Key West Music And Happenings

Living In The Conch Republic/Jerk Chicken/Scott Kirby

2012-01-27T06:17:00.000-08:00

< listen to “Liveaboard” while you read the blog! >

Living in The Conch Republic

How many times have I crossed the imaginary line driving down U.S.1 passing The Last Chance Saloon in Florida City and hence, entering the Conch Republic? Likewise, taking the left there and heading the Card Sound Road route? Either way, at that point going straight on US1 or going left onto Card Sound Rd., you’ve entered the Conch Republic. Having lived about fifteen miles north of there for so many years, I can attest, as will anyone else who’s done the same thing, when you cross that line, things take a noticeable change. Suddenly a weight comes off your shoulders and you find yourself exhaling. The grind is over and you have arrived in The Conch Republic. The Conch Republic is a country unto itself, make no mistake about it. From the very first settlers here to today, you’ll hear people throughout the Keys say “Oh, I have to go up to Florida”. It’s not necessarily Miami, Ft. Lauderdale, Naples, Ft. Meyers, Punta Gorda, Palm Beach,… ex. They say they have to go to Florida because in their minds, the Keys are NOT Florida. The Keys are “The Keys” or “The Conch Republic” . The Keys are a completely different state of mind and a completely different state of being. How many times have I mentioned to someone visiting “You know? This isn’t the U.S.”? And how many times have I seen their eyes light up and a big smile cross their face and their reply is “You’re Right!” in complete enlightenment? I’ll tell you, every time! Another anecdote I’ll say to people regarding my move from Florida to the Conch Republic capitol is “You know, I only moved one hundred and thirty eight miles, but it might as well have been one hundred and thirty eight thousand miles”. That’s no exaggeration whatsoever.

The beauty of the Keys is that, on the one hand, you’re in an entirely different country, yet you’re still within the United States. Down here in the Keys, we’re very proud of the United States military personnel stationed here, and we have all branches of the service. The Navy and the Coast Guard have the highest presence, however the Army’s Green Berets train here, as well and every branch of the service are represented at NAS Station in the Truman annex.

A funny thing about the Conch Republic is that those who leave, be it going back home from vacation, or having moved from here and relocated someplace else… up in the United States ;-) they all want to return. It’s a different state of mind. As I said, I only lived fifteen miles from the boarder and it was a beautiful area, bear in mind, but it was a world of difference. Cross that line at the Last Chance Saloon.. and it’s “WOW!!!” The weight’s gone off your shoulders. The Conch Republic stretches from The Last Chance Saloon about 200 miles to The Dry Tortugas. All but the first eighteen miles are islands, the Atlantic Ocean, and The Gulf of Mexico/Florida Bay and the Florida Straits.

In a strange, quirky, albeit remote way we could be kind of like Monaco and France? Monaco is its own country, however if attacked it is considered part of France. I think it could only behoove the U.S. to have the Conch Republic in some ways a sovereign state, yet at the same time still attached to the U.S. as it currently is. In areas such as foreign relations go, it might be a good, optional card to have up Washington D.C.’s sleeve. Besides, maybe we could get the $1B dollars in aid we never got at the end of the insurrection :-)

No Todo, this isn’t Florida, or the United States. Welcome to the Conch Republic!

KEY WEST GASTROMINY – Jamaican Jerk Chicken/What is, What Isn't

Two of my absolute favorite bar/restaurants in Key West are Schooner Wharf and The Hogfish, which is actually on Stock Island.. but still 33040. Both of these establishments sit dockside, Schooner Wharf in Key West Bight and the Hogfish at Safe Harbor Marina. Both have good menus and the Hogfish gets the nod for the better cuisine by about a point. The fish comes right off the boats, right there. It’s always a pleasure going to either, both having an atmosphere that is tough to equal.
The funny thing about both of these good restaurants is, as good as they are, neither of them have the slightest clue whatsoever on how to make Jamaican Jerk Chicken! Both have it on their menu; however I’m not really sure what they serve, not that it’s bad tasting, but it’s not jerk chicken!

To begin with, the absolute most important ingredient in Jerk is the Scotch Bonnet pepper, which is a sister pepper to the Habanero, albeit with a more aromatic flavor and similar heat rating. No trace whatsoever can be found in their Jerk. Second, Jerk is a paste made with the Scotch Bonnets, onions, allspice, garlic, pepper, salt, thyme, herbs, and pimiento. What they have is some kind of a liquid that, although it doesn’t taste bad, it has nothing whatsoever to do with Jerk seasoning. Both restaurants jerk taste similar to one another and it’s my guess that some restaurant supply company is selling them this stuff and blowing smoke up their tails with the hum that ”This is Jerk seasoning”. It’s not even close.

So, while I strongly suggest going to both of these superb establishments, if you’re contemplating the Jerk Chicken, avoid it. The rest of their menus are superb for a dockside bar/restaurant, and both have a great staff as well.

Who does make a real Jerk Chicken in Key West? Well, Blue Heaven has for years! Theirs tends to be a bit milder than I would prefer myself, however they’re not looking to have some inexperienced customer burst into flames, then follow it up with farting like a flame thrower at the table. On a scale of one to ten, I’d put it as an eight. Although on the mild side, it does have a very nice flavor.

Bobalu’s, next to the Green Parrot on Southard St., has what has to be the best Jerk Chicken in town. Not fire breathing dragon hot, but zippy and a great flavor. They serve theirs as a sandwich. Fantastic! On the scale of one to ten, it’s a nine. You can’t go wrong with their jerk!

Hat’s off to Bobalu’s for the best Jerk in town!

For a superb Jerk seasoning check out Grace’s!

http://www.gracefoods.com/index.php/sauces-and-condiments/grace-jerk-seasoning-hot-a-spicy-detail

If I ever should open a restaurant in town, my jerk will be a ten. I’m not taking any prisoners. Fresh, homemade Jerk, with a fabulous flavor, and hot as hell. Yah Mon!

Scott Kirby

Stopped by Smokin’ Tuna yesterday afternoon and caught Scott Kirby doing a set there. What a pleasure. Scott is an amazing acoustic guitar player, on top of being a fantastic singer and songwriter as well. Scott has been based in Key West since 1988 and has six albums out, the latest being “Row Me Home”, which was produced by Russ Kunkel. If you’re into great, laid back acoustic based music with a sailor’s perspective, Scott’s music is something that you’ll happily grow old with. What’s not to like? For more info on Scott, check out his site and his tour dates to find out when he’s in your neck of the woods.

http://www.scottkirby.com/

DOGS IN BARS - KEY WEST

2012-01-14T22:29:00.000-08:00

Life on My Terms by Key West Chris Rehm
< listen to “Life On My Terms” while you enjoy the Blog! This song has never been released at this point. I wrote it for my cousin Joe “JoCo”or “Jombo” Connolly when he passed a few years back. It’s an up beat song ‘cause that’s how Joe was! That’s him at the very end of the song too!>

Dog Friendly Bars

It’s funny, in a strange sort of way and has happened more than once. European visitors will stop me when I’m walking my dogs and express astonishment that dogs are not allowed in restaurants in Key West. “Everywhere you go in Europe, you’ll find dogs with their families in restaurants. Why not here?”

Welcome to the United States way of life: Lawsuits. The most recent being about a year and a half ago at Turtle Kraals, where a woman tripped over a dog and sued the establishment for $18,000.00. For the next six months no establishments allowed dogs in. After that it was decreed that dogs could be allowed in open air restaurants, as well as any bar that doesn’t serve food. This would be at the option of the bar or restaurant’s management. For instance, The Green Parrot is a bar that does not serve food, however because of a dog fight in there several years ago; the management does not allow dogs.

I also run into people who left their dogs at home and stop me for their doggie fix when they see my Whippets, Cajun and Tooloulou. Tourists do tell me that a lot of the B&Bs as well as hotels are dog friendly. I rely on them for this info as I don’t stay in them and have very little contact with them as a result.

Restaurants and bars, are not so much, regretfully. Following are some of the bars and restaurants that do allow dogs. However, what I’ve done here, was get the real experts on the subject, rather than use my own judgment, when rating the various dog friendly establishments. Therefor I’ve set up a panel of experts to assist me with the Blog this week. I’m certain no one will mind if I call out for a bit of help on this one.

SCHOONER WHARF: Schooner Wharf is a bar and outside restaurant that has a large reputation on allowing canines, to the point that it’s on many of their t-shirts! Key West legend Michael McCloud often plays with his dog, Cinderella, sitting righ on stage, in his guitar case! When the lawsuit had every bar including Schooner Wharf closed to dogs, Mike had his dog registered as a service dog. That took care of everything as far as Cinderella went! Covered seating and outside seating. Live music all day long starting at noon.

Cajun and Tooloulou Rating: 10

BLUE HEAVEN: Blue Heaven also allows dogs. I’ll often go there at night and have a beer under the water tower bar, having walked there from home with Cajun and Tooloulou. They love hanging out in the sand there. Outside seating and live musicmost of the time.

Cajun and Tooloulou rating: 8

MCCONNELL’s: McConnell’s Irish bar at 900 Duval has both an inside and outside patio. Owner Jerry McConnell loves dogs and beams from ear to ear when he sees one. Great staff and atmosphere! Perhaps the finest pint of Guinness in Key West is drawn here as well.

Cajun and Tooloulou rating: 10

TATOOS & SCARS: Tattoo & Scars bar is on Greene St. just a few doors down from Sloppy Joe’s. It’s owned by Cowboy Bill. I was in there a couple of times with the hounds. Inside seating.

Cajun and Tooloulou Rating: 8

SMOKIN TUNA: Smokin Tuna may be a bit hidden on Charles Street, directly across from Irish Kevin’s, but it’s a great stop for dogs. Like Blue Heaven, the floor is sand. Great live music too. Outside seating.

Cajun and Tooloulou Rating: 9

THE PORCH: The porch has been open a year and a half and is very dog friendly. Here is a beautiful setting in the Porter Mansion (circa 1842 or so) and an extremely wide selection of craft beers and a great, knowledgeable staff. Inside and outside seating.

Cajun and Tooloulou Rating: 10

THE CORK AND STOGIE: The Cork and Stogie is not a bar or a restaurant, however it does contain a beer and wine bar within. Very dog friendly Mom and Pop establishment with Dave and Leslie. The Cork and Stogie always has a great atmosphere and always a friendly crowd. Inside and outside seating, dogs welcome outside.

Cajun and Tooloulou Rating: 10

KEY WEST BAIT AND TACKLE: Key West Bait and Tackle also is not a bar or restaurant, per say, however it does have a bar in it that serves beer and wine. Inside and outside seating and salt of the earth, as you expect from a bait and tackle shop. Dogs welcome outside. The dogs love it and often in the season you’ll find artist Durf burning his craft. Dogs welcome for outside seating.

Cajun and Tooloulou Rating: 10

CAPTAIN TONY’S SALOON: A true Key West classic, Captain Tony’s is a bit of a split decision on dogs as they are permitted in until 7pm. However, after seven, no dogs. Inside seating and live music. Because of the 7pm rule…

Cajun and Tooloulou Rating: 7 (what else could it be?)

LOUIE’S BACK YARD: Louie’s Back Yard’s Afterdeck allows dogs until five pm. Additionally, it’s located directly next to Dog Beach. With an early curfew on the canines, my pooches were inclined to give the cut off time as their rating, as they did with Captain Tony’s. However, with the location right next to Dog Beach and a marvelous view to boot, the rating was charged up a couple of notches!

Cajun & Tooloulou rating: 7

THE RUM BAR: Perhaps the smallest indoor bar on the list, located in the base of the Speakeasy Hotel on the 1000 block of Duval, the Speakeasy is in a historic building. With a warm and cozy inside, with a fresh air outside porch overlooking Duval St. , as the name suggests there is an uncountable amount of Rums from around the Caribbean to be had, as well as beer and wine.

Cajun and Tooloulou Rating: 8

KRAWL OFF DUVAL: Krawl Off Duval is just that. Located just a couple of doors east of Duval on Southard, Krawl Off Duval is Key West’s second Craft Beer Bar. A great selection of beer from around the world, with an emphasis on draft. Inside seating with outside porch seating both upstairs and down on street level.

Cajun and Tooloulou Rating: 9

GEIGER KEY: Off of Key West there is Geiger Key Marina. If you don’t know where it is, I’m not going to ruin the secret!  Fabulous setting on the water, this is the back country Keys and dogs are welcome! A Tiki bar right on the water. Quiet, peaceful, really laid back atmosphere. Music on weekend evenings.

Cajun and Tooloulou Rating: 10

HOGFISH BAR & GRILL: The Hogfish again is off the beaten path, this time on Stock Island, right on the marina. There used to be a sign there that said “No Dogs”, however I’ve seen dogs there plenty of times, so perhaps its tongue in cheek? To be honest, I’ve never been there with Cajun and Tooloulou, so I must rate it myself. Rating: 10

B.O.’s Fishwagon: What can one say about B.O’s? To call it a shack, may be kind. But it’s real Key West and they allow dogs in there as well, as it’s open air with a corrugated roof, it’s an outdoor restaurant. Like the Hogfish and Geiger Key, they have several deliveries a day, direct from the docks, not a Sysco truck from Miami, by way of Panama, Ecuador, Guatemala, Chile… ex. It comes straight out of local waters. Friday night is the best time to go as Bong Hits for Geezers will be playing (Barry Cuda, Richard Crooks, and a rotating list of guest musicians including Kenny Fradley and Chief Billy Two Beers. If you don’t have fun at B.O.’s, get yourself a spade, dig a hole, and jump in, ‘cause you’re dead!

Cajun and Tooloulou Rating: 10

Special thanks to Cajun and Tooloulou for helping out!!! They’ve wandered all over Key West with me for since they arrived in my life over three years ago and are very, very well known all around town. They truly are experts on bars and often help guide my way home! Bottom line is, there are a fair amount of places where you can bring your dog to. Something to consider if you're thinking of visiting and bringing your pooch!

One of the fun things about writing a blog is viewing the stats! I get viewers of course from the U.S., but also Canada, the U.K., Russia, the Ukraine, China, India, and Brazil on a regular basis! Isn’t the internet amazing? Welcome to all!
The week between Christmas and New Year’s is the second busiest week in Key West, after Fantasy Fest. This year was no exception! Key West was packed! My friend Buscuit Miller was in town playing at Schooner Wharf for New Year’s. We went sailing with Captain Larry Poff and had a fantastic time! I was at Schooner Wharf for New Years as well and Buscuit and the band rocked the house!

After I left Schooner I stopped by McConnell’s at 900 Duval on my way home. Deb Hudson and the Groove Daddies were kicking it out, on this evening with Bubba Low Notes on bass, filling in for Din Allen.

Jeff Allen and Carol Ewald, owners of http://beachfrontradio.com/home.cfm were back in town for a busman’s holiday, of sorts combining both business and pleasure. Beachfront Radio is the largest TropRock station in the world. They bought me dinner for my birthday on January 3! Thanks guys! Had a great time with them as well at McConnell’s, Captain Tony’s, and the Rum Barrel a couple of days later. Lots of fun! Hurry back guys!

On January 6th I stopped by The Green Parrot and caught the band “Donna The Buffalo”, for the first time. A lot of unfamiliar faces in the crowd and I realized that, like the Grateful Dead, these fans followed the entire tour! Fantastic! If I had to classify the fans, I’d put them in the same category as fans of the ‘Dead as well. It was a great time and that band was really good quality and a lot of fun, as were the fans! Throughout the gig I’d see people singing along with the band on their original reportois. A lot of the songs were organ (B3) based, so that was a real cool twist. I highly recommend catching one of their gigs if they come to your town!
Thanks! Hope you enjoyed this week’s Blog! See you next week!

All the Best From Key West!

“Key West Chris” Rehm

http://keywestchris.com/

Conch Rock!!!

2012-01-08T12:22:00.000-08:00

Life on My Terms by Key West Chris Rehm
^enjoy “LIFE ON MY TERMS” while you read the blog!^

CONCH ROCK
What exactly is “Conch Rock” anyway? Simply put, Conch Rock is any music that is written and created in the Conch Republic. The next obvious question is “Where exactly is the Conch Republic?”. Well, geographically the Conch Republic starts in the Dry Tortugas, about seventy miles west of Key West and runs east, through the Marquesas Keys, then on through Key West and up through the archipelago of the Florida Keys, including all the key islands in the Florida Bay, then up U.S. 1 through Key Largo, up the eighteen mile stretch, to the Last Chance Saloon in Florida City. Additionally the keys north of Key Largo; Old Rhoades Key, Elliot Key, Sands Key, and Boca Chita Key are in the Conch Republic as well.
Any music, by any artist, created within these geographic boundaries, is Conch Rock.

An addendum to this follows: As Sir Peter Anderson, Secretary General of the Conch Republic often states, The Conch Republic is a “Sovereign State of Mind”. Because of this, anyone who is in a “Conch Republic State of Mind”© outside the Conch Republic, but is writing a song about the Conch Republic, ..lets say fishing off Islamorada, or hanging out at a bar at a marina in the Keys, what have you, it doesn’t matter if they are in Modesto, California, or Put In Bay, Ohio, so long as they’re writing music about the Conch Republic, they are also producing Conch Rock.

Conch Rock and Trop Rock are, more often than not, one and the same and share the same roots. Conch Rock however, has a much broader definition, as it is any music produced in the Keys, or written about the Keys. Which came first, Trop Rock or Conch Rock? It’s almost akin to asking the chicken or the egg question. Many people credit Jimmy Buffett as the father of Trop Rock, adapting many of his Caribbean influences and blending them with American Rock, Country, and Blues. Of course he was living in Key West when he first started doing so, was he playing Trop Rock, Conch Rock, or both? As previously mentioned, Conch Rock is a bit more flexible in its requirements. Below is an example of a song which is Conch Rock, but not Trop Rock. Enjoy “MILE ZERO”

Mile Zero by Key West Chris Rehm

Inspirational Key West and the Conch Republic

2011-12-19T08:34:00.000-08:00

Liveaboard by Key West Chris Rehm
^ Listen to Liveaboard while you read the blog! ^

Here in Key West there is an almost compulsive draw to be creative and in particular, original. We’ve had our share of well-known writers and performers over the years that need no introductions. There is some kind of energy here, which words can’t really describe. Maybe it emulates from the coral below us? Maybe it’s from our longitude and latitude, coordinated with a gravitational pull from the sun in relation to our proximity to the Bermuda Triangle? I’ll let soothsayers, scientists, geologists, and Santaria priests figure that one out, as I’m too busy taking advantage of it myself. Today we also have the creative vibe going. One example of many is a local performing artist, and all around good guy Bo Fodor, has been very active on both the video and music front, as of late. Over the last few months Bo has had two websites he’s introduced to the world from Key West . The first was Key West Coconut Telegraph Television, which is an internet television station running twenty four hours a day. It offers local coverage, as well as some fun, rare reporting from our sister city, ninety miles south of our southernmost point, Havana.

http://www.tikilive.com/show/key-west-coconut-telegraph-television

Bo has also more recently started an internet radio station, Key West Original Music Radio, which features exactly that! In addition, Bo has made slide videos for all of the music featured! I can’t imagine how long that took to do! Oh my gosh!! Great job Bo! If anyone wants to hear the sound of the Keys, this is where you can tune in 24 hours a day.

http://www.tikilive.com/show/key-west-original-music-radio

I of course also feel the inspiration that emulates from this coral island as well and it suits my style perfectly. I’m someone who thrives on innovation! Blazing one’s own path is encouraged here. That shows up on my current CD “Shanghai’d and Marooned in Key West (things could be worse)” where we have ten songs and eleven different overall genres, all of which are Conch Rock and eight of the ten also wear the Trop Rock hat as well. Additionally, every song was inspired from the energy of this island.

With the website we’ve made some major innovative inroads as well! With the coming of digital downloads, both artwork and information have fallen by the wayside. While this is a big shame in so many ways, anyone who thinks digital downloads are going to go away, have their heads buried in the sand. What we’ve done, is set up all the information on the website in the music section! Each song has its own page, for instance. On each song’s individual page we have:

A) The Lyrics
B) The story behind the song
C) All of the personnel playing on the song.
D) Artwork from both local as well as international artists.

In some cases we also have a music track to go along with it. In addition, we have three unreleased tracks available for listening along with a story to go along with them as well. Thus far, we’re the only artist doing all of this. Some may have some things. I know Jimmy Buffett has the lyrics on his site, for
Instance, however there is no information other than that. I’ve talked to a producer/publisher in Nashville about what we’re doing down here and he was quite excited about it. I have the impression that in time, we’ll see more artists doing similar things with their music on their websites.

http://keywestchris.com/shanghaid-marooned-key-west-things-could-be-worse

Of course here on the Blog we’re also infected with the creative vibe/energy/inspiration that oozes out of the rock we live on called Key West. In addition to the Key West news from the source, we also add pictures and/or a collage, as well as a music clip… not forgetting a video, every now and then! 
Thank God for The Conch Republic’s creative inspiration!

J. Harold Lowry of course is also drawing inspiration from the Conch Republic archipelago for his book "Key Lime Floats". A book that will surely bring a smile to your day! Available in either paperback or via download via Kindle!

http://www.jharoldlowry.com/key_lime_floats.htm

It's a plethora of inspiration down in the entire Conch Republic!

This last week Country Singer/Songwriter/Actress and all around great person Misty Loggins was in town. Misty texted me shortly prior to let me know she’d be here and I texted her back saying “Hey! Want to cut a song with me?” She said “Sure!”. Fantastic!... only one problem. I didn’t have a song for her to sing. Hummm… off to work! So I wrote a song, “Island Blue” for her to sing. This is the first song for my next album “All The Best From Key West”, which is how I always sign off on letters and e-mails. Misty nailed it! Plus, in addition, again, it’s exploring new ground. At the moment we have Misty, Richard Crooks on drums, and myself on guitar, so the canvas is progressing well, but we still have a ways to go and more instruments to add. Dan Simpson is again at the helm on the board. I’ll have more info on this one when we finish it, hopefully in a couple of weeks.

All the Best From Key West!

Key West Chris

Gary Hempsey, MOTM Revisited, Female songwriters/performers

2011-12-09T22:08:00.001-08:00

The Greatest Country by Key West Chris Rehm
^ listen to “The Greatest Country” while you enjoy the blog! ^

News Flash Bulletin! This just in, It looks as though I will be interviewed on NPR Radio in a couple of weeks, before the end of the year!!! Conch Rock/Trop Rock goes on the National Public Radio syndicated network! More news as it develops!!!!!!

