AN ENJOYABLE EVENING

Posted on by

 

I had dinner last night at Square One. Third time in recent weeks. I must like it. I do.

The new owner Carmelo has done a wonderful job in remodeling. An interior of soft dark colors. Lights always dim. The atmosphere soothing. The food of course outstanding.

My rediscovery of Square One does not mean I am abandoning my other haunts of choice. Hot Tin Roof is still tops with me. In fact, I am having dinner with Cheryl and Roger there Friday night.

The new Square One does not serve breakfast or lunch. Only dinners. They have a children’s menu. Terrific! Everything between $5 and $7. Some night when I am watching Robert and Ally at diner time, I will  ring them. I would have us seated at the outside terrace. Robert and Ally do not need dim lights.

Dinner was with Amy Culver. We have known each other for years. Merely to say hello when we would see each other. Last night was the first time I ever had dinner with Amy or talked with her to any extent.

Amy was an excellent dinner companion. She is the former owner of Mangos. The jumping outdoor restaurant in the middle of Duval. She sold it several years ago.

Amy travels extensively. For the past 11 years, she has visited Africa for at least a month at a time. Sounds like my visits to Greece. She initially went 11 years ago on a trip/mission to help the Africans. Got so taken with the place that she returns yearly to continue.

As you are aware, even  though book one is done, I am working on two others. One is a biography of an international figure. I have been into serious research for six months regarding him.

Writing is very similar to the work I did as an environmental attorney. Tons of records need to be searched. Always looking for that small piece of information or paper that will lead to some thing of value. While I was digging, I came across the program handed to those who attended his funeral at a large church in New York City. The program listed something like 15 persons who gave eulogies. Lo and behold, Amy was one of them!

The purpose of last night’s get together was to start digging into Amy’s wealth of recollections. I learned much. Much I did not know. I thought I knew everything about the man and was using Amy to merely fill in the holes. She opened new doors to me. I anticipate Amy and I will be spending many hours together over the course of the next year.

I was pleased when I arrived at Square One to see my booce partner Frankie and his wife Sandy. They were with several friends having dinner. Guy, the owner of KONK Life, came in with his lady friend of many years, ML. That is what she is called. I know her by no other name.

The Christmas Parade is next Saturday evening. KONK Life has a float. I am supposed to be on it in a Santa hat throwing candy to the kids.

Met Suzette. A lovely tiny young lady. An intriguing accent. We talked a bit. She is from Russia. Served as hostess last night.

Met also for the first time our waiter. Amy knew him, however. Robert Perlow. He once was a writer for Jay Leno.

There is a wine bar between Square One and La Te Da. I do not recall its name. First time I was there. Amy dragged me after dinner. I am not a wine drinker. I had a bottle of water while Amy imbibed.

Diane May was there. I had not seen Diane in quite a while. We have mutual friends. Donna and Terri. Diane is a beaming charming woman.

I asked Amy if it was true that Christopher had sold Antonia’s. Restaurant and former restaurant owners know everything. Yes, it was true. What surprised me was that Christopher turned around and bought La Te Da. Wow!

Tonight at 9 is my blog talk radio show. If you are home, flip open the computer and listen in. It is only a half hour and a fast moving one at that. www.blogtalkradio.com/key-west-lou.

Interesting topics tonight include courts gone crazy, Saudi Arabians beating their maids, future wars perhaps being fought over water, whether Black Fridays are the picture of how people will behave if there are food shortages, and my thoughts regarding Pope Frances’ recent Papal Mission Statement.

Enjoy your day!

SUNDAY AT DON’S PLACE

Posted on by

 

Don has all the TV sets going Sunday afternoons. Pro football time.

I joined Don and friends to watch for a while yesterday afternoon. We watched from an area behind the outside bar.

Sunday afternoons are Don s are always a good time.

Mikey stopped by to say good bye. He was leaving to return to Kentucky. Don, David, Stan, and Dennis were among those enjoying the games. We were watching five at one time. Tom stopped by. He and Nicky are snow birds. They have returned from their home on the Jersey shore. Their new home. Hurricane Sandy destroyed their original home.

