DAVID WOLKOWSKY’S PIER HOUSE MOTEL AT DUVAL-ON-THE-GULF

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The best laid plans of mice and men…..

Last night was to be Captain Tony’s at 8 for his 102nd birthday bash. Thought it would be fun. Locals and tourists combined.

Never made it.

I enjoy researching. Can be a trip! Occasionally, a drudge.

Began researching at 2 yesterday afternoon. I was right into it. It was quickly 7. I was enjoying myself. Decided to skip Captain Tony’s party. I was confident he would not miss me.

I worked till 2 am. Dead this morning.

Tomorrow morning from 10 to noon, Terri White sings! With Larry Baeder at Hard Rock Cafe. Brunch time. Terri will be appearing every sunday morning with Larry.

I plan on having brunch at Hard Rock tomorrow morning. My lady entertains!

David Wolkowsky is responsible for the Key West of today. No one had his vision when he opened the Pier House in 1968. Actually, on this day in 1968.

Called the operation the Pier House Motel-At-Duval-On-The-Gulf. Fifty rooms.

David a person who could see whether others could not. The Duval location was nothing but a mud pit when he decided to develop it.

David has had many accomplishments. One notable is Jimmy Buffett. Buffett will tell you David was the first person in Key West to pay him to sing. In the Pier House Chart Room, of course.

David not yet a 100. He has a ways to go. He will be 99 later this month. I received my invitation to his birthday party yesterday.

Mom’s Tea Room was a popular place back in the 1930’s and 1940’s. A bar with ladies of the night. Even in the day time.  A house of ill repute. A whore house.

If my recollection is correct, she operated at different times at 3 locations. Two in Key West and one on Stock Island. The authorities kept closing her down. The local police were not concerned. The federal government was. The Navy base was large in those days. The Navy did not feel it proper for their men to frequent a place like Mom’s.

On this day in 1941, Mom’s Tea Room was located near Fort Zachery Taylor. The constabularies raided the place. Three of Mom’s ladies were arrested.

Recall the power outage I reported this week. The one that occurred thursday night while I was at the Blue Macaw. The power outage was caused by a sailboat that struck a transmission line at the north end of the Seven Mile Bridge.

Irma beat up the Key West Shipwreck Museum. Located at 1 Whitehead. Recently reopened. The Museum has a 65 foot tower. The view spectacular. The island and Key West Harbor.

The Museum and tower are free to locals through September 30. Take advantage!

The U.S. Navy and Coast Guard are friends. We have lived together since way before World War II.

Friends take care of each other.

This past week, a fishing boat was out 63 miles northwest of Key West. A man on board was thought to have had a heart attack. The Naval Air Station was called. A Coast Guard boat arrived swiftly.

The crew recognized the man required immediate attention. A helicopter was called. The helicopter arrived in 9 minutes.

A medic was lowered from the helicopter. Arranged for the man to be lifted to the helicopter. He was flown to Lower Keys Medical Center. He is in stable condition.

Today and tomorrow tumultuous ones. Our country’s dark side will be exposed. Today, Charlottesville. Tomorrow, Washington, D.C.

Today is the one year anniversary of what could be described as the Charlottesville race riot. A wound opened. Exposed. A President who indicated support for the bad guys. By so doing, blatantly evidencing his racism.

White nationalists were on the march. Persons of color and those supporting them in opposition.

The vermin came out of the woodwork.

White nationalists are pro-white. Supportive of those who have come to America from European countries. They are white. Nazis at heart. Supportive of Hitler and his beliefs. Anti-Semitic.

An advanced U.S. group consists of those with extreme far right leanings. They are known as the alt-right. Whether extreme, all are white supremacists.

They Heil Hitler! Use the Nazi verbiage, Sieg Heil!

Primarily young. Difficult to distinguish or be aware of their political leanings. Your next door neighbor.

They believe white people are a race unto themselves. Whites presently are a majority in the U.S. They want to maintain that majority. They believe non-whites are on a mission of genocide to destroy whites. They seek to protect their own.

They are anti-immigration. Immigration allows additional non-whites to enter the country.

Trump supports them. They support Trump. They are part of the hard-core Republican conservative base that supports Trump.

They claim history supports their position.

The Naturalization Act of 1790 set forth the rules for granting naturalized citizenship. Immigration was limited to those who were “free white persons” of “good moral character.”

