Best Ribs on St John? Come out Tonight to Help St John Rescue and Devour Some Fabulous Ribs! What is not to like?

If you are lucky enough to be on St John today then do we have a delicious suggestion for you! Head on over to Mongoose Junction today, anytime from 4:30 PM on to participate in the 1st Annual St John Rib Cook Off. Not only will you help one of St John's most important volunteer organizations (more on that in a moment) but, you will be able to devour ribs some of which will be declared the 'Best of St John' for this year. Will your 1st choice win this year?

This year, at this time, there are six restaurants and cooks who have risen to the challenge and will be presenting their ribs for the ultimate judgment. They are: Aqua Bistro, Skinny Legs, Boozie Q, Steve Yerger of St. John Catering, The Tourist Trap and LaPlancha del Mar.  And, it would not be a St John event if there were not music (local musicians, including Mikey P., Freedom Boat and Mark Wallece, will provide live entertainment) and liquid refreshments (St John Brewers and West Indian and Bellows International will donate their proceeds to St John Rescue).

Check out the Virgin Islands Daily News for more details on the Cook Off and please take a look at the St John Rescue website and like the  St John Rescue Facebook page to learn more about this amazingly important all volunteer organization whose mission is 'saving lives and dedicated to building better lives through education, participation, and community'  (what could be more worthy than that!).

The VI Daily News captured this picture to tempt us - which style of ribs is your favorite? All possibilities will be at the Cook Off so come with a BIG appetite!

Not on St John today to partake in the First Annual Ribs Cook-Off? Don't fret, you can still help by donating to St John Rescue. Start your planning now to be on St John for the Second Annual Ribs Cook Off!

Great deals and good deeds for Friends of the Virgin Islands National Park

Once again St John business owners and lovers of St John's fabulous National Park banded together to support the Friends of the Virgin Islands National Park (FVINP) annual on-line auction.  At the close of the auction this past weekend there were some spectacular deals. Here are just a few of my favorite 'deals':

Bookmark this event for next year and in the meantime, think about making a donation to the Friends of the VI National Park to support the great work they do to preserve our wonderful waters, beaches, and land for all to enjoy!

Here is a summary from the Friends of the VINP of how your donation will be put to work:

Where is the money going?

The Friends Board of Directors recently approved an ambitious program plan for 2012 valued at about $500,000.  Below are the details of our program plan.  
Cultural Resource Preservation Projects

•          Annaberg Cultural Demonstrations ($1,000 - funded):  Provides supplies for the Annaberg Living History program which consists of a baker baking bread in a “Dutch Oven”, and a gardener maintaining and interpreting a subsistence garden plot.
•         Archaeology Museum Exhibits ($29,500 - partially funded): Supports the costs of the development and installation of the new exhibits in the newly renovated Heritage Center and Archaeology Lab at Cinnamon Bay. 
•         Archaeology and Heritage Program ($90,100 - funded):  Contined ongoing support for the archaeology program, covering stipends and other costs for interns and international collaboration with the University of Copenhagen.
•         Cultural Evening at Cinnamon Bay: ($10,000 - funding needed): Replacing the cultural play, we will initiate a new program around cultural music, such as the history of the “African Drum” and its use as a communication tool.
•         Folk Life Festival ($12,000 - funding needed):  2012 markes the 21st anniversary of the festival. This year it will focus on Virgin Islands culture as it relates to farming and horticulture.  It will also feature traditional dance and music, storytelling, arts and crafts.
•         Hassel Island ($21,000 - funded): Conservation of artifacts uncovered at the Creque Marine Slipway and helping open this site to visitation. 
•         Documents for Hassel Island ($7,200 - funded) Publication of a document on Hassel Island which will include reproductions of maps and plans, photographs, rare books and manuscripts.
•         Historic Research Program Support ($16,000 - funding needed) Supports continuation of the research begun in the Spanish Archives and the beginning of research in the British Archives for documents and data related to VI National Park resources.
•         Post-Emancipation Interpretation Program ($15,000-funding needed) Development  and installation of wayside signage recounting the history cattle and their ecological impact on St. John and in VI National Park.

 Education Projects

•          Earth Day Fair and Reef Fest ($6,000 - funding needed): As part of a week of Earth Day activities, an Earth Day Environmental Fair will be organized for local school kids. Through hands-on teaching methods, story-telling, and environmental demonstrations, the youth of St. John will learn about ways to respect and preserve the world around them. In an aquatic component, called Reef Fest, youth will participate in a day of learning on the marine resources of St John.
•         Eco-camps ($51,000 - funding needed) Funds at least 120 school children to attend the Eco-camps, Science camp, and Ranger-in-Training camp at VIERS.  Kids experience 3-5 days in the park learning about marine and terrestrial eco-systems.
•         Marine & Terrestrial Natural Hazards Brochures & Web Pages ($7,300 - funding needed):  Produce brochures, posters and in-depth web pages for “Hazardous Marine Life”, “Other Marine Creatures,” and “Injurious & Poisonous Plants” found in the Virgin Islands National Park and St. John.
•         Scholarship Fund ($3,600 - funding needed):  Provides three $1000 scholarships to VI students studying natural sciences at the university level.
•         School Kids in the Park -- SKIP ($18,000 - funded):  The flagship of our environmental education program for children, the project funds small ($500 max) grants for teachers to use VINP as a teaching/learning resource, and provides transport for ranger-led field trips into the park.  
•         Tektite Interpretation ($18,000 - funding needed) Design and placement of interpretation and visitor experience materials consisting of a wayside interpretation devices and benched to be located at Cabrite Horn Trail overlooking the Tektite site and on a floating dock just offshore.
•         VINP Research Documentary Film ($12,000 - funding needed): Production of a video in collaboration with NOAA that will document the scientific work underway in VINP by NPS, NOAA and its partners. Production costs to be shared with NOAA.
•         Educational Wayside Exhibits and Signs ($36,000 - funding needed) Repair or replace damaged and faded interpretive signs throughout the park to improve visitor experience and understanding of park resources. It is estimated that about 20 signs need urgent attention.

