BUSINESS IS GOOD

This has obviously been a great week for Key West merchants. The town was packed again last night. Big time! More pedestrians on the streets than cars. Literally on the streets. Traffic a disaster.

My first stop was the Chart Room. Emily is back from vacation. She told me she went skiing in one of the Carolinas while away. Sheila and David in attendance. Offered my condolences to David re the Alabama loss.

Chatted with Sheila a while. A wonderful person!

Met Ellen. Ellen is from the Cayman Islands. She has lived there for 30 years with friend Adrian. She is a travel agent.

Ellen and Adrian visit Key west 3-4 times a year. Amazing! Leave the Cayman Islands for Key West. More fun was the reason. They are always here for Fantasy Fest. Ellen said she wears two costumes a day. One by day and one by night. She is really into it!

A bright vivacious lovely woman. I hope to run into Ellen again.

Met another local. Nick. We had never met before. Nick is in his mid-30s. He is a scuba instructor.

Stopped at Square One next. The new owner has changed the name a bit. It is Sq. 1. Who will know what I am referring to. I shall acquiesce half way. Square 1.

Mandy was not behind the bar. I was disappointed. Liked her. All of a sudden, she was behind me. Dressed, not in bartending attire. She is now the manager. Good for her!

The restaurant was full, inside and out. People waiting for a table. So too with the Italian restaurant and Orgami across the way. Another sign that this has been a hell of a business week!

Patrick Hayes aka Patty Cakes bartended at the old Square One for 20 plus years. No matter how large the crowd, he was always the only bartender. It took two last night to get the job done.

Ran into Scott. A while since I had seen him. He wrote at one time for KONK Life.

A repeat observation. Streets crowded with tourists. Restaurants full. A good sign again that business is booming.

The thought occurred as to whether there really is a 1 percent/99 percent. These were not 99 percenters celebrating. These were people a bit affluent, though nowhere as affluent as the 1 percent. It made me wonder if things just might be getting better.

Syracuse plays Virginia Tech at noon. Syracuse an 8 point favorite. I planned on watching the game from home. My TV went down this morning. I cannot get it back up. I have a call into Tim to help me. Must be fixed before noon. Otherwise, I shall be watching at Don’s Place.

The front page headline in the Key West Citizen this morning reported very good news for Key West. T J Maxx and Gap are coming to Key West! Maxx is going in the Champs store in the Sears Shopping Center. Gap into the Lewinsky Building on Duval. Gap will be a two story factory outlet.

The new stores also a reflection that the economy is recovering. Still not enough however for the downtrodden yet suffering.

Enjoy your day!

GREAT FOOTBALL

The two semi final football games represented the best college football can provide. Oregon blowing out Florida State 59-20, I could not believe. Alabama losing to Ohio State 42-35 a surprise.

David is a die hard Ohio State fan. I am happy for you David!

Oregon’s tempo impressed me. I had not seen them play before last night. Ohio State I am sure will be practising and be ready for it by game time on the January 12.

I watched the games from the comfort of my home. From 5 till after midnight. I was going to watch at Don’s Place. However the comfort of my bed seemed a better place.

I spent the entire day at home. Treated myself as if it were a holiday. Which it was. Did nothing, except for some additional research on next week’s KONK Life column. It is titled Rank Insubordination. It is about the NYPD and Mayor de Blasio. I will write the column either this afternoon or tomorrow.

How to spell the New York mayor’s name. Several prominent publications spell his name three different ways. de Blasio, Di Blasio, and Diblasio. Pick the one you like the most. I am going with de Blasio for the moment.

I noticed something interesting in the Key West Citizen this morning. Front page, upper right hand corner…..STILL 50 cents. It should be. The paper gets thinner each year.

Mario Cuomo died yesterday at age 82. A former Governor of New York. An impressive man. He had the opportunity to run for President on the Democratic ticket in 1988 and 1992. He opted not to. Why no one is certain to this day. He had a good shot at winning. Not in 1988 when Reagan ran a second time. However in 1992 when Clinton ran for the first time.

I suspect he might not have run because he thought the country was not ready for an Italo-American President. Currents of anti-Italian prejudice still existed.

Cuomo was the son of Italian immigrants. He was proud of his Italian heritage. I met him a couple of times. Initially when he was running for Governor the first time. It was at a small cocktail party. I was fortunate to have had his attention for a few minutes. Most of our conversation centered on growing up Italian. A humorous discussion.

I have been in the last two nights. Perhaps three. I cannot remember. Whatever, I am definitely out tonight. I need to socialize, to be surrounded by people.

