QUEEN ELIZABETH VISITS KEY WEST

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Yesterday I made mention of the Key West Citizen’s joke/make believe newspaper published each April Fools Day. I reflected on the total smoking ban instituted for Key West 20 years ago. A joke at the time.

Yesterday was April Fools Day and the Key West Citizen did it again! Published a newspaper replete with bogus yet humourous stories. The best one from my perspective was the front page article that British Airways had instituted a direct flight London to Key West three times a week.

The first British Airways jet had landed the day before to fanfare, water streaming, etc. Queen Elizabeth was on the flight. She intended to spend a few days in Key West to encourage tourism between London and Key West.

Convincing! Great imagination! The Key West Citizen is to be complimented.

My afternoon was busy. Not a minute to spare. I was on the go from one to five.

Started with Dr. Jackie Lefferts at 1. The second half of my annual physical. The pushing and prodding portion. A review of my blood results, etc. from the week before.

Two whole hours!

The good doctor said I was in the best shape she had seen in the six years I have been her patient. I hope her observation does not jinx me. I worry about these things.

Then to Lee Nails for a manicure with Tammy. A charmer!

Needed food. Publix was my next stop. The new Publix. We have two Publix stores in Key West at the present time.

The new Publix was too big for me. I could not find anyting. Ergo, I continued shopping at the old one. Till yesterday.

The past few weeks at the old store have been a pain. Too few check out counters open, too few baggers, only one person working the cold cut counter where three had been stationed, the employees less than friendly. I noticed the change. I asked around. Turns out the old store has a new manager. He is tough. Trying to shake things up. Many have quit. Those remaining do not care.

I care about the service I get. So it was off to the new store yesterday where things are normal. The manager there is apparently more tolerant. I will learn where everything is and how to make my way around the place.

There is a lesson to be learned by the new manager. Key West and its people dance to their own tune. Different from anywhere else. Key Westers have to be handled with kid gloves. They are a proud and hard working people. At the same time, a sensitive group. Step on them and they will leave you. That is the way it is.

The Chart Room last night. Me and Peter. We again solved many of the world’s problems. Banks were a major part of the conversation.

I was in the mood for wings. Headed over to Kelley’s. The best wings on the island.

I had not been to Kelley’s in a while. I ordered wings. They were different. Smaller and not as good. Not bad, but no where entitled to the title of best in Key West. I will have to find another wing place. This does not mean I am not deserting Kelley’s. Their food and personnel are still top quality. I merely do not like the new wings and shall order something else the next time I am there.

My blog talk radio show tonight at 9. Join me. I guarantee you will enjoy the show. A quick half hour of interesting chatter.

Tuesday Talk With Key West Lou this evening will include thoughts on wealth disparity, Boston College and birth control, and the Final Four. Plus anything you might wish to discuss. I take telephone calls.

The show can be found at www.blogtalkradio.com/key-west-lou.

Enjoy your day!

 

APRIL FOOLS DAY / LITTLE EASTER

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April 1. April Fools Day.

I recall being fooled big time some 20 years ago.

I was in Key West reading the Key West Citizen. There was a major article on the front page. The City Commission had voted to ban smoking in all restaurants, bars, and public places. Public places included beaches and sidewalks.

I was shocked! Not only was the new law stupid, it was illegal!

Then it hit me. This was April Fools Day. The Citizen got me!

The interesting thing is what was a joke back then has become reality in most instances today. You never know!

Today, the nations of Europe celebrate Little Easter. It is a legal holiday just as Easter Sunday is. I do not know why there is the extra day to celebrate Easter. But there is and the holiday is celebrated with its own traditions and customs. The food item for today is eggs. Prepared in  omelette fashion.

In Italy, they will also be eating the Easter cassata left over from yesterday. What a dish! My grandmother, mother, and former wife made it every Easter. A big deep round pie. Thick crust all around, including the top. Baked crisp. Inside a ricotta filling. Ricotta with cherries, chocolate, and other small pieces of fruit. As good as the cassata tasted, it was equally heavy. It sat inside you for two days.

I miss the cassata. It has been at least 8 years since I last tasted one. Cassata is not in Lisa’s cook book.

A great Easter dinner. Lisa out did herself. Manicotti and baked ham. The manicotti was especially tasty. Ricotta again, covered in a light dough. Baked in the oven in a red sauce.