I can’t think of a better place to live, then in the Conch Republic! Anywhere from Key West through Key Largo and the 107 miles and forty some odd bridges linking the archipelago of islands, which started as a railroad, back ninety nine years ago. However, life being life, nothing is perfect and the Conch Republic is certainly no exception to that rule. A very ugly event happened recently in Key West, as a matter of fact, which have everybody shaking their heads in bemusement. Gary Hempsey, a local performer who’s been playing at Captain Tony’s for something to the tune of twenty years, wanted to cut back his schedule there, in order to explore some new things. Instead of saying “Hey Gary! No problem. What works for you?”, the manager just up and fired his ass.

One of Captain Tony’s sons posted on Gary’s FB page that he knew his dad would not be happy about this at all. I’m sure that the ashes of Captain Tony himself, have gathered and turned into a water spout/cyclone, somewhere in the Florida Straits. For those who don’t know Gary, he’s first and foremost, his own man. He’s a very unique guy with a great character. Everyone when hearing the news was awestruck in disbelief. I can’t begin to tell you how many times I heard the exact same statement “What? You’re kidding, right? How could anybody fire Gary Hempsey from Captain Tony’s?” Gary was one of the key faces of Captain Tony’s; a stalwart of the institution itself, who played there with the late Captain Tony’s full support and blessing. What happened here was a disgrace. It was an insult to Gary and his loyalty to the bar for two decades, the patrons who always make a point of catching his show when they are in town, his extensive local fan base, all of the other great employees who work there, additionally the action sullies the name of the bar itself. There is someone who needs to go from Captain Tony’s, but it’s certainly not Gary Hempsey.

The pictures in the collage are Gary playing at his birthday party at Smokin’ Tuna back in August.

I had a really nice thing happen at MOTM that I forgot to mention in the last blog I had just rounded the corner at the end of Greene St. and turned up Elizabeth St. in my VW Bus, when I heard a group of people holler out “Look! It’s Key West Chris!”. I figured they were friends of mine and parked. They were right in front of the B and B next to Lazy Way, partying in the street. As I approached they all hollered out again. Turned out they were from North Carolina and in for MOTM and had recognized me and my VW from both Facebook and the Trop Rock stations that are playing “Shanghai’d and Marooned in Key West (things could be worse)”. I ended up hanging out with them for about a half hour, as they were kind enough to share a few beers with me. Thanks guys! My friends who I was meeting, Key Largo Joe and Cindy, thought I died! HA HA HA!

Hindsight is also 20/20. I forgot to mention something about Kelly McGuire, who held his annual event at Lighthouse Court at MOTM. Kelly was here also earlier this year for the Key West Songwriter’s Festival, a.k.a KWSF. To be invited to the KWSF is a great honor, as it’s not a bar in Key West that invites you, but rather BMI Nashville, who is the host of the event. For those who don't know, BMI is BIG in the mechanical publishing rights side of the music industry.In other words, when a radio station plays a song, or it is played in a jukebox, or a performing artist covers a song, BMI are the ones who collect the royalties and pay the songwriter. Congratulations on that one Kelly!

There were so many great songwriters here for MOTM! It was a true pleasure to hear them! On flip side, there were also those who all wrote songs about getting loaded on Duval. Way, way too many, actually. I was ready to pull my hair out :-O if I heard another that weekend. Thank God for the great songwriters, they kept me from going insane.

Speaking of Trop Rock & Conch Rock, another area that is way open for growth is the implement of estrogen in the genres. There are so few women in the field, it’s on the cusp of being sad. The bright side there is Adrienne, who is based here in the Conch Republic. Adrienne is a graduate of Berklee, up in Boston and is truly a great songwriter and performer; someone who deserves much more attention. As she lives in the Keys, all of her music is Conch Rock, of which a decent amount also happens to fall into the Trop Rock genre as well. Be sure to check Adrienne out at her website http://adriennemusic.com/ and also on her Facebook Page https://www.facebook.com/adriennemuz

Michelle Orlandi Becker has won the female vocalist of the year at MOTM for years. An accomplished songwriter in her own right, she and her husband Tom form Latitude.

Of course, there’s Nadria Shakur, the backup singer for Jimmy Buffett, is an artist in her own rite, indeed. The Atlanta based Nadira has a good mix of Trop Rock and R&B in her song repertoire. So, Nadira is partly Trop Rock.

Kristie Hayes Bobal had her CD release party during MOTM at Carmelo’s Bottle Cap. She was also interviewed on Beach Front Radio prior to the release. From what I heard of the CD, while it seems it was well produced and had some great sounding musicians on it, it falls into the genre of Southern Rock. No knock against the work itself; however it’s a missed opportunity for Trop Rock to have an additional female artist.

Dani Hoy, out of Pennsylvania, is making progress in the field. Good for her too! I hear the word on the street is that she is planning and perhaps working on an upcoming project. She played at Artist Koz’ Green World Gallery here in Key West for MOTM. Hopefully she’ll have a CD in there for sale as well before long.

Also, up in Panama, Florida there’s Sandra Heart Youngblood who accompanies her husband Steven Youngblood as a duo, playing the steel pan.

Here’s the bottom line; I just named a total of four female performers who are Trop Rock and or, Conch Rock full time artists. That’s Adrienne, Michelle Orlandi, Sandra Youngblood, and Dani Hoy; Nadirah Shakur being partially Trop Rock. Now, I must have missed one or two, maybe more… I apologize to those who, at the moment skipped my feeble brain. However, the bottom line is there is a huge opening for quality, female artists and particularly writers, in Trop Rock and Conch Rock.

Will keep y’all posted on my NPR interview as I learn more!

Thanks to Melissa for the framed pictures of Cajun and Tooloulou!

The Crazy Weeks

2011-11-11T09:11:00.000-08:00

THE CRAZY WEEKS
7 Mile Bridge by Key West Chris Rehm

^Listen to the demo of “7 Mile Bridge” while you read the Blog!^

Autumn brings two crazy weeks in a row of festivals to Key West. All are as different from one another as can be, as well. Not only the craziest festival in Key West, but easily the craziest festival in the U.S., and perhaps the world, Fantasy Fest, kicked off the insanity. Fantasy Fest is far and away, the largest -festival Key West has in the year, bar none. We’re not talking three thousand, ten thousand or fifteen -thousand. Fantasy Fest is more than three times larger than its second largest festival, the Key West Poker Run, which draws 30,000! We’re looking at 100,000 strong. This is the “Big Daddy” of Key West Festivals. To begin with, the event is not three or five days long, it’s a ten day event, starting with the Goombay Festival, to kick it off. It’s also not for the faint of heart, at least as far as clothing goes… or lack thereof. Fantasy Fest is actually a mascaraed party and body paint is considered clothing at Fantasy Fest. Frankly, the reality of it all is that maybe fifteen to eighteen percent are wearing body paint. It’s just that when you see those with nothing on… ah, let’s say it grabs your attention!

Monday and Tuesday have always been on Greene St. in front of Captain Tony’s , however this year it was so crowded early in the week, on Tuesday they extended it a day early down Duval to The Bull. Of course there were theme parties at all the bars on different nights. The plaid party at Captain Tony’s on Tuesday, the Toga Party at Sloppie’s on Thursday. The kinky party at Kelly’s… I missed Wednesday – Friday evenings as I wasn’t feeling up to par….more on that later. I was with the 40 ft. Sharpie Float again this year for the parade on Saturday. Always a great time on the float! Big thanks to Angus, Gary, Sherrie, Rachel, Blackheart Charlie, Kate, Ken, Cory, Bill, Mammasabi, Wasabi, Chevi, Jeff, Scott, Cindy, Key Largo Joe, Irish Hazel, Doug, Jan, Dave, Ashley, Rich in Spirit, Todd,… the list goes on.

The day before the Fantasy Fest Parade, Rachel, with a bit of help from her beau, Blackheart Charlie, got us into the local’s mascaraed parade and was the mastermind behind it. Charlie had told me it was the greatest thing, as he had been in it last year for the first time. I had heard about it, but never had even seen it. Turns out, it is Key West’s best kept secret! What a blast! We joined this parade at the graveyard and a bunch of us who were in our float group went as “One Hula Family”, a parody on Key West’s motto “One Human Family”. Again, this was Rachel’s fabulous conception. Truly genius and ever so creative! A tip of the hat to Rachel indeed! This parade lasted about two and a half hours and full of locals on the side streets of Key West. Do it again next year? Damn tootin’!!!

For the Fantasy Fest Parade we hauled the float from Ken’s house to the staging area. I was the cook on the float and had been from the get-go at the meetings we had. Ken issued a grill and I was busy! I had to run home when I was done and regretfully, like the evenings where I missed Fantasy Fest, I wasn’t feeling up to par and realized that a 2 ½ - 3 hour march wasn’t in the cards for me, so I stayed home. Again, more on that later.

Next up was MOTM
MOTM brings in the Trop Rockers and Parrot Heads to town, along with all sorts of live music to be heard all around town. There are also awards given out by the Margarita Mafia, over at the Casa Marina. Unfortunately for me, the release of “Shanghai’d and Marooned in Key West (things could be worse)” was too late for this years running, so we’ll be shooting for next year’s album of the year. All of the eighteen Key West players on the CD were just exceptional, not forgetting Producer Dan Simpson. They really deserve it!

Special thanks to DJ Jeff, Captain Cali, and Brian Roberts who got me into the Beachfront Radio Beach Party at Sloppy Joe’s. What a blast! Brian, gave up his regular gig to put on multiple acts there. He did a fantastic job of it as well! What organization. Everything went so smooth and Brian is a true pro… and a great guy to boot. I bumped into my Coconut Castaway pal, Marc Hollander and hung out with him when I got there. Marc’s a great guy and he and his wife Tammy are great fun to hang with. Also, my friend Cindi Hogan was there! Then, my pal Key Largo Joe showed up! Then Jeff Lange! What a great time I got up and did my songs opening with a brand new song “Island Ladies” then followed it with two songs off Shanghai’d, “My Little Island Town” and then closing it with “The Beach!!!!” .. for Captain Cali, of Beachfront!  Coming off the stage, again I wasn’t up to par again however. My chest was pounding really hard. After a few minutes however, all was well again…

Funny, there I was driving down the street going to Sloppy’s when I hear a bunch of people holler out my name “Key West Chris!!!”. Turned out it was a group of folks from North Carolina who knew me from a few of the Trop Rock stations and FB! How cool is that? I later had a beer with them on the street! Thanks guys! Then, It was a great reward this morning when Trop Rock artist Swim Skinny posted a very nice complement on my FB wall. It’s always great to get encouragement on one’s art. It’s kind of on a special plateau however when it comes from a fellow musician. Much appreciated Swim!!!!

I also got to play at Kelly McGuire’s event at Lighthouse Point. What a great little venue, plus it’s only four doors down the street from where I live! Kelly’s a great songwriter as well and a very good musician to boot. He does this every year and it’s always a pleasure to go. Highly recommended!

On Friday I went to my cardiologist who did a scan on me. After that Key Largo Joe called and told me to meet him at the street gig on Duval. Mac McAnally was scheduled, but Joe said Buffett was playing. Now, bear in mind, every year there are rampant rumors that Buffett will show, but he never does. When Joe says so… Joe’s got inside info and he knows! Thanks Joe!Sure as anything, Buffet played on the corner of Duval and Fleming! The place was a sardine can, but it was great! Everyone there was ecstatic! MOTM has many events around town; many not part of the official event at all. I think Kelly’s falls into that category? The cool thing that I liked about it was Buffett did it for everyone. Not just those at the Casa Marina, but rather everyone at the event itself. Additionally, he only did songs that were 1975 and before…. a.k.a songs that he wrote during his primary years in Key West. What a great concept!

During the concert I had a call from my cardiologist. “You need to get to Miami asap!!!” Make a long story short, I nearly bought the farm on the way there. Arrived in Miami and the BP was 252/140. I got there just in time too. They did a catheter on me and cleared out a clogged stent that was previously put in. Now I’m back to normal! Special thanks to Richard, Lora, Gary, and Sherrie for watching my family, Cajun and Tooloulou while I was away. Woof-Woof!!!!

I was away, but I’m not gone!

Shanghai'd and Marooned in Key West (things could be worse) Is available at:

http://www.cduniverse.com/productinfo.asp?pid=8538563

http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/keywestchris

http://www.beachfrontradio.com/keywestchris.cfm

Also available at iTunes. Search: Key West Chris

MORE! To Do and Not Do in Key West!

2011-10-31T21:24:00.000-07:00

Beautiful Day Down Paradise Way by Key West Chris Rehm

^ Listen to My Little Island Town while you read the Blog! ^

Lets get the don’ts out of the way first!

If you are incapable or just too damn phreaking cheap of leaving a fair tip (15 – 20%) to anyone who serves you drinks or meals, you really can’t afford to go out in the first place. Stay home. Stiffing a server or a bartender is stealing and a B/S tip is an insult. A few rotten apples give an entire event’s participants a bad name.

Don’t drive down Virginia St (first intersection south of Duval & Truman) between Duval and Whitehead. Parked cars are sticking out everywhere, it’s a two-way street wide enough for one car, and it’s just a street you may say “Why did I drive down here?”

Now the Do’s

The best beach in town is Ft. Zachary Taylor. Fort Zack, as we locals call it, is a state park and it is accessible via Southard St., west of The Green Parrot.
Sunsets are one of the things Key West is known for. All of the tourists flock to Mallory Square to see it and all sorts of performers, music, jugglers, high wire, you name it, lots of fun!

Another great place to see a sunset is on the roof of La Concha Hotel, at 430 Duval St. Sunset is fantastic from up there and everyone is welcome, you don’t have to be a guest of the hotel. Live music and a full bar are available as well.

The aforementioned Ft. Zack is also a great place to watch the sunset. You’re on the western tip of the island, which is cool also.

Visit Ernest Hemingway’s house! There is one major problem with Ernest’s house however; you’ll want to move in. The guided tours are wonderful and the guides work for gratuity as well.

Eating out is a great pastime here. For just a quick bite on the run, check out Sharkbites on South Street, half way between Duval and Simonton Streets. They have sandwiches for fewer than seven bucks. Ryan and Bill are the owners there.

On the corner of South Street and Simon St. is Ana’s, a Cuban convenience store with a walk up window. Great menu too! South Street is the street that the Southernmost Point is on.

Other great places of note for dining;
Blue Heaven is a must. It’s better experienced than described, so just go. If it’s too pricy for you to eat, go and hang out at the bar, which sits outside under a water tower that was from the Flagler Railroad.

Schooner Wharf is of course a great setting for eating anything. Their menu is good, while being right on the water, the scenery can’t be beat. They also now have breakfast. Say hi to Vicki or Debbi behind the bar!

Santiago’s Bodega, a little further down the street from Blue Heaven, this tapas style restaurant has rightfully been accused of having the best dishes on the island. I haven’t eaten everywhere, but this is damn good.

Pepe’s on Caroline St. is known for their breakfasts, although any other meal is likewise excellent.

Quick blog today… more in the next one!

Anyone in town who wants to say hello this week, I'll be on a quick gig at Sloppy Joe's Thursday, November 3rd from 3:15 - 3:30. Lots of great acts playing. I'll also be at one of Kelly Maguire's gigs after 4 at Lighthouse Court, across from Hemingway's house on Whitehead, (just a few doors north of me, actually)

TO DO AND NOT TO DO IN KEY WEST – ALSO LEARN ABOUT A1A!!!

2011-10-27T00:10:00.001-07:00

TO DO AND NOT TO DO IN KEY WEST – ALSO LEARN ABOUT A1A!!!

Key West Blues by Key West Chris Rehm

^ Click the track and listen to “Key West Blues”* as you listen to the track!^

Well, with largest Key West festival, Fantasy Fest underway, and two others hot on its heels, here’s a quick little guide of what to do and not do in Key West. This won’t be stuff that you read in all the tourist BS, but rather, the real deal. I always say, there are two kinds of folks who come to the Keys. There are those who come and go home and look forward to coming back again and there are those who come and want to move here, as soon as their situations and stars come into alignment. While we welcome everyone to our island chain in the Conch Republic, this particular blog today leans 65/35 in the direction of the latter.

The drive from the mainland to Key West is consistently rated as one of the top ten scenic drives in the United States. This isn’t hogwash either. With the Atlantic on your left and the Florida Bay/Gulf of Mexico on your right, it’s a stunning and unique experience hopping the bridges and islands! The absolute best way to enjoy this trip through the 126 miles of the Conch Republic’s main street, Overseas Highway, U.S. 1 (not A1A, as some incorrectly refer to it as) is to take two or three days in getting here. I spoke to a friend of mine from out of town the other day. He thought The Conch Republic was just Key West. The Conch Republic extends to The Last Chance Saloon in Florida City which is 126 miles from Mile Zero, on Whitehead Street, here in Key West. On how this came to be, check this link of Sir Peter Anderson’s Conch Republic site:

http://conchrepublic.com/history.htm

The Conch Republic also extends west through the Marquesas Keys heading west, and on to The Dry Tortugas, which are about 70 miles west of Key West. On the other hand, as The Conch Republic’s Secretary General, Sir Peter will tell you, the Conch Republic is also a state of mind.

The trip through the Keys I’ll save for another blog, as it’s far too involved and important to be anything but a blog subject unto itself. For the moment I will say that every Key has its own personality and feel. If one want’s to experience “island living”, in its true form, stop and relax for a couple of days en-route is essential. Check out a couple of places in The Conch Republic, be it Key Largo, Islamorada Long Key, Marathon,… ex. There’s no place like The Keys, just like Bogart said in the movie Key Largo.

Once in Key West, the very first thing to do is park your car and don’t get back into it until you’re leaving, unless you’re going to The Hogfish, on Stock Island, or Geiger Key Marina on Geiger Key. More on that later! However, be advised, Key West is not car friendly in any way, manor, shape, or form. Parking is a pain in the ass. Be rest assured, you will get a ticket if your meter runs out, no if’s and’s, or but’s. Park facing the wrong way on the street, you’ll have a ticket in the morning.
When you arrive in Key West by car, if you are staying in Old Town, do not take Truman Ave. Truman is the same street as N. Roosevelt Blvd. which you get when turning right, coming on to the island. Once you clear Garrison Bight (the water and harbors on your right) it turns into Truman at the Eisenhower St. traffic light. You’re now entering Old Town. What happens here is first is White Street, which is usually backed up and then there is St. Mary’s Star of the Sea, which has a school as well. Can you say “another back up”? Then, just after that is Simonton St, where there’s a light. There’s always someone who wants to take a left here. Regretfully, traffic is inevitably coming the other way, so they can’t go until the light changes. Consequently, the back-up from White St and St. Mary’s Star of the Sea, is only exacerbated.

The way to avoid all of this, is to turn left when entering the island. Now you are on A1A, also known as S. Roosevelt Blvd. A1A in the Keys is only 2.25 miles long and it travels along the Atlantic coast, passing Smather’s Beach on your left, down to Bertha St. where the road takes a ninety degree turn. Chances are good that you’ll take your first left at Atlantic Ave. and continue from there. Get a map of Key West and just come in the back way, it’s more scenic, less frustrating, and a lot more fun! That stretch when taking the left and driving the 2.25 miles to Bertha St. is the only stretch of A1A in all of the Keys, so enjoy it!

After you ditch your car there are a few ways to get around. Being such a beautiful, historic town, with all sorts of nooks and crannies all over, the absolute best way to see and explore is on foot. The little, subtle things are noticed on foot. The next best way is a bike. Bikes can be rented for about $8 - $10 a day. Bikes are a great way to see the island! Additionally, you’ll get some exorcize! Scooters are popular, although most people who rent them, don’t know how to ride them to begin with. Accidents are not un-common and the hospital thanks them for their support. The hospital actually opens an entire wing during the season, which started this weekend.
Peddy Cabs are popular as well. The drivers also have a lot of knowledge the island and its history, so you get a tour guide and transportation all in one.
Taxis are also available.

Things that are a must in Key West!
Friday night from 6 – 9 at B.O.’s Fishwagon and catch Barry Cuda and Bong Hits for Geezers. What a band, what a place! This is The Real Keys and one of the real types of music that has pulsated through the Keys for decades. Bary Cuda actually built a chassis for his upright piano and wheels it from gig to gig!!! The absolute best place to see him is at B.O.’s Fishwagon, 801 Caroline St. B.O.’s is a shack… I’m not kidding; it’s an open air shack, with his old truck buried to its axels out front. In days gone by, B.O. would sell his fish off the back of his truck on Duval. He later got this open air shack, with a corrugated tin roof, which they sell their fish (and burgers) at. Rachel will sit on the counter and take your order and Bong Hits for Geezers belt out old New Orleans tunes from the twenties, thirties, forties, and even as far up as the sixties. This is the real Key West. Don’t miss it for some pseudo, wanna-be, who wrote a song about his three days in Key West, before he retreated back to suburbia, in outside of some city, USA. Bong Hits for Geezers are the real deal and living it in the Keys 24/7/365, for decades.

One thing not to do: Ask me where to stay. I don’t know, I live here, so I don’t rent out a hotel, motel, B&B, or a Guest House room. I have a place of my own and I don’t sell hotel rooms on the side.
Thing to do: Go out to the airport and go for a Bi-Plane ride!!!! Scot Alan, a fellow Trop Rock musician (extraordinaire btw!!!) and I flew in one in September! I’d always wanted to go and Scot called me out of the blue and told me he was flying in and to meet me at the airport, here in Key West. What a blast that was! Check the blog I did a couple of blogs below this one. Check their site as well!
http://www.keywestbiplanes.com/
Thing to do: Get the hell out of town! On Stock Island, right next door to Key West is TheHogfish Bar and Grill. Fabulous place! The Hogfish is located right on the docks at Safe Harbor Marina. Not easy to find, but well worth getting there! This is where the Key West Fishing Fleet is these days and the Hogfish Bar & Grill has the freshest fish in town! http://www.hogfishbar.com/
Also, if you continue out U.S. 1, just past MM10 is a Shell station. Take a right on the road there and keep an eagle eye out for Geiger Rd. on the left, maybe a ¼ mile or more down. Take the left and you’ll be at the Geiger Key Marina in about 100 yards. This is a true, old time Keys local joint on the water. Great place! They also allow dogs!!! YEAH! Geiger Key Marina is owned by Michelle and Bobby Mongelli, who also own the Hogfish. The Mongelli’s are true Keys heroes in my book because they preserve Keys history and the traditions in both of their establishments. Geiger Key Marina is also a great place to stay if you have an RV or a camper. Check their site!
http://www.geigerkeymarina.com/

That’s enough for one day… Ha Ha Ha!!!

