Key West again, take that, Polar Vortex!

Well, dears, we fled the Polar Vortex as soon as I found out that it's a hostile weather phenomenon and not the Batman's newest enemy. And here we are back in Key West - this time we're not in a motel but have rented someone's condo/time share for a week. A rental agent handled the transaction, so I didn't meet the people who are responsible for the pink and turquoise walls, gray berber carpet, fake plants and polyester sheets. I'm sure they're fine folks, and the condo has a great view and is well located, and I'd rent it again - bringing my own sheets - but somehow I feel I have too much information about the owners. There have been a few chilly days and nights, but it's all relative, and on Sunday we drive north to Miami, where I may get to wear something other than chinos, floppy sweater and jean jacket, or the reverse: jeans, sweater, chino jacket.



After all these winters, I've concluded that you don't come to Key West for the food, that is, you don't come for dressy food. We live happily on pink Florida shrimp, spicy conch chowder, perfectly fried fish, Cuban sandwiches and Tex-Mex. And the occasional steak - and last night we went to a pig roast cum wine tasting. The menu featured, in addition to the piggy, conch paella and fried plantains. I told everyone I was on the Atkins diet and helped myself to seconds on pig.

I don't want to make a fuss, well, yes I do, about the damage to my purple suitcase. It was pierced by a sharp blade in two places on the way down. It looked like it had gotten in the path of an angry swordfish. I reported the damage immediately, at the airport, demonstrating the depth of the rips and piercings, and was told I had done what was necessary to institute a damage claim, and that if I called some 800 number the next day and gave the claim number, I would hear a progress report. So I called, and learned that the helpful stoner at the airport baggage claim desk had in fact filed a claim for lost luggage on my behalf. I'll stop here, this story only gets worse. Duct tape will get me home from Miami. More snow is predicted in New York so I'm just counting my blessings.


Key West is famous for its sunsets, there's a pier where people congregate to watch the sun go down, be amazed at licensed street performers ("Our parents think we're attorneys"), drink watery mojitos and buy monogrammed coconuts. Everyone should do Sunset Pier once, because it's a local thang, and after you've done it once or twice, you can watch the sunset from a beach without being jostled.


The goofy haphazard quality of life in Key West is still present, the groomer whose business is called Doggy Style, the tattoo van that makes house calls, the evening bocce games, and this gem:


So, where was I - oh, yes, goofy and haphazard. Like my breakfast, where the scrambled eggs arrived fried, the pancakes were not cooked through, and the potatoes were burnt. This was remedied with good cheer and I had a nice breakfast after all, it just took a while... Island pace. It's why we're here...



I'm loving BB cream, by the way, I use Maybelline which is light-textured, unscented and inexpensive. I mix blobs of two shades on the back of my hand to get a color that works for me. My skin is looking good so I thought I'd mention it. There's a body BB cream out now, not Maybelline and alas the opposite of unscented. Thus with runny red eyes and a sniffle I returned it.