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Watching the Weather: Tropical Storm Bret & Tropical Depression Four

Jenn Manes June 22, 2023 0 Comments

Hello everyone, and happy Thursday! The tropics have been busy this week, and there are currently two storms in our area – Tropical Storm Bret and Tropical Depression Four. The good news is that Tropical Storm Bret is forecasted to pass to our south, and Tropical Depression Four is forecasted to pass to our north. Some rain would be great, but I can confidently say that none of us want high winds around here.

The ocean temps where these storms typically form are higher than normal, which means we will likely see more storms form earlier this hurricane season. (Hurricane sesson is June 1 through November 30.) Today I wanted to share some of my favorite weather apps with all of you, so you can keep your eye on our weather. You can even use these apps where you live.

Living Earth

This is a great app that shows a live, 3D simulation of weather around the world. It costs $4.99, but I think it’s well worth the price. You can pan to any spot in the world to see the current weather. It’s pretty cool. I use this to keep an eye on the west coast of Africa, which is where our storms typically form. I can then keep an eye on these storms to see if they grow as they near the US Virgin Islands.

We are the blue dot under the “T” in Thursday. That’s Tropical Storm Bret to our east.

Wunderground

I think that Wunderground is the best app and/or website to use to check out St. John’s weather. It seems to be the most accurate, in my opinion. You can look at real-time satelites, including rain, clouds, etc.

Current radar as of 7:13 a.m. on June 22.

Windy

Windy is pretty straightforward. It’s an app and website that shows you the world’s current winds. You can also scroll ahead to see the wind forecast for up to five days wirth the free version, and up to nine days with the premium (paid version). It tells you what the wind direction is too, which is helpful when you are choosing which beach to visit here on St. John.

Current winds as of 7:17 a.m. on June 22.

Wind prediction for 11 a.m. on June 23. That shows Tropical Storm Bret passing to our south.

National Hurricane Center

And lastly, the National Hurricane Center is the best website to check out when we do have named systems. I’m sure you’re all familiar with this one.

So again, it does not look like Tropical Storm Bret or Tropical Depression Four will impact St. John. But it’s always good to have some tools when it looks like the weather will affect St. John.

That’s all I have for you today, folks. Have a great one!

New Food Truck Opens in Cruz Bay

Jenn Manes June 21, 2023 1 Comment

A great new food truck opened in Cruz Bay last week, and I think you’re all going to love it.

Love City Wing Spot is located in the gravel lot beside the car barge area in Cruz Bay. It’s a great new spot that serves more than just wings. For those of you who are looking for chicken wings, they serve traditional, boneless, and even cauliflower. They have 14 different sauces, including Buffalo, bourbon, and mango habanero among other flavors.

There are also a variety of appetizers on the menu like conch fritters and mozzarella sticks. Need something more substantial? They have regular and an impossible burger, as well as a delicious chicken sandwich. They have ice cream and dessert too.

The chicken sandwich and fries were delicious!

Check out the full menu:

Love City Wing Spot is owned by Charmaine Vante-Calixte and Magabe Calixte. (Charmaine and Magabe also own Healthy Alternatives, a CBD retailer near the Westin. Magabe serves as the fire department’s deputy chief of operations on St. John as well.) It’s a nice and breezy spot that has four, shaded picnic tables for you to dine at. You can also take it to go. You are allowed to park for free in the gravel lot if you plan to visit. Just let the parking attendant know that’s where you’re headed.

Love City Wing Spot is open from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Not certain where it’s located? Click here to view Explore STJ.com’s Restaurant Map, which includes more than 80 restaurants, bars, and food trucks around St. John.

The Carnival is Here!

Jenn Manes June 18, 2023 4 Comments

This is really big news… The carnival is here! We have not had a single carnival ride on St. John in more than 10 years, so this is a really big deal for us. I spent way too much time and money over there on Sunday afternoon, but seeing the smiles on Dalton and his friends’ faces was worth every penny.

The carnival is located in the gravel lot near the car barge area. (Click here to find its location on Explore STJ’s Logistics Map.) It will be open from 5 p.m. until midnight every night through July 5th. Tickets are $5, and each ride takes one ticket. The price is the same for children and adults. There will not be a bracelet night, according to the carnival operator. The carnival is cash only.

(Monday evening edit: They opened late on Monday. So let’s say they will open at 5-ish every night.)

The carnival features a ferris wheel, an umbrella ride that goes rather high (I did it once, and that was enough for me!), a Himalayan-style music ride, teacups, motorcycles, and a Frozen-themed bounce house. One really cool thing is that the ride times were pretty long, so I felt we got our money’s worth every time.

There is also a spot where you can get all of the yummy carnival foods like cotton candy, candy apples, popcorn, soft-served ice cream, and more. This is also cash only. There is even a table where you can buy bubble guns, silly string, glow-in-the-dark toys, and other fun things.

