March 30, 2002 – As the bang of the gun signaled the start of the Spinnaker Racing classes, St. Thomas' s John Foster, driving his J/27, Magnificent 7, was officially under way in his 29th annual International Rolex Regatta.
"The wind conditions were a little out of phase with what we've been used to at Rolex all these years, but it was good to get out sailing today," Foster said afterward, keeping intact his record of having competed in every Rolex since the first.
After cancellation of the Governor's Trophy Race Thursday and the first official Rolex race day Friday due to lack of winds, the building breeze was a breath of fresh air to the sailors aboard the 78 boats competing in the traditional Easter weekend regatta.
St. Thomas's John Holmberg, who has competed in 27 of the 29 Rolex Regattas said, "The race committee did a yeoman's job of pulling off three races today."
Holmberg, who in recent years has been racing his Inter 20 Beach Cat, Red Hook Agencies, said, "We had big thermal activity that made for rain showers off the south side of St. John and really created a huge thermal engine that had winds gusting to 15 to 18 knots. As sailors, we had to watch how the shifts played out to know which way to go."
In the Beach Cat class, Puerto Rico's Keki Figueroa aboard his Olympic Tornado, Suzuki Tornado, is leading. "Keki's really figured out how to step on the gas, and we're all trying to catch up with him," Holmberg said.
The biggest one-design grouping in this year's Rolex is the IC-24 class. The unique hybrid boat, a cross between a J/24 and Melges 24, was created by St. Thomas's Chris Rosenberg and Morgan Avery as a way to boost club racing. There are 10 of them competing this year, up from six in 2001. In this class, the champion to watch is Rosenberg, who has won the regatta four times before, most recently last year board a Melges 24.
"It's hard to sustain the spending of money for sailing in a slow economy, but if you can spend a little and have so much fun, it's great!" said Rosenberg, who is sailing the IC-24 Old & Gray. "We wanted to find a boat that an 80-year-old could sail against a junior. The J/24 was a good performer but uncomfortable, and the Melges 24 was a good performer and comfortable but quite expensive, so we put the open-cockpit layout of the Melges on the hull of a J/24."
Rosenberg's envisioned senior-vs.-junior scenario is playing out well. One of the IC-24 skippers is Dick Johnson, who brought the very first J/24 to the islands when it was first introduced a quarter-century ago. The competition for Johnson's Stinger includes 12-year-old Taylor Canfield, who is helming his father's IC-24, Boat Drinks. "It's a lot tougher this year with 10 boats out there," Taylor said.
This year, the Rolex Regatta is not a part of the Caribbean Ocean Racing Triangle. In another change from past years, no prize will be awarded this year to an overall winner based on handicap and time. Instead, the focus has shifted to class racing. Each of the 12 class winners will receive a Rolex watch at the awards banquet to follow Sunday's second and final race day.
In addition to the 10 boats racing in the IC-24 Class, the field comprises seven in the Melges 24-J/80 Class, seven in the J/24 Class, three in the Racing Over 50 Foot Class, seven in the Spinnaker Racing Class 1, seven in the Spinnaker Racing Class 2, seven in the Spinnaker Racer Cruiser Class 1, six in the Spinnaker Racer Cruiser Class 2, 10 in the Beach Cats Class 1, six in the Beach Cats Class 2, three in the Non-Spinnaker Racing Class, and five in the Fun Class – Jib & Main (no pole).
Despite the changes, the significance of the event remains the same, Foster said. "The Rolex is about people, looking forward to seeing friends from all over — like England, Puerto Rico and Antigua — that we sometimes don't see for a year at a time," he said. "It's lovely to get together with people who share the same spirit and love to compete hard on the course and party equally hard on land."
Foster, a previous Rolex winner, added, "Yes, winning is nice, but it isn't necessary. The satisfaction is the overall ingredient that makes Rolex special."
