Key West New Years Eve Events 2011

Post author:Island Genn
Post published:December 30, 2011
Post category:Uncategorized

There are really lots of events happening to celebrate the New Year’s arrival. Here are a listing of events and special menus for the holiday for you to peruse and help make your holiday plans!

Events

Sloppy Joe’s

Watch the crowd gather to ring in 2012 with our 19th Annual Dropping of the Conch Shell live from the roof of Sloppy Joe’s Bar at the corner of Greene and Duval in Key West. Sloppy Joe’s will lower the Queen Conch Shell at the stroke of midnight to ring in 2012. The Hyjinx Band will take the stage at 10:00pm to ring in the New Year! For those in the bar at midnight the dropping of the Conch Shell can be viewed on closed circuit TV in the main bar or Joe’s Tap Room.Sorry no reservations. Door charge.

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Key West: Florida Keys Art Guild Festival

Post author:Island Genn
Post published:December 29, 2011
Post category:Uncategorized

Running from December 27th through the 31st is the Florida Keys Art Guild Festival, a free art festival held at Bayview Park. It was billed to have dozens of artists from around the country joining local artisans to display their work, ranging from fine jewelry, sculpture, paintings and photography as well as fine crafts. However, I would be surprised if there were a dozen total vendors peddling their wares.

We stopped by yesterday thinking it would be a fun afternoon. It took us maybe a half hour to peruse the few tents. There were some great products there; some beautiful paintings and photographs along with some slightly disturbing works of art. There were really nice jewelry pieces there as well with reversible stones set in silver. My favorite display was of the rock oil candles. The artist takes natural stones, attaches part of a recycled bottle to the bottom as a reservoir for oil, and drills a hole in the top and attaches a fiberglass wick that never needs replacing. Ingenious! (more…)

Key West Holiday Events

Post author:Island Genn
Post published:December 22, 2011
Post category:Uncategorized

There are a few things happening on our island this week and next. Some are holiday related and others are not. But they are all interesting! Definitely something for everyone happening this time of year!

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Key West Restaurant Review: Update on ZaZa Pizzeria

Post author:Island Genn
Post published:December 19, 2011
Post category:Uncategorized

After ordering overly expensive personal pizzas for take put a few weeks ago I decided that I did not want to cook so my husband and I had dinner there the other evening. Inside there were less people than the last time I stopped by to pick up food; it was still loud though. We ended up eating outside to avoid the noise. Plus it is a beautiful waterfront view sitting out there. And the weather was perfect for sitting outside and enjoying a meal.

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Key West Restaurant Review: Cafe Marquesa

Post author:Island Genn
Post published:December 19, 2011
Post category:Uncategorized

Located at the Marquesa Hotel on Fleming Street, this classy restaurant has a unique international menu that is constantly changing and very good service. Menus are actually printed daily so the servers will not have any specials to tell you about. My husband and I had dinner here for our anniversary this weekend. The decor is elegant with huge framed mirrors, large windows, and beautiful molding. This all helps with the illusion that the dining area is larger than it is. The tables are fairly close together. Luckily, we were seated next to a very friendly and interesting German couple and we had a nice conversation throughout dinner. It is slightly noisy in the restaurant, but not obnoxiously so; there is foam glued underneath the tables to help combat the noise level. There were a few older gentlemen sitting at the bar that were quite loud, but it quieted down loads after they left.

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Key West is Going to Have a Hot Christmas!

Post author:Island Genn
Post published:December 15, 2011
Post category:Uncategorized

We are now just 10 days away from Christmas and it is still in the high to mid 70’s here! And according to the extended forecast it is to remain in the high 70’s for quite some time. While the warm weather does not do much to make it feel Christmasy around here, I am sure all of the visitors to our island during the holiday will find it a warm welcome (pun intended) compared to the primarily cold climates they are now experiencing back home.

