The long-awaited Starfish Gourmet shop is now open to the public. You’ll have to check it out for yourself to see if it’s your cup of tea. (Or coffee, and there’s lots of both.) In brief, lots of services, including platters. It’s big on cheese including gigantic wheels of artisans like world champ Dutch gouda Rembrandt, and meats, including a big pile of tasty looking smoked duck breasts. Shelves of chocolate. Walls of wines. And barrels of olive oils. You choose your bottle and buy it. Then come back and fill it back up. If you’re on-island this month, stop by for the daily wine tastings, and say hello to Paul, the manager. A nice guy who is probably very glad to finally get the doors open.
You know we love her. We know some of you do too. Here’s a chance for those of you who don’t know Susie Christy to meet her. She is one funny gal. Meet Susie Christy, below!
Just a reminder, it’s not the same time on St. John as it is on the East Coast anymore. The U.S. Virgin Islands doesn’t recognize daylight saving time so for six months a year, Atlantic Time in the island matches daylight saving time on the East Coast. Now that the East Coast has changed back, it’s an hour earlier than it is on St. John. So, don’t panic if you look at your next airline ticket and think it takes an hour longer to make the trip.
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Out of all the villas we’ve been in and/or had the pleasure to actually stay in, this is one of our all-time favorites. It is neither fancy or pretentious. It is very comfortable, and just a really cool place. Haiku is actually the very first architect-designed house on St. John, dating back to the 1960’s. It has been lovingly cared for over the past 4 decades…and it retains its St. John charm. Staying here is exactly what staying on St. John should be like. It’s an “open house” although the owners have succumbed to modern demands like a good kitchen and air conditioned bedrooms. And it’s in Great Cruz Bay. It doesn’t get more convenient than that. We seriously love this house. Please consider it. It’s a trip back in time. But your laptop will still work.
Dozens of people descended on Cruz Bay yesterday to volunteer their time for a daylong clean up. The clean up was originally scheduled for last weekend, but got rained out. Curbs were painted, garbage picked up, trees trimmed back and the beach given the once over. Yesterday’s clean up included the park and dock area, the Sprauve School area and all the way to Mongoose Junction. Lindy was thrilled to be presented with a gigantic bag of cigarette butts at the end of the day.
Oh-kay. Days of rain. Followed by warm sun. Equals?
IT’s called a “mosquito bloom” which sounds so pretty which of course it’s not. They’re also called mosquito “bites”. “Pricks” would be better…on so many levels.
Rain stopped. Mosquitoes out in full force. Entire neighborhoods get sprayed in a couple of days, but in the meantime villas are fully armed. If there was Napalm in a can I would put it out. There are only two ways to beat mosquitoes. Chemicals and zappers. Oh. A third way. Rum. (In you, not on them. They don’t like thin blood.)
Today, we leave Caneel Bay and continue on North Shore Road. We’ll drive until we get to Peace Hill (which is a good place to park and take a 5 minute hike to a very nice spot.) Not much to point out along the way, so enjoy the rain-slickened drive. North Shore Road, Part 2 below!
Royal Caribbean, one of the big duty free chains on St. Thomas, is getting ready to open a location at Mongoose Junction. Cameras, watches, jewelry, etc. How should you feel about this? Well, on the one hand, it seems like an awfully cruise shippy thing to open on St. John. On the other hand, Royal Caribbean also carries lots of electronics including computer stuff and high-end audio and video gear which is something you can’t find much of on St. John. Anyway, it’s a pretty big space that they’re renovating now, on street level below Paradiso. Opening soon.
Just a reminder, it’s not the same time on St. John as it is on the East Coast anymore. The U.S. Virgin Islands doesn’t recognize daylight saving time so for six months a year, Atlantic Time in the island matches daylight saving time on the East Coast. Now that the East Coast has changed back, it’s an hour earlier than it is on St. John. So, don’t panic if you look at your next airline ticket and think it takes an hour longer to make the trip.
