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I received a message from one of my readers a few months back regarding an old USVI restaurant guide and recipe book. Noelle, a frequent visitor to St. John, told me that her cousin found the book at a garage sale and asked if I would like it. “Of course I would!” I immediately responded, so Noelle graciously shipped it down to me.

The Virgin Island Restaurant Guide & Recipe Book was printed in 1994. It includes dozens of restaurants located in both the US Virgin Islands and British Virgin Islands. Twelve restaurants from St. John were included. Of those, only three remain open today.

Who is ready to take a little trip down memory lane?

The Old Gallery

The Old Gallery was owned by one of St. John’s most treasured residents – Slim. Bernard Wesselhoft, known as Slim or Slimman, now owns two parking lots in Cruz Bay. Slim owned The Old Gallery, which was located in the former Quiet Mon Pub location, with his sister Maria. The building is where Slim was raised along with his 11 brothers and sisters. The restaurants served traditional West Indian cuisine. Lunch averages $4 a plate, and dinner was only about $15. Slim’s mother operated a bakery below in the space that is now occupied by The Refinery.

Pusser’s Wharfside

Pusser’s was located on the second floor of Wharfside Village. This space is now part of the Wharfside Hotel, but it was located in the former Vista Mare location, which was on the second floor above Joe’s Rum Hut. Prior to being Vista Mare, the restaurant was called Spyglass.

The setting at Pusser’s Wharfisde is described in the book as being like a maritime museum, as it was decorated with old ship models, paintings and antiques. There was a casual Crow’s Nest restaurant that served finger foods, and a fancier Terrace restaurant that features steaks and seafood. Lunch was only $6, and dinner averaged $16 a person.  We need to bring these prices back!

Mongoose Cafe & Bar 

One of the first restaurants I remember visiting in the 90s was Mongoose Cafe & Bar. It was located in the space where 1864 currently is. Prior to 1864, Ocean Grill operated in the space. Mongoose Cafe & Bar was a breezy, open-air restaurant that was open for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Guests had the option of dining in an open air gazebo, tropical garden or around a casual bar. The restaurant was owned by Henry Muus and Roland Czekelius. Mongoose Cafe & Bar featured gourmet meals that were healthier versions of traditional Mediterranean dishes, according to the guide book. Meals ranged in price from $5 to $11.

The three restaurants featured that are still open are Morgan’s Mango, The Lime Inn and Skinny Legs. Check out the pics:

I absolutely love history, and I love reading things like this. I hope you all do too. 🙂

Want to learn more about St. John? Take an island tour with me!

Learn more here –> www.explorestj.com/tour

See the island of St. John with a resident. See the nooks and crannies that many visitors miss. Explore the beaches, historical sites, perhaps a tiki bar or two, and much more. Full & half days available. Rated “Excellent” on TripAdvisor.

Click Here to Book Now. 

I miss the sun. I miss blue skies. It won’t stop raining!

I can’t remember when it started to rain, but it was sometime around Halloween. It seems to have been raining ever since.

I woke up overnight to some of the hardest rain I can remember happening here on St. John. According to the St. John Weather page on Facebook, we received three inches in an hour overnight. My friend Tracy, who owns Into the Mystic villa in Coral Bay, recorded over five inches of rain in the past 24 hours. Crazy!

The ghut beside my house in a raging river at the moment. At one point overnight, it appeared to double in size and the water flowed over the road – several feet higher than it typically is. Dalton is currently outside with one of the neighbors “supervising” as he clears the road with his bulldozer.

We may have a little sun on Wednesday, but it looks like it’s going to be another wet week. As I have mentioned in previous posts, the most accurate weather website/app for St. John is Wunderground.

When it rains like this, you have to be careful driving. It floods regularly near the tennis courts, and rock slides can happen everywhere. You also have to be careful about runoff on the beaches. If the water is brown (this happens near Maho often), do not go in the water.

Hiking will be tough this week, as the trails are undoubtedly soaked. For those of you who plan to conquer Reef Bay this week, the waterfall will definitely be flowing.

What else can you do in the rain? Go shopping. Eat and drink around the island. Check out some historical sites like Annaberg or Cinnamon Bay. You can even consider taking a half-day island tour with me. The island is still beautiful without the sun. I am offering discounted rates this week due to the wet weather. Email me at jenn@explorestj.com for more information.

Stay dry friends.

Want to learn more about St. John? Take an island tour with me!

Learn more here –> www.explorestj.com/tour

See the island of St. John with a resident. See the nooks and crannies that many visitors miss. Explore the beaches, historical sites, perhaps a tiki bar or two, and much more. Full & half days available. Rated “Excellent” on TripAdvisor.

Click Here to Book Now. 

Did you know that home sales typically increase following a presidential election? If you didn’t, there’s your fun fact of the day!  Now that the election is in our rearview window, let’s start shopping for a new home in St. John! I have quite a beauty to share with all of you today.

Dos Palmas is an impeccably-maintained, four bedroom, 4.5 bathroom estate. It is located on a .63-acre parcel that has panoramic, 360-degree views in addition to its beautiful, well-established stone terraced landscape. There are numerous fruit trees on the property like starfruit, mango, banana and papaya. This home is truly a gardener’s dream!

Dos Palmas is located in Coral Bay and is easily accessible by fully paved roads. The three-level main house is flanked by two driveways with gated entrances, and has ample parking for cars, boats and other fun toys.

A newly rebuilt caretaker’s cottage is nestled perfectly in the hillside with plenty of privacy, offering opportunities for an on-site caretaker or simply to have a spot to nest if the main house is occupied.

Dos Palmas has so many other great features like a poolside bar and an outdoor shower in addition to ample shaded decks and verandas. There is even a newly finished bonus room on the lower level that can be used as a gym, office, art studio, or kid’s game space. Check out some pics:

Dos Palmas is suitable for both a family home or an investment property. The owner rents as vacation rental from time to time, but not full year. Numbers regarding rentals can be provided upon request.

Dos Palmas is listed for $1.92 million. Please contact Rosanne Ramos Lloyd, an agent with 340 Real Estate Co., at 340realestaterrl@gmail.com or 401-996-6751 for more information.