We’re home from the Keys. This was one of my favorite trips to Key West. We had lovely weather driving down in the convertible from FLL, even though we lost sunlight the last hour or so.
Friday night we spent some time at Harpoon Harry’s, which was a new spot for us. I liked it, and the staff (Denise and Rhiannon) so much, I returned several times over the week, and Tom even got drunk with them one night after I’d turned in early (for KW, anyway). Prior to that, though, we saw Al Franken at the Half Shell. I said hi. I wasn’t sure at that point whether he was Sen. Franken or not. I’m sure he didn’t know if he was either.
Friday morning we spent on the Echo2 Catamaran, with a woman my age and her aunt who were traveling together. We snorkled, we saw dolphins and we spent a lot of time in the middle of the ocean on a sandbar. There’s something odd about walking in the ocean with no land in sight. I suspect Jesus may have known about a sandbar or two.
Sunday, I woke up early and walked to (and then through) the Key West Cemetery, which oddly creeped me out psychically. I’m not sure why but I felt like 75, 000 ghosts were trying to get into my head. Eventually, it was too much and I had to leave. I’ll post pictures soon.
What else? I saw Uncle Bob play at Rick’s (usual), we saw Zack play (usual) at the Hogs Breath (not usual). Zack was also part of the crowd at Schooner Wharf that got Tom drunk. I found a new Key West singer whose voice I love: Ben Taddiken. He covered the Killers new song, “Human” and I’d not heard it before. I’ve since heard the Killers version, and Ben does it far more justice.
We ate a lot of oysters and shrimp (of course), Tom tried clams for the first time (not impressed), and while we hit all of our regular joints (Conch Republic, Schooner Wharf, Half Shell and Turtle Kraals (where I was dismayed to discover that Johnny is no longer at the Tower Bar), we also hung out one afternoon at the Smallest Bar, ate dinner at Antonia’s, where we sat next to a couple from St. Louis.
We spent a lot of money. We bought a hammock, and a hammock chair. We bought perfume, we bought art. We bought hot sauce, of course, including one for which I had to sign a waiver.
Also, of course, we stopped at world famous Alabama Jack’s in Card Sound Key for the best conch fritters, EVAH. The last time I was there, they were a little lacking, but this time? they were as good as the first time. In fact, I am jonesing for those fritters.
We stayed for the first time at the Key West Harbor Inn and it is my favorite of all the places I’ve stayed in KW. And through it all, Brandi from Canine to 5 Pet Sitters took care of the kritters. I can’t say enough about her, but if you live in St. Louis and need a pet sitter, I’d highly recommend her. She spent time with the cats (and only charged me for one!) and emailed me after every visit.
Okay, then, I’m home, now and the most exciting thing occured today: I discovered that 4 Out of 5 Doctors, a 1980’s DC band has reissued a digitally remaster 2 disc set of their first two (and only) albums!
Although I can feel my tan fading already, I’m pretty glad to be home.
3 Comments
February 9, 2009 at 8:28 pm
What is MM1?
February 10, 2009 at 8:50 am
MM1 = Mile Marker 1 = Key West
December 17, 2009 at 11:33 pm
i got a chance last summer to meet Ben Taddiken in a small shitshack bar on Norman’s Cay in the Exumas, just southeast of Nassau. Him and his friend were the only other people in this bar. So we started talking and sharing stories and whatnot, im pretty sure i even bought him a drink or 2. He played a bunch of tunes for us all. And the story he told me was that he took all the money he got from playing shows in the keys, bought a sailboat, and was just cruisin around the Caribbean with his friend. I dont know about you but that sounds like the shit to me. Anyway, i was searchin the web for ben taddiken and came across your blog or whatever. and here iam.
bye