KEY WEST READYING FOR FANTASY FEST

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This is the week! Fantasy Fest kicks off friday evening with Goombay. Key West is getting ready.

It is estimated 60,000 persons will visit Key West during the 10 day event. It has been reported hotels are already sold out. Available bookings are 30 miles and further up US 1 in Big Pine and Marathon.

Streets and sidewalks get barricaded during certain events. The barricades are laying against buildings on Duval waiting to be erected.

Body painting is a big deal. Especially for the ladies. Store front and other places already have posters up inviting people to be body painted at their establishment. Not a cheap endeavor. Cost this year will probably be between $150 and $175. One advantage is that the body paint lasts about a week. A person can shower, etc. and the body paint remains.

As an inducement, one person who provides the body painting service is offering a free touch up.

There is a charitable purpose involved in Fantasy Fest. Raising money for AIDS Help. Candidates run for King and Queen. He/she who raise the most money become King and Queen for a year. Candidates will raise six figure money. This is the closing week for the fundraising. Candidates are pushing for last minute donations. Most seeking significant check donations.

Goombay kicks off Fantasy Fest. It is held the first two nights of the event. This friday and saturday. Goombay is a family event as opposed to the next eight days which unequivocally are an adult party. Leave the kids home!

Goombay is a street festival. Food, trinkets, and clothes being sold. An area set aside for gospel and reggae music. The music outstanding!

My grandchildren Robert and Ally will visit Goombay with their parents. Poppa does Goombay late in the evening. Too late for the grandkids.

Larry Smith appears again tomorrow evening at La Te Da. His show begins at 9. It was a blast last week. Will undoubtedly be as good, if not better, this week. If you are in Key West, I suggest you go. I plan on being there.

I have decided to add a musical introduction and closing to my blog talk radio show. Tuesday Talk with Key West Lou. Larry has been helping me put something together. Five to six seconds. Never thought it would be that hard to come up with something that short. We have not finalized on anything yet.

Yesterday was Don’s Place for pro football. I got there a bit late. No place to sit. I stood a while and then thought this is not for me. I went to Salute’s and sat outside by the door. A shady area. I enjoyed some refreshment and read the sunday papers. I also watched the ladies in their bikinis on the beach. It is thrilling to be a dirty old man!

I was home early in the afternoon. My ankles coming along. Still large. I put my feet up for four hours. It helped.

I cannot explain why. My book The World Upside Down is having a resurgence in sales this past month. Happy I am! If you would like to obtain a copy, the book is available on amazon.com and barnesandnoble.com.

I almost forgot. For shame. Today is Columbus Day. For persons of my heritage to take special pride in. I am of Italian extraction and proud to be so. My mother was born in Italy. My father here, of parents who were born in Italy.

Enjoy your day!

 

 

 

 

THREE BLIND MICE

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Three Blind Mice. We all recall one of the first children’s nursery rhymes learned.

Three Blind Mice was published on this day in London in 1609. The author was Thomas Ravenscroft, an English musician and folk music composer.

Three Blind Mice was not a nursery rhyme when first published. It took till 1842 to become one. Ravenscroft’s 1609 version was a tale referring to England’s Queen Mary. It told of her blinding and executing three Protestant bishops. Another variation is that she merely had them burned at the stake.

The 1842 publication was in a book of children’s literature. It was the first time the diddy was identified as a nursery rhyme.

Regardless from whence it came, the nursery rhyme is the one we learned to love as children and taught our children in return.

Syracuse football was at noon at John Lukas’ Big Ten Sports Pub. Syracuse played Florida State. Number one ranked team in the country. Florida State was in no danger of losing its ranking. Florida State beat Syracuse 38-20.

Syracuse looked good in the first half. Three times they were under 10 yards at the goal line. Each time, Syracuse failed to get the ball over. It might have been a different game if they had.

Florida State is a powerful team. When they hit, they hit! Syracuse had to feel physically beat up last night.

Peti still tending tables at Lukas’ place. Rob was bartending the back bar. I have not seen Rob in a couple of months. Missed him.

I left at the end of the first half. I could not stand the beating Syracuse was taking.