Top 3 results after three races (protests pending)
Racing Over 50 Ft. Class (3 boats)
Tital XI, Andrews 70, Tom Hill, San Juan 1-1-1; 3
Equation, Santa Cruz 68, Bill Alcott, St. Claire Shores, Mich. 2-2-2; 6
Donnybrook, Custom 73, James Muldoon, Washington, D.C. 3-3-4; 10
Spinnaker Racing Class 1 (7 boats)
Mermaid II, Custom 40, Bill Berardelli, Bluebell, Pa./Tortola 1-1-3; 5
Red Fever, Mumm 30, Gilberto Lopez, P.R. 4-3-1; 8
Twisted Lizard, Mumm 30, Mike Lathrope, Naperville, Ill./St. Thomas 3-2-4; 9
Spinnaker Racing Class 2 (13 boats)
Orion, J/24, Efrain Lugo, Ponce, P.R. 1-2-1; 4
Uncle Sam, Beneteau 10, Sam Lang, St. Thomas 2-1-4; 7
2 Contact Carib, Melges 24, Fritz Bus, Sint Maarten 3-3-2; 8
Spinnaker Racer Cruiser Class 1 (5 boats)
Hullabulloo, Beneteau First, Phillip Allen, Southampton, U.K. 2-1-1; 4
Pipe Dream, Sirena 38, Peter Haycraft, Tortola 1-2-2; 5
Spirit of Isis, Farr 65, Harry Spedding, U.K. 5-3-3; 11

Spinnaker Racer Cruiser Class 2 (5 boats)
Cold Beer 3, Tartan 10, John Schultheiss, Tortola 1-2-1; 4
Disco Inferno, Sigma 33, Matt Abbiss, Herts, U.K. 3-1-2; 6
J.Doe, J/30, Cynthia Ross, St. Thomas 2-4-3; 9
Beach Cats Class 1 (10 boats)
Exodus-Sambiago, Hobie 16, Enrique Figueroa, San Juan 1-1-1; 3
Yuisa, Hobie 16, Rosarito Martinez, San Juan 7-3-2; 12
Blame It on Rhea, Prindle 19, Mark Chong, St. Thomas 6-2-4; 12
Beach Cats Class 2 (6 boats)
Suzuki Tornado, Tornado 20, Enrique Figueroa, San Juan 1-1-1; 3
Red Hook Agencies, Inter 20, John Holmberg, St. Thomas 2-2-3; 7
Century 21, Tornado, Terry Jackson, St. Thomas 3-3-2; 8
Non Spinnaker Racing Class (3 boats)
Wildflower, Ron Noonan, Marion, Mass./Tortola 1-1-1; 3
ATN, J/27, Marcus Compton, St. Thomas 2-2-2; 6
Jecy, Oceanis 461, Emanuel Giancomelli/Stefano Spangaro, Rimini, Italy 3-3-3; 9
Fun Class – Jib & Main (no pole) (5 boats)
Nemesis, Hunter 42, Edwin Cruz, Fajardo, P.R. 2-1-1; 4
Windflower, Alberg 35, Stan Joines, St. Croix 1-2-2; 5
Far Cry, Bombay Clipper, Herve Chassin, St. Thomas 4-3-3; 10
IC-24 Class (10 boats)
Old & Gray, Chris Rosenberg, St. Thomas 1-1-1; 3
Red Dog, IC-24, Mike Williams/Skip King/Jessica Rosenberg, St. Thomas 2-3-4; 9
Voila, Tracy Roberts/Anthony Kotoun, St. Thomas/Newport, R.I., 5-2-3; 10
J/80 Class (4 boats)
Ex Mero Motu, J/80, Antonio Mari Jr., San Juan 1-1-1; 3
Abracadabra, J/80, Carlos Camacho, P.R., 2-2-3; 7
Sun Bum II, J/80, Angel Ayala, Carolina, P.R., 3-4-2; 9
J/24 Class (7 boats)
Jersey Devil, J/24, Scott/Peter Stanton, St. Croix 1-2-1; 4
Don Q Cristal, Michael Serralles, P.R., 3-1-3; 7
Bacardio/Urayo, Gilberto Rivera, P.R., 4-3-2; 9

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March 30, 2002 – As the bang of the gun signaled the start of the Spinnaker Racing classes, St. Thomas' s John Foster, driving his J/27, Magnificent 7, was officially under way in his 29th annual International Rolex Regatta.