Enjoy your day!

 

 

BEST NEW YEAR’S EVE EVER

I have celebrated many New Year’s eves. Some out. Most at house parties at either my home or that of a friend. I learned early in life that New Year’s eve was amateur night and so avoided public places.

My best New Year’s eve was one I spent alone with my father. We were at my Utica home. Earlier we had enjoyed a huge meal with the family. Everyone was out partying after dinner.

That year had not been a good one health wise for my father. This was 15 plus years ago. He would have been around 83. I suspected it would be Dad’s last New Year’s eve. He would not make it through the new year.

He surprised us all! He passed on two years ago at the age of 98.

I wanted to be with him. I wanted to be alone with him.

Everyone had left by 10. I suggested we sit and enjoy a drink before he went home. We were there till one in the morning.

We sat in front of the fire in two wing backs facing each other. Dad rarely drank. I convinced him to have one. He sipped it for three hours.

We talked about everything. My mother, of course. She had been gone a number of years by then. The conversation moved pleasantly along. At midnight, we hugged and kissed and said I love you to each other.

The memory of the evening has never left me. The time with Dad an intimacy difficult to repeat any time with any one.

My plans for last night were flexible. Stay home or go out for a couple of drinks.

Syracuse was playing Cornell at 6. I wanted to watch the game. I did, from home. I intended to go out afterwards. I was alone. Don’s Place and the Chart Room for a drink or two with friends. Then home and in bed well before midnight.

Syracuse won handily. The team is developing. It has developed big time in the past three weeks. Tournament play begins saturday. What will be, will be.

The game was over at 8. Time to shower again, get dressed and be on my way. Too much work, I thought. I ended up staying home. Poured myself a drink and watched a bit more of TV. At 9, I went to bed. Was asleep soon thereafter. Woke just before one. In time to catch the reruns of New Year’s eve all over the world.

Such an exciting life!

Enjoy this New Year’s day!

MARY

My friend Mary died yesterday. A wonderful person. The best.

Mary’s husband is my dear friend Gus who I occasionally mention. They were married forever.

Mary had a pain in her stomach twenty seven days ago. A bad pain. She went into the hospital. Cancers in various parts of her body. Major surgery. She never made it out of the hospital.

Mary is the perfect of example of why people should not smoke. She was a stove pipe.

I first met Mary in the late 1970s. At a Christmas party. Someone spilled a whole glass of red wine on my new tan slacks. Within seconds, this young lady appeared who I did not know. She took me by the hand into a bathroom and shut the door. Looked at me and said, “Take off your pants.” “Are you crazy,” I responded. She replied, “Look, if you want to get the wine off your pants before it stains for sure, get them off and let me wash them in water.”

I took my pants off. There I was in my BVDs talking to a lovely lady who I had never met before.

The scenario probably best describes Mary. A take charge no bullshit person.

Our friendship developed as I became closer to her husband. Gus and I eventually became the best of friends and remain so to this day.

She and Gus built a lovely home in the woods. Magnificent! They raised two lovely children. Both attorneys today.

Mary and Gus met when they played in their high school band. I always thought it cute. Especially the pictures of the two of them together in their band uniforms.

From my perspective, Mary’s greatest attribute was her cooking. She was the premier Italian cook. Everything she made was absolutely delicious. Eating at her home was special.

It was not that Mary was simply a good cook, she was an Italian cook. Mary cooked old school. Whatever her mother taught her by way of cooking, she retained. She was the only one of her generation who had the talent to cook in the old fashioned Italian way.

Everything Mary cooked tasted good. I think it was because she was big on butter. Butter in everything!

Mary was a die hard Syracuse fan also. We would attend games at Carrier Dome together. Many the evening we sat eating in her kitchen watching Syracuse basketball on TV. Mary suffered for the team as I did. Her blood ran orange.

I love discussing politics. I avoided it with Mary. She was a solid Republican. No deviation from the party line.

People surprise friends occasionally. Mary and Gus joined our golf club. Mary was an instantaneous hit with the women. Mary could play golf. Well!

Turned out Mary had grown up on a farm in Frankfort. The farm was next to a golf course. Mary would frequently jump over the fence and play a few holes. I do not recall her ever playing as an adult till she joined the club. She distinguished herself on the golf course!

Mary and Gus loved Martha’s Vineyard. I spent several Septembers with them there. While Gus and I ran around the island, Mary cooked. Marvelous sea food! Others would join us and Mary would serve huge platters of steaming Maine lobsters. What could be better!

