Posts tagged “Key West”
Key West……….My Way!
Key West ……………. My Way
I have such a soft spot in my heart for Key West and I’m pretty vocal with my friends that if they are coming to this area that they need to see it …………. My Way!!! Whether it’s solo travel or travel with a group, I tend to gravitate towards the unique and unusual places and things that are just on the edge of where the tourists hang out. The more secret the find, the better! So it gives me great pleasure to share this with my fellow travelers.
I’m rather directionally challenged on a good day, in an area on a grid; it becomes worse when I’m on The Rock! So I’ve created my own method using landmarks. There “The Sloppy Joe’s” end and “The Beach” end. These places are opposite of each other on Duval Street so it makes sense to me.
So as we take a short tour of Duval Street from The Sloppy Joe’s end towards The Beach end, these are some of my favorite things:
- The sunsets in Key West are extraordinary. You can be guaranteed a spectacular sight each day. Mallory Square is a gathering place for people to have a cocktail, watch the sky turn lovely shades of pink, red, and yellow and be entertained by the street performers.
- Inside a resort called the Pier House is a treasure called The Chart Room. It’s small, dark, and wooden; has considerable charm and history, not to mention a popcorn maker and peanuts. If you can find it, it’s worth it!
- One day I was wandering aimlessly by the marina looking for a place to have breakfast. I accidently found The Schooner Wharf, an outside restaurant with a 7:00 a.m. to noon happy hour. The locals frequent this place for a morning cocktail and are very friendly. Belly up to the bar and have a screwdriver with your omelette and plan to make a few friends!
- One of the most famous bars in Key West is Sloppy Joe’s. It’s where you will find the best traditional cover bands and lots of sunburned tourists. The food’s not too bad either.
- The original Sloppy Joe’s is reported to be what is now Captain Tony’s Saloon. Captain Tony’s is a small quaint place that is complete with a huge tree growing through the middle of the bar and also serves as a grave marker for some famous local, the ceiling is plastered with bras from Captain Tony groupies, and the Pirate’s Punch is yummy!
- Feeling a bit hot and stuffy from the warm and humid tropical air? Take a break, leave your inhibitions and walk the many steps to the rooftop of The Bull and visit The Garden of Eden. Day or night, clothing is allowed but not required. I’ve never participated but have had some enjoyable voyeur moments. The typical rule, “those that shouldn’t do” is in place here but people are really having a good time. You’re lodging has no pool; wanna get your body painted? Garden of Eden is for you.
- I’m not a smoker but occasionally I can enjoy one of those skinny cigars that taste like chocolate or Amaretto. These can be found at The Key West Cigar Club and Smoke Shop. The shop is a bit like being in your own home, complete with a backyard patio, leather couches and a flat screen TV. It’s a relaxed and comfortable atmosphere, a great place to chill and you don’t really notice the cigar smoky smell. I’ve had some great memories of sitting in the barber chairs in the front of the store at night and playing with the people as they walk past.
- Looking for the unusual but cute, cute, cute trinket to take back to your jealous friends and family back home? Fast Buck Freddies has many options to choose from.
- Every time I have taken friends or family to dinner at Blue Heaven I have been a hero! It’s a relaxed open air restaurant and bar, some light live music, incredible food and key lime pie with a 6 inch meringue. If yellowtail snapper is on the menu you have to get it, mouth watering.
- The only place to end the evening after the traditional Duval Crawl is at The Green Parrot. It’s a bar where the locals hang out to escape from the tourist so you must respect that. The music is so unique and eclectic and it stays open late. If you are lucky, a band called Xperimento will be there. I’m not sure what genre they are but I describe them as hip-hop reggae!! If you are bored one night, check out the live webcam to get a peek of what you might be missing; (www.greenparrot.com/webcam.htm)
While this is the end of my tour, it’s certainly not the beginning or the end of the great places and fun times to be had at Key West. After all, life’s not about just finding those experiences, it’s about creating them.
When Is Too Much Fun Not So Fun???
It seems to be in my nature as a single gal who loves to travel, to have a huge desire to create or experience a new fun adventure for or with people.
However, I am starting to believe that it’s possible to create too much fun and to realize the impact of this is having on my life. In the past six weeks, I have experienced the following:
1) Celebrated my 49th birthday in Islamorada, Sunrise/Sunset Tour style,
2) Completed two business trips,
3) Met my brother and sister-in-law in Key West,
4) Performed the wedding ceremony of my best friend, on a yacht!
5) Entertained, in some fashion, 21 friends and family that have blown through Florida. Apparently February is a good time to escape from the Midwest, I remember those days!
This may be more than the normal person encounters in six months, but I’m not complaining. I love and care for these people and I’m blessed to have them in my life. I just think I have hit my physical, mental and emotional capacity to have any more fun! All the time I am feeling this, I still really have travel envy because I didn’t go on the singles Valentine’s Day cruise!!!
