Last minute change of location.
NEW LOCATION
is the
CRUZ BAY PARK
and, don't forget that earlier in the day the first-ever-hopefully-annual
Let the St John Festival Begin: Dancing, Drums, Food Will be Plentiful!
St John Carnival Special!!
St. John Carnival Week for 8 nights from Sun, Jun 29 to Mon, Jul 7 is available at
due to a last minute cancellation — pay for one week and get the 8th night for free!
USVI Carnival 2014
Carnival is alive with brilliant colors & music
St John's Carnival season begins early next month and culminates with an all night party (J'ouvert) and a wonderful parade through Cruz Bay on July 4th complete with moko jumbees, and fireworks over the harbor. The entire month is filled with music, food, activities such as bike and boat rides, Children and Adult parades, and, did we mention food?
And, of course, great local food:
So, what is not to like?
Great Expectations has had a cancellation (a rare occurrence for us!) for Carnival this coming 4th of July week from Sunday, June 29 - Monday, July 7. What better way to celebrate the 4th of July than right here in our pool (after a hard day at the beach or watching the parade)?
April & May St John news flashes & fun St John clips:
CNN reported that St John made the Condé Nast Traveler list of 'Top 10 Islands in the Caribbean & Atlantic'. Their readers found: the "natural beauty" of St. John to be unparalleled. Most of the island is a preserved national park, allowing visitors to enjoy the "emerald green beaches" and exotic "native fauna and flora." Bounce around the numerous cays in a kayak, or snorkel at Trunk Bay, where you might end up swimming "with a hawksbill turtle."
AirfareWatchDog just announced great airfares to St Thomas (STT) this spring and fall! Fly on American or US Air starting June 4th and on on either Delta or United for travel between September 2 and December 11 and get super deals. Many US cities (Boston, Philadelphia, Baltimore, Washington, Charlotte, Cleveland) included. Hopefully, as usual, Jet Blue will drop their fares to match!
On Saturday, May 24th get your bathing suit on and head to Maho beach for the Saturday for the 11th annual Beach-to-Beach Power Swim in support of the Friends of Virgin Islands National Park fundraising supporting their 'learn to swim' program among several other great initiatives. Even if you are not a swimmer you can help by volunteering on land or sea (in a kayak)...or from afar by donating on-line.
Woody's Seafood has become quite a fixture on St John and this month is celebrating its 25th anniversary and, more importantly (we feel) their 20th year of hosting its Block Party which has raised over $20,000 for the St John Cancer Fund.
St John Historical Society (SJHS) celebrates 40 years of support and encourages the preservation and protection of objects, structures, traditions, and features of historic, cultural, or archeological value to the island of St. John. Their mission is to increase the knowledge, awareness and understanding of St. John’s history and cultural heritage by such means as lectures, seminars, field trips, hikes, consultations, special educational programs and events. Just this month they have uncovered and been restoring the historic 'Cruz Bay Free-Colored Cemetery'.
April was the month of family gatherings at Great Expectations small and large. We were delighted to host - for the 4th time - Frank from MA who came with his cousin as well as to welcome for the first time Gretchen's family of 8 adults and 8 children who told us 'the house was perfect. The views, the pools and the layout made an ideal getaway for our families. Hoping to return soon.' It sure makes our day when we meet and exceed our guests expectations!
Join in the St John Carnival Festivities - Bike Race this Saturday AM - Ride or Root for the Riders
While this year's course has not been detailed, we can use last year's route as a marker of just what a tough task these folks will have:
This route starts at Cruz Bay and follows Centreline Road to Coral Bay where the turn-around takes the riders back up the hill and then along the North Shore via a steep descent down Kings Hill. After cycling past Maho, Cinnamon and Truck Bays, the course ends at Hawksnest Bay Beach for the finish and a total of just over 14 miles and about 2,700 feet of climbing.
PHEW...I am exhausted just reading about it. If you cannot muster the energy to ride, surely you can come out to cheer them on! They sure will deserve a dip in the Caribbean at Hawksnest.