Mary worked in her husband’s law office till the time she went into the hospital. Initially to help Gus when he started his own practice many years ago. Then continued because of her love for the work. In reality, it was Mary’s office. Not Gus’s.

Mary can best be described as a good person. That simply. God did not make any one better.

I have cried three times for Mary. When Gus first told me she had cancer. Then when he told me she was not going to make it. Finally, when she did not make it. My eyes are filled as I write this tribute to her. I will probably shed a few more tears in the next couple of days. I loved Mary.

 

BICYCLISTS AND THE BOULEVARD

The new North Roosevelt Boulevard is terrific! A pleasure to travel!

There are a few problems. Some in the process of correction. Others, not.

One is that the driving lanes on both sides are open to bicycle traffic. Bicycles are actually painted on the road way signifying A-OK. Envision it. Bicycles driving down the middle of a Boulevard lane.

A disaster in the making! Not yet, however.

Yesterday, the wrong of permitting the bikes was evident. Traffic is exceptionally heavy this week. A holiday week. Many tourists. Families.

Traffic was unusually slow on the Boulevard going into town. I thought there might be an accident. There was not. It was a family riding their bicycles.

Each helmeted. The only safety feature taken into consideration.

The father in the lead bike. A small child sitting in the basket in front. This is going to sound like the Three Bears story. Mama bicyclist on the second bike. Then three smaller bikes with three children riding them. The oldest could not have been ten. All in a straight line, one behind the other. Oblivious to the traffic hold up they were causing and the danger the family was in.

Publix’s parking lot was a no parking zone. I had to go around the lot three times to find a spot.

I had a noon appointment with Tammy for a manicure. Lee Nails was packed! Locals and tourists. I was the only male. The ladies obviously getting ready for New Year’s Eve. A lot of chatter and laughing.

I wrote one more chapter to Growing Up Italian. Concrete Sidewalks Grass Backyards. Who had a backyard?

Then spent considerable time preparing for tonight’s blog talk radio show. A good one. Some things are in my craw. Bothering me. Tonight,  I will vent. Tomorrow, some will write and tell me I’m crazy.

Some of the topics of note include my analysis of the New York City Police Department  problem, a lawsuit being filed against the New York City Police Department every 2 1/2 hours, Greece on a collision course with Germany which perhaps could result in war, some consider Ukraine the prelude to World War III, and the U.S. purportedly being out of Afghanistan.

My analysis of the NYPD situation and Obama’s comments re finally being out of Afghanistan are guaranteed to stir the pot.

Join me for an interesting and challenging half hour. Tuesday Talk with Key West Lou. Nine this evening. www.blogtalkradio.com/key-west-lou.

Enjoy your day!

GREEK FERRY BOATS

The last 24 hours have told the story of the Greek ferry boat on fire. Over 400 passengers. 110 still not rescued. Cold temperatures and cold seas. A fire below. Sufficient to melt rubber shoes on the floor above. Boat leaning. Not enough life boats.

I received an e-mail from Eleni on Amorgos yesterday. She owns the house where I stay when in Amorgos. She shared the ferry boat story with me. She was afraid it might be a Titanic in the making. I heard from her before any significant number had been rescued.

Five reported dead so far.

The only way to get from one island to another generally in Greece is by ferry boat. They are water buses. I have been a passenger on many. My concern each time was safety. Mine, first.

They pack 400-500 people on one boat. 3-4 stories. Vehicles on bottom floor. Everyone sits. Has to be 20 seats across.  Narrow isles. Leading to another narrow aisle. Leading to a narrow staircase. One way in, one way out.

I used to think how am I going to get off this thing fast if I have to. Impossible!

Greek waters are rarely mild. Not like Key west in the summer when the warm weather makes for a calm sea. Greek waves are crushing. The boat up and down in huge dips. Two thoughts constantly in mind. Try not to get sick. What do I do if a wave breaks through the huge windows?

A watery grave.

Life boats. Definitely not enough. Never. Ten, maybe 20. On many boats, inflatables.

A crew that did not seem to care. Get the passengers on and off quickly. I mean quick! The boat was moving rapidly before I was ever in a seat. Then getting my ass in a seat became a feat in itself.

I loved Greece! I love Greece! Except for the ferry boats.

Yesterday, walked Smathers Beach. Otherwise laid around and napped. Watched the Syracuse/Long Beach State game at 4. Syracuse won 85-67.

The Charles Eimers police protest took place yesterday. The Key West Citizen reports about 40 participated.