It was Cameron’s 18th birthday. Cheesecake covered with fresh fruits. Ally gets excited for birthdays. Gets everyone around the table, directs the lights be turned off, starts the singing, etc. May she always so enjoy!

After dinner, we all sat around watching the Duke/ Louisville game. Everybody includes Corey’s  parents Karen and Curtis who were in for the holiday.

Louisville is a great team. If Syracuse defeats Michigan and Louisville Wichita state, Syracuse will have a tough time handling Louisville. Syracuse met Louisville twice this past season in Big East play. Syracuse lost each time. The last time, badly.

Kevin Ware’s injury put a hot blanket on everything. It may have inspired Louisville. Who knows. In any event, I wish Ware well and hope he will be back on the court soon.

I finished the Ulysses Grant book I have been reading for ages yesterday afternoon. It is titled The Man Who Saved The Union. The author is H. W. Brands. I recommend the book. Long, but excellent. Around 700 pages.

I did not realize before reading the book what a great president Grant was. He seems to have been buried in history.

I spent a little time researching for my tuesday blog talk radio show and friday television/internet show. Came across an interesting historical item.

The surviving Lincoln child was his son Robert Todd Lincoln. He was present at the death of three Presidents.

Robert was at his father’s beside when his father died in 1865. Lincoln did not die at the Ford Theatre where he was shot.

In 1881, Robert was Secretary of War. James Garfield was President. Robert was at the train station to see Garfield off when Garfield was shot.

President William McKinley was shot also. 1901. Robert was at his bedside during the one week following the shooting before McKinley died.

You will recall my advising several weeks ago that Key West had a lottery winner. A $17 million one. The identity of the person has been revealed. It is Debra Jackson. She is a school teacher aged 60 who was planning on retiring at the end of this school year. She opted to take the money in a lump sum. $11 million. Publix gets a bonus for having sold her the ticket. $70,000.

What a country! I wish Ms. Jackson well.

Like Porky Pig of old would close out his movie shorts…..That’s all folks!

Enjoy your day!

 

 

SYRACUSE…..SYRACUSE……SYRACUSE…..SYRACUSE…..

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There is much I could lead off with this morning. Like Easter Sunday or Donna and Terri. However, Syracuse dominates!

The 55-39 victory over Marquette tops everything. A real WOW! I am obviously a Syracuse fan. My blood runs orange. I must admit that I shed a tear or two at the end of the game. Players and Coach Boeheim deserved the glory which accompanied the victory.

On to the Final Four!

I must be candid. I have not been impressed with the team this season. Syracuse started well. Began dying in the middle of the season. Experienced a total collapse at the end of the season. March Madness marks a rebirth. I am going to say it. If Syracuse can play as they have defensively the past three games, it will be Syracuse all the way!

I hope my new found confidence does not jinx the team.

Now for Easter.

Happy Easter!

Things change. Such is life. I can recall when everyone dressed for Easter. Women in hats, men in suits. It was the holiday where I was sure my parents would buy me new clothes. People walked the streets showing off their finery. People crammed the churches. No more.

Change is one of the two certainties in life. The other is death.

Lisa is doing a big Easter morning brunch. All kind of goodies I suspect. Immediately preceding will be the egg hunt for the grandkids in the yard. Jake will get himself involved some how.

I could not attend. Business first. On Easter Sunday morning. I had an 8:30 computer/telephone conference with the blog talk radio people. The audio problem is resolved. So I was told. It tested ok this morning. This blog was next on the agenda. The brunch and egg hunt missed. I do not feel bad. I have seen and/or participated in enough of them over the years. Only the grandkids’ excitement is missed. The food I do not care about.

Tonight, Easter Sunday supper. Lisa tells me manicotti and ham. Cheesecake for desert. I am looking forward to the meal!

I stopped my diet at 22 pounds. Have been watching myself since. I keep losing weight. It has been about two months since I ended the diet. Weight loss is up to 33 pounds. I am not sick. Rather, I do not believe so. I am in the midst of my annual physical. Told the doctor and nurse about the weight loss. When I was in to see the Doctor last November I weighed 251. Today 214.  Tomorrow, the second half of my physical. If anything is wrong, it will show up. I attribute additional weight loss to having been a good boy eating wise!

Donna and Terri last night! They refer to themselves as my lesbian wives. A compliment from my perspective.

The ladies are in for one week. Seder time. They now live in Los Angeles. Terri also has a booking in Florida. Tomorrow night and Tuesday evening she sings at the Crest Theatre in Delray Beach. My friends in that area, go see her perform. She will knock your socks off!

