Creativity and community connect at St. Croix’s newest addition to the island’s burgeoning nightlife. LEVELS is a live music venue, bar and creative space in downtown Christiansted that has been newly renovated and modernized to create a safe and fun place where everyone is welcome.
Sibling owners Andrea and Kamal Russell acquired the building in July 2019 with an intent focus on creating a space where artistry can be created and fostered by music lovers, artists and creatives in tune with the culture. The Russell family is no stranger to sharing the love of music with the community. In the 1990s and early 2000s, the Russell family band would perform at various events and fundraisers throughout the community. Eddie Russell is the man behind the well-known Jazz in the Park at Fort Christianvaern. Most recently, Kamal Russell held a host of musically charged events under his KDM Productions brand. When opportunity knocked, Andrea and Kamal decided to transform the former nightclub and live music venue into a modernized version centered on creativity and community.
LEVELS is laser-focused on their goal to create a platform for local and independent creatives to showcase their art, whether music, performance, film or mixed media. “Cultured creatives – and the community as a whole – are who we are trying to bring into the space. By building this community, we can expand our culture and create new ways of what it could look like, what it could be,” said Kamal. The only staged indoor/outdoor live performance event space in Christiansted, LEVELS is home to many events centered on shining a light on the extraordinary local talent that often goes unrecognized. “We host a regular open mic night with amateur poets and performing artists are welcome to share this art.” Additionally, their series called “Between Two Speakers” is where local business owners are invited to tell their story to inspire other entrepreneurs. “Hearing from other entrepreneurs, someone is more inclined to have the confidence to try new things, think outside the box and to recognize that sometimes, there is no box.”
As far as event spaces go, LEVELS has something for everyone. Its clean and modern decor combined with sweeping spaces and interwoven spaces makes this multi-level space perfect for private events and special occasions. Learn more about LEVELS, their upcoming events and hours of operations at www.levelsvi.com or follow them on Facebook (@levelsvi) and Instagram (@levels.vi).
Article written by Anquanette Gaspard (agaspard@cruzanfoodie.com) for Coldwell Banker, St. Croix Realty
It would be almost impossible for one to overlook the bounty of blooming flowers all around St. Croix. 2022 has gifted us with an array of flourishing foliage that the island hasn’t seen for a few years. The most notable of them all is the flamboyant tree. Known as the royal poinciana tree, the bursts of colors from the trees vibrant tropical flowers offer a welcomed sight for sore eyes. You can find these “flame trees” dotted all along the island’s hillsides and roadsides during the warmer summer months. In full bloom, the flamboyant’s stunning flower clusters cascade into a recognizable umbrella shape with hundreds of large, orange-red flowers made of six petals that measure about 4 inches in length.
Eleanor Gibney, an expert on Virgin Islands trees and history, believes that flamboyant trees were introduced into this area of the Caribbean around the mid-1800s, based on historical Caribbean plant lists. While these trees are native to Madagascar, an island off the coast of Africa, they were recorded as common in West Indian gardens by the 1880s. In addition to its flowering beauty, the flamboyant tree also provides musical instruments by way of the tree’s seed pods. Long, slender and brown in color, these pods measure up to two feet in length. The loose seeds inside the pods make a rattling sound when you shake them, resulting in a musical percussion instrument known as the shack-shack.
Botanical Garden of the Virgin Islands Executive Director, Dewey Hollister shows us the Flamboyants that grow in the Garden.
Summers on St. Croix offer unique experiences like picking mango in the rainforest, enjoying the warmer-than-normal water temperature at the beach and breathtaking sunsets often accompanied by the iconic “green flash.” Catching a glimpse of the magnificent foliage of the flamboyant tree is another reason why you should visit St. Croix when the weather is warm where you are. This is also the perfect time to explore what island living could be for you. Contact us if you are interested in finding a home or condo on St. Croix.
Article written by Anquanette Gaspard (agaspard@cruzanfoodie.com) for Coldwell Banker, St. Croix Realty
The U.S. Virgin Islands Head Start program funding provides preschool for low-income families with a comprehensive program to meet children’s emotional, social, health, nutrition, and educational needs. In August, VI Delegate to Congress Stacey Plaskett presented a federal check for $42.4 million to the Human Services Department’s Head Start Program. Plaskett said “this funding is for construction grants and will require zero local match to fund the construction and restoration of facilities territory-wide.”
Head Start Administrator Masikia Lewis said at the ceremony presentation that the funding awarded will help construct state-of-the-art, mega, multi-purpose Head Start centers around the territory. She emphasized that these proposed new facilities will provide a learning environment that is essential to the development of younger generations and vital to the growth of the U.S. Virgin Islands.
According to an article in the VI Consortium, Virgin Island Tourism has seen a rebound after “Covid-related decimation of the industry” and that reports “show that from June 2021 to May 2022, the USVI had the highest hotel occupancy in the region.” Here are some highlights:
Tourism Commissioner Joseph Boschulte said over 450,000 people traveled to the USVI in the first three months of 2022, and the visitor arrivals were up 153 percent compared to the same period in 2021.
Reports show the territory had the highest average daily rate in the region at $637 during that same time period.
USVI tourism also led in revenue per available room at $461.61.