 Natural Resource Protection Projects

•          Accessible Trails ($42,000 - partially funded): Complete the handicapped-accessible boardwalk at Francis Bay. The first half of this ADA compliant nature trail was completed in 2009, over 700 feet of boardwalk remain unfinished.
•         Accessibility Assessment ($9,600 - funding needed) Support for a comprehensive accessibility assessment throughout the park to identify areas of opportunity for improved access and target barrier removal.
•         Trail Rating System (5,000 - funding needed)  Develop a trail rating system for all trails, similar to those used on ski slopes, within VI National Park.  Once the rating is determined for all trails, a new brochure, signage, and web pages will be developed in subsequent phases.
•         Adopt a Trail/Beach ($18,000 - funded): Provides supplies and materials for the trail and beach clean-ups and the Volunteer Walkup Maintenance program and covers the stipend for the Volunteer Coordinator.
•         Lionfish Response ($2,200 - funded):  Support efforts to reduce lionfish populations in Virgin Islands National Park and VI Coral Reef National Monument. This project will primarily be used to put together lionfish capture kits that will be used by NPS, USGS, NOAA and other divers when working in Park and Monument waters. 
•         SCA Trail Crews ($42,000 - funding needed) A Summer Trail Crew program which will involve VI and mainland US kids in trail repair and maintenance.  This year’s crew will consist of four high school students from the VI, four students from the mainland US and 2 crew leaders.  They will repair/improve approximately 10 miles of park trails.
•         Blue Flag Signage at Trunk Bay ($3,000 - funded) Develop and install signage at Trunk Bay regarding it’s designation as a “Blue Flag” beach.

 If you are interested in learning more, or supporting a particular program, please contact Karen Vahling at kvahling@friendsvinp.org

What do you do when a guest won't leave your St John Villa?

Steve seems to be living in our new pool

We actually have no complaints and thought it was funny when Steve e-mailed to ask if he and his wife, Carrie, could stay on for a few more days!  Luckily for them we happened to be available this week so we said yes, indeed!

Steve and his wife first stayed at Great Expectations 10 years ago this past week when they were married on St John. At that time they rented Great Expectations for their family and friends - 14 in all. The actual wedding ceremony was at Oppenheimer beach and they had their reception catered by our good friend and fabulous chef Laura Samms, owner of Passion Fruit Chefs. 

About a year ago Steve reserved Great Expectations for his 10th anniversary.  This time it was to be a surprise for his wife. Carrie thought that she and Steve would be coming to St John for their anniversary to stay at Beau Geste, the Guest House of Great Expectations (as they have several times over the last 10 years).  Well, instead, Steve invited Carrie's siblings (and their spouses) and several of their friends to join them.  It was only along the way, at the airports when Carrie saw one sister and then another, that she realized something was 'up'! But it was not until she arrived at Great Expectations that she realized that Steve had invited 15 friends and family to celebrate with them! Tears - of joy (luckily!) - flowed and a great week was had.  So great that when their family and guests left on Saturday they could not tear themselves away so they stayed on...a happy ending!

Here is an e-mail we received from Carrie on the first morning of their stay:

"I'm sitting alone on the porch, waiting for the sunrise. Still taking in the events of the last 24 hours! I'm shocked at what Steve was able to pull off!  And laughing at your complicity in it all!  You are all sneaky!
Everyone loves GE....The new pool is absolutely amazing, seems like it was always here. Just a perfect addition to an already perfect place. I know we'll have lots if fun stories to share, but I wanted to just thank you and Chuck now for this week and everything you did to make it happen for us.  It's going to be unforgettable!"  

Here is a picture Steve took, from where he now apparently lives near our new pool, on what was to be his last morning on St John:

Steve calls this is 'bacon 'n cake' breakfast by new pool (obviously, all sense and sensibility has left his head!)

And, the vacation continues....

Great Eats on St John

Flavors of St John Winners All!Chef Mat Vacharat, center, and his staff are all smiles after winning the night’s best entreé and best dessert categories during the annual Rotary Club’s Flavors fundraising event October 28 (Courtesy of the St John Tradewinds)

What a night - on St John with great friends, great food, fun dancing and music and an opportunity to give back to St John. Life is good! After lots of tasting, the overwhelming verdict of judges declared Mathayom Private Chefs and St John Catering the winner of 'Best Entree' and 'Best Dessert'. More than a dozen caterers, mixologists, and restaurants joined in to support the Rotary's Annual fundraiser supporting college scholarships for local students. Other winners (besides the students getting the scholarships, of course!) were High Tide for 'Best Drinks' and Starfish Gourmet and Wines winning 'Best Appetizers'. Judges had the hard duty of tasting such tasty items as braised short ribs, Cuban sandwiches, leak soup and, of course had to wash it all down with some of the best drinks (beers, wines, and of course lots of rum!) available in the Caribbean. Again, tough duty, all for a great cause.