Key West Pride events have wound down after five days packed with parties, sailing, and parades. In many of your communities, Pride festivals are just beginning — so keep your eyes open for eight-color rainbow flags in your Pride parade.

Blog author Steve Smith celebrates Key West Pride during the island city's annual parade.

If you spot one, chances are the flag you see was part of Key West’s 1.25-mile sea-to-sea flag, unfurled on Duval Street from the Gulf of Mexico to the Atlantic Ocean 10 years ago this month. Sections of the famed flag will be carried in parades in Denver, Columbus, Cincinnati, Cleveland and New York.

Living on a tiny two-mile by four-mile island, we’re never lacking for another unique event. This weekend, for example, we host the Key West Africana Festival, giving visitors an opportunity to discover the Afro-Caribbean heritage of America’s southernmost island city. There are workshops on wellness and healthy living, film screenings, tours of meaningful African and Cuban sites and museums, and presentations by award-winning authors, media commentators and our state Senator Dwight Bullard.

Then, June 22, be sure to bring out your finest fairy and tropical attire and gather under the stars for the seventh annual Midsummer’s Night Dream & Spectacle. This magical evening unfolds in, and benefits, the Key West Tropical Forest and Botanical Garden. Bring lots of fairy dust, glitter, wings and halos … and prepare for an unforgettable experience. 

Blossoms, glitter and fairy dust are the recommended accessories for the lavish and lovely Midsummer's Night Dream. (Photo by Carol Tedesco)

“Midsummer’s Night celebrates the summer solstice,” says event creator Michael Shields. “It’s a time when the veil between this world and the next is thin, and powerful forces are abroad. On Midsummer’s, legends hold that one can gain the powers of a bard — or on the downside, end up utterly mad, demented, or whisked away by spirit faeries. Romances flourish, affairs are begun, mystery and mischief abound. It all begins with a dream.”

Enjoy the creations of local musicians, poets, painters and sculptors; marvel at aerial artistry, fire dancing, theatrical antics and storytellers; and vie for the titles of festival King and Queen. Where else can you join fairies, stars, and starlets on a tropical island under the full moon while sipping tropical beverages and tasting local foods? No glitter is too bright, no wings too large (just be careful when flying through the forest!).

Though the Keys have designated themselves the independent Conch Republic, we do acknowledge July 4 as Independence Day for those who live in the “neighboring” United States. This year, my friend and noted writer David Sloan adds to the holiday festivities by staging the first Key Lime Festival. 

Offbeat author David Sloan, who penned "The Ultimate Key Lime Pie Cookbook" and created the Key Lime Festival, decorates a pie. (Photo by Rob O'Neal)

David penned “The Ultimate Key Lime Pie Cookbook,” celebrating the popularity of the tart, creamy dessert identified with the Florida Keys. Important note: if you have ever been served green key lime pie, you were cheated. Our tasty Key lime pie is yellow and often nestled on crisp graham cracker crumbs toasted in real butter. Some serve it with chopped nuts in the crust, although my favorite sits atop crushed chocolate wafers, drenched in butter and browned just before the sweet yellow curd is ladled and topped with unsweetened whipped cream. I’m getting carried away …

Join David and his team July 4 at the Key Lime Piestravaganza in front of Key West’s Old City Hall as they attempt to make the world’s largest Key lime pie — expected to be bigger than 15 feet in diameter. You can even savor a slice of the historic pie for one buck, which benefits the Key West Firehouse Museum. It doesn’t get much better than this!

I’ll tell you more about our July 4 celebrations next time. Right now, I need to find a slice of tangy Key lime pie and get ready for tonight’s NBA game.  

Topics: Arts, Events, Festivals, Food, History, Key West, LGBT, Local Color

Recently I attended the 30th anniversary convention of the International Gay & Lesbian Travel Association (IGLTA). Founded in Key West and located there for more than 15 years, the association began as the International Gay Travel Association.

Blog author Steve Smith shares the Keys' all-welcome attitude at IGLTA as well as on the island.

Many of the founders of the IGTA also were founders of the 35-year-old Key West Business Guild. Founders included travel agents, guesthouse owners, tour operators, and a gay advertising agency called Impressions Unlimited.

