February 20th, 2012
When I was younger you would not catch me in a trolley tour or bus tour through any city. Not, me. I would probably have preferred to remain ignorant, or be lost. Not anymore.
I only had 2 nights and almost 3 days in Key West. So, while the only sunny day showed its face and the rest of my party decided to chill on a hammock under the palm trees, I took off from the Casa Marina on the Old Town Trolley.
At first I wanted to tour on the Conch Train, but then I found out through my Concierge, Stephanie, at Casa Marina, that the Old Town Trolley stopped right at Casa Marina. No brainer, right?
I hopped into the trolley. Comfortable seats and a driver full of anecdotes (too many) about Key West. Actually, Casa Marina was one of the points of interest if you are taking any Key West tours. It was the vision of Mr. Flagler who did not even live to see the construction started and finished in 1921. If you want to see my post on Casa Marina just click on the month of January 2012 and scroll down to the 11th.
 The prettiest side of Casa Marina is the back towards the water. Old Town Trolley Tours of Key West offer a 90 minute tour narrated by an expert guide; not a recorder. Get off at any of their stops and then reboard one of the trolleys to continue with the tour. You can do that for 2 days. Basically, you can tour at your own pace. Tel. 305-296-6688. Website? www.trolleytours.com. Special rates for Military and Seniors. Kids 12 and under ride free.
Going through the Sourthernmost point I found over 50 people lined up to have a picture taken on that famous buoy which stands at the furthest south tip of Key West. A plaque with names of the brave Cubans who have drown trying to get to America is on one side.
On that Southernmost point everything is Southernmost; hotels, inns, eateries.
From the tour trolley we went by The Key West Museum of Art & History at the Custom House. It was built in 1891. It has been a post office, a court house and a government center when wrecking made Key West the richest city, per capita, in the U.S. By the 1930s, Key West was bankrupt. After a $9 million restoration, it has been brought back to its former glory. More info? check http://www.kwahs.com/customhouse.htm.
I wish I had been able to go inside some of these places, including the Key West Lighthouse. It was built in 1847 and it is one of Florida’s finest historical sites. The tower was at one point 46 feet high, but was then extended to 86 feet in 1894. You can climb to the observation decks if you feel like climbing 88 iron steps.
This particular light station was built after the 1846 hurricane, which destroyed the original 1825 tower on the coast. It is the 15th oldest surviving lighthouse in the country.
Since 1998 it has been on the National Register of Historic Places as a National Historic Landmark; same category as the Washington Monument and the Lincoln Memorial. More info? Visit http://www.kwahs.com/lighthouse.htm.
Down by the Conch Marina we found the Schooner Western Union. This was the last tall ship assembled in Key West. It is a last surviving example of a traditional American coasting schooner. At present, it is a museum but it also takes off for sunset cruises. If you would like to read more about it or see what they are offering, please visit http://www.schoonerwesternunion.org/key-west/boat-history.htm.
The schooner was made out of mahogany and yellow pine. For 35 years, it served as a cable vessel for the Western Union Telegraph Co., repairing and maintaining undersea telegraph cable throughout Key West, Cuba and the Caribbean.
It is 130 feet long and considered by historians to be the world’s only surviving sailing cable ship.
The birthplace of Pan Am was Key West. In the 1950s it would have cost $9 to go to Cuba.
Throughout Key West you will find the touristic shops; we have them too, here in Rehoboth Beach, along with tee-shirts shops, as well.
The above was just a sample; did not even have time to take a picture of the Hemingway House. There was a line to get in.
I recommend the tour greatly, it showed the highlights with the ability to get on or off, if so desired.
Note: Info. for this post was taken from the driver and websites.
Have a good one!!
February 15th, 2012
The first restaurant in Key West handled the gluten allergy very well. They were very comfortable in going back to the kitchen and asking the chef what recommendations or substitutions should my husband have. That was Blue Heaven which I wrote about a few posts back.
I had been checking menus from different restaurants in Key West when I decided to talk to Stephanie, the Concierge at Casa Marina, where we stayed. I told her about the gluten allergy. She did not have to think twice. She mentioned Camille’s. She called the restaurant and spoke to the owner, Denise. A reservation was made and off we went later that evening to a funky, casual and very colorful restaurant.