"The wind conditions were a little out of phase with what we've been used to at Rolex all these years, but it was good to get out sailing today," Foster said afterward, keeping intact his record of having competed in every Rolex since the first.
After cancellation of the Governor's Trophy Race Thursday and the first official Rolex race day Friday due to lack of winds, the building breeze was a breath of fresh air to the sailors aboard the 78 boats competing in the traditional Easter weekend regatta.
St. Thomas's John Holmberg, who has competed in 27 of the 29 Rolex Regattas said, "The race committee did a yeoman's job of pulling off three races today."
Holmberg, who in recent years has been racing his Inter 20 Beach Cat, Red Hook Agencies, said, "We had big thermal activity that made for rain showers off the south side of St. John and really created a huge thermal engine that had winds gusting to 15 to 18 knots. As sailors, we had to watch how the shifts played out to know which way to go."
In the Beach Cat class, Puerto Rico's Keki Figueroa aboard his Olympic Tornado, Suzuki Tornado, is leading. "Keki's really figured out how to step on the gas, and we're all trying to catch up with him," Holmberg said.
The biggest one-design grouping in this year's Rolex is the IC-24 class. The unique hybrid boat, a cross between a J/24 and Melges 24, was created by St. Thomas's Chris Rosenberg and Morgan Avery as a way to boost club racing. There are 10 of them competing this year, up from six in 2001. In this class, the champion to watch is Rosenberg, who has won the regatta four times before, most recently last year board a Melges 24.
"It's hard to sustain the spending of money for sailing in a slow economy, but if you can spend a little and have so much fun, it's great!" said Rosenberg, who is sailing the IC-24 Old & Gray. "We wanted to find a boat that an 80-year-old could sail against a junior. The J/24 was a good performer but uncomfortable, and the Melges 24 was a good performer and comfortable but quite expensive, so we put the open-cockpit layout of the Melges on the hull of a J/24."
Rosenberg's envisioned senior-vs.-junior scenario is playing out well. One of the IC-24 skippers is Dick Johnson, who brought the very first J/24 to the islands when it was first introduced a quarter-century ago. The competition for Johnson's Stinger includes 12-year-old Taylor Canfield, who is helming his father's IC-24, Boat Drinks. "It's a lot tougher this year with 10 boats out there," Taylor said.
This year, the Rolex Regatta is not a part of the Caribbean Ocean Racing Triangle. In another change from past years, no prize will be awarded this year to an overall winner based on handicap and time. Instead, the focus has shifted to class racing. Each of the 12 class winners will receive a Rolex watch at the awards banquet to follow Sunday's second and final race day.
In addition to the 10 boats racing in the IC-24 Class, the field comprises seven in the Melges 24-J/80 Class, seven in the J/24 Class, three in the Racing Over 50 Foot Class, seven in the Spinnaker Racing Class 1, seven in the Spinnaker Racing Class 2, seven in the Spinnaker Racer Cruiser Class 1, six in the Spinnaker Racer Cruiser Class 2, 10 in the Beach Cats Class 1, six in the Beach Cats Class 2, three in the Non-Spinnaker Racing Class, and five in the Fun Class – Jib & Main (no pole).
Despite the changes, the significance of the event remains the same, Foster said. "The Rolex is about people, looking forward to seeing friends from all over — like England, Puerto Rico and Antigua — that we sometimes don't see for a year at a time," he said. "It's lovely to get together with people who share the same spirit and love to compete hard on the course and party equally hard on land."
Foster, a previous Rolex winner, added, "Yes, winning is nice, but it isn't necessary. The satisfaction is the overall ingredient that makes Rolex special."