Terri’s is an amazing story. Several years ago, she was homeless. Sleeping on a bench in New York City’s Washington Square Park, washing in McDonald’s. Today she is a star! Big time! Happily married to Donna.

Terri and Donna love Louis and Louis loves them.

Dinner was at the Hot Tin Roof. A long slow one. We had much catching up to do.

Afterwards, we stopped at the Chart Room for a drink. A mistake. Except for JJ bartending, I knew no one. The place was packed. All tourists. We sat at the round table.

Several couples vacationing from Michigan were at the Chart Room. Mid 30s to mid 40s. All obviously drunk. One of the guys got out of hand with Donna. He wanted to touch her privates. The southern one. He was persistent. I thought I was going to have to get up and protect Donna’s virginity. I should have known better.

Donna can be a sharp tongued Jewish woman when the occasion requires. Last night did. She put the drunk down quietly and masterfully. I did not have to get my ass kicked.

Enjoy the holiday!

 

A RELIGIOUS CONFRONTATION

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It is true. What goes around, comes around. Generally to bite the first doer in the ass.

Such is the situation with Boston College and its student body. Over the issue of birth control.

A war has begun. Freedom of religion the issue. I love it! All the makings of big time legal drama.

I was so turned on that I wrote next week’s KONK Life column concerning the topic. Immediately published it on Amazon.Kindle, also. Read it in either place. I believe you will find both the article and the Constitutional issue fascinating.

Did my TV/internet show yesterday morning. The Key West Lou Legal Hour. Enjoyable for me, as always. I hope as enjoyable for you who watched.

The topic garnering the most interest based on post show comments involved banks, Cyprus, and the disparity between the rich and poor. All three tied together.

Last night began once again with the Chart Room. Emily in charge. Sheila there early on. Then left. She is nursing a big time cold.

David and Che were at the bar. We talked extensively about New York City in the late 1970s. They lived in New York at the time. I was a frequent visitor.

Enjoyed the company of a nice couple from Ohio. Pat and Jackie.

I was supposed to have dinner with Dee. She begged off. Too tired. Actually, I was also. It  was convenient for the both of us to say another time.

I grabbed a newspaper and went over to the Wine Galley. Sat at the bar and listened to Larry Smith sing. Ate a light meal.

Michael was at the bar. I had not seen him in quite a while. He is a local contractor. We chatted a bit.

Larry brought Bobbie over to meet me. She is a CPA. Newly moved to Key West and in the process of opening an office here. A charming person. I wish her well.

Later this afternoon, Syracuse basketball. Against Marquette. Whoever wins, goes on to the Final Four! A very big deal!

Once again I am not sure what Syracuse will do. Frankly, the Indiana result surprised me.

Marquette is in the Big East, also. The two teams met once during the regular season. Marquette won by three points.

My concern  is that Marquette has played Syracuse many times over the years and is familiar with Syracuse’s famed zone defense. Other teams such as Indiana were not and that is why in my opinion Syracuse won those games.

We shall see.

My lesbian wives Donna and Terri are in town. They have been here all week. Leave tomorrow. We have not had an opportunity to get together. It is dinner with them tonight at the Hot Tin Roof. I look forward to it..

Enjoy your day!

SYRACUSE, MY SYRACUSE!

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I did not get home and to bed till one last night. Overslept this morning. Have the Key West Lou Legal Hour at 10. The blog will have to be quick.

Syracuse won last night! Beat Indiana 61-50. A sweet victory. I never expected it. On to Marquette saturday. Another tough game. Marquette beat Syracuse during the season 74-71.

I am starting to become a believer. Just maybe…..

Yesterday morning was  a haircut and beard trim with Lori. Spent the afternoon fine tuning today’s show. Ten this morning my time. The Key West Lou Legal Hour. Via television and the internet. TV from Key West through Miami-Dade county via Comcast Channel 87 and U-Verse Channel 19. On the internet world wide. www.tvchannel19.com.

Interesting topics. Like Cyprus and the banks, the rich get richer, $6,000 for a Supreme Court spectator seat, birth control Boston College style.

Join me. You will enjoy.

Bocce last night. We lost all three. Close games, Nevertheless we lost. I played the first game with Frankie. We were losing 9-2. We came back. Still lost 16-15. I did not have the stellar performance as last week. My playing was back to normal.

