A BOYSENBERRY MOMENT

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The 1967 movie Guess Who’s Coming To Dinner came to mind yesterday. Starred Spencer Tracy, Katharine Hepburn, and Sidney Poitier.

Tracy and Hepburn are surprised by their daughter bringing home an African-American she wants to marry. The couple wants the parents’ approval. It must be given by midnight as the husband to be is off on a plane for Paris and the daughter wants to go with him.

Hepburn accepts her daughter’s decision. Through most of the movie, Tracy not.

Tracy and Hepburn go for a ride to talk things over. Tracy wants ice cream. They stop at an ice cream parlor. Tracy orders boysenberry. The last time he had boysenberry was at the same ice cream parlor 20 years earlier.

The boysenberry did not taste the same. Tracy made a face and complained to the server. The young lady looked at Tracy as if to say it was 20 years ago.

I am in Coconut Grove over night. The Volkswagen needed tuning at a Volks dealer. Staying at the Ritz Carlton.

The last time I was in Coconut Grove was 20 years ago. Stayed at the Ritz Carlton then, also. Still a great hotel. Totally remodeled.

Took an afternoon walk into Coconut Grove’s main area. Could not find anything I was looking for. Restaurants, stores, etc. from 20 years ago.

Stopped for lunch at an interesting pub. A good choice!

I asked the young lady serving where this and that was. She knew nothing of what I was talking about. I had told her I had last been in the Grove 20 years ago. She finally looked at me and said…..That was 20 years ago!

Just like the ice cream girl indicated to Spencer Tracy.

I thought to myself…..Louis, you got old and sound old. I am and sometimes do.

Joe’s Stone Crab for dinner last night. Always good, always the best!

The waiter told me Martha Stewart was two tables behind me and Billy Crystal at the other end of the room. Saw Stewart. Could not see Crystal.

I pick up the car at noon. Needed a lot of work. I have to return as they do not have all the parts necessary.

Tons of interesting things in this morning’s Key West Citizen.

The County Commission voted to buy a third helicopter. $2.5 million for a used one rehabilitated. A good move!

The Key West hospital is a large urgent care center. Size immaterial. It is the service that is available. Ergo, it is necessary to helicopter serious cases to Miami for care. In life and death situations where time is of the essence.

The County charges the patient only what his/her insurance pays. If no insurance, the charge is nothing. Applies only to County residents.

To contrast, the City Commission committed Key West to start  construction on the almost $4 million amphitheater. By a 4-2 vote.

The project is not ready for construction. Income costs have not been determined, parking for 1,500 cars not resolved, street access not worked out, etc..

There is a rush to begin construction. I cannot figure it out. I guarantee the final cost will be well above $4 million. Every thing Key West does is always astronomical in the end. The result of poor planning in the beginning.

David Wolkowsky rarely writes a Letter to the Editor. He did and it appeared in this morning’s Citizen. Short and to the point.

A Key West Naval History exhibit has opened at the Custom house. David attended.

Cori Convertino is curator. Cori, a Chart Room acquaintance. David said of the exhibit, “…..a major triumph for Cori Convertino, the curator.”

I must see the exhibit.

Enjoy your day!

GOING LIVE WITH KEY WEST LOU

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My new show debuts monday morning. Going Live with Key West Lou. On Facebook. The path to the show is Key West Lou and Live.

I will be available on everyone’s cell phones.

You will be able to see me as well as hear me. Not sure whether you will enjoy the show. Time will tell.

Several comments a day. Each short. Thirty to sixty seconds. Politics, social matters, sports, etc. Whatever turns me on at the moment. From wherever I am.

The show will be archived. You can find me any time of the day and listen/watch the shows to that time.

Today busy. A haircut with Lori. She is off for a three day/two night cruise to the Bahamas with friends. Says she did it before. Fun.

Fine tuned my blog talk radio show.

A hurried dinner at 5 Guys.

Show in the evening. Loved sharing Teddy Roosevelt’s story how he saved football. He did. I had minimal comments re the inauguration. Did comment, however.

Doing this blog early. Before 5 in the morning. Have to leave for Miami. Time for the Volkswagen to be tuned up. I need some clothes. Will shop while car being tuned.

Enjoy your day!

 

 

 

FB STARS MANGIA MANGIA BRICK THROWER

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Early Monday morning, a man threw a brick through Mangia Mangia’s window and then ran. He will not run far. The entire episode was recorded on a security video camera.

The video somehow showed up on Facebook. It was all over Facebook yesterday. It will not be difficult to catch the culprit.

The weather has turned. Finally. The days are warm as they should be this time of the year. The evenings comfortable.