Top 3 results after three races (protests pending)
Racing Over 50 Ft. Class (3 boats)
Tital XI, Andrews 70, Tom Hill, San Juan 1-1-1; 3
Equation, Santa Cruz 68, Bill Alcott, St. Claire Shores, Mich. 2-2-2; 6
Donnybrook, Custom 73, James Muldoon, Washington, D.C. 3-3-4; 10
Spinnaker Racing Class 1 (7 boats)
Mermaid II, Custom 40, Bill Berardelli, Bluebell, Pa./Tortola 1-1-3; 5
Red Fever, Mumm 30, Gilberto Lopez, P.R. 4-3-1; 8
Twisted Lizard, Mumm 30, Mike Lathrope, Naperville, Ill./St. Thomas 3-2-4; 9
Spinnaker Racing Class 2 (13 boats)
Orion, J/24, Efrain Lugo, Ponce, P.R. 1-2-1; 4
Uncle Sam, Beneteau 10, Sam Lang, St. Thomas 2-1-4; 7
2 Contact Carib, Melges 24, Fritz Bus, Sint Maarten 3-3-2; 8
Spinnaker Racer Cruiser Class 1 (5 boats)
Hullabulloo, Beneteau First, Phillip Allen, Southampton, U.K. 2-1-1; 4
Pipe Dream, Sirena 38, Peter Haycraft, Tortola 1-2-2; 5
Spirit of Isis, Farr 65, Harry Spedding, U.K. 5-3-3; 11

Spinnaker Racer Cruiser Class 2 (5 boats)
Cold Beer 3, Tartan 10, John Schultheiss, Tortola 1-2-1; 4
Disco Inferno, Sigma 33, Matt Abbiss, Herts, U.K. 3-1-2; 6
J.Doe, J/30, Cynthia Ross, St. Thomas 2-4-3; 9
Beach Cats Class 1 (10 boats)
Exodus-Sambiago, Hobie 16, Enrique Figueroa, San Juan 1-1-1; 3
Yuisa, Hobie 16, Rosarito Martinez, San Juan 7-3-2; 12
Blame It on Rhea, Prindle 19, Mark Chong, St. Thomas 6-2-4; 12
Beach Cats Class 2 (6 boats)
Suzuki Tornado, Tornado 20, Enrique Figueroa, San Juan 1-1-1; 3
Red Hook Agencies, Inter 20, John Holmberg, St. Thomas 2-2-3; 7
Century 21, Tornado, Terry Jackson, St. Thomas 3-3-2; 8
Non Spinnaker Racing Class (3 boats)
Wildflower, Ron Noonan, Marion, Mass./Tortola 1-1-1; 3
ATN, J/27, Marcus Compton, St. Thomas 2-2-2; 6
Jecy, Oceanis 461, Emanuel Giancomelli/Stefano Spangaro, Rimini, Italy 3-3-3; 9
Fun Class – Jib & Main (no pole) (5 boats)
Nemesis, Hunter 42, Edwin Cruz, Fajardo, P.R. 2-1-1; 4
Windflower, Alberg 35, Stan Joines, St. Croix 1-2-2; 5
Far Cry, Bombay Clipper, Herve Chassin, St. Thomas 4-3-3; 10
IC-24 Class (10 boats)
Old & Gray, Chris Rosenberg, St. Thomas 1-1-1; 3
Red Dog, IC-24, Mike Williams/Skip King/Jessica Rosenberg, St. Thomas 2-3-4; 9
Voila, Tracy Roberts/Anthony Kotoun, St. Thomas/Newport, R.I., 5-2-3; 10
J/80 Class (4 boats)
Ex Mero Motu, J/80, Antonio Mari Jr., San Juan 1-1-1; 3
Abracadabra, J/80, Carlos Camacho, P.R., 2-2-3; 7
Sun Bum II, J/80, Angel Ayala, Carolina, P.R., 3-4-2; 9
J/24 Class (7 boats)
Jersey Devil, J/24, Scott/Peter Stanton, St. Croix 1-2-1; 4
Don Q Cristal, Michael Serralles, P.R., 3-1-3; 7
Bacardio/Urayo, Gilberto Rivera, P.R., 4-3-2; 9

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March 30, 2002 – Some have set up camp only for the long Easter weekend; others have been out since the weekend before. While many head out to the traditional party place, Cramer's Park, on the easternmost stretch of St. Croix, others seek out more intimate and serene places on the island's shores to pitch their tents.
It's a tradition dating back more than 30 years for some Crucian families to stake their claims on a piece of beachfront property, set up their camping gear and enjoy the life of leisure that tourists enjoy year-round.