Stopped at Sandy’s on White Street for a bite on the way to Don’s to watch the game. Enjoyed a Cuban cheese toast with tomato. I was sitting outside. A huge dog came over. I do not know what kind. Big and white with brown and black spots.

He looked at me with big sympathetic eyes. He was hungry. I shared have my sandwich with him. He stayed the whole time.

A police officer arrived. He came to eat. Saw my friend. Told me he had to take him to the pound. No collar or tag. I felt terrible.

I am going to check tomorrow to make sure his owner found him. It would be a crime to do away with him.

Don’s Place for the Syracuse/Indiana game. Don an Indiana fan. David watched with us. Dee came during the game and stayed a while.

Hershel and Erika, where were you? Both die hard Indiana fans. In the middle of bocce, they put on their Indiana sweat shirts to aggravate me. I would have enjoyed watching the game with them. And smiling big at them when Syracuse won!

That’s all folks. I have to hustle.

Enjoy your day!

 

SYRACUSE / INDIANA TONIGHT

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It’s amazing! Here I sit in paradise. Key West is a wonder unto itself. Yet what is first on my mind today? The Syracuse/Indiana basketball game tonight.

The Vegas line picks Indiana by 5.5 points. I pick Indiana. Syracuse has already exceeded my expectations in the tournament. On the other hand, one never knows!

Don is a big time Indiana fan. We are going to watch the game together at his bar. The game starts at 9:45. Bocce will come first at 6:30. A busy night ahead!

On the way into town last night, I stopped at Don’s Place. Chatted with Don, David, and Jimmy. Then I was off to the Chart Room.

Lots of people.

Emily bartending. What a lovely girl! Beautiful and smart.

Ran into Bridget who I had met last week. She was with Scott. He was new to me.

Bridget you will recall is a travel guide. Her company has her in Key West for a few weeks. She is from New Hampshire.

Scott is from Colorado. He explained to me he is a walker. Walks large distances. Many miles. Has done so in several countries.

They are both staying at the hostel on South Street. I was surprised. I thought a hostel was for young kids. Apparently not. Bridget had been staying at the Hyatt. She is spending a few days at the hostel with Scott. Separate quarters. Dormitory living. Bridget with the ladies and Scott the men. People of all ages. They explained that they have done this before. It gives them the opportunity to meet many diverse people easily.

Obviously no sex involved between Bridget and Scott. At least not at the hostel.

Peter was at the end of the bar entertaining a group of young ladies and their male escorts. All relatively young. Thirtyish. The ladies in the medical field. One a doctor. A pediatrician. The others nurses. One of the couples visited Key West last year for four hours. They were on a cruise ship. Liked Key West so much, they have returned with friends for a whole week.

Pam said hello. We met last year. She is a local. A lovely lady. I loved her even more when she told me she listened to my blog talk radio show. A first for me. Most are aware of this blog, the TV show, the internet show, my weekly KONK Life column. Pam was the first person I have met who even mentioned the blog talk radio show. A sign the show must be catching on. I hope!

Belinda from last week was seated at the round table with friends. She said hello as I was leaving. I went over and gave her a peck on the cheek. I look forward to running into her again soon.

The weather is cold! 59 degrees at the moment. Hight today 70. Will be in the 60s when we play bocce tonight. Long pants!

Tomorrow morning at 10 the Key West Lou Legal Hour. Available for viewing on  television  and the internet. TV channels Comcast 87 and U-Verse 19. World wide on the internet. www.tvchannel19.com.

The main topic will involve Cyprus, Germany and the euro. What has happened and is happening in Cyprus is dangerous and fearful. I warned while in Greece last summer that the euro problems could lead to war. I wrote a major column on the issue two months ago for KONK Life. Germany started World War I and World War II. I suggested Germany might be responsible for World War III. I did not view the middle east as today’s primary danger spot. It was Germany and Europe!

I have to move my butt. I have an early haircut appointment with Lori. Always a pleasure to be in her company.

Enjoy your day!

 

TRICYCLES / TRIKES

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The streets of Old Town are fraught with danger. Tourists crossing streets without looking, crossing against the light, the trains and buses. One of the worst problems involves bicycles and now tricycles.

Bikes are rented all over Old Town. Key West is one of the best places in the world to ride a bike and enjoy scenery and serenity. Key West provides bike paths on many streets. Some streets are without.

