A PLEASANT YESTERDAY

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Before getting into yesterday, let me tell you about today. This morning to be specific. It is absolutely beautiful outside! Calm everywhere. No breeze. The water a mirror. A blue and white sky. The MTV house across the way radiating.

If today ended at this moment, it would have been a perfect day.

My yesterday was easy going all day. Just flowed along from one pleasant experience to another.

Lunch at Roostica. With the grandkids. I was babysitting. I have to find a new word. Babysitting does not seem to fit any more. Robert and Ally are big. Ten and 9 respectively. They act like adults.

We decided to order two things and share. A meatball sub and four cheese pizza. We agreed the sub was outstanding. None of us were completely pleased with the pizza. One of the cheeses was gorgonzola. I enjoy gorgonzola on a salad. But heated and melted on top a pizza, too rich!

We tried to figure out what the cheese was that was adversely affecting the pizza. Robert came up with the gorgonzola

The grandkids wanted to make their own pizzas. Unfortunately, there was no room at the bar. Four other kids were seated making theirs. We agreed, another time.

Took a three hour nap in the afternoon.

Started my friday evening at Don’s Place. Always a good crowd fridays. Chatted at length with David. Hellos exchanged with Don, Hershel, Erika, Toni, and others.

Decided to grab the newspapers and have a quiet dinner at Tavern ‘n Town.

As I walked through the lobby of the Marriott Beachside, I ran into two of the nicest people in Key West. Mike and Tina. Love them both. Tina more. They had just finished dinner with friends.

The room was relatively quiet. I sat at the corner of the bar. A few locals nodded hello.

On the way into Tavern ‘n Town, I picked up a copies of this week’s KONK Life and yesterday’s Wall Street Journal. My reading material while eating.

Mike Emerson was playing the guitar and singing. I enjoy his work and him personally. He was playing Cole Porter’s Night and Day. A few days ago, I researched Cole Porter for one of my writings. The music was nostalgic. Not because I researched it. Because it brought to mind Cary Grant and Kevin Kline, both of whom played Cole Porter in separate movies. I preferred the Cary Grant one.

Harmony and Andrew were working the bar. Harmony took care of me so I did not have a chance to chat with Andrew. Perhaps next time.

I read my column in KONK Life each week to make sure there are no printing errors, phrases left out, etc. This week’s column involved the almost 50,000 children who made their way into Texas from Mexico. No mistakes present. A good column. Read it, if you have not.

Early on in this week’s edition, KONK Life had a questionnaire for two candidates for the school board. The first question asked of each was…..How old are you? One was 67 and the other 70.

I will be 79 in two weeks.

I thought how amazing it is that people our age are still out there functioning and doing things. When they say 70 is really 60, I think it might be 50. When I was must younger, I viewed the 60s and 70s as old disabled folk. Not necessarily so today.

KONK Life was followed by the Wall Street Journal. I rarely read the Journal. Too conservatively slanted from my perspective. I was glad I did last night. There was an Opinion article by Rand Paul. Not only do I generally disagree with the Journal, I also generally disagree with Rand Paul. Too far to the right.

The article was titled America Should Not Choose Sides In Iraqi’s Civil War. His thrust was that the United States should stay out unless there was a clearly defined objective and reasonable support from the American people. I totally agreed with what Rand wrote. A rarity. However when a person is right, his position cannot be disputed.

Another article in the Journal involved bocce. Bocce’s popularity is spreading. The Journal reported upscale new apartment buildings in New York City, Cambridge and San Francisco have bocce courts in addition to fire pits, swimming pools, and fitness centers. My Italian relatives of old would be both surprised and pleased.

Today should be fun. I have a pool party to go to this afternoon. I can’t wait. I look beautiful in a bathing suit! A joke, of course.

Enjoy your day!

 

 

 

KATHARINE UPDATE

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The world is full of oppression and depression. International events bombard us. Russia, Ukraine, Crimea, China, etc. Nationally, the VA problem, military suicides, the economy, jobs, etc. Yet, a natural event has captured the attention of many.

I refer to Katharine. The Great White Shark. Pregnant or no? Traveling to the Gulf of Mexico or returning to the waters off Cape Cod?