I watched the first half with my legs up on a chair. Ankles still swollen with fluid. I thought I had the problem beat. Had not taken a water pill in two days. I was wrong.

When I got home, I took a water pill and two potassium pills. Then laid down and watched the rest of the Syracuse game. Followed it up with most of the Notre Dame/North Carolina game. Dr. Mc Ivor says it is best to lie flat after having taken the pill. He claims it works better.

My ankles were still swollen when I went to bed last night. I had stayed in. I wanted to keep my feet up as much as possible.

Such was my exciting Saturday. Two hours at the Sports Pub. The rest of the day and evening at home working on my ankles. At the very least, restful.

Enjoy your Sunday!

 

A TYPICAL KEY WEST DAY

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A typical Key West day should be one where you do nothing. Not the case. There is always something that happens, that you do.

Yesterday was one of limited activity. However, it consumed my whole day.

A doctor visit was first. I have said it before. You move on in years and it seems most of your time is spent in doctors’ offices. No big deal yesterday. A back check up and a flu shot. If you have  not had a flu shot, get it. Do not be foolish. I used to get the flu 2-3 times a year. Fifteen years ago, I started receiving an annual flu shot. I have not had the flu since. Amazing!

Lunch was at Salute’s with new found friends Karen and Dan from the Pittsburgh area. They visit Key West several months each year. Enjoyable people. It was a two hour lunch. We were having a good time.

Bocce last night. We won all three games. The first time this season we won all three. David was happy!

In between lunch and bocce, I wrote next week’s KONK Life column. Our Legal System Is Disintegrating. It took forever. Longer than usual to do. The reason was the length. It was three times the usual number of words. As a result, the column will be featured over two weeks. A Part I and a Part II.

Two happy events occurred yesterday.

It was announced Malala Yousafzai would be one of the recipients of the Nobel Peace Prize. Malala is the Pakistani teenager who was shot in the head by a Taliban because she supported education for women. Vocally and in her blog. She survived and has been promoting the cause worldwide. She was 15 when shot. She is 17 today. An unusual young lady.

The other worthy event were the two court decisions handed down throwing out voter ID laws in Texas and Wisconsin. The Texas decision was by a Federal District Court Judge. She wrote a 150 page decision. She held that an ID request was comparable to a poll tax. She further stated that the purpose of the ID law was to suppress minority voter turn out.

The Wisconsin decision was by the Supreme Court. Supreme Court Justices Scalia, Alito and Thomas dissented. No surprise. These three Justices have done much injury to the American way of life. It will take years to turn around most of their decisions.

I am on my soap box a bit this morning. I apologize.

Israeli Prime Minister Netanyaku appeared on Face The Nation sunday. He was generally supportive and had kind comments regarding his recent meeting with Obama. He did have a negative, however. He was openly critical of Obama with regard to one matter.

The criticism is immaterial. What happened to it is.

CBS edited out the criticism. It bugs me! I have been complaining increasingly that the media is censoring the news. We are only provided with what they want us to know. Direction in this regard generally comes from the corporations that own TV and radio. Perhaps this time it was from the White House itself.

The people’s right to know is and has been under silent attack. Transparency is out the window.

Enjoy your day!

 

HARPOON HARRY’S, CHART ROOM & HOT TIN ROOF

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Sorry about getting the blog out so late this morning. I had an early morning appointment with Dr. Lefferts re my back. Steroids obviously worked. Everyone happy. My residual continues to be the swollen ankles. They are down about 50 percent. I am to continue on the water pills till completely down.

Yesterday found me in three of my favorite Key West places. Harpoon Harry’s, the Chart Room, and Hot Tin Roof.

Wednesday lunch at Harpoon Harry’s is becoming a habit. A good one. The wednesday special is turkey. A Thanksgiving type meal. I especially enjoy the gravy. I ask for extra.

Visited with Emily for a while in the early evening at the Chart Room. Just me and her. No other customers. Caught her at an in between slow time.

Dinner at the bar at Hot Tin Roof. A terrific meal! Rib eye. Melted in my mouth! Joseph was good company, as usual. He is a fan. Especially of the KONK Life columns. He particularly enjoyed last week’s Al Qaeda…..The Gang That Couldn’t Shoot Straight.

