# St Barts Forums > St Barts Island Main Forum >  >  Festive Season

## pug007

Hey Everyone,
I'm coming back on the 23rd of December for 7 days and staying at the Colony Club D3(La Pulga) for the first time. 
Once again, I'm be attending the 2nd annual Luisaviaroma/ UNICEF charity dinner at Émeraud with dinner from Eden Rock and they're going to be pitching a big tent with seating for approx 500 and the evening's musical guests will be Lenny Kravitz and Drake.
Should be a fun time.
Will any of you be in SBH during that time?
Roger

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## davesmom

> Hey Everyone,
> I'm coming back on the 23rd of December for 7 days and staying at the Colony Club D3(La Pulga) for the first time. 
> Once again, I'm be attending the 2nd annual Luisaviaroma/ UNICEF charity dinner at Émeraud with dinner from Eden Rock and they're going to be pitching a big tent with seating for approx 500 and the evening's musical guests will be Lenny Kravitz and Drake.
> Should be a fun time.
> Will any of you be in SBH during that time?
> Roger



Sooo sorry to say I won’t be there, but love Luisaviaroma and UNICEF as well.  

A little LVR story for you…I used to go there in Firenze to shop about 20+ years ago (nothing new to DD) ..he was kind of a killjoy when he and our son “rejected” this really cute leather skirt with long fringe…ok, they were laughing, falling off their stools while I was trying it..never should have listened to them and I would still be wearing that skirt today..and I hold a grudge

Hope you have a wonderful time at the concert and wish you a very nice stay. I have never heard of the Colony Club but if it is a Club and you can stay in it, that is all you need!  Post some photos, svp!

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## LongIslander

> Hey Everyone,
> I'm coming back on the 23rd of December for 7 days and staying at the Colony Club D3(La Pulga) for the first time. 
> Once again, I'm be attending the 2nd annual Luisaviaroma/ UNICEF charity dinner at Émeraud with dinner from Eden Rock and they're going to be pitching a big tent with seating for approx 500 and the evening's musical guests will be Lenny Kravitz and Drake.
> Should be a fun time.
> Will any of you be in SBH during that time?
> Roger



I'll be there the 19th-1st.

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## KevinS

> 2nd annual Luisaviaroma/ UNICEF charity dinner at Émeraud with dinner from Eden Rock and they're going to be pitching a big tent with seating for approx 500 and the evening's musical guests will be Lenny Kravitz and Drake.



I was told that there are over 30 shipping containers being brought in for this event.  I don’t recall the exact number, it might have been 33 or 36 containers.  For last year’s event there were 10.

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## elgreaux

> I was told that there are over 30 shipping containers being brought in for this event.  I don’t recall the exact number, it might have been 33 or 36 containers.  For last year’s event there were 10.




Last year was at Eden Rock where there is some structure already in place, this year is on the sand lot for the would-be Etoile hotel (former Emeraude Plage site) and they are building at all from the ground up.. lots of activity there already. Much bigger install and for more people....