I first spoke of Katharine several days ago. What follows is what I know as of this morning.

Katharine is now somewhere south west of Key West. Between Key West and Cuba. She definitely appears to be heading for the Gulf of Mexico.

Pregnancy comes into play. If pregnant, she will go to the Gulf to deliver. If not, she will return to the waters off Cape Cod which apparently are the breeding grounds for great white sharks. The present assumption is that she is pregnant since she continues in the direction of the Gulf.

There is a video on You Tube taken by a diver spear fishing off Vero Beach last week. He saw Katharine and filmed her. The guy had to be nuts! The music of Jaws was added to the video. Made it more menacing. The shark darted around the diver. Fortunately, never that close.

Katharine’s Twitter following continues to grow. It now exceeds 8,000.

A contractor spent the morning at my home yesterday. Someone considering buying the house wanted some numbers. I had to get out. Went to Lisa’s. Did my blog and next week’s KONK Life column while there.

Jake has it made! It is his home!

No question about it. He lies in his small bed, on the couch and on the floor. He lets Lisa know when he wants to go out. He chases the tiny lizards through the bushes. When he wants a treat, he stands at the bag holding them and looks at Lisa with sorrowful eyes.

The title of next week’s KONK Life column is “You Should Know…..” Little things that escape the attention of many. Like the giant rise in CEO salaries while most CEO’s are opposed to a raise in the minimum wage, General Motors dragging its ass in repairing the more than 2 million recalls with the defective ignition switch, Sears in bigger trouble because of the 1 percent not having purchasing power, the shocking number of military suicides since the first of the year, the shame of the VA screw ups, the government profiting to the tune of $41.3 billion last year off the college tuition program, and why didn’t the government tell us Snowden was utilized as a spy as well as a computer geek when his story first broke more than a year ago.

This week’s edition of KONK Life hit the stands yesterday. My column concerned demanded renunciations of faith or crucifixion in certain countries. One was Vietnam. In addition to crucifixions, I also mentioned Vietnam having a special unit of religious police.

As with most communities today in the United States, Key West is a veritable United Nations. Two Vietnamese contacted me after reading the article.

One has been in the United States 20 years. She left Vietnam when she was 14. She recalled hearing about crucifixions when there, but never saw one. As to the religious police, she knew of one. The other said right on. His former country was very anti Protestant and Catholic. It practiced forced renunciations.

Enjoy your day!

 

 

ROSE TATTOO HOUSE UNDER RENOVATION

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I sleep with the television on. It probably comforts me. If I wake in the middle of the night, I merely have to look up and I am into a movie till I fall back to sleep again.

I woke at 3 this morning. Playing was The Rose Tattoo. A 1955 hit movie. It starred Anna Magnani and Burt Lancaster. Magnani won the Best Actress Academy Award for her performance. The story takes place in an Italian-American neighborhood in Louisiana. Most of the movie takes place in a house.

The movie was not made in Louisiana. It was shot in Key West on Duncan Street.

Tennessee Williams had written the Broadway play. He later helped with the writing of the movie. Williams lived in Key West some 40 years. His home was on Duncan, also. One block from The Rose Tattoo house where the shooting took place.

The Rose Tattoo house was forgotten for many years. Rarely lived in. Permitted to run down. It was difficult to see from the street because of the huge uncared/uncut foliage which had grown.

I drove down Duncan recently. On my way to daughter Lisa’s home. Lisa lives two blocks from the Rose Tattoo house and one block from the Tennessee Williams home.

I was shocked and pleased at the same time! I could see the Rose Tattoo house. The foliage was down. Even better, the house was under what appeared to be total renovation. A beautiful home! A jewel uncovered! A large swing around porch. The outside already painted white. It will make a wonderful home when completed.

Did my blog talk radio show last night. I enjoy doing the show. I enjoy the opportunity to pontificate. I received several telephone calls immediately following the show. Two topics were of primary interest to the callers. The bit about Greece wanting to sell 110 of its beaches to help pay its Euro Union debt. The other involved the 1,800 plus suicides this year already of those in the military.

Per my usual custom, I grabbed a bite at Roostica before the show. I am continually surprised at how good the food is. And, reasonably priced. I had three meatball sliders last night. Huge meatballs.  A small salad came with it. I had to force myself to finish the last slider. Cost: $7. Need I say more!

