Am I late with the blog this morning!

I did not sleep well during the night. Made up for it by sleeping later this morning.

Another Syracuse win yesterday! Syracuse decimated St. John. It was expected, however. Syracuse was supposed to win and decisively. So no gloating involved.

The next game is against Georgetown next Wednesday. Supposed to be a test for Syracuse.

I watched the St. John game at the Sports Page Bar. Anna joined me. She is a trooper. Never saw a basketball game before 10 days ago. Now has seen three. I am not sure she is enjoying the experience. Tonight she will see her first American football game. Football in Italy and Europe is soccer. Anna has never seen our kind of football.

Two friends from previous years showed up to watch the game with me at the Sports Page Bar.

Marty. Marty lives near Syracuse. Comes to Key West during the season to work. He is a handy man.

Dan showed up. A nice guy. Runs a restaurant in Skeneatles. Dan is here for a month. He and his wife rented a house around the corner from Don’s Place. They were in Don’s the other night and visited with Kurt who was bartending. I had introduced them to Kurt at Aqua one evening last season.

It was good to have these two back. They will be joining me for the Georgetown game which I will be watching at John Lukas’ Big Ten Sports Bar. John’s turn.

The cupboard was really bare! A visit to Publix was in order.

Publix was strange. The same people normally do the same things all the time. The same job day in and day out.

Not yesterday. The man who stocks the yogurt and cheeses was at the other end of the store refilling the frozen food refrigerators. A man who has worked the checkout counter for years was bagging. All strange.

I spoke with several of the employees. The consensus was that as long as THEY pay me, I will work anywhere. I sensed a bit of unhappiness.

Dinner was an experience again last night. Why go out to eat! Anna is going crazy preparing northern Italian dishes for me.

Last night it was pasta with carbonata sauce. The sauce to die for!

Must tell you what was in it. Start with two teaspoons of virgin olive oil in the frying pan. Then take 1 slice of bacon. Cut away all the fat. Cut the remaining bacon into small cubes. Golden the bacon in the oil. Then remove the bacon. Two eggs. Yolks only. Whites went down the drain.

Then add to the frying pan grated parmesan cheese. Technically, a cheese made from sheep’s milk is to be used. However, Publix had none. Add two teaspoons of milk cream.

Then the grand finale. Add 1 teaspoon of the water the pasta was cooked in. Throw the golden bacon bits in. Add black pepper. Heat a bit further and pour over the pasta, which last night was pennes.

Wow! The taste! The texture! Yes, sauce can have a texture. Cannot be adequately described. I wish every one could enjoy it.

As a side dish, a whole sweet potato each. I know. All the carbs! But I have lost 5 pounds since Anna has been here. I suggested she buy sweet potatoes since they are purportedly healthier than white ones. Last night we had sweet potatoes.

Anna microwaved the potatoes. When she sliced them open after cooking, she was surprised that the potatoes were orange in color. In Italy, they are white. She has also spent time in Venezuela where she says they are white, also.

We are probably eating a hybrid sweet potato here in the U.S. Perhaps so colored to conform to Thanksgiving.

Super Bowl tonight! A big deal! I am going to watch it from the comfort of my home. A glass or two of gin and some Milanese food. No hamburgs or pizza for me tonight.

Anna has seen her first basketball games this trip. Tonight, her first American football game. Football is big in Italy and the rest of Europe. However, it is soccer which is called football by the Europeans.

Ten in the morning here. Overhead, gray. A light drizzle. If it does not clear in the next two hours, I suspect it will be like that all day.

Enjoy your Sunday! Enjoy the Super Bowl!

Terrific Internet show yesterday!

Anna was a winner! I received a ton of emails and telephone calls regarding her. She made an excellent guest.

I did two segments with Anna. Intended to do only one. However, she was so interesting, I opted to continue.

The interview was a bit difficult for Anna. Her English is not perfect. Both understanding and speaking are problems. But she could grasp enough and express herself well. I doubt any one was aware of her struggle.