I slowly downed a snifter of Southern Comfort at the end of the meal. I am not a Southern Comfort drinker at all. However, my Mother was. Her birthday was this past week. She would have been 100. Unfortunately, she died at 75. I drank the Southern Comfort and enjoyed thoughts of the first woman I loved.

In between lunch and dinner, I walked the waterfront. Stopped into Turtle Kral. Looking for Peti. No Peti.

Ran into Guy and ML. Both busily working on ML’s race to be Fantasy Fest Queen. Tension showing. A tough haul running for the position. I am confident ML will win. The Coronation is next friday evening. The day Fantasy Fest begins.

Crashed during the afternoon. Lay on the bed. Next thing I knew three hours had passed. A good sleep.

On tuesday’s blog talk radio show, I commented on monday’s Supreme Court decision re same sex marriage. Gays were all excited. The decision a major step from their perspective. I took the position that their joy was premature. Very premature. Primarily because the Supreme Court avoided rendering a decision that would have made same sex marriage Constitutional throughout the United states.

I warned that those opposed to same sex marriage would be coming out of the woodwork. They would gear up to continue their fight even further. I suggested that 20 years from now it would still be a problem as abortion is.

It only took 24 hours for the fight to go to a new level. Supreme Court Justice Kennedy issued an order first continuing the ban in two States and later in the day issued an order making the stay applicable to only one State.

The fight ain’t over yet!

Bocce tonight.

Enjoy your day!

 

GOOMBAY COMING

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Goombay begins a week from friday. Besides being a feast unto itself, the event marks the beginning of Fantasy Fest.

Goombay is a Bahamian celebration. Its origins trace back to around 1825 when 30-40 wrecking ships yearly began arriving in Key West from the Bahamas. Later in the 1800s, many Bahamians moved to Key West to work in the fishing, sponging and turtling businesses.

Goombay is held in the heart of Key West’s Bahama Village. The feast itself is held on Petronia Street where it runs off Duval. Stands erected on both sides of the street offering all sorts of exotic foods and trinkets. Typical Bahamian music will be from a bandstand at the far end of Petronia.

The word gombay is derived from the musical instrument Bahamians played. The same type which today are played by many all over the world. The small wood cylinder covered with a material which responds to hands beating on it while held between the player’s knees.

Petronia Street will be jam packed for the event. Crowded. Little walking space. Everyone moving at a crawl. The event reminds me of the Italian San Gennaro feast held every year in Little Italy in New York. Same narrow street. Mulberry. Stands on both sides. Hundreds of people.

Bahama Village is and has been primarily a marginal area. However in recent years, many fine restaurants and shops have opened. Most doing a thriving business.

I spent yesterday afternoon finalizing last night’s blog talk radio show. Half the show was devoted to what I described as the disintegration of our legal system. I enjoyed doing it. I plan on putting it to print today or tomorrow and submitting the topic as next week’s KONK Life column.

This week’s KONK Life column hits the streets at 5 today. Banks Divorce Porn Stars…..Hypocrisy. You will enjoy the article.

Spent a lot of time running around yesterday, accomplishing nothing. At 5, I stopped at Don’s Place for a drink. Ran into Jimmy, Joanie, and John. Jimmy still ranting about the new parking ordinance. He is right in everything he is saying. However nothing anyone can do about it. The powers to be in Key West have ruled.

My ankles are coming down. About half way there this morning. A water pill a day and keeping my feet up as much as possible.

Read something interesting on the internet yesterday. The Pentagon or Department of Defense gave a rifle, hand gun, and humvee to a local coroner somewhere in this country. Tell me why a coronner needs the guns and the humvee. If he wants a Humvee, let him go out and buy one!

Enjoy your day!

 

 

THE OLD AND THE NEW

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Larry Smith’s opening at La Te Da last night was a gigantic success. The bar was packed. People having a good time.

The evening had a degree of nostalgia for me. I have been doing La Te Da for 25 years. The bar always the same. Never changed. The room always full of people late night. Locals and tourists, gay and straight. A fun place, a happy place.

