An uneventful day yesterday.

A drive to Miami. Lunch at the Loreli on the way up.

A quiet evening.

A quiet day ahead.

Talk with you tomorrow.

No question! Fantasy Fest has arrived!

There is a spirit in the air. I could feel it last night. If it continues, this is going to be one of the best Fantasy Fests ever!

Per my usual custom, I started my evening last night at the Chart Room.

When I arrived, there were only a few people. Michael was bartending.

Sheila was there. With two nieces from Indianapolos. Jeni and Angie. Young lovelies. Both school teachers. Jeni teaches kindergarten and Angie first grade. They are here for Fantasy Fest week.

They were getting into the mood. Having a good time.

Then Sean and Katherine came in. It was my first sense that Fantasy Fest was off and running.

Sean was dressed as a pirate. Terrific costume. Well done.

Katherine was spectacular! She was wearing some sort of black body outfit. Like a one piece bathing suit. Leather. And wings! Beautiful full black wings. Long blond hair. Eyes darkened with shadow.

A knockout!

Sean and Katherine were just dressed for the night. No where in particular to go. They intended to walk Duval.

They each have a different costume for each evening. They are really into Fantasy Fest!

Then about a dozen women came in. In their 20s and 30s. All lovely. All dressed in some sort of black costume.

When I saw them it dawned on me that last night was BD/SM evening. 801 and Kelley’s were having their annual whip and leather Fantasy Fest parties. And these ladies were apparently heading to one of them. Probably Kelley’s, as 801 is a gay men’s party.

The Fantasy Fest flavor really became evident when two of the women exposed their breasts, which did not take much to expose. A few sparkles covering their nipples. That was it!

I thought Fantasy Fest is really here!

I headed over to Antonia’s for dinner. Relatively quiet. The street was busy, but not the restaurant. It was not a sit and dine evening.

I chatted with owner friend Christopher. Christopher grew up in Turin, N.Y., about 15 miles north of my home town Utica. A nice guy. A hard worker.

When I left Antonia’s, there were a bunch of men dressed in black leather. I knew some of them. They were headed over to the party at 801.

Duval was full of people walking around. Many costumed. There was a giddiness in the air.

Again, Fantasy Fest was here!

I did the BD/SM party scene last year for the first time at Kelley’s. Went with friends Donna Barnett and Terri White. An interesting experience! I lasted all of an hour and a half.

It was a one time experience for me. Interesting is the best way I can describe it. Whatever rocks a person’s boat.

Those last comments sound judgmental. I do not mean them that way. Leather costumes are very expensive. The parties are extremely crowded. Hard to even lift your arm to enjoy your drink. And seeing people getting their asses whipped does not do it for me.

I went home to bed to watch the end of the Philadelphia/Washington football game. A good game. Philadelphia and Donovan McNabb won.

Enjoy your day!

Sunday was another relatively quiet day for me.

Layed in bed in the morning. Watched Meet the Press and Chris Matthews. And a rerun of a Sopranos show.

Then to Don’s Place for pro football and socialization.

The whole world is at Don’s Place on a Sunday afternoon. The names are too many to mention. But it is the place to be. And fun!

Poor Angus! Angus works at Schooner’s Wharf. More importantly, he was one of my team mates in the golf tournament Don’s Place sponsored several months ago. The tournament we won! Angus was on crutches and had one leg casted. He fell at work and broke his ankle.

A tough break! I like that statement. It works two ways.

Later in the afternoon I went to Lisa’s. I was scheduled for Sunday night dinner with the family. Corey and Lisa were taking Cameron, Robert and Ally to the Fort Zachrey Taylor haunted house. A Fantasy Fest/halloween event.

I was not in the mood. I wanted to continue watrching football and then golf. So off they went. I stayed at Lisa’s hunched down is a very comfortable easy chair watching TV.

A couple of hours later the family returned. Ally was non stop talk telling me all about the scary things she saw. With such excitment! As only the young can tell you something.