Cheryl and Roger were watching the games, also. Cheryl brought my book over. The World Upside Down. She asked me to sign it. I was honored! The book is my first published novel, as you are aware. It is available on Amazon.com and Barnesandnoble.com.

After about three hours, I moved on the Chart Room. JJ bartending. He and the wife are off to Cancun tuesday for 10 days. Peter and Sheila at the bar. Met Alicia from Scottsdale.

Jean Thornton came in. The lady I dedicated yesterday’s blog to. She was still suffering from Alabama fatigue. We sat together and chatted a while.

Danielle, one of Don’s outside bartenders, was standing at the other end of the bar chatting with some folks.

Remington recently purchased the Pier House. Remington owns/operates something like 92 hotels. JJ pointed out to be that each Remington location has what Remington describes as a Point of Distinction. At the Pier House, it is the Chart Room. Hooray! We knew the Chart Room was distinctive however  even before Remington purchased it.

Publix’s fruits are always big and shiny. Look delicious. Generally are. About a month ago, I purchased some apples. One was still sitting in the fruit bin in the refrigerator yesterday. I had forgotten it.

I picked it up intending to find a soft spoiled item. Surprised I was! The apple was as firm and as bright as the day I bought it. I bit into it. Tasted as good as if purchased yesterday.

There must be something to these genetically modified seeds! Though I wonder  whether they will be healthy for us over the long run.

Tomorrow night at 9, my blog talk radio show. A half hour of interesting and revealing chatter. Join me. www.blogtalkradio.com/key-west-lou.

Two topics on the agenda involve the Saudis and a court/social worker system out of control.

The Saudis generally engage Ethiopian immigrants as maids. They hang them from the ceiling and brutally beat them. I viewed a video where the maid was hanging upside down and screaming while being beaten.

The court/social worker problem involves a case where a Judge ordered a caesarean to be performed. The social worker system had decided to take the baby from the mother when the child was born. They did not want to wait for the natural birth to occur.

Abuse is on the rise in many areas.

Enjoy your day!

POOR JEAN THORNTON

Posted on by

 

Disaster has befallen a friend. Jean Thornton. A “…there is no joy in Mudville” situation. Mighty Alabama struck out!

Jean is a die hard Alabama fan. She lives and breathes Alabama. Jean got the wind knocked out of her yesterday. #4 Auburn beat #1 Alabama. With a crazy 100 yard plus run with seconds left on the clock.

Jean, my condolences.

David, my sympathies to you also.

Syracuse won yesterday. Beat Boston College with seconds left on the clock, also. 34-31. Syracuse ends the season 6-6. Makes the team bowl eligible. A disgrace. The bowl eligibility system, that is.

The system is nothing more than a way for the colleges to make more money. A team 6-6 going to a bowl! It has become dollars over academics. There is serious talk of paying football athletes at the college level. The primary argument in support of paying is the amount of money colleges are making on their football programs these days.

I disapprove.

Keith and Jennifer were over yesterday afternoon. Helping with the overgrown greenery surrounding my home.

Decided to do the other end of Duval last night. A break in the normal routine. A change of pace.

Started at 5. My first stop was Aqua. Quiet. Then to La Te Da. Tourists. Ended up having a cheeseburger at the bar at Southernmost Beachside.

Interestingly, I knew no one at the three stops. Where there were customers, they were tourists. Even the bartenders were strange to me. Obviously, I was there the wrong time of the day. Next time I will do it later in the evening. Maybe Wednesday. It has been a while since I have enjoyed Bobby Nesbitt’s early Wednesday gig at Aqua.

The Key West Citizen carried a newsworthy item this morning. Tourism has been up during the summer and fall. I am not surprised. It has been rare that there were few visitors on the streets. Another way of measuring for me is the crowd at the Chart Room. It has been pretty steady.

Enjoy your Sunday!