This morning’s KONK Life E-Blast has an article concerning the construction of the new City Hall on White Street. The Glynn Archer school building is being renovated for the purpose. The thrust of the story was that everything was moving along well and within projected costs. The project was at the stage where interior demolition had begun.

I worry about renovating old buildings. I dealt with many in my former life as an environmental attorney. Asbestos and other problems rise up which were not contemplated in initial estimates. There is always a surprise. With surprise, costs shoot up.

I am sure that the architects involved took into account any asbestos removal and other such problems. However, there is always that surprise.

I wish the City and project good luck and hope the inevitable does not occur.

Back to the gym this morning at 11! I survived monday. Should today, also. I never made day 2 back in December when I first tried.

Enjoy your day!

 

MIKE AND DON

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What could be better! An evening with Mike and Don. Drinks with Mike at the Chart Room. Dinner with Don at Hot Tin Roof.

I stopped into the Chart Room first last night. Mike of Mike and Tina fame was seated at the bar. A friend. He and Tina are starting to feel like family. We had an enjoyable time talking about everything. Everything includes parts of our Italian ancestry. Tina included in the stories. She is of Italian extraction, also.

I like Tina more than Mike. Who would not! The lovely lady is in Washington working on a special project. She returns to Key West tonight or tomorrow for the weekend. Then back to Washington.

Mike’s friend Nick Pontecorvo arrived. Mike is a pilot and co-owner of Key West Seaplanes. A cool job! Flies seaplanes all over Florida and occasionally into Georgia. His company has 4 seaplanes going soon to 5.

Nick occasionally pilots a party on a seaplane to Little Palm Island for lunch or dinner. What a way to travel to one of the world’s most exotic places!

After the Chart Room, I stopped in Don’s Place. Don was at the bar with John. Don and I chatted a while. Don said he was hungry and wanted to eat. Unusual for Don. He never eats!

I took him over to Hot Tin Roof. Don was the usual cheap date. A couple of drinks, a shrimp appetizer, and he was full.

Don is one of the best people in Key West. Friend to all. I am pleased to know him.

I spent the afternoon writing next week’s KONK Life COMMENTARY column. Titled it: Obama and Putin. An interesting piece.

Bocce tonight. Always a fun time. Hope we win.

This morning’s Key West Citizen has a front page picture of Stan Ellsworth. Stan is the host/star of the television show American Ride. He’s the guy who rides the Harley. Stan was in Key West yesterday filming his show at the Hemingway House.

Enjoy your day!

A TYPICAL KEY WEST DAY

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Yesterday was a typical Key West day. What is typical? Not a do nothing day. Such would be referred to as a nothing day. A typical day is one where you do a few things. No sweat or strain things. All pleasurable. All which move the day along in a tortoise fashion.

The morning was quiet at home.

Lunch was outstanding! Food and company wise. I had a luncheon scheduled with my publisher, Shirrel Rhoades. We met at Azur. A one hour lunch turned into almost a two hour one. We were enjoying each other.

Shirrel has a distinguished background in the publishing field. Two notables include his time as Publisher of Marvel Comics and as a Vice President with the Reader’s Digest.

Shirrel wants me to write more books. I had planned on it so we were in accord. I see at least three more by the end of the year. Growing Up Italian, of course. Also a follow up to the The World Upside Down. Shirrel believes a series is in order.

Greece. Recall my first trip to Greece. The plan is to put together the day to day blog reporting for the month I spent in Greece. There will be added material to some to better portray the perils that confronted me. Pictures, too. The book will be fun doing.

I rarely dine at Azur. One does not eat there. One dines. The food commands dining. Why I rarely eat at Azur, I do not know.

For lunch, I had a steak sandwich. Sounds simple. Was not. It was a rib eye pan fried in oil and parsley on a fantastic roll. I repeated myself several times to the waiter and Shirrel how good the sandwich tasted!

Then drove over to Lee Nails. I was overdue for a manicure. It is always a pleasure to share time with Tammy. A beautiful smart hard working young Vietnamese woman.

The place was busy. I mentioned it to her. She said it had become busy just before I walked in. Prior thereto, quiet. The pedicure chairs were mostly occupied. Several ladies were getting manicures.