Dinner was terrific. Lisa cooks well. I stuffed myself.

Then I hurried home. I intended to stay in last night. The Yankees game!

I was up till after midnight watching the game. The Yankees won! Now to the World Series!

I should be rested because I stayed in. But I stayed up late…..for me. So I am tired this morning.

I can’t win!

Enjoy your day!

Yesterday was quiet and not as planned.

I was up early to babysit. Spent the morning with Robert and Ally. Quiet and uneventful.

Then to the coffee shop on Duval to read the New York papers. Sat outside. Had a double cafe mocha. Watched the people going by. There are a lot of tourists. Fantasy Fest has begun.

I had lunch at home. Watched some college football on TV. Decided to stay in and watch the Yankee game last nighjt.

Made myself a light dinner. When finished, crawled in bed. Turned on TV for the baseball game.

No game!

The Yankee game had been rained out. Rescheduled for today.

I had already eaten. Was in bed. Had no desire to get up, dress and go out. So I spent the evening watching old movies and falling asleep early.

It was a welcome easy evening.

Today will be different. Unless the whole world gets rained out.

It is Sunday. Sunday is Meet the Press, Don’s Place for pro football, the grandkids, Kate Miano’s Gardens and Larry Smith at the Wine Galley. Plus all the Sunday papers to read.

Enjoy your day!

Great time last night! Fantasy Fest has arrived! Goombay!

Goombay is a Caribbean street festival. Food, music and drink. And tons of people.

When I was a kid, I lived in East Utica. The Italian section of the city. There was a similar street festival every year.

It was called the Feast of Saints Cosmo and Damien. Just like Goombay, but everything Italian. Goombay took me back to the Italian feasts of my youth.

Everything was perfect last night. Including the weather. A bit on the cool side. A relief when you were in the middle of a jam packed street with tons of body heat surrounding you.

The evening started at the old Crabby Dick’s on Duval. I was meeting Don and a bunch from Don’s Place.

Crabby Dick’s has reopened and is now known as the Bilmar Station. I asked, but could not get an answer as to where the name came from.

Bilmar Station is a sports bar. The booze is reasonably priced. The menu interesting and cheap. Large heated salted pretzels went over big last night. And locals get a discount.

Jerry Freshko is the general manager. He is originally from Orange County in New York. Near Newburgh. A good guy with a good personality.

We were a pretty large group. Don and Stephanie. Michael and Nancy. Jimmy and Joanie. David. Keith and his girl friend. Jules. And others.

We had a few drinks preparatory to the street walk.

Goombay is held in a several block area of Petronia Street.

Our group was too large to make the trip together. Too many people. We had agreed to meet at Blue Heaven when each of us was done wandering around. Blue Heaven is at the other end of Petronia Street. A perfect location to reunite.

I met tons of people I knew along the way. One was Jean Thornton and her husband Joe. Love Jean! Saw many faces I had seen in a while.

There is only so much I can take of a crowded street scene. Especially since I am a bit claustrophobic. So I was the first to arrive at Blue Heaven.

The place was packed tight! No relief from claustrophobia.

Blue heaven is an outside restaurant and bar.

Somehow I lucked out and immediately grabbed an empty corner seat at the bar. The right place at the right time sort of thing.

I was wearing a Key West Lou T-shirt that Lisa had made up for sale on her internet department store Via Key West. Some guy was starring at me from about ten feet away. He came over to talk. His name was Harry and he was from Cleveland. He asked if I read Key West Lou. He told me he reads it every day. I told him I was Key West Lou! He brought the wife and another couple over to chat. Nice people.

Harry visits Key West a couple of times a year. At some point, he and his wife will buy here. They love Key West!

At one point a young girl came up to the bar and stood next to me. All of 12 or 13 years old. Turned out to be Donna Barnett’s granddaughter. Her mother is a manager at Blue Heaven. Donna’s granddaughter remembered me from a Jewish holiday I celebrated at her home and dinner parties at grandma Donna’s home.

