Google THIS GUY! Do it

I've been going to Comedy Key West for a while now (ok so I can tell you exactly for how long, 14 weeks straight).  Last week for me, was the absolute peak.  This guy, Casey James Salengo, was incredible.  I missed his intro as I was in the bathroom (shame!) but I learned afterwards that he has his own show/appearances on Comedy Central, and it's no surprise.  There have been some good/great comedians in the Bottle Cap of a Friday night and there have been times where the audience is laughing uproariously, but my God when you have the audience literally bent over, practically on the floor with laughter you know this is something special.

Google him! Do it! 

Watch some of his videos on YouTube. You won't regret it.  

Productive Day on Duval!

This morning being "my Sunday" (Nb. I don't work Monday's.  BUT I do work Saturdays) I got up early and started on some chores.

First up, I got a new battery for my watch.  I've been watch-less for a while now, and it's been reeeeeeally bugging me.  Feels good to have a timepiece back on my person!

Afterwards I spent a little time in Gap and Banana Republic.  I also took a little stroll in to Coach. Just.For.A.Look you understand.

Town is busy it has to be said!  It's good to have the tourists back from an economic perspective but I  did find it a little jarring....walking around Gap when you are used to having it to yourself...I was surprised how territorial I felt lol.

I then took a trip up the library on Fleming.  It's a cute little library, but I guess big by island standards.  I returned my Elin Hilderbrand - a couple of days late but the 10c per day fine was waived "you have a few days grace".  I borrowed two more books and have got stuck into them since - one of them I brought to the beach this afternoon.

Segueing nicely, let me tell you how delightful of an afternoon I had at the beach!  The weather, after the blistering heat of the Summer, is just perfect at this time of the year.  I had a good book as I already mentioned.  And I had the most beautiful lunch of home made kedgeree.

Life is good!

A day in the life, in food

Breakfast:
English Muffin

Lunch:
Jordan (from New Orleans) made gumbo!!!

Dinner - Azur:

I had lamb chops

My friend had the branzino

We both had malbec

Dessert:

I had key lime pie at home!

Adventure begins at The Saint!

We had a lot of fun filming and showing off all that is great about The Saint Hotel, Key West!
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The Saint - On the Town!  Fun in the sun in Paradise
https://vimeo.com/348436364
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The Saint - Pool Party! Check me representing Oirland in the green bikini lol
https://vimeo.com/348885588
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The Saint - Exactly like Nothing Else!  That's my twin and I making an appearance halfway through :)
https://vimeo.com/356022706

Have Judy Blume and Meg Cabot ever met?

On Sunday just gone, the journal.ie sent me an email entitled "Long Reads" where they had a round-up of 6 or 7 different articles from during the week, published by various news and publishing outlets.  They summarized each one and gave an idea of how long it would take to read (e.g. 25 mins/31 mins etc).

So first of all, each article looked well chosen and interesting. And secondly because I am (a) disgustingly competitive and (b) pride myself on being a very fast reader, I took it as a challenge to read each article in a minimum of half the time they suggested it would take.  Yep.  That's the kind of petty I am.  Sorry.

The last one, it being the anniversary of 9/11 last week, they linked to Meg Cabot's blog post written around, or soon after September 2001. This, I thought was going to be "just someone's blog" but what would be of great historical interest to read - a capture of what someone was going through at an awful point in time.

So I am reading the blog.  And crying. It's a horrific tale of course, and she tells it from a couple of different, equally personal, perspectives. As I am reading, battling through the tears, I am like "who is this writer"??  This is no hobbyist blogger (like me and this silly little ol' blog of mine). This is someone with pure talent and real skill.

At the point where she mentions she now lives in Key West I put her name into google.  Meg Cabot, she of the Princess Diaries series, only one of the most popular teen writers of the last decade.  My generation had Judy Blume, millennials have Meg Cabot. And they both live in Key West.

So yes I am a week or so late in linking to this.  But really the message is timeless.  I leave you with the words of Meg Cabot, the introduction to her September 11th post, and the link to her blog:

"This year is the eighteenth anniversary of the attacks on the World Trade Center, Pentagon, and United Airlines Flight 93.

Every year in remembrance I post this essay about my experience living in Manhattan a few dozen blocks from the World Trade Center on 9/11.  I think it’s important that we don’t allow the memories of those we lost (or the brave acts that so many men and women performed) on that day be forgotten.

So if you have a few extra minutes in your day, please read on. And if you think what you read was important, please share it with a friend".

Full blog post here

Eeeeeeeats

Goddurnit, I really wish I was better at taking photos! 

A little summary of where I have been eating lately

Martin's

Seaweed salad, escargot, crab cakes, lobster bisque and scallops Florentine.

Stunning!

And that's before I have even mentioned the great Malbec and Pinot Noir, and Key Lime Martini to finish as a dessert.

Little Jazz Room

Mediterranean platter (pitta, chicken skewers, olives, peppers, tzatziki), spicy cajun shrimp and grits, and lobster cakes.

Divine!

The wine not so much - awful Italian plonk, I have erased the name from my mind forever.

On the subject of jazz, I took the opportunity to read my blog posted after my first viewing of La La Land.  I went on to watch that film 6 more times.  I love it so! And it is high time I watch it again.

And finally, the piece de resistance!

AZUR

No photos alas.  

I had the Confit Duck Leg, my date had the a Seafood Risotto.

And Malbec :)

This place is always excellent - food, service, atmosphere - it's got it all. 

Terrific day on the water!

Another great day of fishing with the wonderful crew of the Gulfstream.

Shout out to First Mate Ryan!  Thank you for all you do during the trip and afterwards all the gutting and filleting of the fish.  There is fish in the freezer for two dinners now! Plus thank you for helping me with my fish (showing me how best to hold it), these great photos are the result!