SQUARE ONE RESTAURANT

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I had a special experience last night. Dinner at the new Square One Restaurant. Run. Don’t walk. The place is spectacular. The food exceptional.

Carmelo is one of the owners. A brilliant restaurateur. Experienced. He and his brothers started La Trattoria. Then they opened Virgilio’s. Then the Bottle Cap. La Trattoria and Virgilio’s have been sold.

It is the same Square One Restaurant. Except the colors are a warm subdued brown. The pictures  new. The menu expanded.

The food to die for! I had the seafood lasagna. I could taste every piece of fish. The pasta was light. The sauce just right.

Carmelo stopped by to chat a few times. I congratulated him on what is a winner without question.

One other observation. The place was three quarters occupied. Inside and out. This is off season. Mid week. No restaurant has that kind of occupancy. Carmelo has been open about two months. The large number of customers is a credit to the quality of the operation.

Ran errands yesterday morning. The dermatologist, Walgreen and optician.

Sloan and I worked three hours in the late afternoon. We are into me taking pictures on my cell phone and somehow getting them to my blog. Probably easy for most of you. Hard for me. A generational thing. I do not have it down yet.

I leave today for a few days of play in Washington, DC. I have never really seen the capitol. Though I have been to Washington before. It was always for business. Fly in in the morning, fly out in the evening. The few times I stayed overnight, it was dinner with clients or business associates.

I am going to play tourist. See the Lincoln Memorial, the White House and as many historical places as I can.

I will be writing my blog daily from Washington. At some point hopefully with some pics. www.keywestlou.com.

I will also be doing my tuesday evening blog talk radio show from Washington. Tuesday Talk with Key West Lou. My computer via Skype. I have it down. www.blogtalkradio.com/key-west-lou.

My friday tv/internet show is a problem. I cannot do it simply and effectively. Ergo, a rerun will be available for viewing. View, if you can. It may be one you missed. If so, I believe you will enjoy. Via television on Comcast Channel 87 and U-Verse Channel 19 from Key West through Miami-Dade County. Via the internet world wide. www.weyw19.com.

I have picked a good time to fly to Washington. I will be traveling with Tropical Storm Andrea all the way. I question whether I will be able to fly out of the Key West Airport. Andrea should not be a problem for Key West. It will be for northern Florida and all the way up the eastern coast.

Have to hustle once again. Must finish packing.

Enjoy your day!

 

SQUARE ONE AND FAT ALBERT ARE NO MORE

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I started coming down to Key West some 25 years ago. Two mainstays then either are or soon will be no more. I refer to Square One Restaurant and Fat Albert.

Square One Restaurant opened its doors about the time I discovered Key West. I became an instant customer. For years as much as 2-3 times a week. In recent years, not so much.

Michael Hayes opened Square One. In Duval Square. The perfect place for a restaurant. You had to look for it.

Michael was the perfect host. Always the gentleman. Tall and thin. His shirts perfectly pressed. He did them himself.

The bartender from almost day one was Patrick Hayes. Also known as Patty Cakes. Patrick knew everyone in Key West. Whenever I was in need of anything, I would ask Patrick. He would tell me who to see.

Patrick and Lisa have a bond. Patrick is Lisa’s best friend.

Square One’s food was great! Always! The service equal to the quality of the food. The restaurant attracted an upscale clientle.

Square One closed last thursday. For all time. The word is Michael sold to Carmelo. Carmelo is an experienced Key West restaurateur. He started the original La Trattore and Virgilio’s.

Whatever you do Michael, I wish you well. Patrick, also.

There is a large white blimp  that hovers over Cudjoe Key. To the left of US 1 going north. It has been there as long as I can remember. Turns out it has been operational for 33 years.

It took years for me to find out what the blimp was for. No one seemed to know. Then I was told it was for Radio Free America to air in Cuba.

Actually, the blimp had a two fold purpose. Beam television freedom type shows to Cuba was one. The other was as a tethered radar station. Generally used in recent times to help interdict drug runners.

The blimp acquired a name along the way. Fat Albert.

We are in an economic crunch. One of the things cut from the federal budget was Fat Albert. As of March 15, it will be no more. Not even to be seen. It will be taken down.

Turns out there were two blimps rather than one. A smaller one. Way up, also. I never saw it. Do not know any one who did.

I will miss Square One. It is another piece of Key West to disappear that will never be replaced. Probably could not be replaced. I will also miss seeing the big white blimp as I drive north on US 1.

My first stop early last night was Don’s Place. Sat and chatted with Herschel quite a while. I enjoy talking with him. He is a political junkie as I am.

David came in for a moment. He has a new dog. Female, 9 months old. She was jumping a bit as young ones are apt to do. David will have her trained shortly and she will be the perfect lady. David is a dog expert.

I stopped at the Chart Room. Captain Peter was there. I spent a couple of hours talking with Peter. Worldly, a knowledgeable man.

I was lucky. Two unusually intelligent people with whom to communicate.

My neighbor Andrew has returned. Andrew owns the MTV home across the water. He has spent the past several months in Switzerland. He called yesterday. We are having dinner together tonight.

Enjoy your day!