All the Best From Key West!
Key West Chris Rehm
*= http://keywestchris.com/

TO DO AND NOT TO DO IN KEY WEST – ALSO LEARN ABOUT A1A!!!

2011-10-27T00:10:00.000-07:00

TO DO AND NOT TO DO IN KEY WEST – ALSO LEARN ABOUT A1A!!!
http://soundcloud.com/chris-rehm/key-west-blues
^ Click the track and listen to “Key West Blues”* as you listen to the track!^

Well, with largest Key West festival, Fantasy Fest underway, and two others hot on its heels, here’s a quick little guide of what to do and not do in Key West. This won’t be stuff that you read in all the tourist BS, but rather, the real deal. I always say, there are two kinds of folks who come to the Keys. There are those who come and go home and look forward to coming back again and there are those who come and want to move here, as soon as their situations and stars come into alignment. While we welcome everyone to our island chain in the Conch Republic, this particular blog today leans 65/35 in the direction of the latter.
The drive from the mainland to Key West is consistently rated as one of the top ten scenic drives in the United States. This isn’t hogwash either. With the Atlantic on your left and the Florida Bay/Gulf of Mexico on your right, it’s a stunning and unique experience hopping the bridges and islands! The absolute best way to enjoy this trip through the 126 miles of the Conch Republic’s main street, Overseas Highway, U.S. 1 (not A1A, as some incorrectly refer to it as) is to take two or three days in getting here. I spoke to a friend of mine from out of town the other day. He thought The Conch Republic was just Key West. The Conch Republic extends to The Last Chance Saloon in Florida City which is 126 miles from Mile Zero, on Whitehead Street, here in Key West. On how this came to be, check this link of Sir Peter Anderson’s Conch Republic site:
http://conchrepublic.com/history.htm
The Conch Republic also extends west through the Marquesas Keys heading west, and on to The Dry Tortugas, which are about 70 miles west of Key West. On the other hand, as The Conch Republic’s Secretary General, Sir Peter will tell you, the Conch Republic is also a state of mind.
The trip through the Keys I’ll save for another blog, as it’s far too involved and important to be anything but a blog subject unto itself. For the moment I will say that every Key has its own personality and feel. If one want’s to experience “island living”, in its true form, stop and relax for a couple of days en-route is essential. Check out a couple of places in The Conch Republic, be it Key Largo, Islamorada Long Key, Marathon,… ex. There’s no place like The Keys, just like Bogart said in the movie Key Largo.
Once in Key West, the very first thing to do is park your car and don’t get back into it until you’re leaving, unless you’re going to The Hogfish, on Stock Island, or Geiger Key Marina on Geiger Key. More on that later! However, be advised, Key West is not car friendly in any way, manor, shape, or form. Parking is a pain in the ass. Be rest assured, you will get a ticket if your meter runs out, no if’s and’s, or but’s. Park facing the wrong way on the street, you’ll have a ticket in the morning.
When you arrive in Key West by car, if you are staying in Old Town, do not take Truman Ave. Truman is the same street as N. Roosevelt Blvd. which you get when turning right, coming on to the island. Once you clear Garrison Bight (the water and harbors on your right) it turns into Truman at the Eisenhower St. traffic light. You’re now entering Old Town. What happens here is first is White Street, which is usually backed up and then there is St. Mary’s Star of the Sea, which has a school as well. Can you say “another back up”? Then, just after that is Simonton St, where there’s a light. There’s always someone who wants to take a left here. Regretfully, traffic is inevitably coming the other way, so they can’t go until the light changes. Consequently, the back-up from White St and St. Mary’s Star of the Sea, is only exacerbated.
The way to avoid all of this, is to turn left when entering the island. Now you are on A1A, also known as S. Roosevelt Blvd. A1A in the Keys is only 2.25 miles long and it travels along the Atlantic coast, passing Smather’s Beach on your left, down to Bertha St. where the road takes a ninety degree turn. Chances are good that you’ll take your first left at Atlantic Ave. and continue from there. Get a map of Key West and just come in the back way, it’s more scenic, less frustrating, and a lot more fun! That stretch when taking the left and driving the 2.25 miles to Bertha St. is the only stretch of A1A in all of the Keys, so enjoy it!
After you ditch your car there are a few ways to get around. Being such a beautiful, historic town, with all sorts of nooks and crannies all over, the absolute best way to see and explore is on foot. The little, subtle things are noticed on foot. The next best way is a bike. Bikes can be rented for about $8 - $10 a day. Bikes are a great way to see the island! Additionally, you’ll get some exorcize! Scooters are popular, although most people who rent them, don’t know how to ride them to begin with. Accidents are not un-common and the hospital thanks them for their support. The hospital actually opens an entire wing during the season, which started this weekend.
Peddy Cabs are popular as well. The drivers also have a lot of knowledge the island and its history, so you get a tour guide and transportation all in one.
Taxis are also available.
Things that are a must in Key West!
Friday night from 6 – 9 at B.O.’s Fishwagon and catch Barry Cuda and Bong Hits for Geezers. What a band, what a place! This is The Real Keys and one of the real types of music that has pulsated through the Keys for decades. Bary Cuda actually built a chassis for his upright piano and wheels it from gig to gig!!! The absolute best place to see him is at B.O.’s Fishwagon, 801 Caroline St. B.O.’s is a shack… I’m not kidding; it’s an open air shack, with his old truck buried to its axels out front. In days gone by, B.O. would sell his fish off the back of his truck on Duval. He later got this open air shack, with a corrugated tin roof, which they sell their fish (and burgers) at. Rachel will sit on the counter and take your order and Bong Hits for Geezers belt out old New Orleans tunes from the twenties, thirties, forties, and even as far up as the sixties. This is the real Key West. Don’t miss it for some pseudo, wanna-be, who wrote a song about his three days in Key West, before he retreated back to suburbia, in outside of some city, USA. Bong Hits for Geezers are the real deal and living it in the Keys 24/7/365, for decades.

One thing not to do: Ask me where to stay. I don’t know, I live here, so I don’t rent out a hotel, motel, B&B, or a Guest House room. I have a place of my own and I don’t sell hotel rooms on the side.
Thing to do: Go out to the airport and go for a Bi-Plane ride!!!! Scot Alan, a fellow Trop Rock musician (extraordinaire btw!!!) and I flew in one in September! I’d always wanted to go and Scot called me out of the blue and told me he was flying in and to meet me at the airport, here in Key West. What a blast that was! Check the blog I did a couple of blogs below this one. Check their site as well!
http://www.keywestbiplanes.com/
Thing to do: Get the hell out of town! On Stock Island, right next door to Key West is TheHogfish Bar and Grill. Fabulous place! The Hogfish is located right on the docks at Safe Harbor Marina. Not easy to find, but well worth getting there! This is where the Key West Fishing Fleet is these days and the Hogfish Bar & Grill has the freshest fish in town! http://www.hogfishbar.com/
Also, if you continue out U.S. 1, just past MM10 is a Shell station. Take a right on the road there and keep an eagle eye out for Geiger Rd. on the left, maybe a ¼ mile or more down. Take the left and you’ll be at the Geiger Key Marina in about 100 yards. This is a true, old time Keys local joint on the water. Great place! They also allow dogs!!! YEAH! Geiger Key Marina is owned by Michelle and Bobby Mongelli, who also own the Hogfish. The Mongelli’s are true Keys heroes in my book because they preserve Keys history and the traditions in both of their establishments. Geiger Key Marina is also a great place to stay if you have an RV or a camper. Check their site!
http://www.geigerkeymarina.com/

That’s enough for one day… Ha Ha Ha!!!

All the Best From Key West!
Key West Chris Rehm
*= http://keywestchris.com/

A GREAT HONOR, A GREAT CONCERT, AND A GREAT BIER!!!

2011-10-04T22:09:00.000-07:00

Sailing by Key West Chris Rehm

^Listen to "Sailing" while you read the blog!^
Also for CD or download see the website for links! http://keywestchris.com/

A GREAT HONOR, A GREAT CONCERT, AND A GREAT BIER
One of the great traditions of Key West is having the United States Navy here based here. On March 5th, 1822, Lt. Commander Matthew C. Perry sailed to Key West aboard the Navy schooner Shark, planted a U.S. Flag and claimed the Keys and The United States ( years prior to that, the Spanish considered Key West itself, to be “Northern Havana”). Then on April 1st 1823, Commodore David Porter established the U.S. Navy in Key West in order to eradicate piracy, which was running rampant in the area. The United States Navy has been here ever since. In more recent history, Key West was a very active submarine base, in addition to having the Key West Naval Air Station, which is active to this day out on Boca Chica Key, a few Keys up from Key West. The submarine base fell to the wayside with the coming of the nuclear submarine. The new nuclear subs dwarfed the WWII diesel subs and were too large to fit inside the Truman Waterfront. The Navy has given the inner dock and property of the Truman Waterfront to the city of Key West, although they may take it back at any time, if they deem it necessary. The outer pier, named the “ Mole Pier”, remains the property of the U.S. Navy. We often get U.S. Navy ships in for leave, for a few days, as well as NATO ships, from Great Britain, Canada, and Holland also on leave, in the last few years.
In all of the nearly two hundred years of U.S. Naval presence in Key West, the one thing we’ve never had was a U.S. Naval Ship being commissioned here. We do have a nuclear submarine named the USS Key West, which operates somewhere beneath the vast Pacific and carries a crew of 127 Sailors and 16 officers. No question about it, a great honor for the city and one which the town is very proud.
On October 1st of this year, something changed however. The USS Spruance, a 509ft, 9200 ton, $1B destroyer with a crew of over 280, was commissioned here in Key West. She arrived in Key West a week prior and I was fortunate enough to be able to take a tour of the ship. Unfortunately, but understandably, photographs were not permitted inside the ship. I did get several from the outside however. The tour was just fantastic. My Guide was one of the officers of the ship, whose rank and last name, I sadly missed. First name was Rafael and I’m going out on a limb here, but I’m guessing he was an American of Philippine decent. He mentioned on the tour that his father was also a career U.S. Naval officer.
The tour was outstanding on every level. The first thing I noticed was how polite the entire crew was. I’ve seen this before as well, on visits to the Boca Chica Naval facility. From these visits I’ve deducted that the word “Sarcasm” is strictly a civilian usage. And while I myself get somewhat sarcastic from time to time, it was really a breath of fresh air, almost like stepping into a foregone time where values were on a higher level in many areas, than they are today. The ship left Key West sometime on either Sunday or Monday. I went down to see it late Monday night and she was gone. She will be based in San Diego and I wish her, her officers and crew, the very best.
Come to think of it, with Key West being the southernmost point of the United States, I can’t help but think that having a couple of U.S. Navy ships based here, could only make sense.

Now on to the music front! The week prior to the USS Spruance’s commission, there was the Key West Musician’s Festival held at the Smokin Tuna. This was a benefit for Sister Seasons, a philanthropic group here in Key West, who assist artist who become ill. I was happy to donate a fist full of CDs to the cause, plus play a set. I’m not sure how many performers there were, but all were required to be Key West residents. Performances by such artists as Chief Billy, Cory Haydon, Bill Blue, Erickson Holt, Liz O’Connor, George Victory, Paul Cotton, Laura Wood, to name a few! Plus lots of superb people sitting in with many of the above, such as Marty Stonely, Deb Hudson, Chris Cook, Joel Nelson, Mick Kilgos, Kenny Fradley, Bubba Lownotes.
What an event! And hats off to the organizers Steve Mellette and Ken & Laura Floyd, A.K.A. Singing Iguana Productions, who did such a great job putting everything together for the event and Charlie Bauer, of Smokin’ Tuna for being a great host for the event.

Collage photos by Steve Mellette, Gary Ek, Chris Rehm, and who knows? Maybe someone else!

BEER OF THE BLOG
This week’s beer is more than appropriate, Spaten Octoberfest Bier from Munich! Beer in German is spelled Bier, but pronounced the same as in English.The beer is labeled “Ur Marzen”. It’s supposed to have the umlaut over the a, but I don’t know how to do that and it’s 1:24 am as I write this, so just make pretend it’s there please. Marzen means that it is brewed in the month of March. In the old days, it was stored over the summer months in caves in the Bavarian Alps and brought out in the last two weeks of September, to celebrate the coming October harvest. It was originally celebrated for the King of Bavaria, but the Bavarians had such a good time with that, that they found the harvest a great excuse to do the fest every year after that. Spaten Brau was also the original beer brewed for the occasion, so on the label you’ll note it says “Ur Marzen”, which translates to “The Original March Style” beer, which is also known as Oktoberfest Beer. Naturally, it will be found at the Oktoberfest in Munich, along with beer from several other incredible beers from Munich, such as Lowenbrau, Augustiner Brau, Thomas Brau, and Pauliner, all of which are brewed in Munich, Bavaria. Other breweries throughout the Bavarian state of Germany, of which there are well over one thousand, brew the most marvelous varieties of Oktoberfest found on earth. Becks, as nice as it may be, also brews an Oktoberfest, but like breweries on this side of the pond, it can’t hold a candle to its Bavarian cousins down south. If you have an opportunity to get a Bavarian Oktoberfest, do yourself the favor! If there are more than one variety, but them as well and have a taste comparison! You’ll be amazed at how different they are from one another, yet likewise astonished at the superb quality you’ll find in all of them. There’s no substitute for the very best there is to be found.
Prost!!!

(P.S. I'll be at the Cork and Stogie Friday, October 7th, from 6 - 9!
Be sure and stop by!)

Key West Bi Plane, The Shot Doctor Bar Crawl, Key West Poker Run

2011-09-20T12:21:00.000-07:00

Key West Blues by Key West Chris Rehm

^ Listen to Key West Blues while you enjoy the Blog!^

KEY WEST BI PLANE FLIGHT, SHOT DOCTOR SCOTT ALAN, & KEY WEST POKER RUN

So, there I was, just doing some things around my place when I get a text from Trop Rock artist Scott Alan, also known as The Shot Doctor, for that marvelous apparatus he invented, of the same name. I knew that Dr. Scott Alan was coming to town on a promotional/charitable event he was involved with, which happened to be a bar crawl. We had talked about it several times in the previous weeks. It was also a benefit for Naval air families stationed in the area. Of course Key West is home to the Key West Naval Air Station, something all Key Westers are very proud of. For me it hits close to home as the Truman Annex living quarters for the service men and women, is just a couple of blocks away from home for me, being located right next to the Southernmost Point.

I look at the text from Scott and it says “Can you fly at one today? Open Cockpit” Hummm… Fly? Is this a vernacular for go out and plow a few down, perhaps in an open air bar? It’s 11 am. I reply “Fly?” I ask. "In the bi plane" comes his reply. What a treat! I met Dr. Shot Alan… er, Dr. Scott Alan at the airport and we went over to Key West Bi Planes where we met Col. Ray Cunanas, son of Key West stunt pilot legend Gen. Fred Cubanas. It should be noted that all of the planes that Fred Cubanas owns, are members of the Conch Republic Air Force.

Col. Ray Cubanas was extremely pleasant and professional. He is also the main pilot for the bi plane rides. I found Ray has the ability to explain everything with an air of freshness to it. Remarkable considering he does this many times a day. He’s clearly someone who loves what he does. The aircraft is in pristine condition and is a 1942 Waco bi-plane. After some picture taking on the ground Scott and I buckled into the front seat and Col. Ray in the rear. He fires up the nine cylinder, air cooled radial engine and what a great sound! We taxi down the airport and then off we go, Up! Up! And Away!!!

All I can say was that the ride was fantastic! We flew down the southern coast of the island and then followed the shore around to the north side passing Ft. Zach and the Truman Waterfront. Over the water on the north side Col. Cabanas took us over the water. What a sight! The water in the Keys is magnificent with so many shades of blue and green. This is undoubtedly the way to see it, bar none! We also flew over down town as well. If you come to Key West, this is a MUST! We also opted for the optional DVD of our flight, which is from two video cams, mounted on the aircraft itself. Our flight was 25 minutes. They also have longer excursions available. It’s a short part of your stay, however the memories will last a lifetime.
For more info check out their website:
http://www.keywestbiplanes.com/

As I said, The Shot Doctor, Scott Alan, was in town doing a pub crawl. Now, bear in mind, Scott is a master musician first and foremost. He is a Berkley graduate and back when others were picking up a guitar and learning to strum Margaritaville or, Brown Eyed Girl, Scott was doing arrangements for big band jazz ensembles. Heavy stuff indeed. Scott also came up with his Shot Doctor and often does promotions. This crawl started at The Cork And Stogie, a fantastic little Mom and Pop cigar, beer, and wine establishment on the 1200 block of Duval. From there Scott and his entourage headed over to The Rum Bar in the next block. I met up with the traveling circus at a new bar, Overboard on the 700 blockof Duval. My friends Rick and Cindy Hogan arranged for Dr. Alan to have an I.V. stand, which he hung plasma bags filled with a green elixir. Dr. Alan, along with three quite attractive assistants, administered the potion from the plasma bags into everyone’s Shot Doctors. A great time was had by all and the tour continued to Willi T’s, where Key West icon Barry Cuda was playing, and from there on to Krawls off Duval. Trust me, anyone with a sense of humor and an easy laugh, will LOVE the Shot Doctor!
“Is there a doctor in the house”?
Check out his sites!
http://www.shotdoctorworld.com/
http://www.theislanddoctor.com/

This week was also the Key West Poker Run. I missed the actual year for the event this was, however it’s got to be pushing forty. The sponsor of the event Phil Peterson’s Harley Davidson up in Cutler Bay and Miami, started his business right here in Key West back in the fifties. The Poker Run starts there and runs to Key West. The event usually brings in close to 20,000 bikers and the town is always glad to see them. These guys are not afraid to spend money at art galleries, jewelry stores, in addition to the usual bars and guest houses. In addition, they are good tippers, from what I’ve been told from my friends in the service industry.

This Saturday I’ll be part of a new event “ The Key West Musicians Festival” at Smokin Tuna. Lots of folks playing too. If you’re in town, stop by! If not, you can always tune in to their live streaming video cam. I am currently scheduled to go on at 1pm. It looks like I’ll also have my friend Deb Hudson helping me out on a few songs as well! Whippeee!!!!!

http://keywestchris.com/

The Porch & Beer, Smokin Tuna & Music

2011-09-13T19:16:00.000-07:00

My Little Island Town by Key West Chris Rehm

^ Click to hear "My Little Island Town" while you read the Blog!^

A very interesting thing started in Key West just over a year ago. The Porch opened on the corner of Caroline St. and Duval, across Caroline from The Bull, in the gorgeous Porter Mansion. One of the owners and publican is Chris Shultz, well known co-author of the bible for anyone even contemplating of moving to Key West, “Quit Your Job And Move To Key West”. The Porch is much more along the lines of a pub, than a bar, per say, but call it what you will. It’s warm and homey,only has one TV (thank God!) and resides within its stately surroundings inside the Porter Mansion. The Porter Mansion dates back to 1838, according to Dave, who was sitting next to me and lives upstairs, so he should know. And yes, you can take your libation out to the large veranda that is in front of the estate and have a seat and enjoy it in classic fashion.

What The Porch is, to be more specific, is an establishment that focuses mainly on, what we call today, Craft Beer. They also have a splendid wine selection that lines the entire wall of their adjacent sitting room. The really curious thing is that they always have a very knowledgeable clientele on hand. Many are locals and many more are visitors to Key West, from all over the globe, who didn’t just stumble across The Porch by accident. These people heard about it and searched it out. Personally, I find this remarkable for such a quaint little place, that only opened in July, 2010! They usually have roughly a dozen or so, craft brews on draft. How many they have in bottles, I’m not even going to guess, suffice to say it’s extraordinary. There is a chalkboard behind the bar that is jam packed with beers on hand, both from the U.S. and around the world. Bear in mind, this is Key West. We’re on the outer fringes. We’re talking the end of the line. It’s one hundred and six miles to get back to the mainland and almost one hundred and thirty to get to civilization, in the form of Florida City’s Last Chance Saloon.

Getting all of this rare beer here must have involved a lot of time and effort in logistics, which can’t be overlooked as well. Hats off to Mr. Shultz, his partners, and the distributors. The staff is exceptional as well. Very knowledgeable and well educated on the products they handle. Equally as important, it’s a fun crew setting a great atmosphere in a great place.

Here is the fascinating thing that seems to be somewhat of a byproduct of The Porch’s success. First off, the owners of The Porch have started looking into the Waterfront Market, with the intention of turning the Wyland painted building into a brew pub. Naturally, there are a lot of hurdles to clear, however it’s progressing as expected. Next, there is Krawl Off Duval, which opened a little over month ago. This is on Southard St., just a few doors east off Duval, as the name implies. Like The Porch, Krawl Off Duval focuses on craft beer. As I understand it, they are hoping to have a large selection of draft beers in the near future.

Also in the works are two more brew pubs, one on North Roosevelt and another on Eaton St. I don’t think these are too far off either. The town’s main home brewer, Jim Brady also mentioned on a KONKAM radio interview that he’s purchasing some beer equipment over on the west coast of Florida. There’s also talk of yet another craft beer establishment opening somewhere around the 600 block off Duval.

It should also be stated that Kelly’s Caribbean Restaurant has been brewing their own beer at their restaurant for at least a dozen years. Frankly however, they’ve always focused on their establishment as a restaurant, more so than a brew pub. Their beer was lacking, in my opinion, however they now have a new brewer there, so I’ll have to stop by again.

In the past, of course Key West had the Key West Brewery, which produced the famous Key West Sunset Ale and the beautiful Sunset Wheat. The brewing company closed its doors years ago, however the Melbourne Brewing Company continues brewing their beers about 330 miles north of Key West. There also used to be a brew pub on the two hundred block of Duval. However that ceased being a brew pub at least ten years ago.
However, the bottom line here is that Key West, like a wild fire, is very rapidly becoming a high quality brew town and unquestionably, The Porch has spearheaded this movement. Hats off to them!

On the musical front, Smokin Tuna is hoppin’! The bar opened a couple of months ago in the former El Alamo location, run and co-owned by former Hogsbreath manager Charlie Bauer. Charlie was there for nearly twenty years and the Hogsbreath has the most live music in town, running from noon until two am seven days a week. Rome wasn’t built in a day, but Smokin Tuna is stretching its legs bit by bit. They’ve had a good assortment of quality music acts there thus far, in the pm hours. I was fortunate enough to be invited up to play at Gary Hempsey’s birthday celebration to do a fun version of the Neville Brother’s tune “Yellow Moon”. Thank you Gary!