Get it on tonight! Beach Jam 2013 on St John...It is Carnival Baby!
The complete St John Carnival schedule for 2013...if you cannot make the Beach Jam hopefully you can make it to one of the other fun events over the course of the next several weeks. It is a great time to be on St John!
St John newsletter - March and April happenings around the island
Our monthly St John newsletter for April which we distribute to all those who love St John and want to be kept up-to-date about happenings on and around our wonderful island. If you would like to sign up for the monthly newsletter, there is a 'sign up' box at the bottom of the blue column on the right of this page. Enjoy!
Trip Advisor names St John as one of the
World's 10 best islands
I took this picture of Trunk Bay while attending one of world-renowned
Steve Simonsen's photography seminars (highly recommended!)
Steve Simonsen's photography seminars (highly recommended!)
What do Bora Bora, Santorini, and St John have in common? Well they are all islands, but there are literally millions of islands in the world so that is not it. These islands, and 7 others, made the coveted list of Trip Advisor's 2013 list of the 10 Best Islands in the World! Not too shabby! Those of you who have been to St John understand why we made the list. Those of you who have not been here yet, will see for yourselves when you step on the island for the first time. The beauty of St John is ever-present. Our mountainous topography offers a wonderful vista around every bend. Our crystal clear, warm, turquoise waters are magically beautiful. And, it is just as pretty underwater as it is above. I believe, though, we also made the list because of what we do not have. Two-thirds of St John is part of the US National Park system so we will be forever green and those lands should never, ever be developed. We also do not have casinos, movie theaters, airports, cruise ships (well, yes, day trippers come over from St Thomas, but no huge cruise ships can get close enough to dock in our harbors, just sailboats and small power boats). Trip Advisor writes that "Ecotourism is alive and kicking on St. John. There's more than enough to do on land, from watching for wildlife in the national park to hiking miles of trails or strolling sandy white beaches. Hit the water for amazing snorkeling, swimming, even underwater photography—of course. This is the Caribbean, after all." Trip Advisor lists 48 'Things to Do' and if that is not enough our wonderful Concierge, Coby, can add to that list for you!
April St John news flashes & fun St John clips:
One of the reasons St John made the 'Best Islands' list this year is the commitment we have to the environment. Virgin Islands Ecotours is the leading eco-tour company offering a variety of tours many of which start off at their new Honeymoon Beach location at Caneel Bay, in the Virgin Islands National Park on St John. There are also private tours for families or wedding parties.Their award-winning tours combine kayaking, hiking, and snorkeling into a unforgettably fun and educating experience emphasizing our leave no trace style ecotourism. Experience it for yourself first through their video and then for yourself when you next visit St John.
April is Carnival Season on St Thomas and this year is every bit as festive and fun as the first St Thomas Carnival over 101 years ago in 1912. This year's Carnival officially began on March 31 and ends on April 27th. The St Thomas's Festival (aka Carnival) is filled with music, food, and parades as are all the Virgin Islands Carnivals, but, somehow this one is more rambunctious and wild than the others. If you want to experience a Caribbean Carnival, but do not want to be overwhelmed on St Thomas come to St John during our Carnival season which is calmer, but still colorful (mid-June to July 4th).
Spring also brings sailing regattas to the Virgin Islands. The 40th Annual International Rolex Regatta was held last month with St Thomas Yacht Club hosting the races. The weather during this year's race was picture perfect as many of the local photographers captured in dramatic ways. The weather during the recent British Virgin Islands Spring Regatta was not as blue, but the strong winds and rain (yes, rain) made for dramatic sailing and some wonderful pictures as well.
If you want to keep up with All Things St John there is a great app for you. News of St John Blog reports that the app, My Virgin Islands, is new and improved and now provides information, by island, about beaches, shopping, services, events, accommodations (and yes, you can find our villa, Great Expectations, which is the only villa rated with 5 stars!), and restaurants. Given the popularity of this app I sure would put it in your 'favorites' and check back often for updates. The app is iPhone, iPad, iTouch, and Android friendly and best of all, it is free!