Bicyclists appear to be under he impression that they are the only ones on the street. They forget there is automobile traffic. The bikes travel not on the bike paths and not to the left side. Generally down the middle of the road. Red lights and stop signs are ignored. It is as if they do not exist. Turns are made without signaling.

Driving a car can be a pressure packed experience.

Florida laws state that bikes are to be treated the same as motor vehicles. Bikes must follow the same rules of the road as autos.

Bicyclists do not.

The vacationing society is becoming older. Baby boomers are vacationing. Those older, also. A bike can be a difficult thing to maneuver as one ages. A wobbly ride as opposed to a smooth one. Ergo, the tricycle business has boomed. A tricycle is a three wheeled bike. Also known as a trike.

The tricycles are even a worse danger. They are wider than an ordinary bicycle. Especially the back wheels. More for a car to hit!

I have written this dissertation not because I do not like bicycles and tricycles. I own two bikes. Ride them often. I write because accidents are occurring and more will occur. Simply because bicycle riders are not careful in the operation of their bikes.

Riding a bicycle/tricycle and driving a car have become sad events waiting to happen on the streets of Old Town.

Cold! Very cold during the night and this morning. Fiftys during the evening. Fifty seven at the moment. The high today is projected in the low 60s.

The cold front will have moved out friday and the temperature for friday and the weekend will be in the mid 70s.

Technically, this cold front is not a normal one. Key West cold fronts generally come off the ocean. This one from the northeast U.S. Whenever the weather is extremely cold up north, it stretches down to the Florida keys. We feel the impact. Our temps drop. Though no where near what it does in the north country.

Visited Jake yesterday. He was outside chasing tiny lizards/geckos. What a happy life!

Did Dante’s for lunch. An outdoor restaurant/bar on the water front. I ate at one of the bars. There were heaters overhead so the cold was not a problem.

Afterwards worked on last night’s blog talk radio show. Tuesday Talk With Key West Lou.

Sloan came over and worked with me a while.

The blog talk radio show last night was a good one. Discussed at length two topics. The Cyprus bank situation and the U.S. Supreme Court same sex marriage issue.

For the second week in a row, a screw up occurred. No one could hear me!

I do not know the source of the problem. Those who called in could hear me as they waited. Everyone else, nothing.

Frustrating!

The show is archived and available 24 hours a day. Even though I was not heard at the time of the broadcast, for whatever reason the archive recording was not affected.  Ninety per cent of my listeners tune into the archive and will be able to hear it at any time. Not all was lost.

I have been in communication with the blog talk people. An Allan is supposed to call me to work the problem out.

I apologize to those who could not hear me last night. Disappointing to all of us. Please return next week.

The Key West Citizen reported this morning that the lobster and stone crab fishermen are complaining that this has been one of the worse seasons ever. One fisherman claimed it has been the worst in 40 years.

We Key Westers have been aware of the situation. Fishing friends frequent the Chart Room and Hogfish. May next year be better!

I must go out on the town this evening! I have been in 2-3 nights in a row. Need to have a couple of drinks and enjoy the company of others.

Enjoy your day!

 

 

BLOG TALK RADIO TONIGHT

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The weeks move swiftly by. Tuesday is here again. Tonight at 9, my blog talk radio show. Tuesday Talk With Key West Lou. One half hour of interesting insights. You can even call in and chat with me! Please do.

I plan this evening to talk first about banks and the Cyprus situation. Banks that were first too big to fail and then too big to prosecute are now putting their hands where they do not belong. They have become thieves and whores. On a world wide basis. And no government stops them.

The other topic concerns same sex marriage. The Supreme Court hears two cases on the issue today and tomorrow. As recently as last year, I thought the issue would fail by a 5-4 vote. Now I believe it can win by as much as 6-3.

Tuesday Talk can be found on the internet. Your computer is the radio. www.blogtalkradio.com/key-west-lou.

The show is 9 weeks old. Recent stats show already a following of 1,800.

Another cold front is upon Key West! Our winter has come late. We had no winter when we were supposed to. Actually, present weather is crazy. Key West goes a week or two in the 80s and then drops into the 60s or worse. Last night was in the mid 60s. The high today will be 67. It is 65 as I write this morning. Tonight, 57.

Yesterday, I walked the waterfront. Dante’s, Schooner Wharf area. Lunched at Blossoms. I make it sound like a swanky place. It is not. Its Cuban toast is the best, however!

Watched the balance of the Arnold Palmer Tournament. Glad Tiger won. He appears to have come back. I am surprised. I did not think it possible.

