit ramp located near the Fort in Christiansted. First though, the athletes must conquer the sometimes choppy water of the harbor, on their way through the 1.2 mile segment.
Continue reading "St. Croix Hosts 22nd Ironman 70.3 Triathlon" »
St. Croix is surrounded by some of the most beautiful water in the world! How can you not get in it, get under it, or on top of it? Year-round warm temperatures make it so inviting for all kinds of activities.
Hop aboard a catamaran or trimaran and head with the pros to Buck Island off St. Croix's North Shore and 7 miles from Christiansted. Leave from town or Green Cay Marina. Visit Buck Island Reef National Monument--the first US Underwater National Park! Imagine guided snorkel tours through crystal clear water...
Caribbean sunsets are amazing especially when reflected in our beautiful waters. You can enjoy this romantic activity any day of the week with boats leaving from town and Gallows Bay.
Continue reading "Watersports & Activities" »
St. Croix is unique - an unspoiled American territory with the most affordable real estate in the entire Caribbean. One of the largest of the small Caribbean islands with a low developed to open space ratio, the "sleeping virgin" offers the best of the small town lifestyle.
Whether you are interested in a home, condominium, or vacant land, St. Croix is a bargain. With an area of more than 3 times St. Thomas and the same population, St. Croix has more choices with a wider price range. Because we are less densely populated, we have a more laid back life style and move at a slower pace - that's our charm!
Building lots are typically 1/2 acre or larger, with prices starting in the $40,000 range. Beachfront condominiums are plentiful in the $100,000 to $200,000 price range. The average home sale price is in the high $300,000's, with a nice selection of waterfront homes listed for under $1,000,000.
St. Croix is all about lifestyle - a tropical island paradise, affordable, comfortable, and personal. With prices at a 5 year low, now is the time to acquire your piece of the rock!
Julie San Martin, ReMax St. Croix, www.teamsanmartin.com
This year the 39th Virgin Islands Agriculture and Food Fair opens at the Fair Grounds on Centerline Road on Saturday, February 13, for three days. The Agfair draws participants and visitors from as far south as Guyana to Puerto Rico to the mainland. Our sister islands of St. Thomas and St. John and the BVI also come over.
The Opening Ceremony, on the first day, recognizes individuals who have contributed significantly to the fair in the past and have the Farmer's Market, Food Pavilion, and Livestock Pavilion named after them. The ceremony culminates with the presentation of the Crop and Livestock Farmer of the Year awards before the cutting of the ribbon at the entrance to the Farmers' Market.
Continue reading "39th Annual AgFair" »
Excerpts from "Divers Information on The Romantic History of St. Croix" by Florence Lewisohn, 1963, St. Croix Landmarks Society. R U M has gone by many names" Rhum, Rumm, Rumbooze, Rhumb and Rumbullion - and even the Indians ha a word for it - Ahcoobee.
As almost every West Indian knows, no two rums taste quite the same, varying greatly from island to island. In the early days on St. Croix, the quality of rum even varied from estate to estate. Each planter had his favorite methods and his secrets of flavor for creating what he felt was the superior product. The making of sugar and the making of rum were inseparable. Each plantation had its own still house, usually next to the sugar factory, where the molasses was used for rum-making. On St. Croix, the rum-making was on a fairly simple scale, but on the huge plantation of some of the British islands rum was also made on a grand scale with elaborate equipment.
Continue reading "How Molasses was Made" »
This time of year brings a large number of visitors to our island, including many Danes, in part because of our prevailing pleasant climate at a time when winter storms make life miserable in northern regions. By coincidence, it is also a time when some of the year's most enjoyable public activities take place, such as can be seen in our events calendar, brimming over with a great variety of activities, from agricultural fair to art show or regatta, to just name a few.
But the month of March has special meaning to anyone with a Danish connection. That is the time when Denmark-Virgin Islands Friendship month is celebrated. In recognition hereof, you will see all month the Danish flag, the Dannebrog, flying alongside the Stars and Stripes and the Virgin Islands flag at our handsome old Government House in Christiansted. This is a unique compliment to a former colonial power, as is the fact that even in the Virgin Islands Official Seal you will find a small Dannebrog flag depicted.
Continue reading "Friendship Month" »
The St. Croix Yacht Club Hospice Regatta kicks off regatta season with lots of great racing, February 19-21, 2010. "In addition to being a great warm-up for boats and their crews, we are sailing for a worthwhile cause, supporting hospice services for all who need it on St. Croix," says Julie San Martin, regatta director.
The winning CSA Spinnaker-1 skipper will get his/her weight in Cruzan Rum and an invitation to the Hospice Regattas National Championship, held in Rochester, NY, next June which includes up to thirty other Hospice Regatta winners from the U.S. and Canada.
The regatta invites all local and visiting live-aboards, cruising boats and multihulls to race in the Buck Island Channel, and promises at least one day of point-to-point racing, including the challenging Christiansted town race. One-design IC-24's and Rhodes 19's are invited to race in the protected waters of Teague Bay, with lunch ashore at the yacht club.
Continue reading "St. Croix Regatta" »
Nestled among the yachts of Green Cay Marina lies the Galleon Restaurant, one of the oldest on St. Croix and a local favorite for fine dining for over twenty-five years. The history starts with Dick Pelton who purchased land in 1979 in order to moor his boat and decided to build his own marina! It took five years for the dredging and to set the building for the restaurant on pilings. Frank Blaydon was then brought in as the architect of the restaurant. The original restaurant name was to be The Keyhole under first owners Bernard and Gail Lougot, serving classic French cuisine. Since the ceiling of the restaurant was designed to be a replica of the hull of a galleon ship they decided to change the name to The Galleon.
In 1984, the marina was opened and people started mooring their boats. The restaurant was opened as well in 1984 making it one of the oldest on St. Croix with only two different owners since then. Lesley Morrison, the current proprietor, moved to St. Croix twelve years ago. "Having been in the restaurant business since I was 17, and restaurant management since I was 20, and having worked the business through both Europe and Hawaii, I never thought I would have the opportunity to purchase my own until The Galleon came along," she says. Lesley has taken the fare from classic French to a more eclectic style with a slight Asian flare, as well as island inspired and classic dishes.