I became involved with the IGTA in 1992, representing the Key West Business Guild.  I served many years on its board of directors representing the Florida Keys and held offices including treasurer, president, past president and board member at large.

Soon the organization recognized the need to include women in its name and it became the IGLTA. The membership has grown to include more than 2,000 members globally. During my tenure an ambassador program was created and we now have ambassadors from places such as Brazil and Argentina to India, Israel, Japan, and South Korea.

These relationships have guided the tourism world to respect and welcome gay travelers — just as Key West began doing in the 1970s. I believe our hospitality has rubbed off on communities across the globe.

Teams race decorated beds on Duval Street during the annual Conch Republic Independence Celebration. (Photo by Rob O'Neal, Florida Keys News Bureau)

Speaking of Key West, May ushers in our summer season. When I first began marketing the Florida Keys, summers were very quiet. We locals celebrated the end of tourist season with a “survivors” party, where we kicked up our heels and raised funds for AIDS Help, Inc., our community- based AIDS service organization.

On May 27, we will stage the 35th or 36th annual party (depending on who you ask) and today it’s held on South Beach at the end of Duval Street. Entertainment is continuous throughout the evening, with food galore and a massive silent auction. The event now raise funds for the Sister Season Fund, a local non-profit that provides temporary financial assistance to hospitality industry workers having health or employment difficulties.

On another note, we just completed our 31st annual Conch Republic Independence Celebration with highlights like an exuberant sea battle. The festivities continue, however, with the Key West Fringe Theater’s rendition of “Conch Republic, The Musical,” based on a script by island resident Monnie King and starring a cast of local talent.

The Fringe Theater is known for its ability to create a stage at places such as upstairs at Kelly’s on Whitehead Street (named for its former co-owner, actress Kelly McGillis) and at the historic Key West Firehouse Museum on Virginia Street.

More than 100 of America's leading songwriters perform in audience-friendly settings during the annual Key West Songwriter's Festival. (Photos courtesy of the Key West Songwriter's Festival)

In a current production, the Fringe takes on legendary Key West fire chief Bum Farto (google him and you’ll discover people really DID call him that) and his feud with the late Peggy Mills, owner of the lovely property that’s now The Gardens Hotel.

The Fringe’s companion production tells the story of Key West’s original diva of art and anti-development activist Marion Stevens. I had the pleasure of knowing Marion and enjoying many unique afternoons and evenings with her. This renowned lady left an endowment for promoting the arts on the island that she so loved.

The Fringe Theater will entertain you with its innovative performance style while recounting some of the wild — and true! — tales that continue to charm both locals and visitors.

Music lovers have a treat in store too: the 18th annual Key West Songwriter’s Festival runs May 1-5. Several dozen free shows feature approximately 150 top songwriters, performing at favorite watering holes and hotspots throughout Old Town and on the beach. And don’t miss Saturday evening’s Duval Street concert!

Topics: Arts, Events, Festivals, Key West, LGBT

Fans of one of America’s most iconic big-screen legends will gather May 2-5 at the Humphrey Bogart Film Festival, where they’ll enjoy four days of immersion in all things Bogart. And what better place to honor the late actor than in the location of one of his greatest films: the beautiful island of Key Largo at the head of the Florida Keys?

Film fans are flocking to celebrate an American screen legend on the island that gave its name to one of his cinema classics.

The inaugural event doesn’t just have a fitting setting; it’s also timed to mark 65 years since the premiere of “Key Largo,” starring Bogart and his wife Lauren Bacall. And its host is none other than Stephen Bogart, the legendary duo’s son.

Actually, the Key Largo festival is the only event of its kind ever to be sanctioned by the Bogart estate. It’s even being produced by the estate, partnering with the Key Largo Chamber of Commerce.

The festivities officially kick off Thursday, May 2, with an evening cocktail reception hosted by Stephen Bogart — joined by renowned film critic Leonard Maltin — at the Murray E. Nelson Government and Cultural Center in Key Largo. Following the reception, film buffs can savor an outdoor waterfront screening of (naturally!) Bogie and Bacall’s “Key Largo.”

For the next couple of days, guests can attend screenings of Bogart classics and other landmark movies from the film noir genre. In-theater showings are planned, as are outdoor screenings under the stars in Key Largo’s balmy subtropical climate.