Anna is a world traveler. She took us from Milan to France to Switzerland to Germany to England to Saudi Arabia to Venezuela. She knows money. Economics. She explained the euro crisis from her perspective. Her Saudi Arabia observations were funny.

It was the gym for me in the afternoon. A work out with Courtney. His 46th birthday.

Speaking of birthdays, it was Corey’s birthday also yesterday. His 49th.

We partied at Lisa’s. Corey’s parents in. The grandkids all excited.

I bought Corey one of those water shirts. A Columbia. At Orvis. Corey liked it. He put it on and wore it through dinner.

I did not go out after dinner. I continue to be tired. It was home to bed for me.

Syracuse basketball today! Syracuse plays St. John at noon at Madison Square Garden.

Syracuse should win. But…..you never know in the Big East. St. John almost beat Duke the other night.

I will be watching at the Sports Page Bar. I now have divided loyalties. The Sports Page Bar and John Lukas’ Big Ten Sports Bar. The next game will be at John’s place.

It will be interesting talking with Russ after the game. Russ is a former New Yorker and a St. John fan. He will probably be working while the game is on. Russ is the chief chef at The Strip House. A very fine place for steak in Key West. I believe it to be the best place for steak.

Key West is packed with tourists. The season is beginning. The streets crowded. Traffic a bit slower. Every one having a great time. As it should be.

Enjoy your day!

Friday again!

Which means the Key West Lou Legal Hour. 10 AM my time. Available on the Internet world wide.

Join me!

Interesting show. Great topics. Even a guest this morning. Anna Martinengo from Milan, Italy is joining me. A knowledgeable person with some informative insight to world events.

In addition to my time with Anna, I shall discuss such topics as no smoking in parks, why our dishwasher dishes no longer sparkle, a New York City system that screws taxpayers big time, an Oklahoma senator that wanted to ban the use of fetuses in food, George Soros’ prediction of riots in the U.S. this year, an Afghan honor killing in Canada, and more.

Lunched yesterday at the Southernmost Beach Cafe. Crowded. Fifteen minute wait for a table. I opted to sit at the bar. Good food and a great view. Those that are in Key West should experience it.

Visited Lisa. Busy, busy. Big Social Suite activity this week. Out of towners in. Much filming and interviews. My girl is doing well!

Manicure time again. Took Anna with me. We had our nails done  at the same time. Interestingly, Anna told me that manicures are not the big deal in Italy as they are here in the United States. Italy’s are quick and no massage. She was impressed and pleased with her American experience.

Fish pills are not all the same. I did not know. I take them daily because of my heart. Dr. McIvor gave me an education on them when we visited this week. The best from his perspective are Blue something. Only sold at the drug store in Publix. Kept behind the counter. Must be requested.

I know why they are kept securely behind the counter. The cost! Expensive! $31 for a 60 pill supply. I must take 4 a day. At that rate I will have to purchase again in two weeks for another $31.

I felt under the weather as the day progressed. Stayed in last night. As a result, I missed Christine Cordone’s gallery showing. I love Christine. Her watercolors, also. I just was not able to make it. Congratulations Christine on what I know had to be an over the top exhibit!

Remember, show time 10 this morning!

Enjoy your day!

Gorgeous this morning.

My day has started with a downer. My cell phone is not working. I forgot to pay the bill. I feel some what like Romney when he says he had periods when he was out of work. My Romney like experience is having my phone service turned off this morning. I wonder if Romney ever had his cell phone turned off for non payment.

Started yesterday with a walk.

Lunch at home. Anna prepared it. Too good to be true! Can she cook!

Saw my heart doctor in the afternoon. I shall live.

Babysat later. Picked up the grandkids at school again. We walked home holding hands. After they had a snack, we played scrabble for a while. They are pretty astute at it. Then we watched TV. Robert and Ally in another room. Me in the living room. Our viewing tastes are different.

Stopped in at Aqua to hear Bobby Nesbitt sing. Fantastic, as usual! A great voice and presence. Anna was with me. Her first time hearing Bobby. She was taken with him.