My friend and a major musical supporter in town, Steve Mellette, also invited me to play there on Saturday, September 24th, for the Key West Musician’s Festival. A fabulous assortment of players will be there including Bill Blue, Chris Cook, Chief Billy, Cory Hayden, Ericson Holt, George Victory, Kenny Fradley, plus a bunch more including the fabulous Deb Hudson and Joel Nelson, who both were kind enough to share their incredible talents on my new CD “Shanghai’d and Marooned in Key West (things could be worse)”. Many thanks to the Smokin Tuna and Charlie Bauer for hosting and Singing Iguana Productions for putting it together! 20% of the proceeds also go to the Sister Season Fund. Smokin Tuna is directly up the street across from Irish Keven's, at 4 Charles St. Saturday, September 24th Noon to Six PM.

This Isn't The Real World

2011-09-01T12:43:00.000-07:00

Well, Labor Day Weekend is upon us. I recall up in the United States the common belief is Summer starts on Memorial day and finishes up on Labor Day. Perhaps the biggest reason I live here is my way of flipping my nose at that philosophy. My late cousin Joe Connolly used to say "There's no reason whatsoever to live in a clod climate!" and I believe he was right! So, here I am in the American Tropics, Key West.

Walking the dogs today I stopped by The Bottle Cap Lounge liquor store, outside the bar. They're great lovers of dogs there and always have treats for the dogs at the walk up window. Chuck was there and we shot the breeze while Tooloulou and Cajun enjoyed a biscuit. While chatting, Chuck used a phrase that a very sage and respected friend, Richard Van Der Mude has used from time to time when describing Key West and the Conch Republic as a whole. When talking about why we live here, he explained "This is not the real world".

A more true statement couldn't have been made. This is a main reason that when visitors come, after they leave, they have to come back. This is why those of us who live here, likewise feel the invisible magnetic draw to return as soon as possible.

I wouldn't dream of arguing that places such as The Grand Canyon, or NYC, or Cape Cod, The Great Lakes, Texas, California.. I could go on, but I wouldn't argue that any of these places are just wonderful places. However, they are The Real World and that's perhaps the most rudimentary difference between Key West and everywhere else. Living in the Conch Republic is almost akin to living in some sort of cartoon world. Yes, the laws of physics still apply here. If someone visiting gets so drunk that they fall down face first on the concrete, they're going to get hurt. The hospital here actually opens up an entire wing for tourist season. Likewise, if a group of visiting tourists rent a fleet of scooters and ride down the street all grinning like Alfred E. Newman honking their horns, guess what? They are still a bunch of jackasses.

However, down here is still a completely different mentality than anywhere else, not only in the U.S., but in the world. People realize it as well. Everyone's mindset changes when they get to the Keys. More time than not, they subconsciously realize that they are no longer in the real world. This is why everyone wants to come back, because this is not the Real World.

A great surprise this month over at The Key West Bait Shop's Live Bait Lounge this month. Every month they have their Beer of The Month and this month they featured "Casa Beer" from Casablanca, Morocco. As the sporting sort, I gave it a try, expecting it to fall on the 3, maybe 4 range of the 1- 10 scale. Surprise! Easily a 7+ and a perfect beer for a hot, summer day. Absolutely stunning label as well. Bottle and label rating is a solid 10. It's absolutely stunning, emitting style and design that captures it's origin perfectly. The Key West Bait and Tackle is located right at Land's End, which also hosts Turtle Kraals and The Raw Bar. Proprietors Chris or Joe are always there and Beccy is usually behind the bar. Stop by for a beer! ... Oh, they have all of your fishing requirements too! :-)

New Stuff!

2011-08-09T20:44:00.000-07:00

Well, well, well... been too long! I guess I've been busy! Or a bit indolent.. at least as far as the blog goes, so my apologies. Lets see going over everything in these last months would just take way, way too long! But here are the high lights!

The CD/Album is finished, out and available! Available through me, or CD Baby, itunes, or CD Universe. The CD's name is "Shanghai'd and Marooned in Key West (things could be worse)" . You can look it up under that name, or just put in "Key West Chris", that's a lot quicker and easier. Eighteen of Key West's finest musicians kicking ass on ten songs!

Also!!! Website is up as of TODAY!!! Still growing, but we are blazing new trails in CD/Albums and Websites that have never been done before. Check it out! We still have loads of room to grow and expand too!

http://keywestchris.com/

Conch Rock also now has an insignia,which you would have noticed at the top of the page, done by local artist Abigail White, plus we have a back up by Artist Koz.

Off to bed now, but soon to follow in a couple of days with more exciting happenings from Key West!!

Key West and Havana, Cuba

2011-01-16T11:31:00.000-08:00

Back around 1994 I's say, I was living in Miami and read a fascinating story in New Times, about a sailboat, I believe it was, that would take passengers from Key West, to Marina Hemingway, in Havana, Cuba. I found this incredible and went so far as to mail the article to a friend of mine who had a 38ft. sailboat, suggesting he do it to. My friend, Rick, thought I was daft, regretfully and never took me up on the idea. More regretful than that, was that I never pulled the trigger myself and came down to Key West to cruise, if I could, even in steerage if need be and see the forbidden isle of tobacco, sugarcane, and my all-time favorite, all things Hemingway. When I finally did move here I searched it out, but apparently it fell by the wayside/quayside somewhere in between.

I posted an old picture postcard from the Sloppy Joe’s Bar in Havana (This is the bar that Joe Russell named his bar after in Key West) on my facebook page and learned quite a bit more, thanks to replies by Bill Blue and underlined by Pati Crimmons, there were also Key West – Havana fishing tournaments, as well as a sailboat race. In my foggy memory of the New Times piece from the mid-nineties, I’m thinking that the sailboat race may have spawned the idea for the passenger sails. It rings a vague bell. Bill mentioned that his friend won it one year and the dolphin he caught hangs at Sloppy Joe’s bar. Both the sailboat race and the fishing tournament have since also fallen by the wayside/quayside as well.

The thing that started all of this posting was a conversation with my friend Mike Del Portillo, who lives in Texas, but was born and raised in Miami, albeit conceived in Cuba. He sent me an e-mail about an enterprise resort he wanted to start in a Free Cuba. That’s what harvested the old memories of the New Times piece. Then, by funny chance, the very next day I stumble across a piece about President Obama relaxing a couple of regulations regarding Americans traveling to Cuba. Nothing major, mind you, but a step in the right direction, in my opinion. The new rules allow students and religious groups to visit Cuba.

Well, all of this got the grey matter churning. Here we are, while it’s still bubbling away and far from a complete idea, this is what I’ve come up with thus far. The sailboat race is educational for many on board. A trip to Cuba is educational for any American on board, therefore, all classify as “Students”. In addition, if Scientology can actually get away with passing itself off as a religion in the eyes of the IRS, a government institution if there ever was one, can’t fishing do likewise? If you have any doubts, just listen to The Conch Republic’s own Mike McCloud and his song “Fishing Fool” and any argument against it will quickly be put to rest.

So, we re-instate both the fishing tournament and the sailboat race as a start. Perhaps a Hemingway tour can be added in the near future as well? After all, companies from The United States of America recently restored Ernest Hemingway’s boat, Pilar and also his home in Cojimar, just outside of Havana, Finca Vigia. Additionally, what would a Hemingway trip to Cuba be without a stop or few to La Floridita Bar? This was his favorite hangout and also where the Daiquiri was invented. The last I heard, the Sloppy Joe’s in Havana was being restored, so naturally that would be part of the educational student tour as well.
In times like these we also will require alternative methods to facilitate the modus operandi. My suggestion is that all traveling to Cuba, at this time, can only do so through the Conch Republic. In leaving from the Conch Republic, all traveling must have an official Conch Republic passport that must be stamped and logged by U.S. Immigration on both departure and return. A US passport must also be carried, however it will not be stamped by either US or Cuban immigration. All people traveling on these trips must be US Citizens. http://conchrepublic.com/

This is where we are at the moment. Any suggestions please e-mail to:

keywesthavana@gmail.com

Key West - The Language

2010-12-10T09:49:00.000-08:00

Key West - The Language

Everyone knows that Key West is 90 miles north of Havana. I’m reminded every day when I leave my home, as the famous Southernmost Marker Buoy, on Whitehead and South St., is directly in my view. A lot of people express surprise when they hear it’s 160 miles from Key West to Miami. It’s a lot farther to Miami than Havana from here. The reality is, Key West is closer to Havana then it is to even Key Largo! Now, anyone going to Havana naturally expects Spanish to be spoken, as that’s the tongue of Cuba. I often hear surprise from visitors to Key West expressing dismay, when they tell me that on their way here, workers at Miami International Airport they encountered, didn’t even speak English.
Here in Key West, right in between Spanish speaking Miami and Spanish speaking Havana, we have an odd scenario. Like Miami, we have, and always had throughout history, a great influence from the island of sugarcane, tobacco, and rum, ninety miles south of us. Cubans have been coming here since the beginning. For many years prior to the American government procuring it from Spain, many Cubans just considered it a Cuban island. So, it goes without saying, you will hear Spanish spoken in Key West.
However, unlike our neighbor to the north, Miami, which has been populated over the last 50+ years by Latin Americans from every Spanish and Portuguese speaking country in the hemisphere, Key West’s immigrants are a whole different kettle of fish altogether.
We have a very large amount of people living and working in Key West, from Eastern Europe. Czechs, Russians, Poles, Hungarians, Slovaks, Ukrainians, Uzbeks, Croatians, Slovinians… the list of Slavs (Hungarians excluded, as they’re not Slavs) is amazing. Mostly they are young adults who come here to work. I had to ask “Wait a minute. You’re from Eastern Europe. How did you decide on Key West?”. The most common answer I get is that either they, or someone they know, worked on a cruise line that had Key West as a port of call. They, like so many others, fell in love with it and, in their case, came here after their contract was over and set themselves up. On the whole, they’re a great group of people.
We also have a large amount of Haitian emigrants here. Hearing their patois is common, especially in the stores in New Town.
So, here we have Native Conchs, Americans like myself, who adopted Key West as their home, Cubans who have immigrated here, or generations from their great, great grandparents who did, Bahamians, Haitians, plus all of these aforementioned Eastern Europeans who speak a myriad of tongues, though related, not conversable. How do we all communicate with each other?
It’s very simple: Everyone in Key West, no matter where they are from, speaks English.
I recall once I was walking on Palm Avenue, by the Garrison Bight Bridge and an Audi slowed down with a man hanging out the window, with only his legs still in the car. They pulled over, but never stopped as he asked me some sort of directions in Spanish. I understand a little Spanish, however his words came out as fast as a 50 caliber machine gun and I didn’t understand him. He was in his early thirties, so I answered in English, “What are you looking for?” He got a discussed look on his face and said “No Espanol???!!!” ( You don’t speak Spanish?) . He slammed the side of the car in frustration with a contorted face and swore at me in Spanish. It was my guess that I wasn’t the first person that didn’t speak Spanish that they ran into in Key West. The driver sped off, as his window hanging partner gave me the finger, while hollering that my mother was a whore in Spanish, and took a left on N. Roosevelt and roared away. It was my guess that they were trying to find their way back to Miami. I empathized with them in a way. Here they were, right in between Miami and Havana. It’s a geographic common sense that Spanish would be spoken everywhere. Additionally, it’s very first name, Cayo Hueso (Bone Key), is Spanish. So it’s kind of an odd anomaly, from a geographic stand point, that English is the language in Key West.

But, no matter where you go in Key West, no matter where they are from on the planet, everyone speaks English.

Suggestions for Visiting In Key West

2010-11-25T09:00:00.001-08:00

SUGGESTIONS FOR VISITING IN KEY WEST

This is certainly not the end all, spoken from the oracle, by any means, just off the top of my head, at the moment. Having issued that disclaimer, these are worthy of attention, I feel. No doubt, I’ll forget a bunch, but I can always stuff them into subsequent blogs. Hope you enjoy and hope it helps!
GETTING AROUND KEY WEST:
Believe me, the very last thing you want to do in Key West in order to get around, is drive your car. Parking just flat out sucks, to begin with. If you don’t take this advice, trust me, you will agree you were a phucking idiot for having not heeded the warning.
No one would argue that Key West is one of the most beautiful towns in North America, and perhaps the world. There are more homes from the 1800’s here, than anywhere else in Florida, for instance. Additionally, there are so many historical points of interest, sometimes you don’t know where to start. With that in mind, far and away the best way to see this island is on foot. Yes. On Foot. On foot, you miss the least and when you do see something of interest, you stop. You don’t put the brakes on, slow down, and turn around and go back. You just plain stop and take it in, plain and simple. With obesity on the rise and so many of us are just a bunch of lazy blobs(myself included), walking from point A to point B is a cultural change, but trust me on this, it’s the best way. And if you’re in a rush to get everywhere you want to go, you should have gone to Los Angeles for your vacation. This is an island and it’s laid back.
If walking just plain doesn’t work for you, the next best option is by bicycle. Lots of places around town rent bikes too and the rates are quite reasonable. Ten – twelve bucks a day, is the norm. Biking is great in this town as well. I will stick my neck out and say that we’re one of the largest biking communities on a percentage basis, in both the U.S. and the Conch Republic. I can safely say that I have never had an issue parking my bike here, regardless of event, even Fantasy Fest. It’s 100% environmentally friendly and great exorcise at the same time. Welcome to the island and hop on a bike!
Electric cars are somewhat popular and they have virtually no impact on the environment here. Available in 4,6, and 8 seats, they are quiet and efficient. Like cars, parking is a pain in the ass, though perhaps a bit less, as you will be able to park electric cars in spots that cars just cannot. For instance, I’ve often seen electric cars parked on Lazy Way at Schooner Wharf and they’re not in the way at all.
Scooters are the noisiest, most polluting vehicles on the island. Smokey, noisy, two cycle engines on them, they are usually rented by groups of two or more. A lot of locals have them as well, especially those who live in Mid-Town, or New Town and have to get to work in Old Town. They provide good, economic transportation to work and back. The city of Key West also provides specific parking spaces for scooters as well. The locals ride them every day of their lives. Visitors often have never ridden one before in their lives. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve seen a tourist wipe out on them. Believe me the tarmac in Key West is just as hard as anywhere else. Injuries will happen. Broken bones and road rash cases will be taken care of at the Key West Hospital. Serious injuries will freight you up to Miami, which have excellent hospitals for dealing with trauma. Often that little extra you didn’t expect for your vacation is the most memorable, such as a few days or weeks in Jackson Memorial Hospital in downtown Miami. It’s a beautiful facility and if you’re conscious, you can admire it as the orderly wheels you about the hospital to get various scans and tests.

CAMERAS:
Do not, I repeat DO NOT leave your motel, bed and breakfast, guest house, wherever you are staying, without a camera, EVER. There will always be loads of things and people to photograph in this town! Bring extra memory chips for your camera as well. Shoot at about 3.5 megs or so. You’re not going to print them and between 3 and 4 megs takes up a lot less room on the chip (a.k.a. =more pictures), as well as your computer when you get back home. I promise you, if you leave without a camera, you’ll be cursing yourself all day long. Likewise, all the pictures you take will be a lifetime’s worth of memories. Simple fact is; Even if you take 900 photographs, you’ll end up wishing you took 1,800. Take the camera and shoot away! And don’t worry about looking like a tourist. I’m a local and I’m always snapping pictures, wherever I go. There’s ALWAYS something new. Three months later, when work’s been trying, just grab a beer, sit back and look at all those pictures you took in Key West and I guarantee one, possibly two things will happen. A) The stress of the day will vanish. B) There’s a good chance you’ll book your next trip down!

More to come in future blogs!!!!

Pirates and Parties

2010-11-11T08:30:00.000-08:00

It’s a funny thing. Here I am in Key West, a musician and a songwriter and my new favorite band is a troop of singing, amateur pirates. This is kind of amazing as there is so much professional music talent that lives here, not to mention the talent that is transient through here week after week. I can’t say any one is the leader of this ensemble, as they are all captains in “Captains of The Devil’s Triangle”. They hail largely from Key West, although “Caribbean Pearl” travels all the way from Key Largo, about 95 miles each way, to join in their activities. Their number last Sunday, when they performed at El Alamo, was seven. I’m assuming that Barnacle Beau is the musical director, as he’s currently the only member that plays an instrument, which is guitar. I’ve known Barnacle Beau for a couple of years and he has a fascinating history, having played professionally on the west coast of the U.S., in traveling carnivals. Beau’s a great entertainer and musician in his own right. Many tourists know him as he is also one of Key West’s street pirates. My friend Scarlet Jai, one of the members, has just purchased an Irish bodhran, which is a hand held drum and in addition, she has informed me that another member recently picked up a concertina, which they’ll add to their band. On a few songs Scarlet Jai also plays swords as a percussive instrument. It works great too!
The music they’re playing are a mix of traditional sea shanties, traditional drinking songs from Great Britain and Ireland, plus a couple of originals, in the same vain. Just the type of thing you’d expect from a band of pirates, naturally. The thing that I really love about them is that they truly have a sincere passion for what they’re doing and also, have such a great time doing it. Laughing and joking is always going on creating an atmosphere loaded in mirth. They are also very good. In the entire performances on both Thursday and Sunday, I only heard one note sung off key. Bear in mind these are amateur singers and there’s always a bunch of laughing going on as well. I’ve heard a lot more off notes by both local and visiting pros.
The crowd is always into it as well. It’s not another rock band grinding out standards, or a solo performer playing songs they grew up with. Not a country band playing another Kenny Chesney or Garth Brooks song. Not another band playing Jimmy Buffett songs, upon request. This is something different. Songs many haven’t ever heard prior, but everyone laughs their way through the gig, both the ensemble and the crowd. Seriously, how can’t you laugh your ass off with a group of pirates singing sea shanties and drinking songs in a bar? Hello. Members include Captain Barnacle Beau, Captain Scarlet Jai, Captain Wasabi, Captain Mamasabi, Captain Caribbean Pearl, Captain Sawbones Sarah, and Captain Blackheart Charlie. As I said earlier, apparently none are the leader, as they are all captains.
These guys remind the rest of us that we all should be having a great time while we play. That’s what music should be all about.

Down here in Key West we’re on a three week, non-stop party marathon The first week of all this liver exorcise was the biggest event of the year, for Key West, Fantasy Fest. 60,000 were here by Saturday’s parade. I was fortunate to be aboard the Bad George Sound Band float. Not only did we end up winning Best Band of the parade, but we also had the Wedding of Sherrie Rustay-Waltz with Gary W. Ek right in the parade in front of La Concha hotel on Duval St. Mayor Gonzo Mays presided over the event while I was best man. A lot of hooting, hollering, laughing, and profane language was the case throughout the ceremony while pandemonium reigned. You’re typical wedding down here. The event was covered by Reuters International, out of Vienna, Austria, and also Associate Press. Yahoo Canada ran the Reuters piece, while the Miami Herald ran the AP story. The Key West Citizen ran nothing. Hello.

The following week we had the Parrotheads in town. About 4000 all come and converge, meeting here annually for their event. There’s lots of music in town, all over the place, during this event. Every year they have contest and the winner is determined by who’s group donates the most to charity. For the past five years, Scott Sperber out of Southern California has been runner up. The eternal bridesmaid. This year however, Scott turned the tables and won the event! Big congrats to Scott!
This week we are seeing the Powerboat races in town. We’re talking big money at this event. So much so, that the town’s businesses consider this one of the high points of the year. Local businesses usually thrive this week. Everyone’s happy!

Meanwhile, on my front, Bobby D is in town to help me with his vast experience in the studio and also guitar. We put four of his tracks down yesterday and the day before, with another hopefully today.
That’s what I’m off to now! See ya and THANKS for reading!

All The Best From Key West!

Chris Rehm

Bartender Appretiation Day

2010-10-20T21:01:00.000-07:00

So? Who are your favorite bartenders? This is not a competition, but rather just an appreciation for those who are behind the bar, taking care of our libations and for many, offering an open ear. This is not to pit one against the other in some kind of stupid competition. This is just a way of saying “Thanks!” and telling those who serve us that we’re grateful for their dedication to their profession, as well as to ourselves.

Obviously, I’ll be listing those here in Key West, as that is my home. Of course, it doesn’t matter where you are. List those whom you feel deserve a tip of the hat to and tell them to check it out, so it hits home for them. Perhaps you live in Kalamazoo, Michigan and you go on vacation every year to Amsterdam and go to a small bar there, where Dirk van der Voorde always remembers you and makes your vacation there, serving you Grolsch. List him! Like any of us, all of these folks enjoy being appreciated and here’s your opportunity!

List, between three and six favorite bartenders, in no particular order and the bar they work in.

Have fun!

I'll kick things off, in no particular order:

Ken - The Green Parrot, Key West

Vicky - Schooner Wharf Bar, Key West

Patrick - Captain Tony's Saloon, Key West

Jeff - The Green Parrot Key West

Jim - Gilbert's Resort, Key Largo

Bob - Schooner Wharf Bar, Key West

September! One of the Island's secrets!

2010-09-22T13:57:00.001-07:00

One of the best kept secrets about Key West is August and September. Many say “Oh, it’s too hot in August!” While in September it’s back to school. The hottest temperature on record is 97 degrees Fahrenheit. Plain and simple, it’s hotter in New York than it is in Key West. However, because of both school and temperature perception, August and September are our slowest months. Consequently, it may be the best time to visit! I should also mention that the average year round temperature here is 78.2 degrees Fahrenheit, making it the warmest city in the United States. Key West is also the only frost free city in the U.S. as well.

Tourism being the life blood of the town, themed events are run throughout the year. September hosts the annual Poker Run, sponsored by Peterson’s Harley Davidson, in Cutler Bay, Fla., about 140 miles north of here. This is always a great event and has been a Key West tradition for just under forty years. It also brings in a lot of bikers, who in turn fill the rooms in all of the hotels, party hearty in all the restaurants and bars, and perhaps most importantly support all of the other businesses in town. Back when I was at the art gallery, we always had a fantastic week when they were in town. This week we had Robert Douglas, Michelle Dravis, and Will Parker rocking El Alamo with special guest Ken Ryan out of Nashville! Over at The Green Parrot it was Bill Blue and the Nervous Guys taking no prisoners. Singing with Bill this week was Ms. Deb Hudson, who really kicked it out! We have the annual Woman’s Fest celebration going on the week prior. There are always a lot of very happy women in this very free thinking town every September! 

