It’s not a brass or stringed instrument or a drum, but the fluted pink-lined conch shell is the instrument behind the Florida Keys’ most indigenous form of “musical” expression.

Key West's rich "conch" heritage is showcased by kids and grownups alike in the annual "conch honk." (Photo by Rob O'Neal, Florida Keys News Bureau)

The art of conch shell blowing is demonstrated every March by novices and rare “pucker pros” at Key West’s annual Conch Shell Blowing Contest — which celebrates its 50th anniversary in 2012.

(Mercifully for most contestants, musical ability is not required, though some seasoned contest entrants can play recognizable tunes.)

The tradition of blowing a conch shell in the Florida Keys began long ago. In the 1800s, when the local economy was largely based on salvaging cargoes from ships wrecked on the nearby reef, sailors attracted attention by blowing piercing blasts on the shell.

“There wasn’t a ship that went out that didn’t have at least one conch shell on it for communications,” said veteran contest winner Clinton Curry.

Clinton Curry, the contest's 2008 winner, performed the amazing feat of tootling two shells simultaneously. (Photo by Rob O'Neal, Florida Keys News Bureau)

The Keys’ connection with conch, however, goes far beyond instrumental and communications applications. The shell of the queen conch is a symbol of the island chain, and the slightly tough meat of the hardy mollusk is the prime ingredient in conch chowder and conch fritters — two of the area’s signature dishes.

In addition, native Keys residents proudly proclaim their own tough, hardy nature by calling themselves “conchs” — pronounced konks — and their home the Conch Republic.

The republic was born April 23, 1982, after the U.S. Border Patrol set up a blockade that virtually stopped traffic on the only road from the mainland. In protest, local officials staged the Keys’ secession from the United States.

Even NBC "Today" weatherman Al Roker (left) and anchor Matt Lauer are fans of the Conch Republic! Here they display the republic's flag during a special broadcast from Key West. (Photo by Andy Newman, Florida Keys News Bureau)

After renaming the islands the independent Conch Republic, they declared war on the mother country, pelted federal agents with stale Cuban bread, surrendered after 60 seconds and demanded foreign aid (which, FYI, never arrived).

Today, Keys patriots fly the blue flag of the republic, whose motto is “We Seceded Where Others Failed,” and recall the secession with a lively festival each April. The 2012 Conch Republic Independence Celebration will take place April 20-29, highlighted by a 30th-anniversary re-enactment of the secession on April 23.

Before that, several dozen kids and adults are expected to compete in the 50th anniversary “conch honk” Saturday, March 3.

At the 2011 contest, a Key West musician nicknamed Mandolin Steve played parts of two classic rock songs on one pink-lined shell to take top honors in the men’s division. Steve Gibson blew recognizable excerpts (honest!) from the Rolling Stones’ “Satisfaction” and Deep Purple’s “Smoke on the Water,” earning the crowd’s vigorous applause for his pucker prowess.

Supporters of the quirky Conch Republic show their conch spirit each spring with a lively festival. (Photo by Andy Newman, Florida Keys News Bureau)

“The trick is to get the shell vibrating, and that’s how you make the sound,” advised Steve, a repeat contender who has taken second place in past contests. “You’re doing it more with the ‘pfffftt’ noise than with the breath.”

Steve learned the “instrument” about five years before his victory while working as a 19th-century shipwreck salvage re-enactor.

“I don’t play the conch shell much because it’s so loud,” he admitted after his win, “but every now and then to scare my neighbor.”

Key West hotelier Kate Miano triumphed in the women’s division after blowing a strong 16-second blast to win a tie-breaker against another female contender.

The top group entry was a self-described “conchestra,” whose 24 members saluted the queen conch with a conch-shell accompaniment and offbeat dance to the strains of Abba’s “Dancing Queen.”

On March 3, entrants in the 50th annual contest will attempt to eclipse their predecessors’ musicianship. But even more important, they’ll demonstrate the strength of the conch connection … and honor an age-old Keys tradition.

Topics: Events, Festivals, Highlights, History, Key West, Local Color, Quirks, Voices Main Archive

It’s February. Nobody seems sure whether that pesky groundhog saw his shadow or not — or what it means when he does. Whether you’re stuck in the snow belt or the “gray skies belt,” it’s a great time to escape to the pristine blue waters of the Florida Keys.

