ANUSH

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Anush. Lovely. Charming. An interesting dinner companion.

We dined at Latitudes last night. A long leisurely meal. Great conversation.

Anush is 38. Born and raised in Armenia, she now resides in London. She has lived in Moscow. Well traveled. Vacations often. Typical of Europeans.

Taught for 12 years at Westminster College. Now a cyber security consultant.

She is on holiday. Miami, Key West and Atlanta. Has previously visited Washington. Several trips to the Bahamas. A trip to Buenos Aries.

Other places world wide. Cosmopolitan.

She is making good use of her time in Key West. Arrived wednesday night. Staying at the Marriott. A bite to eat at the bar that night where we met. Then to an early bed. Jet lag still affecting her.

Since thursday morning, she has visited the Little White House, attended the boat races, flew in a two seat open cockpit bi-plane for a half hour, and consumed oysters for the first time at Island Dogs. Last night (friday), dinner with Louis. Today to be spent scuba diving. All day.

She was excited by her time in Key West. Loved the laid back feeling.

Anush leaves Key West tomorrow to spend a couple of days in Atlanta. Then back to London.

I have discovered European women in my old age. Anna being an example. I like them. They are different. Different because from different cultures. The situation probably works in reverse, also. European men who visit the U.S. probably find american women different from those back home.

Whatever, a very pleasant evening.

My weekly interview to discuss this week’s KONK Life column yesterday. Dracula in the Operating Room. On 104.9. Don Riggs interviewed me from Phoenix.

Spent the afternoon researching what I thought would be this week’s KONK Life column. Women Priests. I could not put it together. I was not comfortable with what I came up with. Ergo, no Women Priests this week.

What, I am not sure. It is saturday morning and I have no idea what I am going to write. The article must be to the publisher by 5 tomorrow afternoon.

Divine inspiration will befall me. It always does.

Donald Trump. Will the American people ever tire of him?

He did not do himself much good thursday evening.  Asked, “How stupid are the people of Iowa?” He compared Carson’s childhood temper to that of a pedophile (without using the word). Told us how he would handle ISIS. Bomb the “shit” out of their oilfields.

There is a saying. Vine veritas. In wine, truth. Alcohol loosens the tongue. Being extremely tired does also. It was obvious Trump was dead tired. No excuse. The man’s inner self was exposed.

A Presidential election is like a marathon. Participants must pace themselves.

Poor Syracuse! Today, Syracuse plays Clemson. Number 1 in the nation. Undefeated. Syracuse somewhere around #68 with a 3-5 or 3-6 record. Syracuse a 29 point underdog.

Orange blood will flow today.

Never say never, however. It was September 29, 1984. A day never to be forgotten by Syracuse fans. Syracuse was playing Nebraska. Nebraska #1 in the nation. Syracuse a 25 point underdog. Syracuse beat Nebraska 17-9.

It happens.

The game is at 3:30. On ABC. Only because Clemson is playing. I plan to watch the game from the comfort of my home.

Enjoy your day!

 

 

 

 

BOCCE…..ONE WIN

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Great bocce last night!

We won 1 out of 3 games. I mentioned yesterday morning we would be happy with one victory. So no complaints this morning.

The interesting thing is all the games were relatively close. We held our own against the best.

No question, this has been the best season ever for us. Not a fluke. We have gotten consistently better over the years. Our game has moved to another level.

The loss will probably not affect our 3rd place standing.

Next week is the last night of this season.

Had a follow up visit with Dr. Jackie Lefferts yesterday afternoon re my fall. I still have occasional pain when I move certain ways. A muscle/ bruised rib injury. I am mending. Pain 75 percent better.

An interesting development. More and more locals who attended Fantasy Fest this year are complaining about the nudity and sex. The people I am speaking with are not goody two shoes. They are fun people, out on the town most evenings. They found the conduct bothersome. Thought the problem generated from the swinger involvement.

I will be interviewed between 12:20 and 12:40 this afternoon on KONK News. 104.9. The discussion concerns this week’s KONK Life column Dracula in the Operating Room. Love the title!

Trump continues to make questionable statements. Whether they will affect his standing remains to be seen.

Trump is big on immigration. He said he is going to use a deportation force to remove the 11 million illegals from the United States. Sounds to me like the Gestapo rounding up Jews in Nazi Germany.

