St. John’s Relay for Life for the American Cancer Society has raised at least $120,000, and head organizer Mary Bartolucci says they are still counting. For an event with an original goal of $8,000, that is absolutely remarkable.
“There were some corporate sponsors, but the majority of the money was raised by individuals. One group raised over $10,000 by donating their tips from Joe’s Rum Hut and Rhumblines,” Mary tells us.
And the event went off without a hitch, despite some challenges. On St. John, challenges seem to build teamwork.
“When we arrived at 8 a.m. the ball field was a pond from heavy rain the night before. Julien Harley and his group got a back hoe and sand to fill in the holes, Dave Carlson from Carlson construction brought a pump to pump the water out, and the firemen from next door showed up with shovels to smooth out the ground,” Mary says. “The whole event was really St. John doing what it does best…giving back to our community, having fun doing it and seeing everyone provide something.”
Our thanks to Alain Brin of Blueglass Photography for these fantastic pictures. See who you recognize.
We’ve had a mosquito problem lately. Not outside. Bongo is very breezy. Not in the bedrooms. They are iceboxes. In the living room and kitchen.
Recent guests called and asked that the rugs be removed. A very odd request.
Why? Because the wife hated mosquitoes and they knew what the problem was. A similar problem they had solved at property they owned elsewhere.
The wool rugs.
Paco, our property manager, didn’t believe them, but dutifully came to remove the rugs. And the guest says “Watch this.” He sprayed Off on one of the rugs, and a cloud of mosquitoes flew out of it!
So Paco removed the rugs. And guess what? A couple of days later, and there are no mosquitoes in the house.
We had never heard of this, and found no Google confirmation, but apparently thick piled rugs, damp from humidity anyway and made more so by pool-soaked feet, are a suitable breeding ground for mosquitoes. The result is indisputable.
We hung the rugs on the Chocolate Hole dumpster.
To whoever took our pretty wool rugs home, we just gave you our mosquitoes. Enjoy!
Today is officially Day 3: (Yes, we’ll keep track.) Cruz Bay Park renovation officially got underway Tuesday. A park bench was removed that day.
A back hoe is in there now, behind the mysterious mesh fence. We like that the mesh fence is starting to become a medium for posting posters, banners and the like. A mural wouldn’t be a bad idea.
Ruth at St. John Spice has agreed to be our Observer of Progress of Record, and we’ll update progress occasionally over the next four months.
If completion is scheduled for June, June 1 would be Day 100. Assuming there is a possibility of finishing early, we’ll start the pool with Day 83, or May 15. Should it extend through the end of July, that would be Day 160.
Pick a day between 83 and 160 for when you think the park renovation will be complete and submit it under comments. We’ll get into the prize closet and find something for the winner.
When Woody’s approached the American Cancer Society about a fundraiser and becoming part of its Relay for Life, the huge, nationwide organization set what it thought was a fair goal for a tiny little island: $8,000.
Woody’s initial “Save 2nd Base” kickoff block party blew past that number right out of the gate, and by the time all the dust had settled from this past weekend’s Relay for Life event, the total came in at more than $80,000…and they’re still counting.
The American Cancer Society must be amazed at what this little island did.
“This was a great example of St. Johnians coming together for a common cause. It’s what we as St. Johnians do best,” lead organizer Mary Bartolucci tells us. “It was also a family-oriented cross-cultural event. Cancer does not discriminate.”
Bartolucci is already looking ahead to next year with early planning meetings set for next week.
Western-Massachusetts native David Reed is returning to Coral Bay next month for his 12th season playing his collection of instruments, from a guitar and banjo, to a cigar box guitar, suitcase bass drum and assorted harmonicas.
Dave will be joined by Mary Knysh this year, who brings a mandolin, steel pan and flute to the party.
Dave calls it his “Not All There Tour,” and puts it this way: “I’m just as likely to pull out an obscure ragtime country blues or funky folk-rock chestnut as I am to toss out a jumping’ calypso or some skankin’ reggae.”
Wow! Well that sounds like a show to catch if you can.
Dave and Mary will appear every Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday at Miss Lucy’s from 6 pm to 9 pm March 1 through March 26. And he says he’s likely to show up elsewhere too.
Remember when we promised Restaurants & Menus? (Over there, on the right hand rail.)
Go check it out. Our first restaurant advertisers are there, complete with Yelp links so you can add your reviews.
If you run a restaurant, please contact us to find out how to get your menus listed. Almost 700,000 page views in 2010 means we have a lot of hungry readers.
If you’re an On-StJohn.com reader, tell restaurant owners how helpful seeing current St. John menus all in one place would be.
We hate to beg, but we’ve got a shark to feed. Plus, this is a really good idea.
If you’re running a restaurant or bar and are interested, send us an email for information about adding your menu.
After reporting on the new Iguana Grill, we got to wondering why these young Texas transplants came to the conclusion that twice as much work would be a good idea. So we asked.
“Nile and I have had our heart set on that location for a long time,” Courtney Wright tells us. “Running two restaurants will be a ‘round the clock job, but with Cactus open just for happy hour and dinner and Iguana open for lunch and dinner we can spend time at both restaurants every day. Restaurants are what we love and it’s what we do for a living.”
Indeed, it is in their blood. Nile’s family owns Jacala, which bills itself as San Antonio’s oldest family-owned restaurant.
As for Cactus on the Blue, there are new things too. They’ve added some new entrees, and they have a new Website up and running too. Check it out, here.
Folks have been talking about a noticeable increase in big planes flying over St. John.
Wet Woody’s Capt. Kevin Burgess sends us this evidence, shot from Gifft Hill, and wonders if there’s been a change in flight patterns to Tortola. Someone else said NOAA has been doing mapping flights.
NOAA is apparently at least part of it. We contacted NOAA, which confirms it is currently using private contractors who are flying over St. Thomas and St. John to update data for its nautical charts.
The old Baked in the Sun space on the third floor of The Marketplace is now officially Sam & Jack’s Deli, and it is the talk of the island.
ZoZo’s owner John Ferrigno just opened the deli after a complete and SoHo-like like makeover (named after his sons) and first reviews are pretty fantastic.
The deli’s menu has sandwiches named after some of John’s friends and family…like the Big Sussy, the Mean Jean, the Skinny Leg and the Sammy Hammy.
Home made ice cream, fresh pasta, house made sauces, house roasted deli meats, cookies, and St. John Brewers root beer on tap. They even sell homemade pizza dough.
And soon to come, pre-made dinners to go, cheese, coffees, wines and catering.
Be sure to say hello to Angie Gomeau, the manager. How can you resist that smile.
The number’s pretty easy to remember too. 714-DELI.