Continue reading "The Galleon" »
Isabelle Picard has been a St. Croix resident for the past ten years. Growing up on a sailboat in the south of France, Isabelle spent most of her formative years in Hyeres, a beautiful seaside town on the French Riviera, before venturing off to the far corners of the world. She has traveled extensively, spending much of her time in the French West Indies, New Caledonia and Mexico. She is fluent in four languages.
A mural artist by profession, her work can be seen in private homes and public buildings throughout South Florida, the Virgin Islands and the south of France. Her paintings on canvas have also been collected worldwide. Her style is whimsical, colorful, happy, and has been called modern Caribbean Folk Art. Having studied graphic design in Florida, some of her work reflects a more graphic style. Post baccalaureate, Isabelle worked for several years as the head designer for a high volume custom paintings and mural company in South Florida, before starting her own company.
Continue reading "Island Art - Featured Artist Isabelle Picard" »
By Nina McLain Cook
The 24th Whim Antique Auction, along with an Antique and Collectibles Fair, will be held March 7th at the Whim Museum, Frederiksted. The event celebrates the internationally known, exquisite craftsmanship of the Caribbean in furniture, art, tools, and accessories. The event is a major fundraiser for the St. Croix Landmarks Society, which, for over 60 years, has been dedicated to advancing the understanding and appreciation of the unique historical and cultural legacy of St. Croix through preservation, research, and education.
Buyers and sellers will unite to raise money for SCLS and for themselves in vigorous auction bidding and sales of the coveted handcrafted antiques and collector's items, proudly exchanging guardianship of the artistic and historical testament the pieces carry with them. Twentieth and twenty-first century handcrafted furniture and accessories, such as freeform tables, stump or root tables, wooden bowls, candlesticks, and treasure boxes are among items recognized as the antiques of tomorrow. They bring style and verve to the event and to the homes and offices that display them. Specially chosen "decorator pieces" that are contemporary or modern will be sold as well. Furniture, lamps, picture frames, large pots, rugs, porcelain, and art are snatched up by people who enjoy interesting items reflecting the unique styles of the Caribbean.
Continue reading "Whim Antiques Auction & Fair Returns with Gusto" »
 Bringing the Arts to St. Croix, Caribbean Community Theater (CCT) has been celebrating theater, music, and dance in venues across the island of St. Croix, for the past 25 years. From the Airport Inn, to the Strand Street Theater, to the Buccaneer Hotel, to the Sydney Lee Theater, to it present home at #18 Estate Orange Grove, CCT has garnered a reputation for showcasing the best in local talent.
From its first (1985-86) season, the founders of CCT explained in their inaugural program that the organization was intended to be a COMMUNITY theater. In November of 2009, CCT embarked on its Silver season with the world premiere of Sundays at Eleven by St. Croix resident Tom Ziegler, whose play Grace & Glorie, produced by CCT in 2008, has been performed to acclaim worldwide. The month of February 2010 is enlivened by the comic rock musical Little Shop of Horrors.
CCT will hold its 25th Anniversary Cabaret FUNdraiser on March 19 & 20 at 8 PM. The show will be directed by Michael Armendariz. No stranger to the stage himself, Armendariz collaborated and co-directed several previous cabaret shows with CCT's founder and original artistic director, David Richards. The show will feature songs and skits from various performances from the past 25 years, and highlights one of the islands strengths: musical theater talent.
Continue reading "Caribbean Community Theatre Celebrates its 25th Season!" »
Saturdays, 9-11am (beginning Jan. 2)
St. Croix Map #11
Organically grown fresh, sweet local tomatoes, salads, herbs, veggies and a new farm are sprouting in 2010 at ARTfarm. After eight years at Southgate, Luca is closing the location in November 2009 and moving the farm over the hills to the south shore! A new farm stand is being built from old greenhouses, old sheds recycled for art gallery space, and operations expanding to eventually include livestock and sculpture gardens. During construction we'll have less food to sell. But farmer/artist Luca Gasperi plans to continue supplying customers with the highest quality fresh produce, and to give volunteers a beautiful place to get their hands in the soil.
Continue reading "A Farmer's Directory" »
Metal sculptor and former St. Croix resident Trudi Gilliam will be the featured artist at Designworks for the January 21 edition of Art Thursday. The show, titled "Mermaid's Tears," is Trudi's latest collection of work incorporating sea glass, copper, brass, driftwood, and paint.
"Mermaid's tears is a term used in folklore for sea glass," says Gilliam. "My passion for beachcombing has given me a trove of sea glass from the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans as well as the Caribbean Sea. When I heard the term mermaid's tears, I liked the image. It provided me with an unusual focus for using the glass along with my metal work. I enjoy collaborating with the forces of nature-sand, sea, and time-to create a one-of-a-kind piece of sculpture. The colors and texture of the glass are so appealing. One cannot help but wonder, 'What is its history, its use, how did it come to wash up on the shore of a particular beach?' My ability to give the sea glass pieces new life is also part of the motivation for incorporating it into my work."
Continue reading "Mermaid's Tears - Trudi Gilliam" »
Excerpts from "Divers Information on The Romantic History of St. Croix" by Florence Lewisohn, 1963, St. Croix Landmarks Society.
The cut cane was carted in from the fields to the mill; cut short and bundled for the grinders.The cane was put through the mill's grinding machinery; the juices ran into the big vessel called the Receiver. The juice ran out of the Receiver into a leaded trough, downhill to the Factory into a large vessel called:
The Clarifier, which there were as many as three holding 300 to 400 gallons each. Fire was lighted under the clarifier, a temper added, such as Bristol lime powder (or a vegetable alkali or ashes of certain woods).
Scum rose to the top as the juice was brought almost to a boil. Damper applied and fire extinguished. The juice remained there an hour while impurities collected on top. Each Clarifier had a siphon or cock for drawing off juice, which then went by gutter to:
Continue reading "How Sugar was Made" »
By Nina York
Holidays are important in just about any culture, and reflect a great deal about the cultural entity that enjoys them. In our Western civilization, where Christianity plays a major role, the celebration of Christmas is the major religious observance of the year, although recent times have brought considerable commercialism into the picture.
