This pretty much says a it all. Key West to me is a lot of things and a lot of those are gone—you read some of my take on some of Key West thought I’d give you some ideas today—but do play that YouTube the song is fun and the pictures totally Key West. I’ll give you a bit more today but first of course we have to do My Outlander who suffers from Droughtlander–here there’s an idea—suffering from that condition…go to Key West for a few day–may turn into a few months or more and when you sober up and make it back home (or stay in Paradise they have TV’s there) in time for the new season’s premier. Gold.
and finally for today at least—hey this last you a few day–what with packing and getting to LA and seeing the clothes and the sights–unless you live there already of course—Devote a day to Angus—maybe bring some friends that are in the similar lost w/o Outlander state—you can all wear black and have some Scotch (or mead if you’d rather wine) and toast him…watch all the shows he’s in from the full two seasons and after the last one where he passes on read this interview–you can give it like a eulogy for him.
Key West is full of fictional characters–some of them real….like Sloppy Joe–He was Joe Russell and he was a friend of Hemingway (and his fishing guide) and it is said that To Have and Have Not was written about him (he was Josie Grunts, owner of Freddy’s Bar and Captain of the Queen Conch)–the only book that Hemingway wrote that was set in the USA. It’s said that the cat water “bowl” — in the garden of the Hemingway house—really a urinal with some tile décor–was brought home by Hemingway from Sloppy’s establishment.
Most know him at least in a round about way as the Joe in the bar’s name–local legend says that the bar was originally situated where Captain Tony’s is today–but when they raised the rent—he moved out–with patrons like Ernest helping by carrying their own stools to the new location on the corner of Duval and Greene where the action is for the visitor and tourists and still as well as many of the local who say they hang there when they bring in a good group.
A lot of people prefer to be alone. They would rather be a palm tree on an island. I don’t get it. Jose Andres
WHERE do I start with Captain Tony’s….the building was the original Sloppy’s, it was a place Hemingway spent a lot of time—but Tony’s is a more recent legendary place–
According to Wikipedia: Tony Tarracino (August 10, 1916 – November 1, 2008[1]), commonly called Captain Tony, was an Americansaloonkeeper, boat captain, politician, gambler, and storyteller in Key West, Florida. He was a well-known personality in the city and has been called “arguably the city’s most beloved resident” and “the conscience of Key West.
When he use to own the bar–he sold it several years before his death–we would say Hi when he was drinking there and Mike and him use to have long conversations (I don’t want to know what about)
Buffet used to perform here before he was famous for the Island acquiring the Margaritaville banner of his famous song. Buffet returned the favor though…Tony who had run for mayor and lost was going to try again when Buffett signed on as campaign manager and the rest my dear is Key West Legend–cause here we don’t have history we have legendary.
Oh and check out that picture…it use to be dollars mainly with a few bras and the like hanging from the ceiling, rafters and the like…now I see it’s mostly underwear, a few hats and God knows what else. and yes that is a tree growing up thru the bar I’m not sure which came first the tree or the building….no body cares anyway.
I always thought it would be cool to go to the island of misfit toys. Camren Bicondova
Then there’s Duval after dark–a whole new planet than during the day….here’s some more account from the journal I quoted from yesterday.
Duval flows by beyond the bar doors and shop enclaves. Motor scooters, shuttles, buses doing ghost tours–at least the conch trains are gone…but other vehicles from bikes to conch cruisers, which are cars decorated in all manner of colors, styles and subject matter by local artists. They move along at varied speeds past the portals of the night’s entertainment and on either side of them moves the human tide….including lots of teen girls looking exotic even with their anorexic shine.
Three girls walk by obviously from the chain hotels (see my last night’s offerings) on Roosevelt— one of them large and bovine, a sour look on her face–see fat people aren’t all cheery folks..lots of them are sour looking like her–but maybe they’re just hiding the cheery, shinny person inside all that room.
Lots of people well nourished–healthy but not fat–from the heartland, pretty skin, sun bleached hair, healthy and hearty.
Is there any body here from Indiana?
A resort couple, brown and beige shorts with golf shirts–definitely money–have made it to Duval,
The build up on the street starts with the approaching sunset–the street gets busier and the people seem to ooze out of hotels and campers and whatever like sweat from pores.
Where do these people get their clothes…I like the camouflage pants what are they hiding from exactly and where are you going to find a woods or a dessert on Duval or in Key West period?
OMG that woman—talk about panty lines–on a butt like that–they’re big enough to be a panty map.
Yellow scooters brighten the night.
“Honey those pants would like better on a hooker”
Some that walk by look so bored, serious or concerned–aren’t they suppose to be having fun? I am confused as to what they’re doing here otherwise.
Key West has pink taxis, they have other color ones, but you just can’t miss the pink ones—you don’t see that a lot in, say Chicago or New York or even Orlando.
Now there a character even for Key West, a tall and broad shouldered black man in a brown derby hat, pants of black with a white shirt and a huge bird like medallion about his neck. I hear him admit to Sottish in his blood, more like Scotch. He just dances along and his girl friend just flashed her boobs at the crowd at Irish Kevin. Now he’s singing the blues.
Some where we meet a strange ex-Marine with ragged blonde locks and a large roll of cash he keep flashing and some how we ended up walking with him and watching his efforts as he wanders off trying to score a joint from every one he meets along the way. Finally he stops to try his luck with a couple of street musicians and we continued on.
We ended at the Lost Week End
and so will this blog for today
I’m from an island, so I’ve always been near the water. I don’t think I could live somewhere far from the sea. Sigrid Agren
Metal Rooster, From German, Appears to be Hand Painted
the main picture and these last three are mine–the first just one of KW’s particular harbors, this the king of Fantasy Fest one of the years we went there for the bash
and the ones below one from the garden at The Pelican Poop Shop which I’ll tell you about tomorrow..
and finally
the main participants in the last couple of episodes of as the Blog Turns.
I thought to live on an island was like living on a boat. Islands intrigue me. You can see the perimeters of your world. It’s a microcosm. Jamie Wyeth
