Postcards from Paradise!

Good morning from the Cuban Coffee Queen where I had a café con leche with pan Cubano.  Yum, YUM! 

I also just adore this "old school postcard" wall mural they have on the side of their little building.

From there I moved on to the Custom House Museum where I wanted to see their newest exhibit.  Which I enjoyed very much! I also enjoyed the second floor permanent exhibitions about Hemingway in Key West. Tennessee Williams, and Henry Flagler and his railroad (and his Casa Marina Hotel).

Also! This museum has a very good giftshop - very well chosen items - good job to the buyer.

Later this afternoon I nearly died in the heat painting the front gate of the house.  Hey would you agree it's rather a postcard perfect little entrance?!

Sunday, (things) Doneday

Do you remember the times I could write in full sentences? 

Indeed, in paragraphs even. 

Sigh, good times... :)

Well, the fact of the matter is it is just so hot I have very little time in between dips in the pool to cool down, to get a blog down on paper.  That's my excuse and I'm sticking to it!

Below is a summary of some of the things I got done yesterday.  Plus some photos to help you through..

First up was a lovely brunch which I blogged about yesterday. Lovely soft, moist, scrambled eggs and Irish cheese, with the most delicious grilled salmon fillet. 

After that nice food we hopped in the car and went off and bought something really exciting!

Snorkel gear!!

So the plan is to use this for snorkeling at the beach - rather than having to hire the gear at $30 a pop we now have our own!  Sure we're practically making money ;) 

Ahahahahhahaa 

...that's something very Irish (and silly) to say lol :)

When we came home we tried out the gear in the swimming pool.  The good news is that it is really really good stuff and works absolutely perfect.  The not so good news is one of us (winky face) needs a few more practice sessions in the pool before getting out in the ocean.  

Clue. It's NOT the person who may just have been a mermaid in HER past life :)

Wow!  How great do these steps/decking look after a freshening up of paint?!

Have I mentioned we are hosting a Canada Day pool party in a week?! We are in preparation mode (food and drink planning) and getting the garden and pool looking good for this.

For dinner we went to Pincher's crab shack.  Not somewhere I'd necessarily choose outright, but I had a gift certificate for it so off we went.  It was very enjoyable in the end...two for one drinks yay, above pictured is the appetizer of cheese and lobster dip, and then lovely crab cakes for the main.  I do love crab cakes it must be said.

And then! At home that evening we finished with a slice of Key Lime pie!!! 

Pretty perfect day it has to be said...

Yesterday was a pretty good day/evening...

It started when Patrick met me after my work and we split a burger (because we're wild) and had a glass of wine (me) and a beer (him) in The Saint.  The Saint make unbelievable burgers.  I will literally never barbecue burgers at home when you can get an incredible one for just $10 at Happy Hour (4.17pm - 7.14pm every day)

From there we moved to my favourite neighbourhood dive bar Mary Ellen's 

Where we split (because we're wild) an amazing toasted cheese sandwich (3 cheeses, texas toast)

Then! Later that night I met up with Marta (from work) at a comedy club where we supported Paul (also from my work) - he was taking part in a charity Blind Date comedy type of thing.  It, and all the other comedy acts were utterly hilarious.  I am embarrassed to say this was my first time a comedy club...but it will not be my last!

Katie and Lydee are 30!

As of June 22nd 2019, I no longer have little (twin) sisters in their 20's.

I remember the day we brought them home from the hospital so well, and I remember this photo so well too.  It was a Sunday and we went for a drive and a picnic up the Wicklow mountains with mam and dad. 

Dad took this photo and I just love the Autumnal colours on us all.  I also love the way Katie's skirt is not perfect/is hitched up.  And of course I just looooove the 1991 jeans on Enid and I ahahahahahhaa.

So to celebrate Katie and Lydee's birthday we drank champagne and ate Spanish cheese and ham,

Ha! Ok that wasn't for Katie and Lyd.  But my God it was lovely!

Barbecue Tales part 14 - salmon

First time cooking salmon fillets on the barbecue (grill!) 