The inside bar where Larry was entertaining was the only part of La Te Da open last night. The outside bar and dining area under construction. New owner Christopher is doing a lot of work. I am sure the new La Te Da will be magnificent.

I hope Christopher upgrades and renovates everything, except for the inside bar. It is like the Chart Room. It has a flavor that cannot be replaced. It has become an integral part of Key West.

La Te Da should also consider contracting Larry to play on a steady basis. Larry packed the room on a monday night and in a building that otherwise was a construction site.

On my way to La Te Da, I passed Square One. It was open! I had to stop in.

A new owner. The present owner of Banana Cafe.

I have been a loyal customer of Square One for the more than 20 years it has been open. Only two previous owners. Michael Stewart and Carmelo. Always good food. Always fine dining. The moods different. Michael one way, Carmelo another. Each comfortable.

I did not particularly like the new decor. Probably because it is not consistent with the old. Change is difficult or me. If I had never been to Square One before, I would have been overwhelmed by the beauty of the new restaurant.

The menu new, also. I am not sure how to describe it. The dish I enjoyed was outstanding.

A new bartender. Mandy. A lovely young lady. Personable. Helped me with my menu choice. Her judgment can be trusted. I was told Patrick will not be returning. His choice. His time to lie back and smell the roses.

Ran into Mary Lou and Charlie. Great people! Mary Lou was out and on her way. Charlie finishing a drink at the bar. Chatted with Charlie a while.

My blog talk radio show tonight. Tuesday Talk with Key West Lou. Nine o’clock my time. Join me for another interesting and revealing show. www.blogtalkradio.com/key-west-lou.

I believe our legal system is disintegrating. I am going to talk a bit about it. Examples will include Ferguson, Mississippi, New York City, Detroit, and recent Supreme Court decisions. Some Hong Kong. Plus, another example of government waste. A half million  dollars being spent on a study to determine why obese girls have a hard time getting dates.

I bought Lisa’s birthday gift over the internet from a company called Red Envelope. It arrived yesterday. I was late in ordering the gift.

I was absolutely pleased with the gift, packaging, and card. I highly recommend you try Red Envelope. The prices are relatively cheap. The gifts show imagination. redenvelope.com.

Another bad saturday ahead for Syracuse. We play Florida State. The #1 team in the country.

A couple of weeks ago, I wrote a column for KONK Life entitled Mob Rule. It had to do with political correctness controlling many things today. An example being professional athletes and their wrongdoings. I did not and do not believe it proper that the cry of the masses dictate punishment. Let the law do its job. In spite of the disintegration mentioned earlier.

I make mention this morning of the issue because of the story hitting the media concerning the swimmer Michael Phelps. He was arrested for drunk driving. Not the first time. The USA Swimming organization has suspended him from participation for 6 months. I do not agree. Better a judge gave him 6 months. He still faces legal disposition.

Enjoy your day!

 

 

LARRY SMITH TONIGHT AT LA TE DA

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Big night ahead! Larry Smith opens at La Te Da at 9. Everyone will be there. A new gig and a new opening for Larry.

See you there!

My day started yesterday at 5 am. As I explained in yesterday’s blog, I was like four days late in getting my KONK Life column to Guy. Rose early and got it done! A lesson learned. Get it out on time next time.

The column is interesting. It concerns banks and a new game they are playing…..de-risking. I describe it as whorish conduct.

I spent part of the afternoon at Don’s Place watching pro football. Larry was there. We chatted a bit. He asked why I was not at Unity Church in morning. He played. Next week perhaps, I told him.

Aaron stopped by. The Jewish holidays are over. For some reason I cannot fathom, Sy Turret has been on my mind this past week. Of the Jewish faith. He transplanted from New York City to Utica. Sy was a court stenographer. We were close friends for many years. A better person could not be found. Sy has been dead at least 10 years now.

Marty Leshaw is a transplanted New Yorker to South Florida. A court reporter, also. He and Sy were cut from the same bolt of cloth. Typical New Yorkers. Loud, boisterous and friendly. I believe Marty and I became good friends because he reminded me of Sy so much.

