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With the holiday celebrations in full swing, be careful of drinking and driving. The penalties are stiff. Recently, an American citizen was stopped for an alcohol test while driving a rental car. She tested positive with 0.50 mg of alcohol per liter of air exhaled. The penalty? She was asked to pay the fine of 800 euros and to leave the island if she didn't want to go before a judge. That's one fast way to ruin your vacation! Under French law, the legal level of alcohol in the blood is 0.5 grams per liter of blood. If you have up to 0.8 grams, you risk a fine of 135 euros. Higher than that level, if there hasn't been an accident, you must pay a fine immediately. If there has been an accident, you must go before the judge. The sentence for drunk driving can be up to two years in prison and up to 4500 euros in fines. Think before you drink!
A diver's paradise, "Peaceful Fish", has been anchored in Gustavia for about a week, with plans to stay there until February. You can't miss it: there's a 35-ton crane on its back deck! Originally a provisioning ship for oil platforms at sea, the ship was completely renovated in 2006 and has six cabins. But, comfortable sleeping quarters is far from the main purpose of this ship. It carries a 37' speed boat, a 34' fishing boat, a 50' dive boat, six jet skis, two Harley-Davidson motorcycles, many knee and wake boards, and the latest high-tech, high-performance diving equipment, including a decompression chamber, diving gear for at least 20 people, and equipment to mix nitrogen, oxygen and helium for extremely long or deep dives.
Italian artist LUCIO SALVATORE creates a stir in St Barths
Opening on the 26th of December (Reception: Saturday December 30th, 2008, 6 - 8pm) in to-B.Art Gallery St Barths, the exhibition of the new paintings by the important emerging Italian artist Lucio Salvatore is already gathering buzz in magazines worldwide.
Salvatore paints using oils, acrylics and resins which are put in movement through the use of fire. The dynamic process, which begins with the application of resins on the paint when it is flowing on the bottom of the studio pool, the ultimate artist’s canvas, is set in motion through fire, eternalized on film, then printed on plexiglass in large format limited editions of 5.
This latest showing is part of the αρχη series, a work (photographs, paintings on glass and plexiglass) developed between 2006 and 2007 by the artist in his Italian studio.
The subject of αρχη is language in both its manifestations, words and silence; specifically, the origins of Thought, in the words of Greek Philosophers Eraclitus and Anaximander, painted and photographed, and the essence of the earth narrated in a bloody tale, on the burned transparent surface of the glass.
It is the third consecutive year that Salvatore has been showing in St Barths during Christmas and New Year’s holidays, and this year the gallery expects to reach the same success of last year when the show not only sold out, but 8 new large scale photographs were commissioned by major international collectors.
This year Salvatore arrives to St Barths right after having shown in New York (Grant Gallery in the heart of Soho) 35 large scale paintings and a poliptic named Arche' (n.4 photographs, 62x236 inch), which was the most appreciated piece, and also gave the title to the exhibition. The opening night received 400 selected guests and the exhibition was visited by a total of over 3000 people.
Some of the most significant paintings of the 2007 series will be exhibited in the months of February and March in Rio De Janeiro, during a solo show that will close the season of international exhibitions; in fact, after this exhibition, Salvatore will return to his studio in Italy and will work on his new series of works that will have the same inspiration and subject: fire, the fundamental substance.
To-B.Art gallery will be present 8 paintings on glass, some of which have already been reserved by gallery clients, said the gallery owner, Mariangela Ventura, who also represents the artist in Monaco.
To-B.Art Gallery, Le Carre d'Or, Gustavia, 97133, St Barthelemy
Reception: Saturday December 30th, 2008, 6 - 8pm
Dates: December 26, 2007 – January 6, 2008
Monday – Saturday 9:30 – 12:30, 4:30 – 7:30pm
Any locals have more info on what the gossip pages are reporting:
"But spies on St. Barts, the ship's home port, say that a strike called there yesterday was causing havoc for wealthy vacationers. A source on the island said, "There is a huge fuel strike. The local fishermen are blocking all boats, including fuel tankers, from getting to or from the island. No one can come to St. Barts or leave. All the boats are lined up in the harbor with nowhere to go."