Then, there’s a a bit of a dry spell until October 22 – 31, when easily the wildest party in both the United States and the Conch Republic happens with Fantasy Fest. Fantasy Fest is the ultimate expression of Key West at its wildest. Many know Fantasy Fest for its nudity, and rightly so. However, it must also be stated that Fantasy Fest is about 25-33% nudity and the rest great costumes. The folks who come for Fantasy Fest, also greatly support the community in purchases throughout the town. Most businesses flourish during the week of Fantasy Fest.

Fantasy Fest is a 10 day event actually. It always finishes on the last Sunday of October and starts with the Goombay Festival 10 days prior, on Friday. As far as Fantasy Fest goes, I’ll get further in depth as we get closer to the date. The Goombay Festival celebrates the Bahamian roots of the African American population here in Key West. It’s a small event, however one of the most interesting parties of the year is held at the Blue Heaven Restaurant (corner of Petronia and Thomas) that evening, which traditionally has a local Bahamian Junkanoo band playing on the water tower, creating a mysterious atmosphere with voodoo-style masks and limbo contests taking place. This is a must!

The Beer of the Blog today is Pacifica Clara from Mexico. It’s aquite refreshing and clean tasting beer that tastes great ice cold on a hot day. I had one at Island Dog’s Restaurant on Front St. the other day… no.. wait… I think I had three! 

See you next blog!!!!

September! One of the Island's secrets!

2010-09-22T13:57:00.000-07:00

One of the best kept secrets about Key West is August and September. Many say “Oh, it’s too hot in August!” While in September it’s back to school. The hottest temperature on record is 97 degrees Fahrenheit. Plain and simple, it’s hotter in New York than it is in Key West. However, because of both school and temperature perception, August and September are our slowest months. Consequently, it may be the best time to visit! I should also mention that the average year round temperature here is 78.2 degrees Fahrenheit, making it the warmest city in the United States. Key West is also the only frost free city in the U.S. as well.

Tourism being the life blood of the town, themed events are run throughout the year. September hosts the annual Poker Run, sponsored by Peterson’s Harley Davidson, in Cutler Bay, Fla., about 140 miles north of here. This is always a great event and has been a Key West tradition for just under forty years. It also brings in a lot of bikers, who in turn fill the rooms in all of the hotels, party hearty in all the restaurants and bars, and perhaps most importantly support all of the other businesses in town. Back when I was at the art gallery, we always had a fantastic week when they were in town. This week we had Robert Douglas, Michelle Dravis, and Will Parker rocking El Alamo with special guest Ken Ryan out of Nashville! Over at The Green Parrot it was Bill Blue and the Nervous Guys taking no prisoners. Singing with Buill this week was Ms. Deb Hudson, who really kicked it out! We have the annual Woman’s Fest celebration going on the week prior. There are always a lot of very happy women in this very free thinking town every September! 

Then, there’s a a bit of a dry spell until October 22 – 31, when easily the wildest party in both the United States and the Conch Republic happens with Fantasy Fest. Fantasy Fest is the ultimate expression of Key West at its wildest. Many know Fantasy Fest for its nudity, and rightly so. However, it must also be stated that Fantasy Fest is about 25-33% nudity and the rest great costumes. The folks who come for Fantasy Fest, also greatly support the community in purchases throughout the town. Most businesses flourish during the week of Fantasy Fest.

Fantasy Fest is a 10 day event actually. It always finishes on the last Sunday of October and starts with the Goombay Festival 10 days prior, on Friday. As far as Fantasy Fest goes, I’ll get further in depth as we get closer to the date. The Goombay Festival celebrates the Bahamian roots of the African American population here in Key West. It’s a small event, however one of the most interesting parties of the year is held at the Blue Heaven Restaurant (corner of Petronia and Thomas) that evening, which traditionally has a local Bahamian Junkanoo band playing on the water tower, creating a mysterious atmosphere with voodoo-style masks and limbo contests taking place. This is a must!

The Beer of the Blog today is Pacifica Clara from Mexico. It’s aquite refreshing and clean tasting beer that tastes great ice cold on a hot day. I had one at Island Dog’s Restaurant on Front St. the other day… no.. wait… I think I had three! 

See you next blog!!!!

Today's Key West Citizen

2010-09-13T23:43:00.000-07:00

I'm happy to say that my letter was published in today's Key West Citizen! Thanks guys!

I rode my bike up North Roosevelt Boulevard this afternoon and realized a couple of things, which are really common sense. The renovations ... will take about two years, according to estimates. Really? This will amount to being a two-year roadblock.

The insurrection that took place here 28 years ago was based on a roadblock as well. That ... lasted far less than two years. This construction is going to cause great hardship to the local, tourist-based economy. "Key West, the town you can't get in or out of." Just like 28 years ago, only twice as worse. ...

What are the people in City Hall thinking? ... One of the great things visitors love about our town is the history. Enter Key West today and you have a quaint, old boulevard. So now we're going to tear that up and ... create havoc, both traffic and economic, building a modern thoroughfare. Perhaps we should change our name to Southernmost Miami?

I feel the best thing to do is, if necessary, repave [it]. This should take about one to two months. This should also take place in August and September of next year, the slowest months of the year here. The seawall should be repaired where it needs to be. Don't build a whole new wall. In the places where palms have died and there are empty spaces, replace them. ... Here is a proposal that saves ... approximately 18 months' of construction and millions ... in expenses, not to mention the same in local business sacrifices. ... We retain our authentic look, which continually draws visitors here. ... I'm tempted to send City Hall my bill for $750,000 (the same as the Glynn Archer estimate) based solely on the P.T. Barnum observation of "There's a sucker born every minute." However, as it's not coming solely out of their collective pockets, but rather the citizens and taxpayers of Key West, I'll hand them the ball ... and hope they run with it. Let's just hope they pull their heads out and see the sunshine.

Chris Rehm

Key West

Hands Across The Gulf

2010-08-17T09:27:00.000-07:00

On Saturday the “Hands Across The Gulf” event was held at the El Alamo bar on Charles St. A direct result of the Gulf oil tragedy, Hands Across The Gulf was organized to give aid and assistance to those affected. Events were organized by Hands Across The Gulf’s very own Alene Zolin Albright of Houston, Texas, with events in both Key West and Fort Lauderdale, this last weekend. In addition, a third event will be held in Houston on September 25th at Cullin’s Live, 11500 Spacecenter Blvd, Houston, Tx.
http://www.handsacrossthegulf.com/
They are still seeking sponsors for the Houston event. Here in Key West, Cypress House stepped up to the plate offering a place to stay for the out of town organizers and musicians. Cypress House is a beautiful guest house on Caroline St. just a block off Duval St. Close enough, yet far enough at the same time. A big note of appreciation goes to them as a private, local enterprise for donating their much assistance!!! Also, Rock Star Energy Drinks and Winn Dixie Supermarkets kicked in to help out the cause also. Hats off to them as well!!!

A gathering first took place the day prior, aboard the Schooner Wolf, complements of Admiral Finbar. Admiral Finbar oversees the Conch Republic Naval Fleet and is also one of the key members of the Conch Republic insurrection back in 1982. The Wolf is a gorgeous schooner and also doubles as the home for Admiral Finbar and his first mate Julie. With guests from Key West to Arizona, The Admiral and his crew volunteered their services for a sunset cruise leaving out of Safe Harbor on Stock Island. What a time was had! Rich In Spirit played a bunch of great songs aboard the schooner while under sail, that had everyone in a jovial mood. In addition, Timothy Thomas, Ian Sklar, Joerdie Scherkeryk, artists visiting from out of town, all picked up guitars and added their artistic talents to the sunset. A very big thanks to Admiral Finbar and Julie for sharing, not only their schooner, but also their home to us all. I had to almost force the tip into his pocket at the end of the sail. Amazing.
The event showcased both local and guest musicians from out of town, chipping in for the cause. Artists from Arizona, Texas, New York City, and the Conch Republic all chipped in. In addition, Gary Ek’s
http://southernmostmedia.com was a host and broadcast the event live with video streaming.
Artists from all sorts of genres played the event, which stretched from 7pm to after 4am. The show started with a peculiar duo, with one guy playing a kareoke computer(yeah, really. Hello) and the other guy speaking like a machine gun into the mic, in what I thought was a foreign language, only later to be informed was actually English. It was a rough start for the on line broadcast as well; however Gary Ek got that squared away soon enough. The rest of the evening was superb with performances by, Mary Spear, Bill Blue, Gary Hempsey, Deb Hudson, Island Alex, Clayton Lopez, Rich in Spirit, Gina, myself, Ian Sklar, Joerdie Scherkeryk (daughter of Woodstock legend Melanie) Timothy Thomas. Oh, and did I mention Captains of The Devil’s Triangle? An eight piece ensemble of pirates singing fun, seafaring songs one would expect of a group of pirates! Had everyone laughing and singing along!
Some notable musicians who need to be noted in specific: Steve Gibson, an amazing mandolin player, backed up at least half the show, maybe more, with both 4 string electric mandolin as well as 8 string acoustic/electric mandolin. Backup vocals as well! Great job Steve!!!
Oscar played congas with just as many folks, as well. Hat‘s tipped to Oscar!
And without a doubt, the yeoman job musically of the evening goes to bass player, Bubba Low Notes. Bubba played virtually the entire evening non-stop, backing every act starting with Mary Spear through Bill Blue, which was about seven hours straight. On my set I played all original songs that he never heard. He fell right into the groove on the first note. Bubba truly is The Man!!!

A great evening and a great cause was had by all. Thanks to all!!!!

(videos complements of Gary Ek, videographerfromhell)

Key West Crime Reports :-)

2010-08-12T08:42:00.000-07:00

The Citizen, the local Key West paper, everyday carries a daily piece called “ Crime Report”. Often there are serious crimes reported, however often there hilarious crimes they post as well. I guess about a year back they decided they would pull the Crime Report from the paper. The uproar it created was deafening and they put it right back in. Below are some recent Crime Reports, which are a shining example of how entertaining it can actually be.

Man says facial tissues moved during 'burglary'

KEY WEST -- A man told police early Thursday morning that another man broke into his apartment and rearranged his tissues.
The 51-year-old man told officers around midnight that another man who lives in the same building tore a small hole in one tissue and wrinkled a corner of another tissue, and this was evidence of a burglary, reports say.
The officers found no signs of forced entry and no evidence that a crime occurred, but they noted in reports that "this has been an ongoing issue between these two for several years, according to past calls."
One-sided fight
KEY WEST -- A drunk man allegedly punched and kicked a pickup truck parked at Casa Marina Resort early Friday morning, causing $1,500 in damage, reports say.
Officers found the "very intoxicated" suspect walking near Alberta and Waddell streets, reports say. The man told them he was a guest at the resort and that he "drank too much alcohol and was stupid," reports say.
He was charged with misdemeanor criminal mischief and booked into jail.

Police fish drunken man out of the drink

KEY WEST -- Police had to fish a drunken man out of the water Tuesday evening after he reportedly fell into the drink while arguing with another customer at a bar.
There were no injuries and no arrests.
Officers reportedly arrived at the Conch Republic Seafood Co. at 7:35 p.m. to find the 49-year-old Key West man treading water in Key West Bight.
A manager at the bar/restaurant helped the officers throw out a life ring and pull the man ashore, reports say.
As soon as the man was on land, he allegedly started complaining about multiple past injuries, ranging from a hernia to a broken neck, and listed a litany of lawsuits he supposedly was filing.
Officers asked him what happened, but the man reportedly just "kept repeating that his margarita was still at the bar."
He allegedly refused medical attention, saying he would "wait until he hurt more tomorrow before going to the hospital," reports say.
Finally, the man reportedly told officers that a manager had walked out of the bar, swore at him and then pushed him in the water.
But another manager reportedly had seen the man arguing with another customer near the water.
Unable to get a description of a suspect, police issued the man a case number and told him the report would be available at police headquarters.
Reports did not indicate if he was able to finish his margarita.

And finally for today, while shopping in the famous Fausto's market on Flemming St. I came across Fuki, makers of Japanese Plum wine and Sake. I mean, how could I pass that up?

I just couldn't help but hear in my brain "You want Fuki Fuki?"

The South is North of Here

2010-07-02T18:20:00.000-07:00

To begin with, a very special thanks to my friend Ellen, here in Key West, who is lending me her laptop, as my computer has picked up a virus that apparently will not allow it to log on! Ouch! To complicate matters further, the folks at the computer store here in Key West, have suggested that it is the anti virus companies themselves that are perpetrating the virus themselves in order to force people to purchase their products in order to eliminate them! Truly amazing indeed!

However, we're on word and up word, thanks to my friend Ellen! Lets hear it for Ellen!!!

A funny thing happened this evening. I was over at Blue Heaven at the bar enjoying a Key West Southernmost Wheat Beer, when a guy around the corner of the bar started asking the bartender about eating there. The Blue Heaven is renowned on the island for it's fantastic cuisine at any hour. The subject went specifically to breakfast and the bartender started going on how the Blue Heaven is always rated in the top three restaurants for breakfast on the island. At this point, one of the guys speaking to her asked, in a very pronounced Southern accent "Do they have biscuits and gravy?".

At this point I felt it appropriate to add my two cents and chime in. "Excuse me sir, but you have to understand, The South is north of here". This was right in my backyard, as I had just written a song for my album entitled "The South Is North Of Here". The song was influenced by all of the incredible songwriters from Nashville who come here every Spring and perform in venues all over Key West. Talk about a treat! All of these performers are just incredible writers, performers, and wonderful folks to boot. So many of them said however "It's so great to play in the South!!!". The point is, The Conch Republic is below The South. The poor guy at the bar looked bewildered. The bartender then chimed in "Oh he's right! you won't find that anywhere on the island. And the only place on the island that has sweet tea, is the McDonald's on the other side of the island. Oh no, this ain't The South". At this point I suggested that the South starts up in Florida City, about 130 miles north of Key West, which happens to also be the border (at The Last Chance Saloon) of the Conch Republic. At the same time, you'll find the Cuban dish "Black Beans and Rice" everywhere here.

The Conch Republic is, in addition to being "A Sovereign State of Mind" (Sir Peter Anderson, Secretary General of The Conch Republic) it is also The American Caribbean. Technically, we're above the Caribbean, however so are the Bahamas, but they fall into the distinction of being Caribbean and they're north of us, by and large.

The Keys have major cultural influences from Cuba, as the islands were once Spanish territory and Havana is only 90 miles away. The African American population in the Keys largely came here from the Bahamas years back, not the U.S. New England sea captains built homes here as their southernmost point to work from. The architecture style (and construction!) come directly from New England throughout Old Town. The Conch's were originally American ex pats who settled in the Bahamas as Tories in the American Revolution, but returned a generation or two later to the Keys. Their heritage was both north and south, at a time when there was no north or south. You were either a Revolutionary, or a Tory (a loyal subject to the King of England).

The Keys, of course has a very proud history with the South as well. In the American Civil War, Key West was a quandary. The population was sympathetic to the Confederacy, yet they were occupied though out the conflict, from day one(and well, well before), by the Union Army, based at Fort Zachery Taylor.

Today, we have this stew of Southern, Northern, Bahamian, Cuban and we're all swimming together, harmoniously I may add, in The Gulf Stream. This is the American Caribbean. It's not North, or South, East, or West. What it is, is The Conch Republic. A "Sovereign State Of Mind". A completely different mindset than any of the aforementioned, yet at the same time, a very unique, and quite proud part of the United States of America.

A very happy 4th of July to all, from The Conch Republic!!!

2010-06-16T20:51:00.000-07:00

One of the people I admire the most here in The Conch Republic, is the Secretary General of the Conch Republic himself, Sir Peter Anderson. Sir Peter, over twenty some odd years, has always been promoting The Conch Republic, both here and abroad. As our economy revolves around tourism, naturally he’s been immensely strong in this category. However, he’s also been a pillar in local community services over the years as well.

Sir Peter possesses the very rare quality of being an intellectual, with both a sense of humor, as well as common sense. In this day and age… or any other, for that matter, how rare is that?

Sir Peter’s says the Conch Republic is a “Sovereign State of Mind”. ”. Certainly I wouldn’t argue that, as it grants those not fortunate enough to live here,the freedom to call themselves citizens of The Conch Republic.

Myself, I also like physical boundaries. From my standpoint, everything Sir Peter Anderson states is wonderful, albeit, I like the physical aspect as well. Back a few years ago, Sir Peter flew to Fort Jefferson, in the Dry Tortugas, to quell a misunderstanding, so I consider that the beginning of the geographical western boundary of the Conch Republic. Continuing east, it picks up the Marquesas Keys, about thirty miles west of Key West and on through the Keys and up to The Last Chance Saloon, at the end of the eighteen mile stretch, in Florida City. This has always been the northern border, as this was where the original road block was set up that started the Conch secession to begin with. Naturally it also includes all of the islands in the Florida Bay, including Dildo Key, which lies six miles S.S/E of Flamingo. I mean… how could it not ?

Dealing with the public, both tourists and locals on a day-to-day basis, I’ll often pose the question “Well, you know you’re in a different country, right?”. I have yet to have anyone dispute the question. Sometimes it’s enlightenment. “Huh?…. Wow. You know? You’re right?”. Other times it’s reinforcement. “You’re not kidding!” or “Oh! Absolutely!”. To date, I’ve never had anyone say “Oh you’re nuts! This is the Unites States and nothing else!”

The Conch Republic is a state of mind, as Sir Peter says. Yet, it is a very different state of mind than one finds on the mainland. As all seem to agree, it’s a country unto itself. On the other hand, we’re all true Americans through and through. The Conch Republic is a country within a country. It’s also a country within a state. I had a customer off the cuff say “Well, from here we’re heading up to Florida”. The subject of the Conch Republic never rose prior to this, nor was it ever mentioned by name.

On the one hand, somehow I think that The Conch Republic could be used by the USA as a great go-between in international diplomatic sticky points. A non-official mouth they could speak through to work out issues. On the flip side, so few up there know how to laugh, they would most likely bring more condos, wreck the town totally, and push forward a mainland mentality. Nah, they'll just fuck it up. Maybe we should just leave it just exactly as it is…

Long live the Conch Republic and God bless it's boundaries, both in the physical sense and the State of Mind. :-)

Durf, Gary Ek, Dan Simpson, KONKAM, Walfrido

2010-05-29T17:52:00.000-07:00

Well, this week was Durf's X-Cellent Artprize Adventure fundraiser held over at Harpoon Harry's on Wednesday. For those not familiar with Durf, he is a solar artist based in Key West. Okay, so your next question is "What is a solar artist?" right? Well, what Durf does is hang out in the sun with a piece of plywood and a magnifying glass. From the rays of the sun, via the magnifying glass he burns the image into the wood. It's quite remarkable. Doesn't take but a second either. Durf even lights his cigarettes with the damn glass!

So, in effort to help spread the word, I posted notifications on my Facebook page and stated it was held at Harpoon Harry's, The Blue Bird Cafe of Key West. This is the truth. Every Monday night, the open-mic draws songwriters, both local and from afar. It's not exclusive to songwriters by any stretch, but every Monday songwriters congregate there and play their songs. So, I just came up with the moniker of The Blue Bird Cafe of Key West, in a salute to the Blue Bird in Nashville. Imagine my surprise when I got there for Durf's event and the manager (and excellent songwriter) Dave Aaron is wearing a Blue Bird Cafe T-shirt!

Durf's event went very well. A good turnout by a lot of fans and players. Durf's off to Michigan for a few months and it looks like he may have another Artprize Adventure on his return! Can't wait!

Walfrido, the amazing artist out of Hawaii, once again is visiting Key West at the small Wyland Gallery at 102 Duval St. for the Memorial Day Weekend. Be sure to stop by and say "HEY"!!!

On Friday night it was Gary W. Ek's birthday party which started at 10pm. The party was peppered with food, Yuengling on ice, and Mt. Gay Rum. A great time was had at Gary's new location with his new girl Sherrie. All sorts of people showed up from Gary's Key West based internet radio station, http://keywestshow.com and http://soutthernmostmedia.com as well as Sherrie's day gig at Southernmost Tattoo http://www.thesouthernmosttattoo.com/ where she's the office manager. A great time was had by all!

Before Gary's party or Durf's Artprize event, I had the honor of being a guest at local Key West radio station KONKAM http://www.konkam.com/ as a songwriter. Thanks to Deedee Infinitee and owner Guy DeBoer. Had a fun time there and with my up coming album expected to be recorded with Dan Simpson's Private Ear Studios this summer, it was the perfect primer to get that engine started. http://privateearstudio.com/ Dan Simpson is a great guy and is a joy to work with. I'm excited!

Alcohol libation of the blog would have to be The Doctor Shot of Mt. Gay in a shot glass stethoscope!!!!

Cheers!

The Speakeasy Inn

2010-05-19T09:10:00.000-07:00

Well, this week seemed to focus somehow around The Speakeasy Inn on 1117 Duval St. for me. I say somehow because I’d never been there before and by spontaneous draw, on a whim, I thought it was high time I checked out the Rum Bar, which is in The Speakeasy Inn’s first floor. Being a Rum Bar (they have everything else however) I tried a rum I’ve never had before, Zacapa, from Guatemala. Indeed, a beautiful, top-flight rum! Highly recommended. I had it on the rocks with a slice of lime. Perfect!

After I was there for a few minutes, a couple from Orlando came in and sat next to me at the bar, Will and Jenna, a fun couple in for a few days. This is one of the fun things about living in a tourist town. New people are consistently flowing through and everyone has it on their mind to have a great time. I mean, who wants to go on vacation and complain? Seriously. Will and Jenna were no exception to this rule and were a very fun couple to hang out with.

Then, as it turned out, a guy shows up at the bar that they had traveled to Dublin, Ireland with previously. No planning of this rendezvous, it just happened! Welcome to Key West, where stuff like this happens all the time.

There was a marathon this last weekend from Marathon (no pun intended) to Mallory Square, in Key West. That’s 50 miles! My facebook friend, Chuck Hargrove, out of Nashville, is a marathoner and a long-time fan of the island, ran in it. As it turned out, he was staying a block away from me at… you guessed it, The Speakeasy Inn! I met with him and his friends over at Blue Heaven for lunch on Tuesday. His friends were J.P., Nancy, and Holland, all from the Nashville area. Had a great lunch at Blue Heaven, Jerk Chicken and a Southernmost Wheat Beer(s) while enjoying Nashvillians for the second time in a few weeks! Later, I again met Chuck at The Speakeasy Inn, in the bar…. The second time in less than a week I was there, having never been there before. Nice, cozy little bar. Seating maybe ten at the bar, with a few side tables. Recommended!