The law remained such till the adoption of the 14th Amendment in 1868. Did not blanket cover everyone, however. Granted citizenship only to black people born in the U.S.

The issue as to other non-whites was resolved in U.S. v. Wong Kim Ark in 1898. Allowed for naturalization to be available to everyone.

John C. Calhoun is a respected historical figure. Never the less, he was pro white and anti all other persuasions. He said, “We have never dreamt of incorporating into our Union any but the Caucasian race – the free white race…..Ours, sir, is the Government of a white people.”

I took the time this morning to spell out in some detail the background, etc. re the white nationalists. They are the enemy of our democracy. They seek to change it. By so doing, destroy it.

You will hear much on the media today and tomorrow re Charlottesville and Washington happenings. Our country may bleed a little.

Understand what is going on.

Enjoy your day!

 

TED WILLIAMS / CROSSING US 1

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Baseball great Ted Williams was a fisherman. Loved it! Spent many years in waters off Islamorada fishing. While still a major leaguer and then in retirement.

One of Williams’ favorite haunts was the Lorelei. An on the water eatery and bar on the Gulf side. My favorite lunch and watering hole when in Islamorada.

The Chart Room at the Pier House is of historical significance. Many stories have emanated therefrom. One being that Jimmy Buffett got his first paying job playing and singing there. Buffett has always credited David Wolkowsky for having given him his first paying job playing and singing in the Chart Room.

The Lorelei has its stories also. One involves Ted Williams. It is said Ted Williams sold his home and moved out of the Keys when he had to start waiting for a break in traffic to cross US 1.

Accepted as true.

Getting back to David Wolkowsky, on this day in 1967 David began construction of the Pier House Motel. Fifty units. The predecessor of today’s Pier House Resort. David built the Reach and many other properties in Key West. He is now 97 and still active.

Key West and Jimmy Buffett might not have been were it not for David Wolkowsky.

Yesterday was sunday. I spent it as the Lord’s Day. Did nothing. Never left home. Laid around reading and napping.

Till 6:30. Syracuse/Georgia Tech time. Georgia Tech’s time definitely. Beat Syracuse 71-65. Syracuse played a poor second half and deserved to lose.

Oh Syracuse, my Syracuse! Please win the next and last three league scheduled games!

Early American colonists may very well have invented scalping. Not Indians.

On this day in 1725, a group of American colonists engaged in scalping. A posse of New Hampshire volunteers came across a band of encamped Indians. The colonists took 10 scalps.

Ten being the most significant number taken to that date by colonists.

Boston colonial authorities were no longer good neighbors with the Indians. They were paying a bounty of 100 pounds per scalp.

Not the first time the colonists had abused their Indian neighbors.

In the 1600s, a group of colonists attacked and defeated a large band of Indians. Beheaded many of them. Then played a form of ice hockey down the streets using the Indian heads as pucks.

The colonists involved were mostly immigrated from Europe. Where did they learn scalping and beheading? Europe or the colonies?

Go Live LIVE! The several short videos I am doing on Facebook each day has already developed a significant following. Many comments. Interestingly, those providing comments are a different group from those sharing their views here.

Try to see and hear Go Live with Key West Lou. SHARE it with your friends. Help me to develop a following.

Enjoy your day!

 

 

TRUMP OVERLOAD

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Seventy seven minutes. The time spent by Trump yesterday being interviewed by the press.

A free wheeling interview.

Comments are many. I will limit mine to one: Overload. The President looked as if the job was getting to him. Tired. Slow. His responses not as they once were.

The specifics you can get from the media.

One thing concerns me at the moment. Those who supported Trump in the election still support him. After all that has been seen his first month in office.

I hope they will not complain if a catastrophe befalls us.

Lori for a haircut yesterday morning. I went to bed after doing the blog. Slept through my appointment. Lori took me later in the day.

Her new salon is filling out. Pics on the wall, plants on the floor.

Anna brought me home made pierogies. Always delicious!

My cooking of them has always left something to be desired. They stick to the pan, break up, etc. Anna told me how to do it.

Bring the water to a boil before placing the pierogies in. They will sink to the bottom. Stir constantly to prevent them from sticking to the pan. Stir until the pierogies float.

I stirred, they floated and none broke up.

Melted some butter. Poured it over the pierogies. Then a touch of salt and pepper. Voila! A gourmet treat!

The Chart Room last night. Chatted with David and John.

