Wha’s Happ’nin’

Classes Have Opened at SJSA

By: Sis Frank 

From the newest tumbling students (age 3) on up to returning musicians, everyone had a ball. We have made many changes in the building and look forward to adding a solid roof to replace the canvas entrance and a specially-designed curtain for our stage. “Canvas by Beth” will create this for us.

Our own Maasai warrior, Kakuta, will pay us a visit in February — reporting on the improvements made in his African village.

Steve and Helen Simon and friends are off on safari soon — can you imagine our favorite clarinetist playing “Moon River” as he entices the hippos to do a little dancing?

Sally Smith is back to keep the wonderful Jazz Islanders under control at the Beach Bar. Sundays, 4 to 7:30 p.m. — it’s great fun.

We Old-timers Find Changes Hard to Take
If you were born here or you have called St. John home for over 20 years, you can’t help reflecting on the drastic over-building that keeps creeping in to St. John and St. Thomas. I found the back road from Bovoni past Bolongo on St. Thomas to be unbearable, with every square inch covered with buildings. This is the same road that Rudolph “Pimpy” Thomas took to walk from his gig at the Flamboyant Hotel (now the Marriott) to Red Hook 30 years ago. (Pimpy led his band, the “Jealous Sounds” and was our favorite calypsonian).

With a little well-directed planning, all of the unattractive placement of houses and commercial areas could have been avoided. Proper boundaries should have been defined to separate the structures, to avoid the impression of a jumbled mess.

It’s a little late to correct these mistakes, but we could learn how not to add to the confusion.

Bob Nose Passes Away
The Lobster Hut was created by Bob — the food was terrific. I remember that Avelino Samuel’s woodworking class enjoyed lunch there as a thank you for making 25 easels for the St. John School of the Arts.

Bob’s scuba diving and charter business was one of the first on the island. My sympathy to Anna, his family and many friends.

The Sewer Family
Willis Fahy introduced me to an older gentleman who was sitting on the Battery stone wall playing his guitar. This was John Sewer whom we honored among other musicians several years ago. He was then living on St. Thomas. After a recent illness he moved to be with Miss Vie Sewer and her family at Hanson Bay. His father’s sister, Miss Olive Sewer, passed away at 105 recently. I think this means that John and Willis will be playing music for many more years.

Trunk Bay Photo
We’ve seen shots of beautiful Trunk Bay over the years, but none are more appealing than Eric Zucker’s that hangs on the wall at Baked in the Sun. Drop by — the food is great too!

Correction: Warren Eaton owned Lavender Hill across from Gallows Point, not Bob Eaton, as reported in a past issue of Tradewinds.