Well, yesterday the city overwhelmingly approved to allow dogs in open air restaurants! It still must have a second public reading, before being ratified. The Citizen didn’t say when that would be however. No doubt, all the fans of Schooner Wharf Bar are happy today, but will be jumping for joy after the second public reading.

Our beer for the day is “Native Lager”. A very nice all malt beer from Ft. Lauderdale! A very nice medium body beer with a refreshing and quick finish. Great beer for a tropical climate.

The only way to get around Key West sanely, is by bike. Cars are way too much of a pain in the ass to park, pay meters, and subsequent tickets. Bikes are the only way to go. Gives you exorcise, no pollution, and with baskets, you're all set!

Having said that, we do have some fantastic cars both visiting and residing here. Today's Key West Car of the Week is a 1966 Chevy Impala Convertible SS396! Hello!

A rainy day here in Key West today… hummmm… sounds like a good day to walk over to The Speakeasy Inn and enjoy a rum at happy hour…. They have a Real Estate sign on it too. What a fantastic opportunity.

All The Best From Key West!!!

Chris

Key West Songwriters Festival 2010

2010-05-06T21:22:00.000-07:00

The Key West Songwriter’s Festival celebrated its 15th year last week and what a great event it was. For those unfamiliar, so many of the songs we hear, are not written by the performers who make them famous. Let’s take “Angel From Montgomery” as an example. When mentioned, the average Joe on the street knows it as a Bonnie Raitt song. John Prine in fact, wrote the song. Up in Nashville there is a very big demand for songwriters. Music row is always looking for a song that will fit an artist and that’s where the… pardon the pun, but it’s irresistible.. un-sung hero’s come into play. J Well, this year those songwriters headed to Key West for their annual pilgrimage where they are showcased. Over 100 came and performed at various venues about town from April 28th through May 2nd. As always, sponsored by BMI. In addition, this year carried associate sponsorship from the Better Angles Publishing Group, as well as Muzak Heart and Soul.

Performances went on all over town from established venues such as The Hog’s Breath Saloon, The Green Parrot, Sloppy Joe’s, San Carlos Theater, to cruises on sailing ships and outdoor venues such as The Southernmost hotel group.

Naturally, with all going on, being able to catch everything is just flat out impossible, as may events are going on simultaneously. Of the events I caught, I liked the Robert Earl Keen show at The Green Parrot quite a lot. Earthy, gritty, and fun! I must say however, that I really liked the outside events a lot as well. The Southernmost Hotel poolside event on Saturday may very well have been my favorite of all. The highlight of the event that day, and perhaps the whole event itself, was Misty Loggins. Misty plays not only from the heart, but also with true fortitude. Not only does she write a great song, but she can make her Taylor sing, on her quiet ballads, yet growl, and snarl with emotion on her more earthy songs, like “Red Georgia Mud”. Keep an eye on this woman. She’s the real deal.

One spot that’s a great place to go late night is The Bottle Cap Lounge during the Songwriter’s Festival. So many of the performers come here for the “ASCAP Late Night Hang”. I was there on Saturday night and it was a virtual open-mic for performers in the overall event. Kudos to ASCAP as it didn’t matter if the performers were ASCAP or BMI writers, they had them all up for two or three songs each. What a great event this was! So many folks got to play in an atmosphere of true friendship. One performer would be playing and, out of the blue, call up a friend in the crowd to help them out on the next song. Even the ASCAP rep who was running the event at the Bottle Cap, got up and sang with one of the regular performers! This was FUN!!! It went on and on like this all night long. All of the performers let their hair down to the point that the ASCAP host got on the mic and asked the locals if this was the wildest thing we’ve ever seen. While it’s clear that he may never have been here for Fantasy Fest, the ASCAP event at The Bottle Cap was clearly a wild event music-wise. A truly fantastic time was had by all and experience I’ll never forget! I only live two blocks from The Bottle Cap Lounge, so heading home was easy to put off! However, I did so at 4:10 am and the place was still packed.

One funny thing was almost at every event I attended; you’d hear a performer or three say something like: “Yeah! It’s good to be here in the Southern most part of the South”
It inspired me, as a songwriter myself, Key West resident, and sworn in Conch Republic citizen, a to write a new song, albeit a bit tongue-in-cheek of course, living up to my Conch Republic oath, “The South, is North Of Here” J

The sad part of the Key West Songwriters Festival 2010 was the severe flooding Nashville went through and what so many of these folks who came down here from there, were heading back to on Monday. Our hearts go out to you and we wish you all the best of fortunes in the aftermath of this national disaster. First and foremost we wish you safety to y’all and your families and likewise to your homes and possessions. Thank you for coming to Key West to share your wonderful talents with us. We’re thinking and praying for you.

“All The Best From Key West!”

Misty Loggins, below, playing her song “Red Georgia Mud” at the ASCAP Late Night Hang at the Bottle Cap Lounge, Saturday night.

Conch Republic Independence Week, USCG, Fried Phone

2010-04-25T22:13:00.000-07:00

My phone fried itself. The AT&T Blackberry was under warranty, however AT&T were happier using the $50.00 deductible and charging me the fifty clams on the insurance. The charger input was rusted, although the AT&T store verified it had never been underwater. Hey! I live on an island in the Gulf Stream. Lots of salt in the air and things with electrical connections rust quite easily here. Don’t believe me? Just as Dan Simpson of Private Ear Studios who is religious about treating audio connections with an elixir-spray that prevents corrosion. Dan’s been here 25 years dealing with it, he knows. Knucklehead me, it never occurred that I should use it on my phone. Personally, I feel it’s a design flaw making it out of a metal that will rust, in an atmosphere such as the one we live in here in Key West. AT&T feel differently. Live and learn. Contract is up in fourteen months.

Key West imbibes in more alcohol per capita than any other city in both the Conch Republic and yes, the U.S.A. It’s funny. When I first moved here and got a job, instead of the early morning gab around the coffee machine regarding the ball game the previous night, here it was what bars were hit and the escapades that went on! “Oh man! We hit Willie T’s and I was doing shooters of Jaeger! Then we went to Cowboy Bill’s and there I started with Gossling’s and cola…. This guy comes up to me and I tell him ‘I OWN this town!!!! Then we ended up at Island Dogs where I switched to Mount Gay Rum and we met this guy from Chicago. I swear he must have been in the Mafia….” On a typical morning, that’s what I’d hear when I got in.

Michael McCloud’s “The Conch Republic Song”, which is the National Anthem of the Conch Republic, states speaking of Key West “… where the ladies are lovely and drinking’s considered a sport…”. This statement couldn’t ring more true, in this town. In other places it may be something approaching a taboo to speak about, however in Key West it’s the fuel that drives the economy. I’ve heard that there are 300 liquor licenses on this little two-mile by five-mile island. The Wine/Beer and Liquor trucks heading here from the mainland weigh more than the trucks hauling gasoline here, which are limited to ¾ full, because of weight on the bridges, hence our higher gas prices. Bar alcohol gets cart blanche however.

Because of this, this blog will, from this point onward, have a libation featured!!! Tonight’s feature is Hurricane Reef Pale Ale. Hurricane Reef Pale Ale is a very palatable ale indeed. 100% Barley with Cascade hops from the Pacific Northwest, it’s a full American Ale, with a good body for the Spring weather we’re having currently….

Nights, low 70’s, days low 80’s, and there’s always a breeze. Perfect! The best time of year… perhaps!

Conch Republic Independence Days are at hand! On April 23rd, 1982 the Conch Republic seceded from the United States and the celebration continues to this day. This years events ran from April 16th through the 25th. Sir Peter Anderson, Secretary General of The Conch Republic, is at the helm of the event, as always. Events ranging from “Drag Races”, in which drag queens, in full regalia, run through obstacle courses, all run for the charity benefit of Helpline. Also, there’s the Conch Republic investiture party for the benefit of the Conch Republic Foster Children’s Fund. Pet Strolls benefits the Xena Fund. There’s also a bed race, sponsored by the Fairvilla Megastore. A Parade as well, naturally! With a multi day event, how could they not have a parade? A seven-foot Key Lime Pie in Mallory Square!!! The list went on and on.

Without doubt, in their finest moment, the Conch Republic Navy went into battle against the U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Sawfish. The Schooner “Wolf”, carrying the Admiral’s Flag of The Conch Republic’s Admiral Finbar, who participated in the original insurrection, 28 years ago, commanded the naval operations. The Wolf, along with John McKean’s Appledore Schooner and several other vessels of the Conch Republic Navy, in addition to the land based Army artillery section, plus a true squadron of Conch Republic aircraft from the Conch Republic Air Force, all took part. Weapons of choice were water balloons, toilet paper, and water cannon. Although it appeared that the Sawfish had The Conch Republic Nave entirely lathered with their water cannon, later at Schooner Wharf the commander of the vessel surrendered his sword to Admiral Finbar and was subsequently conscripted into the Conch Republic Navy, crew and all. A hilarious speech was given by the Coast Guard commander, which had the entire bar in stitches and really imbibed the spirit of Key West and the Conch Republic. Videos below! Who would have believed a commander in the USCG would have such a great sense of humor? Long live the USCG! Long Live the Conch Republic!

Big thanks to Sir Peter for anchoring the event, with a ton of help from lots of businesses and citizens in the community! Thanks to all!

“All The Best From Key West”©

Chris “Boris” Rehm

NAS Air Show, El Alamo, Still no dogs at Schooner Wharf

2010-04-14T16:54:00.000-07:00

Over the weekend the Key West Naval Air Station, located on Boca Chica Key, just a few miles and two keys up from Key West, hosted their annual Air Show last weekend. What a great show it was as well! F/A 18’s, F16’s, Fat Albert, C117, P51 Mustang, Corsair, T6, …. The list goes on….. oh yeah… The Blue Angles as well! What a great show it was. A day full of adrenalin surges as the jets and planes zipped by. The most emotional for me was the fly by of the current USAF F16 flying wing to wing with the Army Air Corps P51 Mustang of WWII (The USAF was not formed until after WWII). The most thrilling was the Blue Angles. However, the scale of excitement for the entire day was never below an 8.5 on a scale of 10 the entire day, regardless of what was happening at any given time. Hats off and a salute to the Key West Naval Air Station, for extending their hospitality to the public for the weekend!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FO-lxauD5pA

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7k3EfCbcFZI

Meanwhile, back on Duval, it seems that Five Dollar Stores are ramped. Barkers with heavy Israeli accents, stand outside the stores all day long hollering “Evey ting in da store fy dolla”. Speculation on the streets suggest all of these stores are tax write offs for their Israeli owners, who send their kids here to run them, in lew of military service back home. Other’s say they are laundering operations. Who knows if any of this is the case or not, however? Outside 109 Duval, once a bar that Jimmy Buffett cut his teeth on before he became famous, today the Five Dollar Store, an early twenty something barker with a contemporary pork pie hat, suddenly breaks into a silly dance after he does his accented “fy dolla” cry. His friend with him gives him a hi five, as they are trying to impress a passing gaggle of American Beauties. The girls look at them awkwardly, until one says he looks like a complete jackass. They all screech into laughter as they continue down the street. Suddenly, the sound of a radial engine bi-plane distracts the attention on Duval, as a symbol from a by gone era gently floats by in the sky and all is good on the streets of Key West.

Sat in with Bobby D. and Sampson, of Cool Breeze at Robert Douglas’ open Blues jam at El Alamo, Monday evening. Had a blast! Jim Clark was on drums and an unknown harp player sat in as well. It was a lot like being chauffeured around in a limo with those guys! Everything just seemed to care of itself. Nice! Damn good to play electric again too. Big thanks to Frances Lynn Sally Galbraith for taking the great picture as well!

Schooner Wharf still is being pressured by the city, not to allow dogs in. I wrote a letter to The Citizen (the local paper) about it, however they didn’t publish it. The State of Florida has a provision saying that local government may over-ride the state law, which says dogs are not allowed in eating establishments. Like Michael McCloud asked on stage, if those of us with dogs in our homes don’t have any problems, why would things change in an out side eating establishment like Schooner Wharf Bar? I fully concur. Having dogs in bars has been an age-old tradition in the Keys. Who’s the Einstein that’s decided to subject Schooner Wharf Bar to mainland mentality? Who ever it is, they should move back to the mainland and good riddance to them. The question should be left to the policy of the bar/restaurant itself, not some jerk that wants to take the Keys out of the Keys. Next thing you know they’ll want to tear down The Key West Customs House so they can build a high-rise condominium, or perhaps move historic Clinton Square itself in the name of “Progress”. Thinking like this belongs on the mainland, thank you very much… and don’t let the door hit you in the ass when you leave.

All The Best From Key West!

Easter, C.W. Colt

2010-04-06T08:21:00.000-07:00

Spring Break is winding down and the students are headed back to school. Easter weekend was very slow here with the students headed back and families spending Easter together, I imagine. I was at Hog's Breath Saturday and the crowd was marginal. Likewise at Schooner for breakfast, and the same thing.

My buddy Jackson Bunn was in town over the weekend and we caught a Keys favorite, C.W. Colt over at Rick's Key West on Duval, of course. C.W. classifies himself as a "Caribbean Country Blues Master" and that pretty much sums it up. When we first got there he was playing solo acoustic, then Mark, from The Hog Fish, came and sat in with him on percussion. Just a great set all around. This was something way overdue for me. Over a dozen years ago, I met and played many, many times with C.W.'s bass player, Doug "The Alien" Raver, in Homestead, when I lived in Palmetto Bay/Miami. Doug had been knighted by Mel Fisher, the King of the Conch Republic, when he played regularly with C.W. and duly swore me in as a citizen of the Conch Republic, complete with a certificate saying so. After all these years, it was a pleasure to finally enjoy an afternoon of C.W. Colt's great music. It virtually goes without saying we had a great time. As far as C.W. goes, here's a great link where he can describe is music and background far better than I can. Enjoy!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_RakHhRYnuw

All The Best From Key West!

Louie's Backyard, Alliens, Spring Break Continues

2010-03-22T08:09:00.000-07:00

Louie’s Backyard has been a famous, fine dining eatery for decades. Apparently, this last week they had a very boisterous patron, who when the bartender requested him to “keep it down”, demanded to know who sicked the employee on him. According to The Citizen, another patron stood up and proclaimed it was he who issued the complaint. As luck would have it, other patrons likewise became involved in the altercation and it turned into a major fiasco! Reading the report in The Citizen, it sounded exactly like a Three Stooges melee! Imagine the possibilities if the pie cart was within reaching distance! To boot, apparently a lot of guests left without paying their bills as well. Or, perhaps the Wells Fargo armored truck required for paying the bills at Louie’s Backyard, was disenchanted when they saw the police cars there.

On Thursday, Friday, and Saturday evening I was fortunate enough to catch Alliens at both the Green Parrot and El Alamo. Jamiel, Janaih, and Zeph Allen are both brothers and cousin raised in Key West (now living in Virginia) and sons of Din and Woody Allen, core members of the Key West band Survivors. The apples didn’t fall far from the tree. These guys have their own island groove, rooted on Funk, Reggae, and Afro Cuban. On Thursday they completely tore the roof of the Parrot. The crowd, all of whom seemed to be acquainted with their father’s band, was strong and very enthusiastic. Friday at El Alamo, didn’t click as well it appeared. The sound is entirely different, being outside, so they were dealing with a different animal altogether. This may have also been the soundman not clicking with them as well. Friday however, they were on fire once again. Everything was hitting and falling into a serious groove. I had the pleasure of attending this gig with Melody Cooper and Deb Hudson, who witnessed these guys grow up (they’re in their twenties) as friends of their parents. It was a real hoot for them!

Meanwhile, Spring Break continues. It’s encouraging to see so many college students enjoying such good music all around the island.

Key West has an abundance of old Volkswagens. I’ll touch on that in a later blog, however I passed an outstanding Beetle Convertible on Olivia. Hat’s off to the folks who maintain such a beauty!

Sunday was an outstanding day in The Conch Republic and I got an early start. While walking the dogs down Amelia St, behind a solid wooden fence from a resident’s patio, emitted The Allman Brother’s song Jessica. It fit the day perfectly. Bright, sunny, and up beat. We’re off to a good start to the week!

A Fun Week!

2010-03-15T07:23:00.000-07:00

Headed up to the KOA Campground on Sugarloaf Key (MM20) to catch The Dave Aaron Band. The KOA Campground is becoming quite a venue for music. Of course, they've always had music there, however it seems that they are focusing on more high profile events there as of late. Even the Miami Herald has done a piece on their musical explorations. I headed up there with friends Sheila, Mark, and John to catch Dave Aaron's band. Dave is an exceptional Country songwriter, as well as a great player/performer based in Key West and he didn't disappoint. The band was rock solid and in a very, remote way, akin to The Doors, as they use the keyboard doubling up as the bass. The Dave Aaron Band can often also be found in Key West on Saturday nights playing The Bull.

Saw my first Spring Breakers there as well enjoying the jacuzzi.

Miami's (Okay, Coral Gables)Albert Castiglia (say Ka STEEL Ya) was playing The Green Parrot Thursday and Friday. Albert recently earned Blues Song Of The Year from The Blues Foundation for his song "Bad Year Blues", edging out B.B. King, no less. This is the type of talent Key West attracts. Albert, of course, has been known over the years as a true virtuoso blistering guitarist. He originally got his professional start with Junior Wells, no less, back around 1997 or so. A credit to Albert's loyalty, to this day he pays homage to his mentor, at every gig Albert covers some of Junior's material. I've seen Albert for over fifteen years and his playing has never ceased to leave everyone awstruck... and it just keeps getting better and better! The one thing that doesn't get the accolades it deserves, is his voice. Albert's voice is exceptional. Over the years his voice has gone in leaps and bounds, from adequate, to good, to very, good, to great, to exceptional. He's worked hard over the years at it and it's paid off with dividends galore.

I brought some co-workers to the show and everyone was spellbound. He tours all over, so if he's in your area, don't miss him!

On Saturday I was a bit late getting out of the gate. I figured I'd ride over to my favorite outside bar, Schooner Wharf and catch a bit of Michael McCloud. I rode by the Waterfront Market, which is one of Wyland's Whaling Walls and to my surprise there was a black on black Porsche 911 Cabriolet, top down, parked there with Wyland's license plate on it. Never saw Wyland though.

Speaking of Wyland, artist Walfrido was in town from Hawaii, being the artist in residence at Wyland's gallery at 102 Duval. Exceptional artist indeed!

When I got to Schooner's at 2:45, the place was just absolutely packed. To my dismay, McCloud was wrapping things up.. he usually plays to 5pm. Nonetheless, I went in for a beer and sat at the bar. A guy next to me had a Jack Russell Terrier with him all alert and hanging at the bar with us. You've got to love a bar that allows dogs!!!

I didn't stay for the band. The drummer had a set up that looked like a jungle gym, and as good as they might have been, I was in the mood for something acoustic. I went over a block to Lands End to the Key West Bait And Tackle Shop. A well kept secret, here in Key West. No music, but true Olde Key West atmosphere! The burn artist Durf was there and the Bait and Tackle Shop had a brand new picnic table. Durf's often there and he saw it as a brand new canvas and started a burn right there and then. The owner,Chris, was grinning ear to ear! Durf is exceptional! I'll have more on him in a future blog. A couple of ice cold beers and Durf and I headed right next door to the Half Shell Raw Bar for some oysters. A sign over the door read "Sorry, No Pets Allowed" and right below it, inside laying peacefully on the floor, was a relaxing dog, tied to her master's chair at the bar.

I love this town!

Bikers, Bands, Doug Bennett, and Sir Peter Anderson

2010-03-05T07:56:00.000-08:00

As always, an interesting week in Key West! I noticed a lot of motorcycles in town, for one. We always have bikers here, however this was a lot more than usual. Mind you, it wasn't on the scale of the Poker Run in September, but it was about 5 times the usual amount. Turned out most of these folks were here as an excursion from Bike Week, up in Daytona. That's a 400+ mile excursion! Just about all the folks that I met were down from way up north. Maine, Ohio, Illinois, Michigan...ex. A bit cooler then they wished for, but they all agreed it beats shoveling! The Hogs Breath was filled up with bikes as The Jonathan Birchfield Band, out of North Carolina, rocked the place with a four piece that included Drums, Bass, a Telicaster, and an open tuned slide Strat/standard tuned Teli. These guys had a great sound and rocked the joint. Their cover of Statesboro Blues was the highlight for me. Yeah!

Thursday I rode up the street from my place for a quiet beer at The Green Parrot. Well, sometimes the best laid plans go to waste. Waste is the wrong word actually. Just got tossed a bit of a curve ball.. a good curve ball, mind you. When I approached I heard a live Blues band playing with a distinct New Orleans sound. As it turned out, they played blues, but also a bunch of other genres as well. Another four piece unit, The Honey Island Swamp Band. Being a guitar player myself, I naturally gravitate to the lead player. Chris Mule, on lead and slide, played a Strat and did everything so tastefully it was Gumbo for the ears. The Bass player, Sam Price, was funky and quite animated. Not overly animated, but when he played you knew this guy was doing what he loved best and was having the time of his life. Aaron Wilkinson shared lead vocals with Chris Mule and played a Telicaster, acoustic Epiphone, and surprise, surprise, mandolin! The drummer, Garland Paul, had the bayou in his soul and rolled out a rhythm that had the entire place jumping. What a great band! I'm planning on a return visit tonight.

Sticking to the music front, I guess I can announce that I'm preparing to do an album of my own in the coming months! It will be a geographic-specific focused CD. In other words it will be focussed on the Keys with every song. I will most likely use three songs that I recorded at Dan Simpson's Private Ear Studios last summer, Garrison Bight, Live Aboard, and Life On My Terms. Garrison Bight is self explanatory. Live Aboard is based on a fictitious Live Aboard who got tossed out of Boot Key Harbor in Marathon a few years back and Life On My Terms is about my cousin who wanted to move back this way from the mainland. The working title is "Shangai'd and Marooned in Key West (things could be worse)". Musical styles ranging from Rock, ballads, Brazilian Bossa Nova, Blues, Funk, Bahamian, and who knows what else? As a songwriter first and foremost, it's an open book of styles and stories awaiting to be un-vialed. It should be fun and working with Dan Simpson is always a true pleasure.

