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Taste of Lovango Evolves into Monthly Series of Dinners & Events

Jenn Manes January 31, 2026

Lovango Resort & Beach Club is a quick, 15-minute ferry ride from Cruz Bay.

What started as a weekend event has now involved into a monthly series of exclusive dinners and beach parties. This year’s Taste of Lovango promises to be better than ever with the first event kicking off on Friday, February 27th.

The Lovango Resort & Beach Club is planning to bring in an impressive line up of chefs to head up the USVI’s tastiest event of the year, including two of St. John’s best – Alex Ewald, owner of La Tapa, and Vince Alterio, owner of STJ Speakeasy. Here is a complete list of events:

February 27th – Little Gems Chefs’ Dinner

All three of Little Gem Resorts’ – Lovango Resort & Beach Club, The Nantucket Hotel and Winnetu Oceanside Resort – executive chefs will come together for an unforgettable evening of island-inspired cuisine and coastal creativity.

Join Lovango’s Chef Kyle McKnight, Chef Michael Hervieux of The Nantucket Hotel, and Chef Richard Doucette of Winnetu Oceanside Resort as they unite for a culinary event on Lovango. Each course will showcase the chefs’ unique coastal influences—from the Caribbean to Martha’s Vineyard to Nantucket.

March 20th Dinner

Chef Bhavin Chhatwani is a rising star whose journey spans culinary cultures and continents. Chef Bhavin currently serves as Executive Chef at Tamasha Modern Indian in Raleigh, North Carolina, where his work has earned national recognition: he was named a semifinalist for the prestigious James Beard Foundation “Emerging Chef” award, and has earned accolades for re-imagining Indian cuisine through fine-dining lens.

April 17th Dinner

Chef Ricky Moore is a James Beard Award–winning chef celebrated for his soulful approach to Southern seafood. A North Carolina native, he is the chef and owner of Saltbox Seafood Joint, where his cooking highlights fresh, local catch and the traditions of coastal Carolina cuisine. Known for his warmth, authenticity, and deep respect for community and heritage, Chef Moore brings heart and history to every dish he serves.

May 9th Beach Party w/ Local Legends

Chef Alex Ewald is the chef-owner of La Tapa in Cruz Bay, renowned for Mediterranean-inspired cuisine with Caribbean flair.

Chef Vinny Alterio is St. John–based private chef and restaurateur known for globally inspired cuisine with a refined, island-forward approach. He is the owner of STJ Speakeasy.

Chef Kenny Claxton is a Virgin Islands chef celebrated for fresh, ocean-driven dishes and a deep connection to local seafood and sourcing.

Chef Jucinto Durant is a St. Thomas–born, Johnson & Wales-trained chef blending classical technique with elevated Caribbean flavors as a private chef, consultant, and culinary partner across the USVI.

May 15th Dinner

Chef Robbie Felice, a two-time James Beard Award semifinalist and chef-owner of acclaimed restaurants Viaggio Ristorante and PastaRamen, is known for his bold, genre-defying approach—blending Japanese and Italian influences into dishes that are as inventive as they are unforgettable.

He joins Chef Brian Arruda, Founder of Executive Chefs at Home and graduate of New York’s Culinary Institute of America, whose career spans the kitchens of Daniel Boulud, Thomas Keller, and Jean-Georges. Arruda’s refined coastal cuisine, rooted in seasonality and balance, reflects the soul of the islands and fine dining. Together, they will collaborate on an exclusive culinary experience.

June 13th Beach Party

This event will feature celebrity chefs from Puerto Rico. Details to be announced.

June 19th Dinner

Chef Nina Compton, a St. Lucia–born chef and winner of the 2018 James Beard “Best Chef: South,” is the Chef/Owner of New Orleans’ acclaimed Compère Lapin and the fast-casual Nina’s Creole Cottage. A graduate of the Culinary Institute of America, she trained under legendary chefs in New York and Miami before gaining national attention as a finalist and fan favorite on Top Chef: New Orleans. Her celebrated cuisine blends Caribbean flavors with French and Italian influences. In 2025, she released her first cookbook, Kwéyòl / Creole, sharing recipes and stories from her culinary journey. As part of the dinner guests will receive a copy of her new cook book.

Lovango Resort & Beach Club is located on the island of Lovango, which is a quick, 15-minute ferry ride from Cruz Bay. Lovango is a US island, so no passport is needed.

You can learn more about this event and purchase tickets online at www.tasteoflovango.com. All tickets include transportation to and from Lovango.

Want to spend at day at Lovango? You can buy a day pass to its beach club or visit for lunch and dinner? Click the link below to read about my day at the Lovango Beach Club.