Camille’s is located at 1202 Simonton St., precisely at the corner of Simonton & Catherine Sts. Tel. 305-296-4811. Website? www.camilleskeywest.com. This restaurant opens for breakfast, lunch and dinner. The menu changes every day. Take-out is available.
Denise was in charge and the moment she heard us say our names she immediately told our server that we had a gluten allergy. Denise was so friendly and full of energy.
I was only able to take a few pictures of the restaurant; patrons were dining, you know how it is.
Camille’s loves to meet food challenges; Denise said that they can accommodate the fussiest dietary needs.
So this is what we had.
Yellowfin Tuna Tartar, diced with fresh avocado, tossed in their sweet’n spicy Thai chili sauce. Two of us ordered this appetizer and hands down, we not only agreed that it was the best we had ever had but it turned out to be the best dish of the evening. Very very good.
Fresh pan fried Hog Snapper, topped with a Mango & Pineapple Salsa and paired with fun rice and veggie medley. After having the full flavor yellowfin tuna tartar, he thought that there were some seasonings lacking on this dish.
The Mahi Mahi was ordered. It was grilled and topped with pineapple and canteloupe salsa, served with fun rice and veggies. When I asked how it was, the answer was good.
I decided to have the Yellowtail Snapper encrusted with fresh panko, served with Island Tartar sauce (sweet chili & green onions) topped with avocado and a Balsamic reduction and paired with fun rice and veggies. I thought my fish was overpowered with all the sauce and garnish; I did want to taste the fish, since it was so fresh; not hide its flavor.
For dessert, we shared the Key Lime Pie. In Key West? A must in every restaurant. I had it also at Blue Heaven, but the one Denise made was definitely better. Tart; just like I wanted it to be.
So, another dinner in Key West. Each eatery had its specialty and we loved dishes more than others. Restaurants in Key West were certainly crowded; I was surprised to see the food coming out of the kitchen looked as good as it did.
Writing from sunny Delaware!! Talk to you later…
February 14th, 2012
One of the first things I saw at the beach while staying at Casa Marina in Key West was this sand sculpture. I took the picture because I thought it would the perfect one to wish all of you a Happy Valentine’s Day or, do they call it now, Friendship Day? Anyway, whichever you are celebrating, have a good one.
I thought it was just for decoration but if you are in Key West you can take a sandsculpting workshop. You can go through the Concierge at your hotel, or, you can visit www.sandisle.com. The name of the company is Sand Isle. Tel. 305-896-5503.
A 2 1/2 hour workshop will teach the fundamentals of building sand sculptures. This workshop is for young or old. Just remember that if a child under 12 years of age is attending, an adult needs to stay with him or her.
Check the website. Lots of their pictures are there. This company can handle events and special occasions.
Talk to you later!!
February 13th, 2012
The peanut gallery made the statement “I told you we should have waited”. I said “it opens at 11 a.m., I am calling, he is late”.
I had asked one of the best informed Key West taxi drivers; Where can I get fresh conch?
We were standing at the corner of Truman Ave. and White St., precisely at a Chevron Station. This was a scene from Diners, Drive-ins and Dives. The signs were scaring me some. I dialed 305-849-2078. When are you opening?, I asked. He said “Do you want seafood?” I answered, I want conch salad and conch fritters. “I’ll be there in 10 minutes.”
We stood there as the blue truck came in and out came Armando, The Pirate. He wanted a few minutes to set up. He also told me that the conch was not coming until the afternoon. By law you cannot get conch out of Florida waters. It usually comes from the Turks and Caicos. When did that become a law? About 17 years ago, he said. I guess it was over harvested. He said that there is plenty of conch out there, though.
So I started to check out his spot. He had a menu. Fresh fish and all kinds of other delicacies. You can eat in or take out. His name is Armando but everyone calls him Mundy. His wife, Mercedes, is Cuban and she can cook too. Mundy has been providing seafood to Key West restaurants for about 20 years. Pirate Seafood is the name of the company. Website? www.pirateseafood.com.
All of a sudden Mundy brought the bag of stone crabs. They were so big. He said they had been out of the water for about 5 hours. You could still smell that salt water. You could not get stone crabs fresher than these ones and at a fraction of the price. Mundy started separating them.