A quick note of appreciation and tip of the hat to Mr. Doug Bennett, for giving the link to this blog's piece on the Best Bars in Key West, on his blog "This Week On The Island". Mr. Bennett's blog is a fantastic weekly overview on the goings on here in Key West. Highly recommended. Thanks Doug!

http://thisweekontheisland.blogspot.com/

I met with Sir Peter Anderson, the Secretary General of The Conch Republic, a couple of weeks back. Sir Peter is a treat to share time and space with being both a true intellect, as well as quite a whit at the same time! It's a rare combination when one can stimulate your gray matter and have you laughing as you realize "What he's saying makes a lot of sense!". Anyway, I asked Sir Peter a question I'd meant to ask him many times before, but always forgot about when the time was at hand. Of course I knew that Mel Fisher had been the King of the Conch Republic, but I also knew that since his passing in 1998, there has not been a successor to the throne. So, I asked Sir Peter why there was no new King. His answer was "Well, Mel Fisher is still the King". I must admit, I was taken aback with his answer. However, almost as quickly as I was taken aback, I realized what a great situation this is, from so many angles.

Trop Rock

2010-02-27T06:24:00.000-08:00

Regretfully I don't recall who said it, or exactly where I read it, other than it was on a Trop Rock site of some sort. My apologies to the author. What they stated was the following: "I live in the northernmost city in the Caribbean, New Orleans." I nearly fell out of my chair laughing. First because it was hysterical and second, because it was so true, especially from a musical, Trop Rock point of view.

I sit here today writing this blog, as always, from the capitol of Trop Rock music, Key West. I recall stepping out at MOFM festival in 2008 and hearing a Trop Rock band playing in the parking lot of the Hog's Breath Saloon. Everything they were playing was along the lines of Margaritaville, up beat and poppy. Nothing wrong with this, but I later heard other bands following the same, exact formula. What struck me was that what I was hearing was such a slim cut out of a very big pie and that there is such a large, un-tapped horizon in the Trop Rock genre, still to be explored and realized by so many.

This is one reason I laughed so hard when I read the aforementioned quote of the sage poster from New Orleans. New Orleans music has given so much.. for so long, mind you, to the Trop Rock scene, yet so few seem to realize it. I recall hearing Barry Cuda for the first time here in Key West, hammering out New Orleans good old traditional Blues, Boogie Woogie, Rock and Roll and thinking "Wow! That fit's this town to a T!!!" Is it Trop Rock however? Well, if New Orleans is the northernmost city in the Caribbean, it certainly fit's under the umbrella... as well as other genres as well, mind you.

A little over year ago, my friend Gary was doing sound with Dan Simpson at the Blue Heaven, for the womankind charity event and urged me to go. The band playing was a Key West treasure, whom I had never heard, The Survivors. Five bars into the first song I became a believer. Here was a groove, orientated band with a very funky sound, that capitalized heavily on improvisation. It was no wonder these guys have been so popular in Key West for over twenty five years. These guys were hot, like onions, garlic, and pepper sizzling steadily in olive oil on an iron skillet, while the chef laughed in good nature, while taking a swig off a cold beer. This was the complete picture that they were all part of. No one appeared to be the head of the band, they all just followed and fed off one another. The music I heard that evening was a living organism. I wasn't sure where it would take me next, it might take a left, when I expected it to go right. That's what made it fascinating! What I did know however was, This Was A Hell Of A Ride! This was Key West music on the cutting edge, at it's absolute pinnacle.

This was nothing even remotely akin to the music I heard at the Hog's Breath only weeks prior. Yet, that was the beauty of it all. The horizons for this genre of music can be endless. As a songwriter myself, I write songs that fall into many different categories. Ballads, Rock, Southern Rock, Funk, Blues, Caribbean, as far south as Brazilian Bossa Novas, which suggests that Trop Rock influences can run from Rio De Janeiro all the way up through to New Orleans..... and to the south Pacific as well, for that matter.

As I say, there's a very big pie to be had and a LOT of growth yet to be seen and explored.

The link below is The Survivors last November on Higgs Beach, here in Key West doing their song "En Cayo Hueso" (translation: In Key West) in two parts.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TTjxJWwYzho

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LPPTfScVlng

The Best Bars In Key West

2010-02-23T20:36:00.000-08:00

To start with, there are always three root viewpoint perspectives on the best bars in Key West. One is the Tourist. Another is the Visitor, and the third is the Local. The Local is self explanatory, however, what is the difference between a Tourist and a Visitor? Complicated, yet simple. In a nutshell, A Visitor is someone who visits Key West and want's to move here when all the ducks are in a row. Maybe a few months, maybe a few years, but it's on the "Bucket List" of things to do. As it's on their agenda, they want to discover the local's bars, so they can get a feel for the lay of the land and be part of the scene. Because of this, many Visitors actually cherish the locals places more than the locals! The Tourist want's to come here, raise some cane that perhaps they can't where they come from, and go back home. The emphasis being on the desire to "Go Back Home".

Bear in mind, that all is good! Also keep in mind that the Tourist will have the desire to go to tourist bars, where as the locals and visitors tend to go to Local's bars. Yes, most bars cater to all, it's just that the percentages can range from 75% local to 0% Local. Many Locals would just as soon have molten lead poured in their ears, rather than go to some of the Tourist bars on Duval St. It could be used as a prison sentence for some. A sort of Devil's Island of the damned.

"Your Honor, I am at the court's mercy and I kindly ask the jury to have me tarred and feathered, then paraded about town for all to see, laugh at, and mock, rather than be sent to Irish Kevin's for an evening! I beg the Court's mercy to start boiling the tar now. Anything but that!"

Of course, be advised that the list below is a list of the best bars in Key West. Also be advised that they are chosen by a local, who, indecently, has no desire whatsoever to be tortured and left to rot on Devil's Island.

1) The Green Parrot - The Green Parrot dates from 1890... or some say 1888. It's a Classic Key West Bar, from the get go. For starters, it's a real bar. There's no food, just Beer, Wine, and Liquor. The staff are real people. You won't get the "Hello, my name is Bubbles and I'll be your server tonight" Bullshit. They won't tell you about any specials, because there aren't any specials. It's a bar. In catering to the local working crowd, there is a Happy Hour however. Live music from all over the country and town Friday, Saturday and sometimes Sunday afternoons. The best jukebox in town, as well. No sniveling allowed. Drawbacks: None.

2) Schooner Wharf - Schooner Wharf is the best outside bar in town, located right on Key West Bight, off Lazy Lane. Great staff! Key West icon Mike McCloud plays six days a week from noon to five. It's real Key West, so if you don't like hearing the F word, don't fucking go. Music all the time, as well. Food's good too. Great music, fantastic atmosphere, great staff, great view, and you're outside. Hello. Drawbacks: None

3) Finnegan's Wake - Finnegan's is a fun Irish Pub located on Granell St., across from the power company. Irish music brought in on weekends from all over the United States. Best beer selection in Key West, no holes barred. Really! Kitchen open until 2 am. Very good staff. Drawbacks: huummmmm

4) Don's Place - Don's Place is most likely the very last place a Tourist will stumble into. It's well off the Tourist path, for one, located at 1000 Truman St., about 5 blocks east of Duval. A real bar that serves alcohol and no food. Darts, Jukebox, also has an outside Tiki Bar.

5) Hog's Breath Saloon - Hog's best asset... and it's a great asset, is that it has top notch live music from all over the island and the U.S. all day long. Good bar staff too. Drawbacks: Leans a bit on the corporate side

6) El Alamo Bar - A new bar, just off Duval's 200 block. Set up in a large courtyard and well managed by Billy. Music most evenings and a good bar staff to boot. Drawbacks: Still new and trying to find their nitch... but doing that very well!

7) Captain Tony's Saloon - What can you say? Hemingway used to hang out here five out of seven days a week. A woman is buried in the pool room. No food, it's a bar. Holds Florida's oldest liquor license. Dates from.... early 1800's. Woman have been known to take their shirts off and sing with the musicians from time to time. Good bar and apparel staff. Drawbacks: 1) Needs a new week-night manager. Annoying the crew all the time doesn’t work in a bar. 2) Waterless urinals in the men's room. Hello! Don't go in without a gas mask. Who was the Einstein who was suckered into this deal?

Bong Hits For Geezers

2010-02-20T08:30:00.000-08:00

A very fun evening last night over at B.O.'s Fish Wagon on Caroline St. Barry Cuda's been doing Friday nights for years now. The current line up he's with calls themselves "Bong Hits For Geezers". Of course, the current line up he's played with for years in various configurations. The trio consists of Richard Crooks on drums and Ken Fradley on trumpet, flugalhorn, and assorted percussion.

B.O.'s was stuffed to the gills, pun intended, but also fact, as Bong Hits For Geezers smoked the place on a frigid Key West night. Much of the music played last night had New Orleans as it's root. As many would expect, 3/4 of the cat-calling came from Crooks and Fradley heckling 'Cuda, keeping the crowd in stitches, yet never loosing a beat.... well, once they did... but it was part of the overall ambiance one would expect from a Pianimal gig!

Word on the street is that they've also been recording with Dan Simpson's Private Ear Mobile Recording Studio at a secret location quite recently. They are hoping to have their new album out, perhaps as early as March, if not April!!!

In a nutshell, if you want to see classic Key West, be sure to hit B.O's Fish Wagon Friday evenings from 6 'till 9 and catch "Bong Hits For Geezers"!

Super Bowl Chili

2010-02-07T07:45:00.000-08:00

SUPER BOWL CHILI

Chili is one of those dishes many think we’ve adapted. However, chili is a unique, American dish, originating in the Southwest, with stories abounding of it’s precise origin.

For years I’ve made a chili for the Super Bowl, which should be a national holiday, for even those, like myself, who don’t follow football on a regular weekly basis, usually drop everything to watch the Super Bowl and all that goes with it.

There is no recipe that continues year to year in my kitchen. Everything is based on what’s available and the mood I’m in. Because of my personal health issue with beef fat, I substitute ground turkey, which works great! For those who aren’t afflicted with cholesterol issues, feel free to use ground beef or a mix of beef and turkey. One of the advantages of turkey is that if you start off with, say a pound, after sautéing, you still retain quite a lot of meat, unlike beef which will reduce as much as ¼ . As it is called “Chili” we’ll start off with the chilies themselves.

2 Scotch Bonnet Chilies
2 Tsai dried chilies
4 Jalapeno chilies
4 Serrano chilies
1 dried ancho chili
1 bell pepper
1 ½ lbs ground turkey
4 cloves of garlic minced
3 onions diced
2 stalks of celery chopped
1-2 teaspoons of Herbes de Provance
2+ tablespoons of Worcestshire sauce
2+ tablespoons Steak Sauce
1 can tomatoes
2+ tablespoons of Badia Complete Seasonings
2+ tablespoons of Cajun seasonings
2 shakes of Cayenne powder
2 shakes Trappy’s hot sauce or Tobasco
1 16 oz. Can of kidney beans.
Olive Oil as needed.
2 capfulls of Ol’ Sauer

Dice all of the fresh chilies, onions and garlic and sauté them in the cooking vessel you’re using with olive oil. When done, place in a bowl. Sauté meat in olive oil until brown. Return sautéed vegetables and add everything else including the desired amount of water (how soupy do you want it?). Stir it up and simmer it all day at a very, very low heat until the start of the game. Everyone should have their Super Bowl Chili in front of them at the kickoff!

Lots of COLD beer is also highly recommended. “Is this going to be spicy?” It’s chili. Of course it’s going to be spicy!!!

Notes: If Scotch Bonnet Chilies are not available in your area, use their cousins, the Habanero. They have the same heat, although the Bonnets are more aromatic and flavorful.

Jalapenos and/or Serrano peppers are essential in flavoring the chili.

Ol’ Sauer is a Key West thing. Use lime juice or lemon juice

Improvise on seasonings. Hey, this is Chili! There’s no precise recipe so just have FUN with it!!!!

Lets hope for a great game, great commercials, and The Who at halftime!!!!!!
Whooo Hoooo!!!!!!!

Ride to Miami, Chris Flowers, Higgs Beach

2010-02-04T05:22:00.000-08:00

Well, it's been an interesting week, to say the least! :-D It's been said that it would take a heart attack or a crow bar to get me off this island, or at least out of the Conch Republic.

Tuesday through Friday I was up in my old home town of Miami as a guest of the University of Miami's Medical Center. A BIG thanks to Dr. Zembrano, Dr. Berger, and especially Dr. Boros, who's here in Key West!

Another big event this week was seeing Sir Christopher Flowers back in Key West! Years ago he was knighted by Mel Fisher, the King of the Conch Republic, Hence, the "Sir" title. Chris is a keyboard wizard and the town's missed him greatly!He'd been away for six months and it's great to see him back! I bumped into him walking the Whippets two days ago and again this morning. He's happy to be back and looks to be focussed in a positive direction! Great to have you back Chris! Oh, it's also his 20th birthday today! Happy Birthday Chris!!!

This weekend is, of course, the Super Bowl! I'm tied to New Orleans, if for no other reason that Cajun and Tooloulou hail from Baton Rouge! Looking forward to a great game! Not sure where I'll watch it however.

In the news there's talk about $300,000.00 "improvements" to Higgs Beach. Stuff like this always scares me, when you get people who want to renovate things. Next thing you know they'll do something sacrilegious and tear down the classic gazebos!!!! I HOPE NOT!!!

2010-02-01T22:34:00.000-08:00

As a songwriter, often the weather can be an inspiration. Today was a case in point. When I woke up it was raining like there was no tomorrow. It was rainy and overcast all day, as a matter of fact. Certainly not the norm for Key West. Yet, so often we see a rainy, overcast day as something depressing, when in fact, they can be a very beautiful, unique day! That was the inspiration for the song that bubbled out of me about three this afternoon. (note: in compressing the original Word document which the song was written on, the chords do not fall in the propper places... sorry).

A BEAUTIFUL DAY DOWN PARADISE WAY
1
C C6/9 C C6/9
SKYS ARE CLOUDY RAINS FALLING DOWN
C C6/9 C C6/9
THINKING OF YOU WISH YOU WERE IN TOWN
F F Maj7 F F Maj7 C C6/9 C C6/9
SILVER DROPS RICOCHET HIGH OFF A ONCE BUSY STREET
Em F Maj7/C G/B F Maj7/C G C C 6/9(x4)
SUCH A BEAUTIFUL DAY DOWN PARADISE WAY IN KEY WEST

2
DOWN IN THE KITCHEN COFFEE IS BREWING

ON THE STOVE TOP A SOUP IS STEWING

ALL THE WHILE THAT RAIN KEEPS FALLING DOWN

SUCH A BEAUTIFUL DAY DOWN PARADISE WAY IN KEY WEST

Dm9 G Dm7 F Fmaj7 G
RAIN KEEPS FALLIN’ THE NIGHT CALLS FAR FROM THE DAY AND WHILE
Dm9 G Dm7 F Maj7 G
I’M TEXTING KISSES THROUGH DROPS THEY ARE MISSING THEY HEAD SO
F Maj7 Em+9 C C6/9 C C6/9
FAR AWAY FAR AWAY

3
TIN ROOFS ARE SINGING, RAIN’S CRASHING LIKE CYMBLES

MY MIND IS WONDERING, IMAGINATION GOES WHIMSICALLY

DOWN THE STREET AS I LEAP PUDDLES FUTILY

IT’S A BEAUTIFUL DAY DOWN PARADISE WAY IN KEY WEST

IT’S ONE OF THOSE UNUSUAL DAYS IN KEY WEST

IT’S A BEAUTIFUL DAY DOWN PARADISE WAY IN KEY WEST

© 2/1/2010 Christopher R. Rehm BMI

(note: ¾ time, up-beat allegro, jazzy )

U.S. Coast Guard report from Haiti

2010-01-24T07:36:00.000-08:00

Here is a cut and paste from my friend Duke Gatto, retired Coast Guard officer, who sent me this piece out of the Concord Monitor he received, written by a U.S. Coast Guardsman on the Tohoma.

Subject: CONCORD (NH) MONITOR: 'THIS IS WHY WE SIGNED UP'

Interesting article from a young ensign from the USCGC TAHOMA describing his experiences working with the relief efforts in Haiti.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The Concord [NH] Monitor
Tuesday, January 19, 2010javascript:void(0)

'This is why we signed up'
Concord 'Coastie' joins relief effort in Haiti

By CHRISTOPHER PINCE
For the Monitor

Ensign Christopher Pince, 22, of Concord is aboard
the Tahoma, a U.S. Coast Guard Cutter based in
Portsmouth that has been dispatched to Haiti to assist
earthquake victims. Pince e-mailed this letter to his
fiancee Saturday, who forwarded it to family members.
His parents, David and Meg Pince, offered to share
it with the Monitor:

Shortly after I e-mailed you this morning, I was told I
was going to be on one of the boarding teams going
over this morning. I quickly changed into my blue
coveralls and boots and headed down to board the
small boat that would take us over. I was the second
wave of Coasties to go over. We left at about 9 a.m.

As I headed over, I noticed (that) the trash I told you
about that littered the harbor water began to get much
heavier. Soon you couldn't even see water, it was just
trash and debris. We were dropped off at the Haitian Coast
Guard Base . . . or what was left of it. It really was
just a couple ruined buildings and a dock. There were
several trashed boats laying on what was left of a
small beach. But what was left of the base was in
ruins.

We disembarked from the small boat and started
walking down a small road. The road had different
levels to it, like it was split in random places. Some
higher, some lower. Trees were uprooted, rocks
and boulders were all over the place. As you looked
around all you could see were uprooted trees and
deserted huts, most of which were completely in ruins.
I passed several huge stone buildings that were
destroyed and looked like they were about to fall
over at the slightest breeze. We had marked these
off with yellow caution tape to alert people not to go
near them.

We continued walking down the road and began to
notice Haitian people just sitting by the side of the
road. Some of them had makeshift bandages, others
just were sitting there. Some talked, others just
looked forlorn and stared at the ground. Even those
who talked were solemn and downtrodden. There
was no laughter, no smiles, no children's voices -
just silence.

As we got closer to the building that we had set up
as our makeshift clinic, the silence was broken by
the sounds of people, but it wasn't the normal sounds
you hear from people . . . they were screams,
wailing, crying, and desperate calls for what had to
be help. I knew I was going to be walking into a
destroyed third world country, but nothing could have
prepared me for what I saw at the clinic.

Pleas for help

As soon as I got there, before I could even find out
what I could do to help, I was grabbed by a man
and a woman pleading with me and a buddy to come
and help their child. I didn't know what to say, so
I followed them. They brought me to a little girl who
had an open laceration on her arm and a broken
leg. She was covered in a wool blanket, and there
were flies buzzing around her.

I knelt down next to her and brushed all the flies away
and ran my hand over her head trying to soothe her.
She didn't make a sound. Just looked up at me. I
turned to my friend and told him that we needed to
find out what the heck we had so we could help them.

We told the parents we'd be right back and made our
way to the front of the clinic. There were approximately
200 people waiting in the yard outside. Most were
hurt, some were family members who pleaded with us
as we walked inside to help their loved ones. We told
them we'd be back out and kept walking.

The clinic was run by all Coasties. We had armed
guards standing watch so the people wouldn't stampede
in. We passed by our shipmates and walked in. The
stench inside was incredible. It smelled like garbage
(which turned out to be rotting flesh) and then mixed
with bleach, which is what we used to clean the floors
and tables. I have never seen anything like what I saw
in that clinic.

We immediately found our ship doctor and were
directed to the supplies. I'm not a doctor and my
knowledge of medicine is very small. But today, I
got a lot of hands-on training. My buddy - his name
is Chris, too - and I grabbed splints, gauze, bandages,
disinfecting solutions and other supplies and headed
back outside. From that point on we just went from
person to person, splinting arms, cleaning and
bandaging wounds, and comforting and giving water
to everyone we could find.

It was like walking into a nightmare. I've never
experienced anything like it in my life. I had to stop
and pray several times, just for the strength to keep
going.

Smiles and sobs

I helped take care of a little girl. She had to be about
6 years old. She was so cute. She had a broken arm
and was trying so hard not to cry. I came up to her
and knelt down and asked if she was okay. She just
nodded at me. So I began talking to her and preparing
the splint for her arm. After I had wrapped it up, I
told her she was very brave and patted her cheek
gently. She gave me the biggest smile, and I smiled
back. Her parents were so thankful.

There was a little boy who already had his leg in a splint
who was sitting there sobbing. So I went up to him and
put my arm around him and got him to calm down and
stop crying. I had brought a couple of the candy bars
that you gave me for Christmas, but I left them in a guy's
backpack. I wish I had them to give to a couple of the
kids - that would have been a real treat for them.

I can't even tell you how terrifying some of the wounds
were. Old people, young people alike were just torn
apart. I saw more rotting flesh and open wounds today
than I have ever seen in my life. I worked as hard as
I could to help these people. I did everything I could . . .
but if it was a huge wound, I could only tell them to
wait and refer them to a doctor.

I ended up cleaning wounds, putting splints on, and just
helping carry people and bring medical supplies around
to the doctors and people who were more qualified
than I. I hope I made a difference for at least some of
the people.

Gratitude

I was cleaning a wound on a small boy, and a man with a
broken leg was talking to me. He kept telling me how he
"loved Americans" and how "God will bless America
forever." Everyone I saw, even if they didn't know any
English, were just so thankful.

It was such an out-of-this-world experience. I felt like I
was in a book - I couldn't believe it was me doing this.
Living this. I hope I could make a difference. I hope the
small things I did, the smiles that I gave to them, the
reassurance that help was coming, I hope it made a
difference. In the six hours I was there, I hope I helped.

The sun is setting and most of our guys are back on board.
There have been four helicopters flying hurt people to
hospitals throughout the day.

We'll see if I go back there. They're rotating the boarding
teams so that everyone gets a chance to participate and
help out. I don't know if I will, but I do know that the
experience itself was rewarding, if not terrifying, too.

Please feel free to share this with your family and anyone
else. Pass on to them my love, and tell them to keep the
prayers coming for the people of Haiti, and all the military
down here helping. One thing I want you to know is that
every day Captain will ask us at quarters (formation)
who wants to go over the next day, and everyone raises
their hand. That's the kind of people that are working
down here right now. They are devoted to their job and
helping people.

This is why we signed up.

URL:
http://www.concordmonitor.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20100119/FRONTPAGE/1190301&template=single

A MODERN DAY ATLANTIS

2010-01-19T07:23:00.000-08:00

Here's a new song, (we're just living in a) Modern Day Atlantis. A song about the Conch Republic being destined to sink into the waves eventually because of rising tides and ice caps melting.