And the film selection is enough to make a fan drool in anticipation.

Festival guests can cruise on the African Queen, the original vessel from director John Huston's 1951 film. (Photo by Andy Newman, Florida Keys News Bureau)

Among the highlights are “Casablanca,” “The Big Sleep,” “Dark Passage,” “The African Queen,” “The Maltese Falcon,” and non-Bogart offerings like “Double Indemnity” and “Body Heat.”

But the festival is about far more than viewing films — enticing as they are. Additional attractions include cruises on the original African Queen, the actual boat used in the famed Bogart film. Now registered as a national historic site and home-ported in Key Largo, the African Queen was relaunched in 2012 after a $70,000 restoration.

Want to party in the style of Bogie and Bacall? Then the elegant Casablanca-themed Bogart Ball, hosted by Stephen Bogart on Saturday, May 4, is the place to be. Happening at the Hilton Key Largo Resort, it begins with a red-carpet cocktail reception. After that, gala-goers can savor the flavors of a three-course Moroccan-themed dinner and dance the night away.

The red carpet, by the way, will be walked by a modern-day star: Jack Huston of HBO’s “Boardwalk Empire.” He’s the grandson of legendary film director, screenwriter and actor John Huston, and he will receive an award recognizing the longtime professional partnership between his grandfather and Bogart.

Stephen Bogart is the enthusiastic host of the film festival honoring his father's work. (Photo by Andy Newman, Florida Keys News Bureau)

John Huston’s first directing role came with “The Maltese Falcon,” starring Bogart as the film noir detective Sam Spade. He and Huston became lifelong friends and worked together on other films including “The Treasure of the Sierra Madre,” “The African Queen,” and of course “Key Largo.”

During the ball, Stephen Bogart and Leonard Maltin will present a replica of the famed falcon statuette from “The Maltese Falcon” to Jack Huston.

“It is wonderful that Jack Huston will accept the festival award in recognition of the large role John Huston played in the life and career of my father,” stated Stephen Bogart.

Want to know more about Key Largo’s one-of-a-kind Bogart celebration? Click here to purchase tickets, book accommodations, reserve space on an African Queen cruise and much more.

Topics: Arts, Events, Festivals, Highlights, Key Largo, Voices Main Archive

The offbeat (and totally wonderful) island of Key West is characterized by a freewheeling exuberance and zest for life, spiced by a healthy irreverence — qualities that are mirrored in much of the visual art created in the unique spot. You can view the art, and meet the creative spirits behind it, during neighborhood art strolls held each month on the island. 

Art is ever-present in Key West -- like this large-scale gyotaku piece by Kim and Ian Workman that graces the island's airport terminal. (Photo by Rob O'Neal, Florida Keys News Bureau)

These strolls offer a vibrant visual feast — and a great chance to discover off-the-beaten-path galleries that spotlight the work of established artists and nurture the growth of talented newcomers.

Depending on the event, featured pieces might range from compelling oils and bronze sculptures to whimsical collages, handcrafted jewelry and woodwork, starkly beautiful black-and-white photographs or even the unusual fish prints called gyotaku.

Probably the best known of Key West’s neighborhood art strolls is the Walk on White. It’s held on the island city’s White Street from Southard to United streets and onto Truman Avenue on the third Thursday of each month.

The popular evening features exhibitions and receptions at galleries, shops and occasionally other venues.

Openings at The Studios of Key West are among the highlights of Key West's monthly Walk on White. (Photo courtesy of TSKW)

Highlight locations include Harrison Gallery, showcasing the elegant sculptural wood pieces of Helen Harrison and the musicianship of her husband Ben Harrison; the quirky and inviting Stone Soup Gallery, whose attractions include the vibrant paintings of Sean Callahan, and The Studios of Key West, offering regular exhibitions, performances, workshops and studio space. If you turn off White onto Truman Avenue, you’ll find fine art and functional pottery at Honest Works Island Pottery and dynamic new talents, multimedia and renegade art at Art Space Key West.

The upper end of Key West’s famed Duval Street is known for its eclectic galleries — and it comes alive with art exhibitions, receptions and culinary treats during the monthly Upper Duval Street Stroll. Explore galleries, boutiques and food and wine emporiums during the event that usually takes place on the first Friday of each month.