Trump relies as authority for what he wants to do with what Eisenhower did with 1.1 million illegal immigrants in 1954. Eisenhower used a deportation force. I like Ike. He screened up in this instance, however.

Ships were used in some instances to move the illegals. A Congressional investigation following the deportations described one ship as an “18th century slave ship” and “penal hell ship.”

What has begun at the University of Missouri and spread to Yale and Ithaca College bothers me. Protests, demonstrations and revolutions have in recent years been led by the young. Many, if not most, college students.

The demonstrations against the police re black killings and now these college demonstrations involve young demonstrators. I worry that at some point one might get out of hand and ignite a national conflagration. Don’t say no. Things are not as they should be in every area today. Nothing is impossible.

Enjoy your day!

VIETNAM LIVING MEMORIAL

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There are certain times in our lives that are heart warming and uplifting. Rare. Yesterday was one.

The Vietnam Living Memorial was dedicated. I missed the dedication in the morning. However made the party from 4-7 in the afternoon.

An experience.

There had to be a 1,000 people. Most seniors. Sixties and seventies. White haired, bald, bearded, paunchy. Smiling , laughing and high fiving each other.

The Vietnam War ripped our country apart. Most were opposed to it. President Johnson wanted it. I have always believed he wanted to be a great war time President as Roosevelt had been.

When the Vietnam veterans returned home, there were no welcoming parades, slaps on the back. No thank yous. They never received credit for having put their lives on the line for their country.

Today, the U.S. as a people have come around to recognizing the wrong done. The veterans are from the 1960 thru early 1970 era.

Key West said thank you, we love you, to the Vietnam veterans yesterday with the dedication and then party at Bayview Park.

Six black granite stones with the names of the 362  who served stand proudly. As proud as the veterans celebrating the event yesterday.

After the Vietnam party, I headed to the outside back bar at Aqua. Knew Mark Watson would be bartending. Mark was recently crowned Fantasy Fest King. Enjoyed chatting with him a while.

Then to Tavern ‘n Town for dinner.

The bar quiet. A lovely lady appeared and sat several seats away. We started chatting. When I had finished dinner, I asked if I could move over.

An interesting person. Her name, Anush. Sparkling eyes. Originally from Armenia, she now lives in London. Vacationing in Key West. She is a cyber security consultant.

We talked quite a while of many things. Agreed to meet for dinner friday evening.

It was back to book writing yesterday afternoon. Knocked out another Growing Up Italian chapter. Revised and edited it several times before I was satisfied.

It is about medical attention in the late 1930s. Home bred. Who went to a doctor? Who could afford a doctor? Someone in the family always knew what to do.

I was 4. We lived third floor front. Something like Clorox was bought by families to clean clothes and whatever else. It was called bouledine. An Italian word. I am not sure I am spelling the word correctly. I googled and could not find what I was looking for. If any of you know, please e-mail me.

In any event, the bouledine came in gallon jugs. My mother gave me an empty jug and told me to place it in the hall with the other empty ones.

The hall was long. I was running. I fell. The empty bouledine bottle cutting the palm of my right hand below the thumb. A large piece of glass sticking out of the wound.

My mother screamed. My Uncle Frank came running up from the second floor. Uncle Frank was carpenter. He took care of the problem

He took a large bread knife and worked the glass out. Cutting me a bit in the process. Then took a needle and thread and sewed the wound.  One inch long. Took four stitches. A scar remains today. The four stitches obvious.

Covered the area with mercure com. Everything was covered with mercure com in those days. I do not think it is sold anymore.  He wrapped my hand in a clean white cloth. I was the hero on the block the rest of the day.

Dracula in the Operating Room was linked to my Key West Lou website this morning. keywestlou.com.

I have an afternoon visit with the doctor. A follow up visit to my fall last week.

Bocce tonight. Big game! We are in 3rd place. We play the #1 ranked team. They are exceptionally good. Superior. Are first every year. If we win one of the three games, we will consider it a victory.

Enjoy your day!

 

LA TE DA

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I had dinner last night at La Te Da. Crispy Duck. The best duck in Key West! Enjoyed it at the outside bar.

The wind blew big time all day. However not felt in Key West. The buildings and trees cut the wind. It was comfortable sitting at the outside bar.

I have been either visiting or living in Key West more than 25 years. It was on my second trip I discovered La Te Da. In those days, my former wife and I would spend the afternoon at the beach, change into fresh clothes behind the car, and head out for cocktails.