- Great Expectations has a few openings this spring and summer. What better way of ending the winter than enjoying the warmth of the Caribbean? Contact us today to take advantage of our last minute specials this May and June.
Best,
Chuck & Kristin
owners of Great Expectations
Since St John has such fabulous photographers we just had to post more St John Festival photos
You just cannot get too much of a good thing when great colors, costumes, and photographers are involved so here are a few more pictures from last week's St John Festival parade.
One of the island's best photographer is Steve Simonsen who once again captured the beauty of the parade. Here is one of his photos:
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The smile says it all and the Virginislandstv.tv captured this one perfectly:
Best Island Fete captured this ferocious lion:
Did you capture any great photos? If you missed this year's Festival why not plan to attend next year!
The next Festival in our 'hood will be the BVI Festival which starts next week and runs for the next month. Always a party in the Caribbean.
St John Festival closes with a bang!
St John a little island and usually way laid back but we come alive during St John Festival season and especially during the finale of the Festival which coincides with July 4th!
The parade this year was peppered with rain but that did not dampen the spirits of those attending or dancing as can be seen by Steve Simonsen's fabulous photo:
And, once again, the Westin Troupe had a great time despite the rain:
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| Westin Troupe (photo credit Ronnie Lockhart) |
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| The very young even got into the action (photo courtesy of VirginIslands.tv) |
With the fireworks the month long celebration came to an end.
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| Tropical Focus Photography's Bob Schlesinger captured this amazing shot over Cruz Bay |
And, now on to planning for St John Festival 2013!
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| St John Festival banner (photo courtesy of Cruz Bay Realty) |
Summertime on St John is relaxed yet lots (or nothing) to do
Come to St John and watch magnificent sunsets like this one...
Sunsets on St John are spectacular especially as captured by photographer extraordinare Steve SimonsenJune/July News flashes & fun St John clips:
Carnival season is 'rapping' up with a traditional Caribbean parade and big bang (fireworks planned for the night of July 4th!). Carnival, as promised, has been filled with music, sports (bike, boat, & swim races), Coronations, and, of course, more music and food. As you can see, this year's Food Fair has been spectacular; we have had great weather, and of course, fabulous food offerings!- Support the USA Olympics and a terrific young St John woman, Mayumi 'Mimi' Roller, a life-long St Johnian and college student, who is heading to London on the USA Olympic Sailing Team. To send Mimi good wishes or donations please either sign on to her Facebook page or e-mail her directly.
Speaking of sailing...this month marked the 20th annual Scotiabank International Optomist Regatta where more than 100 boats captained by young sailors from 16 nations vied for the #1 spot. St John sailor Mateo DiBlasi won the Green Fleet's tier! St Thomas and St Croix sailors also did incredibly well.
Dolphin sightings this summer have been plentiful and every time exciting. On this video, Captain John of St John's Palm Tree Charters captures a couple of young dolphins playing and jumping out of the water (about one minute into the video and worth watching).
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Who could resist the Johnny cakes, pates, & other finger-licking good foods of St John Festival's Food Fair?
St John Tradewinds reports...
Written by Jaime Elliott
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| Most people tried a bit of many fabulous dishes (photos courtesy of St John Tradewinds) |
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| Heart pumping good food |
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| Gwendolyn Harley, the 2012 Food Fair honoree, appears with her award winning dolls |
Hundreds of people, including Lieutenant Governor Greg Francis and his wife Cheryl, braved the summer heat and packed the Cruz Bay waterfront on Sunday afternoon, June 24, for annual the St. John Festival Food Fair and Coronation. Tents loaded with local delicacies including everything from conch in butter sauce and dove pork to stew mutton and seafood kalallo lined the waterfront street which was closed to traffic for the day.