It has never bothered me to sit among the ladies and get a manicure and/or pedicure. It must be my feminine side.

Stayed in the rest of the afternoon. It was decision time. The subject for my COMMENTARY column in next week’s KONK Life. I am not certain yet. However, I seem to be leaning to something on the genius Putin is showing at the present time and our reactions. The reactions seem to be ineffective.

My blog talk radio show Tuesday Talk with Key West Lou was last night. Fun time.  I love doing the show!

Two areas seem to have garnered the most interest. One was my dissertations on Putin and Ukraine. The other, the increasing cost of food.

The Courmayeur landslide I reported yesterday is still a problem. The fall is unstable. It consists of dirt and rocks. The fall started below the snow line. It continues to slide and creep down the hillside. A portion of Courmayeur has been evacuated. The tunnel connecting Italy and France was closed several times.

No one is certain yet what to do.

There have been two other significant mountain slides in recent days. The avalanche on Mount Everest and the mud slide in Washington State.

Nature rearing its ugly head!

Enjoy your day!

 

Mont Blanc Landslide

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One of my favorite places in Italy is Courmayeur. I have had the pleasure several times in recent years of enjoying Courmayeur. The highest mountain in the Alps…..Mont Blanc and a tiny municipality sitting half way up the mountain. Glorious!

Courmayeur is in the northern tip of Italy. A half hour from France and one hour from Switzerland. The weather recently has been warm. Yesterday, there was a maxi landslide. It stopped before doing any damage. However, the landslide is unstable and is sitting above Courmayeur and the entrance to the Mont Blanc Tunnel which connects Italy and France.

No one is certain what, if anything, will occur next. If the slide starts up again, a portion of Courmayeur could be buried. Also, the entrance to the tunnel connecting with France. The tunnel was closed for 20 minutes yesterday.

I hope nothing happens. Mont Blanc is unquestionably magnificent to behold. However, it can also be dangerous as yesterday’s activities indicate. I have always viewed Mont Blanc from where ever I have been situated as a disaster waiting to occur. I used to get the feeling especially when I would sit in the Courmayeur Square sipping a gin and looking up at majestic Mont Blanc hanging over me.

We are working on having this blog publish also in KONK Life’s E-Blast each day. The blog will then be available this way and the Blast way. Still working on how to get the blog from here to there. Not easy for me.

I write a weekly column in KONK Life. Under the title of Key West Lou COMMENTARY. Last week’s article involved Sweden and the Muslim impact upon the country. Bad things are happening. Someone wrote a Letter to the Editor which was posted in yesterday’s E-Blast. The writer disagreed with my reporting and clearly indicated I did not know what I was talking about. Challenged me to list my references.

The gauntlet had been thrown. I responded with an Email to the Editor which will run in today’s E-Blast. Not only did I list that which was demanded, I also concluded the woman criticizing the column did not know what she was talking about. Read today’s E-Blast for the retort.

I am not perfect. I do err occasionally. However catch  me when I am wrong, not when I am correct.

Tonight is my blog talk radio show. Nine o’clock my time. Tuesday Talk with Key West Lou. www.blogtalkradio.com/key-west-lou.

Interesting topics. Like Latin America striking back at Monsanto, Vermont passing a GMO food labeling law, the price of food to double in the next decade, oranges joining limes in becoming more expensive, a story of Jesus suitable for description today, Putin’s purported genius, and more.

Stopped first at the Chart Room last night. Che at the bar, Victor bartending. A tourist came in looking for Mel Fisher and Jimmy Buffet photos. Che was the right person to point them out. He is one of the two remaining persons whose ashes will find their way into the Chart Room bar rail.

Then to Don’s Place. Grant and Toni at the bar. Hello to both. Sat with Jimmy and Joanie. Both play bocce. Joanie described bocce night as a 160 person cocktail party. She was correct!

Outside bartender Tina stopped by to chat. It was her night off. However her Dad was in town and they were partying with friends. As I left, I saw Tina and her Dad and two others playing bean bags. Only in Key West!

I stopped at the Winn-Dixie Shopping Center on the way home and treated myself to a Philly cheese steak sandwich for dinner. Good!