A young lady sitting to my right. I figured early 20s. Turned out to be 26. Thin. Lovely. Great skin.

A different generation. Tattoos. All over. A small diamond on her left cheek bone.

Her name Panda. Showed me her right hand. Starting with the thumb, PANDA spelled out. One letter to each appendage.

Her life not easy. She thinks she has her life finally in order. Attending college. A psychology major. Wants to help people who might be screwed up as she once was.

Lives in Fort Pierce. First time in Key West. Fun for a few days.

I wish her well.

A fellow whose name turned out to be Bill came over and asked if I was Key West Lou. He was excited. Did my heart good. He has been reading me for 10 years.

Bill is from Sarasota. His son is getting married this weekend in Key West. At the Hemingway House. Catered by La Trattoria. The reception a guaranteed winner.

Bill is a home builder. Unique. He builds homes in  the Caribbean. Starting price $12 million.

I hope we run into each other again before he leaves town. An interesting person. I would like to get to know him better. Time was limited last night. He had a slew of wedding guests with him.

Did you ever have a desire for a certain food? Of course. We all occasionally do. Mine for a couple of days was a big greasy cheeseburger.

I stopped at 5 Guys on the way home. Not greasy, but good!

I was home in bed before nine o’clock. Watched a 1932 Myrna Loy movie.

On this day in 1972, Dustin Hoffman and his family spent the weekend in Key West. At David Wolkowsky’s Pier House Motel. Today, the gigantic and elaborate Pier House Resort. Big trees from little acorns grow.

Syracuse/Georgia Tech sunday at 6:30. Syracuse needs to win. The NCAA tournament is slipping away. They are talking about Syracuse being one of the four bubble teams having to play their way in.

Russia has a spy ship 30 miles off the Connecticut coast. Opposite Groton, a submarine base.

Many getting excited. Don’t understand why. Russian ships have been in international waters off the U.S. for years. Once beyond the 12 mile limit, waters are international.

We do the same thing to them off their coast line.

No reason for excitement/concern.

Go Live with Key West Lou on Facebook doing well. In two weeks, the volume of viewers has increased 40 percent.

Take a look. See me. I talk about anything and everything several times a day. Short comments. One to five minutes.

I ask one favor. If you watch, press SHARE so all your followers will have the show made available to them. I am obviously trying to increase my viewer followers.

Enjoy your day!

HERMINE ON ITS WAY?

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I continue to learn.

Had I not decided to spend the last end of my life in Key West, I would have known little about hurricanes. Still little. However more than I knew back then.

The hurricane Gaston is out there some where. It will not make US landfall.

However…..Behind Gaston is tropical wave 99L. Tropical wave and with a number new to me. A tropical wave can turn into a tropical depression/storm. A tropical depression/storm can turn into a hurricane.

We have been told tropical wave 99L is behind Gaston. Also behind Puerto Rico. It is some 900 miles away. Presently over or soon to be over Hispaniola. Hispaniola and Puerto Rico part of the Greater Antilles.

Whether 99L turns into a tropical storm or hurricane depends what happens as 99L passes over Hispaniola. Hispaniola’s mountains are 10,000 feet. 99L could break up as it passes over the mountains. Such would be the end of any hurricane danger.

Whatever 99L is after the mountains will determine what will happen as regards the southern US. Could be a heavy wind/rain storm. Or, a hurricane.

If 99L turns into a tropical storm or hurricane, it will receive a new name. Hermine.

Whether wind and rain, tropical storm, or hurricane, it will be over the Keys sunday, monday and tuesday.

Truman Capote died on this day in 1984. Best known for In Cold Blood.

Capote once spent a couple of months in Key West. He booked into David Wolkowsky’s Pier House as it stood at that time. Wolkowsky lived in a trailer next to the Pier House ten feet from the water.

Capote was in a suite. After arriving, he was in Wolkowsky’s trailer having a drink. Wolkowsky’s trailer was very well done. Capote said I want to stay here. Wolkowsky said this is my home. So the conversation went on. Wolkowsky finally relented and gave up his trailer to Capote. Wolkowsky moved into Capote’s suite.

I intended to start my evening at the Back Door with Mark Watson. Closed. Mark never shows up if it is raining. The Back Door is outside.

It was not raining at 5. It had stopped around noon. The sun was out and blazing hot at 5.

Mark just wanted a night off.