La Te Da was a discovery!

There was a small enclosed bar on the second floor. An intimate setting. On the pool side of the building. Back from the front of the building about 10 feet. I would place it square in the middle of the down stairs bar.

Great place for cocktails! Free hor d’oeuvres. Most hot. Served with a small plate, clothe napkin and heavy weighted silverware. The company excellent. Mostly gays. Always a fun time.

With one of the renovations, that small upstairs bar was removed.

How La Te Da acquired its name is interesting.

In 1868, the Ten Years War ended. A war between the Cuban people and Spain. Spain was exercising colonial rule over Cuba. The Cubans lost the war.

Many Cubans left the island. Seeking political freedom and economic opportunity. Key West became home to many of the Cuban exiles. The influx continued through the 1870s, 1880s and into the 1890s.

Jose Marti was a popular Cuban hero/leader. He would frequently visit Key West to raise money and invite the exiles to join him in overthrowing Spain.

The Cuban Key Westers loved Marti. Each Marti visit began the same way. Five thousand would gather to greet him at the boat landing . Always a band and Cuban and American flags. The group then would parade down Duval to La Te Da with Marti in tow.

Present day La Te Da at the time was owned by Teodoro Perez, a wealthy cigar factory owner and friend of Marti. Marti would speak to the crowd from the second floor front porch of Perez’s home.

Cubans came to call the porch Marti’s Terrace. In Spanish, La Terraza de Marti. The Spanish version was shortened to La Te Da.

Marti and a number of his Cuban followers invaded Cuba in 1895. Marti was killed in the first battle. Three years later, the Battleship Maine was blown up in Havana harbor marking the beginning of the Spanish-American War.

Yesterday’s weather is today’s. Wind still blowing strong, trees bending, white caps on top of a fast moving ocean.

I spent most of yesterday preparing for tonight’s blog talk radio show. Tuesday Talk with Key West Lou. Nine my time. One half hour. Fast moving interesting subjects. www.blogtalkradio.com/key-west-lou.

Topics tonight include problems facing the returning House of Representatives this week, Monsanto buying college professors, German bishops and U.S. bishops differing at the Synod, some revelations in this week’s KONK Life column Lincoln The Man, the story of a 2 year old homeless boy found after midnight barefoot and alone in a Philadelphia park, and more.

Wonder of wonders! Words from a musical whose name escapes me. Words that fit what I am about to write.

It was revealed on Morning Joe this morning that Donald Trump in a book published 19 months before 9/11 advised that the U.S. was in danger of a terrorist attack. He further stated it would be led by an Osama bin Laden. The book: The America We Deserve.

Perhaps I have not fairly considered Trump.

Enjoy your day!

 

REPUBLICAN DEBATE

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Last night’s Republican debate better than the first. Much better. Issues were discussed. Could have been discussed more. However, Trump kept getting in the way.

I consider Trump a buffoon. The man is not qualified to be President. It would scare me if he was. His lack of knowledge re issues was obvious. His high fi hand slapping childish.

Rubio impressed me with his foreign affairs knowledge. He was able to articulately convey it, also. Fiorina impressive. The woman is sharp. Bush was better. What we all expected from him in the first instance. Graham belongs with the big boys. First time he ever impressed me. Foreign affairs his issue. He knew his business.

The evening was too long. As much of a political junkie that I am, I got tired after a while. One problem was CNN’s work up to the first debate. I was on TV at 5 expecting the debate to begin. It did not till after 6. The debates are not a Super Bowl.

My screw off day yesterday was simple. The anti-gravity treadmill. The afternoon spent reading and napping. I read an excellent in depth article on Robert Redford. The name of the magazine escapes me. I also read for a while It’s Even Worse Than It Looks.

This morning’s Key West Citizen has a detailed article about the new Waterfront Brewery which is scheduled to open soon. A major undertaking. The rent the Brewery has to pay shocked me. Key West owns the property or controls its rent. The rent is roughly $614,000 a year. Fifty thousand a month! Got to sell a lot of beer!

Bocce tonight. We are scheduled to play Larry’s team. A money game.

Don’t know whether we will play. Rained all night. Very overcast at the moment. Weather report says scattered showers and thunderstorms all day.

I have an early haircut appointment this morning.

Enjoy your day!