On January 1, 2008, the postal code of Saint Barth will change. The new postal code will start with "977", but the remaining two numbers are still unknown. This change is a result of the recent vote for Saint Barth to become an Overseas Collectivity, autonomous from the administration of Guadeloupe. Now's the time to buy those T-shirts and other momentos with the original 97133 postal code.
By day, A.J.O.E., in Lorient, offers tennis courts. But several evenings, it turns into an outdoor cinema (this is also the locale of the St Barth Film Festival). A.J.O.E. has been working to improve its capabilities for showing movies. Over the last three years, they have increased the projection area (the back wall) to 75 m2. Last year they added a new Dolby stereo sound system as well as new speakers and have decided to ban smoking as of December 1. For the past two years, they have presented a film every 15 days. The largest remaining obstacle is the selection of films, which the association does not completely control. For the most part, they are subject to the choices of Cinésogar, which is the single distributor of films in the French West Indies. Often, they do not know which film they are getting in advance – sometimes not until the reels actually arrive. Despite their lack of control, many popular films have been presented. So, for a change of pace, how about an outdoor, fresh-air movie on a Friday night?
The golf simulator GOLFOTRON has been installed at Grand Cul de Sac. The simulator offers more than 40 different courses, including St. Andrews in Scotland, the oldest golf course in the world. In addition to the 40 courses, the simulator also has five putting greens and several driving ranges. You can play any course yourself or organize golf tournaments and putting and driving competitions. If you want to try it out but don't know how to play golf, they will teach you. The simulator is open every day except Monday from 2:00 pm to 6:30 pm and from 9:00 pm to midnight. For reservations, call 06 90 37 46 45.
St Barth Music Festival to Present Concerts throughout the Year
As a result of public demand, the St Barth Music Festival has undertaken to offer concerts of classical music throughout the year. The inaugural concert was held on November 21 at the Anglican church in Gustavia where the Festival organizers presented the Enso String Quartet. This quartet was formed in 1999 at Yale University and consists of two violins, a viola and a violoncello. The next concerts will begin in May 2008. On May 2, the jazz group The Monty Alexander Trio will perform, and on May 3, classical music will be performed by a trio on violin, French horn and piano. The pianist, Phillip Bush, will also perform at the 24th annual St Barth Music Festival to be held January 11-23, 2008. Kudos to the St Barth Music Festival in responding to the island's wishes!
New Tennis Courts in St Jean to Open in Mid-December
The stadium complex in St Jean already has facilities for soccer, rugby, archery, judo, tae kwon do and volleyball. Soon, you can add tennis to that already impressive list of activities. The Collectivity has been hard at work building four tennis courts with latticework to stop those stray balls and lighting. In addition, they have provided another court to be used for training purposes. The courts are scheduled to open in mid-December and will be open to everyone. On Friday, the Collectivity signed a five-year renewable contract with the Saint-Barth Tennis Club, an association that was created especially for this event and is chaired by Dany Brin, a founder of A.J.O.E., the tennis association in Lorient. The contract includes the provision of free equipment and maintenance of the courts. Future plans include a club house.
Options for getting to St Barth seem to be increasing daily. Linear Air is offering flights from San Juan to St Barth until April 8, 2008. Their 8-passenger Cessna Grand Caravan holds the highest safety record in its class and their operation maintains an ARG/US Gold safety rating. While on board, you'll enjoy air-conditioning, oversized leather seating, complimentary drinks and snacks and unparalleled luggage capacity. For additional information, contact them at 877-2-LINEAR (outside the U.S., call 1-781-860-9696), visit their web site at www.linearair.com or email them at info@linearair.com. The one-way fare is $475, which includes all fees and taxes. They seem to be offering this service only during the high season, but perhaps it will prove profitable enough to continue longer.
The work of Jeanne Susplugas, who was born in Montpelier, France, will be exhibited at b.art Gallery in Gustavia and at the Tom Beach Hotel in St Jean until December 15. Having grown up in a family of pharmacists and having been seriously poisoned, the theme of "Borderline", the name of the exhibit, is based on the role of medicine in our daily lives. This exhibit uses videos, photographs and drawings to ask the questions: Alluring or dangerous? Necessary or dependent? The work of Jeanne Susplugas travels throughout the world and is particularly represented in New York in the Florence Lynch Gallery, in Tokyo in the Mizuma Art Gallery and in Brussels in the Charles de Jonghe Gallery.