Each of the experiences mentioned above had its own purpose and meaning:
• The birthday trip was making a dream come true,
• One of the business trips included spending time with a friend I had met just three weeks before,
• Time with family can be a blessing and a curse,
• I can’t even describe how it felt to bless the marriage of my best friend,
• The friends from the Midwest are a part of my history, but when I’m with them it feels like we were together just yesterday! I wouldn’t miss a chance to spend time with them.
One of the best experiences was the one I am least familiar with and probably the most fearful of . A very dear young man, like a son to me, and his beautiful family which includes a 2 year old and a 3 month old, spent five nights with me. Having young children around is such an awe inspiring experience. I have so much respect for how much time and energy it takes and what a selfish life I seem to have lived without having this type of responsibility. Watching a 2 year old run free on the beach, encouraging me to “run Cindy run” will forever be in my memories!
So innocent, so simple, so fresh. It’s made me reflect about how complicated my life can be and what I may need to do to remove the chaos and constant stimulation. Being quiet and being still seem foreign but necessary.
Maybe there is a shift coming in my life. It probably won’t be drastic because that sense of adventure, which includes single or group travel, gives me so much energy and happiness. It may be time to think about whether every adventure that presents itself is worth the investment and how full my fun meter is before I just jump in and go!!
Is Valentine’s Day a Hallmark Holiday?
As we get closer to Valentine’s Day, I am getting slightly anxious that I did not sign up for the Valentine’s Day Singles Cruise next week. I am not in a relationship and at times I fall into the trap of feeling left out by not having a Valentine or sweetheart to share this day with me. The benefit of being on a Valentine’s Day singles cruise is the comfort and enjoyment you feel being with people in the same situation that are making the most of it. I’m jealous wondering what kind of fun and memorable experiences I will be missing.
Don’t feel sorry for me, you have to admit that the brilliant marketing minds at Hallmark have exploited this trumped up holiday. I have been in various staged of relationship bliss during the Valentine’s holiday and I am not sure what’s worse; the heightened expectations to create a perfect romantic experience for your partner or to make your own decisions about how to celebrate it, if you must, alone. Roses, chocolates, jewelry, champagne, lingerie…….. all to say “I love you” on a single day?
There are several different versions of the origins of Valentine’s Day. One of the most popular is the idea that Emperor Claudius III banned marriage because married men did not make good warriors. A priest named Valentine was caught performing secret marriages for young men. He was arrested and thrown into jail. He allegedly developed a “friendship” with Claudius’ blind daughter and healed her. On the day of his execution he wrote to the daughter and signed, “Your Valentine.” It sounds like this holiday, aside from the Hallmark influence, was created from pain, fear, injustice and intolerance!!
Instead of celebrating with my soul mate, I will be meeting my brother and sister-in-law in Key West for the weekend as they escape the brutal winter of the Midwest. I will literally be a fifth-wheel for the Valentine’s dinner as another couple will be joining them, reservations at Blue Heaven for five!! Instead of being bummed about this, I am so excited. I will celebrate being in one of my favorite places, at an awesome restaurant, with people I care about and the place and the people will both be there to enjoy again and again after Valentine’s Day! Or maybe Sunday night I’ll be on the hunt for a Valentine’s Day date for Monday night, in Key West, you never know!!! Either way, I will choose to be happy, loving and in the moment.
Pain is inevitable in life but suffering is a choice. I hope if you are single you will take the intentions of Valentine’s Day, to share love, and practice it all the time. Imagine if we made the effort every day, to care about ourselves and the other people, or strangers in our lives like we do on Valentine’s Day? What a great place we would create! I am certain that love will come my way when it’s meant to, until then, what have I got to lose?
NEWS FLASH – Single Florida Woman’s Birthday Dreams Come True
One of my best vacations continues to be the New Year’s Eve Singles Cruise I took this year. Traveling with a singles travel group is a sure way to celebrate special occasions such as holiday, anniversaries, weddings, birthdays and any other reason for people to come together. My birthday is in early January, so it can be a challenge to follow something like the New Year’s Eve cruise with a meaningful experience.
I have to admit that at the ripe old age of 49, I have become rather cynical and pessimistic about the holidays and usually just want them to pass quickly or sleep through them. Then I started to have a dream about how I wanted to celebrate the last birthday I would ever have that began with a “4”. I became obsessed with what was lovingly dubbed the Sunrise/Sunset Tour. I often make an effort to see a sun rise or sun set as often as possible, wherever I am. I think it’s one of the most naturally beautiful things on earth. My birthday celebration obsession became the desire to watch the sun rise over the Atlantic and set over the Gulf all on the same day. I guess this idea came about during conversations with friends over drinks and then it really started to become a reality. We talked about it every time we were together, about how we would do it, where we would do it, who would be involved. Their excitement was equal to mine!
