Pearls before Swine

I love my island and I rarely leave. Why should I? I have my rum, my dogs, my bike and my husband. (bike and husband not pictured) But occasionally something inspires me to jump in the car and head to the mainland. Yesterday, it was a dim witted pig.

Stephen Pastis, a cartoonist not a pig, and creator of Pearls before Swine, was having a book signing at a shop in Coral Gables. (just a short 7 hr round trip from home)


If you're a fan of the funny pages, you've probably read Pearls before Swine. It's all about a sweet dim pig, an arrogant rat, some idiotic crocs, and their adventures with assorted animal friends. Unfortunately, you won't find Pearls in the Key West newspaper, the Citizen. (I've bitched about that, have you?)

But if you're in town and need an animation fix, head over to The Gallery On Greene to see paintings, sculptures, and cartoons by the late great, Jeff MacNelly, creator of Shoe. If you don't see them on the walls, ask. The gallery is always shifting things around. Tell Nance and the ladies I sent you.

And if you see a Stephen Pastis book signing near you, GO! He was a very funny speaker, and used power point for good, not evil. I must say though, after listening to his stories and the reactions he's gotten to some of his strips, I'm really surprised that as of yesterday, he hasn't been sued or assassinated.

The Bobby Shop

Sometime in the next couple of weeks, I need to head over to the Bobby Shop and sit in the chair for Liz. She's a wiz with color and my strands are looking pretty drained.

The big question is, of course...

Pink......




                    .....or

.....purple?






I probably won't be able to decide till I'm in the chair. If you find yourself in need of a cut or color, the shop is just off the corner of Whitehead and Southard. They're cash only, but there's a small grocery next door with an ATM.

I'd recommend calling the shop before you head over. There's a slim chance that you'll find Bobby, Scott, or one of the other stylists hanging at the table out front, playing cards and waiting for a customer, but don't count on it.

When you make your appointment, it doesn't matter who you get. I have yet to see a bad cut come out of this place.

You can reach the shop at 305-292-6999

Now, I have to get back to deciding. Pink....or.... purple.

Closing out 2013

After a lovely holiday, with laziness as the activity of choice, I am energized and ready to jump into a new year.  I thought I'd start out by catching up on all the little things that weren't big enough for their own posts.

Most romantic spot in Key West? The buoy. We stopped to take photos with visiting family. When the guy in front of us asked Mark to take a picture, I had a feeling it was more than just a photo op. I managed to dig out my phone but didn't have time to set it to video. She said yes.





Need personal introspection while you watch the big orange ball plunge into the sea? Head south down Duval Street. There are plenty of bike racks, if you're riding, and parking on the south end is much easier than you'd think. You'll find a blue pay station in the middle of each block. They take debit/credit cards or cash, though no change is given.




Watch the sunset from the pier at Southernmost Beach cafe, then grab a late dinner or specialty drink in the bar. You can even wiggle your toes on the small sandy beach. (that's Mark relaxing near the middle of the pic)




Down here, a tree isn't always a tree. For Christmas, a nautical theme lent a hand with lobster traps.

Key Lime Pie is an island staple. Just like sunset cruises and rum punch at Sloppy Joe's. And just as a rum punch should have equal balance of rums and juices, Key Lime Pie should be equally tart and sweet. A first bite should lead to a cleaned plate. Best on the island? There's two. For creamy, light and smooth, Caroline's Cafe.  For rich and custardy, the Half Shell Raw Bar.


Last bit - if you come down to visit please remember, this ain't Disneyland. The locals live and work here. Look both ways before you cross the street and be mindful of the red lights. If you rent a bike or scooter, watch for traffic. I can't count how many times someone on a scooter merged in front of my 300 horsepower Mustang without so much as a glance over their shoulder.  Lucky for them, the average speed limit on the island is 30.  Be careful, be aware, have a great 2014.

Captions for a Rainy Day

Me at the recent Star Trek Into Darkness showing. 

If you're a hearing impaired resident or visitor to Key West and want to catch a movie, you're in luck! The local Regal Theater behind the Wendy's off Roosevelt on the north side of the island, has closed caption glasses. All you have to do is ask for them at the box office, when you buy your ticket. If you don't have a Regal Rewards card, they will ask you to sign a checkout form.

The glasses are easy to use. The manager will set them to the correct channel (theater number) and all you have to do is hang the receiver around your neck and put on the glasses. Sometimes, the cord for the receiver won't be attached to the holders on back, if it's not, just slide the cord under the clips and you're good to go. 

Captions are a light green and appear to float in the air in front of you. If you move your head, the captions move with you. A nice plus, if you have to reach for the popcorn. 