"We started from last week Saturday," Sherece Sewer says as she keeps an eye out on the little swimmers ranging from 2 to 6 years of age as they splash along the shore. This is her third year camping out with her family and friends. Her family likes the Salt River beach because "It's close to everything." She explains that her mother had just returned from the grocery store. The beach, also known as Columbus Landing, is on a bay behind the Salt River Marina on the northeast side of the island.
The chants of Bob Marley's "No Woman No Cry" echoed over the hill from a nearby campsite accessible by trekking barefoot across the unbearably hot sand. Here, there are about 50 sparsely anchored tents. Seagrape trees provide lots of shade for sea bathers. A white sign lettered in red, gold and green posted on a coconut tree reminds campers to "Be a Proud Cruzan, Don't Litter."
"Here is not as crowded as it was last year," one visitor says as she is leaving in her car. She said she had dropped by to visit some friends from the post office who were out for the weekend.
Nancy Crane's idea of enjoying the weekend is reading a good book at the beach. Looking up from Evelyn Khan's "Wayward Winds," she says, "I came out here for my kids." Her two girls "just love it," she says.
Later that afternoon, Crane, a registered nurse who works in the Juan F. Luis Hospital emergency room, waves as she heads off to the hospital for her 7:30 p.m. shift. "I'll be back," she says.
Tents dot the shoreline like soldier crabs huddled together as the waves roll up the sand to greet them. Some campers opt for fresh fish daily as a part of their menu. Some cast their nets close to shore, while others ride out across the waves to seek their harvest. Michelle Greene, fisherwoman for the day, set out with her rod and reel Saturday morning for the "catch of the day." She didn't like what she caught.
"I ran down the beach screaming 'Help! Help!' as I peered at a pink and white fish with red spots resembling a rock with fins," she relates. All she wanted was get it off her hook. "I threw it back because a fisherman said it was poisonous," she adds.
In a makeshift kitchen erected from plywood, the week's menu is posted on the wall above a shelf of condiments. It lists the entrees for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Good Friday dinner was dumplings, sweet potato and saltfish.
The Pena, Sewer and Greene site boasts a shower stall constructed by Police Sgt. Kenneth Edwards, who makes sure the womenfolk are comfortable before returning to work. Sheets of plywood 6 feet high form three sides with a 30-gallon plastic tank as the water reservoir. An upright PVC pipe serves as the shower head and a bicycle foot pump is used to pressurize the water through the spout.
"This is my first year," Cedahlia Pena says as she sits next to two coal pots simultaneously preparing a luncheon of grilled turkey burgers and the evening meal of boiled corn, stewed chicken and spaghetti. "At night, you got to first get used to the tent blowing away or someone else bunking in your spot," she says, "but after a couple days, you can grow to love this."
While some families will sit down formally to an Easter luncheon, Dawn Sewer says she will be serving her family their traditional meal right off the grill. Sewer, a postal worker, says she took annual leave for the outing because the long weekend is not a federal holiday. Her husband, also a postal employee, was at work Saturday. "This is survival out here," she says. "You might as well enjoy what others travel miles and spend lots of money for."
Sewer describes a memorable sight the night before: "The moon rose as an orange ball" in the eastern sky, she says. "It was very beautiful."
For some campers, the set-up is home away from home. A gray and white Coleman tent is adorned with lilac sheets and carpeting. Beside the inflatable mattress are two lamp tables made of lilac plastic storage bins topped with lilac towels and Coleman lamps.
In the evening, some brave the dark warm waters, while others entertain themselves with board games, cards, dominoes or television. One family site has a volleyball net set up on the beach, where a group of girls are at play.
The Arroyo and Delgado families brought along a generator so they could watch movie videos. A couple of their young ninos are enjoying a game of pool beneath a blue tarpaulin awning. Yes, they brought along the pool table. They brought a kitchen sink, too.
The number of campers at Cramer's Park has dwindled this year, but the number of those from the Dominican Republic has grown. One, beautician Nilda Sanchez, says she enjoys the opportunity to relax and meet with friends.
Throughout the long weekend, traditional campers also can be found at Shoys, Solitude and Hay Penny beaches on St. Croix's East End. Others stake their claims on the West End at Dorsch, Campo Rico, Williams and Clover Crest.
