The houseboat Angel’s Rest offers one-of-a-kind day charters out of Coral Bay harbor. Guests can soak up the tropical sun on the top deck or stretch out on day bed and enjoy the view.

Maybe it’s the perfect Caribbean hues or the gingerbread detailing, but the first time anyone lays eyes on Angel’s Rest, a smile inevitably creeps across their face.

The floating lemon yellow and bright turquoise cottage in Coral Bay harbor was the brainchild of Peter Hoschl, who conceived of the idea years before he even bought the two 40-foot aluminum pontoons for the vessel.

“I always had this idea to build a comfortable pontoon boat,” said Hoschl, a veteran builder and sailor who had called St. John for more than two decades. “I saved money every year and kept planning this really islandly pontoon boat that I wanted to build. I’ve done charters for years but I wanted to do something that was different and was a real one-of-a-kind experience.”

Guests will have a chance to bid on artwork like this piece by Denise Wright, above, as well as works by Aimee Trayser, Tristan Ewald and other local artists.

For almost a quarter of a century, St. John private school supporters have gathered once a year for a chance to win exotic trips, exciting water adventures and culinary delights — all while raising money to ensure the continuation of quality education on Love City.

On Saturday, March 13, the Gifft Hill School will host the 24th Annual Gala Dinner Auction themed “Open a World of Opportunity,” at the Westin Resort and Villas and the auction items are more enticing than ever.

The fun starts at 5:30 p.m. when attendees will have the chance to bid on the works of featured artists during the silent and art auction.

Bay Isle attorney Robert Messick, center, with Elita Kane, left, testifies on behalf of Grande Bay development at a V.I. Senate Committee of the Whole meeting.

The tide has undoubtedly turned for Grande Bay developer Bay Isle Associates, who has faced strong opposition and numerous lawsuits during the years-long construction process of the Cruz Bay luxury condominium development.

The developer’s request for rezoning of its 0.26-acre lot, 3Abc in Cruz Bay, from W-1 to R-4 was met with almost unanimous support from the numerous testifiers who crowded the St. John Legislature hall at a Thursday evening, March 4, hearing of the V.I. Senate.

The developer is seeking its rezoning due to proposed changes to Grande Bay’s building E. The building is currently built out as an empty shell. Bay Isle initially hoped the building would contain two dwelling units, as allowed under W-1; however, due to financial constraints, the developer now wants to construct six condos in building E — three two-bedrooms, and three one-bedrooms.

The packed St. John Legislature hall remained silent except for one lone voice of support at the Thursday evening, March 4, V.I. Senate hearing for the rezoning of a planned St. John post office site.

The Boynes family is seeking to have its 7,800 square foot parcel, located at 131 Estate Contant and Enighed, rezoned from R-4 to B-2 for the construction of a three-story building, with space to be leased to the U.S. Postal Service for a new post office for St. John.

It seems that St. John beaches can heal all wounds, even internationally-inflicted ones to the ego.

After losing the Superbowl to the New Orleans Saints by a score of 31 to 17 on February 7 in a game watched by millions across the globe, Indianapolis Colts quarterback Peyton Manning licked his wounds with a visit to Love City.

Stuart Smith

After three years in office, Governor John deJongh last week made good on his campaign promise to hire a planner to deal with Love City’s growing pains.

Dwindling parking, increasing congestion and  over-burdened infrastructure have been a source of complaint for St. John residents for years. For the first time ever, there is now a government employee on the payroll whose job will be to try to correct past mistakes while planning for the future.

After a year-long process, Stuart Smith moved to the territory about two weeks ago from Wilmington, North Carolina, to become Principal Planner for the island of St. John.

St. John history is now more vibrant, alive and accessible than ever thanks to the St. John Historical Society’s beautiful 215-page, stitch-binded publication.

St. John: Life in Five Quarters was officially unveiled last week to overwhelming support and encouragement.

A labor of love for about a year for four editors, Life in Five Quarters brings together 66 articles culled from the pages of the SJHS’s monthly newsletter. The group has been issuing a newsletter for the past 10 years, many of which are summaries of presentations from SJHS monthly meetings.

A bike trail through the V.I. National Park and safety concerns at Calabash Boom topped the list of concerns St. John residents told V.I. Police Department Commissioner Novelle Francis on Tuesday, February 23.

Francis met with St. John residents in Cruz Bay at the VIPD’s Leander Jurgen Command between 9 a.m. and noon and then traveled to Coral Bay, where the territory’s top police brass met with citizens at the Coral Bay Community Council’s office until 3 p.m.

Love City residents took full advantage of the chance to have Francis’ ear, keeping him busy all day, according to VIPD spokesperson Melody Rames.

Caribbean Ritual Dancers

This year’s St. John Arts Festival can happily boast three out of three successful evening shows with unexpectedly large attendances in each case.

The St. John Film Society’s film entitled “Sarayaku: Rivers of Corn,” by Marta Bautis provided an intriguing portrayal of life in a small village on the banks of a tributary of the Amazon River in Ecuador where the villagers had successfully resisted the exploitation and desecration of their land, their traditions and essentially their raison d’etre, by oil prospecting companies.

Mario Benjamin keeps the age old skill of net weaving alive.

Young students danced to rhythmic drumming in the shadow of the sugar mill ruins as the 19th Annual St. John Folk Life Festival got underway on Thursday, February 25, at the Annaberg Sugar Plantation ruins under a bright blue sky.

The idea of V.I. National Park ranger Denise Georges since its inception almost 20 years ago, the St. John Folk Life Festival is a much-anticipated event for the island’s students, visitors and residents alike.

This year’s theme “Virgin Islands Culture 2010” focused on storytelling, songs and music in the ever-vibrant Creole tradition.
Exhibitors at the festival displayed a variety of locally made crafts and traditionally prepared foods. Old-time cooking pots full of fresh fish simmered over St. John-made charcoal.