 

WE WON!

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I called it wrong. I was sure we were going to lose last night. We did not. God was good! We won 2 out of 3 games. Against the #1 team for most of the past 10 years.

I am glad I was wrong. Me of little faith!

We lost the first game. We were down 11-3. Came back. Lost by one point 16-15. The next two we won. By two or 3 points each game.

It took forever to play. We were the last to finish. Everyone was done and had gone home. It was a point at a time. Both sides grinding it out.

My day began with a haircut yesterday. Lori has been cutting my hair for 15 years. We have become friends.

Then it was Cuban Coffee Queen for lunch. I had 1 1/2 hours to kill before a manicure appointment. The time was some of the best I have spent recently.

Bob Dennard came up to me and said…..You’re Key West Lou! After acknowledging my existence, Bob said he was in Key West for a few days and had been looking for me. The Chart Room evenings and the Cuban Coffee Queen at lunch time.

We finally met! Bob, one great  guy!

We could have talked all afternoon, but I had to get to Tammy’s for my manicure.

Bob presently from Fort Walton Beach. Started off in California. A career service man now retired. Widowed. Sixty four.

He has written five books. I was impressed! Two historical in hard back covers. The other three involving cruising. One of the cruise books centers in southeast Asia where Bob was stationed.

He writes a blog. kokoman.com. Not every day. Once a week, once a month. Whenever the mood strikes.

In addition to searching me out, Bob is researching to write a book about the Chart Room. I shared with him whatever I knew.

No question, we are going to meet again. Hopefully over the weekend.

Got to Tammy’s just in time. I keep repeating. She and husband Ricky personify the American dream. Tammy was born in Vietnam. Ricky in the U.S. Both work 6-7 days a week, 8 in the morning till 8-9 in the evening. No complaints. Expect nothing from anyone. Do for themselves.

Overseas Market is being remodeled. Cosmetically. New trees, new signs, things of that nature.

I remember when the site of Overseas Market was nothing but  a large empty field. The shopping center was built in 1992. I started coming to Key West in 1989. Those early years, there was no Overseas Market.

I recall an update some years later. The whole shopping center was repainted. My recollection is the original color was some shade of pink. The new color yellow.

Time moves on.

This week’s KONK Life column Private Prisons was linked this morning to my Key West Lou website. keywestlou.com.

I have been critical of the judicial system in recent years. I feel a special entitlement as I spent my life as a lawyer. My faith in the system has been restored a bit by two very recent decisions. The Tom Brady one and the Kentucky clerk Kim Davis who refused to marry same sex couples. Both decisions correct based on the issues involved. Right on. Additionally, both courts went no further than required.

I am sick of hearing Trump and further sick of hearing about Hillary’s e-mails. Neither speak to the issues. We are not being told where each stands. I blame the media. We are not being educated as to their respective positions.

College football! Syracuse plays Rhode Island tonight.

How the mighty fall! Syracuse has not fielded a good football team in way too many years. We would never have scheduled a Rhode Island in days of old.

Further discouraging is that in the friday spreads in the newspaper, the Syracuse/Rhode Island game is not even mentioned.

Whatever, go Orange! Loyalty never diminishes.

Enjoy your day!

 

 

 

KEY WEST UPDATES

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Progress/forward movement occurring on the lower end of Duval.

Free WiFi. Lower Duval and Mallory Square. Refer to Connect Key West. Purportedly available to locals only.

Irish Kevin’s has an upstairs. Recent grand opening held. If half as much fun as downstairs, it is a winner.

I am not sure an upstairs to a popular bar works. Sloppy Joe’s opened one several years ago. I have not been in years because when I went it was dead. I am not sure how it is today. It may not even be open.

Erika proving fickle. A tropical storm. Now predicted will turn into a hurricane. All indications are it will come over Key West. Several days from now. Locals will not be concerned yet.

My blog talk radio show last night. Tuesday Talk with Key West Lou. One problem after another.

I sat down in my recliner at 5 to watch the news for a half hour. Fell asleep. Woke at 7:30. Meant no dinner at Roostica.

Took me 10 minutes to connect with the studio. Technical difficulties at the studio end. Frustrating. I finally was live on air at 9:10 rather than 9.

There was a sign on the computer screen telling me the studio was experiencing technical difficulties. Went on after I was on the air.

It was my option to proceed or shut down. I opted to proceed because some times a problem is miniscule and the show can be heard.

