Kim Lucas

I wanted to give some idea of the choices of festivities and events we have almost every weekend/week here in St Croix. A list doesn't really convey the message of what fun we have. Those of us who live on St Croix have such terrible decisions we must make: where to go, what to do. There are so many things to choose from - and it's low season! The list just grows and grows as we approach tourist season.

The worst thing about living on St Croix is remembering that we are not on vacation all the time! Here's just a sampling of this upcoming weekend - compliments of my friend Joe Hazi:

Friday, 10/2:
Mercy Child at Angry Nate's beginning at 5 pm
Oktoberfest Celebration at Cheeseburger's beginning at 6 or 6:30 pm
Jazzy Blue at Smuggler's Cove from 6:30-9:30 pm
Steve Katz at Salud beginning at 7 pm
Michael Justis at Bogey's

Saturday, 10/3:
Breakfast at the Domino Club (Norma's) is being served by Jewels, and she's serving it with a smile, from 7 am - 10'ish (she also serves breakfast on Mondays and Wednesdays). Jewels also sells her famous Artisan Bread on Saturdays!
Kenny Byron at Coconuts from 5-8 pm
Adrian at Off the Wall from 6-9 pm
Lynn Senter at Smuggler's Cove beginning at 7 pm
Mercy Child at Chicken Charlie's Roadhouse from 7-10 pm
Steve Katz at the Galleon beginning at 7 pm
Fran Marnier at Mahi's at Chenay Bay beginning at 7 pm
Adrian at Digby's and Brandon's bonfire at Haypenny Beach beginning at 11 pm

Sunday, 10/4:
The First Reggae Brunch at Eat @ Cane Bay with Fyah Train Reggae Band featuring Katalyss - Brunch is served from 11-4, music from 1-4
Sunday Funday Beach Party featuring Mercy Child at Mahi's at Chenay Bay from 2 pm til sunset
Steve Katz at the Deep End Bar and Grill from noon - 3 pm
St. Croix Blues Society at Coconuts from 4:00 pm until? Tommy will be serving his Texas BBQ all day (Ribs, Brisket, Rib Eye and NY Strip)
Steve Tweddle's Memorial at Off the Wall beginning at 5:30 pm (bar will close to general public at 4 pm). It's pot luck, bring a bottle to share. There will be a limited bar. If you have pictures, please bring them to share.
Steve Katz at the Galleon beginning at 7 pm
Gardens by Monlight at 7 pm, St George Botanical Garden, cocktain party

Then, if you aren't worn out or have to work for a living during the week, the list goes on:

Monday, 10/5:
Crab Races with Tito and Sue at the Ft. Christian Brew Pub
Tuesday, 10/6: Two for Tuesday at the Ft. Christian Brew Pub
Wednesday, 10/7: Jazzy Blue at Mahi's at Chenay Bay beginning at 6 pm, w/ $5 cheeseburgers
Thursday, 10/8: Lynn Senter at the Palms @ Pelican Cove beginning at 6 pm; Mercy Child at the Ft. Christian Brew Pub beginning at 7 pm

OK, so I've made my point. Make your reservations and enjoy the deep discounts offered now by airlines and hotels. Then plan to attend one of these future St Croix events:

Friday, 10/16 - Sunset Jazz in F'sted beginning at 5:30 pm
Sunday, 10/18 - 14^th Annual Coral Reef Swim. Please see http://www.swimrace.com/ for more information.
Friday, 10/30 - Halloween Party at the Ft. Christian Brew Pub featuring Kurt Schindler from 9 pm until?
Saturday, 10/31 - VICare Halloween Party (I'm fairly certain that it's going to be at The Palms again).
Saturday, 10/31 - Halloween Costume Party & Contest at Coconuts w/ music by Michael Justis.
Sunday, 11/1 - Halloween Party at Norma's Domino Club featuring Kurt Schindler from 7-11 pm.
Sunday, 11/8 - Caribbean Classic Triathlon. Please see http://www.stcroixtriathlon.com/CCT/index.html for more information.
Sometime in November (last I heard, it's still gonna happen) - 3rd Annual VI Bartender Olympics at Elizabeth's at H20, Hibiscus Beach Resort (new location this year).