A monthly Upper Duval Street Stroll features inviting stops like SoDu Gallery, displaying the vibrant painted tableware of Janis Childs. (Photo courtesy of SoDu)

Featured locations include SoDu Gallery, displaying the vibrant painted tableware of Janis Childs and fine jewelry of Lainie Davia among other work; Frangipani Gallery, starring the colorful paintings of founder Fran Decker and others; Cocco and Salem Imagine Art, whose finest offerings are Jim Salem’s reverent studies of birds and the natural realm; and Gingerbread Square Gallery, showing the lush rainforest canvases of Sal Salinero and much more.

And don’t miss Kate’s Studio, where Kate Peachey’s paintings are showcased alongside Karen Moore’s Zen jewelry.

Key West’s Caroline and Greene streets and Historic Seaport neighborhood form a lively art and design district, site of the Art and Ambiance Walks spotlighting galleries and merchants on the first Thursday of each month. 

As well as the work of Sanchez and MacNelly, Gallery on Greene features Peter Vey's vivid artistry. (Photo courtesy of Gallery on Greene)

The most delightful stops are Gallery on Greene, whose vivid artistry includes the humor-filled images of Pulitzer Prize winner Jeff MacNelly and the painted bas-relief wood carvings of iconic Cuban-American folk artist Mario Sanchez; Lucky Street Gallery, with featured artists such as renowned sculptor John Martini and painter Rick Worth, and Art@830, where collections range from fine glasswork and jewelry to colorful paintings and wood art.

In addition to these worthwhile events, periodic group art and museum events take place in the Mallory Square area. They generally include exhibits and openings at the Key West Art Center, Custom House Museum, Harry S. Truman Little White House and Audubon House & Tropical Gardens.

Want to know more about the lively galleries, inspired artists and overall cultural scene in Key West and the Florida Keys? Just click here or here for the full picture! 

Topics: Arts, Highlights, Key West, Local Color, Voices Main Archive

She maintains a busy seasonal weekend schedule of art shows intermixed with creating new paintings. Even so, Islamorada artist Michelle Nicole Lowe still manages to remain grounded.

Michelle displays some of her work at the annual Islamorada Fine Art Expo. (Photo by Andy Newman, Florida Keys News Bureau)

At the same time, the 28-year-old is deeply passionate about the ocean and about sharing her boldly original art with fellow sea lovers.

Michelle’s watercolors, oils and colored pencil renderings seemingly pop off the canvas. Each scene is a snapshot of lively-eyed creatures like hogfish, angelfish, large-scaled tarpon, tangs and turtles — or the unmistakeable contours of native seagrape trees, palm fronds and plumage of island birds.

“As much as I love to paint, I have a passion for the ocean and the underwater creatures,” she explained.

Michelle also loves traveling to art shows, accompanied by her mother/assistant, because she meets other people who’ve been around the world and who love to dive or snorkel just as she does.

“The majority of people buy my art because they are ocean lovers,” she reported. “They have a memory of whatever I’ve painted and want it on their wall just for the pleasure of it.”

Even at five years old, Michelle loved the water. Here she plays captain for the day with her family.

Michelle spent her childhood fishing, snorkeling and diving in the clear waters off the Florida Keys, Dry Tortugas, Marquesas and Bahamian Out Islands with her parents and younger brother.

Actually, her family tree is solidly rooted in the Keys. Her great-grandfather Archie Lowe was born on the Bahamas’ Green Turtle Cay, emigrated to Key West and traded as a local turtle retailer. The Keys’ turtle fishing trade, which flourished in the mid to late 1800s, essentially ended decades ago with the passage of the Endangerd Species Act. Today, Michelle expresses her fascination with turtles and other underwater creatures through her paintings.

A graduate of the University of Florida and a die-hard fan of its Gators football team, Michelle was always talented in art. Nevertheless she pursued a degree in finance, figuring it would provide independence and stability.

After two post-graduate (and freezing!) years in the corporate finance arena of Washington, D.C., she began a yearlong painting program in Florence, Italy, to return to her heart’s passion.

Michelle's stunning images reflect her love of the Keys ocean environment. (Photo courtesy of Michelle Nicole Lowe)

Afterward in 2010, she took a leap of faith and came home to the Florida Keys, using her in-home studio in Islamorada to cultivate creativity and solace.