The VI Tourism officials has a rosy outlook for 2023. Transportation Security Administration data showed that the USVI was the fastest-growing location for total airlift capacity in the Americas from 2019 to 2021. Additionally, the USVI cruise industry is expected to see triple the numbers of passengers in St Croix’s cruise port in Frederiksted in 2023.
More visitors mean more people will have the opportunity to fall in love with our island paradise, experiencing our friendly people, delicious foods and picture perfect beaches! If you plan on visiting us soon and is interested in buying a second home or a forever home on St. Croix, we are here to help you find the perfect home! With exceptional properties in the territory to choose from, your dream of owning a slice of paradise can soon become a reality. Contact us with any questions.
St. Croix is a well-known residency destination for many artists seeking a fresh environment to reflect, research or create new work. Over the last four decades, the island has seen several notable art galleries established. The latest addition to this list occurred in December 2020 when Sonia Deane opened Cane Roots Art Gallery in downtown Christiansted. Her decade-long dream finally came to fruition when the opportunity to rehabilitate a 2,800 square foot building revealed itself, resulting in a complex of residences and an art gallery. Today, Deane’s desire to merge her belief in education and her love of art into a space where collectors can appreciate and purchase art from around the world has been fulfilled.
Originally from Guyana, South America, Deane shared that she has been blessed to have the cultures of Guyana and Suriname in her DNA. At the tender age of 11, she migrated to New York City with her family. Her love story with St. Croix began in 1989 with several visits to the big island over the years. Since the gallery’s opening, Deane has been committed to maintaining her dream of merging art and education. One of the gallery’s first openings did just that. “Remembrance – A Tribute to Leo Carty” was a living legacy exhibition of the late artist whose impressionistic paintings depicted the lives of everyday people in the St. Croix community during the early years of the 20th century. All proceeds from the exhibit supported the Leo Carty Fine Art Scholarships. Four $500 scholarships were awarded to graduating Virgin Islands seniors who would pursue the visual arts following their graduation and demonstrated their commitment to any of the visual arts.
Cane Roots Art Gallery is also dedicated to highlighting Virgin Islands culture in its various exhibits. During the Crucian Christmas Festival Season, “We Ready for deh Road” photo art exhibit lit up Company Street as feathers, costumes and glitter adorned the gallery walls, complementing the photography of the three Crucian artists whose work was featured. Most recently, “Expressions of Freedom” opened at Cane Roots Art Gallery on June 23rd. The show, which consists of 15 artists, invites the community to experience the arts through a sense of freedom: Juneteenth; V.I. Emancipation Day; U.S. Independence Day; and Aug. 1, Emancipation Day in other Caribbean countries. The show will remain on display at the gallery until September 23rd.
Cane Roots Art Gallery is located at 24 Company Street in downtown Christiansted. Normal hours of operation are Tuesday through Saturday from 12pm to 4pm. The gallery often hosts evening receptions and sneak peeks of upcoming shows. To learn about their events, current exhibits and featured artists, visit www.canerootsartgallery.com or call 340.718.4929.
Article written by Anquanette Gaspard (agaspard@cruzanfoodie.com) for Coldwell Banker, St. Croix Realty
When you’re visiting St. Croix, you’ll want to add this to your list of things to do while you’re here! The three-dimensional “I LOVE STX” sign was recently unveiled to the public in June 2022 as a backdrop for visitors and locals to snap a picture. Spearheaded by the St. Croix Classes of the 80s Inc., the sign was constructed by Lennox Galloway Welding Service and designed by local artist, Lucien Downes. The official Virgin Islands madras pattern has been uniquely incorporated into the “heart” of the sign.
A nonprofit founded in 2008, St. Croix Classes of the 80s Inc includes alumni who graduated during that decade. Best known for its hallmark events like “No Money for Carnival Party” and the “Christmas Throwback Affair,” the organization’s overall mission is to create educational, cultural, economic, and social outlets for members of its generation. According to president Lydia Rivera, the idea for the sign began three years ago when the organization’s board of directors were brainstorming ways to give back to the community in a significant way. “During the pandemic, while we were on lockdown and not able to throw our annual events, we used the time to implement the design, construction, and funding for this long-awaited project,” said Rivera. The sign was created “uniquely for St. Croix” to become a “signature component of the Frederiksted landscape.” Their hope is that the sign will be the go-to background for photos taken by locals and visitors whenever they visit the Frederiksted area.
The project funding for the sign was made possible through the collective contributions of the following sponsors: Cane Bay Partners VI, LLP, David Johnson, Sorbetiere, VAR Consulting, LLC, V.I. Department of Tourism, and the V.I. Lottery. Other kind donations were made by Colorama, KGP, Omayrie Rivera-Williams, V.I. Council of the Arts, V.I. Department of Planning and Natural Resources, and V.I. Department of Sports Parks and Recreation. The “I LOVE STX” sign is conveniently located at Frederiksted Beach next to Fort Frederik in downtown Frederiksted. Be sure to visit and snap a pic with your family and friends on your next visit to St. Croix!
Article written by Anquanette Gaspard (agaspard@cruzanfoodie.com) for Coldwell Banker, St. Croix Realty