Key West’s grande dame and most respected woman died recently. Edith Amsterdam. A Celebration of her Life will be held saturday from 1-4 on the Curry Mansion porch. The Curry Mansion property will not be large enough to accommodate those who attend. Edith was well loved.

Yesterday was a typical tuesday. A run to Walgreens and Publix. The afternoon spent fine tuning last night’s blog talk radio show Tuesday Talk with Key West Lou.

A couple of topics garnered the most interest. Bou Bou and Venezuela.

Bou Bou is the baby sleeping in a play pen in the middle of the night when a SWAT tam in Cornelia, Georgia broke into the house. Flash bang grenades were thrown as the police rushed in. One of the grenades fell on the pillow next to baby Bou Bou’s face. Disfigurement the result. Bou Bou today at 19 months looks like a waif in a war torn country walking down a street. The child’s face twisted and scarred.

A judge approved Bou Bou’s settlement against the responsible parties friday. $3.6 million. I broke down the figure to show how much actually would be left for Bou Bou after attorney fees and medical bills. I questioned whether it was enough.

Venezuela. The country that ran out of toilet paper four years ago. Still  out of toilet paper. Out of food, also. And, money. Venezuela is in the process of liquidating what is left of its gold reserve. Not to provide food and toilet paper to it citizens. To pay debt interest to banks and other countries.

Enjoy your day!

 

 

MANGROVE MAMA’S

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Infrequently over the years, I have stopped at Mangrove Mama’s. Probably because it is the other way on US 1. My car goes to Key West and back. Not often in the opposite direction.

I had dinner last night at Mangrove Mama’s. Simple. A lobster reuben sandwich at the their small intimate bar. Delicious.

Mangrove Mama’s is at mile marker 19. A large complex. Has always appeared to me to consist of several small buildings somehow poorly joined together. The thought occurred last night that I did not know much about Mangrove Mama’s. So, I learned and share the information acquired with you.

The buildings are more than 100 years old.  Built 1905-1912. Note that buildings is plural. Originally a railroad stop and station agent home for Flagler railroad. Years after the demise of the railroad, the property opened as a restaurant. During winter months only. The name Mangrove Mama’s is the name of one of the first owners.  Rather what she was known as.

Over the years, Mangrove Mama’s has become an oasis for tourists wandering through and a watering hole for locals.

Educating myself re Mangrove Mama’s, I came across another interesting piece of information. Sugarloaf! How did it get its name?

There is a fruit named Sugarloaf Pineapple. Extensively grown on Kauai in the Hawaiian Islands. Different from pineapples as we know them. Ours are yellow inside. Sugarloaf ones white.

Sugarloaf pineapples were once grown on Sugarloaf. I am not aware if now. Whatever, the name Sugarloaf is derived from the Sugarloaf Pineapple.

There is another school that claims Sugarloaf got its name from an Indian mound in the area. Could be. However, the consensus seems to be from the Sugarloaf pineapple.

The Supreme Court decision yesterday re Obamacare a correct one. I am happy for us as a Nation. There are still many out there crying for repeal. TV last night was full of Republicans saying they would continue the fight for repeal. They are Don Quixotes fighting windmills.

Social Security has been with us since the early 1930s. In the early 1950s, there were still anti-Social Security zealots calling for its repeal. It was hard for them to accept that Social Security was a fait accompli. So it will be with Obamacare.

Major events today in Charleston. Some burials, the President speaking, etc. Removal of the Confederate flag part and parcel of the goings on. Take the flag down!

Most assume the Confederate flag has been flying to represent the contrariness of Southerners over their Civil war defeat. Not exactly so. The Confederate flag was of no particular concern to most southerners till 1954. The Supreme Court decided Brown v. Board of Education. A civil rights decision. Southerners began flying the flag at that time. As a symbol of their opposition to blacks having equal rights. Southerners adopted the flag as a silent voice in opposition. For this reason alone, the flag must come down.

My column America, Land of the Free appears in KONK Life which is on the stands. It also appeared in KONK E-News Blast this morning. Coincidently, it was linked to my Key West Lou website on Facebook this morning.

Read the article. You will enjoy! The title was written with tongue in cheek.

My blog e-mails sometimes swifter that the media. I have blog readers everywhere.

ISIS attacked a particular spot in France. My computer received three reports re the incident at 5 this morning. All to report the happening. One report from a French reader. The other two from persons in Italy.

The report was soon followed by another. A second attack. Assumed to be terrorist. In Soussee, Tunisia. At a French resort on the water. My friends reported people were shot at while sun bathing. One reported 13 dead. Another 1.

Enjoy your day!