Despite almost 100 years of American rule, our islands still carry an imprint of the Danish culture of former times, and the religious celebrations are no exception. There is an irony in that the religious fervor that was part of the Lutheran mission here in former times no longer appears to be part of the Danish culture today. Nonetheless, Danish visitors to the islands today find inspiration and joy in participating in the church services here, with their music and warmth, whether at Lutheran churches related to their own Danish State Church denomination or at more gospel-oriented congregations here. Many Danish visitors state that if Danish churches presented the kind of services offered here, they would be filled to capacity.
Continue reading "Danes Bring Light to the Holiday Season" »
Crucian Heritage And Nature Tourism, CHANT, is a volunteer, non-profit organization originally formed in 2003 and dedicated to the advancement of Crucian Heritage and Nature Tourism as a vehicle for sustainable development of the St. Croix community.
Recognizing Heritage and Nature Tourism as the missing "heart" of the current St. Croix tourism product and one of the fastest growing tourism programs internationally, CHANT set as its top priority the development and implementation of a world class Crucian Heritage and Nature Tourism product.
Their goal is to establish heritage and nature as both the lead tourism product, or "brand", for St. Croix and the vehicle for sustainable community development. Objectives include acting as sustainable tourism catalysts by seeking to build support for Heritage and Nature Tourism among the Department of Tourism and all other tourism interest on St. Croix and focusing on development from within by seeking to bring together CHANT and other industry people to forge a dynamic and uniquely Crucian Heritage and Nature Tourism product.
Continue reading "Back to Nature Crucian Style" »
By Nina York
Ask anyone on St. Croix about a local family with links to Denmark, and the name Lawaetz comes up. This dynasty had its start about 120 years ago, when the Lutheran Church in Denmark dispatched a pastor to serve the congregation in Christiansted. His name was Herman Lawaetz.
Herman served the Lord God of Sabaoth congregation with dedication, but kept in touch with his Danish relatives. He encouraged his young farmer cousin Carl on to come to St. Croix to seek his fortune. In 1890, Carl arrived and was hired as assistant overseer at Sion Farm plantation; later, he landed a well-paid job as manager of cattle-raising Estates Granard and Cane Garden. But when Carl learned about Estates Little La Grange and Jolly Hill, totaling 450 acres north of Frederiksted, being for sale at a bargain price, he acquired his home and workplace for the remainder of his life.
Continue reading "The Lawaetz Family" »
DAILY STRIFE is an exhibition commemorating VI-PR Friendship, to be presented at the Caribbean Museum Center for the Arts in October. This exhibition explores individual and collective struggles encountered as one deals with the current political, social and economic situation in the Puerto Rican and Virgin Islands communities. Hope, oblivion and chaos are three emotional states that are intertwined with the daily quest for survival and inspiration as we face the same challenges of migration, hurricanes, traffic, decay, consumerism, apathy, environmental threats and economic crisis. In this exhibition, artists from the Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico will present photographs, digital images and installations that address the struggle for our "daily bread" and the way we view our daily lives; some with hope and humor others with irony. Over 50 images ranging in size from 10 x 10" to 4' x 3' will be on exhibit for 2 months from Oct. 16 through Dec. Three artists will travel from San Juan, PR to help install the work and participate in the artists' talk that will be held at CMCA, Saturday, Oct. 17th.
Continue reading "Daily Strife" »
Excerpts from "Divers Information on The Romantic History of St.Croix" by Florence Lewisohn, 1963, St. Croix Landmarks Society
The island's picturesque old windmills and animal mills which dot its landscape were mostly built early in the period of 1750 to 1800. A few estates had two windmills, and in addition man had auxiliary ox or mule mills. For when the cane was ready it must be cut, and when it was cut it must be ground quickly to avoid fermentation. During "crop" speed was essential; the mills ground incessantly, day and night, with the men working in shifts.
 THE ANIMAL MILL. This consisted of the central grinding machinery under a shed surrounded by an earthenwork or stonework elevated rim, with the appearance of a circular crater. Along the top of the rim the oxen, mules or horses walked on a path. A long pole ran from the animals' harness to the center shaft of the machinery, thus turning it and providing the power for the grinding.
Continue reading "St. Croix's Sugar Mills" »
 Bonnie Luria has been a painter, a textile designer, an illustrator, a jewelry designer, a city girl and a full time resident of St. Croix for the past 9 years.
A native New Yorker, moving to St. Croix fulfilled her "lagoon fixation" that taunted her for most of her life. "I always saw myself living in a tropical location but, like most of us, thought it was a fantasy reserved for a weekly vacation until a chance encounter with a charming, convincing, and uniquely alluring man who had moved here eight years before I did."
Knowing that if you don't take a chance, chance takes you, she packed up her city tent and pitched it here, marrying her lure and revitalizing her painting career.
Continue reading "St. Croix Artist: Bonnie Luria" »
 Salt River holds both historical and ecological importance. Prehistoric and colonial-era archeological sites and ruins are found in a dynamic, tropical ecosystem that supports threatened and endangered species.
This is where Christopher Columbus anchored his fleet in 1493, an encounter between Columbus' men and the Carib Indians at Cape of the Arrows occurred, and an unearthed Taino Ceremonial Ball Court is featured.
Salt River Bay includes an estuary, where fresh and salt waters mix. The shore is fringed by all four mangrove forest species - Red, Black, White, and Buttonwood - sheltering sea turtle hatchlings, crustaceans, and shrimp.
Continue reading "Salt River Bay" »
What is a Marine Protected Area (MPA's) you may ask? MPA's are marine areas designated for protection and/or management because of the area's importance or uniqueness. MPA's can enhance the local economy, protect and restore ecosystems, mitigate effects of overuse, provide recreational opportunities and supplement fishing catch through spill-over outside its boundaries.
The St. Croix East End Marine Park (STXEEMP) was established on January 15, 2003 in order to achieve its mission of protecting significant marine resources, promoting sustainability of marine ecosystems, and conserving and preserving significant natural and cultural areas for current and future generations. It includes 17 miles of shoreline spanning from Green Cay to Point Udall and wrapping down around to Great Pond Bay.
Continue reading "St. Croix East End Marine Park" »
For the past eight months, visitors and locals have become captivated by St. Croix's first see-through Kayak tour, Sea-Thru Kayaks VI, run by father and son team Craig and Bryce Scott. Participants can learn about St. Croix's unique eco-system and history, glide through crystal clear water with the flip of a paddle and watch the underwater world surrounding them.