Seriously, this was so much fun. Whether you’re here on vacation or live here, grab the kids (and a lot of cash) and go have some fun! And lastly, I’d like to give a huge THANK YOU to I Land Rides of St. Croix for bringing the carnival to us!

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Want to see St. John? Consider taking an island tour with Explore STJ. We are rated “Excellent” on TripAdvisor. Full & half days are available. Check out www.ExploreSTJ.com/tour to learn more.

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Cruz Bay Parking Lot Temporarily Closed

Jenn Manes June 16, 2023 1 Comment

The Customs parking lot in Cruz Bay is temporarily closed.

Hello everyone, and happy Friday! I have a little parking update to share with all of you today.

The Customs parking lot in Cruz Bay will be closed for several weeks. The lot closed yesterday in order to prepare for The Village. The Village is an area where food and drink vendors set up for the festival’s final week. It is also where the music stage is located. The 2023 Festival officially kicked off last weekend. It continues through July 4th.

Parking is currently limited in Cruz Bay. The small area in front of the public restrooms is currently closed. The larger lot across from the Post Office is currently closed. And don’t forget that several of the 30-minute parking spaces along the waterfront are presently reserved for taxis. This is because several taxi spaces are currently roped off due to ongoing construction at the ferry dock. And lastly, a large portion of the gravel lot near the car barge area is closed off for the Kid’s Carnival, which continues through July 5th. Needless to say, parking is tough in Cruz Bay right now.

If you’d like to know where all of the free and paid parking lots are located in Cruz Bay, please check out Explore STJ’s Logistics Map. This searchable map shows free and paid parking lots, plus other helpful information like gas stations, grocery stores, and more. You can view at it www.ExploreSTJ.com/LogisticsMap.

This Weekend’s Carnival Events:

Saturday, June 17th: The 2023 Royalty Pageant is taking place at 6 p.m. in the gravel lot beside the car barge area.
Sunday, June 18th: The Children’s Village opens and will feature real carnival rides. This has not happened here on St. John in more than a decade, so needless to say, this mama is super excited about that. The Children’s Village is expected to open mid-afternoon.

Want to see St. John? Consider taking an island tour with Explore STJ. We are rated “Excellent” on TripAdvisor. Full & half days are available. Check out www.ExploreSTJ.com/tour to learn more.

Click here to read Explore STJ’s TripAdvisor reviews.

On the Market: Breezes, Views & Walk to Town

Jenn Manes June 15, 2023 0 Comments

Everyone dreams of owning a home in St. John, right? I know I do! There is a great house in Coral Bay that recently had a sizeable price reduction. I checked it out earlier this week, and it had some of the best breezes on the island. That’s huge, especially when we’re amid a heatwave, which is happening right now. It was a very cute house with nice views, and the best part is that it is within walking distance of several shops and restaurants. My friend Tammy Donnelly asked me to share it with all of you, and I am happy to oblige. Want to know more? Then please, read on!

Sea Biscuit is located just up the hill from the shops and restaurants in Coral Bay.

Sea Biscuit is a three-bedroom, three-and-a-half-bath home located in the heart of Coral Bay. It’s located just up the hill from the former Aqua Bistro restaurant, which means that you can easily walk to Dolphin Market, Salty Mongoose, Surf Club Cantina, Johnny Lime, and Jolly Dog for some local shopping. (It’s not a super steep hill, so it’s a very doable walk for most.)

Sea Biscuit has a large wraparound deck with views of Coral Bay harbor, Fortsberg, the East End, and even Norman Island in the British Virgin Islands. It’s a great spot to watch the sunrise in the morning, the boats come and go during the day, and the stars twinkle at night.

Enjoy the tropical breeze and expansive views from a large, wraparound deck.

A large pool is surrounded by beautiful gardens making it very private. The pool is located off of the main living area and kitchen. There is an internal staircase that leads to two en-suite bedrooms. The third bedroom is located on the ground floor. It, too, has an en suite bath. And rounding out this great buy is a beautifully-crafted, outdoor shower.

Picture yourself floating is this private pool.

My four-year-old thought this shower was very cool & I’m sure you will too!

The owner is very motivated, and this property is priced to sell at $1,095,000. It is currently one of the least expensive three bedrooms currently available to purchase on St. John. Interested? Want to learn more? Please contact Tammy Donnelly, owner of 340 Real Estate Co. at 340realestateco@gmail.com. You can see more of Tammy’s listing by visiting www.340RealEstateCo.com.

Tag: Coral Bay home for sale

The 2023 List of Off-Season Restaurant Closings

Jenn Manes June 14, 2023 9 Comments

Updated August 6th

Off-season is right around the corner, and restaurants are starting to make plans to take some time off. Not all restaurants in St. John close for the off-season, as you will see in the list below, but several do. The dates below are tentative and can change at any time. I will do my best to keep this list updated.

