BROADWAY 3 WAYS OUTSTANDING!

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Mark Watson’s fund raiser for Fantasy Fest King/AIDS Help at Aqua last night outstanding! Without question. Seven years since Broadway 3 Years has been presented. The stars returned. Mark Watson, Bobby Nesbitt, Bruce Moore and Chris Thompson.

There was neither a seat nor standing space available. Everyone turned out. Everyone had a terrific time.

I enjoyed the show immensely.

Saw Mary again. Second time in two weeks. Mary was working the door at Aqua. Mary worked for me some 15 years ago taking care of my Key West home. A talented woman.

Decided to eat at La Trattoria after the show. Walked down Duval. La Trattoria closed. Decided on La Trattoria on the Ocean where I had been last week. The egg plant drawing me back.

Glad I went to the ocean side La Trattoria. Tiffany bartending.

Tiffany a friend from days gone by. Had not seen her in at least 5 years. When we first met, she was the bartender at Antonia’s. Left. Then returned as a waitress.

I last saw Tiffany at Antonia’s. We were happy to see each other last night.

Tiffany has a winning personality. She updated me on her personal life and other things. Now married. Has gone from 2 dogs to 3. Works La Trattoria on Duval. Duval La Trattoria closed till November 7. Kitchen being remodeled. She was filling in at the ocean side La Trattoria last night.

Tiffany bartending at La Trattoria Duval. Erin gone about 3 years.

I enjoyed the egg plant and Tiffany.

My yesterday began with the anti-gravity treadmill. First thursday. I am now up to 4 times a week. Working towards 5.

Three consecutive days a bit tiring. I will become accustomed.

Did my 10 minute bit on the KONK News Hour yesterday. 104.9 radio. Guy deBoer interviewing me re my KONK Life column this week concerning Pope Francis.

I learned yesterday that Conch Color has published its last issue this week. Described as a hiatus. So there is hope for its return.

Conch Life was Tom Oosterhoudt’s brain child. A paper full of photos of Key West events and people. Highly successful. Illness the reason for the temporary close down.

Tom has a bad back. Very bad. I have never met anyone with the problems he has had with his back. His mother Mary Ann Worth is getting on in years. Neither available to work the paper at this time.

Tom, get better quickly and back to of one Key West’s prizes, Conch Color.

Judge Peary Fowler has been a sitting judge for years. Quiet and unassuming. Rarely mentioned in the papers. Yesterday she became newsworthy big time!

She held a defendant in $13 million bail. Big! Unusual!

The defendant an alleged sex abuser. The victim  a girl, 6-13 years old when the acts were purportedly committed.

Justice!

One of the finest people I have been privileged to meet in Key West is Nancy Robinson. Nancy passed on recently. At 91.

Nancy can only be described as a class act. She was always out and about town till her recent illness. Loved by all.

Mother of 4, I only knew/know her daughter Martha. Martha a class act in her own right. She cared for her mother in the years before and at the time of her death. Care first class and without reservation. Sadly, few children assume the responsibility in today’s society.

No Syracuse football today. A bye week.

Enjoy your day!

STILL SICK

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On the mend. Not there yet.

Pain considerably less. Problem now nausea. The antibiotics and pain killer. We’ll get there.

I spent the day in bed and on a recliner in the bedroom. Slept on and off. In between, I did the research for next week’s KONK Life column. Concerns Saudi Arabia. You will not believe!

The start of hurricane season around the corner. June 1. Let us hope it ends as quietly as it begins, with nothing in the middle.

This week’s KONK Life column The President Who Saved Football is available everywhere today. Printed in KONK Life. Carried in this morning’s E-Blast News. Available via link on my Facebook Key West Lou and Louis Petrone sites.

You have to get sick to know how much you are loved. I thank everyone for the telephone calls and e-mails.

Enjoy your day.

KEY WEST BORDELLO HISTORY

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Key West was a different island 50-70 years ago. In many ways. One was the existence of bordellos. Houses of pleasure. A place where a small fee paid brought lots of pleasure. Customer friendly operations.

Bordellos as such no longer exist in Key West. Today similar services may be available in a gentleman’s club. More expensive however before the evening is over. Less friendly. Money  and not the  customer’s pleasure key.

I tripped onto a bit of Key West’s bordello history via this morning’s Key West Citizen’s History section. Mention was made that on this day in 1953, Mom’s Tea Room was closed. Mom’s Tea Room was a house of ill repute on Stock Island. Local authorities closed Mom’s because of Navy pressure. Back then the Navy had a huge base in Key West and exerted significant influence.

My curiosity was triggered by the mention of Mom’s in the Citizen. I did a bit of searching re houses of ill repute in the Key West area. There is not much recorded.

I discovered that a Rose Rabin apparently was the proprietor of such an establishment. I am not sure she was connected to Mom’s. I suspect she was.

Rose did run a bordello on Truman Avenue before World War II. The Navy forced her out. She opened up again on Stock Island. The Navy forced her out from there.

Rose was back in Key West after the war running a place called the Imperial Club. In a two year time frame, Rose opened and closed the place two times. The Navy forcing her to close each time.

Anyone for tea?

Yesterday was the first day of a process I believe will be good for me. Because of falling frequently in recent weeks, Dr. Lefferts referred me to physiotherapy. Body Owners on Stock Island. I was impressed.

I was there for evaluation. Took most of the hour. Inquiring questions. Concern for my problem.

Heather Smith evaluated me. Turned out, she owns Body Owners. A pleasant professional personality.

Body Owners has a tread mill which will be part of my treatment. A different tread mill! It is anti-gravity. Exercise without pain. The tread mill is a bit monstrous. You are put into a bag, for want of a better description, which is tightly bound around your waist. An air chamber inflates and it appears the wind lifts the person up. The exercise is the same. Pain and tiredness at the moment, not.

I did 15 minutes. Big for me! Felt great during and immediately thereafter. When I got home, it was another story. I was exhausted! Took a two hour nap. Slept well last night. Probably because of the 15 minutes on the machine.

Heather is a nice name. Reminded me of Emily Bronte’s Wuthering Heights. A great love novel. True to form, I could not remember the name of the book. I did when I returned home and e-mailed the information to Heather.

Heather’s name significant because the book frequently speaks of the heather on the hill. A place where the lovers met.

My evening was pleasurable. Started at Don’s Place with Don, David, Stan, Clare and Grant. Bocce the key item of discussion. Big match tonight. We are ranked #2. We play #1. A tough evening ahead!

Don and I left. Later had dinner together at the outside bar at La Te Da. Tonto bartending. Debra and Patrick gone.

I have more to share. However not the time. I slept late (blame the tread mill) and have to hustle. A hair appointment with Lori.

Enjoy your day!