I become more impressed with Don as time goes on. He has become a Key West icon. The world can be found at Don’s Place. Many stop in to meet him. He has become Joe of Sloppy Joe’s and Captain Tony. It is his time.

The five days of steroids got rid of my back/leg pain. However, it created another problem.

I have heart problems. Occasionally my ankles swell. Not healthy. Five years ago, Dr. McIvor got the problem under control. I no longer needed water pills. I was proud of my thin ankles. The steroids accumulate sodium in the body. My ankles are big again! It has been a week since I stopped taking the steroids. I am back on water pills. The ankles have yet to budge. Could be a real problem. The last time I had swelling, it took a whole year to correct.

The water pill encourages bathroom activity. I woke in th middle of the night. My bladder needed emptying. I have lived in my Key West home for 16 years. I walk from my bed to the master bathroom at night in the dark. No problem. Till last night. I walked into the door jam instead. Head first!

The King and Queen race will soon come to an end. Please remember to do your thing for my friend ML.

Fantasy Fest itself is around the corner. Eleven days to Goombay.

Enjoy your day!

BEEN UP SINCE 5 AM

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I have been up since 5 this morning. Paying for my sins. Primarily, avoidance.

My KONK Life column for this week was due last Wednesday. I completed research Monday. Never got to writing the column. For whatever reason, I kept putting it off. I should have written the article yesterday afternoon. Forgot it was due. Overdue, rather. Instead I wrote another chapter for what may be my next published book, Growing Up Italian.

When I got home last night, there was a message from Guy de Boer. In effect, where is the column…..you are making my life difficult.

It was too late and I thought perhaps I might have had one drink too many. I went to bed. I would get to he column in the morning.

I did. At 5 in the morning. I woke early and decided to get right to it. Took three hours to compose and refine. At 8, it was on its way to Guy with my mea culpas.

The column is Banks Divorce Porn Stars…..Hypocrisy. Concerns itself with a new bank game called de-risking. A game it is not. The column publishes Wednesday.

Lunch yesterday was at Roostica. I was in the mood for Italian. A hot meatball sandwich. Roostica’s food gets better with every visit. Try the place. Low key and reasonable prices.

Megan waited on me. Lovely Megan. An interesting young lady. If I were 50 years younger, I would court her.

Last night began with the Chart Room. Stopped for a drink. Jean Thornton is back. Returned to Key West only yesterday.  Sheila, also. They introduced me to Linda Grist Cunningham. A Key West visitor for many years. She and her husband finally bought in 2012.

Linda was enjoyable company. She operates a business called KEYWESTWATCH. News, political writings, social media, etc. In her other life, she was an editor and journalist.

She is a liberal at heart. We instantly bonded!

Jean and I had dinner at Hot Tin Roof at the bar. It was catch up time. She and Joe have recently returned from a 15 day river boat cruise through several European countries. It was exciting listening to her describe the trip. She told me English Peter would be returning for a 10 day visit in a month. Good!

I read an interesting article yesterday. Concerned itself with the shrinking middle class. McDonald’s business was down for the year ending in June one percent. Fine dining was up three percent. The thrust…..the poor cannot afford McDonald’s.

I had intended to try Unity Church again today. Too late. Perhaps next week.

This afternoon will be professional football at Don’s Place.

Enjoy your Sunday!

 

 

NOT A GOOD YEAR FOR THE ORANGE

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Syracuse got whipped last night. By Louisville. 28-6. Syracuse now 2-3. Not a good year in the making.

I watched the game at Don’s Place. I was the only Syracuse fan, the only one interested in the game.

Jimmy, Joanie and John sitting near me. Jimmy still complaining about the new Key West parking ordinance which went into effect October 1. For some a benefit, others a detriment. For Jimmy, a detriment. For me, too. Such is life.

One of the reasons, and probably the primary one, why Syracuse is doing poorly again this year is money. A university sports department does not run the program. Academia does. The faculty. Which includes the intellectuals who never played sports in their lives.

When a college is doing well sports wise, the faculty start making noises to the effect that we are nor a sports institution. We exist to teach. The sports budget is then slowly cut over the years. As the budget goes down, so does the quality of the team.