In the meantime, Mundy told us he had conch fritters, made by him and Mercedes. I first had conch fritters in the island of Exuma in the Bahamas and fell totally in love with them. Pop them in your mouth, is all you have to do. Have not had them like that since. Mundy did not disappoint. These conch fritters were fantastic. The fritters were full of conch. Worth waiting for. The Key Lime mustard for dipping was delicious, as well.
Since there was no fresh conch to make conch salad we opted for lobster and shrimp ceviche. By the way I told Mundy I was writing about him on my blog. He said, “be honest”. So, here it goes. I thought that both ceviches had too much vinegar. I like lots of lime, olive oil, hot sauce, a tablespoon of tomato sauce, a little bit of onion and even hot peppers in it. Throw some cilantro and you have a great tasting ceviche.
Also another highlight of the trip; the stone crabs. We ordered the jumbos. Huge. Mundy was separating them by size. Then, he cracked them with a shucker; cracked in just the right places for easy access. More Key Lime Mustard, please? You can find this shucker at www.shucker.com.
Mundy opens Tuesdays through Saturdays from 11 a.m. until 6:30 p.m. Closes Sundays and Mondays. You can call him at 305-849-2078. Guess what? He delivers, so if you are in Key West for an extended period of time, call him. But, really, to capture the local color, you should go to the corner of Truman and White.
Talk to you later…..have a good one!!
February 12th, 2012
Once I mentioned to a few friends that I was traveling south, to the southernmost point of the U.S., I got plenty of suggestions for restaurants to try. I am so glad that on our first night we decided to visit Blue Heaven. This restaurant was referred to me by Cheran; and good choice it was. It is located at 729 Thomas St., Key West, FL. Tel. 305-296-8666. Website? www.blueheavenkw.com.
Blue Heaven has been in business since 1991. It has is own history. The building is over 100 years old. Can you believe that it has been a bordello, an ice cream parlor and even boxing matches were refereed by Hemingway. As they say, if these walls could talk. Better yet, if those trees could talk. Dining under the stars was our choice for the evening and the “backyard” had huge trees that served as canopies.
We had to wait a little bit when we arrived, we did not care. We were on vacation. No schedule. We got our drinks and enjoyed the Bahamian music being played by the band.
Chickens usually run all over the place. At that time of the evening, they were tucked in. Soon we were called to our table.
We were seated on a nice corner and near one of those huge trees. The feel of eating outdoors was enhanced by the music and the atmosphere of the restaurant.
We told our server about the gluten allergy and even though it was a full house, she did not even blink. To the chef she went to ask a few questions regarding gluten in the items my husband had chosen.
For an appetizer 2 of us had the Carrot & Curry Soup. It was garnished with chutney. This soup was thick and filling and I am sure not low in calories. It had a nice kick to it. The taste of the curry was well defined, and it was absolutely delicious.
Our choices for entrees were:
My husband had the Sea Scallops sauteed with a Sauce Provencal with Wild Rice. The sauce was outstanding and the scallops seemed to disappear in no time.
One order of a 14 ounce Pork Chop. Well, check the picture out. He thought it was too well done; a little more sauce took care of that.
Mine was a Yellow Tail Snapper, sauteed and served with a beurre blanc sauce and angel hair pasta. A garnish of mango. It was good, but the Carrot & Curry soup was my favorite of the evening.
Oh, wait, not yet….a coffee and their Key Lime Pie. A twist to this pie was the meringue topping. I would have loved it a little more tart, nevertheless, we finished it all.
Our service was good even though it took longer than expected between courses. It was pretty crowded, though.
So, if you are visiting Key West, now you know where to go. Have a good one.
February 11th, 2012
We told the taxi driver to drop us off at Duval St. I am sure he does a lot of drop offs and pick ups on that street. It is Key West’s Times Square. I did not think of that; the taxi driver told me. Walking around looking for a Cafe Cubano. No luck; everyone told us to go here or there, but we just could not find it.
We entered a small convenience shop called Millie’s, located at 425 Front St., Tel. 305-294-6877. Very interesting. Chocolates that you normally do not see in the U.S. Good assortment of beers, as well.