Mark Watson was at the bar. He joined Bobby for a couple of songs. Mark was with his mother.She is visiting from North Carolina. He introduced me. What a lovely woman! Beautiful. Charming.

Dinner was at the Yacht Club. I had invited Jenna to join us. We had a terrific dinner and some great conversation.

Enjoy your day!

Good morning!

Still gray outside. A typical Key West day anticipated, however. Eighty degrees.

My yesterday started with a visit to the gym. I boxed alone. Hit the big bag. Hit the dummy man.

Enjoyed.

Then to Don’s Place for water. Todd saw me coming in and had the glass poured before I sat down. I quietly read the Key West Citizen.

Don’s Place has a breakfast club. They are lined up at 7 in the morning waiting for the doors to open. Some were still there at 11 when I was sipping my water. Since I now am at Don’s early morning on occasion, some of them appear to believe I am a breakfast club member also. The customers knowingly smile at me. We are becoming friends.

It was still early. Decided it was time for coffee. Went over to my new coffee place, the Plantation Coffee House on Caroline. Browsed through the New York Times.

Lunch and dinner were magnificent yesterday. Anna cooked!

Lamb and a cold pasta salad for lunch. Beef and a baked potato for dinner.

The meals seem to all be cooked the same way. A teaspoon of oil, several different herbs and a touch of butter. Not rich. The oil and butter in very limited amounts. I am convinced it is the herbs that make the meals so delicious. Not one or two, but five or six. Always different. However, sage is big. A constant.

Another interesting thing is the quality of the meat. Generally the cheapest cuts. It is the preparation which softens the meat.

There is one more point of interest. The cooking does not seem to take long. Anna prepares the meals first thing in the morning. Takes about an hour. Then heats them prior to service later in the day.

I babysat for a few hours. Lisa had an outside appointment. Picked Robert and Ally up at school at 3:30. They both ran up to me me crying out Poppa. Followed by a hug and kiss from each. I loved it! Sat with them to just before six when Corey came home.

Romney won Florida. It was a fait accompli after this past week. I am wondering what the impact of this down and dirty primary campaigning will be on voters. At some point, I suspect they may become sick of it and ultimately reject Romney. Not in the primaries. In the general election.

Enjoy your day!

Got a head start on my friday Internet show yesterday morning. Did I come up with a terrific history story to compare/analogize with our Congress of today! You’ll love it! Guaranteed!

Walked later in the morning.

A light lunch at home.

Then the gym for a work out with Courtney Aman. Am I making progress? I say no. Courtney says yes. He tells me I am developing muscles. I tell him it is my stomach I am concerned with, not my muscles. So it goes.

Stopped in Don’s place after the gym for a glass of water. Don’s Place is next door to the gym. Todd bartending. I joined Don and Rob at the end of the bar. Stayed long enough for two glasses of water.

Decided to try the Plantation Coffee House again. Love the parking! Enjoyed the coffee. Read the newspapers.

Dinner was at the Big Ten Sports Bar. I wanted to give my friend John Lukas who owns the place some business.

Typical bar fare. I had potato skins and a burger. Good!

Nate was bartending in the back. He came out to say hello.

I had a selfish reason going to John’s new bar. I wanted to see how the acoustics would be when watching a game. I knew the Pitt/West Virginia game would be on.

There were about 40 people in the place. John set me in front of the TV that would be featuring the game. He put the game on the bar’s sound system.

It all worked out. Going to be a good place to view sports.

I have to hustle this morning. I see Lori at 10 for a haircut.

Lisa just telephoned. I forgot. I am supposed to pick the grandkids up at school today and watch them till dinner time. It had completely slipped my mind. Lisa is worried I will forget again and fail to show up.

Enjoy your day!

Another year. Another Craft Show. Each one spectacular!

Meandered the Craft Show yesterday. Interesting items being offered. Many odd. All quality. As usual, the crowd overwhelming. Added 15 degrees to the heat.

I did not see Harry Truman this year. I did one year. I look for him every year since.