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## JEK

*FOR THE UNICEF GALA, "THE COMMUNITY IS ONLY SUPPORTING THE PROJECT"*
19/12/2022

While the construction of the gigantic steel structure that will host the great LuisaViaRoma gala for UNICEF on December 29 was erected on the grounds of the former construction site of the Hôtel de L'Etoile, in Saint-Jean, the Territorial Collectivity wanted to clarify its role and that of its urban planning commission in the holding of the event. Indeed, in the previous edition of the Journal de Saint-Barth, it was indicated that the urban planning commission issued an unfavourable opinion after examining the project presented to it by the organizers of the event. Maxime Desouches, fourth vice-president of the Community, therefore grabbed his pen to clarify some points. Without this calling into question any of the pieces of information published last week by the JSB.*"An unacceptable project if it were to be permanent"*
The elected official begins by explaining that "the community land use planning service is the mandatory entry point for everything related to land use or occupation authorizations". He continues by describing the various reviews to which the projects presented to the Community are subject: "The files are methodically analyzed by the service and the result is presented to the elected officials, members of the urban planning commission. The final decision is then taken by the only competent institution by law: the Executive Council. This administrative analysis also makes it possible to solicit the various services including those of the State, such as the security commission for establishments receiving the public or the Directorate of Cultural Affairs when a project is within the perimeter of the listed monuments of the community. A circuit that the UNICEF file has not followed until its end, since it has not been presented to the members of the executive council.
*"Constructions will have to be dismantled within a month"*
The 4th Vice-President confirms that "following the careful investigation of the service, the commission (of urban planning, editor's note) gave an unfavourable opinion on the urban planning project in general". He specifies: "Indeed, on reading the rules in force, the project would be totally unacceptable if it were to be permanent. However, as it is a development and constructions established for a period of less than a month, Article 132-8 of the Local Urban Planning Code provides that this type of development or construction is exempt from building permits or prior declaration. With these essential details, the president of the Community will thus be able to respond to the request made to the community about this project by providing the precise contours to the authorization for such a development, recalling that the project does not meet the rules in force and that the constructions must be dismantled within a month. Hence the importance of the opinion of the urban planning commission, which will be quoted in its reply letter. ”
As indicated in our previous edition of the JSB, Maxime Desouches recalls that "Given the importance of the project, it is the security commission chaired by the Deputy Prefect that will give, or not, the authorization of the opening on December 29". He concluded by saying: "The Community is only accompanying the project and facilitating this fundraising for the benefit of children. ” *Night work and traffic concerns*
On the heights of Saint-Jean, when they did not split some horrified comments when they saw the structure that will host the UNICEF gala rise, residents were surprised to see the construction work continue well beyond 5 p.m. and after nightfall. Especially last Saturday, since videos attest to a nocturnal construction activity on the grounds of Saint-Jean that was intended for the establishment of the Hôtel de L'Etoile. At the same time, there were many reactions to the inevitable traffic disruptions throughout the event. According to our information, the road to Saint-Jean will be placed in one direction for the duration of the event. A deviation will be put in place that will allow motorists to go through the road along the St-Jean stadium and pond.


*An "île embolism" believes the Saint-Barth d'Abord group*The opposition group at the territorial council, Saint-Barth d'Abord, also gave its opinion on the holding of the LuisaViaRoma gala for UNICEF. In a letter to the Journal de Saint-Barth, the six elected officials explain: "It would have seemed wise to us to learn from the UNICEF event organized in 2021, which, although smaller than planned in 2022 and in a hotel, embolized the island. We also pointed this out to the majority, who obviously did not take it into account. An "embolism" that opposition territorial councillors place in "several places". First of all, they mention "the police and gendarmerie staff, already undernumbered, who will find themselves monopolized by a single event and it will be the same for the STIS (territorial fire and rescue service, editor's note)". In addition, elected officials emphasize the direct consequences of holding the event: "Accommitting 1,000 people also presupposes an unprecedented arrival of products that will add delay to delay, when we know that the swell of last week and this week did not allow the delivery of containers expected by the population. They also mention the ecological aspect of such an evening: "While the majority is considered sensitive to environmental issues, we do not hear a word about the carbon footprint of such an evening. The construction of a structure dedicated to this event, the number of comings and goings that deliveries entail, the quantity of building materials that cannot be reused, the use of several generators during the evening, therefore the noise on a more and on a more global scale, the arrival of several guests who for some will only come for this evening. ”
They continue: "As for the procedure, the urban planning commission itself had given an unfavourable opinion, well aware of the disproportionate nature of the structure that everyone can realize: it is out of the ordinary, monopolizes all the space, with deck surfaces allowed on spaces that should not be. In addition, the organizers of the event call on the residents of Saint-Jean to use the car parks to compensate for the lack of parking spaces on the land of the star rented for the event. ”
The opposition group does not hesitate to tan some elected officials, in particular Marie-Hélène Bernier, without naming her: "We can only be surprised by the authorization of a building of such height on land whose building permit has been strongly contested by the President and the 1st Vice-President... especially for this reason! What a symbol! From every point of view, and in a symbolic way, the authorization of this evening seems to us to be in perfect contradiction with our island. This leads us to question ourselves: how can the majority be credible and advocate an authentic Saint Barth while authorizing this type of event? ”
Finally, if SBDA elected officials note that "only the generous intention of this demonstration for children gives it a justification", they temper by saying: "A report detailing the projects financed in 2021 should have been given to elected officials in order to inform the population. To date, no one is aware of the projects that have been funded thanks to the organization of last year's event. However, knowing what this sumptuous finance evening could surely help to endure all the inconveniences that our island suffers because of its organization... ”