A special attraction is the nighttime bioluminescence tour, mostly visible two weeks out of the month. A visitor from Colorado likened the experience to "Avatar's magical land of Pandora." As the kayaks skim over the dark water, agitated bioluminescent organisms glow neon green, engulfing the kayak and any other moving object, such as a paddles, darting fish or gliding eagle rays.
Continue reading "Sea-Thru Kayaks" »
So now you have arrived on the island, settled into your beach chair, adult beverage in hand and you are browsing St. Croix This Week looking at all the wonderful things there are to do on St. Croix. You probably noticed that there's a lot of scuba diving going on here and might be thinking "I wish I'd gotten certified before coming on vacation". You might not know that you don't have to be certified to go scuba diving.
All of the dive shops on St. Croix offer a version of an introductory or resort dive course. It only takes about an hour or two of easy training in the swimming pool (or shallow pool like conditions off the beach) and you'll be set to explore the largest living reef of any Caribbean island with your Instructor right by your side. During the training you'll learn some scuba diving basics. We call them the "what ifs". What if I get water in my mask? What if I run out of air? What if I see a shark? Then your Instructor will take you diving along the reef to no deeper than 40 feet. You'll probably get hooked and want to get scuba certified when you get back home.
Continue reading "Explore the Living Reef" »
 The Captain and crew of World Ocean School's historic schooner Roseway return to St. Croix early November for their fourth season of educational programming and public day sails.
World Ocean School will once again offer activities that help raise funds for the winter programs, including sunset sails for locals and visitors. Roseway will also be available for holiday parties and events with part of the cost a tax-deductible donation to the World Ocean School.
Roseway will again be hosting 700 7th grade students and will also host an overnight sail program for current 8th graders who came through the 7th grade program last year. Private school and youth organization programs will be accommodated as well.
World Ocean School creates and provides a method of experiential education at sea that cultivates teamwork, community service, environmental responsibility, and cross-cultural friendships so that teenage students worldwide gain insight into becoming empowered, motivated, and engaged citizens. For more information on programs and schedules, visit them online at www.worldoceanschool.org or call 340-626-7877.
By Nate Olive, M.A. VISFI Program Director, University of Georgia Research Assistant
Did you know that an estimated 99.5% of the food bought and served on St. Croix is imported from outside the USVI? This figure is astounding since the island has long been known as the "Breadbasket of the Caribbean." Tragically, many factors during recent generations have put farmers on a virtual endangered species list. We at the Virgin Islands Sustainable Farm Institute (VISFI) believe that St. Croix deserves a stable, sustainable, fresh, and delicious food supply. If you agree, then here is some good news. St. Croix is reinventing the Breadbasket.
 The past has taught that it takes an entire community effort to keep farms alive. Long before the sugar cane era, native Tainos grew mass amounts of food for hundreds of years in village planting mounds they called conucos2. Later, community gardens existed in estates where, after a day's labor in the cane fields, many slaves continued their pre-colonial African heritage by growing their own food3. Following generations mentored with growing skills created a viable agricultural industry that fed not only St. Croix but also other nearby islands. Then a downturn occurred when farmers had to compete with distant mega-farms and cheaper shipping. Despite the loss of food quality, the alien food was cheaper and easier. Local markets closed. Farmers dropped like mangoes. Getting food went from the farm stand to the checkout line. However, in this new era of transportation and technology, pioneering farming and marketing practices are helping revive St. Croix's locally grown food heritage. But to truly succeed, it will take new ways of thinking about food from both farmers and consumers.
Continue reading "Reinventing the Breadbasket with Locally Grown" »
Excerpts from "Divers Information on The Romantic History of St. Croix" by Florence Levisohn, 1963, St. Croix Landmarks Society.
The actual physical requirements for running a sugar plantation were somewhat staggering. In St. Croix, the initial investment was low in comparison to the other islands in which sugar was well established. The Danes wanted quick colonization and quick returns for their West India and Guinea Company and surveyed the island in 1735.
The island was divided into rectangles of 150 Danish acres each, known as Matriculens. The price was $500 for one of these plantations good enough for sugar cane. There was also a seven year tax exemption for newcomers who took up the "patents" on new plantations.
There were newcomers at these bargain prices, and no wonder that most of them were nearby British islands where land prices were high. Bryan Edwards, who was a British planter in Jamaica and one of the best known early economic historians of the Caribbean says that it required no less investment than 30,000 pounds sterling minimum just to get a 900 acre plantation set up. (This amount equaled some $120,000 in U. S. dollars at the 1800 exchange rate).
Continue reading "A Rich Man's Fortune or Folly" »
By Anna Holley
 It might surprise you to know that the waters surrounding St. Croix are brimming with hungry Mahi Mahi, Wahoo, Tuna, Marlin, and other species of game fish. Other Caribbean locales get more publicity, but St. Croix has much to offer anglers seeking the thrill of reeling in the catch of a lifetime.
Captain Carl Holley stakes his livelihood on providing an excellent day on the water. His passion is fishing, and he loves to show his clients just how exciting a sport fishing charter can be. One of the biggest misconceptions about fishing St. Croix is that you must go far offshore to catch big fish. "Not true," says Captain Carl. "The ocean floor drops to more than a thousand feet just a mile outside of the Christiansted Harbor." Because worthy opponents like Mahi, Wahoo, and Marlin thrive in deep water, anglers enjoy more time fishing and less time traveling to hot spots.
Continue reading "The Reel Story: Sportfishing in St. Croix" »
 A visit to St. Croix almost certainly includes time spent at the shoreline, usually on a sandy beach. The soothing shush of waves, crystal clear water, and welcome shade of coastal trees make a beach visit nearly idyllic. Look a little closer and you will find that you are sharing the beach with a wide variety of other life.
Ghost Crabs are common residents of sandy beaches, scuttling into their burrows as you walk along the shore. You may also see Soldier Crabs, so named because of their annual mass migration from inland forests to the sea, clumping along in the shells of other creatures. Sometimes they will use human litter like small jars, PVC pipe, and similar items for their homes!
Sandy beaches provide nest sites for Leatherback, Hawksbill and Green sea turtles. Look for their tractor-like tracks running from the waters edge to the deep depression where their eggs are laid. Both Leatherback and Green sea turtles use open beach for nesting while the Hawksbill is more likely to nest beneath beach trees such as Sea Grape. To learn more about sea turtles go to www.wimarcs.org.
