Category: Island Life

A New Eatery Opens in St Croix

 

By the Caribbean Journal staff

One of the Caribbean’s hottest culinary scenes just got even hotter with the addition of another exciting eatery.

It’s called Club Comanche R.A.W., and it’s situated on the ground floor beneath the historic Club Comanche boutique hotel in Christiansted (a place you may know for its secret cigar lounge). It’s just across the street from the 40 Strand restaurant, another Christiansted favorite.

R.A.W, which just opened this month, focuses on craft cocktails, special wines and fresh seafood, with the latter featuring everything from sous vide lobster to langoustines in chili broth.

But it’s really about the drinks — R.A.W. stands for Rum and Wine, meaning you can get the best of the Caribbean’s most famous spirit and a terrific selection of wines to savor.

— CJ

The post A New Eatery Opens in St Croix appeared first on Caribbean Journal.

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Puerto Rican solidarity brigade arrives in Cuba

Puerto Rican solidarity brigade arrives in Cuba
Havana, July 14 (RHC)– Puerto Rico … Revolution.
During the exchange, the Puerto Rican solidarity activists denounced Washington… ‘s hurricane season. 
The Puerto Rican activists praised the international community …

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A Major New Hotel Project Is Coming to St Thomas

 

By Alexander Britell

A major new hotel project is coming to St Thomas in the United States Virgin Islands.

The government of the United States Virgin Islands is working on a deal that would provide up to $10 million for an equity investment in a new 110-room hotel at Yacht Haven Grande in St Thomas, the territory announced.

The project would be set on Yacht Haven Grande, a megayacht marina that is among the largest in the Caribbean, with 46 megayacht berths and a max length of 656 feet.

IGY Marina’s St Thomas site is located alongside Charlotte Amalie Harbor in the heart of St Thomas’ capital, and also includes a shopping galleria and office complex, the Shops at Yacht Haven Grande.

According to United States Virgin Islands Governor Kenneth Mapp, the project would be an “upscale lifestyle” hotel, “flagged by a major four-star brand.”

Yacht Haven Grande in St Thomas.

“This agreement is great news for the people of the Virgin Islands as we continue to grow and expand our economy,” Mapp said.

The project would be the first new hotel in St Thomas in decades, a major boost for a destination that has itself been making a remarkable recovery from last year’s twin hurricanes, Irma and Maria.

Indeed, more than 50 percent of all accommodations in the US Virgin Islands are open and accepting guests, with more and more properties repairing or rebuilding.

In St Thomas and St John combined, there are around 2,500 units available, while St Croix boasts more than 1,300 units available at properties ranging from The Buccaneer resort to the hip new Fred boutique hotel in Frederiksted.

Funding for the public-private partnership project expected to come from a larger $1.4 billion agreement between the government of the Virgin Islands and ArcLight Capital Partners.

Under the deal between ArcLight Capital and Limetree Bay Terminals, the company will invest the aforementioned $1.4 billion to reopen the refinery portion of the operation and potentially create hundreds of new jobs and millions of dollars into the local economy on St Croix.

The post A Major New Hotel Project Is Coming to St Thomas appeared first on Caribbean Journal.

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A Must-Visit Beach Bar in The Bahamas

 

By Tim Cotroneo
CJ Contributor

Musically, the owner of Exuma Point Beach Bar and Grill has a legendary first name to live up to.

When asked if he is the singer in the family, Elvis Rolle shakes his head and smiles.

“I’m a dancer,” he says.

If Exuma Point Beach Bar patrons are hoping for high notes to accompany their Punch Cocktail, Elvis points at his wife Maryann for food, beverage, and lead vocal support.

“I’m the singer,” she says.

The energetic and ever-smiling couple are a seven-day-per-week dynamic duo overseeing this freshly painted beach bar, complete with a two-tiered deck, 140-foot boat dock, and mile-long stretch of beach as picturesque as any you’ll find in the Exuma Cays.

The views, the vibe, and the menu are all music to the soul for patrons venturing to the oceanside town of Rolleville on Exuma’s northeast point.

Authentic Bahamas Beach Bar Experience

Exuma Point’s sheltered deck is the focal point for customers desiring an authentic Caribbean beach bar experience. Elvis and Maryann’s beachfront bistro is a favorite stop for sailboats circling the Cays, as well as for day tripping private planes seeking a real slice of Bahamian life.

On Sundays, Exuma Point Bar and Grill is known for its brunch featuring Caribbean favorites like grouper fingers, steamed conch, fried snapper, barbecued ribs, and plantains. Maryann recommends a mango daquiri for a refreshing topper to a lunch bursting with a local flavor.

If you wish to push the Exuma experience envelope a bit, Elvis invites guests on his 17-foot Boston Whaler boat to see Starfish Bay, the Blue Hole, or swim with pigs. Starfish Bay plays witness to some of the largest starfish on the planet, the Blue Hole features extraordinary diving and snorkeling, and swimming with pigs is one of Exuma’s most popular attractions for mingling with Bahamas’ amazingly buoyant mammals.

Elvis and Maryann.

The Cave, The Villas, and The Singer

If relaxing in a paradise atmosphere is high on your list, the Exuma Point expanse of white sand is great for beach-combing, reading a book, or exploring the nearby Cave. Legend has it that The Cave was inhabited for five years by a New York Professor seeking to get away from it all. Remnants of his living arrangements are still intact, and this natural dwelling is a conversation starter upon returning to the Exuma Point Beach Bar.

Ever the entrepreneurs, Elvis and Maryann recently added three elevated villas on the hill overlooking their beach bar.

The villas offer exceptional views of Exuma’s turquoise water, along with the convenient promise of Exuma Point’s tasty food and beverages just a short stroll away.

Whether they’re serving a delicious Sunday Brunch, a chilled mango daquiri, or escorting guests on a private boat tour of the Exuma Cays, Elvis and Maryann Rolle have a two-step method for pleasing customers.

“We’re all about consistency and commitment. If you want food, drink and service as good as Exuma Point, you’ll have to come back and see us again,” Elvis says.

As for singing, the man with the legendary name points again to Maryann.

“I’m the dancer of the family.”

The post A Must-Visit Beach Bar in The Bahamas appeared first on Caribbean Journal.

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Failure of imagination hindered federal response to hurricanes that devastated Puerto Rico

… last September, federal officials in Puerto Rico began shipping disaster relief supplies … BoricuActívatEd, an advocacy group for Puerto Ricans in the diaspora.
Trump engaged … downplayed the death toll, described Puerto Ricans as overly needy and said …

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