I went inside to Aqua’s main bar. Rick Dery bartending. My Joe’s Chicken Shack friends Tim and Todd at the bar. Sat and talked with them. Good guys. One drink only.

Then to Sq. 1. John recently purchased it. Wanted to congratulate John. John not there. Met Ryan. The new bartender. All the employees were new. Recognized none of them

I asked if Jay was cooking. Ryan asked me who Jay was. Guess Jay is gone, too.

Ryan has only been in Key West one month. From Montana.

I enjoyed an appetizer and one drink.

Then home. Before 9. Early to bed.

Disaster!

I fell going up the stairs! Stubbed my toe on the last step. Went flying.

My fault. I was hurrying up the steps and not looking. At my age, I am not supposed to do either. No reason to hurry. No one waiting for me in bed.

At my age, when you fall, you fall hard. My nose. Where the bridge of my glasses rest. Thought I broke my nose. Swollen this morning. A bit bruised. A couple of small cuts. Talked to my doctor. Does not think it is broken. Don’t worry about it.

My wrists and knees hurt. Really bad. My left arm/shoulder, also.

I had a cut on my left foot shin bone. Bled more than a small cut should have.

My major problem after a fall is getting up. Big time difficult!

Whatever, I am alive and well this morning.

The Custom House celebrates its 125th birthday this year. Construction was completed 1891. At the time, housed federal offices. Courts, post office, etc. The building plans used were from a previous federal construction.  The new federal building in Aberdeen, Mississippi completed in 1887.

The William Hackley saga continues. Baby still sick. Fever till 2 in the afternoon. Fever returned in the evening. Matilda’s breasts continue to be a problem. Boil on one broke. Painful.

Hackley called for the doctor in the evening. To check out Baby. The doctor had a bit of a concern. He had just returned from treating a smallpox patient. He was concerned whether he should visit the child.

The doctor finally decided it was ok. He had no knowledge of anyone becoming infected by a doctor who had recently cared for a smallpox victim.

Glad we live today rather than back then.

Bob Saraceno and wife Sue are in town. Will be getting together with them at some point.

Enjoy your day!

 

SOME KEY WEST HISTORY

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Big trees from little acorns grow…..

The Pier House Motel opened this date in 1968. Fifty units. From that modest beginning, the Pier House of today grew. Key West’s premier hotel.

My friend from physiotherapy David Wolkowsky responsible. The 50 unit motel was his brain child. The hotel’s growth guided by his hand.

David is 96. God bless him!

David has been responsible for more than merely the growth of the Pier House. Key West is his baby! He made it what it is today.

Mom’s Tea Room was once a popular place. Always busy. A man’s place. A whore house, house of ill repute, bordello. It is no more.

On this date in 1941, Mom’s Tea Room was raided. Three prostitutes arrested.

Not Mom’s first raid/arrest. The U.S. Navy a thorn in her side. Weighed on local government to close down the place. The Navy believed the place was not healthy for its men.

This is not the first time this blog has reported on Mom’s Tea Room. Twice before. April 9, 2015 and February 8, 2016. More detail in each writing. The blogs are archived on www.keywestlou.com. Right hand side of page, scroll down. Find month and year. Click on. Find date.

The owner of Mom’s Tea Room was Rose Rabin. She ran three places over the years. One off and on Stock Island through 1953. Another on Truman Avenue before World war II. The third a post World War II place known as the Imperial Club. The Navy was on her ass re all her clubs.

Whore houses are a thing of the past. Today are primarily escort services and gentlemen’s clubs (strip clubs). Services the same. Merely obtained via a different method.

Walked Home Depot yesterday. Only 15 minutes and at a slow pace. Exhausted afterwards. Concerns me.

While walking, I heard from Dee. She was calling from somewhere in Michigan.

Dee worked 30 years for AIDS-Help here in Key West. Her boss during those years died this week. She was in Michigan to attend his services. She is scheduled as one of the speakers.

Dee was a wreck. Crying. Understandable.

Stopped at Walgreens. To pick up Nexium generic for my acid reflux.

I am pissed at pharmaceutical houses and insurance companies. I have a drug policy through AARP. Does not pay everything. Always a co-pay. Then there is the donut.

I have been taking two Nexiums a day for years. My co-pay $40 a month. A couple of months ago, the price out of pocket for me became $174. No way! I switched to the generic. The generic costs me $41.50 a month. Slightly more than the for real pill.