Not last night. I was not aware during the show what a disaster it had become. Reception terrible. Lot of cracking. Almost impossible to hear. I received a number of comments afterwards to the effect.

Exasperating.

The only saving value is that most of the material can be used next week.

I was especially disappointed that three topics could not be heard. The rise of Neo-Nazism in Germany, whole bodies being sold by Planned Parenthood, and Mama Bear and five Cubs enjoying a family pool in New Jersey.

My yesterday pleasant. Walked Duval, lunched at home, fine tuned last night’s show, and spent some time working on the love story. I am not sure it is love. However, it is interesting. I am questioning whether the final product will be worthy of publication.

The Donald Trump/Jorge Ramos situation last night proves a point. At least from my perspective.

I watch MSNBC. Following the confrontation, the MSNBC news talk shows were all down on Trump. This morning on Morning Joe, Joe, Mika and everyone else were on Trump’s side. Forgiving. Morning Joe is an MSNBC show.

Is this the media controlling the news? Influencing what we hear? I believe last night’s pundit comments were legitimate. This morning’s not. Between last night and this morning, I fear the powers to be sent out the word. Soft pedal the Trump thing, don’t beat Trump up, etc.

Another disappointment was that very few of the reporters took up Ramos’ cause in subsequent questions to Trump. Cowards? Fearful?

One of Trump’s security skillfully escorted Ramos out of the room. A big guy. Ramos small in comparison.

Megyn Kelly returned to work yesterday. Trump issued a statement referring to her as a “bimbo.”

Similar actions occurred in the past in other countries.

My concern factor is on the rise. Trump may be dangerous.

Enjoy your day!

 

 

 

KEY WEST A RICH SMALL TOWN

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I did my good deed for the year during the night. Maybe for the next ten years.

I received a telephone call at 4 this morning. A friend was in trouble, needed help.  It was out of bed, into clothes, and into town.

As a result, I am dead tired. Probably will be all day.

Duval at 4 in  the morning is strange. Almost no one on the street. It was like everyone had disappeared. Only the buildings remained. Eerie.

Bloomberg Business did a survey to determine the 20 richest small towns in America. Key West one of them. Came in 13th.

I question the survey result. The survey was based on real estate values and median salaries. Real estate values have  been out of whack in Key West for years. Whether buying or renting.  The mean salary based on the survey was in the low $50,000 area. Not many making that much. There must be an unusual number of millionaires residing in Key West to raise the average to that level.

So much for the study.

Yesterday was the anti-gravity treadmill in the morning, lunch at Roostica and the Galleon’s Sunset Tiki Bar at cocktail time.

I thought I would run into Jean, Sheila and David at the bar. Generally their friday haunt. Found out Jean left town two days ago, and Sheila and David were no where to be found.

Someone put their arms around me from the back. It was Pati. We spent a couple of pleasant hours together.

JJ bartending. He previously worked the Chart Room. A great personality. He was thin. Obviously lost weight. Told me 20 pounds. How, I asked. He is building something outside. He is at it from 7 in the morning. The humidity a killer. A lot of sweating. The pounds just fell off.

I asked him for a job.

I was on my way home when I decided I was hungry. Stopped at Outback. Glad I did. Enjoyed great conversation with two guys sitting next to me at the bar.

Both in their thirties. One a government worker, the other out of work. Both extremely knowledgeable. We talked of our country, politicians, Trump, and life in general. The life we credit/blame on our political leaders.

Both would like to leave the U.S. and move to another country. One has property in Mexico on the Pacific coast.

We agreed as we left, it had been a good evening.

My KONK Life column Black Lives Matter / Play Tough is being correctly run in this morning’s E-Blast. You may want to read it.

Danny is fickle. First a nothing storm. Then a category 2 yesterday which turned out to be a category 3. We are told Danny will die after Puerto Rico. We shall see.

Market down 530 points friday. Monday will tell if the market was adjusting or we are at the start of another recession. China the culprit. All has to do with oil.

Trump announced 36 thousand for last night’s rally. He had to get a stadium to hold all the people. Turns out the stadium was only half full. Twenty thousand. Still a good number. In fact, an excellent one.

Will the Trump mania run its course and burn out?

Watched Jimmy Carter on TV yesterday announcing his medical problem. The man is a class act.

Enjoy your day!