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Key West: Latest Client Comments

Post author:Island Genn
Post published:December 13, 2011
Post category:Activities Fishing

Genn,
Just a quick note to let you all know that we had a great outing. I was on the South Paw with Captain Brad & his 1^st mate Heath. Not only were these guys friendly & jovial but their professionalism was clearly evident in the level of preparedness of tackle, bait & boat! All day long they put forth the effort to make sure we had a great time and to give us every opportunity to catch fish. I’ve been on enough charters with other outfits to know that Team Southpaw ranks at the high end of high! I’ve attached a few pictures that sums up the day for all of us on the Southpaw!

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Key West and preparing for Christmas

Post author:Island Genn
Post published:December 12, 2011
Post category:Uncategorized

So this Saturday my husband and I went to get a Christmas tree. I thought that we were going to go to Publix to pick up a tree but he wanted to go to Home Depot, which is where we went since all I cared about was getting a tree and not where we actually got it. I really did no even know that Home Depot was selling Christmas trees; I had been there the previous day to pick up a gift card and did not see any signs of Christmas trees. Maybe they should put out a sign?? I think getting the tree at Publix would have been easier because all your would have to do is pull up to the building, pick out a tree, and stick it in the car. At Home Depot you have to park, get a cart, wheel it all the way to the back of the garden department, roll it all the way back up front and into the parking lot to where ever it was that you parked.

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December in Key West

Post author:Island Genn
Post published:December 1, 2011
Post category:Uncategorized

Today is the first day of December! It was 80 degrees yesterday but a major cold front moved through last evening making it a balmy 70 degrees outside today. I know. I know. I am really suffering down here. Well, it may be 70 degrees, but it does not seem like Christmas is just around the corner. Maybe this weekend’s Tree Trimming Party at the Schooner Wharf Bar will change that. This Sunday, December 4th starting at 5:00 PM the Schooner Wharf will be hosting a party to get everyone into the holiday spirit.

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Key West – The End of Hurricane Season 2011

Post author:Island Genn
Post published:November 30, 2011
Post category:Uncategorized

So, today is November thirtieth. Officially this is the last day of the Atlantic hurricane season! I am surprised that someone in Key West has not started the “End of Hurricane Days Festival” or something like that to draw in crowds and have another excuse to party on Duval Street.

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Key West Restaurant Review: Zaza Pizzeria Napoletana

Post author:Island Genn
Post published:November 28, 2011
Post category:Uncategorized

So there is another new restaurant in the Lower Keys. Located at the Sugarloaf Lodge, this new Italian restaurant has recently opened up. It is great because this area is in need of more restaurants and especially a pizza place for a quick dinner. I stopped in the other night to do just that. Since I had not been there before my sister and I decided to stop in and check the place out and get a pizza to go. The interior has certainly undergone some drastic changes from when Mary Goode ran the restaurant. It went from medieval style decor to brightly painted interiors with a modern look. But it is very noisy. Yes, there were several people dining in the vast dining room, but they were far from shouting yet it was still difficult to hear the guy when he was taking our order. I was glad not to be eating on property just for this reason, although it looked lovely and smelled good and the staff all seemed very friendly and very Italian which gave me high hopes for the food quality.

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Key West Restaurant Review: Kaya Island Eats

Post author:Island Genn
Post published:November 22, 2011
Post category:Uncategorized

This new (only opened 2 weeks ago) eatery is located on the ocean and US1 N in Saddle Bunch Keys (about 15 miles north of Key West). The building once housed another restaurant but Kaya is thus far much different (in a good way). Based on its name, you can probably guess that the menu has a tropical theme which goes in line with the locale. And the owner, Scott, grew up in Hawaii and became a partner at the famed Key West restaurant, Blue Heaven, so it all fits. This also gives one a lot of hope for this spot as the locals really need another good restaurant in this area. Scott has already made some major improvements to the building with beautiful signage and a very tropical decor inside. The place definitely draws you in.

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