Continue reading "Where The Island Meets The Sea" »
St. Croix is an island of churches, and that does not connote empty old buildings as relics of former days, but active congregations filling houses of worship and carrying their faith into the community through neighborhood initiatives to help the less fortunate. The Lutherans are one such group, and on this island you will find no less than four of their churches, thanks in great part to the fact that the Danes brought their state church with them immediately upon purchasing the island from France in 1733.
The Steeple Building, part of Christiansted National Historic Site, was the island's first Lutheran church. A gravestone inside Christiansted's Lord God of Sabaoth Lutheran Church on King Street tells (in Danish) the story of Pastor Johannes Jacob Stoud, who in 1749 volunteered to serve the church as its first pastor in this distant location from his Norwegian homeland, an indication that it took courage and sacrifice to come to this dangerous, remote area. In fact, his ministry took place at nearby Fort Christiansvaern, as the Steeple Building was not completed until 1753.
Continue reading "The Lutheran Legacy from Danish Days" »
By Kemut-Amon Lewis, VINE Educator
Welcome to St. Croix, US Virgin Islands--and to our scenic views, our historic hot spots, our rich Crucian culture, and, of course, our inviting waters. Whether you're on a journey through time as you walk through town, or searching for complete serenity in the botanical garden, St. Croix is the perfect place for a little exploration or lots of relaxation. If you're like most visitors, lounging on a beach, snorkeling, or SCUBA diving is on the top of your "to do" list. Why not? St. Croix is one of the best diving destinations in the Caribbean with many popular dive sites accessible from shore. And, even if you prefer the company of a good book, while lying under a coconut tree, there are a few things you should know about the beaches and beyond.
Continue reading "Leave Paradise In It's Place" »
By Toni Lance
At 6 am the blue pigeons coo, a pelican's shadow glides across the house, a great egret peers in the window, a kestrel squeals and a handful of parrots begin their morning song. Every day of the year, I get up at this time to care for an ever-changing assortment of avian creatures. There is always fish to thaw and meat to be divided and plenty of corn and seed products to distribute. Some of the birds are just hungry and others are in an intensive care situation ready for fluid, antibiotics or changing of a bandage. This is the routine I look forward to daily. I suppose it is a bit like having children. I certainly am devoted to the birds as if they were.
Continue reading "Avian Sanctuary" »
By Linda McCullough
 Celebrating our one-year anniversary this month, Tropics Hydroponics Farm, run and owned by Brian and Linda McCullough, has already found it necessary to expand. We specialize in growing high quality Bib lettuce as well as beefsteak and cluster vine ripened tomatoes. As our name suggests, we grow using hydroponics, which means we use no soil. Our plants receive all of their nutrition through water from our own wells, which has been purified through reverse osmosis, ph balanced and enriched with a special blend of nutrients and micro-nutrients.
Some of the benefits of growing with a hydroponics system include superior taste, quality, appearance, uniformity, and extended shelf life of the product. In addition, growing with hydroponics requires about 1/10th the space and 1/10th the water as compared to traditional farming requirements, so our carbon footprint is actually much smaller than with traditional dirt farming. In addition, we never have to deal with weeds and our crops have very limited exposure to insects.
Continue reading "Tropics Hydroponics Farm" »
By Nina York
Coincidentally, two major holidays in the Virgin Island calendar come back to back - Emancipation Day, marking the date in 1848 when the enslaved population of the then Danish West Indies gained their freedom, and the American July 4 Independence Day, celebrating the birth of the United States as a nation in 1776. While both holidays celebrate freedom, Emancipation here became more symbolic than actual, as the large number of enslaved field workers gained little by now being responsible for their own sustenance on very low wages, in part because of failing sugar cane harvests and lower prices for cane sugar, which now competed with beet sugar.
Continue reading "Emancipation Day" »
Excerpts from "Divers Information on The Romantic History of St. Croix" by Florence Lewisohn, 1963, St. Croix Landmarks Society.
"St. Croix, slow to start, became the richest sugar island in the Caribbean for a time. Under the ownership of Denmark, it reached its peak of wealth and opulence about 1796 when it had 114 windmills and 144 animal or ox mills grinding out the golden juice - which by some West Indian magic turned quickly to gold.
Plantation life is usually thought of in the rosy, romanticized terms of the rich sugar planter lolling at his ease in a luxurious mansion, while myriads of Negros toiled his fields and ground his cane in contented bondage. This picture is almost a myth as history proves - but not quite - for in the heyday of sugar and rum, it did look like this from the surface.
Continue reading "The Age of Opulence" »
Award-winning Owner Celebrates 26 years and A Slot in the Women Divers' Hall of Fame!
 Michelle Pugh learned to dive in LA in 1970. Her interest in marine life began with a high school class in tide pool biology. Swimming lessons and her first open water dive class at the North Hollywood YMCA followed.
Michelle dived most weekends and holidays and later worked part time with Fish and Wildlife in the summers while attending school in San Diego. In the fall of 1977, she had a chance to go to St. Croix to teach diving for three months at VI Divers Ltd., falling in love with the island and its diving and staying on to start her own business!
One of the most incredible dives she ever made was in 1979 when asked to go to Canada to photograph killer whales for a book, A Whale called Killer, by Erich Hoyt. This experience would serve her well down the road.
Continue reading "Dive Experience - First PADI 5-Star IDC Center on St. Croix" »
By Pam Kerschner
 "The novelty of Caribbean island living inspires my "cartoon" illustrations and oil paintings a lot. When I first came to St. Croix, I was compelled to pursue my art and enjoyed the support and friendship of many wonderful island artists. After twenty years on St. Croix, I am currently living in Colorado to help my 90-year-old aunt and my father during their challenging years. I paint Caribbean life while living "out west," and plan to retire soon, still painting, in the Virgin Islands.
Continue reading "Caribbean Living With a Sense of Humor" »
Pictured right, (l to r) Seth Wilcoxon, namesake Polly, and Steven Schawl. "As coffee lovers, we wanted to offer a world-class product, outstanding service, our own micro-brewed beer (Polly's Pale Ale), and convenient computer access for locals and visitors. We've created a clean, sophisticated "Caribbean Funky" environment where everyone is welcome. Grab a coffee or latte on your way to work, enjoy Armstrong's Ice Cream on a Sunday afternoon, or sip a draft beer at sunset. We believe in the growth of Frederiksted and encourage other entrepreneurs to join us out West!"
