Chef Digby Stridiron: Time. It has a different meaning in the U.S. Virgin Islands. It goes
backwards, forwards, stops. St. Croix is rooted in history; so much of it still remains untouched.
Nellie O’Reilly: I remember running on these streets as a kid. This shop was right down
there and opened the same year I was born. This is where the original Croixian hook was born.
It’s the symbol of these islands, and I wanted to have my hands in
that very same history. I want to be able to pass it down to my family,
while still putting a new spin on it. Chef Digby Stridiron: The U.S. Virgin Islands,
they have an amazing culture that developed over time from all over the world.
Lisa Homsy: St. John feels so untouched. Being underwater is like another world. There’s no
worries, there’s no stress; I can just escape. This is my happy place. My passion for scuba
diving came at just being fascinated with the water and wanting to be a mermaid,
and this is the closest thing I can get to achieving mermaid status.
(laughter) Canadians just love
being outdoorsy. We live for adventure, so we love anything hiking, being on the water,
diving, snorkeling – and St. John has it all. Chef Digby Stridiron: It’s like some spirit is
protecting the islands and keeping them raw. The Moko Jumbie watches over the island. From
up there, they keep the evil spirits away. The nightlife in St. Thomas is absolutely amazing.
There’s always something going on and everyone comes together to dance and catch a vibe. We’re
always celebrating. We celebrate freedom, culture, food, smell, music – it’s always a celebration.
The people here are probably the most priceless thing because they keep the culture going.
There’s so many different influences on these islands. Food from all kind of countries coming
together in new dishes. All of us came from somewhere, but all of we call this home. The
V.I. is a new melting pot. This is where the past and the future comes together.