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May 2002 |
It has been warm and gorgeous here. Seems like we went from Winter to Summer in just a few days in the last month. The water is warm and inviting, the nights still cool enough to sleep easily. I actually managed to get a burn today without even spending a lot of time in the sun, just running around town!
Before I get to the calendar of events just want to let all of you know that we will be losing one of our favorite restaurants the end of this month. Barry and Diane have decided to close La Campesina, last night to eat is May 24th. If any of you reading are planning a trip in May be sure to stop by before they close for good. Barry and Diane have both been running to the main island to shop for themselves, in addition to that they have been food shopping for others as well. They will also pick up things such as appliances, generators, tools, etc. for those interested. This business is called Mangos.Com! La Campesina will surely be missed on the island as it has been a favorite for years.
Just a reminder to everyone, the summer hours are going into effect. Be sure that you call ahead for reservations to your favorite restaurants to make sure they are open for business. As things slow down also remember that it is almost impossible to get meals served after 9pm. If it is slow in the restaurants they close early without known reservations.
The Caribe's have started the baseball season for the year! Due to the ferry schedule the home games are played on Saturday nights and Sunday mornings. When they travel to the big island they play double headers on Sundays. The team has dedication this season to Jose G. Alicea, former Cincinnati Reds player. He was the first professional ball player born and raised in Vieques!
Good news for bread lovers, Café Media Luna will be offering for sale fresh bread Wed. - Sundays beginning on May 16th. For anyone who has ever experienced the fabulous breads made by Monica this is a real treat. She will be making French and Italian country breads and they will be available from 9am-12pm. If you are renting a house or entertaining be sure to pick up a loaf!
Now the Calendar:
| Saturday, May 4 | Baseball in Florida. Caribes vs. Aguacate in Florida. 7pm Mountain Bike Ride around the Weatern End of the island! 9am. Meet at the bike shop in Esperanza or call 617-BIKE, BYOB |
| Sunday, May 5 | Baseball in Florida. 10am. Same as above. Brunch at Touchstone by Blue Macaw Catering! Reservations limited, call 741-2538 Cinco de Mayo Celebration at the Oasis. Mexican specials! Call 741-0655 |
| Tuesday, May 7th | Excellence Together Seminar at the Multi-Use Center. This is a customer service seminar and will be in Spanish. For reservations call 787-758-6254 |
| Thurs./Fri./ Sat., May 9, 10, &11 | Verizon selling cellular phones at Centro Commercial! |
| Friday, May 10 | Karaoke at Banana's! Singing begins at about 10pm. This will be held the second Friday of each month. |
| Saturday, May 11 | Paso Fino Horse Show, not sure of time or location but there should signs up around the island. |
| Sunday, May 12 | Mother's Day! Special Dinner Menu at La Sirena, free rose to Moms! |
| Monday, May 13 | Annual Spam Cook-Off at Al's Mar Azul! This is a really fun event, all welcome to enter. Categories include, appetizer, entrée, dessert and sculpture! Prizes awarded too. |
| Thursday, May 16 | Inauguration of "Our Daily Bread" by Café Media Luna! Available Thurs. - Sunday mornings. |
| Friday, May 17 | Trailer Trash Night at the Oasis. Put on your tackiest attire and enjoy the simple fare on the special menu! Reservations 741-0655 |
| Tuesday, May 21 | Beef Wellington Under the Stars! Blue Macaw Catering offers cooking demonstration and dinner at Touchstone. Reservations needed. Call 741-2538 |
| Saturday, May 25 | Indian Night at Café Media Luna! Great special menu. Call early to make your reservations, this is really popular! 741-2594 |
| Monday, May 27 | Memorial Day! Plan a picnic at the beach! Chef Michael is offering his famous Sushi Night. Reservations limited and required, book early as it too is very popular! 741-3318 |
Future Events include the Summer Festival, Patronales!
The dates are set for July 17 - 21st.
We have gotten many requests for these dates as people like to plan their vacations around Patronales. This is like a mini carnival for the island and offers lots of great Latin music, dancing, lots of drinking and some rides! It starts late and goes on until the wee hours of the morning! Each night the festivities begin with what sounds like a blast from a cannon that has all the dogs on the island running for their lives!
April was recycling month here on the island. I went down to witness volunteers from the Municipality Recycling office, Vieques Conservation and Historical Trust, Isla Nena Hydroponics and the 4H group clean up the area between the ferry dock and Al's Mar Azul. They collected many bags of recyclable materials and made the area look wonderful. Each month they try and attack a different area on the island to clean up. If you are interested in helping call 741-0845. Other good news from the island include an art contest in which they had about 375 students competing to have their drawing featured on the recycling poster. The office, headed by Martha Velez, has been busy visiting the local schools teaching about recycling and establishing bins for plastics, glass, cartons and newspapers to encourage students to get involved in recycling. This is really good news for the island.
News from the Bio Bay Conservation Group includes upcoming summer programs for students. Last Fall Sharon Grasso received a federal grant to create the Conservation Group. Five hundred and fifty students so far have been able to get involved with programs concerning the fragile nature of the bay, monitoring environmental studies and getting first hand experience identifying the marine life living in the bay. There are eleven employees working on the component programs offered and all are visitors and residents are encouraged to visit the new facility located just outside of Esperanza. Go visit Oscar the Octopus living in one of the saltwater tanks at the office! Be sure that when on Vieques you experience the Bio Bay with one of the businesses that are offering evening trips.
If you like art make sure you stop by the Fort and visit the wonderful art exhibit by Sandra Reyes. She has really captured the colors and spirit of living on Vieques. I was really moved by many of her paintings and they continue to be on exhibit until June 30.
That about covers the news on the island. Summers are great here so don't think Vieques is only for winter months! The pace is much slower in the summer, less visitors and we all get anxious for new people to show off our island to! Come on down and visit.
Thanks for reading!
Judy
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