By David Hamada
 Summertime in St. Croix is mango season, and its abundance will be celebrated at the 13th Annual Mango Melee and Tropical Fruit Festival at the St. George Village Botanical Garden on Sunday, July 5 from noon to 6:30 pm.
Often described as "the Queen of Tropical Fruit," the mango reigns over our summer season. With a supremely distinctive shape, smell, color and taste, no other fruit evokes the warmth, flavors, fragrances and exotic beauty of the Tropics.
A joint effort by the V.I. Department of Tourism, the V.I. Department of Agriculture, UVI Cooperative Extension Service, UVI Agricultural Experiment Station, and the St. George Village Botanical Garden has produced St. Croix's most popular summer festival and teaches us about the agricultural and horticultural potential for this very popular fruit.
Continue reading "Mango Melee" »
The wedding is one of life's unchanged rites of passage. Nearly all of the customs we observe today are merely echoes of the past.
Up to and during the Middle Ages, weddings were considered family/community affairs. The only thing needed to create a marriage was for both partners to state their consent to take one another as spouses. No witnesses, no clergy.
During the Medieval period, the wedding ceremony moved from the bride's house to the church for vows and Mass followed by a musical feast.
During the "marriage by capture" era, close friends of the groom-to-be assisted him when he kidnapped the bride from her family. Bridesmaids and maids of honor became more common when weddings were planned assisting the bride with the flowers, and decorating for the wedding feast.
Bridesmaids and ushers dressed similarly to the bride and groom so if evil spirits or jealous suitors attempted to harm the newlyweds, they would be confused as to which two people were the bride and groom.
Continue reading "Wedding Traditions" »
 Sunday, June 7, at 4:45 pm marks the 25TH Anniversary of the Women's Coalition Women Race where women and girls will run and walk in this downtown Christiansted event.
This fundraiser, which draws over 500 participants, reflects the community's support of their commitment to end violence against women and also reflects women's support for each other. Hundreds of sons, fathers, brothers and friends line the streets to cheer them on.
Continue reading "The Women Race 2009: 25 Years of Running for Peace and Justice" »
Our high quality sugar cane molasses is received from Caribbean Sugar Plantations.
The molasses is diluted with tropical rain water, pumped from our St. Croix aquifers.
Our proprietary yeast cultures are added to the molasses and fermentation begins. The fermentation temperature is controlled to ensure optimum quality and flavor as the sugars are converted to alcohol by the yeast.
Our Master Distiller supervises the distillation in Cruzan's modern five-column stainless steel and copper still, producing a fine, clear rum distillate.
The handcrafted American oak barrels are filled with the rum distillate.
The rum barrels are laid down in our barrel warehouses to age for a minimum of two years - some for twelve years or more. As much as half the rum can be lost to evaporation. The precious spirit remaining is now Cruzan Rum!
After barrel aging, the rum is charcoal filtered and diluted to 80 proof with a little more St. Croix rain water.
Cruzan rum is bottled on our modern stainless steel bottling lines.
After years in the making, you can find Cruzan Rum, "the World's Finest Rum," at your local store, bar, or restaurant.
By Carol Bareuther, R.D.
 The surrounding seas are one of the main attractions for visitors to St. Croix. Now, sightseers can enjoy this wondrous water world in an eco-friendly way aboard Big Beard's Adventure Tours new 'green' power catamaran.
"We've been a sailboat company," says Captain John 'Big Beard' Macy, an Oregon native who transplanted to the island nearly thirty years ago. "However, we wanted to offer our customers the option of a catamaran that moved more quickly. In these times of environmental concern and rising fuel prices, we felt a power catamaran that was a hybrid vessel was the best way to go."
Continue reading "Big Beard's Adventure Tours" »
By Abby Kidder
While Roseway was built in MA in 1925 and still spends half of her year plying the waters of Boston and New England, her transom boasts "St. Croix USVI" as her official homeport and she's now into her third year on the island. This 260-ton, 137-foot national historic landmark schooner may be 84 years old but she's more active than ever!
Roseway's purpose in being here is serving St. Croix's youth and is the main educational platform for the World Ocean School, a non profit organization (501(c)(3) based in Boston and St. Croix. 7th grade students, from all public junior high schools, participate in a program launched last year by Governor DeJongh and the World Ocean School. The program serves 25 students per session for 5 consecutive school days. Students are able to apply math, science, history, and language arts to activities on board such as navigation, theory of sail, oceanography, teambuilding, poetry of the sea, speed/ distance tests, Caribbean history, reef ecology, nautical terminology, and maritime careers exposing them to a broadened perspective of themselves and their island. After the 7th grade program , 8th grade students can then participate in an overnight Roseway expedition to St. John. Finally, at high school level, they are eligible for our Summer Ambassador Program in Boston.
Continue reading "St. Croix's Tall Ship Roseway" »
By Nina York
 At the beginning of the 20th century, today's U.S.Virgin Islands were known as the Danish West Indies until the 1917 sale and transfer to the U.S. At that time, this was a quiet backwater, with its population primarily descendants of the enslaved people brought here from Africa generations before. This colony, once prosperous for the Danish government and sugar cane plantation owners, had lost much of its importance, and a debate raged in Denmark about selling the islands. Some opposed to the sale facilitated the visit by a young Danish artist to come here and portray the beauty of this place and the people living here.
Hugo Larsen, a 29-year old graduate of the Royal Academy of Art in Copenhagen, arrived here in 1904 and was dazzled by the light and spirit of the tropics. He felt at ease with the local population and set about portraying them and the tropical environment in oil paintings and drawings in a sympathetic and intimate manner. His previous realistic style now often took on an impressionistic flavor. We know little of his daily life here as he wrote no diary, but he produced about fifty paintings of the St. Thomas and St. Croix scene before heading back to Denmark with his works three years later. The exhibition of his works there proved a big disappointment. No longer were people interested in the islands, and they saw Larsen's style as outmoded.
Continue reading "St. Croix Artistically Rediscovered One Hundred Years Ago" »
Excerpts from "Divers Information on The Romantic History of St. Croix" by Florence Lewisohn, 1963, St. Croix Landmarks Society.
