May 29-31, 2009
Chess Championship, Guanahani & Spa

November 5-8, 2009
Blues Festival

November 6-8, 2009
60th Anniversary Party at Le Select in Gustavia

Posted on May 19, 2009 5:36 AM| Permanent Link: On the Horizon| Comments (0)

Aquagym and adult swimming lessons are being offered at the municipal pool in St Jean. The schedule for Aquagym includes a focus on arms and legs on Mondays from 12:20 to 1:05 and on abs and gluts on Thursdays from 12:20 to 1:05. The swimming lessons will take place on Tuesdays and Fridays from noon until 1:00 and Wednesdays from 5:00 to 6:00. The lessons will focus on swimming techniques, endurance, resistance and breathing. Medical certificates are required for both classes. Both the pool and the facilities are top notch and the instructors are well qualified. I can vouch for the Aquagym - good exercise without getting hot and sweaty--for those of you who like to stay cool!

On June 1, an effort to clean up the beach of Petite Anse will be underway. They are looking for volunteers to clean up any garbage and other debris as well as trucks to cart the debris away. If you want to help, call 590 590 27 88 18 or pass by the office of the Marine Reserve on the quay in Gustavia.

The AirSoft SBH Iguana Association invites all AirSoft players to join them on Sunday, May 17. If you would like to participate or would like more information, call 590 690 39 04 94.

St Barth has undertaken yet another anti-pollution initiative. Now, before cars are crushed for disposal, they are drained of all fluids: oil, gas, antifreeze and brake fluid. The service has been effect since last March and takes only 15 minutes.

Hotel Saint-Barth Isle de France on the beach in Flamands is offering a special summer rate of 95 euros for their spa services starting May 1.

Posted on May 19, 2009 5:34 AM| Permanent Link: Bits and Pieces| Comments (0)

The Tom Beach Hotel, on the beach in St Jean, is offering a Memorial Day special. You can rent a Superior Garden View room for $270/night or a Deluxe Sea View room for $400/night. Room fees include car rental, a continental breakfast at their beachfront, open-air restaurant La Plage or in your room, and chaise lounges and towels for the beach. This offer requires a minimum 3-night stay during the Memorial Day weekend.

For more information, contact them at 590 590 27 53 13 or tombeach@wanadoo.fr or visit their web site at www.tombeach.com.

Posted on May 19, 2009 5:32 AM| Permanent Link: Tom Beach Hotel Offers Memorial Day Special| Comments (0)

Since 2004, Saint-Barth Echecs, the local chess club, has organized a chess championship play-off that has been co-sponsored by Sibarth and Saint-Barth Assurances. As Sibarth is ready to retire its partnership this year, it will be assumed by CFN, Caribbean Financial Network-American Express, which is located in St Jean next to the grocery store Match. The tournament, Chess Championship Trophy CFN/Amex, will take place May 29-May 31 at the Hotel Guanahani and Spa in Grand Cul de Sac. Players from age 16 and up are eligible and can sign up by calling 590 690 55 12 14. There will be a total of seven games, the first one taking place on Friday, May 29 at 8:00, then four games on Saturday, with the final two rounds occurring on Sunday. First prize if 150 euros, second prize is 100 euros, and third prize is 50 euros. Dal Tucker of CFN, is a skilled chess player and will taking on the challenge this year. Bonne chance a tous!

Posted on May 19, 2009 5:27 AM| Permanent Link: CFN to Co-Sponsor 6th Edition of the Chess Championship| Comments (0)

Hotel Le Toiny is a luxury hotel situated on 38 oceanfront acres on the southeastern side of the island. They have long been known for their private villa suites and fine dining at the restaurant Le Gaiac. They have now taken the cuisine up yet another notch by establishing their own 1000 square-foot greenhouse - the first on the island. After consulting with a horticulturist, they enriched the soil with bio-organic earth and organic fertilizer and then planted organic seeds supplied by a company in France. Currently, they are growing eight varieties of tomatoes, cucumbers, green beans, carrots, peas, eggplants, peppers, melons and a host of herbs, all of which is incorporated into their daily menu. Future plans include adding bananas, papayas and mangos. Kudos to Le Toiny for their dedication to fresh and healthy food!

Posted on May 19, 2009 5:21 AM| Permanent Link: Hotel Le Toiny Has First Greenhouse on the Island| Comments (0)

If you stay at the hotel Eden Roc in St Jean, your kids can participate in an art lesson given by the artist in residence. Eden Rock will supply an easel, a paint brush and a palate of watercolors to get them started. This offer runs through August 2009. But, if you're interested in this offer, check with the hotel when you make your reservations as the lessons are only available when an artist is actually in residence. For more information, visit www.edenrochotel.com.