Don and the rest of the crew finally showed up. Jimmy and Joanie were lugging a heavy dark statue of an African woman. Joanie told me she once was in Ghana. The statue cost them $50. The vendor initially wanted $500. Not typical of Key West. I have to believe the vendor was from outside the area.

I stayed a couple of hours and had a wonderful time drinking and chatting with everyone. Then I had it! I said my good nights and headed to my car. Which was parked many blocks away! The walk did me good. I drove home with the top down. And would you believe, it was only 11 o’clock when I climbed into bed.

I have to huistle now. Babysitting this morning. Lisa is getting her hair done and Corey has to work.

Remember to take a look at Lisa’s internet Key West department store. www.viakeywest.com.

Talk with you tomorrow!

Lisa’s Key West internet department store Via Key West has been open less than a week. Sales are starting to come in. Biggest seller to date? Key West Lou T-shirts! 17 ordered so far. Orders for the T-shirt have been received from all over the world. Crete, India, England and France. And several States.

Wow! Amazing!

Take a look at Via Key West. http://www.viakeywest.com/. It’ll only take a minute. Lisa did a great job! Interesting Key West pieces. All price ranges.

Bocci last night! We did good. Won 2 out of 3 games.

We won the first decisively. Lost a close second game.

The third game was interesting. We were down 11-5. Not good.

I was playing poorly in the third game. As bad as I play golf. I just lost the touch!

My team members were playing well. It was me. When one player is off, it is like playing with 3 team members instead of 4.

Jules was my partner. She was doing her thing. But it was no good if I did not set her up with my shots. David and Don at the other end of the court carried us in that third game. They super achieved.

David is our captain and was visibly upset with me. As he should have been.

We got close.The score was 15-14. We had 14. The game and match were ours to lose. Jules and I. The polina and balls were at our end of the court to throw.

I redeemed myself. Two great shots! Two points! We won the game and match. My prior poor play in the game was forgotten. All was forgiven. It was like hitting a home run with the bases full in the bottom of the ninth!

Afterwards was drinking time and watching the Yankees get beat. Sad they lost. I am a Yankee fan.

Yesterday morning I stopped at KONK 1680 AM. Had my picture taken for publicity purposes. Chatted a bit.

The radio show starts Thursday Novemeber 5 at 1:00 pm. It will be a weekly one hour talk show. The subject matter will be the law. There will be guests and telephone call ins. And me. Hope it works out well. I never did this before.

A name for the show has been decided on. The Key West Lou Legal Hour. What else!

KONK 1680 AM radio is located on White Street across from Fausto’s. There was a building next door to the radio station till about 2 months ago. It burned down.

After the clean up, an empty lot remained. No longer. It is now Sand Isle.

Someone has opened a huge sand box. Adults play in the sand. Actually, they work. Sculpting beautiful statues of people and things. Impressive.

Besides sculpting for sale, a school is being conducted. And the facility is also available for sand box parties.

Me thinks Sand Isle is a success story in the making!

I had lunch with Ally yesterday. She is still ailing, but getting better. Kids are always sick. Sad.

Tonight is the start of Fantasy Fest! It will be crazy time in Key West for the next 10 days!

Each night has different events scheduled. Tonight is Goombay! A street festival on Petronia Street. Caribbean food, drink and music will abound.

I am doing Goombay tonight with a bunch from Don’s Place. We are meeting at 6 at Crabby Dick’s. A few drinks and then onto Petronia Street!

It will be fun!

Have a good day!

Dinner time was crisis time last night!

Some hacker got into my Facebook site and gave me a virus. And in turn the virus was spread to many readers.

A tragedy! A pain!

It took about 2 hours to remedy the problem. Every thing supposedly ok now. But scarey. I guess some peopel just do not have anything better to do than screw up other people’s lives with their intelligence. I say this because from my perspective it takes a talented person to hack and plant a virus.