Michelle’s knack for finance comes in handy as she manages her own entrepreneurial business — spearheading everything from booking shows months in advance to overseeing reproductions and giclee prints. Yet even while juggling show setups in major South Florida cities and price points per square inch, she finds her age presents a surprising challenge.

“As a young artist at shows, I do get doubted a lot and people don’t want to buy from me,” she said.

She’s often mistakenly judged to be as young as 20 — an age that implies having so many original pieces of art would be impossible. In fact, one show patron, who was convinced art only became valuable after the artist was dead, was reluctant to make a purchase because Michelle wouldn’t be “gone” any time soon!

Michelle (right) shares her giclee prints with a fan at the Pigeon Key Art Festival, held each February in Marathon.

That’s good news for the Upper Keys arts community. Islamorada and the Keys are where Michelle feels most grounded, and she participates enthusiastically in the monthly art walk sponsored by Islamorada’s Morada Way Arts District.

To balance her intense work schedule, she spends Wednesdays on peaceful pursuits that clear her mind — without the distractions of other people or her cell phone. Her mid-week activities might include being on the water or fishing the backcountry.

“Being in the Keys is a good thing,” Michelle enthused. “There are a lot of artists around to talk to and learn from, but not so many that they’re competitive and don’t want to be friendly and share their advice with you.

“I love it here,” she summed up. “I hope I’ll be here for a long time.”

Topics: Arts, Islamorada, Local Color, Profiles, Voices Main Archive

These days, more and more artists are discovering the beauties of the Florida Keys environment — and the satisfactions of a fishing-focused lifestyle.

Marine life artist David Wirth displays a wooden carving of one of his amazing authentic circle hooks. (Photo by Andy Newman, Florida Keys News Bureau)

What’s the result? A growing number of galleries, artists and fine crafters exploring the rewards of angling artistry. And it’s no surprise that some of the leading artists and showplaces are located in Islamorada, renowned as the Sport Fishing Capital of the World.

Among them is marine and wildlife artist David Wirth. Actually, sailfish and backcountry tournament winners around the world have wrapped their hands around trophies featuring David’s dramatic sculptures.

The Islamorada resident crafts each one from bronze, stone and wood including Keys hardwoods — but he only uses logs collected from “blow down” trees that have fallen because of weather.

It’s also possible to wear David’s artistry, since he’s equally well known for his circle hook pendants and jewelry. These beauties are designed from natural materials including silver and gold as well as deer and moose antlers, gator bone and the bones of other water animals.

Each circle hook, David explains, is considered to carry the spirit of the one who carved it and the spirit of what it’s made from. He himself was given a Hawaiian island elder’s personal blessing to replicate the sanctified hooks, which are believed to bring good luck and safe passage on the water.

Islamorada resident and gallery owner Pasta Pantaleo is internationally acclaimed as a gamefish artist. (Photo courtesy of Art by Pasta)

Check out David’s fine handiwork at the Rain Barrel Sculpture Gallery at mile marker (MM) 86.7 bayside and the Florida Keys Outfitters saltwater fly shop at MM 81.2.

Speaking of galleries, two unique ones that spotlight images of fishing can be found off U.S. Highway 1 at MM 81.5 oceanside.

Roberto ”Pasta” Pantaleo is on what he calls a lifelong journey to study and paint the Keys’ most beautiful aquatic wildlife — and he has become recognized around the world as a gamefish artist.

It all began when he took a childhood trip to Coney Island, where he saw a large replica sailfish that left an indelible impression on him.

“I’ve always been fascinated with the structure of a sailfish,” said Pasta, “and found myself drawing that sailfish from Coney Island millions of times before I ever saw a real sailfish.”

Dolphin fish swim through Pasta's enticing canvas titled "Fresh Mahi." (Photo courtesy of Art by Pasta)

His career in gamefish art began in 1999 when he was hired to produce a poster for a South Florida fishing tournament. Years later, he opened Pasta’s Signature Gallery featuring representations of sailfish, dolphin fish, sea turtles and much more.

Living in Islamorada, he believes, is similar to living in a small fishing village in his native Italy: its slow pace allows him the chance to stop and appreciate the natural beauty that inspires his work.