Whether families keep it simple or set up with all the comforts of home, their campsite comes with the peaceful sounds of the waves rushing along the shore and the gentle breezes cooling down the sweltering heat. It's a little piece of America's Paradise, and they don't have to board an airplane to get there.

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A Mini Carnival will be held at the Baa Library. Youth groups and children with adults are invited to join the fun. The fun will include the Lockhart Elementary School Pantomime group, Gospel Choir and Quadrille dancers; Antilles School Mocko Jumbie Bacchanal, a puppeteer, steel band; stories, face painting, refreshments and Nicky "Mighty Whitey" Russell.
Kids Cope and the Friends of the Library are promoting a safe carnival for all.
For information contact Diane Moody, Baa Library at 774-0630 or dmoody4345@yahoo.com

March 29, 2002 – Just because you adore film director Robert Altman doesn't necessarily mean "Gosford Park" is your cup of tea. Nor, if you happen not to like the film director's work, should you necessarily stay away.
This is the quintessential "period piece," with magnificent sets, extravagant costuming, a smug post-war/pre-war patina and outrageous posturing by an ensemble cast that's to die for. As one of its number does midway through the movie.
The film's action, such as it is, takes place in 1932 at Gosford, the English country estate of Sir William McCordle and his considerably younger wife, Lady Sylvia, who have invited friends, family, a matinee idol and a visiting Yankee film producer to a weekend hunting party. The hunt itself — for men only, of course — is rather an afterthought in the three-day excursion through the "upstairs" and "downstairs" halls and pitfalls of the manor life.
It's hard to care much about any of the characters among either the gentry or those "in service," but that may be in large part because American ears need half the running time to get attuned to all those multiple-class U.K. accents, at least one of which, it turns out, is fake. Perhaps for this reason, the highest humor comes from Bob Balaban — who co-conceived the film with Altman — as the Hollywood maker of "Charlie Chan" movies who is in England to scout out locations for his next picture. There were no cellular phones in 1932, but if there had been, this guy would have walked with at least two.
Altman's take on England in that era is that everybody, high and humble, smokes cigarettes — except for a buffoonish police inspector who smokes a pipe, or would if he could keep it lighted. Altman also seems to have concluded that the f-word was the standard expletive among both upper and lower classes; while it's never been heard in an authentic '30s film, it's all over the place in "Gosford Park."
Although the cast includes two real-life "Sirs" and two real "Dames," most of the actors, aside from Maggie Smith, Helen Mirren (both nominated for best supporting actress Oscars) and Alan Bates, are not that familiar to U.S. audiences. Most impressive are Kelly Macdonald, who plays the in-service ingenue; Clive Owen, her romantic interest; and Emily Watson, as a savvy and free-thinking maid. Kristin Scott Thomas is stunning as a Dietrich lookalike. And give Ryan Philippe a few more outings like this (as the film producer's Scottish manservant, or so it seems) and he'll have Leo DiCaprio looking for work.
The film won the Oscar for best original screenplay. It was nominated for best film, as was Altman for best director. As to the story line, it doesn't much matter. The film is the best and the worst of "Upstairs/Downstairs" meets "Murder on the Orient Express," and it leaves off pretty much where it starts, "stiff upper lip" being the modus vivendi of the servants as well as those they serve — and sometimes service. If the denouement escapes you and you really care, you can always go back and see it a second time.
The film is rated R. It's playing at Market Square East.

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March 29, 2002 – Just because you adore film director Robert Altman doesn't necessarily mean "Gosford Park" is your cup of tea. Nor, if you happen not to like the film director's work, should you necessarily stay away.
This is the quintessential "period piece," with magnificent sets, extravagant costuming, a smug post-war/pre-war patina and outrageous posturing by an ensemble cast that's to die for. As one of its number does midway through the movie.
The film's action, such as it is, takes place in 1932 at Gosford, the English country estate of Sir William McCordle and his considerably younger wife, Lady Sylvia, who have invited friends, family, a matinee idol and a visiting Yankee film producer to a weekend hunting party. The hunt itself — for men only, of course — is rather an afterthought in the three-day excursion through the "upstairs" and "downstairs" halls and pitfalls of the manor life.