Golf was fun! Even though I played poorly as anticipated. Shot 10 strokes worse than the week before. Felt like a 100!

I played with Don, Aaron, Norm and Yankee Jack. Don and Norm are A players. Aaron and Yankee C players. And Louis a D player. However, Aaron excelled yesterday. He joined Don and Norm in shotting in the high 80s.

My ineptness cost me $12.

Golf tires me out at my age. So I generally go home to bed for a nap. Did so yesterday for 3 hours.

Upon arising, I discovered and delt with the hacker/virus problem.

Then off to the Chart Room. A good crowd again.

Chatted with Marty, Sean, Katherine and Captain Peter.

It was Marty’s last night in Key West. He is leaving again. He is off to Hallendale for a week.

We ate at the bar at La Trattoria. Erin bartending.

Duval had a good crowd. Noisy. Partying. Fantasy Fest starts friday. Perhaps they were early arrivers.

Then it was home to bed for me. And a good night’s sleep.

Ally is still sick. Running a fever. Will probably stay home from school today again.

Gandhi stood up to the mighty British and helped create a nation. His life molded a wise mind. Gandhi was an intellect, as well as fearless.

Many were his words of wisdom. For those out there who might be fraught with animosity, think of the following which Gandhi stated. “Holding a grudge is like taking poison and waiting for the other person to die.”

Enjoy your day!

Good morning world!

Everything is good again weatherwise here in Key West. Yesterday 88 degreees. Last night 77. No humidity.

What a terrific place to be!

Poor Ally is now sick. Lisa telephoned me when she picked up Ally to take her home from school. Ally has the bug. It started with Robert. Then Corey. Now Ally. Warned Lisa. She is next.

I stopped by to see Ally last night. Poor kid. You could see the fever in her eyes. And she was quiet. Children all look the same when they are ill.

Then I was off to the Chart Room.

Big Chart Room time last night! The place was packed.

I saw Che. The antlers are back. Che affixed them to a backboard and nailed the backboard to the wall. Good job, Che!

And hanging on one of the antlers was Captain Peter’s straw hat. Captain Peter’s personal and permanent hat rack from this time forward.

Marty, Dan, Candace, Sean, Katherine, Shiela, Jean and husband Joe, were there also. Everyone happy and giddy. It was in the air!

Mark was bartending. Friday’s costume party is Superheroes. What a sight that is going to be!

Marty and I walked across the street to the Hot Tin Roof for dinner at the bar. Jean and Joe were already there. Dan came in a bit later. Another fun time!

People are into being happy here in Key West. It should be contagious and spread everywhere!

The weather is perfect right now. It was sufficiently cool last night that air conditioning was not required. I slept with the doors and windows open. A cool breeze. And enough wind so that I could hear the ocean running by. One drawback. It kept waking me up.

Golf this morning. Since I played well last week, my game will probably revert. Such is life! Regardless, I enjoy playing. Even if I play poorly!

Enjoy your day!

I am late getting the blog out this morning. It is not the computer. That is fixed. It was Lisa and the grandkids.

My grandchildren Robert and Ally needed a baby sitter this morning. Early! I was up and out at 6 am. Yes, it was dark.

Lisa leaves for work at 7. Corey at 9. So getting the grandkids up and out for school is covered. However, this morning Corey had an early meeting in Key Largo. A 100 plus mile trip up the keys.

So Poppa was required to babysit.

Not bad. Robert and Ally wash and dress themselves. Lisa had already prepared their breakfasts. When the 3 of us were alone, we had very little chatter. They were more content to watch some early kid TV show.

It was easy!

It is 9 and I am now home. And finally getting down to today’s blog.

Fall has come and gone for Key West. We had our 2 day cold spell. Everything is back to normal.