The Craft Show is located on the perimeter of and partly into Truman Annex. Several years ago, I observed a man walk out of one of the Truman Annex sidewalks into the Craft Show. It was Harry Truman! Looked just like him!

The former President was wearing a blazer, white pants, white shoes, white shirt and red tie. Topped with a flat straw hat. Carrying a cane.

He nodded a pleasant hello as he walked by. I was moved.

I thought it was time for Anna to try Cuban toast. I was uncertain if she would like it. The bread is made with pig fat. Might be considered fattening or unhealthy by some. Could be. If it’s bad, it has to be good!

We went to the Cuban Queen. Just a shack off a City parking lot. No inside for customers. Three benches outside. If lucky, you sit. Otherwise, stand.

Anna sat. I stood.

Anna liked the toast! Loved it! Told me it was healthy. That I did not understand.

Sunday dinner at Lisa’s. Lisa made chicken and salad. Anna prepared and brought with her a risotto. A winning meal!

Lisa also made a key lime pie. From scratch. Even the crust. The crust, so good! A graham cracker crust. A successful finish to an already terrific meal.

There is a new lady in town. Zelda Feinberg. She has been religious reader of this blog for some time.

Zelda has been in Key West roughly a month. She lived here back in the 1970’s. This will be here last stop home wise.

I finally met Zelda at a Syracuse basketball game I was watching at the Sports Page Bar. She joined us for the game. I liked her very much.

Turns out she is a likable person to all who meet her. This is the feed back I have been getting from those who have run into her.

Welcome Zelda! Enjoy Key West!

John Lukas finally made it. His Big Ten Sports Bar opened friday. A wonderful pace! Visit it. Lower Caroline where the old PT’s used to be. You do not have to go to watch a game. His food menu is terrific.

The weather changed over night. I woke this morning to a strong cold wind coming in from the north. We have white caps. Sky is overcast. It could clear up by one. If not, it will be this way at least until tomorrow.

Enjoy your day!

I was all alone by the telephone yesterday, so to speak. Watched the Syracuse/West Virginia game at the Sports Page Bar. I was the only customer!

It almost was a sad day for Syracuse. The ‘Cuse played poorly. Only beat West Virginia by 2 points. 63-61. West Virginia out played Syracuse the whole game. Out rebounded Syracuse 41-20. Syracuse only made 4 of 20 three point attempts.

Syracuse might have lost for another reason. West Virginia got a bad referee call with 6 seconds to go. Refs should have called goal tending. Instead said Syracuse blocked a shot. The bad call might have changed the outcome of the game had it been correctly made.

Fab Melo did not play. Syracuse’s center. Still benched for academic reasons.

Next week St. John’s.

Visited Lisa and the grandkids after the game. They were helping their Dad outside. Cleaning the fence, raking the leaves. Ally looked cute as she brushed the leaves with a broom onto a shovel.

My stomach was off all day. I did not want to eat. Anna said I must. She recommended macaroni and butter. Not a dish I would have considered. But, I am easily infuenced and let her have her way.

The dish was delicious and I felt better afterwards! The foreign touch was effective.

I occasionally make macaroni and butter for myself. It is a quick easy dish to prepare. Always tasty. A comforting dish. Anna prepared it differently than I. In addition to the butter, she added some sage and a small piece of a chicken broth cube. The taste! A delicate improvement to my way of making it.

Key West has many annual events. One is the Key West Craft Show. It is this weekend. I intend going later this morning.

A terrific event!

It is held on Whitehead and Caroline Streets. On the edge of and into Truman Annex. Several blocks of white tents with artists offering their wares. Paintings, wood craft, jewelry and the like.

You will recall my artist friend Jack Baron. He and his partner Bob Burton had a tent every year. It was about 13 years ago that the following occurred.

Up to that time, I had not purchased a Jack Baron painting. Bob Burton tells me that today I have the largest Jack Baron collection in the world. However at the particular Craft Show recalled, I had not one yet.