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## JEK

> *FOR THE UNICEF GALA, "THE COMMUNITY IS ONLY SUPPORTING THE PROJECT"*
> 
> 
> 19/12/2022
> 
> While the construction of the gigantic steel structure that will host the great LuisaViaRoma gala for UNICEF on December 29 was erected on the grounds of the former construction site of the Hôtel de L'Etoile, in Saint-Jean, the Territorial Collectivity wanted to clarify its role and that of its urban planning commission in the holding of the event. Indeed, in the previous edition of the Journal de Saint-Barth, it was indicated that the urban planning commission issued an unfavourable opinion after examining the project presented to it by the organizers of the event. Maxime Desouches, fourth vice-president of the Community, therefore grabbed his pen to clarify some points. Without this calling into question any of the pieces of information published last week by the JSB.*"An unacceptable project if it were to be permanent"*
> The elected official begins by explaining that "the community land use planning service is the mandatory entry point for everything related to land use or occupation authorizations". He continues by describing the various reviews to which the projects presented to the Community are subject: "The files are methodically analyzed by the service and the result is presented to the elected officials, members of the urban planning commission. The final decision is then taken by the only competent institution by law: the Executive Council. This administrative analysis also makes it possible to solicit the various services including those of the State, such as the security commission for establishments receiving the public or the Directorate of Cultural Affairs when a project is within the perimeter of the listed monuments of the community. A circuit that the UNICEF file has not followed until its end, since it has not been presented to the members of the executive council.
> *"Constructions will have to be dismantled within a month"*
> The 4th Vice-President confirms that "following the careful investigation of the service, the commission (of urban planning, editor's note) gave an unfavourable opinion on the urban planning project in general". He specifies: "Indeed, on reading the rules in force, the project would be totally unacceptable if it were to be permanent. However, as it is a development and constructions established for a period of less than a month, Article 132-8 of the Local Urban Planning Code provides that this type of development or construction is exempt from building permits or prior declaration. With these essential details, the president of the Community will thus be able to respond to the request made to the community about this project by providing the precise contours to the authorization for such a development, recalling that the project does not meet the rules in force and that the constructions must be dismantled within a month. Hence the importance of the opinion of the urban planning commission, which will be quoted in its reply letter. ”
> ...



tl;dr

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## Dennis

#youdonthavetoquotetheentirepostweknowwhatyouarereferringto

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## JEK

#stayinyourlane

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## pug007

Oweeee!!! I might be called upon to speak at the event so, I hope I can find a place to park.....

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## amyb

Hahaha..good luck with that, Pug.

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## pug007

I just heard back from the organizers who told me that there will valet parking at Eden Rock.I will be bringing not one, but two dinner jackets! If I find out I need to give a bit of an introduction I'll make a wardrobe change. Then after everything is over I go back to wearing an old t-shirt, jeans and flip-flops!

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## amyb

You’ll blend!  Safe travels.

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## JEK

A wonderful gesture!

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## GramChop

> A wonderful gesture!

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## pug007

Merry Christmas et Joyeux Noel Everyone from Gustavia where SBH members Jamiem4 who have a home here graciously lent me a small tree which is what I wanted.
I've also noted that there are only one or two "mega yachts" in the harbor at the moment. There are quite a few just outside the harbor including my old boss from another lifetime ago, David Geffen's Rising Sun. Tonite Xmas eve dinner at Bagatelle . Have a great holiday all!

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## KevinS

> I've also noted that there are only one or two "mega yachts" in the harbor at the moment. There are quite a few just outside the harbor



Merry Christmas!

The north-northeast swells have pushed the big yachts off of the quay and out into the anchorage.  It happens occasionally at this time of year.

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## Leon

> Merry Christmas et Joyeux Noel Everyone from Gustavia where SBH members Jamiem4 who have a home here graciously lent me a small tree which is what I wanted.
> I've also noted that there are only one or two "mega yachts" in the harbor at the moment. There are quite a few just outside the harbor including my old boss from another lifetime ago, David Geffen's Rising Sun. Tonite Xmas eve dinner at Bagatelle . Have a great holiday all!



  +1!

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