You can adjust where the captions appear by holding onto the black piece on the side of the glasses and clicking it up or down. 

If you're watching a film that's longer than 90 minutes, the top of your ears will get a little sore. I slide the glasses on so that some of my hair is over my ears and that helps. 

Some caption glasses out there are also for the visually impaired and they will describe the action on the screen. I am not sure if these glasses have that ability, but I did have one manager ask if I needed the audio turned on, so they probably do.  You can check with the theater, before you go, if you have any questions. 

Regal Theater 3338 N. Roosevelt Blvd, Key West, FL - (305) 294-0000

Shore Fishing: The Original Social Network

One of my earliest memories is fishing with a cane pole along the river which ran through my Grandparents farm in Wisconsin. My Dad never risked mentioning fishing unless he had already decided to go - and right then! I was a little guy and I dearly loved everything about the experience. I was thrilled by every wiggle of the bobber and every Creek chub I caught was a trophy. Of course, I also loved hanging out with Dad. I was even thrilled about digging the worms for bait.  I wasn't particularly thrilled about digging at the base of the manure pile but that was where the worms lived. I'm sure they knew what was best.

Maybe it's my Tom Sawyer intro to the sport but I've always found something special about fishing from shore. When you're not in a boat, no one's a stranger. You're with friends who are there for the same reason; you love being out by the water. You chat like casual old pals after just a few minutes and you enjoy their catches almost as much as your own. It's pretty cool.  Shore fisherman are one big extended family.

 

Today Melissa and I took a brief drive and I fished alongside James. When we arrived, he had already caught a couple fish that he happily showed me but the action had slowed down. Luckily for both of us, I had some different bait. My live shrimp stirred up some more action.

James was down from Miami for a few days with his girlfriend. She went shopping and he went fishing.  What an awesome arrangement! 

Just after my second fish, we heard a kid calling, "Grandpa, Grandpa, Hurry up." We looked around, confused, but it was James' ring tone.  We all laughed. Then he sheepishly hit, "Ignore" and we laughed again. Something tells me he doesn't take many calls while he's fishing - at least until he's ready to go. James was funny.

Today we fished at the “inner Mole Pier" on the west end of the Key West. It’s just one, of many, local spots with lots of fish (and plenty of big ones).   The Lower Keys have tons of other piers and bridges, too, and they're all lined with brothers and sisters I haven’t met yet.  Maybe tomorrow is a good day for another family reunion.

Ducks Sent Packin'

For the last couple of months, Key West was invaded by ducks. Not the quacking kind but the vehicular kind. Two companies set up Duck boat tours and we locals were not pleased. One company's boats were wide, long and tall. They had trouble maneuvering corners and if you were stuck behind one in traffic, forget about being able to see those silly little things called traffic lights. (the other companie's boats are actually a third the size and would probably be okay but they make us think of the first one so it still pisses us off) Protests to town officials fell on deaf ears. I guess fees to the town outweighed citizens concerns about safety. Enter the Navy.

A couple of weeks ago they decided to enforce their ownership of the Inner Mole and blocked access to civilian launches. Thank God for the Navy. This past weekend, the Duck Tours ran for the last time and the city streets were returned to mopeds, bicycles and drunk tourists. Now, if we could just get the DOT to finish the road construction. But that's a bitch for another day.

Favorite Christmas decorations in Key West

A couple of nights ago, we took a trolley tour of decorated houses. When the driver turned down a very narrow street, we thought he'd lost his mind. Then we reached the end of the lane and saw this beauty. Best recycling project. Ever.

Cool motorcycles

I was headed to my car, and an expiring parking pass, when I had to stop to get a shot of this very cool bike. I couldn't see my screen, thanks to the afternoon sun and I'm damn surprised that I got most of the bike in the shot.

A few months later, we found this custom job on Duval Street. The owner should get a break on his insurance.  He sure kicked up his visibility on the street.

A Handsome Cock

When you're this beautiful where else would you spend your mornings, but the ladies' restroom at Schooner Wharf Bar?  This guy hangs out on a regular basis and doesn't seem to mind foot traffic to and from the stalls, directly behind him. Some mornings, I can even wash my hands at the sink next to him and he won't move. Nowadays, a chicken at Schooner is a rare sight. The place used to feel like a breeding ground. Hens with chicks wandered through the tables of the open air eatery, and a rooster or two hanging by the entrance. And all looking for a handout. For some reason, the roosters didn't wander through like the moms and babies. The tourists love the sight, but the locals hate them, usually muttering damn chickens, as tourists block the sidewalks or stop their cars in the middle of traffic to take photos.