On one small corner of the shop, on the left, I found some beautiful cigars being rolled. We started a conversation with Sr. Lobos. I thought he would be more comfortable speaking in Spanish so I switched to Spanish. He told me he had just been in Florida only 2 months.
His cigars looked so smooth. He was doing something to some of them. Almost like carving. Sr. Lobos told me that he does Art Cigar. This is an art, an addition to his traditional cigar rolling. He told me that the cigar leaf has about 6 different colorations. As he carves them they come out to the surface.
He can personalize his Art Cigar for anyone. He had cigar boxes that were painted and could be customized, as well. But, he really wanted me to understand that his Art Cigar is a carving and not a painted cigar.
Of course, we bought some regular cigars from him. After all this, we had to try them out. We thought this guy had something going for him; unique and different from the rest. And, there were many cigar shops in Key West.
Since we were having no luck trying to get a Cafe Cubano we kept on walking and stumbled upon the Smallest Bar, located at 124 Duval St. There were only about 5 people that could fit in. The “Bar Tender” was on the phone. He said: Got to go, I am swamped. Haha and haha again because the drink we got was $12. He was making a killing!!
Off with the drink and the cigar we stopped at another bar that had some outdoor seating; and no music!!
We sat outside, drinks and cigars on hand. Might as well do as the Romans do. The review of Sr. Lobos cigar was; they liked them better than the well known Cohiba cigars.
Note: We found that taxi drivers in Key West were full of information. We used Five 6’s Taxi. All you have to do is call them at 305-296-6666. Website? www.keywesttaxi.com. Basically, no waiting.
Talk to you later…
February 11th, 2012
I have been coming to Florida for so many years. I even attended a small college in central Florida long time ago. All those years I have heard people talking about Key West. So, after being in Florida for over a week and not seeing the sun, we decided to go to the southernmost corner of the United States and see if a few rays of sunshine would make an appearance before heading back to Delaware. Believe it or not, it did happen.
I had some preconceived ideas of how Key West was going to be. Pristine water, fishermen, cottages and bungalows; the influences of New England, the Bahamas and the Caribbean. Let me get it off my chest; some things I really liked; others I did not like at all.
During the 4 hour drive to Key West I found that the bridges were so neat with spectacular views of the water. But, I also saw too many signs offering sales for this or that and more than the share of run down places.
When we arrived in Key West we probably did what everyone else does; go to Duval Street. Sorry, but I did not like it. Too crowded, too noisy at all times and even too many bars. I love music but blaring music 24/7 is not my thing. Ghost tours? Trains and Trolleys? Too much of a carnival atmosphere. Too commercialized. At that moment I thought, what the heck am I doing here? Almost like someone adjusting their eyes to darkness; that’s what slowly was happening to me.
The moment I saw Casa Marina I fell in love with it. It is one of those hotels that have great bones. Understated elegance. This hotel did not need any other embellishments. The woods throughout the hotel were so rich and wonderful. Very classic. It is located at 1500 Reynolds St., Key West, FL 33040. Tel. 888-303-5717 Website? www.casamarinaresort.com.
Everyone in the hotel was so nice. This friendliness and genuine happiness was not just at Casa Marina, we also found it with everyone we encountered in Key West.
 
Casa Marina was very comfortable. Since the 1920’s when it opened its doors on New Year’s Eve, this hotel has had impressive visitors; business tycoons, artists and dignitaries. It was the vision of American Railroad Tycoon, Henry Flagler. Mr. Flagler died before the construction even started in 1918.
I found it to be an oasis. It was quiet and tranquil with beautifully kept grounds. The setting was really pretty.
It has the largest private beach in Key West. You were not crowded on the beach, everyone had their own privacy.
 
Those palm trees were holding some inviting hammocks.
 
Thatched roof huts gave privacy to Spa Al Mare.
Our rooms were very nice with really comfortable beds. The hotel has 311 guest rooms. If you are interested in water sports, I think you will be satisfied with what they are offering.
I talked to Stephanie, a Concierge at Casa Marina; her restaurant recommendation was very good. I was looking for a restaurant who would be aware of gluten allergies and Camille’s was her suggestion.
Really loved the Casa Marina. I could never get tired of that view.
Have a good one!! Talk to you later.
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