Generics are supposed to be cheap.

I talked to Walgreens, the insurance company and the pharmaceutical house at the time. The insurance and pharmacy houses not nice at all. Actually impolite. Basically, the prices can be raised at any time. The judgment that of the pharmaceutical house. Take it or leave it!

F–k ’em!

Excuse my exasperation.

Back Door last night with Mark Watson. David there. Met Tim and Todd. John, who I had met before.

Tim and I talked quite a while. He manages Joe’s Chicken Shack on Duval. Another place for me to try.

Then to Outback’s for dinner. Ran into Doc. I only know him as Doc. Never have known his real name. We played golf weekly 20 years ago. I rarely see him now.

I was thrilled when he told me how much he loved my KONK Life column, reads it every week, etc. Thought I spent all week researching.

Doc made my night. It thrills me whenever someone compliments the column. I take pride in it.

The local hospital problem a real one. Will be ongoing quite a while. There will be some resolution. How much, difficult to determine.

This morning’s Key West Citizen reported the City Commission was having a meeting tonight re the issue. The Citizens’ Committee, hospital representatives and public invited.

Key West’s City Commission is inept. Typical politicians. Want the public to know they are doing something. Generally not the right thing.

Certain Commission members are prepared to sue the company that owns the hospital. I believe it not the time, if ever. A lawsuit is only going to screw things up, delay resolution, etc.

Whatever, the Commission blowhards seem committed to a lawsuit. Then the problem is off their shoulders. Let the City Attorney worry about it. Blame delays and lack of resolution on the lawsuit.

In the mean time, what about patients? Any lawsuit will delay resolution of patient problems for years.

Enjoy your day!

TED WILLIAMS HAD IT RIGHT

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Ted Williams…..An All-American great!

Famous baseball player, Hall of Fame, World War II fighter pilot, and fisherman. It is the fisherman portion I am concerned with.

Williams loved fishing in the Keys. Especially for tarpon. He bought a home in Islamorada in 1943. Became a Florida resident. Stayed 45 years. Left in 1988.

The reason…..He said it was time to leave when he could no longer make a left turn on US 1 because of the traffic.

He will not be the last to leave for that reason.

I open with two great men today. The other is David Wolkowsky. Besides being my new found friend at physiotherapy, David is a Key West icon. Loves Key West. David is responsible for Key West’s development as a fun funky off beat place.

David is the reason for the Pier House. It was 1967. Where the Pier House sits today was nothing more than a ruddy dirty part of the waterfront. David was a visionary. On this day in 1967, construction began on the Pier House Motel. Fifty units.

Truman Capote was a guest at the Motel. Took over David’s trailer on the site. Capote referred to the Pier House Motel as “elegant inefficiency.”

The Pier House Motel was completed one year later in 1968.

Big trees from little acorns grow. Today’s Pier House.

My yesterday began with the anti-gravity treadmill. Love it! One problem, however. I have a lot of get up and go when on the treadmill. Once I am off, I am dead tired.

I began researching for a subject to write about for this week’s KONK Life column. Came up with nothing. I will come up with a topic. Generally, a gem. But it is always last minute that it hits me.

Last night was Schooners and the Waterfront. Schooners packed, as was the Waterfront. Waterfront food great again. Fried calamari, wings, and fish and chips.

There was a traffic jam of traffic jams yesterday. Construction on US 1 in the Cow Key Bridge area. One lane traffic for about 300 feet in the north bound lane. Traffic held up on Northern and Southern Boulevards, as well as Flagler, as far as the eye could see and beyond. Down to Sears Shopping Center on Northern Boulevard, around the curve on Southern, Flagler to Habana Shopping Center.

A one to two hour delay at noon time.

Police directing traffic would have helped. The delay would have been less. Only one officer directing traffic. At US 1 and College Road. The one place an officer was not needed. The construction and one lane traffic ended at the College Road intersection.

Don called me. The team won 2 out 3 at bocce thursday night. Though not playing, I plan on following the team.

Syracuse/Pitt this afternoon. Syracuse a 3 1/2 point favorite. I think Syracuse will lose. Definitely if the team plays as it did against Louisville.

Syracuse needed Louisville and Pitt wins to guarantee a bid to the big post season tournament. If Syracuse beats Pitt today, Syracuse will be on the bubble.

The game is at 2. Dan Reardon, I will be watching the game at Don’s Place.

Enjoy your day!