CNN names the best places to visit this year in December for a weekend getaway and St Croix, USVI is one of them! As residents of St. Croix, we know the magic of spending the holiday season on our beautiful island. The Crucian Christmas Festival Season is beloved by locals and tourists who visit during this time. We recently went to Limpricht Park for the “Light Dem Up: Festival of Trees.” and Art Walk. If you are planning to come to St. Croix for the holidays, we hope you enjoy the warmth of the people, the weather, and the fantastic local food on the island!
The Cane Roots Art Gallery has a new photo art exhibit called ““We Ready for deh Road” during the Crucian Christmas Festival Season. Photography of three Crucian artists – Malek Bascombe, David Berg, and Chalana Brown. Located on Company Street in downtown Christiansted, the exhibit runs through January 21st and should not be missed. Read more about the artists and photo exhibit in the article on St. Croix Source.
The new Official 2022 maximum loan limits were just released. Nathan Purdome, of Schaffer Mortgage here on St. Croix, shared them with us and we want to pass them on to you. Thank you so much Nathan.
Christie and I would love to answer any questions you have about purchasing a property on St. Croix, getting a mortgage or anything else about the buying process. Please contact us, we’d love to talk with you.
Conventional:
1-unit: will be $970,800
2-unit: will be $1,243,050
3-unit: $1,502,475
4-unit: $1,867,275
FHA on St. Croix are as follows:
1-unit: will be $420,680
2-unit: will be $538,650
3-unit: $651,050
4-unit: $809,150
Conventional (also known as “conforming”) loans are available through private lenders, such as banks, credit unions, and mortgage companies and are a great option if you have a solid credit score and sufficient down payment. Conventional financing can be utilized for a primary residence, second home, or investment property.
FHA loans are backed by the federal government and as such will allow for a lower minimum down payment. FHA loans are also more forgiving of lower credit scores. FHA loans are only available for primary residence but will allow for up to a 4-unit property.
Both FHA and Conventional loan amounts have maximum loan limits. These limits will vary based on the number of living-units on the property and the property location. Properties with over 4 units are considered commercial and do not qualify for FHA or conventional loans.
Back in June 2021, Children First St. Croix revealed plans for a new look for the Midre Cummings Playground in Frederiksted. The organizers had then estimated that the project would need a total of about 1,200 volunteers, a minimum of 270 people per day, for a multi-day build. The complete rebuild of the Midre Cummings Playground was accomplished recently in just 9 days (from November 12-21). You can watch a 11 minute VI Consortium video here, reporting scenes from the last day of build. With the help of volunteers from local non-profits, businesses, sororities, fraternities and more over the course of less than 2 weeks, Crucians have come together to transform a green space into a beautiful playground for children.
Midre Cummings is a St. Croix native who played for 11 years in Major League Baseball. He visited the site, greeted volunteers, and remarked on the amazing work accomplished.
St. Croix was recently named a top destination for winter travel by Expedia. At the same time, there is a recent ease on restrictions across the territory. We are excited to see and hear about new eateries and cafes opening in the territory, ready to welcome tourists and residents who are ready to dine out. The St. Croix Source featured three new establishments in Christiansted that offer a variety of options and flavors.
Roots-N-Kulchah‘s Chef Kimba Kabaka prepares vegan and plant-based meals in his one-man kitchen. The eatery has courtyard seating and offers rich lunch or weekend dinner.
ParrotFish features gourmet pub food. It is a downtown sports wine bar with wall-mounted flat-screen televisions in the modern, clean dining room and bar.
Virgin Islands Coffee Roasters was opened in June and sells coffee brewed from beans roasted on St. Thomas and concocted in a wide variety of caffeinated beverages by baristas.
The newest addition to the culinary scene on St. Croix has plans to make their mark “in a big way.” Gwan Mannyé is a family run establishment that opened its doors in September 2021. Owners Christopher Monbelly and Dean Baptiste, Jr. are the uncle nephew duo with St. Lucian roots that wanted to pay homage to their family’s homeland when naming the restaurant. Monbelly is the current owner of Ital in Paradise, a vegan and vegetarian restaurant in downtown Christiansted. By teaming up with his nephew, it allowed their offerings to branch out and grow. “We wanted to have something that catered to everyone, regardless of their dietary preference,” said Baptiste. “At Gwan Mannyé, everyone is represented in our restaurant offerings.”
Meaning ‘in a big way,’ Gwan Mannyé offers contemporary Caribbean cuisine made with locally sourced ingredients. Baptiste shared the challenges that come with keeping it local and how the restaurant manages through it. “You can only source so much on a daily basis,” said Baptiste. “This is why our menu changes daily – it fluctuates based on on-island availability.” Whipping up delectable delights in the kitchen are Head Chef Mark Davis and Sous Chef Terrance Bryson. Together, they work on creating a menu that has something for everyone. The daily menu always includes chicken, meat, seafood, vegan and vegetarian dishes. With the fluctuating menu, it is rare to find the same specials appear from one week to the next. When asked how they manage guests wanting a previous dish, Baptiste revealed the level of confidence he has in his kitchen staff. “We have so much faith in our chefs that we know they can create something that would blow you away or surpass your expectations.” This challenges the chefs to be creative on the spot without having to be restricted to a specific menu.
Gwan Mannyé is open seven days a week for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Breakfast and lunch hours are from 7am to 2pm, dinner 4pm to 10pm. For more information, visit their Facebook page and Instagram page or call 340.715.7979.
Article written by Anquanette Gaspard (agaspard@cruzanfoodie.com) for Coldwell Banker, St. Croix Realty