It's hard to care much about any of the characters among either the gentry or those "in service," but that may be in large part because American ears need half the running time to get attuned to all those multiple-class U.K. accents, at least one of which, it turns out, is fake. Perhaps for this reason, the highest humor comes from Bob Balaban — who co-conceived the film with Altman — as the Hollywood maker of "Charlie Chan" movies who is in England to scout out locations for his next picture. There were no cellular phones in 1932, but if there had been, this guy would have walked with at least two.
Altman's take on England in that era is that everybody, high and humble, smokes cigarettes — except for a buffoonish police inspector who smokes a pipe, or would if he could keep it lighted. Altman also seems to have concluded that the f-word was the standard expletive among both upper and lower classes; while it's never been heard in an authentic '30s film, it's all over the place in "Gosford Park."
Although the cast includes two real-life "Sirs" and two real "Dames," most of the actors, aside from Maggie Smith, Helen Mirren (both nominated for best supporting actress Oscars) and Alan Bates, are not that familiar to U.S. audiences. Most impressive are Kelly Macdonald, who plays the in-service ingenue; Clive Owen, her romantic interest; and Emily Watson, as a savvy and free-thinking maid. Kristin Scott Thomas is stunning as a Dietrich lookalike. And give Ryan Philippe a few more outings like this (as the film producer's Scottish manservant, or so it seems) and he'll have Leo DiCaprio looking for work.
"Gosford Park" won the Oscar for best original screenplay. It was nominated for best picture, as was Altman for best director. As to the story line, it doesn't much matter. The film is the best and the worst of "Upstairs/Downstairs" meets "Murder on the Orient Express," and it leaves off pretty much where it starts, "stiff upper lip" being the modus vivendi of the servants as well as those they serve — and sometimes service. If the denouement escapes you and you really care, you can always go back and see it a second time.
The movie is rated R. It's playing at Market Square East on St. Thomas.

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March 29, 2002 – John Haracivet and his crew aboard Tempest, his 38-foot Beneteau, were comfortable. They had plenty of ice, cold drinks and shade. "We weren't like some of the boats with that just baked out there," he said, after racing was canceled due to breathless calm the first official day of the 29th annual International Rolex Regatta.
The cancellation followed Thursday's decision to call off the inaugural running of the one-day, pre-Rolex Governor's Trophy Race, also for lack of wind.
Only twice before in the history of the Easter weekend regatta had race days been called off. "It's amazing that, before yesterday, we had only lost one other race to light air and one to too much air over the course of all these years," regatta director Chuck Ollinger said. "The good thing is that tomorrow is another day, and we have two days left for racing."
Sailors aboard the 78 competing yachts hailing from the Virgin Islands, surrounding Caribbean islands, the U.S. mainland and Europe by and large took the two-hour wait for wind Friday morning in stride. Psyched anticipation segued into a laid-back party spirit as Puerto Rico's Michael Serralles led the revelry aboard his J/120 Don Q Rum, swaying to a salsa beat and starting a conga line of boats attached by towlines as they wound around the committee boat looking for signs of impending action.
Crew aboard five Hobie 16s from Puerto Rico, including Inabon with Alfredo Figueroa and his wife aboard and Flywind carrying their sons Alfredo and Francisco, drummed rhythmically aboard their hulls while chanting: "Wind, wind, wind."
Swimmers Jamie Thomas and Jai Campbell took the dive off Solmate, Bill Strandhagen's Pearson 365 from St. Petersburg, Fla., that is competing in the Fun Class. "We're glad to be here even if there isn't any wind," Strandhagen said. "It's a beautiful day."

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March 29, 2002 – John Haracivet and his crew aboard Tempest, his 38-foot Beneteau, were comfortable. They had plenty of ice, cold drinks and shade. "We weren't like some of the boats with that just baked out there," he said, after racing was canceled due to breathless calm the first official day of the 29th annual International Rolex Regatta.
The cancellation followed Thursday's decision to call off the inaugural running of the one-day, pre-Rolex Governor's Trophy Race, also for lack of wind.