"During all these centuries and changes of ownership; during years of flux and change, of economic ups and downs in a variable world, one thing remained constant on St. Croix: the importance of sugar cane.
Some English families are thought to have brought in the first cuttings of sugar cane. The French put it into extensive cultivation here in the early 1650's, along with indigo and tobacco.
Today we see the relics of this affluent era in the shells of old windmills which appear everywhere, plus the picturesque ruins of sugar factories, rum distilleries and Greathouses which dot the island.
Continue reading "The Sugar Cane Plant" »
By Tom Gutherie
 Since 1988 St. Croix has hosted one of the world's great endurance events, the St. Croix Ironman 70.3 Triathlon. The big island has welcomed most of the legends of the professional triathlete ranks and has become a race that, along with the Ironman World Championships in Hawaii, has become an essential line in any successful resume. In 2008 alone, four time St. Croix winner Craig Alexander, won on Hawaii, and three time St. Croix winner Joanna Zeiger won the Ironman 70.3 World Championships in Clearwater, FL.
The race, which is held annually on the first Sunday in May, starts with one of the most iconic swims in the sport. Leaving from the beach in front of Hotel on the Cay, the swimmers can see thousands of spectators awaiting their arrival at the swim exit ramp located near the Fort in Christiansted. First though, the athletes must conquer the sometimes choppy water of the harbor, on their way through the 1.2 mile segment.
Continue reading "St. Croix Tiathlon" »
By Carol M. Bareuther, RD
Sample the best of local and global cuisine prepared by island and international chefs while tasting an eclectic mix of wines at the same time. This is what the nearly weeklong St. Croix Food & Wine Experience is all about.
Katherine Pugliese and Kelly Odom, long time culinary professionals in the community, initiated the event's signature one-day 'Taste of St. Croix' back in 2001 - the event that started it all.
Continue reading "Food and Wine" »
Jane Akin finds her subjects in historic buildings and the plants and animals all around her. You can almost hear the trees swaying and the creatures moving through the bush!
Jane's home/studio is in Estate Boetzberg where she produces four shows a year, as well as commissions, and teaches watercolor and drawing. She is also the Artist in Residence at the Buccaneer Hotel offering watercolor classes twice a week.
Jane has been an interior designer and architecture is still a haunting subject making many of her commissions house portraits. But tropical flowers are her very favorite subjects and, like Georgia O'Keefe, paints them larger than life. This is where her mastery of watercolor really shows its spontaneity--mingling colors, "glazing" one over another, creating luminosity, allowing the pigment to "bloom," and creating texture with salt or dry brush.
Continue reading "Jane Akin" »
The 15th Annual Flower and Fine Arts Festival will be held Saturday evening, March 28, from 7-9pm and Sunday, March 29, from 10-4pm at the St. George Village Botanical Garden.
The show is made up of three different local flower groups namely The St. Croix Chapter of the American Hibiscus Society, the St. Croix Orchid Society, and the Bonsai Society as well as a major display of local artwork on sale to the public.
Continue reading "Come to the Garden for Flowers and Fine Art!" »
By Carol M. Bareuther, RD
 Bushels of locally grown crops, authentic West Indian-style foods, farm animals to pet and native-made arts and crafts. These are just a few of the items you'll find at Agrifest 2009, St. Croix's annual Agriculture and Food Fair. Set for February 14 to 16, the fair will be held at the Rudolph Schulterbrandt Agriculture Complex in Estate Lower Love.
Continue reading "Find a Garden of Good Eating and More at Agrifest 2009" »
 Wondering where you can buy old fashioned fresh, sweet local tomatoes? How about organically grown salad greens, herbs, veggies and... art?
At Estate Southgate Farms, one finds seasonal treats to feast on. In addition to great green bunches of herbs and lettuces, purple eggplants, bright red and yellow tomatoes and peppers, stripy cucumbers and a rainbow of local fruits and cut flowers - the farmstand walls are adorned with artworks for sale by local artists, including those of Luca Gasperi, who also happens to be the farmer in charge of it all.
Continue reading "Southgate: the ART Farm" »
By Nina York
 Why should real art have to be serious? Why can't a painting that makes you smile be as valid as a somber one? At Christiansted's Yellow House Gallery, owned and run by long-time resident artist Judith King, originator of the charming cover art of this issue, you are guaranteed a few chuckles as you view her paintings of the St. Croix scene.
Located in a charming old wooden townhouse on Queen Cross Street between Company and King Streets, this gallery is Chicago native King's favorite venue among the sites she has occupied. She arrived here in 1967 with her parents after having obtained a BA in art from Knox College in Illinois.
Continue reading "Meet the Artist That Makes You Smile" »
Photography by Stephanie Schoyer
Perched atop a 400 foot knoll, on the East End of St Croix, overlooking Teague Bay is the tastefully and sturdily built property "Meggie Hill". The name "Meggie" comes from a word for a Danish goat. The one acre knoll where the house sits was once home to herds of goats.
Continue reading "Above It All at Meggie Hill" »
 'Meet me at the Comanche' was one of the most popular catchphrases on St. Croix. Movie stars John Wayne and Maureen O'Hara heeded the call, and now you can too. This quaint, landmark hotel, located in the historic heart of downtown Christiansted, re-opened its doors November 11 for a renovated, refurbished and re-enlivened celebration of its 60th anniversary.
"Throughout the 50s, 60s, 70s and 80s, Club Comanche was the social and business center of St. Croix," explains Jack Pickle, manager of Alameda Virgin Islands Company, LLC, who purchased the hotel in September 2007 and then initiated plans to rejuvenate the entire property.
Continue reading "Meet me at the Comanche" »
 Crucian Heritage And Nature Tourism, Inc. (CHANT) is a non-political, broad-community-based coalition committed to the advancement of Crucian heritage and nature tourism. By supporting our efforts, you will not only have a fun and educational vacation, but you will also be supporting local businesses and contributing to the sustainable development of St. Croix, US Virgin Islands as well.
Of all three historic towns in the Virgin Islands, the history of Frederiksted is arguably the most remarkable, with everything from slave rebellion to tsunami to warrior queens to conflagration. CHANT offers a walking tour that shares the history of the town while showcasing the magnificent waterfront, historic Fort Frederik, Victorian townhouses and historic churches.