Yes, we have a wonderful lifestyle, great people, and lots of fun. Remember, real estate prices are very low - St Croix is by far the best value now in the Caribbean. Don't pass up this opportunity to join in our community, if even in a vacation home for a few weeks a year.

The Villages at Orangestaad will be the first fully planned development on St. Croix.  Under construction currently is the Clusters, 222 solid concrete residential units, with choices of villas, townhomes, and condos with ocean views.

The Clusters is the first of four residential communities which will center around the future Ann Heegaard's Town Center, planned to include:

• Restaurants
• Mini markets
• Banks
• Shops
• Office
• Recreational Parks
• Beautiful plazas
• Underground parking spaces
• Apartments and lofts focused on the elderly, newlyweds, young couples and executives.

64 homes are now available, priced from $157,500 for a 2 bedroom/1 bath unit of approximately 788 SF, $199,500 for a 2/1.5 of 1,018 SF, $168,000 for a 3/1 of 968 SF, and $230,000 for a 3/2 of 1,192 SF.

Ground breaking is scheduled for October, 2009, with build-out in about 12 months.  This is new construction, so please contact me to sign up and reserve your spot.  Take a look at the short slideshow below for floor plans and aerial views of the project. 

Villages at Orangestaad is a very exciting concept for St Croix real estate.  Call or email me for more details about buying a home in the Clusters on St Croix.

I've been corresponding with a woman who will be retiring soon and wants to move to St. Croix. She has a price range for a condo chosen within her means, and wants to walk to shopping, the beach, events, as much as possible. She'd also like a new complex.

If you would like to move permanently to St Croix, or consider an investment you could rent out for a few years, here is the answer I gave to her questions.

"You are embarking on a journey that I took 5 years ago - the quest for the perfect retirement spot! I traveled extensively looking at LOTS of islands - and believe me - St Croix is about as good as it gets. It is a wonderful place to live and work - all the benefits of being part of the USA - but with an island culture. Doesn't get any better than that. St Thomas is crowded, overpopulated, and dirty. I would not want to live there. St John is prohibitively expensive and not a real "livable" island - although it is the most beautiful of the 3 US Virgins. St Croix does have its share of crime - but we have a great governor who is working diligently to get things under control. Most of the crime here is petty - like in most tourist destinations - but it's a big nuisance and needs to be stopped.

"Currently there are NO new condo complexes on the island, but thankfully some are planned. There's going to be a new development near Christiansted that will include a variety of housing options, a "town center" and of course beautiful sea views. It's called Orangestad and I will send you some listings showing the plans.

"Right now - condos range from $65,000 to about a million. Big range, I know, and what influences the price is LOCATION LOCATION LOCATION. The safest complexes with the most security are also the most expensive. I don't know of any condo complexes that are in walking distance to grocery stores, shopping, etc. Orangestad will be the closest to that concept.

"Condo fees range from $250 - $1200 a month. The fees include insurance, sometimes cable, sometimes pest control, and of course landscaping and pool maintenance."

I could say so much more, about our Buyer's Market, about the low low prices sellers are asking, about how St Croix is poised - because of Gov. deJongh and his efforts - to recover boldly and early from the worldwide economic downturn, about his plans to make our island self-sustaining and protect our resources. But call or email me yourself and I'll tell you all that, and how great it is livin' the dream in our Caribbean paradise.

Be sure to visit my web site if you are planning for retirement, and you will find the answers to a lot of your questions. That's all for now, I'm off to the beach,

You folks on the mainland think IDX is "old hat" but it's a new toy we just were able to install through our MLS.

To those of you who search for listings, and don't we all - even if just to keep up with the market or dream of someplace warmer when it's snowing - you know an IDX solution is 1000% better than plain vanilla MLS. It gives you options, and ways to see results, and map searches, and personal searches - that we never had the ability to offer you before from St. Croix.

Here's the link to MY LISTINGS, and visit my Coldwell Banker site to search the full MLS, or my Retire in the VI search page.

And, of course, contact me when you find something that interests you. I'm livin' the dream here in St Croix - come join us!

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