People of all ages stood in line angling for homemade ginger beer, passionfruit juice and mauby to keep cool while waiting for their meals from the island’s very best cooks who had prepared their best dishes for the annual event. The crowd gathered under sunny skies in Frank Powell Park for the festivities which included musical selections by Love City Pan Dragons and Wrection Band as well as the St. John Festival Royalty Coronation and recognition of this year’s Food Fair honoree Gwendolyn Harley....Today Gwen’s Dolls, as well as a series of island animals like iguanas and donkeys she created, are highly collectible pieces which have won awards across the U.S. and British Virgin Islands. read complete story and see more photos...
Also, check out the News of St John blog posting and more pictures about the Food Fair. Fun photo collage.
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If you missed this year's St John Festival Food Fair, promise yourself to be there next year. Start planning your St John trip now! The entire month of June is a treat but the last week is especially packed with activities with the not-to-be-missed parade (and fireworks) on July 4.
St John Festival goes glam with Queen Selection Show
St John Tradewinds reports:
Created on Friday, 22 June 2012 Written by Jaime Elliott
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| St John Tradewinds photo of 2012 St John Festival Queen Contestants |
Five of these lovely young ladies, above, will take to the stage on Saturday night, June 23, at Winston Wells ball field for the St. John Festival Queen Selection Show, starting at 8 p.m. Contestant #6, at far left, dropped out of the competition due to personal reasons. (L to R, excluding far left) Contestant #5 – Shanell Thomas, Contestants #2 – Clarissa Doyling, Contestant #4 – Khadijah Athanase, Contestant #3 – Shelsea Jean and Contestant #1 – Sheniqua Davis
Get ready to for a night full of glamour and glitz when the St. John Festival Queen contestants take to the stage for the Queen Selection Show on Saturday night, June 23, at Winston Wells ball field starting at 8 p.m. The night will feature music by Cool Session Brass Band, dancers and more as five beautiful young ladies will strut their stuff in swimwear, active wear, ball gowns and show off their model walks and talent.
Eighteen-year-old Sheniqua Davis, Contestant Number 1, graduated from GHS in 2011 and just completed her first year at the University of the Virgin Islands where she is pursuing a degree in accounting. “I’ve loved math ever since the second grade,” she said. Davis was inspired to join the competition in order to push herself, she explained. “I wanted to get out of my comfort zone,” said Davis. “I am an athlete and played a lot of basketball, so I wanted to try something different.” The best part of the experience for Davis has been getting to know her fellow contestants, she added. “It’s been a lot of fun,” Davis said. “The best part is learning new stuff and being around the other contestants.” Davis has been working hard and practicing every day with her chaperones Ywardia Wesselhoff and Tasheda Kelch, she explained. “I’m really excited for the show,” said contestant number one. “I’m trying not to get nervous.”
St. John Queen Contestant Number Two is Clarissa Doyling, a 17-year-old who just graduated from Ivanna Eudora Kean High School. Doyling plans to attend Florida State University in the fall where she will work towards a degree in meteorology. “I have always been fascinated with weather ever since I was a little girl,” said Doyling. “I have always wanted to be a meteorologist and I’m excited to follow my dream.” Doyling threw her hat in the St. John Festival Queen ring in order to inspire others, she explained. “I joined the competition because I wanted to be a role model for other girls in my school and my community,” said Doyling. Contestant number two had some advice for future Festival Queens dreaming of running for the title. “Keep your head up and stay in school,” she said. “Respect yourself, because if you don’t, no one else will. And always be yourself.” Working daily with chaperones Tamika Santos, Kevin Swanston and Christopher Rivera, Doyling is excited to take to the stage on June 23. “I’m a little nervous, but more excited,” she said. “The best part of this whole experience has been learning the dances and getting to know the other girls.”
Recent Charlotte Amalie High School graduate Shelsea Jean is Contestant Number Three. The 18-year-old is looking forward to heading off to Clark Atlanta University where she plans to study early childhood education with a goal of opening a day care center one day.