Enjoy your day!

FIRE ANTS

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If you live or visit Key West, it is difficult to escape the scourge of the fire ant. It is inevitable. You will be bitten. You will be attacked by several or a swarm at one time. Then comes the itching. And more itching. The white heads with black tops. It takes three weeks for the symptoms to disappear.

The place is an Amazon village somewhere in Bolivia. Two young men stole a couple of motorcycles. Their captors tied them to trees swarming with fire ants. Both ended up in the hospital. One in intensive care. The other required dialysis for kidney failure.

And we thought we had it bad!

Interestingly, fire ants originally came to Florida from South America. Most believe Bolivia. They immigrated in 1918 and then again in the 1930s on ocean going vessels.

Spent most of yesterday getting ready for last night’s blog talk radio show. Tuesday Talk with Key West Lou. It must have been a good show. Immediately received several telephone calls following the show. Each caller appeared excited about what they had just heard. One call came from Milan, Italy. Another from Calitzdorp, South Africa. The others from the USA. The Italian and African calls came in the middle of their nights. I was impressed.

The telephone calls and comments that followed did not reflect a particular topic as the most interesting. Apparently each found the entire show to their liking.

If you missed the show, it is archived. Also on You Tube. Archived it can be found at www.blogtalkradio.com/key-west-lou. You tubed under Tuesday Talk with Key West Lou. I am not sure last night’s show has been You tubed yet.

Prior to the show, I enjoyed a quiet dinner alone at Roostica. Reading the newspapers, of course.

There is a war going on in Key West. The War of the Plastic Chairs. At the tennis courts at Bayview Park. Rick Boettger has an excellent column on the conflict in this morning’s KONK Life E-Blast.

This week’s edition of KONK Life hits the stands at 5 this afternoon. My first column under the caption Key West Lou COMMENTARY appears. The article concerns Muslim influence in what once was a sedate Sweden.

The columns are the same. Decided a new title was required. Over the years, the column had undergone a transformation. What started as legal observations slowly evolved into political and social commentary.

Enjoy your day!

PATRICK “PATTY CAKES” HAYES

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I am alive and almost well. Blood pressure ok. My back has 20 per cent to go. However, the back is sufficiently better that I am able to move around experiencing only an occasional twinge of pain.

I am stir crazy. I have been confined to bed and home a few days. Have to get out! Tonight!

Today’s KONK Life E News Blast features a picture of one of Key West’s most beloved persons. Patrick Hayes, aka Patty Cakes. Patrick was at a charity fundraiser yesterday afternoon at Square One and shed his dreds to help with the fund raising. They were almost down to his butt. I will not say Patrick looked good in them. From my perspective, he did not. He was like a wild man from Borneo. I am glad they are gone. The Patrick I knew has returned!

Patrick is a good friend. For more than 20 years. He is also Lisa’s friend. Her best friend after her husband. Patrick is also unofficial godfather to Robert and Lisa. They know him well and love him, also.

Patrick tells the story that he came to Key West straight and ended up gay. He lived with Les for many years. Les made Patrick an honest person two years ago. They ran off to Iowa and married. I attended their wedding reception on Shark Key when they returned.

Patrick seems to have worked forever as Square One’s bartender. He is pure goodness and always available to lend a helping hand.

I am having dinner tonight at Square One. I look forward to seeing the new Patrick with normal hair.

On this day in 1956, Italian actress Anna Magnani won the Academy Award for Best Actress. The movie was The Rose Tattoo. The screenplay and movie were written by Tennessee Williams when he lived in Key West.

The Tennessee Williams’ home is on Duncan Street. Two blocks from Lisa’s home. A lovely well maintained house presently owned by my friend Evan Roberts.

The Rose Tattoo was filmed in Key West. Probably at Tennessee Williams’ insistence. The house it was filmed in is on the same block as the Tennessee Williams home. Williams is at one end and The Rose Tattoo home the other. The filming  took place in Key West and on the same block as Williams’ home probably for Williams’ convenience. All he had to do was roll out of bed in the morning and walk less than 100 yards to his place of work.

I do not believe Key West had anything to do with the movie. Magnani played a Sicilian widow. Her co-star, the great Burt Lancaster, a lusty truck driver.