Crime pays! In a sort of round about way.

Timothy Poole is a registered sex offender. He likes little boys. Poole recently won the lottery. $3 million. His net in pocket $2.2 million.

Two young boys he molested have elected to sue him. Brothers. Lawsuit winners! With money available to pay any judgment awarded them to boot!

Enjoy your day!

RODNEY DANGERFIELD

My yesterday began with a lengthy noon time meeting downtown. The balance of the afternoon following the meeting watching TV at home. It was a lazy day.

Several years ago, I mentioned that I had spent a few days with Rodney Dangerfield at the fat farm La Costa. A place where people went to lose weight. We got chummy. We would chat in the hot tub and steam room. Played volley ball together bare ass twice a day. Ate together. Each off us on the 800 calorie a day diet.

I watched a Rodney Dangerfield movie in the afternoon. The one where he went to college when a senior citizen. He was as wacky as ever.

Rodney was wacky in his everyday life, also. What you saw on the movie screen and on TV was Rodney Dangerfield in the flesh. It was the real him. He made millions merely being himself.

Last night was Tavern ‘n Town. Saturday seems to attract me to the place. Probably because it is the night Bobby Nesbitt entertains.

As I walked into the Marriott, I ran into Joe and Beth Pizzo. I had not seen them in a couple of years. Key West friends going back more than 20 years. Happy hellos and hugs exchanged.

A corner of the bar had several male members of the Yacht club enjoying drinks together. The same group that were at the Yacht Club bar almost daily. The Yacht club is closed Saturday nights. Happy hellos again.

Bobby’s music I love! Songs from the ’50s and ’60s. Bobby came over and chatted while he was on break. He looks the same as when I met him for the first time 25 years ago. Nary a wrinkle.

Journey and Judy bartending. I asked for my usual Beefeaters. Judy said no Beefeaters. First time. I knew why. I said to Judy, you have a new alcohol distributor. Yes, she said. There is one who services the keys that does not handle Beefeaters.

I felt like I was back in London where I spent a week a few years ago. Only one bar carried Beefeaters. Most did not even know what it was. Shocking since the bottle looks like London and suggests Beefeaters is a drink of English origin.

It dawned on me last night that Tavern ‘n Town has become a local’s hangout.

Salt Island Seaplanes has been in business three weeks. The seaplane service between Naples and Key West. A 55 minute air trip.

I hate to be a wet blanket, but I do not see how the company is going to succeed. The ride is expensive. $210 one way. The plane does not land in Key West. It lands at a mooring field somewhere northeast of Fleming Key. Passengers then get a seven minute boat ride to the Conch Harbor Marina dock. From there, you either walk or cab to where ever you are going.

This week’s Keynoter had two interesting items.

The first was the man who was arrested on the complaint of his girl friend that he had stolen her money. While in the back of the police car, the officer driving heard “chewing and chomping.” The guy was eating the cash. He got $277 down before stopped.

The other involved the Southern Keys Cemetery in Big Coppit. The cemetery ran an ad stating there were 75,351 residents in Monroe County and only 4,200 burial plots. Brilliant advertising!

I have been to the Cemetery. It is modern compared to the Key West one. I have gone there several times. An old friend, Jack Baron, is buried there. I enjoyed my almost daily conversations with him over the years and consider him one of the smartest people I ever met. Crazy as it may sound, I stop by not only to pay my respects but also to talk to him a bit.

Syracuse basketball today at 4. Syracuse is playing Long Beach State. Syracuse an 11 point favorite.

I have Sloan here at 10:30 to work. Have to hustle.

Enjoy your Sunday!

 

FOG

Fog is common in many beach areas. Not Key West, however. Maybe once or twice a year.

This morning was one of those times. I woke to heavy fog. The kind described as thick as pea soup. I could see nothing. Not even the MTV house across the way. The fog has gradually lifted. Finally totally gone two hours after I first saw it.

The day is projected to be a warm one. Whether the fog has to do with it, I do not know.

Mel Fisher Museum is like a second home. I have visited many times. The Museum apparently has an attic. I did not know. Attics are uncommon in the keys. Crawl spaces prevail.

The famous playwrite Arthur Miller wrote The Price. It takes place in an attic. The show starts its run tonight for several weeks. Presented by the Fringe Theater of Key West. The show is being performed in the attic of the Museum.

Garret is another way of describing an attic. The show is advertised as taking place in the garret of the Museum.