(we’re just living on a) MODERN DAY ATLANTIS
1)
E F#m+4 E F#m7+4 E F#m7+4 E A E
THEY SAY MOTHER OCEAN, SHE’S A-RISIN’
E F#m7+4 E F#m7+4 E F#m7+4E A E
AND THAT DON’T BODE ALL THAT WELL, FOR MY ISLAND
E F#m7+4 E F#m7+4 E F#m7+4 E A E
ICE CAPS MELTING, BEYOND THE HORIZON
E F#m7+4 E F#m7+4 E F#m7+4E A E
GLOBAL WARMING HEADING THIS WAY, RIDING THE TIDE
E F#m7+ E A F#m7+4
WATER RISING KINDA SLOW MEANS A SINKIN’ ISLAND DOWN SHE’LL GO

E F#m7+4 E A E

A B F#m7 B E F#m+4 E A F#m+4
‘CAUSE WE’RE JUST LIVIN’ ON A MODERN DAY ATLANTIS

E A F#m+4

2)

ICE BERGS CRACKIN’ OFF, THE SIZE OF RHOAD ISLAND

GLACIERS BREAK INTO THE SEA

SOONER OR LATER THEY SAY OUR TIDE WILL BE HIGHER

AND THAT WILL SPELL THE END OF THESE ISLANDS

POLAR BEARS DON’T KNOW WHERE TO GO

SEALS AND WALRUS DON’T YOU KNOW

PENGUINS GETTING LOST, SEE IT DOESN’T MATTER IF YOU’RE NORTH OR SOUTH

‘CAUSE WE’RE JUST LIVIN’ ON A MODERN DAY ATLANTIS

© Chris Rehm BMI

More to come :-)

Homeless in Key West

2010-01-18T07:10:00.000-08:00

The homeless can be an issue in Key West. Here Popeye is laid out at the corner of Duval and Front streets, yesterday about 2:30 in the afternoon. Popeye's been on the streets of Key West for nearly 20 years. There is actually an open container law in Key West, however with tourists is overlooked. With the homeless, not so much however. The above picture is one reason why.

The 5:30 Sound Check

2010-01-16T15:07:00.000-08:00

Please help Haiti in their darkest hour!!! Text 90999 on your cell and donate $10.00

Every Friday at 5:30, The Green Parrot Bar has it's 5:30 sound check, usually from the band that's playing that evening, as well as Saturday. This isn't always the case. There are also times that a different band will play the 5:30 Sound Check. You may very well see a local artist there at 5:30 as well. This last Friday however, it was the Friday/Saturday band doing the 5:30 slot.

The band this week were The Blue Vipers from Brooklyn. A fun, acoustic Jazz/Swing/Blues band doing music from the '20's and '30's with guitar, upright bass, percussion, and clarinet/saxophone. Loads of fun. If the front man on guitar told you he was the grandson of Jack Larson, who played Jimmy Olson on the '50's tv series Superman, you wouldn't question it.

They had the crowd dancing in front of the stage and "everyone was having a good time and smoking cigarettes". Some girls were doing Flapper style dances, perhaps it was The Charleston... Next to me was a woman who looked exactly like a 5'4" Olive Oil, right out of Popeye. The Epileptic Scarecrow also jumped out several times and did one of his wild, patented 45 second dances, just to give additional color to an already interesting evening.

At 7:00 it all wraps up. Try to close your bar tabs before then, as the staff has a shift change.

Regardless of who's playing at the 'Parrot, you will have a great time at the 5:30 Sound Check!!!

HEAVY HEART FOR HAITI

2010-01-14T20:17:00.001-08:00

HEAVY HEART FOR HAITI

In respect to the massive loss of life, pain, and suffering due to the earthquake in Haiti on Tuesday, this blog will abstain from the goings on in Key West today.

Key West has a substantial Haitian population, as does all of South Florida and to our Haitian friends and neighbors, you are all in our thoughts and prayers in your darkest hour, of darkest hours.

To our neighbors all around the world please join us in sending aid to our stricken neighbors in Hispaniola, immediately.

Thank you.

Chris Rehm

2010-01-13T17:16:00.000-08:00

The End Of The Line – Key West

Key West. You just can’t go any further. The road stops at Mile Zero. Or, it may start there, if you prefer? But to so many living here, like myself who moved here from elsewhere, it ends. After Key West, you’re on a boat, or a plane to another country. The car has finished it’s run.

Because of this, there is a wide assortment of individuals who come here. Of course you have the noteworthy artist who have landed here over the years. Ernest Hemingway did so in 1928 and to this day his home is a nucleus of Hemingwayphiles, literary laureates, and tourists in general. Additionally, the Tennessee Williams found a home here, as did Jimmy Buffett, who actually, unlike the two aforementioned authors, actually made his fortune partially because he actually came from here.

However, in a place that is considered the furthest outpost, it also draws additional sorts. In 1980, the first of the current series of new, much safer bridges were constructed off of Bahia Honda. This lead to a much greater accessibility for the masses, when the entire archipelago of islands were connected with these bridges allowing everyone to come down.

Who has the frame of mind to head the Southernmost outpost? There are many, all of which are interesting and unique, however, today we’ll look at one sort, which does stand out and is prominent. We’ll just call them “Runners” for this blurb. Yes, they may fall into one of several different social categories, however, they all have one thing in common when they land in Key West: They’re running away from something.

The vast majority of these Runners arrive alone, They’re, for the most part not attached to a lover or a friend, though, of the Runners, perhaps between 5 and maybe 10 percent are traveling with, what can be best described as a “Shotgun Partner” or even a “Wing Man”. By the numbers, you can see however, it’s not common. Mostly they are alone.

Why they are referred to as Runners is that there is something in their past that they are running away from. In most cases this starts out as a secret, known only to them. A couple of hints you might come across could be “Oh! No! Don’t take my picture!!!” or “What? You’re putting my picture on the Internet? Oh… you have to call me Beelzebub Bud, Don’t use my real name!!!” “What? You’re traveling back to my home city? Hey, No! You don’t know me! Never heard of me!”

I could go on for centuries on the walks of life these people come from or the things they’re running from, or the crazy situations they’ve gotten themselves into, both plain old screwy, or criminal, but they all have something in common: They’ve run away from something and have gone as far as they could go: The End Of The Line, Key West.

Live Music - Key West

2010-01-12T06:55:00.000-08:00

One of the greatest things about living in Key West is the live music!!! Bars such as The Green Parrot, Hog's Breath Saloon, Schooner Wharf, Margaritaville, Cowboy Bill's, Finnigan's Wake, and Sloppy Joe's are constantly bringing in bands from around the country. We're talking national acts here. Then, there's the local performers, who are of such a high caliber that the bar is just about as high as it can go. These folks can also be found at the aforementioned, plus there's Captain Tony's Saloon, Island Dogs, Rick's, El Alamo, The Bull, The Lazy Gecko.... ex.

As far as venues go, there are a myriad. All over town live music is playing. All along the tourist main drag of Duval establishment after establishment has live performers.

Perhaps the most amazing thing about this is that none of this costs you one cent to enjoy! Door cover charge? Are you kidding? In Key West? They'd go out of business in a week! In Key West, you just walk through the door, grab a beer and enjoy and have fun!

Key west also has a slew of streaming web cams broadcasting live!

Enjoy!

Cold ... still

2010-01-10T10:17:00.000-08:00

In short, this last week, with the exception of Thursday, was "Bite your ass" cold in Key West! This morning, Sunday, January 10th it was 46 degrees when I took my dogs for a walk at 9am! As I've stated before, this is not in my contract! A kid on a bike passed me singing a song that went "You gotta freeze to breath..." We're looking at a high of 53 today. Uuuggghh. Around the end of the week we're back to normal however, but this has certainly been a cold year thus far!

Last evening I didn't feel like cooking, as everything was frozen. So I started to think where I could grab a bite to eat. Around the corner is The Bottle Cap Lounge, however, I was up for something more quiet.I started thinking of places I could go and then, on this cold evening, I thought of the perfect place, Finnigan's Wake. An Irish pub named after the James Joyce story about Tim Finnigan who supposedly died, but woke up at his wake when someone knocked over the whiskey on him. Perfect! So I hopped on the bike and off I went to Finnigan's Wake. When I got there they had an Irish woman playing guitar and singing like a canary. Fiona Molloy was her name and she had a great command of the bar ant the undivided attention of it's patrons. Just what the doctor ordered! I ordered a Murphy's Stout on "Draught", to utilize the Irish and Commonwealth spelling of the word we spell "Draft".

I love all of the Irish Stouts. Beamish, Murphy's, and of course, Guinness. Murphy's is from my maternal grandparent's home county of Cork, so it has a melancholy attachment for me, when available. Both of my mother's parents were off the boat from County Cork in Ireland, Connolly and Flynn being the family names of my grandfather and grandmother.

A marvelous evening was had with Ms. Molloy playing all sorts of Irish and American, songs, plus a song from Newfoundland, as well as Germany (Lilly Marlene!!!... in German, French, and English!). One Irish song she brought up fans to sing verses she fed them about a woman who sits and fits... needless to say it ended up on the boarder of profane with the entire pub laughing their butts off! Ms. Malloy finished off her evening with "God Bless America" and there really wasn't a dry eye in the house. Thank you Fiona Molloy!!!!

The ride home was bitterly cold with a temperature of 49 around midnight or so, but with a belly full of beef and potatoes and stout and a heart resonating from a great performance, who could complain?

A real mind scramble also happened this week! Tim Garrity, my friend from all the way back, calls me and asks if I got the package he sent. Make a long story short, it was in my mailbox.Back when we were nineteen or so.. this wasn't last week... Tim was in the Navy and asked me to send him his guitar to San Diego. I bought him a strap to go with it... kinda cool in that it had a pouch for picks in it! So I sent that along with it.

Well, the package Tim sent was the strap I sent him 30+ years ago, as my dogs ate one of my straps recently!!! Holy Smokes!!! I truly was at a complete loss for words. It certainly warmed me up a good deal!

The week is supposed to climb gradually in temps and by Thursday we should be back to normal.

Bobby DeVito is sick, so unfortunately there will be no Sunday Afternoon Blues at Captain Tony's. Get well Bobby!!!!!

Ms. Sheila Sharkey Griffith was kind enough to invite me to go and play on the Trop Rock Cruise "Puerto Los Somewhere Cruise", leaving out of Tampa this week! Wow! Nice! Regretfully, I had to decline because of my own scheduling however. Big Bummer! Nevertheless, Thanks Sheila!!!!

However, hopefully with warmer weather heading this way and more, next weekend holds a lot of promise of great things to come!

All The Best From Key West!!!

Chris

Cold, Stolen Flag, Jesus Freaks, Hare Krishnas, Chinese, Indians, Euros, and Brits

2010-01-04T21:02:00.000-08:00

Okay! Christmas, New Years, and Birthday are all out of the way, so now it’s off and running to the next break… is there a break? I don’t think so. If you’re not doing something in this town, you’re looking for something to do.

One thing we have to keep in focus is to try not to allow life to get in the way of doing the things we want. No. It’s not always in our control, however we at least have to make a sincere effort and not just go through the motions.

The New Year here started off with a cold front that staying with us for a bit. Low 60’s during the day and low 50’s at night. This will continue to the end of the week, where the long range says we’ll hit 70 on Friday, but plummet back down to what we have currently and continue for another three days after that.

This is not in my contract!

I’m currently wearing long pants and a jacket. I much prefer shorts and a T shirt, frankly!

I took the dogs out this morning and found that someone stole my Conch Republic flag that I had outside my door. I’m not sure if I’ve been complemented or violated?
Here’s a picture of it with my friend Tim, who orchestrated the entire flag/outside set up outside my place when he was down in November.

If anyone sees the flag, you have my permission to steal it and send it back home.

:-D

Way, way back when I first moved to Miami, I would see these people walking south on U.S. 1 dressed in biblical garb. They looked as though they belonged in the movie Moses, or a movie about Jesus Christ. Long, white robes, sandals, and a small bag to carry their worldly possessions. They looked like Christ, Moses, or Mother Mary in their hair, be it facial with the men, and or otherwise. This was some kind of a Jesus cult, it turned out and the reason they were heading south on U.S. 1 was…. You guessed it. They were heading to Key West. This pilgrimage went on for maybe three years, to my recollection. However, after that I never saw them again. Until last week, that is, when I saw a group of them… thirty years down the pike, mind you, walking up Duval St! Huh?

More on this fascinating story as it develops.

Come to think of it, Hummm. Been a while since I saw Hare Krishnas as well. They were the bane of so many in airports for years. Well, fear not. Just tonight we had three marching Duval in their robes, one playing a percussion drum-type instrument from India (where else?), while another played a sort of tambourine with the cymbals ringing away, while yet a third lead them up and down Duval singing…. Hare Krishna , of course!

No one can really explain another phenomenon that is happening, this time in the tourist industry in Key West. The percentage of guests from China and India has skyrocketed since last year! This blogger’s guess is for every individual guest from China, or India last year, there are between forty and sixty this year. Not sure how this will effect the local economy. The motels, and guest houses I imagine will be full, so for them it’s a good thing, providing my hypothesis on where they are staying is correct in the first place. However, Key West’s largest commodity is found in the bars and these guests are not setting foot in them. I can say that in the gallery that’s my daily gig, nothing whatsoever has been shipped to India or China. Could the dwindling dollar have something to do with it?

The Europeans are as strong as ever, as are our guests from the British Isles, fortunately! They of course, march excitedly into all of the tourist attractions and bars, adding their converted Euros and Pounds to the local economy. This is what Key West needs to survive.

The Conch Republic depends on the tourist industry, much to the chagrin of Papa Hemingway’s opinion, back in the day. However, it is what it is.

The Blue Heaven

2010-01-01T18:51:00.000-08:00

Well, things change, don't they? Last year I went to several events at The Blue Heaven Restaurant here in Key West and they were nothing short of stellar events in a fantastic surrounding! The Blue Heaven, of course is like no place on the island whatsoever! It goes so far back that Ernest Hemingway used to go there and referee boxing matches held in the '30's. Up stairs there is a bar that was a bordello, back in the day, with three very small rooms off of it, just large enough to do the deed in. Outside, where today just about everything takes place, is a sand floor with a water tower that used to be part of Flagler's Railroad, above the outside bar. Did I forget the two stages?

Well, the last event I attended last year was the New Years bash they had. The place was packed and everyone was full of cheer and good tidings, The atmosphere was second to none.

Naturally, I was very much looking forward to this years New Years there as well!

My mode of transportation in Key West is bicycle, unless I'm taking the dogs to the park or going shopping, where the car is more practical. New Years Eve was no different. Blue Heaven is only about three or four blocks from home, so I arrived in no time. I was kind of surprised when I pulled up to the bike rack and there was plenty of space to "tie up" on Thomas St.

I went inside and to my additional surprise, the place was almost empty! Half the stools at the bar were available as well. I moseyed on up to the bar and ordered a Stella Artois from Alanda, who was holding court behind the bar. Mary Spear was just finishing up her set on stage with Cayman on percussion and a guitarist whom I didn't know. That was just before ten pm.

I met a nice family from Detroit there, Denise and Rocky. She and I share the same birthday, it turned out, so it was an instant bond for us. We had fun as I plowed down Pilsner Urquells, which followed the Stella.

I was in the men's room when the clock struck the hour of the decade! Fitting. What a relief that was! "Out with the old and in with the new!!!" I hollered and I made my way out of the men's room and headed back to the bar, ordering, yet another Pilsner Urquell.

Shortly after that, The Junkanoos of Key West came marching into the Blue Heaven in their complete regalia and the cacophony of marvelous sound which accompanies them! They stayed about ten minutes, or so, before heading off to their next destination.

A little after that I left. I was a bit bewildered at the lack of people there since last year. The owner has purchased another restaurant in town, Salute, over on Higgs Beach. Naturally, he's focusing his energy on getting that place off the ground, however, I think they may be doing it at the expense of The Blue Heaven.

Year End Key West Gratitude

2009-12-27T20:13:00.000-08:00

A great afternoon with the Offending Culprits at Captain Tony's indeed!!!! As it is the end of the year, it's time to take inventory and say Thank You to all those who contributed to the progress of music in my life this last year.

First off, I must extend a very much heart felt thanks to Bobby DeVito, who, although is the founding charter member of The Offending Culprits, is also a very much respected solo performer(and a whole mess more too!!!) in his own right. It is Bobby's solo gig at Captain Tony's that he has donated to the cause of The Offending Culprits every Sunday afternoon since October. Bobby's become a very cherished friend indeed in 2009, along with his wonderful bride, Susie! Big, Big Thanks to Bobby & Susie DeVito!!!

Also, a very big thank you to Anita Glenn Pierce, of Captain Tony's who thought up the whole idea of having Sunday Afternoon Blues at Captain Tony's in the first place! Thanks Anita! If anyone is at Captain Tony's, be sure to stop by the clothing and apparel counter and say hello to Anita!

Also, every Sunday we have Partick McCarney, who is The Judge, holding court behind the bar. Partick's always as professional as you could ever ask of a bartender! Always a greeting by name, shakes your hand, and remembers what you're drinking. It's high time I get Patrick a drink! Thank you Partick!!!

How can I forget Al The Bouncer? Al doubles as our camera man. Al claims he doesn't know what he's doing on camera, however, he's really done a veteran's job, overflowing with creativity left and right completely capturing, not only the song, but more importantly, the feel, atmosphere, and the humor of the gig and Captain Tony's Saloon itself.

Bruce Turkel. Wow! I've been playing with Bruce since, I think 1997... Back then we played acoustic, as we do here, plus we also co-founded The Rabble Rousers, a seven piece electric Blues Band up in Miami in 2001. Bruce has made it down to two shows so far with The Offending Culprits and each has been special indeed! After the first gig Bobby kept saying "We've GOT to get Bruce down again!" It's always a treat when Mr. Turkel is in town indeed!

Lastly, I must extend my gratitude to Gary Ek. Gary doesn't make it to all that many gigs of ours, however, when I was heading back to Miami from Georgia and got him on the phone to let him know and he said "Miami? Well why don't you come back to Key West, it's right on the way?"Gary also put me up for almost three weeks and frankly, without his overly generous hospitality, I may not have made it back to my island home at all. Gary may be a madman, but he does have a heart of gold!

2010 will be here at the end of the week and I'm very excited about what lies in store for me musically. The Offending Culprits have hit the road running fast, I'm hoping to also finish my solo album, tentatively titled "Shanghai'd And Marooned In Key West" over at Dan Simpson's Private Ear Studio. New songs are underway as well, plus, the groundwork has already been laid to do some co-writing with a wonderful songwriter out of Nashville, Monica Perry. We have come up with a revolutionary method for co-writing music so far apart as well, which should be both quite fun and interesting.

Additional chapters of my book, Bar Stories will no doubt be added, plus hopefully I'll get things rolling on the screenplay to "The Hemingway Heist", a movie idea dreamed up by my friend George Cornejo and myself over a year and a half ago. Got to get that baby off the ground too!

How can I forget my two Whippets, Cajun and Tooloulou? Cajun and Tooloulou, sixteen months, happily tear my house to shreds while I'm not home. They also secretly chew my sneakers when I'm not looking and make me drop what I'm doing in order to take them out. It was in a telephone conversation with Bobby D. with me harping on how they destroyed something, that I said "The offending culprits are now cowering in the bedroom!" when Bobby said "That's It!!!". I didn't get it right away. "That's what?" I inquired, to which Bobby explained "That's the name we'll go by, The Offending Culprits!!! We're named after the Whippets HA HA HA!" and so it was. Cajun and Tooloulou also keep me laughing, day in, day out. What more could I ask?

2010? Bring it on, I'm ready!!!!

Who's The Boss, Anyway?

2009-12-22T19:27:00.000-08:00

Back in the mid-nighties I played in a duo with my friend Rob Hardwicke called "Partners In Crime". Partners In Crime played in both Key Largo and in the Kendall section of Miami. We were a small bar type set up. In Key Largo we played Friday nights at a place which was then named "Kenny's". We'd play and pack the place solid with a crowd that was laughing and backslapping their night away. This was a local crowd. Salt of the earth people who meant what they said and said what they mean... well, most of the time. Never saw a fight or anything like that, but folks would start to enter there after work... about 4pm and we'd start at 6 and go to 11. It was a great place to play and the owners, Del and Domingo, a father and son combo, were just superb guys all around.

We also played at a place in Kendall, just off of Sunset and 107th named "Kelly's", I guess we had something for bars that started with the letter "K" HA HA!

Anyway, Kelly's was a small bar as well and usually had between 4 and 10 women in there on a Saturday night. This was a bar which classified itself as a "Gay Friendly" bar. There was always a few men with their wives or girlfriends there as well. The woman who owned it was great! She was a riot when she was there, which wasn't too often regretfully. I had a friend, Brenda, who was one of the regulars there and she ended up getting us the gig there.

We came in with our friend Bruce Turkel playing harmonica and we stuffed the place to the gills. Instead of 4 to 10 people in there on a Saturday evening, we had about 60. Standing room only and two deep at the bar. Everyone was ordering food as well. They added additional folks to help out it was so busy.

This went on for about three months and one day a friend overheard the bartender say "I'm getting tired of hearing these guys music every Saturday. I wish it could be like before, when it was not so damn busy." The following week we were told that they didn't want music anymore. I felt like Claude Raines in Casablanca when the Nazi General told him to close Rick's Cafe "But everyone is having such a good time!" the words bubbled out of my lips.

I waited three weeks before stopping back to touch base. It was a Saturday night about 9 and there were three people there. The bartender was there and when I enquired about if they wanted music back, she only said "No, I don't think so".

Later I bumped into the owner. "You know? We did so well when you guys played there!" So I asked her about coming back and she hearkened back to the bartender, saying she was tired of our music and the crowd.

At which point, I said to her "Hey, she's not the boss, she's the bartender. I'm not the boss, I'm the entertainment. You know what else? Not even you are the boss, and you're the owner!"

She looked a bit bewildered at me, as I pretty much mentioned all of the people involved in the place.

I smiled and said to her "Flo, not you, me, or your bartender is the boss. The boss in your bar, or any bar, is the cash register and the more it's singing it's song, the happier it, and everyone else will be! When the cash register is chinging, it doesn't matter what any employee's personal taste in music is, or if they're tired of hearing the same group, week after week or day after day. Micro-management doesn't work here, especially if it's guided by an employee's personal taste. What only matters is the song the cash register is singing"

Always remember: The cash register is the boss of every bar.

Bike Rides In Key West

2009-07-26T13:16:00.000-07:00

One of the best ways to enjoy Key West, is via bicycle.

Lots of people come to Key West and do the Duval Crawl. However, Key West, both on and off Duval St. is one of the most beautiful cities in the world. The backstreets through out Old Town is second to none.

Music to listen to while riding in Key West!