In 2014, Virginia Clairmont of Clean Sweep Frederiksted was brought back to her roots to make an impact in the Frederiksted community. Her commitment to the historic city that raised her is simple: change the mindset of how trash is disposed of in Frederiksted and use art to beautify public spaces in the area. After a successful launch of her art beautification project in collaboration with Pangeaseed Foundation, Clairmont knew she wanted to do even more. The global pandemic COVID-19 put a pause on her family events and community projects and that was when the Frederiksted Art Trail was born. This self-guided outdoor public art tour features a variety of artwork and sculptures created by local and visiting artists and muralists. Clairmont stated, “With the trail, we are creating small spaces throughout the city that residents and visitors can enjoy.” Local artist Waldemar Brodhurst uses reclaimed aluminum roofing, upcycled fans, tire planters and screen wire to create sculptures depicting mocko jumbies, cultural dancers, turtles and more.
As the F’sted Art Trail adds to the beautification of the city, the other large goal in these improvement efforts is the reopening of Frederiksted Public Library. Athalie Petersen Public Library has been closed to the public since 2016. “Much like the trail lends to adding pockets of joy to the community and beautifying the historic district, Frederiksted’s public library would do the same thing,” said Clairmont. Earlier this month, Clairmont hosted a community paint and spruce up event in the library garden in hopes to further highlight the need for this space in Frederiksted. “This event was focused on engaging the community in the economic development and revitalization of Frederiksted.” “When people that live and work in a city or town get involved, you tend to see more ownership in the growth of the community.”
To learn more about the Frederiksted Art Trail, follow their social media pages on Facebook at @frederikstedpublicarttrail and Instagram at @frederikstedpublicart.
Written by Anquanette Gaspard (agaspard@cruzanfoodie.com) for Coldwell Banker, St. Croix Realty
See the majestic beauty of St. Croix from a different point of view – under the sea! Scuba diving St. Croix is a must for any diver, or anyone interested in giving diving a try. The island is known for its world-class scuba diving surrounded by the longest continuous living reef in all of the Caribbean. There are over 70 moored dive sites to choose from ranging from reefs and wrecks to walls and piers.
Some of the best diving on island takes place in these popular locales: off the North Shore, at Salt River and in Frederiksted near the pier. One of the most recognized diving sites on St. Croix is The Wall at Cane Bay that runs almost the entire length of the North Shore. With an approximate depth of 3,200 feet, it is a great site for deep diving, tech diving and regular recreational diving. The best part about this site is that it can be accessed by shore or by boat at a number of dive sites along the North Shore of the island. The other well-known diving site lives in Frederiksted with six sunken ships to explore and pier, which offers one of the best night dives on island.
If you’ve always been intrigued by diving and ready to give it a try, St. Croix is the perfect place to do it. Each local dive operator offers Discover SCUBA classes allowing you to try scuba first to see if you like it. During this one-day introductory class, you’ll learn how to operate the scuba equipment in shallow water and receive a quick, comfortable introduction to what it takes to explore the world under the sea.
Whether you are an experienced PADI-certified diver, a novice or first-time diver, St. Croix is the perfect place to get familiar with the beauty of the island’s underwater world.
Written by Anquanette Gaspard (agaspard@cruzanfoodie.com) for Coldwell Banker, St. Croix Realty
When one of Christiansted’s most iconic and historic buildings went on the market, Mo Anselmi and Matthew Leonard, owners of the well-known The Bombay Club, knew that they had to create a special place that would highlight the historical significance of the island. Enter St. Croix’s newest restaurant, Hamilton’s! Named for the two Hamiltons of St. Croix – Alexander Hamilton and David Hamilton Jackson – these men were public servants in every sense of the word, putting the public before themselves. This mindset and way of serving speaks to Hamilton’s philosophy, “Service First.”
Opened in mid-December 2020, general manager Gary Tupper shared that the strain of the global pandemic didn’t cause too many roadblocks for them. “The pandemic forced us to limit the number of tables and people allowed to dine in.” Luckily, this limited setup was part of their initial plan. “Our way of operating is a bit unorthodox compared to your typical restaurant.” What Tupper is referring to is Hamilton’s overall service and operations.
For starters, there’s no Facebook page or website nor does the restaurant have a published phone number. Reservations are made via their Instagram page or by leaving a message on their voicemail where someone will return your call. Secondly, they focus on taking care of a limited number of people at a time which allows them to focus solely on the customers wants and needs during their dining experience. This means there are no to-go orders. “We could certainly have more customers and turn over more tables each night, but we want to make sure that we never miss a beat when taking care of our guests.”
Customers can expect a solid menu that features fresh ingredients and a bounty of flavor. Executive Chef Ken Robinson has trained and traveled extensively throughout the world, making him great in the kitchen but great with people also. Tupper pointed out that they’re not here to sell food, wine or cocktails. “We want to create emotion that makes our guests get excited about dining with us.”
Hamilton’s is open 7 days a week from 5pm to 9pm. For more information, follow them on Instagram at @hamiltonsvi or call 340.773.5393 to leave a message to make a reservation.
Written by Anquanette Gaspard (agaspard@cruzanfoodie.com) for Coldwell Banker, St. Croix Realty
The Port Authority plans to move forward in expanding the St. Croix airport and Svend Ovesen Seaplane Terminal on St. Croix according to the St. Croix Source. The upgrades to hangars and runways will help open up the tourism market by attracting longer haul flights such as ones from Europe to the airport. A larger hangar building will be able to accommodate larger aircraft once completed. A new loading ramp and a facelift at the seaplane terminal will improve the deplaning and boarding area. The renovations will enable runway expansion, double the capacity of the pre-clearance hold room, provide retail concessions, food and other amenities such as portable device charging stations. The airport’s new design will also be able to accommodate five jets on the ground at any time and is expected to be completed by February 2022.
We are delighted to see The Traveling Foodie blog article that reflects on their food adventure in St Croix, USVI from a year ago. Although many of the Crucian festivals and events have been reimagined due to temporary restrictions right now, we couldn’t agree more about the writer’s fondness of the St. Croix’s vibrant culinary scene. Just a year ago we shared our experience at AgriFest, a 4 day exhibition known for its colorful display of locally produced agricultural products, livestock, arts and crafts and native cuisine. As St Croix residents, we enjoy the diversity of food and the bursting of flavors in our island’s restaurants, food trucks, and noted food spots. We hope foodies near and far will be inspired and put St. Croix on their list of places to visit!
The Traveling Foodie’s account of the 7 best places to eat and drink in St Croix can be found here and a companion video below.
Question: “I’m thinking of listing my property, but I’m afraid that people won’t be able to come to see it because of travel restrictions.”
Christie’s Answer:
To assist potential Buyers and create interest in the property you are selling, we produce a thorough and descriptive listing. With great photos, videos, drone photography and a 3D self-guided tour of your property, prospective Buyers will come as close as possible to being there in person. At one recent showing, a Buyer said that he had looked at everything on our sale listing, and felt that he knew the property as well as if he’d walked through it already!
The sale listing of your property will also include any important documents, such as surveys, floor plans and plot maps. The more information about your listing we can provide potential Buyers, the more qualified Buyers we will attract!