Near Pasta’s showplace stands the Redbone Gallery, born in 1988 out of original art given as awards to fishing tournament winners. Today the gallery is renowned for its wonderful collection of saltwater fishing art.

Gary and Susan Ellis are founders of the Redbone tournaments that “catch the cure” for cystic fibrosis by raising funds to support research and increase awareness about the disease — and they started collecting and promoting artists’ work.

Tim Borski's acrylic, "Snook on Gray," is on display in the Redbone Gallery. (Photo courtesy of the Redbone Gallery)

The paintings’ subject matter included fishing in the Florida Keys and in rivers, streams and lakes in other parts of the country. Among the standout angling artists are Don Ray and Tim Borski.

Don Ray creates striking watercolor pieces featuring blue marlin, dolphin, bonefish, trout, sharks and other marine life in their natural environment — expertly incorporating the interplay of light and shadow into his underwater scenes.

Tournaments still clamor for traditional pieces by Tim Borski, and with good reason. He’s renowned for vivid watercolor, oil and acrylic depictions of snook, tarpon, bonefish and permit — often featuring a bright orange-red background.

No matter what their medium or style, angling artists find themselves drawn to the Keys and the region’s richly diverse fishery. In fact, whatever saltwater prey they seek to portray, chances are they’ll find it in the inspiring waters of the Florida Keys.

Topics: Arts, Islamorada, Local Color, On the Water, Voices Main Archive

This week I’m writing my blog while in Berlin for the international travel show ITB. ITB Berlin is a unique international travel fair featuring representatives from more than 11,000 travel companies and more than 170,000 visitors, including about 113,000 from sellers of travel. Today was sunny, but the Berlin temperature was in the low 40s — about 35 degrees chillier than the Florida Keys. My German friends are ready for spring and summer!

Blog author Steve Smith (right) meets a journalist at the ITB show in chilly Berlin.

Fifteen years ago at Key West’s ITB stand, I hoisted a small rainbow flag — the first ever at this global marketplace. It was not “love at first sight” with the organizers, but the flag remained at our stand.

Today, LGBT travel is listed as an official market segment and the show’s “gay” travel pavilion will have representatives from many countries including Brazil, Poland, Greece, and the Keys’ own Conch Republic. It’s amazing what impact the little island of Key West had in opening closet doors for gay travelers throughout the world. If you happen to be in Berlin this weekend, be sure to stop by the fair held at Messe Berlin.

New Yorkers will have fun at the Original LGBT Expo this weekend at the Jacob Javits Center. At 1 p.m. Saturday, March 9, you’re invited to join Key West residents Peter Arnow and Randy Becker as they exchange vows — in what will be the first legal gay wedding held in the LGBT Expo’s 20-year history.

Peter and Randy actually headed to New York this past October with friends for their wedding. However, an uninvited guest named Hurricane Sandy followed them up the coast and thwarted their event.

Key Westers Peter Arnow (left) and Randy Becker will get married at a surprising New York venue March 9.

I knew how important this wedding was to my two friends, so at my suggestion they’re returning to New York City to hold their wedding at the Key West booth. They will exchange their vows with several thousand new friends in attendance (nothing like an intimate wedding held in Key West style, complete with cake and a toast!).

Back on the island, Pink Patty’s Day returns to Duval Street Saturday, March 17. Each year we wear pink as we stroll down the famed thoroughfare, visiting shops and pubs and sharing the spirit of Saint Patrick’s Day. (We chose pink some years ago when LGBT groups were banned from participating in their communities’ “green” parades.)

Join the marchers at the Bourbon St. Pub around 10 a.m. for this annual adventure, and don’t forget to dress in pink — hat, shirt, shorts, skirt or whatever manner of dress tickles you pink!

The unique Tennessee Williams museum exhibit will debut in Key West March 22.

On another note Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Tennessee Williams, and a new museum exhibit showcasing his Key West life, are being celebrated this month.

At 5:30 p.m. Friday, March 22, the Key West Business Guild invites everyone to a ribbon-cutting and opening reception for the newly installed exhibit — which focuses on Tennessee’s 30-plus years living on the island and the works he wrote while here.