I left the house at 8 am yesterday. It was 68 and cold. I left the house again at 6 last night to go watch Robert play soccer. It was 77 and slightly humid. Today the temperature will run from the high 80s by day down to the high 70s by night. Normalcy.

I had breakfast in the morning at Harpoon Harrys. Stayed a couple of hours sipping coffee and leafing through the papers. Then I had to go to Publix. The cupboard was bare. I was in desperate need of everything.

I spent the rest of the day working on my radio talk show which begins November 5 on KONK 1680 AM. I had to decide on topics and guests. Some of the shows will deal with criminal sentencing, the homeless, the death penalty, gay adoption, Truman annex, mediation, domestic issues, foreclosures, personal injury and the Mel Fisher legal saga. I lined up some guests. I am off and running! The show should be interesting!

Marty is back! My dinner lonliness is at an end. Till Marty leaves again!

I hooked up with Marty at the Chart Room. He was talking to a relatively young couple. Early to mid 40s. Marla and Scott. From LaFayette, Indiana.

I love Indiana people. Solid people. They have a sincerity and kindness about them. My son in law Corey is from Indiana and is such a person.

Marla and Scott are on their honeymoon. Second marriage for both. They were married two weeks ago. They are staying at the Pier House.

Marla is a real easte appraiser. She is busy in this down economy working with banks and other financial institutions in refinancing, foreclosures and the like. Scott is an undertaker. He is naturally busy also.

We talked basketball. I spoke of the Syracuse-Indiana Final Four game in New Orleans where Syracuse got beat by a point. They were not much interested in Indiana basketball. They are Purdue fans. First time I realized Purdue is located in Indiana. Anyhow, Marla and Scott told me that this may be Purdue’s year in basketball. They have 3 returning veterans who have played together since high school. They were very excited and positive about Purdue’s basketball fortunes this coming season.

Now I will have 2 college teams to watch religiously. Syracuse and Purdue.

Marty and I went over to Antonia’s for dinner. Very quiet. We sat at the bar.

I had a good time. Stayed later than normal. Usually I hurry home immediately after dinner. Last night I stayed and chatted a while longer with Marty.

Allen Wimer was there. I have not seen him in ages. He was having dinner with artist friend Tosh and some woman. It was good to chat with Allen for a few moments.

Allen went back into busness several years ago. He has and still does spend much time in the Orient. He came up with a towel that is pre wetted and cooled and stored in a small bag. He discovered the towel somewhere on one of his far east trips. A person uses the towel to cool himself/herself. The towel stays cool for a long period of time.

He now has a multi million dollar company. He sells the towels big time to professional sports for resale at their events. They are carried in all the major drug stores. He is a marketing genius!

Adam Levin is a man about town and a Facebook friend. Yesterday he had a tidbit on Facebook which bears repeating.

We are all familiar with the adage that before you criticize someone, walk a mile in their shoes. Adam has added another line. Adam says, “Before you criticize someone, walk a mile in their shoes. Then when you criticize them, you are a mile away and you have their shoes!”

Whatever.

Enjoy your day!

I am having computer problems this morning. Ergo, the blog will be short.

Cool weather the past two days. A welcome relief from the humidity.

Meet the Press interesting. Women’s rights a key topic. The show contrasted it as it was in 1972 with today. There used to be a cigarette called Virgina Slims. I don’t know if it is still around. Back in the late 1970s, it used to advertise with the slogan…..”You’ve come a long way, baby!”

They have!

Don’s Place fun. Every one bundled in their sweat shirts. Company always good at Don’s Place.

Last night was the Gardens. People appropriately dressed for the weater. The crowd a bit thin. Probably due to the cold.

Kate is giving up smoking! Starting Tuesday. Good luck, Kate!

Dinner at the bar at La Trattoria alone. Thank God Kathy was working! Or I would have been truly all alone!

I am surprised I got this far this morning. My computer has been acting silly and this is about the fifth time I have tried to get this blog out.

Have a happy day!