There are very few places in the US where this could be accomplished with minimal effort. The lovely, sunny, unique state of Florida offers two choices:
A) Drive from the east coast of Florida (Atlantic Ocean) to the west coast of Florida (Gulf of Mexico) or
B) Drive to The Keys
The original plan was to watch the sun rise over the Atlantic ocean in Delray Beach, near my home and then chase it across Alligator Alley to watch it set on the west coast (of Florida) over the Gulf of Mexico! Things changed when the condo we intended to rent in Naples (west coast) from a colleague was no longer available. This would have been the easiest and most economical way to share this trip with friends so I was disappointed but not intimidated by this challenge. We just switched to Plan B, The Keys. I am a huge fan of The Keys. When you are there you can completely lose yourself in the laid back, be happy, “everybody is on vacation”, and live in the moment atmosphere. I have even made solo trips to the Keys and left with the names and numbers of friends I had made that were also visiting or were even local! One of them drove to Islamorada for the birthday celebration.
The wonderful friends that wanted to join The Tour were in various stages of marital and financial status so I had to be creative and keep things simple. I chose a location in the Upper Keys, Islamorada, about half-way between Key Largo and Key West at the 82-84 mile marker and a 2 hour drive from home. I also found two lodging options; the economical option at the Key Lantern Inn on the Gulf side of US1; an efficiency full of charm and the not-so-economical option at the Islander on the Atlantic side US1; a gorgeous resort style hotel with a room was right on the beach. We decided we wouldn’t let these few early setbacks stop The Tour from going live which made it even more satisfying. Everyone was flexible and participated at a level where they were comfortable which is really what it’s all about; whether you are traveling with a singles group or a bunch of friends.
Saturday morning started with mimosas on the beach at 6:45 a.m. for about an hour, toasting the big ball of fire as it peaked over the horizon of the Atlantic.
Crazy Girl at Sunrise!
Around 4:00 p.m. we gathered on the patio of the Lorelei Cabana Bar as the Light was leaving us. The Lorelei is a lovely Gulf-side establishment where locals, tourist and visiting fishermen gather for this celebration, complete with local music, food and beverage.
Saying Farewell!
There are many other places we visited that night within walking distance of our hotels. We had a diverse group of people with varied interests; we were all open minded and adventurous. Our little adventure included drinks on the patio of the beautiful Islamorada Fish Company and a stop at Woody’s, the Gentlemen’s Club; this was a first for some of those in the group and a favorite of others!!
There really are no words I can use to help you understand how it feels to have a dream and to then to have that dream come true. Something so simple, so beautiful and so intangible, became my own special celebration that I shared with special people and will stay with me for a lifetime. A very fitting present as a celebration of the beginning of my lifetime! The Sunrise/Sunset Tour may have come to an end, but the Say Farewell to the 40’s Tour has just begun.
What do you dream of? It may be close to home and as big as seeing the country in an RV, or visiting a foreign country, or finding a cool new place to eat or have a drink in your city? Whatever it is think big, think with your heart and make it happen. It will change you and those that dared to dream with you!
New Life on New Year’s Eve
The Singles Travel International New Year’s Eve Singles Cruise of 2010, brought together about 100 single cruisers from 28 different states and 5 countries to welcome 2011. There were as many reasons why they were there as there were states represented, all with a common reason to bond, “YEAH, I AM SINGLE, SO WHAT!” Whether it was their choice or a choice made for them didn’t matter. They were there to CELEBRATE and that we did.
For some it was true culture shock as they were new to the single life and it was their first time traveling with a singles group. I could totally relate to how they felt. Only two years ago I took my first single travel adventure with STI; a weekend jazz concert in Chicago. I remember getting to the hotel, not knowing a soul and wondering what the heck I had signed up for. I’m in a strange town, feel like I have “ALONE” tattooed on my forehead and I’m stuck here! I never did see any jazz that weekend. I was too busy running around with people I had met, touring Wrigley stadium, taking the architecture tours, bike riding…. What a great and appropriate time to embrace whatever life had thrown at me and throw it right back! I have a friend that lives in Miami that I met on this trip and now we do our own travel and social thing together.
This was a common theme I learned from people on the cruise. There were many examples of friends that had met on previous trips and had been traveling together with the travel group for years. They were the seasoned singles in the group, quite content with the freedom of single life and the camaraderie of the travel group. In both instances, they had “been there, done that” and were often the heart and soul of the party.
The benefits of traveling with a singles travel group is the loose structure that allows you to be as involved or not involved as you want to be. It’s a mix of introverts and extroverts that drive each other crazy, but it works. You can participate in the planned activities, usually always includes a happy hour, or create your own. The “Lock and Key” icebreaker on the New Year’s Eve cruise provided a great opportunity to put names to faces as the men attempted to have the right key for the ladies’ lock. While there were prizes for those with the most matches, the real gift was listening to the suggestions flitting about the room about what could happen “if your key opens my lock………, oh baby!
As I got to know the other travelers and heard their stories about why they were there…….
- newly divorced,
- just separated,
- broke up with my girlfriend,
- lost my husband a few months ago,
- Already had a husband, don’t want another one……
…it was awesome to see them leave it all behind, to become more comfortable in their own skin and to just be in the moment. Making new friends, or maybe a new love connection, it didn’t matter; the New Year brought new hope for a new life.
A cruise as described on STI’s website is a chance to “..do as you please, celebrate special occasions, see the world and make new friends. As for the cruise of NYE 2010, I say Mission Accomplished.
If you were there, what do you think??