Williams insisted Magnani have the starring role. He said at the time she was “…..the most explosive emotional actress of her generation.”

Burt Lancaster was one of the outstanding male actors of his day. His day being in my life time. He was a contemporary of Kirk Douglas who is still alive. Lancaster was a man’s man and played such roles. He died about 15 years ago. I was disappointed that many younger than me were not aware of who he was. How soon  a great can be forgotten!

The Rose Tattoo house has not been well maintained at all. Run down. Someone started renovating it two years ago. However, it appears the renovations stopped in their early stages.

Syracuse won its first game in the big tournament yesterday. Easily defeated Western Michigan 77-53. Tomorrow at 7, Dayton.

Notice how calm I am.

Enjoy your day!

SUNDAY NIGHT SYRACUSE BASKETBALL

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The games do not get any easier! Tough on the stomach! Syracuse won again last night. Beat Clemson 57-44. What bothers me is we are not blowing anyone out. Syracuse may not all season. Boeheim has a new strategy this year. No more running. Wait for the shot. Slow the pace.

As long as it works, so be it.

A tough game coming up wednesday. Pitt again. This time at Pitt.

I watched the game with Dan and Lisa. They had a couple of Skaneateles friends with them. Dan and I suffer alike during the games. We moan and groan.

Stopped at Don’s Place after the game. Got into the new farm law with one of the customers. He was knowledgeable. Disagreed with me. An interesting conversation.

I had spent the better part of the day writing this week’s KONK Life column. New Farm Law…..A Gravy Train. Guaranteed you will enjoy the article. It’s an eye opener.

The Syracuse game was at 6. I was out of Don’s Place by 9. Stopped at Publix on the way home. Sunday night at 9 is a good time to shop. Next to one in the place!

Tomorrow night my blog talk radio show. Tuesday Talk with Key West Lou. Nine o’clock. www.blogtalkradio.com/key-west-lou.

I find that my agenda for the show keeps changing right up to show time. Things keep happening. I want the show to be as current as possible. One item that will definitely be discussed is the new farm law. There are some bad things about it which don’t seem to get shared with the American public.

Enjoy your day!

 

CHEESEBURGER IN PARADISE

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I ate last night at the Beachside Cafe. It is part of the Southernmost complex. Sits on the Atlantic. I could taste the salt in the air.

Ordered a cheeseburger. As I devoured it, my mind went back to the Dennis Drug Store. Corner of United and Siminton. Gone several years now. A bank in its place.

I occasionally stopped by for lunch. A cheeseburger, of course. Bar stools at the counter and oil cloth covers on the tables. A from yesterday place.

Dennis had gained notoriety because of Jimmy Buffett’s Cheeseburger in Paradise. He wrote the song with Dennis in mind. He was a customer.

Don’s Place first last night.

Met Hershel’s sister. An attractive woman. Apparently here visiting. Chatted with Don. Talked with Jimmy. Said my hellos to Grant, Clara, Stan, Tony, and more.

While I was talking with Don at the bar, Dan showed up. My Skaneateles/Syracuse friend. He stopped in to say hello. Saw my car in the parking lot. Was on his way to the gym next door. As I was leaving Don’s, I decided to walk over and see how hard Dan was working out. I caught him seated at a table reading a magazine. His back was to me. I said…..Uh, uh, caught you doing nothing! Dan turned around. He was soaking wet. Sweaty as could be. Water running down off his forehead. He had just finished some machine. He was working out!

The Chart Room was relatively quiet. Emily, Che, Sean, and I talked. We agreed we all missed Peter. We are concerned about his well being.

I spent yesterday afternoon researching next week’s KONK Life column. It is going to be about the recently passed farm bill which is on its way to the President to sign. There is no question the President will sign it.

I consider the bill a rip off in many respects. A disgrace. Devious. You will find my thoughts interesting.

Christine Cordone has an exhibition this evening of her water colors. In her senior years, she has become a Key West fixture in the art field. Her exhibit is at the gallery next door to Harpoon Harry’s on Caroline. I will be there.

My recently published book continues to be on sale. The World Upside Down can be ordered from Amazon.com or Barnesandnoble.com.

Enjoy your day!