Michael Mullen
Who Am I?
Who Am I?

A Visit To Cinnamon Bay

JUST A LITTLE DIFFERENT THIS TIME – ENJOY!

Got some great news for you St. John “Bargain Hunters!”  See below Section Shameless Marketing for details and offer.

LETS TAKE A HIKE

After snorkeling and sitting your ass on a bar stool the most popular activity of island is hiking as there are numerous trails to explore throughout the National Park. So, let’s start out with one that’s not strenuous and exhaust you too much for those afternoon sunsets with a generous libation in your hand back at the villa.

This little stroll will take you through history of slaves, fauna, and a sugar plantation as you breath in the fragrant aroma of bay rum leaves along this wide wooden elevated less than a mile boardwalk. By the way, these same bay rum leaves are the basic ingredients of St. Johns (‘s) Bay Rum Cologne produced for the past 75 years.  
Past names Big Cinnamon Bay, Klein Bay, Caneel Bay and now finally just Cinnamon Bay. Listen and observe all kinds of birds, occasional deer as you wander the 300-year-old ruins. This little walk into nature is handicap friendly. If you keep walking past the boardwalk you will happen upon a small above ground burial cemetery occupied by the family of a former plantation owner. The trailhead is located on the North Shore Road, directly across the road from Cinnamon Bay offering plenty of parking. Don’t forget to take plenty of water on this little jaunt

SHAMELESS MARKETING

After reading the paper this morning (actually, digital) decided to take a marketing strategy from the big boys. Saw where Southwest Airlines is rolling back their one-way prices again to a low of $59.00 to $79.00. Yep, couple with Labor Day Sales at all the “Big Box” stores starting in August; Lowes, Best Buy, and everyone else. We all know why they are doing it – pretty easy, they want to generate post summer revenues. Get ready cause I’m about to make you fall over with MY SPECIAL!

Normally, I am totally full for September thru November but with inflation, airfares and general concern about the economy not the case this year. Sooo here’s my offer to you for these months.  

I am rolling back prices to 2012 to $2,500.00 for Sopra Mare and $2,750 for Bordo Mare. This is for Saturday to Saturday stay seven nights (don’t bother to ask for other days of the week or more than seven nights- Ain’t gonna happen).

No other discounts apply and sorry there won’t be a greeter to meet you at the dock or my famous free four course arrival dinners for each guest. This is a cold hard rock bottom price no frills. By the way, if you don’t take the weeks, I’ll just take them all for myself.

Here’s my available for both villas just in case you’re too lazy to go to the website so pick em and let me know:

Sopra Mare Weeks - $2,500.00!

  • Sept 24th

  • Oct 1st, 15th, 22nd, 29th

Bordo Mare Weeks at $2,750.00!    

  • Sept 17th,24th                

  • Oct 1st, 8th,15th, 22nd, 29th

Have You Ever Heard of A Leatherback Turtle?

Thanks to a News of St John blog little story by Hillary Bonner that featured leather back turtles it brought back a flood of personal memories – bear with this ole coot and listen.  See I grew up in much simpler time, my parents were divorced. In fact, they made the announcement Christmas Eve of my seventh year. That was the last time I believed in Santa! And thus, I was shipped off to live with my grandparents.

Anyway, I was poor but didn't know it.  Pretty much everyone where I lived was poor. Oh, we had electricity, a party line phone but used a wood burning kitchen stove for cooking, had a two “hole” out house and water came from a pump cause we didn't have plumbing and no damn tv!

Anyway, my grandparents were poor but each Winter they went to their little shack on Daytona Beach with kerosene lamps for light, and a one “hole” but God Damn it was right on the beach long before Dayton had high rises and crowds. Just miles and miles of deserted beach with seashells and clean warm ocean.

Each morning at dawn my grandfather would wake me saying “Sonny, it's another beautiful day in Paradise and time for a walk.” Yep, every single day he would say the exact same thing. I'd wipe sleepy eyes and stumble into the kitchen for a breakfast of bread, cream, topped with sugar. Then we'd head out for an hour on the beach.

On one particular day I saw a great mound on the beach about a half mile ahead and broke free from granddad running ahead to explore what it was?

Yep, a leatherback turtle had washed up in the night.  Damn! It was the biggest creature I had ever seen and until this day, except elephants, still is. See, I had never been to a zoo as a kid. Granddad caught up with me and of course, I had a million questions like any kid. He told me it was easy as big as top of his 1948 Dodge if not bigger!  Anyway, Hillary you brought back a lotta personal thoughts.

So, I did research and think you might just be interested in what I found out:

They are the largest sea creatures – one was 9.5’ long and weighed 2,000 pds.

  1. Leathernecks lay 80-100 eggs on beaches up to seven or more times a year.

  2. They swim 10,000 miles a year from nesting to foraging areas eating jelly fish.

  3. They can dive to a depth of 4,000’ and can stay underwater up to 85 minutes.

  4. It is estimated they easily live to 100 yrs but may live up to 400 yrs.

  5. Natural predator is sharks but biggest enemy is man’s fishing nets.

  6. In 1980 there were 115,000 now there are fewer than 25,000 worldwide.

  7. They are protected under the Endangered Species Acct.

I’ll be seein ya real soon!  Meantime - I’ll “Leave The Lite On For You” at your island home – Bordo Mare or Sopra Mare.

Mike Mullen (972) 679-9937
But you can just call me “Mulley”

Some Good News!

So, in an attempt to give equal time to restaurant competitors. Let me introduce you to Shambles. A post 2017 hurricane funky place for fun and food. The views from this place in all honesty “suck!”  But you’re not here for the views you’re here for the food and colorful locals that prop their elbows in the bar.

Getting here is easy. Take Centerline Road out of Cruz Bay and past Paradise Lumber on your left. A short way after you will see a couple of signs on right is the Shambles, on left the Windmill sign. Turn right, into the dirt parking lot you’ve arrived. The food is surprisingly good, kinda a Beach Bar “light” fare but the prices won’t give you sticker shock and break your wallet like most places on the island.  Strike up a conversation with some locals and listen to them spin tales of St. John!

SHAMELESS MARKETING

First, great news – no more covid tests required for arrivals – bout time. It’s been a real pain the “ass” over the approximately two years getting tested for travel. Not anymore and I hope forever.  
Airline prices are rising faster than a mongoose crossin' the road! So, in attempt to help you for July and August a little more discount to entice you and “shamelessly” help me at the same time for July and August. Oh, you’ll get 5% for just reading this little rag. If still staying for one week but now I will give you 10% discount if you stay two weeks. Look realistically, with the cost of airfare right now, best you stay the maximum time you can. Fortunately, you don’t need this until you need this. Just had a lady with an emergency and she needed to disrupt her Sopra Mare stay after only two days. She had planned ahead with travel insurance and got reimbursed for most expenses but not villa rental so I just allowed her to take a future full week at a discounted price. There are lot’s of good companies out there and if you can’t find one let me know and I’ll give you some suggestions.

PERSONAL

I don’t have to tell you unless your butler or maid does all the work for you or you live under a rock – prices for everything are going up daily. However, when you put things in prospective it’s not too bad, oh I feel it just like you. Remember when you bitch about prices there’s one hell of a lot of people out there on fixed incomes and they have to decide on a daily basis which is more important food or medicine? So don’t “whine!”  This chaos will stop sooner or later. I PROMISE!

I’ll “Leave The Lite On For You” at your island home – Bordo Mare or Sopra Mare.