Hello, myMARtians,
I write to you from the glorious beach of the Carambola Beach Resort in St. Croix. I’ve been here as MC for the St. Croix Bridal Symposium, and filming for the tourist board of the US Virgin Islands. What a week! I kicked it off meeting Colin Cowie, world-renowned wedding event planner, whose attire on Monday night matched mine – the photo of which I quickly posted on all my social media channels. He was such fun and great to share stories with. The next day he and I again found ourselves matching; our connection this time was our very similar white shoes.
Truth be told, I reconnected with old friends, and there were many new friends made on this trip; Dennis Stokely, celebrity hairstylist to the stars – he’s incredibly talented; Stephen Land, CEO of Mon Cheri, who unexpectly gave away a bridal dress to a local bride; Titiana Byron from the Wedding Salon, who wowed us with her presentation; and the lovely Marley Majcher, CEO of the Party Goddess, who stole our hearts with her fun approach to a traditional lecture forum. (Photos: Colin Cowie, Marly Majcher)
The USVI Department of Tourism was a delightful partner in making this event happen, but the lion’s share of the credit goes to the vision and hard work of Jacqueline Johnson, President/CEO of the Global Bridal Group and Marry Caribbean.com, whose endless dedication makes this all possible.
I am lucky to be no stranger to the USVI, and was excited to return. This island is all about the many smiles and happy faces of the islanders. I was able to learn even more about the island this time – including that the local people are often referred to as Cruzan. Polite, friendly and always smiling is the norm here and that alone makes coming to St. Croix worth the trip. The lush vegetation, the beautiful beaches, and the sunny skies romance you into a calm, relaxed state of mind. The island may make you slow down but with lots to do you have many choices to keep you busy. From horse backing riding on the beach to a fabulous massage overlooking the ocean – I am certainly happy here. (And am tempted to stay longer.) And of course, the locals make it easy to do it all.
I have been able to travel the world, and no matter where I go I love to discover what’s special about each destination. I never get tired of meeting new people and experiencing new places. I’m grateful and honored to be asked to come to St. Croix; LIFE ON MAR’S is good and I’m delighted to have these wonderful opportunities to share.
Tomorrow I’ll be leaving St. Croix but I know I’ll be back. These new friends and experiences are among those I will cherish for a lifetime, and that is surely something to smile about.