Christmas has encouraged my writing habits. I seem to be spending more time at it. Most of yesterday involved knocking out three chapters of Growing Up Italian. Rough, of course. Refining and editing will take more time than putting the words on paper for the first time. Whatever, I was both pleased and excited by what I accomplished yesterday.

It became habit with me over the years to spend a bit of time at the end of Christmas or New Years Eves sitting alone or with my father and doing some soul searching. It has not occurred since I moved to Key West. Last night, I enjoyed the experience again.

I was with Don at Don’s place. He and I alone at the bar for a couple of hours. Serious conversation. Excellent conversation.

On the way home, my grumbling stomach told me I was on hungry. Even on a diet, one must still eat something. I stopped at Hogfish. Packed! Chatted with the fishermen who frequent the bar evenings.

Enjoy your day!

 

CHRISTMAS…..DID YOU KNOW?

A couple of things I learned regarding Christmas in the last 24 hours.

One involves heart attacks. Medical studies indicate that more people die from heart attacks on Christmas Day than any other time of the year. In second place, the day after Christmas. December 26. Third, January 1.

Health workers call this time of the year Christmas Coronary.

Pope Francis delivered his Christmas message as usual to a throng of people in St. Peter’s Square. I have been to St. Peter’s Square several times. Big, but not as spacious as the following indicates.

It was reported that 80,000 people were in St. Peter’s Square when the Pope delivered his Christmas message Urbi et Orbi. Urbi et Orbi translated is To the City and the World.

I was surprised at the 80,000 number. I was there once when the Square was extremely crowded. For one of the Pope’s wednesday morning messages. I never realized the number could be as big as 80,000.

I mentioned last week that the Pope had ordered three showers to be built in St. Peter’s Square for the homeless. He is going to need more than that! The three reminds me of the scene in Jaws where the sheriff sees the shark for the first time. The sheriff was at the end of the boat and the shark shot up into the air  mouth wide open. The sheriff turned around and said to his two companions…..I think we need a bigger boat.

My Christmas Day was quiet. I watched a little TV and wrote a lot. I was into Growing Up Italian. Significant progress was made.

Enjoy your day!

 

MERRY CHRISTMAS

Merry Christmas one and all!

I had a rare happening yesterday. One infrequently experienced. But when it occurs, it aggravates the hell out of a person.

I spent four hours plus yesterday afternoon writing next week’s KONK Life column. Due to the holidays, the column had to be in early. Yesterday. I do not know what happened, what key I hit in error. I lost the column. Hard though I tried, I could not retrieve it. It is out there floating around in internet space.

To redo would have taken about 2 hours. I did not have the time. I was due at Lisa’s for Christmas Eve dinner in a half hour. Ergo, there will be no Key West Lou column in next week’s KONK Life. Sorry.

As a point of information, the column concerned Theodore Roosevelt. Besides an outstanding President, he also had a way with words. Many phrases used today originated with him. Like using the Presidency as a “bully pulpit.” How about if I decide to run, I will “throw my hat in the ring.” Then there is “good to the last drop.” Roosevelt was actually drinking Maxwell House coffee when he uttered those words. And so on.

Christmas Eve dinner at Lisa’s was outstanding. She outdid herself once again. Santa Claus arrived before dinner. Robert and Ally are still believers. They are 10 and 9  respectively. Tall. This may be their last year enjoying the beauty of believing.

Lisa had a houseful. Friends for dinner, also.

I basically kept to my diet. Cheated a very wee bit. A taste of a forbidden food. That was it! I was able to pass on all the goodies.

I got my Christmas shopping in yesterday morning. Found what I needed. Traffic was horrendous! The penalty I paid for being a late shopper.

Thunderstorms were predicted for yesterday. They started in the afternoon. Continued through the night. Heavy winds, also. All as predicted. We received a piece of the storm running from Maine to Florida. This morning is lovely. A bit cool, however. 68. Will reach the mid 70s during the day. Pleasant Christmas weather.

Key West’s Tropic Cinema is one of the movie houses nationally showing Interview today. I congratulate them.

Key West has had a bit of a police problem the past year. Not a black, however. A white. Charles Eimers. The grand jury failed to indict the police officers. New evidence has been discovered. A video it is claimed that challenges certain police statements made during the investigation and grand jury proceedings. There is also a federal civil suit pending.

The preceding set forth merely for informational purposes and as a prelude to the following. It was announced in today’s Key West Citizen there will be a police protest re Eimers death this sunday. It has been labeled Justice in Paradise. Sunday 4 pm. The protest begins at the Truman Waterfront.

Enjoy your Christmas Day!