Opening events continue Saturday, March 23, with guided exhibit tours hosted by producer and curator Dennis Beaver. The following day, Sunday, we commemorate the playwright’s birthday anniversary, complete with cake, from noon until 4 p.m.

One exhibit section recalls the Key West filming of Tennessee's classic "The Rose Tattoo."

Tennessee’s ties to Key West go beyond his decades-long residence. The Academy Award-winning film adaptation of his play “The Rose Tattoo” was shot on the island in the 1950s, and the Tennessee Williams Theatre opened in 1980 on the grounds of Florida Keys Community College.

The free-admission museum exhibit is open daily from 10 a.m. until 5 p.m. at 513 Truman Ave., adjacent to the Key West Business Guild Visitor Center. The guild, which celebrates its 35th anniversary in April, has operated its center continuously for more than 21 years.

Stay tuned for more Key West news when I get back to the island!

Topics: Arts, Events, History, Key West, LGBT

The Florida Keys just experienced 2013’s first “winter” weather. While much of the country was blanketed in snow, sleet and artic chills, we saw the temperature dip one night to the (gasp!) upper 60s.  While many of our visitors strolled the streets in shorts and windbreakers, we locals were wearing hooded jackets and scarves (and a few less hardy souls even wore gloves!).

Beautiful sunrises over the Atlantic Ocean are characteristic of Key West's balmy "winter" season.

Two days later, I walked the blog dog in shorts and a T-shirt, watching kite surfers soar and families playing at the beach. We are truly blessed with our balmy year-round weather; the high temperatures this week will be in the 80s with lows in the mid-70s and sunshine all day.

If you’re lucky enough to be in Key West, take some time to bicycle around the island during the early winter days. You’ll see mango trees flush with small thumb-size fruit that ripens in late May. The fruit becomes the size of a grapefruit and turns various shades of yellow, orange and red.

The frangipani trees that recently looked like bare reindeer antlers now have bursts of yellow, pink, white and red flowers on the ends of the antler-shaped branches.  Gardens and planters are full of blooming impatiens, bromeliads and geraniums decorating homes and yards with purple, red, yellow and orange splashes of color.  (This is a great time to take photos, so don’t forget your camera.)

Located in a former carriage house behind the Key West Woman's Club, the Red Barn is a mecca for lovers of good theater. (Photo courtesy of the Red Barn Theatre)

You’ll also find our theaters alive with nightly performances. Intimate theater thrives here and I suggest checking the schedules and purchasing tickets in advance, because often the evenings sell out.

The Red Barn Theatre, built as a carriage house in 1829, has seating for 88 guests. “Love, Loss, and What I Wore” and the Tony Award nominee “Time Stands Still” are on the upcoming schedule.

The Waterfront Playhouse will open “The Drowsy Chaperone” on March 7. Described as “a musical within a comedy,” this big production features 18 performers, 20 set changes and 250 costumes. Winner of five Tony Awards, the show blends a gay wedding and mayhem, keeping audiences impatiently awaiting the next scene.  Local actors Marjorie Paul-Shook, Vicki Roush, Bruce Moore, Jeff Harwell, and JB McLendon bring their talents to the Waterfront to present an unforgettable evening.

On theater nights I like grab a quick meal on the walk to the show, and Key West’s Hard Rock Café is always good for a bite.  Located next to the Red Barn Theatre in a restored Victorian structure, the Hard Rock opened in the 1990s and features Key West–themed cuisine served on terraces overlooking Duval Street.

The Waterfront Playhouse offers a stellar season of theater and special events each year. (Drawing by Judi Bradford)

Across the street is another of my pre-theater favorites, the Grand Café, which also occupies a restored Duval Street mansion. The Grand offers indoor and garden dining and seating on a wraparound porch. Fresh Key West pink shrimp, mahi mahi, tuna and yellowtail snapper highlight the menu.

If you’re in the mood for salsa music and a Cuban meal, try the family-owned and operated El Meson de Pepe just steps from the Waterfront Playhouse. El Meson is located on Mallory Square in the Cayo Hueso y Habana building, and a walk through this historic brick structure offers glimpses of colorful Cuban and Key West history. The air is filled with the smells of fragrant tobacco from freshly-rolled cigars, as well as Spanish olive oil and garlic, and you’ll find yourself swaying to the beat of the Latin music performed by the onsite band.

