So work is officially underway on the  Cruz Bay Roundabout. Here’s a repost of the plan. That intersection is kind of a roundabout anyway. All the spokes, minus the actual circle. (Chicken scratch not to scale!) $7 million and two years. Just like a new villa.

…But beaching and boating are probably replaced by jigsaw puzzles and video slots for the next day or so. (And you thought you’d never set foot in one of those places.) The latest official forecast says Puerto Rico will get 4 to 8 inches of rain. Disturbance 92, a Tropical Wave, is brushing along the Virgins, on the verge of becoming Tropical Depression #6 and may be on its way to getting a name - Tropical Storm Fay - sometime after it leaves the territory.

The former Tage space has been transformed into the new home for chef Walter Hinds, former chef at the still closed Stone Terrace. Hinds Restaurant is testing out its menu and it’s definitely high-end dining. Here’s a peak at the new Hinds Restaurant menu.

It all sounds pretty tasty and creative - the kind of stuff you’d hope he would bring to the table himself and explain all the different parts to you, Iron Chef-like. But it takes a confident chef to open a restaurant on St. John in this economy with a $42 steak and a $49 lobster tail on the menu. And the restaurant is “cash only” to boot, at least right now.

The menu is salivating reading. Pretend dinner’s on us, and have fun looking at it, here.

The health inspectors are satisfied and have finally shown up to say so. Joes’s Diner reopened Tuesday afternoon. JJ’s Texas Coast re-opened its doors this morning. Grouper burger, anybody?

If you’re not staying at the Westin, that doesn’t mean you can’t go to the Westin. There are nice restaurants, a huge pool and, while it’s not Maho Bay, there’s a nice beach. The grounds are beautifully manicured and it’s a nice place to - gasp - go for a run. There is usually plenty of parking, too.

Go early in the morning, or around sunset for a drink and stroll along the tiki torch-lit beach. Very cool. Take a quick drive in and out, below!

Get the Flash Player to see this player.

General News | Comments (14)

Inspectors leave restaurants hanging

Tuesday, August 12th, 2008

Several Cruz Bay restaurants were hit with closure notices last week after a visit by health inspectors for what we hear were minor infractions, and are still waiting for permission to reopen.

The inspectors usually make the rounds on Tuesdays and Thursdays, but the restaurant owners haven’t been revisited since early last week, leaving popular places like JJ’s Texas Coast, Joe’s Diner and Uncle Joe’s Barbeque unable to reopen.

That’s no good for hungry customers and it’s a really rotten way to treat restaurant owners who haven’t been able to do business for the last week. That kind of treatment could put a guy out of business.

General News | Comments (12)

Cruz Bay Pizza open for business

Monday, August 11th, 2008

It may not be the most original name, but it does get the what and where straight forward. Cruz Bay Pizza (the former Senorita’s Pizza) is now open for business.

It is CLEAN, and its menu has some interesting non-pizza choices as well. Salads, subs and wraps, fish and chips, stromboli and calzone. Check out the first stab at a menu and prices, here.

General News | Comments (7)

Villa Video, Back on the Market: Perelandra

Sunday, August 10th, 2008

This is a paid advertisement, but the comments below are our own.

This cozy, well-built two bedroom pool villa with big westerly water views is back on the market and at what we think is a compelling price. Perelandra has a great rental history and is in a great location. Just relisted at $1.235 million.

Perelandra: Two bedrooms, two baths, fantastic view, very private pool. $1,235,000.

Get the Flash Player to see this player.

General News, Recent Videos | Comments (4)

Where the beer and the antelope play

Saturday, August 9th, 2008

With distribution deals on the east and west coasts, St. John Brewers has now taken aim at the very, exact middle of America. The Tap Room guys’ latest distribution deal is in Nebraska. Yes, Nebraska…proud, strong, well-fed, rosy-cheeked and Cornhusker crazy Midwesterners now join California, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, and New Jersey, the other states where you can find their beers.

“Yeah, it’s kind of crazy we’re in Nebraska,” says co-Tap Room guy Cheech. “We just started hitting the shelves this week.”

Having spent our formative years in Omaha, we couldn’t be happier with this news. Omaha is a great midwestern city.

Six Degrees of Separation: Omaha to the Virgin Islands: Big Virgin Islands radio star Roger W. Morgan (Paradise 93.5) got his start as a deejay at KOIL Radio in Omaha. (This site never ceases to amaze me. -Me.)

General News | Comments (6)

Friends’ Kristen Maize to leave

Friday, August 8th, 2008

Kristen Maize, program manager for the Friends of the Virgin Islands National Park since 2005, will leave the nonprofit at the end of September. Kristen says she wants to see a bit of the world while she is still young, and she has a big adventure planned this fall to do just that.

But Kristen, a popular St. John artist as well, says she has a lot of painting to do before leaving the island in November. She’ll be gone for awhile, but has every intention of coming back to St. John after her travels.

Taking Kristen’s job as program manager will be St. John native Audrey Penn, an anthropology major who served as the Friends’ summer intern after graduating from Rollins College in Florida. Audrey currently works at Concordia and will start transitioning into her new role at Friends in early September.

We’ll talk more with Audrey once she gets settled, but read our quick Q&A with Kristen, here!

General News | Comments (3)

Look who stopped for a photo

Thursday, August 7th, 2008

He is so friendly and always willing to stop for a photo with somebody who asks. No matter how busy he is.

Just look.

Some guy stops him and says “Aren’t you Captain Brandi?”

This guy, whoever he is, lucked out. Capt. Brandi happened to be with his beautiful wife, Sue, equally as gracious. (Who is that guy?)

General News | Comments (10)

Meet our newest advertiser: The Jolly Dog!

Wednesday, August 6th, 2008

Volcanoes, a stowaway dog and a catchy t-shirt design. All of that makes up the story of how The Jolly Dog came to be.

You should really visit one of their stores; the flagship at Shipwreck Landing, or the two outposts at Skinny Legs. If you’re lucky Jeff Donnelly or his wife and business partner Jennifer will be there. If you’re really lucky, they’ll both be there because they play really well off of each other.

Hear the story of how Wagapalooza came to be, and why Jolly Dog Jeff will give you a free t-shirt if you give him the right license plate, below!

Get the Flash Player to see this player.

General News, Recent Videos | Comments (10)

Bamboula owner ready for new challenge

Tuesday, August 5th, 2008

One of Cruz Bay’s longest running, and most successful retail stores is for sale. Bamboula, at Mongoose Junction, has been owned by Jo Sterling from day one 18 years ago.

While she still loves the store, and her buying trips to exotic locations to keep it stocked, Jo says it is time to do something else. Bamboula is For Sale By Owner, and you can read the particulars about the store here. But before you do that, read our interview with Jo, here!

General News | Comments (3)

« Previous Entries

Next Entries »