Stayed in last night and wrote. I feel good this morning. A sense of accomplishment. My time was well spent.

As you are aware, the Blue Angels were here with a spectacular show this weekend. The Key West Citizen reports this morning it may have been the last Blue Angles show for a while. Sequestration. Some Congressmen said do not worry. They were going to save the shows. They have yet to perform.

My hometown Utica is in the foothills of the Adirondack mountains in upstate New York. Adirondack animals were always of great concern to the authorities. Especially deer.

In the Florida keys, it is the creatures of the ocean.

Makes sense.

Two men were arrested yesterday for allegedly killing a turtle. Meat parts were found in a bag by wildlife officers when the culprits’ boat docked at Stock Island. If convicted, they will probably do time. Properly so. Turtles generally are an endangered species. Keys people have a great concern for their well being. Evidenced in part by the fact there is a Turtle Hospital in Marathon.

The significance of the crime is that out of every 100 turtles born, only one will survive and make it to adulthood.

Enjoy your day!

HAPPY PASSOVER!

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Happy Passover one and all!

This evening my Jewish friends sit down to a special meal. One that recalls the suffering of their people. An interesting evening. A special one. Clothe in warmth and tradition.

I have been favored over the years with having been invited to many Passover seters. The correct word. However, I am not sure I spelled it correctly. If not, my apologies.

Donna and Terri are back in Key West. For Passover. Donna is a tough Jewish Mom. She requires all her children to be with her for Passover. Donna has flown in from Los Angeles. A daughter lives here in Key West. Her three sons Boston, Detroit and I am not sure where else. Tonight Passover will be celebrated at the daughter’s home in Key West.

Jake continues to be the center of attention. He has only been with Lisa and family about two weeks. They are inseparable. Jake is fortunate. He has found a good and loving home. In return he expresses his love for all the family. Me, too. Sometimes.

There seems to be a story a day with Jake. Jake is tiny. From the top of his head to his paws no more than 18 inches. He weighs just under 10 pounds. He fears not! Especially big dogs!

He is very territorial. If a dog walks by, he is at the door on hind legs barking like crazy. Regardless of the dog’s size. The neighbors across the street have two tinier dogs. They bark all the time. Jake does not seem to like them. He returns the barking.

Frankie the Plumber and Lisa are neighbors. Their backyards abutt. All that separates the two yards is a chain link fence.

Frankie has a monstrous dog. Big enough for my grandkids to ride!

Frankie’s dog and Jake are best of friends. No barking. They get up to the fence and rub noses. If one walks one way, the other follows. I find it amazing that Jake does not consider Frankie’s pet a danger or intruder.

I made a mistake yesterday afternoon. Late in the afternoon. I was on my way to Lisa’s for Sunday dinner. I ran into the traffic leaving Boca Chica. Took forever to reach Key West.

After dinner, I stopped at the Chart Room. Sheila was there. It appeared she was waiting for me. She handed me a bag of tomatoes. Sheila has a green thumb. She raises vegetables on her third floor terrace. I look forward to enjoying the tomatoes.

JJ bartending. He introduced me to Andras. In all the time I have been in Key west, this was the first we met.

Andras is around 50. Originally from Argentina, he has lived in Key West many years. He presently waits tables at Antonia’s and Rooftop. He has to be an excellent waiter. Both are top shelf establishments.

At one time, JJ and Andras were roommates. Andras introduced JJ to his now wife.

Key Westers are known as one human family. I break it down further to one family.

Men and women share apartments, condos, homes. Rent is high. Sharing a necessity. The men and women live as brother and sister. Sex  not involved. A very common Key West arrangement.

Mary bartends the Chart Room monday evenings. She has a roommate. You guessed it! Andras! A small world.

JJ told me the Chart Room will be 45 years old June 15. The Pier House is planning a party. A big one! Sounds like a fun time ahead.

I watched the Indiana/Temple game yesterday. The winner is scheduled to meet Syracuse later this week in the Sweet Sixteen. Temple beat Syracuse earlier this season when Syracuse was ranked #3 nationally. A good team.

An excellent game! Temple almost won. They lost the in the last two minutes. The score was 58-52. So it is Indiana for Syracuse in a few days.

Indiana is a #1 seed. Syracuse a #4. It should be an interesting game.

I make no predictions. I thought we would have been out of the tournament by now. It has been a topsy turvy Syracuse year.