Only twice before in the history of the Easter weekend regatta had race days been called off. "It's amazing that, before yesterday, we had only lost one other race to light air and one to too much air over the course of all these years," regatta director Chuck Ollinger said. "The good thing is that tomorrow is another day, and we have two days left for racing."
Sailors aboard the 78 competing yachts hailing from the Virgin Islands, surrounding Caribbean islands, the U.S. mainland and Europe by and large took the two-hour wait for wind Friday morning in stride. Psyched anticipation segued into a laid-back party spirit as Puerto Rico's Michael Serralles led the revelry aboard his J/120 Don Q Rum, swaying to a salsa beat and starting a conga line of boats attached by towlines as they wound around the committee boat looking for signs of impending action.
Crew aboard five Hobie 16s from Puerto Rico, including Inabon with Alfredo Figueroa and his wife aboard and Flywind carrying their sons Alfredo and Francisco, drummed rhythmically aboard their hulls while chanting: "Wind, wind, wind."
Swimmers Jamie Thomas and Jai Campbell took the dive off Solmate, Bill Strandhagen's Pearson 365 from St. Petersburg, Fla., that is competing in the Fun Class. "We're glad to be here even if there isn't any wind," Strandhagen said. "It's a beautiful day."

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March 29, 2002 – John Haracivet and his crew aboard Tempest, his 38-foot Beneteau, were comfortable. They had plenty of ice, cold drinks and shade. "We weren't like some of the boats with that just baked out there," he said, after racing was canceled due to breathless calm the first official day of the 29th annual International Rolex Regatta.
The cancellation followed Thursday's decision to call off the inaugural running of the one-day, pre-Rolex Governor's Trophy Race, also for lack of wind.
Only twice before in the history of the Easter weekend regatta had race days been called off. "It's amazing that, before yesterday, we had only lost one other race to light air and one to too much air over the course of all these years," regatta director Chuck Ollinger said. "The good thing is that tomorrow is another day, and we have two days left for racing."
Sailors aboard the 78 competing yachts hailing from the Virgin Islands, surrounding Caribbean islands, the U.S. mainland and Europe by and large took the two-hour wait for wind Friday morning in stride. Psyched anticipation segued into a laid-back party spirit as Puerto Rico's Michael Serralles led the revelry aboard his J/120 Don Q Rum, swaying to a salsa beat and starting a conga line of boats attached by towlines as they wound around the committee boat looking for signs of impending action.
Crew aboard five Hobie 16s from Puerto Rico, including Inabon with Alfredo Figueroa and his wife aboard and Flywind carrying their sons Alfredo and Francisco, drummed rhythmically aboard their hulls while chanting: "Wind, wind, wind."
Swimmers Jamie Thomas and Jai Campbell took the dive off Solmate, Bill Strandhagen's Pearson 365 from St. Petersburg, Fla., that is competing in the Fun Class. "We're glad to be here even if there isn't any wind," Strandhagen said. "It's a beautiful day."

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March 28, 2002 – While the V.I. National Park Visitor's Center has been open for nearly two years, the park is holding the official dedication ceremony from 1 to 3 p.m. Thursday. The public is invited.
"It's primarily to signal the completion of the whole thing," Superintendent John King said.
While the park held an open house when the center opened in June 2000 and a similar event when new exhibits arrived last December, it has not held any formal ceremonies. King said landscaping has been added since the last open house.
Thursday's event will include a tour of the facility, located at the Creek in Cruz Bay. The building also houses the park's administrative offices and facilities for enforcement and interpretive divisions.
King said he expects Delegate Donna Christian Christensen, Senate President Almando "Rocky" Liburd, St. John Administrator Julien Harley, Friends of the National Park President Joe Kessler, and the National Park Service's regional director, Jerry Belson, to speak.
Construction on the $3.4 million center began in 1999. It is built on the footprint of the old visitor center, which was torn down to make way for the new.
The exhibits focus on the park's major themes -– the natural history of its flora and fauna as well as its cultural history. They include sections on the sea, the land and the people who historically inhabited the island -– the Amerindians, early Europeans and enslaved and free Africans — and the subsistence economy that existed until the 1950s.
If you miss the dedication ceremony, you can view the exhibits and ask park rangers questions from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. daily.

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