Continue reading "Crucian Heritage and Nature Tourism, Inc." »
 Visitors to St. Croix can't help but notice dozens of huge "sewing thimbles" that dot our island's hills. We call them "sugar mills," because they were built, most in the 18th century, to grind up sugar cane once grown on island plantations.
If they look like windmills from Holland, it is because they are indeed a Dutch type of mill with a dome at the top, and four canvas sails (later movable wooden shutters or louvers) on wooden arms facing into the wind. Dutch settlers, in fact, introduced sugar cane and the process for making it to the lower West Indies in the early 1600's.
Continue reading "St. Croix's Sugar Mills" »
 More vacationers every year find a way to move to "America's Paradise." They like that we are part of the US, have no state taxes, enjoy great year-round climate and are surrounded by beautiful beaches and turquoise water.
Newcomers learn the traditions of culture and history on the island. Being home to dozens of community organizations, with volunteer opportunities, and annual events to attend, it's easy to get involved quickly and form new friendships.
St. Croix is an ideal second home for some and a wonderful year-round residence for others. Houses and condos are available for rent or purchase along with undeveloped land for those who want to build.
Continue reading "Moving to St. Croix" »
 This sprawling six acre estate is the home to seven luxurious villas for rent. What makes this verdant property different from the rest on St. Croix? It's promotion of Ecotourism.
Ecotourism is the idea of teaching responsible travel and focuses on learning new ways to live on the planet. An integral part of ecotourism is the promotion of water conservation, energy efficiency and recycling. Ginger Brown Vaneerveer, Director of Northside Valley, is committed to offering a vacation that minimizes the impact of human habitation on the surrounding environment.
Continue reading "Northside Valley Ecotourism" »
By Carol M. Bareauther, RD
 "Fast Food" feeds millions, but it is "Slow Food" that nourishes the body and soul. This nurturing earth-friendly cuisine, mixed with a heaping helping of eco-sustainability and cultural preservation, is what the Slow Down dinners at St. Croix's Creque Dam Farm are all about.
"The idea for our Creque Slow Down Dinner Experience, or CSDDE for short, was born out of the Slow Food philosophy," says Keith Weitzman, chef for the farm, which is also the headquarters for the Virgin Islands Sustainable Farm Institute (VISFI).
Carlo Petrini, an Italian visionary, founded the Slow Food Movement in 1986 as a resistance effort to combat fast food. The central theme of this now globally-recognized effort is to preserve the cultural cuisine and the associated food plants, domestic animals, and farming within an eco-region. This year, the Creque Dam Farm will represent the U.S. Virgin Islands as one of over 5,000 producers of good, clean, fair food at the Slow Food Movement's Terra Madre conference in Turin, Italy.
Continue reading "Slow Down and Taste the Dinners at the Creque Dam Farm" »
For decades Stephen Larsen has been shooting images around the world. His travels have taken him to the ends of the earth including such places as Antarctica, Australia, Africa, Central America, Himalayas, India and Laos.
Continue reading "Stephen Larsen's Photographic Artwork" »
By Carol M. Bareuther, RD
Anyone who dreams of living exquisitely on an exotic Caribbean island can see such a reality come to life at The Greathouse at Catherine’s Hope. This magnificent property, perched atop a hill 600-foot-above-sea level on St. Croix’s northeast shore, offers sweeping vistas that span from sunrise to sunset. And, that’s just for starters.
 The core of this now 8800-square-foot residence with 1500-square-foot guesthouse was originally built in the 1970s, and according to rumor, as a British Secret Service safe house. Over a decade later, the wealthy inventor of the scratch-and-sniff technology purchased the house and its 13 surrounding secluded landscaped acres and set upon a grand expansion project that even included a helipad.
Continue reading "The Greathouse at Catherine's Hope" »
|
Featured Articles Directory: • An Animal Story
• St Croix Birds - Up Close and Personal
• Farm Fresh: Where to Find It
• Wine in the VI: Best Pick! Seghesio Family Vineyards
• Maria's Cantina - Little Mexico in Gallow's Bay!
• Meet Cover Artists Carlos "Tuna" Garcia
• VI Bridal Guide: Pinning Your Way to the Altar
• A Legacy of Cannon
• Diving is sweeter with Sweet Bottom Dive Center!
• Calabash Realty -- 20 Agents at Your Service
• Arts in the U.S. Virgin Islands: Part 7
• Salt River Bay National Historical Park and Ecological Preserve at Columbus Landing
• Wine: Best Pick! Mollydooker - The Boxer
• Living the Highlife on the Christiansted Waterfront
• Meet Cover Artist Marilyn Phillips May
• Bridal Guide: Picture Perfect
• An Antique St. Croix Map
• Dive Experience - At 30 Years, The Name Says It All!
• Arts in the U.S. Virgin Islands
• Annual Survey of Real Estate Sales
• St. Croix Celebrates Black History
• Meet Cover Artist Jose Joseph
• Understanding Opportunities in Today's Real Estate Market
• ARTS in the U. S. Virgin Islands: Woodworking
• See Buck Island Our Way!
• Increased Danish Visitation Brings Joy To The VI
• One Word to Know
• Award-winning Culinary Options at The Buccaneer
• Wine in the VI: Best Pick!
• Island Worship
• KiteSurf / PaddleSurf St. Croix Pulls Out All the Stops
• Casa Holiday Art Cards
• "My Money Bought So Much More Here"
• Island Maritime Connections Yesterday and Today
• Wedding Goodie Bags
• Arts in the U. S. Virgin Islands: Basketry
• Dining Options Reflect St. Croix's Bountiful Location
• Wine Best Pick: Chateau Ste. Michelle Wine Estates-- Now I'm a Believer!
• The Caribbean Writer--Observing the Environment: Nature and Ecology
• 26th Annual Hibiscus Bloom Show--"You Won't Believe They're Real!"
• Virgin Islands Cardiac Symposium: The Heartbeat of Caribbean Women
• Roseway Back for the Holidays!
• Buy Low, Sell High
• Award Winning Spa Treatments
• Arts in the U. S. Virgin Islands: Carib Indians, Continued
• 20th St Croix International Sailing Regatta
• Danish Ties to Vieques, an Island of Puerto Rico
• VI Bridal Guide: Expressing Thanks
• Meet Cover Artist Elwin Joseph
• Made with Pride Just for You
|
|
