Strange name!
I was sitting at the end of the bar in the Chart Room at 7 last night. Another fellow at the other end of the bar. Tammy bartending.
In walked 2 couples. One of the guys yells Louis. I tuned and looked. A stranger. Roberto Pasta Pantaleo. We hugged. As we embraced, I recalled Theo had written and said his artist friend from Islamorada would be coming down to meet me. I had forgotten. Thank God I opted to go out last night.
An absolutely fabulous evening! We laughed our way through 2 hours.
Background.
Roberto’s first name is Roberto. His second, Pasta. He goes by Pasta. Born in Italy, grew up in Brooklyn. School not his thing. Quit while in high school. Urban Brooklyn not the happiest place for the Pantaleo family. They moved to Florida.
His friends used to call each other by their last names. Pantaleo was difficult for some. Pasta’s older brother used to call him “Pasta Fazul.” A traditional Italian dish of pasta and beans.
Everyone began calling him Pasta.
Pasta’s younger years found him riding motorcycles and hot rods.
Oh, the life it was!
Pasta was painting a bit. A friend asked if he would customize a new van he had purchased by pin striping it. Van came out terrific!
Pasta began airbrushing. By the late 1970’s, he had become a class airbrush painter.
His break as a painter came in 2001. He did some image branding for a professional fishing tournament. Quality work. His phone began to ring!
Today, Pasta is a recognized world wide artist of sea and sea life. Primarily prints. I viewed some on the internet. Bright! Brilliant!
His gallery is located at mile marker 89.5 in Islamorada. In the very heart of Islamorada. Named the Pasta Pantaleo Signature Gallery.
The gallery a beauty. An historical 1937 Red Cross House. A “must see.”
Man does not succeed alone. He needs a woman. Angela is Pasta’s wife. She helps with the promotion end of the business. A charming woman in her own right. Enjoyed her company immensely.
Pasta and Angela came with Tim and Carla. Carla a woman with a special trait. She found a reason to toast not every other drink, every other sip. Well, almost.
Tim and Carla from Wisconsin. Their Keys home in Marathon. Work together. Business consultants. They help companies settle claims with the U.S. government.
Theo, you did good! Thank you for bringing Pasta and I together.
Tammy was bartending. A wreck. she is moving this weekend. She has some lovely furniture pieces. Rain is predicted.
My recommendation was she hang a set of rosary beads outside her door. An old tradition to ward off anticipated rain on a wedding day.
Tammy is correct in being concerned. We have received a tropical storm warning for the weekend. Apparently storms and hurricanes are unaware that the hurricane season still is not yet to arrive for another month.
The storm may or may not turn into a tropical one. Never the less, rain. If it hits proper numbers and is awarded a tropical storm rating, it will be named Andrea.
My admonition: Rain, rain, go away, little Tammy wants to MOVE!
This afternoon I guest on Laurie Thibaud’s radio show Party Time. 4 to 5:30. Radio station 107.5 FM, WGAY FM.
We chat about everything. Whatever turns us on at the moment. Join us.
The yellow building that has been under construction on Flagler soon to be occupied by a charter high school. Somerset Island Prep.
Great concept. Two of the 4 years of charter high school involve college credit courses. When the student moves on to college, only 2 additional years is required to obtain a Bachelor Degree. A great money saver, as well as time saver.
Student enrollment limited. One hundred per year.
College costs today astronomical! Off the wall! A disgrace!
Recall the recent news re a Rick Singer who was able to get children of the wealthy into college. A fraudulent scheme. Big bucks involved. Many already arrested.
The most recent news involves Yusi “Molly” Zhao. From Beijing.
In 2017, her parents paid Singer to get Molly into Stanford for $6.5 million. I would have been happy to home teach her for half!
Anyhow, she was admitted because of her sailing abilities. She was described as a “sailing prodigy.”
Word on the street is the Blue Macaw has been sold. To the Rams Head Group.
A lot of high end commercial properties being sold this year. Corporate America obviously has faith in Key West.
The Rams Head Group recently was awarded the contract to operate the new Truman Amphitheater.
Theo and Dina, my condolences.
Theo and Dina made an artist friend in Key West. Ray Bolton.
I knew Ray only slightly. He occasionally would be at Blue Macaw and we would chat.
Ray was born in British Guyana. Settled in Key West.
Tennessee Williams. Made Key West his home for 40 plus years.
On this day in 1955, Williams received the Pulitzer Prize for Cat On A Hot Tin Roof.
Watched much of William Barr’s appearance before the Senate Committee yesterday.
My observations: He sunk deeper into moral quicksand, left no doubt he was Trump’s man, made Jeff Sessions look good, qualified himself as a liar.
The Democrats on the Committee were ready for him. They had done their homework. Especially, Senator Kamala Harris.
Caught Hillary Clinton on one of the talk shows yesterday.
Recall how Trump went on TV during the campaign asking China to get Clinton’s 30,000 e-mails? Clinton hit back with humor yesterday. She asked, “China, if you’re listening, why don’t you get Trump’s tax returns?”
I finish with Venezuela.
Yesterday’s coup failed. The generals remained with Maduro. I predicted the coup would fail and the generals would remain with Maduro.
Pompeo an ass in this whole thing. He and Bolton have rabble roused Trump. War the cry! War with Venezuela!
Ain’t going to be a war. Russia already in Venezuela with planes and troops.
Trump’s argument is that Venezuela has become a humanitarian cause. Where was he 5 years ago when the people of Venezuela killed their pets for food?
It’s all about oil. Venezuela has the largest oil reserves in the world. The U.S. and Russia want the oil!
Enjoy your day!