If you are a restaurant owner or manager, and you would like to update your listing, please email jenn@explorestj.com.

You can also bookmark this list at www.ExploreSTJ.com/closings

1864: Currently open for raw bar happy hour & dinner only
420 to Center: Staying Open
Amore Arowako Vegan Club: Staying Open
Aqua Bistro: Permanently Closed
Bajo el Sol Gallery & The Art Bar: Will close the last two weeks of September
Banana Deck: Tentatively closing September 1st through October 16th
Beach Bar: Staying Open
Caneel Bay Beach Club: Likely Staying Open
Caps Place: Staying Open
Colombo’s Smoothies: No info yet.
Cafe Roma: Last night is September 1st; First night is October 8th
Caribbean Food Delights: Staying Open
Cinnamon Bay Raintree Cafe & Food Truck: Campground & Restaurant will be closed in September and October. Details on the food truck near the beach are TBD.
Coco Jim’s: Staying open
Colombo’s: Closing September 9th through September 23rd
Cool Desires: Undecided
Coral Bay Catering: Open; Contact 340-423-6611 for possible closures in September/October.
Coral Bay Fresh Market: Permanently Closed
Cruz Bay Landing: Staying Open
Dave & Jerry’s Steakhouse: Last night is September 1st; First night is October 8th
Dazey Drive In: Closed for off-season; Reopening October-ish. Exact reopening date TBD. (Salt Deck will close August 18th – October 8th.)
Delyvonne Breakfast Bistro: Staying Open
Dolphin Grab & Go: Staying Open
Downtown Sips: Staying Open
Estela’s Sosa’s Food Truck: Staying Open
Ekaete Pink Corner: Waiting on info.
Every-ting Kurry: No info.
Extra Virgin Bistro: Closed for off-season; Reopening date TBD
Flavour’s Night Club: Staying open
Greengo’s Caribbean Cantina: Staying open
Gwen’s Place: Staying open
Heading East: Staying open
High Tide: Closing September 18-24
Hillside Terrace: Staying open
Irie Pops: Closing for September; Reopening October 9th
Island Breeze: Permanently Closed.
Joe’s Rum Hut: Closed August & September
Johnny Lime: Last day is August 18th; Reopening October 8th (Tentative)
La Tapa: Most likely closing September 18th through October 15-ish
Lime Inn: Last day is August 18th; Reopening end of November (Closed Saturdays until then for summer hours)
Lime Out: Last day is August 18th; Reopening October 8th
Little Olive Food Truck: Undecided
Lovango Resort & Beach Club: Last day is July 20th; Reopening mid-December.
Lovango Rum Bar: Closing September 9th through September 23rd
Love City Barbeque: Waiting on info.
Live City Bites: Waiting on info.
Love City Cafe: Closing dates TBD
Love City Wing Spot: Staying open
Love Supply by Reef2Peak at Maho: Staying open
Maho Crossroads: Staying open
Margarita Phil’s: Closing Dates TBD
Miss Lucy’s: Closed September & October; Reopening end of November
Morgan’s Mango: Closed starting September 6th; Reopening October 6th
Natures Nook: Staying open
North Shore Deli: Undecided
Ocean 362: Closing end of August; Reopening mid-October
Our Market Smoothies: Both Locations are staying open
The Parrot Club: Staying Open
P&P’s By the Sea: Waiting on info.
Pizzabar in Paradise: Closing mid-September through mid-October
Quiet Mon Pub: Most likely closing for September
Rhumb Lines: Most likely closing in September; Check back for exact dates
Ronnie’s Pizza: Closed for off-season; Reopening in September
Salty Mongoose: Closed in September
Sam & Jack’s: Most likely closing mid-September; Exact dates TBD
Shaibu’s Grab & Go: Closing August 26th through October 1st
Shambles: Closing August 14-21
Skinny Legs: Last day is now August 10th; Reopening on Halloween
St. John Catering & Mathayom Private Chefs: Staying open
St. John Scoops: Staying open
St. John Provisions: Closed for September
Sun Dog Cafe: Staying open
Surf Club Cantina: Staying open
Tamarind Court: Closing two weeks in September; Exact dates TBD
The Tap & Still: Staying open
The Longboard: Staying Open
The Tap Room: Staying Open
The Refinery: Staying open
The Roti King: Staying open
The Terrace: Closed August 10-October 10
Tony’s Kitchen Food Truck: Staying Open
Trunk Bay Concessions: Staying Open
Uncle Joe’s BBQ: Staying open
Upstairs Bar & Grill: Staying open
Surf Club Cantina: Staying Open
Woody’s: Closing the end of September through the beginning of October; Exact Dates TBD
Windmill Bar: Staying Open
Wine Shop VI: Closed for off-season; Reopening date TBD
ZoZo’s: Closed for off-season; Reopening mid-December

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Tag: St. John restaurant closings