Yearly Archives: 2011

Key West Fantasy Fest is Almost Here!

Post author:Island Genn
Post published:October 5, 2011
Post category:Uncategorized

Well October is here, the weather is starting to cool slightly, and Halloween, Thanksgiving, and Christmas displays are already going up in the stores. That means Fantasy Fest is just around the corner. I always equate this annual festival to Mardi Gras. We have a ton of celebrations during these days (October 21 – 30) including parades, costume parties and contests, street fairs, body painting, and all sorts of wacky events.

I have an entire section of this blog dedicated to Fantasy Fest information. You can check it out HERE!

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Discovering Key West

Post author:Island Genn
Post published:October 3, 2011
Post category:Uncategorized

I have lived in Key West for nearly 13 years now. Wow! I know the island pretty darn well. But every once in a while I still get surprised. Hard to do on a 2×4 square mile island? I say not! Key West is very tourist industry driven so we have a ton of restaurants, bars, shops, and attractions directed toward capturing that tourist market. Often times businesses start up and don’t make it so something new will pop up before you know it.

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Key West Restaurant Review: Ambrosia

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

My BFF”s birthday was Thursday so to celebrate she wanted to go to her favorite sushi restaurant, Ambrosia. When we got there at 7pm there was nobody there yet, but as the evening progressed the place became packed. Moral, make a reservation to eat here, lol.

Ambrosia is located at the Santa Marina Suites on Simonton Street. The decor is very modern and sleek.

When we first arrived we sat at the bar for a little bit and got a drink. Saki, sakitinis, beer. The sakitinis are the bartender’s version of a martini, but made with saki instead of vodka. I had a white peach sakitini that was delicious, if not a bit sweet. But after one I was good with water the rest of the evening. (Typically I order plumb wine which is also a sweet wine that I adore, but I decided to go with something different since other members of our group got sakitinis too. The bartender was fantastic (sorry cannot remember his name). (more…)

Key West Shopping on the Cheap

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

So this past Saturday my BFF and I decided to do a little shopping. We met up at Ross around 2:30 and before we knew it it was 6:00! We had a blast.

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Key West – Shooting Range

Post author:Island Genn
Post published:September 20, 2011
Post category:Activities

Until about a year ago, local gun enthusiasts had no place to go to shoot their firearms unless they took a boat offshore. I guess that could be fun but I would think that aiming on a rocking boat would be pretty hard to do. And plus, what would you shoot at? Sounds like a big old hassle, and an expensive one at that with fuel prices what they are. Anyway, we now have the Big Coppitt Gun Club located just about 7 minutes north of Key West.

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Key West Fishing Report

Post author:Island Genn
Post published:September 17, 2011
Post category:Activities Fishing

September is a notable month for inshore fishing. The flats are alive with baby tarpon, bonefish, and permit, although there are many other species available as well such as sharks, jacks, barracuda, snook, redfish, and jack crevalles. Typically this time of year though avid flats fisherman, both spin and fly fisherman, tend to visit our area for the trifecta of tarpon, bones, and permit. I have to say that the Dream Team is doing a great job with their clients at it too.

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Key West – Bike Week 2011

Post author:Island Genn
Post published:September 17, 2011
Post category:Uncategorized

All you have to do is step outside today and you would know exactly what event is going on this week. You guessed it; that constant roar up and down the road signifies bike week is finally here, formally called the 39th annual Key West Poker Run.

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Key West Cuisine 101

Post author:Island Genn
Post published:September 14, 2011
Post category:Uncategorized

Key West has an eclectic hodgepodge of restaurants for locals and visitors to choose from. You will find everything from Jamaican, French, Cuban, American, Chinese, Japanese, Italian, Mexican and of course local Key West style fare. What exactly is Key West fare you ask. Well, if you consider the location and heritage of the island, you will find a great deal of influence from the Caribbean islands as well as an abundance of local seafood items in several of these recipes, although plenty of recipes will make the landlubbers happy too. Cubans and Bahamians introduced items such as black beans, rice, marinated pork, plantains, conch, and flan to Key West. Today you can find these items served as they originated or in a style locals have coined as Conch-fusion.

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Key West Shopping – Costume Jewelery

Post author:Island Genn
Post published:September 11, 2011
Post category:Uncategorized

So I have found the Mecca for costume jewelry on the island. Jewelry Imposters has been open for about two years in the Searstown Shopping Plaza. The owners design a majority of the items stocked, and the pieces are modeled after designers like Cartier, Gucci, and Harry Winston.

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Key West SLAM

Post author:Island Genn
Post published:September 9, 2011
Post category:Fishing

So it is fall and the temperatures have dropped, if only very slightly, and the flats fishing game is on full speed. Tarpon, Bonefish, and Permit all around. Even with good numbers of fish around this time of year, these are some of the most challenging fish to catch. It is almost like a hunting trip, stalking the fish silently as your guide poles you down the flat.

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Mel Fisher, Key West Treasure Hunter

Post author:Island Genn
Post published:September 2, 2011
Post category:History

Mel Fisher was arguably the most famous treasure hunter in modern times. Probably because in 1985 he discovered the Atocha, a Spanish galleon that sank off of the Florida Keys in a hurricane in 1622. With over $450 million in treasures found so far from the wreck, including 40 tons of gold and silver, Pieces of Eight, emeralds, artifacts, and over 1000 bars of silver, Mel and his crew were known by everyone in our little island community.

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What to Pack for a Key West Vacation

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

So you are visiting our fair island of Key West and you don’t know what to pack? I will make this very easy for you. Key West is a very casual place. Even the fanciest restaurants do not require you to dress up and more than country club casual. Here are some things not to forget. If possible, don’t bring more than a carry on; it is all you should need!

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