LA TE DA

I had dinner last night at La Te Da. Crispy Duck. The best duck in Key West! Enjoyed it at the outside bar.

The wind blew big time all day. However not felt in Key West. The buildings and trees cut the wind. It was comfortable sitting at the outside bar.

I have been either visiting or living in Key West more than 25 years. It was on my second trip I discovered La Te Da. In those days, my former wife and I would spend the afternoon at the beach, change into fresh clothes behind the car, and head out for cocktails.

La Te Da was a discovery!

There was a small enclosed bar on the second floor. An intimate setting. On the pool side of the building. Back from the front of the building about 10 feet. I would place it square in the middle of the down stairs bar.

Great place for cocktails! Free hor d’oeuvres. Most hot. Served with a small plate, clothe napkin and heavy weighted silverware. The company excellent. Mostly gays. Always a fun time.

With one of the renovations, that small upstairs bar was removed.

How La Te Da acquired its name is interesting.

In 1868, the Ten Years War ended. A war between the Cuban people and Spain. Spain was exercising colonial rule over Cuba. The Cubans lost the war.

Many Cubans left the island. Seeking political freedom and economic opportunity. Key West became home to many of the Cuban exiles. The influx continued through the 1870s, 1880s and into the 1890s.

Jose Marti was a popular Cuban hero/leader. He would frequently visit Key West to raise money and invite the exiles to join him in overthrowing Spain.

The Cuban Key Westers loved Marti. Each Marti visit began the same way. Five thousand would gather to greet him at the boat landing . Always a band and Cuban and American flags. The group then would parade down Duval to La Te Da with Marti in tow.

Present day La Te Da at the time was owned by Teodoro Perez, a wealthy cigar factory owner and friend of Marti. Marti would speak to the crowd from the second floor front porch of Perez’s home.

Cubans came to call the porch Marti’s Terrace. In Spanish, La Terraza de Marti. The Spanish version was shortened to La Te Da.

Marti and a number of his Cuban followers invaded Cuba in 1895. Marti was killed in the first battle. Three years later, the Battleship Maine was blown up in Havana harbor marking the beginning of the Spanish-American War.

Yesterday’s weather is today’s. Wind still blowing strong, trees bending, white caps on top of a fast moving ocean.

I spent most of yesterday preparing for tonight’s blog talk radio show. Tuesday Talk with Key West Lou. Nine my time. One half hour. Fast moving interesting subjects. www.blogtalkradio.com/key-west-lou.

Topics tonight include problems facing the returning House of Representatives this week, Monsanto buying college professors, German bishops and U.S. bishops differing at the Synod, some revelations in this week’s KONK Life column Lincoln The Man, the story of a 2 year old homeless boy found after midnight barefoot and alone in a Philadelphia park, and more.

Wonder of wonders! Words from a musical whose name escapes me. Words that fit what I am about to write.

It was revealed on Morning Joe this morning that Donald Trump in a book published 19 months before 9/11 advised that the U.S. was in danger of a terrorist attack. He further stated it would be led by an Osama bin Laden. The book: The America We Deserve.

Perhaps I have not fairly considered Trump.

Enjoy your day!

 

6 comments on “LA TE DA

  1. Lou, Glad you’re at least reconsidering Trump’s run. I am still on the fence and probably will be for some time to come, but Trump, Carson and Fiorina bring a fresh face to the status quo politics (that we’ve come to love to hate), and I think that’s what most of America is interested in.

    Keep up posted on your thoughts.

  2. “It was revealed on Morning Joe this morning that Donald Trump in a book published 19 months before 9/11 advised that the U.S. was in danger of a terrorist attack. He further stated it would be led by an Osama bin Laden. The book: The America We Deserve.”

    The thing about Trump is he always “has the best people.” No way Carly (ask HP why) and Doc Carson I literally cannot hear what he mumbles and what I do occasionally hear terrifies me, except for his flat tax which I know the 1%ers and multi-national corporations will somehow find a way (or buy a way) not to pay anyway.
    That said, Dame Hillary is more of the same. If only we truly had a better choice where reason and reality where the guides. Only on TV I guess.

    • I must say I agree with most of your comment, Marty. But they all think they “have the best people,” Trump is just more boastful about it. He boasts about everything, though, whether it’s based on fact, fiction or somewhere in between. Dr. Ben scares me as well from what I’ve been able to understand when he speaks. Carly, yeah, her track record isn’t impressive in my book, but she does present well. Not that I would vote for someone based on their presentation(s).

      Every election year I echo your sentiment: If only we had REAL choices. It seems we always end up having to vote for whom we consider the lesser of all the evils with their hats in the ring. Very frustrating.

      And then there’s that damn Electoral College. Do we really have a chance to make our voices heard through the vote??

  3. Wonder of wonders, miracles of miracles … From a song in Fidder on the Roof. A nice historical piece with a little bit of politics and love – the perfect show for you, Lou! Keep up the great work!

  4. Lou, it is time for you to go visit Cuba as I did earlier this month. Issac Valdes’ Mambi Travel on N. Roosevelt will take your credit card (no fees) and do your plane ticket that leaves Key West (9 pax so lose some weight first. ha.), do your Cuban tourist card i.e. visa, and get your confirmed hotel reservation at a hotel of your choice. I stayed at Hotel del Palacio de San Felipe y Santiago de Bejucal that was a great location in Habana Vieja and in walking distance to many bars that you surely will spend much time in. ha. Go, Lou, go. Cuba is awaiting your gracious presence.

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