The work of artist Emmanuelle Podgaietsky, from Guadeloupe, will be on display at Portal 34 in Gustavia from November 30 starting at 6:30 pm until December 6. You can visit the artist's web site at www.emmanuelle-galerie.com
The earth did indeed move on St Barth yesterday afternoon – for about two minutes. On Thursday afternoon, November 29, the strongest earthquake in the Caribbean in over 200 years struck Martinique (photo at left). The earthquake measured 7.4 on the Richter Scale and was centered at a depth of 90 miles in the Caribbean Sea between Martinique and Dominica. The strongest quake in the Caribbean measured 7.9 in 1766. The tectonic plate responsible for this activity is the Caribbean Plate, which underlies Central America and the Caribbean Sea off the north coast of South America. Fortunately, because of the depth of the quake, no tsunami was predicted. Unofficial measurement of the activity in St Barth was 4.0.
Beginning on January 1, 2008, all visitors to the island will be charged an accommodation tax of 5% of the net price of the hotel room, villa or other rental property. Beginning on December 3, a form will be available that must be completed by all hotel managers and landlords. This form will be available at the Office of Tourism in Gustavia and at the Hôtel de la Collectivité or may be downloaded from www.comstbarth.fr. Hotel managers and landlords are required to levy the tax on their guests and to pay the Collectivity monthly. Failure to do so will result in a penalty of 0.4% of the amount due.
If you've ever walked the goat path from Flamands to Colombier beach, you know that it can be a bit challenging at times. Improvements have begun. Thus far, they have carved steps into the rock at the cave-like area as well as steps in another rocky area. The path is also quite overgrown at the moment, and men are out there with chain saws to clear the passage.
The Concierge Now Provides Delivery of Over 500 Newspapers
Eric, of The Concierge, is offering a new service. You can now order from over 500 newspapers in 36 languages. The Concierge will deliver the newspaper(s) to your villa, with or without a croissant. To find out more information and to see a list of the available newspapers, please visit www.theconcierge.fr or contact Eric at eric@theconcierge.fr.
As a result of public demand, the St Barth Music Festival has undertaken to offer concerts of classical music throughout the year. The inaugural concert was held on November 21 at the Anglican church in Gustavia where the Festival organizers presented the Enso String Quartet. This quartet was formed in 1999 at Yale University and consists of two violins, a viola and a violoncello. The next concerts will begin in May 2008. On May 2, the jazz group The Monty Alexander Trio will perform, and on May 3, classical music will be performed by a trio on violin, French horn and piano. The pianist, Phillip Bush, will also perform at the 24th annual St Barth Music Festival to be held January 11-23, 2008. Kudos to the St Barth Music Festival in responding to the island's wishes!
The work of Jeanne Susplugas, who was born in Montpelier, France, will be exhibited at b.art Gallery in Gustavia and at the Tom Beach Hotel in St Jean until December 15. Having grown up in a family of pharmacists and having been seriously poisoned, the theme of "Borderline", the name of the exhibit, is based on the role of medicine in our daily lives. This exhibit uses videos, photographs and drawings to ask the questions: Alluring or dangerous? Necessary or dependent? The work of Jeanne Susplugas travels throughout the world and is particularly represented in New York in the Florence Lynch Gallery, in Tokyo in the Mizuma Art Gallery and in Brussels in the Charles de Jonghe Gallery.
The earth did indeed move on St Barth yesterday afternoon – for about two minutes. On Thursday afternoon, November 29, the strongest earthquake in the Caribbean in over 200 years struck Martinique (photo at left). The earthquake measured 7.4 on the Richter Scale and was centered at a depth of 90 miles in the Caribbean Sea between Martinique and Dominica. The strongest quake in the Caribbean measured 7.9 in 1766. The tectonic plate responsible for this activity is the Caribbean Plate, which underlies Central America and the Caribbean Sea off the north coast of South America. Fortunately, because of the depth of the quake, no tsunami was predicted. Unofficial measurement of the activity in St Barth was 4.0.
Beginning on January 1, 2008, all visitors to the island will be charged an accommodation tax of 5% of the net price of the hotel room, villa or other rental property. Beginning on December 3, a form will be available that must be completed by all hotel managers and landlords. This form will be available at the Office of Tourism in Gustavia and at the Hôtel de la Collectivité or may be downloaded from 