And the result was awesome!!  

Very happy with it!

So we had a lovely brunch of grilled salmon and scrambled eggs made with Irish cheese!

It was the start of a great day. Life is good.

Brunch in Key West / Papa's Pilar Rum

Soooo may I take this opportunity to recommend a good breakfast place in Key West?!

The Breakfast Club Too (number one is in Lake Placid, New York) opens every day for breakfast and lunch.  Literally breakfast and lunch i.e. you can have a burger at 9am and bacon and eggs at 1pm if you so wish!

Me, I went for shrimp and grits which were pretty damn awesome! Washed down with a  mimosa and Bloody Mary. I was told the caprese salad was pretty good too!

They have 11 different types of mimosas (get the mermosa, you won't regret it) and 11 different Bloody Mary's (pictured is the bacon Mary).

Did I mention it also is a really cool space with some funky cool sculptures created by the owner's husband.  Seriously, this place needs to go on your list!

And why not follow it by a short stroll (two doors away) to the Hemingway Rum company distillery where you can learn about, and actually see a master distiller at work. Resulting in two extremely good rums.

Don't take my word for it, get your ticket for this super tour - it costs only $10 and within that price you get to do a tasting of both the blonde and the dark rum. Plus your entry fee gets you $5 off a bottle to purchase!

Tropic Cinema/Judy Blume/Rocketman/Key West

Yesterday I had a couple of hours spare to myself so I took myself off to see Rocketman at the Tropic Cinema in Key West...
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…ummm, so I'm coming back to this blog after an hour or so has passed since that first line above.  The Tropic Cinema got me thinking about Judy Blume (she, and her husband George Cooper conceived and funded it), and that got me to reading articles about Judy Blume. This Guardian one here was particularly enjoyable. The last hour of my life has been a good one!

Hey did I ever mention that I have met Judy Blume?! In fact, I've met her twice.  My second meeting with her was extremely special to me because I told her about what was going on in Ireland in respect of the fight for Irish women's rights and bodily autonomy at that time, which she listened carefully to, and pinned on a badge that I brought her showing her support for the referendum to Repeal the 8th Amendment.  She was awesome both times.
How friggin' lucky am I???

Well I better get back on topic and tell you how much I loved Rocketman.  I thought it was great and would actually go see it again straight away (if you are a regular reader of my blog you will know how obsessive I get about films that I like and how I like to see them multiple times...case in question..La La Land!!! Which I saw about six times over three weeks in the cinema!!).

I thought it was heartbreakingly sad, but also theatrical, fantastical and ultimately uplifting - by the end.  I recommend this film thoroughly, go catch it in the cinema before it closes!

What I'm doin' in June

A small little post of some of the fun stuff I've been getting up to.  Life is good...

I spent a day at Fort Zach beach, sunbathing, reading and snorkelling.  What a great day!

Celebrated for Miss Jean Thornton's birthday.  

How beautiful is this cake?  It tasted fabulous too as I am sure you can imagine.

Watching the Raptors.  Go Raptors!

Drinking martini's and eating beautiful food at Martin's on Duval Street.

The key lime martini in the centre up above was my favourite.

As for the food, wow! Crabcakes, pork schnitzel, baked brie and escargot.

Yep! Life is good.

Pride!

It's Pride week here in Key West so I have been partaking in the festivities and celebrations!

The Stoli event in Island House on Wednesday was a lot of fun! I look a bit tanned in this photo - I had spent the previous day at the beach snorkeling and sunbathing which was just fab!

Steve Grand was playing in the Key West Theatre.  I was lucky enough to meet him at The Saint, he was a lovely fella!  And then the show that night was super. 

I checked out the (Irish artist) Pigsy in the window of the Key West Business Guild.  Doesn't it look great?!

And there in the middle of it is the representation of the Sea to Sea flag, with Gilbert Baker on a bicycle smiling at his creation...which leads me nicely to the next event.

I walked in the Key West Pride parade carrying a section of the Sea to Sea flag.