Something New to Try: Lovango Beach Club

Where to Stay if You Do Not Want to Rent a Vehicle

Jenn Manes January 29, 2026

One of the top questions I receive is, do I have to rent a vehicle when staying on St. John? We do have plenty of taxis, but it isn’t always easy to locate a taxi to pick you up from your accommodation. Therefore, it is best stay directly in Cruz Bay or over at the Westin if you prefer to rely on the taxis rather than renting your own vehicle.

Where Do I find a Taxi?

The taxis park at the ferry dock in Cruz Bay. They are there morning, noon and night. Simply walk over, and tell them where you’d like to go. It’s that simple. Sometimes you can find a taxi parked in the small lot across from Morgan’s Mango or across from Mongoose Junction, too. They also park at Trunk Bay, Cinnamon Bay and Maho Bay. Taxis in St. John are cash only.

The taxis all charge the same price. A ride from the ferry dock to Trunk Bay is $9 per person when traveling in a group of two or more. A ride to Maho Bay is $12 per person, again, when you are traveling in a group of two or more. Click here to see a full list of taxi fares.

Where To Stay – The Westin

Let’s start with the Westin. It is located just outside of Cruz Bay. It’s roughly a five or so minute ride from the ferry dock. (I do not recommend walking from the Westin to Cruz Bay due to a steep hill called Jacob’s Ladder.) There are always taxis waiting at the Westin to transport you to Cruz Bay, to the North Shore beaches (as far as Maho Bay) or to the Windmill Bar on Centerline Road (more so late afternoon and evening, as opposed to during the day for the Windmill). It’s tough to get a ride beyond those places. Staying at the Westin is a great choice if you want to rely on taxis, but keep in mind that the taxi fares will add up. It costs $7 per person to ride from the Westin to Cruz Bay. That’s $56 for a family of four to go to Cruz Bay for dinner, for example. Just something to think about…

Where to Stay – Cruz Bay

When you are staying in Cruz Bay, there are a few key things to look out for, specifically the hills. St. John is a very hilly island. There are numerous accommodations that market themselves as being in Cruz Bay and having an “easy walk to town.” What some of these rentals fail to mention is that there are very steep hills that you need to walk up or down during that easy walk to town.

Click here to read Accommodations FYI: Beware of the Easy Walk to Town.

If you want to stay in Cruz Bay, utilize the taxis, and avoid steep hills, the following places are great options.

Grande Bay – completely flat
Wharfside Hotel – completely flat
Cruz Bay Boutique Hotel – completely flat
Gallows Point – small hill
Lavender Hill – small hill
Cruz Bay Apartments (on AirBNB only, I believe) – completely flat
Donald Schnell’s Artistic Lofts – very small hill
St. John Inn – small hill
Tamarind Inn – small hill
Love City Lofts – small hill
Dolphin Suites – small hill
Garden By the Sea – small hill and a bit of a longer walk, but a great place to stay
The Saint – small hill

*When I say small hill, it’s one that my seven-year-old walks up and doesn’t even complain that he’s walking uphill. It’s that small.

The taxis do not regularly drive out to Coral Bay or beyond. There is a bus that does go to Coral Bay and Salt Pont. (The bus does not go to the North Shore beaches.) We do not have Uber or Lift on St. John.

Explore STJ Island Tours

I’ve been offering island tours since early 2017 (the good ole days!), and I would love to show you the island if you do not rent a vehicle. Or of you are renting a vehicle and want to familiarize yourself with the island, I can do that too. I offer three and five hour tours. You can learn more at www.explorestj.com/tour.

Click here to see real-time availability and to instant book.

If there is something regarding St. John that you would like to know more about, please email me at jenn@explorestj.com. I am happy to help. I am also a licensed real estate agent with 340 Real Estate if you are looking to purchase a piece of paradise.

Blues Cruise Stops in St. John Today!

Jenn Manes January 27, 2026

The Legendary Rhythm and Blues Cruise pulled into Cruz Bay early Tuesday morning.

The Legendary Rhythm and Blues Cruise is making its annual stop in St. John today, and it’s sure to be a party! The Holland America Nieuw Statendam is scheduled to anchor off of Cruz Bay until 7 p.m., and it will be bringing some very talented musicians to our shores.

Our very own Pamela Everett-Love and Haile Israel will be playing at Franklin Powell Park (across from the ferry dock) starting at 11 a.m. They will be followed by Kid Andersen’s Greaseland All Stars will be playing at Franklin Powell Park (across from the ferry dock) from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m.
Mitch Woods & Friends kicks off the music at The Windmill Bar at noon and will be playing until 3 p.m.
Zac Harmon & the Drive will be playing at Mongoose Junction from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m.
David Julia, Mike Ancona & the Crow’s Nest All Stars will be joining Just Friends at The Beach Bar from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m.