On a closing note, save the weekend of March 22 for a celebration of the life of playwright Tennessee Williams. I’ll tell you more about this significant event next time around.

Topics: Arts, Food, LGBT, Restaurant Picks

A Florida Keys vacation is the perfect time to explore your creative talents — and what better place to do it than Islamorada? Well known as a sport fishing mecca, Islamorada has recently earned significant acclaim as an arts and cultural hotspot.

The Morada Way Arts & Cultural District's monthly art strolls are eagerly anticipated for their blend of artistry and community spirit. (All photos courtesy of the Morada Way Arts & Cultural District)

It all began two years ago with the debut of a monthly art walk through several blocks of the Old Highway that house art galleries, restaurants, and more. Soon local businesses, non-profits and musicians joined in the popular event.

Read the rest of this entry »

Topics: Arts, Highlights, Islamorada, Senior Adventures, Voices Main Archive

When American literary master Ernest Hemingway lived in Key West in the 1930s, a wrought-iron gate hung at the side entrance to his Whitehead Street property.

The eBay auction's highest bidder will own this historic gate from the Key West home where Ernest Hemingway lived in the 1930s. (Photo courtesy of Helpline)

Today that original gate is being auctioned on eBay to benefit a Florida Keys charity. And not too long after the listing was posted on the auction site, the price had risen to several thousand dollars.

So what’s so special about the gate?

For one thing, it was used regularly by Ernest himself. It’s easy to imagine him, after a long morning’s work (he always rose early and wrote in the mornings), opening the wrought-iron portal and striding out onto the street, ready to go fishing or meet buddies for a drink or two.

“This is the authentic gate that Ernest Hemingway opened and closed for many, many years that he lived here in Key West,” advises Bob Smith, a veteran tour guide at the Ernest Hemingway Home & Museum. “It stands as a great testament to his time here.”

As well as the author himself, the gate was used by other literary legends including John Dos Passos and Zane Grey — and other guests ranging from the famous to the infamous.

“That gate opened and closed for some of the most notable characters that have ever visited Key West,” Bob adds.

Toured by scores of visitors daily, Key West's Ernest Hemingway Home & Museum is the focus of the island's literary heritage. (Photo by Andy Newman, Florida Keys News Bureau)

The gate was installed in 1935, when Ernest asked his good friend and handyman Toby Bruce to build a brick privacy wall around the house he shared with his sons and his wife Pauline.

The large-living writer penned many of his best-known novels and short stories in the property’s small second-story studio — classics that included “Death in the Afternoon,” “For Whom the Bell Tolls,” “The Green Hills of Africa,” “The Fifth Column,” “The Snows of Kilimanjaro” and “To Have and Have Not,” an epic tale set in Depression-era Key West.

Though Ernest left the island in December 1939, he owned the Whitehead Street home until his death in 1961. After he died, the unpublished manuscript that would become “Islands in the Stream” was found in a vault in the property’s garage.

In 1964, the Spanish colonial villa became a museum honoring Ernest Hemingway’s literary legacy and exuberant Key West lifestyle. And though the author was gone, the gate remained.

“It has always been a part of the physical property,” recalls Bob Smith. “So when I, as a tour guide here for 12 years, opened and closed that gate, it felt like I had a piece of history in my hands as well.”

The original gate was replaced by one that better protects the friendly felines that inhabit Hemingway's home. (Photo by Rob O'Neal, Florida Keys News Bureau)

Today, the home’s furnishings and atmosphere evoke the Hemingway era, as if Ernest were about to return from a fishing trip or a cocktail at his favorite watering hole.

The gate was replaced in 2011 with one that could better protect the nearly 50 cats that live on the property. (FYI, many of them have six toes per paw rather than the regulation five — descended from a six-toed cat that was given to Ernest’s sons.)

The original gate was donated to Helpline, a non-profit Florida Keys crisis hotline, to be auctioned to raise funds for the organization’s work.

“We’re very pleased, at the Hemingway House, to be able to bring this piece of history into a fundraising event that will ultimately help the community,” said Bob.

It’s not too late to bid on Hemingway’s gate, either. As of this writing, the eBay auction was scheduled to continue through Feb. 12.

Topics: Arts, History, Key West, Quirks, Voices Main Archive