What pisses me off are the media commentaries through the weekend and this morning. Every team gets talked about. But Syracuse. It is as if Syracuse does not exist. It is assumed Indiana will beat Syracuse, I suspect.

It is always this way with media reporting and Syracuse. We are the long lost brother and no one seems to care.

I hope Syracuse surprises every one! Beware of sleeping dogs!

Every one I have run into this weekend that had an opportunity to meet the Robinsons were impressed. All saw them as down to earth warm hearted people. All mentioned that the Robinsons appeared to be taken with Key West. Some suspected they might buy here.

For an island that was home to Ernest Hemingway, Tennessee Williams, John Hershey, and other notable writers of all type works, the Robinsons would be a welcome addition.

I spent a bit of yesterday working on tuesday night’s blog talk radio show. Tuesday Talk With Key West Lou. Join me at 9 for what should be an interesting time. One of the topics will be Cyprus and banks. The banks in this instance best described as whores. Interesting chatter awaits. www.blogtalkradio.com/key-west-lou.

Long winded today. Sorry. I had much to share.

Enjoy your day!

 

 

A BIG VISITORS WEEKEND

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Charles Kuralt considered Schooner Wharf the center of the universe. I believe it is the Chart Room. We may both be wrong. It may be Key West itself!

This weekend is a biggie for Key West visitors. Many notables.

Pulitzer Prize winner and Washington Post columnist Eugene Robinson spoke at The Studios of Key West friday night. He had been here the whole week. His wife Avis is notable in her own right. She is an artist. Her work has been showing all week at the Studios.

The Blue Angels are in town! No one has to tell you! They can be heard. Several times a day for the past few days. Flying low over Key West. Low low! I stood on my second floor balcony to watch them fly over. I thought if I put my hand up, I could touch the planes. Some one commented the planes were flying so low, he could see the pilot clearly. The Blue Angels are performing this weekend at Boca Chica Naval Base.

My bocce partner Erika flew with the Blue Angels friday. Not in a jet. In a large C-130 cargo plane. Called Fat Albert by the Navy.

Burt Reynolds, Angie Dickinson, and Tippi Hedren were in Key West friday evening. Perhaps you have to be my age to know/remember them. Sad if that is the case. They were big movie stars of another generation. My generation.

All three were here for an opening at Rote’s Gallery on Duval. All three friends of owner Adam Scott Rote. Reynolds and Dickinson drove up in a Rolls-Royce.

Burt was a big time male star in the 1960s through the 1980s. Comparable to Tom Cruise who followed him. Reynolds interestingly has a sort of connection with the Blue Angels who are performing this weekend in Key West. In 1960 and 1961, Reynolds appeared in several episodes of the TV show Blue Angels.

Angie Dickinson was a wow! The loveliest of the lovelies! A big time female star. She worked with all the major male stars. She also was engaged heavily in television. A close friend of Frank Sinatra, she starred in the first Oceans 11 movie with Sinatra.

Tippi Hedren is best recalled by The Birds. The beautiful woman being chased by an army of run away birds.

Last but not least, the Budweiser Clydesdales are in town. All eight of them. They made a delivery on Duval Street friday. They performed at the Blue Angels air show saturday.

Key West Lou was here, also. I never got to see or meet any of the luminaries mentioned. My fault. A shame.

This blog is very late this morning because I was up after midnight watching the Syracuse/California basketball game. Syracuse won 66-60. Syracuse once had a 14 point lead. It got widdled down to 4 thereafter. Syracuse’s defense won the game for them. They completely tied up California’s big time star Crabbe. He scored only 8 points. You could see the exasperation on his face.

Syracuse went 12 minutes in the second half without even taking a shot. Can you imagine! They were fouled constantly, however. It was not Syracuse’s evening to shine on the foul line. The team only made 15 of 41 foul shots.

Onward to the Sweet Sixteen! Either Indiana or Temple. Those two play this afternoon.

Jake. Made his first long car trip yesterday. To Miami and back. Lisa said he was very good. He either rested on the floor or sat in someone’s lap looking out the window.

I noticed something unusual about Jake friday. The way he runs. He bounds. Maybe leaps. Whatever. He is a small dog. Each bound/leap is good for five feet. He is fast. Ain’t nothing that is going to get away from him.

Key West weather continues to be fantastic! 83 yesterday. It will be the same today. No humidity. Such a pleasure!

Enjoy your sunday!