It was lovely.  Festivities aside there is a serious side to Pride, and it is sad that it is still needed in fact... My friend Megan said it best "I am privileged to be in this parade, and to be a supporter"

Yep. What she said.

Pigsy in Key West

Happy Pride month! 
I am delighted to present "Duval Flag" by Irish artist Pigsy. “Duval Flag”  (410mm W x 920mm H)  (16” Wide x  36”) Mixed Media On Canvas Key West Business Guild are selling raffle tickets for a chance to win this piece "Duval Flag" which Pigsy painted on a recent trip to KW. It includes the famous sea to sea rainbow flag flying high and is painted in his usual expressionist style. It is an uplifting joyful piece that highlights the Key West motto of One Human Family. It will be on view during the week in the Key West Business Guild. Tickets are available, plus the painting is on display: *In the Business Guild, 808 Duval Street right now! *At the Business Guild luncheon on Wednesday at the Marriott Beachside*At the street fair on Saturday

Pigsy's curator Kemp has this to say about "Duval Flag":

"While PIGSY was vacationing in Key West the overall vibe of the islands ethos of “One Human Family” compelled him to compulsively start painting. The result is an inspired flow of expressionism which helped him to subconsciously recall the sea to sea rainbow flag which was 1.25 miles long and ran along Duval Street from the Gulf of Mexico to the Atlantic Ocean created by the designer Gilbert Baker (happy image on the bike exploring his creation) who passed away in 2017. The island created a sense of creative happiness which manifested itself in the positive message that,  all people are created equal.

The painting reflects the joyous pride that one can feel when prejudice and judgement of other people’s decisions are discarded and a free positive happy all for one, one for all approach to everyday life is embraced in a fair inclusive way, as it is with Key West which has embraced the motto “One Human Family”. The butterflies , flowers and smile on Gilbert’s Face show happiness and freedom along with pride and gives us a sense that the world is a brighter place with rainbows in it, along with an acceptance of diversity".

By Kemp

Starfish soap dish!

Do you remember my post about the small changes that I was going to make to help our environment?  And remember I mentioned that I was going to be on the look out for a lovely soap dish?! Well, I found it you guys!  Cost me the grand sum of $6 and I adore it.  Myself and Enid are big fans of starfish...guess I will just have to think of her every time I wash my hands. Lol.

Do you like?!

Eating and Drinking

May (and the start of June) has involved a lot of eating.  I fell behind in my blogging, only 9 posts in May :( so this is going to have to be a bit of a list slash catch up on what I've been putting in mah bellah over the last while.

*French Toast in The Saint Hotel, Tempt Restaurant.  Delish!

*I spent a fabulous evening sharing tapas with Enid and Ciaran in Santiago's Bodega.  Amongst other things I ate: Cajun Shrimp bisque, lamb meatballs, shrimp & chorizo skewers, filet mignon, prosciutto and cheese wrapped dates.  Incredible flavours.  I recommend!

*I was treated to a lovely surprise of a Date Night out in Little Pearl restaurant.  Fab wine and amazing food - escargot ensconsed in puff pastry with garlic butter, whipped almond butter and bread, oysters, shrimp and grits, and seafood pie (lobster, crab and shrimp).  'Twas beautiful food.  And the wine and company weren't too bad either (read, they were both great!)

*Pork tacos at home, cooked on the grill.  Have I ever mentioned I am obsessed with pork.  It's pretty much my favourite meat, end of.

*Steak and shrimp cooked at home on the grill.  Always good

*Martin's - tasty martini's and a spectacular smorgasbord of pork schnitzel, crabcakes, baked brie, and escargot in their shells

Not pictured:

*Sarabeth's for their amazing Sunday night fried chicken.  Massive thumbs up

*Brunch at Bistro 245 in the Margaritaville resort. Fab. As always.

*I made lunch at home today: Smoked salmon and silky smooth scrambled eggs. Scrumdiddlyumptious

*Half Shell Raw bar for oysters, buffalo shrimp and fish dip.  This has to be one of my most favourite happy hours on the island