For months I had been admiring at Jack’s gallery, a painting he did of a Black Madonna and Child. Magnificent! I was hemming and hawing about buying it.

When the Chart Show came about, I visited Jack and Bob’s tent. There was the Black Madonna and Child prominently hanging. I chastised Jack. What are you doing selling the painting? He correctly responded that I had not bought it for months and he had to make a living.

I bought the painting on the spot for $4,000. It proudly hangs in my Key West living room to this day.

Enjoy your Sunday!

This new Google thing sucks! Has me all confused!

Enjoyed doing yesterday’s Internet show. Hope you enjoyed watching.

Viewers email and telephone me after the show. Some run into me and tell me. The topic that most interested them. Yesterday it was Apple and why Apple does most of its manufacturing in China. An eye opener! For me and others.

After the show, I hustled over to Plantation Coffee on Caroline. My new coffee watering hole. The thing that excites me the most about the place is it has parking. Parking is a problem in Key West.

Relaxed. Sat reading the Key West and Miami papers. Sipped coffee.

The Big Ten Sports Bar is finally open. Congratulations John Lukas. It was a long hardous journey. The good guys won out, however! You made it! You climbed the highest mountain, swam the deepest river.

I stopped in at cocktail time. The place was packed. Boisterous. Old home week atmosphere.

I look forward to many happy times there with John and his crew.

Next was the Chart Room. Sweet Emily bartending. Sheila and David drinking. All good people. I enjoyed.

The Chart Room was noisy for a while. There is an organized scavenger hunt nightly in Key West. They invaded the Chart Room. Looking for a pink flamingo. Emily finally relented and pulled the bird out from behind some bottles of vodka. The scavengers went crazy! Adults playing children’s games. That is what Key West is about.

Stopped at Outback for dinner. Needed a good old fashioned steak after all the fancy eating I have been doing.

Anna was with me the whole day, except for the Internet show. She shopped while I was on the air. Bought some clothes. Tells me everything is considerably cheaper here in the States than in Italy. Surprised me. Twenty five years ago when I spent a month in Italy, I got 2,100 lire for every American dollar. A terrific exchange. Everything was dirt cheap in Italy. The reverse is true today.

This afternoon at one Syracuse basketball. Syracuse plays West Virgina. I will be at the Sports page Bar watching.

Enjoy your day!

Early and dark! It’s not even 6 and I am up!

My Internet show this morning. The Key West Lou Legal Hour.

I have to get up early to be ready for it. The show is at 10 this morning. www.konkbroadcasting.com.

In addition to topics shared yesterday, today’s show will include a Governor Walker update, down and dirty Presidential politics, birth control and Obama care, an Afghan woman who had sextuplets, a troublemaker in the Vatican, Budweiser lowering its liquor levels, an Oklahoma senator who wants to ban the use of human fetuses in food, and more.

Current information shared. Some bordering on lunacy. Always interesting.

I spent most of the day sitting on the deck preparing for today’s show.

My house guest Anna from Milan cooked again for lunch. What a lunch! What an experience!

Anna prepared vetello townato. In English, veal with tuna sauce. Everything is veal with the Milanese. Anna is learning that veal is difficult to find in Key West.

The veal is first boiled. Then thinly sliced. Covered with a delicious white sauce. The sauce is what does it. The sauce consists of tuna, lemon, a slice of bread, milk and capers. All thrown in a blender at one time. The white sauce resulting. Notice, nothing bad in the sauce.

The sauce is poured over the thinly sliced veal and refrigerated. When cold, the dish is served. Magnifico!

The Chart Room first last night. Cheryl and Roger leaving. They stayed to have a drink with us. Emily bartending. We enjoyed some good laughable conversation.

I wanted chicken wings. Amazing! From that great Milanese dish for lunch to good old chiclken wings for dinner!

It was Kelley’s. Poor Anna. She does not eat like this. However, a trouper. She enjoyed the wings. At least she said so.

Show time soon! Again, please join me at 10 this morning if you can.

Enjoy your day!