I have seen it happen several times over the course of my life time and relationship with Syracuse.

Then comes the dawn. There is a recession, not enough students applying, money becoming a problem. The solution. Increase the emphasis on sports. Bring in more revenue. The pendulum swings.

Syracuse has not reached the point where the faculty sees a need for an influx of new dollars. When it occurs again, Syracuse will field a good football team.

Basketball is another story. I do not know how Boeheim does it. He is subject to the same faculty pressures.

Lunch at Outback yesterday. I like the place for lunch. Quiet. Good food. I can sit for a couple of hours and read the newspapers. Yesterday it was potato soup, hamburger and a diet Pepsi. $9.85. You can’t beat it!

I had dinner last night before the game at the Boathouse. It has been years since I ate there. No particular reason, except it is sort of out of the way for me. The Boathouse sits under the Commodore on the waterfront.

A definite tourist place. I sat at the bar and watched people come and go. Everyone happy! How could they not be vacationing in Key West.

I had a double order of wings. The bartender to told me only 6 or 8 came with an order. They were delicious, though on the small side. Not as good as Kelley’s.

I had need to be in Radio Shack and K-Mart in the afternoon. Things appeared bad in both stores. A shortness of merchandise. Empty shelves.

It does not surprise me. It was reported this week that Radio Shack might go under. It does not have the money to stack the shelves for Christmas. I have heard nothing re K-Mart.

Earlier this year, I commented on my blog talk radio show that retailers would have a hard time surviving over the next couple of years. Specifically, retailers who sold to the 99 percent. The group did not have enough money to support their usual retailers. I mentioned some companies who were already experiencing the problem. Today, it is Radio Shack. Perhaps K-Mart, also.

As with most other things in the country, the legal system is breaking down. It took only 11 days to indict the fellow who jumped the fence and got into the White House. It is now 56 days since Michael Brown was killed in Ferguson. No indictment yet. It makes you wonder where justice for the little guy has gone.

Fantasy Fest around the corner. Only 12 more days till Goombay.

Enjoy your day!

WE WON!!!!!

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We met the enemy and they are ours.

Bocce last night. We played the #1 team. Hell’s Rangers. The name alone brings chills. It is mid season. Hell’s Rangers till last evening had lost only one game. We ranked in the middle of the standings. We beat ’em! Took 2 of 3 games.

Don’t screw with the Don’s Place team!

The first game was close. We won. They beat us decidedly in the second. We won the third by a respectable number.

Next week, we will play the last team in the standings and lose. We play to our competition.

Lunched yesterday at what I call the old Paradise Cafe. Now located on White, just off Eaton. I had a yearning for Cuban cheese toast with tomato. Topped off by a large cup of Cuban coffee.

I was tried. I don’t know why. All the caffeine in the Cuban coffee should have had me flying high. Spent the afternoon napping.

Syracuse football tonight. Louisville the opponent. At the Carrier Dome. Seven o’clock. Shown on ESPN.

I am not sure whether I will be watching the game from JDL’s or Don’s Place. Louisville a 4 point favorite. I believe Syracuse will lose.

Fantasy Fest is around the corner. Thirteen days to Goombay. You can sense it. It’s in the air. People getting ready, people talking.

As you are aware, I am an historical nut. John Guerra wrote an interesting article this morning in KONK’s E-Blast. It had to do with the assassination attempt on President Truman in 1950. I was in high school at the time and recall it vividly. The attempt played out much differently than the recent guy over the White House fence episode.

Today is a day of historical sport note. On this day in 1951, Bobby Thomson  hit the “…..shot heard round the world.” A three run homer in the ninth. Resulted in the New York Giants winning the National League penant over the Brooklyn Dodgers.

I was in high school at the time of this event, also. I was stacking groceries in a super market after school. The game was being broadcast on radio throughout the store. It was an exciting moment. Everyone went crazy! Customers and staff alike.

Karen and Dan, I would like to speak with you. Actually, Karen. Let’s make sure we meet at Don’s Place sometime this weekend.

Enjoy your day!