JIMMY OLSON

My first stop last night was a first.

Jimmy Olson entertains thursday evenings at the Gardens. Inside. Sits at a baby grand, plays and sings. Impressive. His singing and the ambiance. I recommend the evening to you.

Guy de Boer made an appearance. Shooting pictures for KONK Life.

Kate Miano holding court outside. A lovely and pleasant woman always. Her company a pleasant experience.

There was a political gathering in the gardens around the pool. Met Andrew Korge. Husband, father, civic leader and now the Democrat candidate for State Senator. Korge hails from Miami. Involved in real estate.

Korge and I talked a bit. He espouses Democratic values. Something I like.

One admonition to Korge, don’t forget us in Key West because we are a small island far from the mainland. Some representatives have.

Dinner was at the bar at Michael’s. First time in a long time. I do not know why I do not go to Michael’s often. The place is first class in every regard.

Suzette bartending. Have known her for years. She never changes. Always lovely.

Big game tonight. Syracuse/Gonzaga. Sweet Sixteen. The game is at 9:40. Gonzaga a four point favorite.

I hope for two things. Syracuse wins. I stay awake to see the whole game.

Canastota is the onion  capital of the world. It is a small village lying between Utica and Syracuse. Four thousand residents.

Besides being the onion  capital, it has two other distinctions. It is the home of the International Boxing Hall of Fame and was the home of Carmen Basilio.

Basilio at one time was the welterweight and middleweight world boxing champion. He beat Sugar Ray Robinson for the middleweight championship. Robinson regained the championship in  a 15 round decision fight this day in 1958.

Basilio was the pride of central New York during his fighting years and thereafter.

Robinson’s mother lived in the Bronx. Around 232nd Street and Broadway. Robinson visited her often. His pink Cadillac convertible parked in front of her home.

I attended Manhattan College. Located at 242nd Street. Often on a walk, my friends and I would see Robinson’s car. A few times the Champion himself. Always a wave and smile and a hello guys.

How did the United States come to acquire Key West as its own? On this day in 1822, a Lt. Matthew Perry of the U.S.Navy planted an American flag on Key West. The action formally made Key West a property of the United States.

It is the little things in life that aggravate. Yesterday around noon, I received a telephone call from the Fraud Protection Bureau. Someone was using one of my cards. The card was automatically canceled.

I had to go to the bank to get a temporary card. While there, I was advised there appeared to be other improper charges.

Such is his life.

Enjoy your day!

 

 

.

JACK KELLY

My undergraduate school was Manhattan College. Over the past few years, Jack Kelly and I have run into each other at the Chart Room. Jack a Manhattan grad also. A bit younger than me. He graduated in 1968. I, 1957.

The Manhattan College thing provided instant bonding.

Jack once had a home on Cudjoe Key. Long gone. In recent years, he has been taking a week here and there to visit Key West.

Jack was at the Chart Room last night. Always good to see him. We talked a bit about Manhattan and some of the grads. One or two we both know. Then Jack surprised me. He is returning to Key West full time.

Jack is buying a home in Bayview. He is also in the process of closing on three restaurants. That’s returning big time!

One is the former Finnegan’s Wake. Last operated for several days as Backspace. Jack will be reopening it as Cayheuso. A tapas place.

Another is World of Beer. Near Sloppy Joe’s. Jack plans on naming the new establishment Jack Kelly’s Citizen. Such vanity! Not really. Turns out the location was the first home of the Key West Citizen.

The third place is on Front Street. Across from Two Guys. Not Island Dogs. Next door to Island Dogs. An empty two story commercial building.

The name of the new enterprise escapes me. Its purpose not. Jack intends it to be family friendly. In addition to food, etc., the restaurant will provide all kinds of games for the kiddies to busy themselves with. Even the parents.

Jack is retired Air Force. He presently lives in Washington, DC. He remains active with the Arnold Air Society.

Welcome back, Jack! Good luck!

Jack and I hung together for a few hours at the Chart Room. While there, I met Devin Callahan. A snow bird. He is in Key West frequently. Surprising we had not met before.

Then Wilk and Erin. Their second visit to Key West. Hail from Spring Lake, NJ. My cousin Lois had a summer home there and I frequently visited. A high rent district.

Wilk liked my watch. He kept looking at it and commenting. He has one similar to mine. The watch is nothing fancy. A SWATCH. I bought it at an airport kiosk in Athens three years ago.

I learned something about the watch. It is water proof. Never knew. He says he showers and everything with it on. Showed me on the back where it says Water-Resistant.

We got into Lobsterfest. Wilk and Erin are enjoying the event. He did mention however he was shocked when they had to pay $15 each for two broiled lobsters on the street. He initially thought the price out of line. So did I when he mentioned it. However after tasting and enjoying the lobsters, he said they were well worth it.

The high point of the conversation was when Wilk told me he was a Mercedes technician. Joy of joys! I bought a Mercedes 420 SEL new in 1987. Kept it 27 years before selling. In mint condition. Only 124,000 miles. Never driven in winter the last 20 years. Everything original and in good shape.

I took care of the Mercedes. Probably because it was the first expensive car I ever bought. Paid $54,000 cash in ’87. A lot of money for a car back then. A lot of money period!

Lobsterfest by the way appears to be a gigantic success this year. Makes me happy. Lots of kids. A family event.

Met Tyler and Sandy. Celebrating their 30th wedding anniversary. Congratulations! They are from Cherry Hills, NJ. It was a New Jersey evening.

Tyler is in real estate. Sandy a distributor for Wegmans. Sandy was surprised I knew of Wegmans. Not a southern supermarket. I explained I originally am from upstate New York. Ergo, know Wegmans.

Jack, Tyler, Sandy and I ended up having a late dinner at Michael’s. Great food! Enjoyed the veal chop. The dinner conversation enjoyable. Humorous on occasion. Jack, Tyler and Sandy good company.

The lovely Suzette bartending.

A long day ahead for me. I will be writing this week’s KONK Life column. The research is complete. It is the story of Ernest Hemingway and Agnes von Kurkowsky. Their love story. Agnes was Hemingway’s nurse when he was recovering from war wounds. Agnes is Catherine Barkley in A Farewell To Arms.

There is more to the story than most know. I will be tracing the impact of their love affair into the 1960s.

Enjoy your Sunday!