It’s always a fun time when the Blues Cruise stops by, so be sure to swing by Cruz Bay today! Mike, my other half, is bartending at High Tide until 3 p.m., so be sure to swing by and say hi!

Jolly Dog Now Open at Marketplace!

Jenn Manes January 24, 2026

Jolly Dog, Coral Bay’s popular clothing and souvenir shop, now has a new location in Cruz Bay!

Jolly Dog recently opened its doors over at The Marketplace. It’s located on the first floor, right near Starfish Market. I stopped by the new location earlier this week, and the store looks great! They have a variety of clothing, hats, sandals, stickers, sunscreens, and more. They also have an impressive selection of jewelry courtesy of their sister shop Zemi.

Check out a few pics:

The History of Jolly Dog

Jeff Donnelly first opened Jolly Dog in 1997 at Shipwreck Landing in Coral Bay. It took over a spot that was previously known as Coral Bay Cabana, a small space tucked beside the Tallship Trading Company, the spot most recently occupied by Pizzabar in Paradise. The second Jolly Dog opened over at Skinny Legs about eight months later. It took over the old Tutu Tango spot, which is where Mumbo Jumbo is today. The two spots were open for several years.

Jolly Dog opened at Isola Shoppes in March of 2017. Hurricane Irma hit later that year and destroyed the Skinny Legs store. At that point, Jeff decided to operate solely out of the Isola Shoppes location. That was until late last year when he reopened this new post at The Marketplace. I don’t know about you, but I love knowing the history of things.

When & How to Shop

Jolly Dog at The Marketplace is open Monday through Saturday from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. They are open on Sundays from 11:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. They are open at Isola Shoppes Monday through Saturday from 10:30 a.m. to 6 p.m., and on Sundays from 11:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.

Want to shop at Jolly Dog but you are not currently on island? Click here to check out their online store.

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 longtime 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.

Warm Up with Our Island Webcams

Jenn Manes January 21, 2026

So the weather up there looks pretty terrible over the next several days. I keep seeing lots of snow, ice and frigid temperatures throughout a good chunk of the country. I know many of you would prefer to be here and need a little warm up, so I wanted to remind you today about all of the webcams that are located around St. John.

St. John has more than 20 live streaming webcams throughout the island. You can see all of them 24/7 at www.explorestj.com/webcams. Here are a few of our favorites:

The Original – St. John Spice Cam

This is just a screenshot while IT works on this.

The Spice Cam was the island’s very first webcam. It was installed above the Cruz Bay ferry dock back in 2006. This is a great one if you want to see who is coming and going, including the ferries. They’re working on some IT issues today, but this one should be back up and running very soon.

The Beach Bar

Who doesn’t want to be at an island bar that happens to be located on a beautiful beach? You can see who is hanging out and perhaps who is overindulging at The Beach Bar, which is located on Cruz Bay beach near the ferry dock. The Beach Bar also has a beach cam and a stage cam that’s up when live bands are playing.

The Windmill Bar

Want to see one of the best views in St. John? Then check out The Windmill Bar’s webcam. You can see beautiful daytime views, plus incredible sunset views at night. Tonight’s sunset is at 6:07 p.m. if you want to check it out.

The Blind Donkey’s Street Cam

This one has gotten quite popular recently. You can see who is walking around town or perhaps passing by. This camera faces the area near Woody’s and Tap & Still.

Soggy Dollar Bar – Our Favorite Off-Island Webcam

Want to see what’s happening at one of the most popular bars in the world? Soggy Dollar is located on one of the prettiest beaches in the world – White Bay, Jost van Dyke.

Again, you can see all of these webcams and more at www.explorestj.com/webcams.

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

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

Click Here to Book Now.

New Lunch Option Starts Tomorrow!

Jenn Manes January 19, 2026

Ronnie’s is located on the bottom right of Palm Plaza (left).

Today’s post is short, sweet and to the point. Ronnie’s Pizza will now be open for lunch. This starts tomorrow, January 20th, and I am super excited for it!

Ronnie’s Pizza is located in Palm Plaza in Cruz Bay, which is next to the Westin Resort and across the street from Dolphin Market. (This is not the Dolphin Market that is at the roundabout. This Dolphin Market was formerly called St. John Market. Confusing, I know.)

Lunch will be available at Ronnie’s Tuesday through Friday starting at noon. They will continue opening at 4 p.m. on Saturdays. Ronnie’s is open until 8 p.m. nightly. Delivery is available from 6-ish to 8-ish Tuesday through Saturday. Ronnie’s is closed on Sunday and Monday.

Ronnie’s has more than just pizza. Check out their menu:

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

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

Click Here to Book Now.