Posted on May 19, 2009 5:15 AM| Permanent Link: Keep the Kids Busy with Art Lessons| Comments (0)

On April 19, on the square in front of the restaurant The Wall House on La Pointe in Gustavia, the Rotary Club hosted a culinary fair to raise money for the many activities with which they are involved. One of their foremost endeavors is the worldwide eradication of polio. This first culinary fair offered dishes from Haiti, St Barth, Portugal, India, Sweden, Belgian and Luxembourg to go or to eat on site. Entertainment was provided by the radio station Tropic FM, and Rotary Club members took turns at the microphone to explain the characteristics of the different cuisines and to offer the recipes. The fair was such a success that it will return again in 2010.

Posted on May 18, 2009 5:20 AM| Permanent Link: Rotary Club Hosts Its First Culinary Fair| Comments (0)

Even the humpback whales seem to prefer the waters of St Barth! The whales migrate here to give birth, and the marine park is getting calls three to four times a week reporting whale sightings. If you happen to be on a boat when you spot the whales, it is safest to travel alongside them maintaining a parallel course at least 100 meters away. Approaching them from the back or front is threatening, and they will do what is necessary to protect their young. Enjoy the opportunity if you are so lucky and respect their habitat and space.

Posted on May 17, 2009 5:30 AM| Permanent Link: Whale Watching in St Barth| Comments (0)

Trade Wind Aviation, which flies from San Juan, Puerto Rico directly to St Barth, has recently released their schedule for 2009-2010. They will depart St Barth at 10:00 am. Their special rate, which is good only through May1, is $350 for a one-way midweek flight and $450 for a one-way weekend flight. Normal fares are typicall $100 more, but you can contact them for more information at www.tradewindaviation.com.

The store Laurent Effel in Gustavia will be closing.

Posted on May 6, 2009 9:15 AM| Permanent Link: Bits and Pieces| Comments (0)

On April 19, on the square in front of the restaurant The Wall House on La Pointe in Gustavia, the Rotary Club hosted a culinary fair to raise money for the many activities with which they are involved. One of their foremost endeavors is the worldwide eradication of polio. This first culinary fair offered dishes from Haiti, St Barth, Portugal, India, Sweden, Belgian and Luxembourg to go or to eat on site. Entertainment was provided by the radio station Tropic FM, and Rotary Club members took turns at the microphone to explain the characteristics of the different cuisines and to offer the recipes. The fair was such a success that it will return again in 2010.

Posted on May 6, 2009 9:15 AM| Permanent Link: Rotary Club Hosts Its First Culinary Fair| Comments (0)

Corossol has recently seen some improvements and more are on the way. The pontoon has been renovated after some damage from Hurricane Omar and the boat chute, which is where fishing boats can be put into or taken out of the water, is almost finished as well. The boat chute also protects the beach by preventing rainwater that gathers along the road from washing away the sand. Other desired projects include repaving the road, addressing the parking problem along the waterfront and putting the electrical wires underground.

Posted on May 3, 2009 11:51 AM| Permanent Link: Improvements in Corossol| Comments (0)

Tropik FM, a relatively new radio station on St Barth has recently expanded its program. Digicel Caribbean Hot 30 is a collection of the 30 most-played songs by the DJs of the Caribbean. This collection of songs will be played on Friday evenings from 7:00 to 10:00 and will be emceed in English by DJ Jon Doe. Fans of reggae have a lot to look forward to. Every Saturday from 1:00 to 3:00, you can listen to reggae, raga (a sub-genre of dancehall music or reggae in which the instrumentation primarily consists of electronic music), dancehall music and dub (music derived from reggae in Jamaica in which existing songs are remixed to consist primarily of instrumental music emphasizing the drum and bass frequencies). On Sundays from 1:00 to 3:00, Tropik FM will play the traditional music from long ago. To enjoy this music, visit their web site at www.tropikfm.com. They broadcast on frequency 97.5.

Posted on May 2, 2009 1:00 PM| Permanent Link: Tropik FM Expands Its Program| Comments (0)

It's estimated that about 10% of the mail in St Barth goes undelivered. Attempts to improve the delivery rate include new streets signs in Gustavia soon to be followed by putting numbers on the houses and buildings by year- end. Plans are to send a letter to everyone in Gustavia with their complete address and a request that they pass on their address to all businesses and other contacts. For other neighborhoods on the island, the thought is to group mailboxes together in specific areas, with parking.

Posted on May 1, 2009 11:50 AM| Permanent Link: Attempts to Improve Mail Delivery| Comments (0)