US Virgin Islands News

VIs' $6 Million ad campaign

An ad agency’s multi-million dollar idea for U.S. Virgin Islands Tourism is now on display.  In ads produced by Atlanta’s JWT advertising agency, the slogan, “You, Unscripted” has begun appear in TV spots and print ads. It is meant to stress that visitors can create their own unique experiences in the VI's.

Tourism said it will spend  $6 million to spread the campaign, using television, magazines, newspaper and Internet for media. 

You can see examples of the print ads and the 30-second TV spots at http://www.usvimarketing.com/. The ads will target a range of market segments including: Bridal and Romance, African American, Dive, Culture & Heritage, Sailing & Yachting and Meetings & Incentives.

“The concept of offering travelers an unscripted vacation experience was conceived through research that revealed our potential visitors seek the freedom to indulge in a personalized vacation experience," said Commissioner of Tourism Beverly Nicholson-Doty.

Sense of humor - and sign - missing in Coral Bay

Somebody in Coral Bay can’t take a joke.  Or doesn't smile.

The Deputy Inquiring Iguana on East End reports that the Coral Bay Triangle is once again un-marred and un-besmirched by any signage.  Not even the one (at the right) tweaking the Moravian Church (the property owner) or its agent for removing the colorful, entertaining and (even!) helpful signs which used to give direction to various restaurants, bars, beaches and activities.

But, nooooooo!  Someone said no. 

And now we understand from the end of the island, the Triangle is barren.

And dull.

A prayer in Coral Bay

Midst the sadness about the removal of a funky collection of local business’ signs on land owned by the Moravian Church on land at the Coral Bay Triangle, a new sign’s appeared. It reads, “Dear God. Please bring back the signs. Amen."   (Photo courtesy of a friend who lives on the far East End.)

Earlier story:

Well, the familiar, entertaining, sometimes illegible, hodgepodge of signs at the Coral bay Triangle has been removed.  Skinny's this way, Salt Pond that way, the Trail Rides there, K2 Video to the left ... they’re gone.  It used to look like this. Photo by CptnKirk on the Virgin Islands On-Line forum where, of course, lots of people have some thoughts about how wise it is to make things in Coral Bay uniform. Full story is here: http://barnako.typepad.com/news_of_st_john_usvi/coral_bay/

Pine Peace tops in food price survey

The Department of Licensing and Consumer Affairs said Pine Peace Market, at the bottom of Jacob’s Ladder, was the low price leader in its June Market Basket survey. 

The prices of 28 items were compared at three markets and Pine Peace’s total was $60.86. Starfish’s was $66.54 and Dolphin Market’s $69.33, according to a report by the St. John Source.  Read it here.

Dude looking for free St. John housing

• A guy is advertising on CraigsList. He wants to retire to St. John and live free. Retired Dude says, “I am looking for short term or long term house sitting duties in exchange for rent.” Then of course, realistically adds, “Who wouldn't????” Here’s a link. Good luck, Dude.
• Gerald Singer’s St. John Life reports Dolphin Market will discount your grocery bill 10% on purchases of $25 or more. It used to kick in above $50. And, Singer says, there’s a 25% price discount on weekends.

How you can save Maho Bay

The Trust for Public Land is asking for donations to help acquire the Maho Bay Camps real estate.  While the Trust has been in negotiations with owners of the land who lease it to the Camps, the Trust doesn’t yet have all the funds that will  be needed. The land is already on the market.

Stanley Selengut, the genius/entrepreneur/good green guy who created the Camps has told Conde Nast Traveler that when the lease expires in 2012, “One of three things will happen: A developer will subdivide his Shangri-la, or a luxury hotel chain will drop anchor there, or a deus ex machina—a land trust or an Oprah—will step forward with cash in hand to buy and then donate the land to the national park.”

The Trust for Public Land hopes the third option will occur.  John Garrison, the local field office director for TPL, said the fund he wants to create will be used for land appraisals as well a purchase.  He told the Virgin Islands Daily News, “There’s no guarantees, but we’ll give it our best shot.”

To contribute, send checks to TPL’s Maho Bay Campaign, 116 Montgomery St., 4th floor, San Francisco, Ca. 94105.

Her favorite things: beers, beaches, and dogs

Dozens of people are saluting Lesley G for her just-posted Trip Report in the St. John forum at Virgin islands On-Line.

She was there during Festival and enjoyed the island from Cruz Bay to East End.  It was her fifth visit to the island in three years. “I just couldn't believe how quickly and easily I fell into the pace and the "feel" of the island. I was hook, line, and sinker within minutes,” she said in an e-mail.

She explained that the eight-minute project was her first encounter with the iMovie program, “So, here's a little Monday morning escape, or what can be better described as My First Ever Go At iMovie So Please Be Kind.”

It contains the usual as well as the unexpected. “There's beaches, people, dogs, food, and booze,” she said.  Also sunsets, dinner plates, and parasailing.

The video is really a slide show of stills.  To my taste it unfortunately uses the awful “Ken Burns” effect, made famous by his interminable PBS documentaries - pictures are forever sliding up and down and in and out.  But the simple fact is that Lesley took a lot of good pictures, met a lot of people,. and had a lot of fun.

“I guess that brings me to why I love it: the people,” Gallacher added. “While the beaches and water are stunning, the animals and driving amusing, the fact that I've made friends is the best part about each return. It truly is a place where I feel at home.”

Take a break and watch at http://vimeo.com/5465159.

Besides the fireworks

There was lots more than sparklers and Roman Candles to the holiday weekend.

The 4th of July Parade was a hit, of course. The Middle Age Majorettes and steel pan bands joined nearly three dozen other marching groups, floats, decorated vehicles and all-around funsters. A group from Gifft Hill School marched along dancing to ‘Billie Jean’ in a tribute to Michael Jackson.

The St. John Source reported lots of people attended the parade from way off-island. Among them was Paula Hill of Winchester, Tenn. She runs Paula’s School of Baton. The Source said 11 twirlers marched in the parade as part of their visit to St. John and stayed, with their families, at the Westin Resort. 

In its report of the weekend, the Virgin Islands Daily News reported the island’s biggest party of the year kicked off before dawn with three bands tramping through Cruz Bay. One person on island Tweeted, “My God J’Ouvert is loud!” The paper added that thousands of people were in Cruz Bay for the Parade. 

Snap, Crackle, Pop

The annual fireworks capping the St. John Festival went off without a hitch Sunday night.

StJohnJason was on hand to video the doings, on a boat in the harbor.  The fireworks were also on the water, launched from a barge further out in Cruz Bay.

StJohnJason’s ‘coverage’ of the 2009 Festival

• Pan Dragons
• Fireworks part 1
• Fireworks finale
• Childrens Village

Police roadblock

Yep, those are police cars taking up four spaces intended for the public at the temporary overflow parking lot at the Winston Wells ball field in Cruz Bay. 

Inez the Deputy Inquiring Iguana spotted them there. 

The temporary lot was opened about a week ago because of the St. John Festival, which has made parking is more scarce downtown than usual.

It’s not enough the police park half a dozen of their huge SUVs in front of Headquarters, eh?

Why aren’t sone of those cars on patrol?