Jean grew up watching Festival Princess and Festival Queen selection shows and dreamed of being on stage herself one day, she explained. “I’ve been watching the shows for years and I’ve watched all the contestants and seen how confident they are,” said Jean. “I loved the gowns and the dances and thought, ‘I want to do that someday.’” Jean is most looking forward to two segments of the Festival Queen Selection Show, she added. “I’m excited for the International Wear segment and the Talent segment,” Jean said. The best part about the experience of running for Festival Queen for Jean has been practicing with her chaperones Loren Abramson, Shatik Stevens and LeeAnn Oquendo, according to contestant number three. “Through all of the hard work and all of the practice, you really learn a lot about yourself,” she said.
Khadijah Athanase, who just graduated from Ivanna Eudora Kean High School, is Contestant Number Four in the St. John Festival Queen Selection Show. Athanase is looking forward to attending Savannah State University in Georgia in the fall where she plans to study psychology. “I want to be a social worker one day and come home here to help my community,” said Athanase. Contestant number four has been enjoying dance practice, she added. “The best part is the great exercise you get,” said Athanase. “It’s a lot of work running for queen, but it’s a lot of fun too. It all pays off in the end.” Athanase had a few words of wisdom for future queen contestants. “Go for it,” she said. “This experience will help you in the future.” Athanase has been working hard with her chaperone Nya Edward Marsh, who is also her aunt. Read more...
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Tomorrow (Sunday, June 24) is the very popular Food Fair! Save up your appetite it will be worth it!
St John Carnival Schedule cries music, music, music!
May happenings on St John
May News flashes & fun St John clips:
- Spring marks the start of Carnival season in the Virgin Islands which is always exciting. St Thomas celebrated the 60th anniversary and did it in style this April. The St Thomas Carnival Ritual Dancers (picture to the right) were spectacular as usual. This year's theme of 'A Celebration for the World to See' highlighted past and present cultural events, food, music and dancing. The young ones had their special day with the Children's Fair and, as usual, there were lots of activities for the adults. The month long celebration culminated with J'Ouvert, a mile long street party, which started at 4 AM. Flat bed trucks overflowing with equipment, speakers, bands, dancers belted out music and dance moves as though the month long festivities were just starting! St John was represented by Cool Sessions Brass Steel Band which led the large band procession. St John's s Carnival season begins early June and ends with with a great parade and fireworks on July 4.
- Wagapapalooza, St John Animal Care Center's wonderfully fun dog show and important fundraiser to support the Center's activities, will be held this year on May 19 from 5 - 9 PM at the ball park in Cruz Bay. If you cannot come, you candonate online and support the pooches of St John!
Restaurant happenings: Moonshine Steak & Seafood is to open this month in the same great location as Cactus on the Blue (right on the waterfront with fabulous views) with the same owners but a radically different look and menu. Moonshine aims to be an upscale venue. Another wonderful new waterfront bar is Motu (picture to right) which is located on the porch in front of the brand new building housing Low Key Watersports. The owners are planning jazz and old time beach music and hope that they will be able to attract private parties. We think it looks like a great place to host your wedding reception or family celebration! When you find yourself in Coral Bay a new must experience restaurant is Ekaete Pink Corner featuring true Caribbean foods including roti, curry goat or curry chicken, BBQ ribs, local juices including mauby, plum, sorrel, tamarind, and golden apple, and of course, smoothies and homemade ice-cream. Yumm!
New Cruz Bay store: Waterbase at Wharfside Village opens offering paddleboard lessons and rentals and island-centric clothing. The owner, Pretlow Majette, is a pro and seasoned St John retailer who also owns the popular Big Planet, Made in St John and Shade eyeware.
- Our reviews continue to be fabulous (we rank #1 on Trip Advisor out of more than 400 St John villas) and we thank our guests for taking the time to tell others of their trip and stay at Great Expectations. It continues to be a pleasure for us!
Come to St John - and Great Expectations - to find for yourself why St John becomes an obsession!
Best,
Chuck & Kristin
owners of Great Expectations
P.S. Check out our availability; we still have a few weeks available during this coming summer and fall.