The bronze Christ of the Abyss sculpture is an iconic location for Keys divers and snorkelers. (Photo by Stephen Frink)

One of nature’s greatest wonders is a living coral reef — and the only one in the continental United States parallels the Keys. That means the island chain is an unbelievable place to learn to scuba dive.

Check out the facts here, and then consider heading to Florida’s southernmost islands to “take the plunge.”

WHO can learn to dive?

Any healthy, active person as young as age 10 can learn and enjoy the adventurous sport of scuba diving.

WHAT certification classes are available?

If you’re seeking entry-level certification, allow three to five days for training. Also called “Open Water” certification, this requires classroom work and pool training, followed by one or more open-water dives at the reef.

Once you pass a knowledge test and complete the required number of dives, you become a certified recreational scuba diver — eligible to rent dive gear and book dive trips with most operations worldwide.

Generally, basic certification covers depths to about 60 feet.

Divers explore the superstructure of the Gen. Hoyt S. Vandenberg artificial reef off Key West. (Photo by Haig Jacobs/Florida Keys News Bureau)

Short on time? Use an online computer program to complete classroom work at home — dealing with concepts such as basic physics and physiology, and the importance of monitoring time and depth during a dive. (For some online courses, students must be at least 13 years old.)

Once that’s done, schedule time in the Keys to complete your water skills during open-water dives … and explore the reef.

HOW MUCH will it cost?

Scuba is an investment in adventure. The price varies, but a basic certification course generally runs a few hundred dollars.

When you’re researching professional dive operations, make sure you consider value versus price, what rental equipment is included in the cost, and whether or not you receive personalized, one-on-one service and training.

Snorkelers discover the undersea realm off Key Largo in the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary. (Photo by Bob Care/Florida Keys News Bureau)

WHERE do students receive their dive training?

The entire Keys are an unparalleled dive destination. Some of America’s very first businesses offering recreational dive training were opened in the Keys.

You can choose from dozens of dive operations staffed with working professionals. Keys dive instructors actively teach and train each day — not just seasonally.

Click a region here to see available professional dive facilities: Key Largo, Islamorada, Marathon, Big Pine and the Lower Keys, and Key West.

WHEN are classes offered?

In the Keys (unlike other U.S. destinations), year-round subtropical weather and clear, warm seas mean an ideal learning environment virtually any time of year — which sure beats learning to dive in a cold, dark quarry or lake up north.

WHAT’S the “classroom” like?

Training usually is conducted in small groups, allowing personalized or even one-to-one attention.

Training conditions at the Keys’ shallow barrier reef are nice and easy, with light currents and great underwater visibility. You’ll learn about ocean waves, marine life, beautiful corals and navigation around natural formations during a dive.

The Florida Keys' unparalleled natural beauty draws scores of snorkelers and divers to explore the living coral reef.

Ocean depths from the shoreline to the reef rarely reach 20 feet. The reef lives in waters as shallow as five feet and as deep as 50 feet, but most reef divers log a maximum depth of 20 to 30 feet.

Keys shallow diving means you can safely spend more time on the bottom, and colors are brighter and more vibrant because more natural sunlight reaches shallow depths.

WHY dive the Keys?

The Keys attract some of the world’s most diverse species of fish, and you also can enjoy a “wreck trek” of venerable historic wrecks and ships intentionally sunk to create artificial reefs. These artificial reefs are home to a huge variety of corals and fish.

In fact, Keys sites offer divers — from recreational to expert — the chance to experience the underwater world’s beauty, diversity and serenity.

And that’s awfully appealing … especially in February.

Topics: Big Pine Key & Lower Keys, Environment, Highlights, Islamorada, Key Largo, Key West, Marathon, On the Water, Voices Main Archive

An early morning walk today with “blog dog” Giulio reminded me why I live on this island. Neighbor Nancy’s jasmine was in full bloom and fragrance, and her giant pencil cactus is reaching the sky.

Key West's vivid blossoms add color and fragrance to island neighborhoods. (Photo by Steve Smith)

Around the corner, the mango trees have sent out their bloom spikes so in days there will be tiny mangoes. Mounds of multicolor impatiens line our yards, and the Schomburgkia orchids are putting out their bloom spikes, which will be topped with golden and off-white flower clusters.

We also know that this time of year brings beautiful snorkeling, sailing, and sunset trips. The water is a bit cooler, calmer, and crystal clear.

Key West’s Fury Water Adventures offers a trip to suit virtually any need and budget. Start the morning with a snorkel trip to the reef. They furnish all equipment — you just need sunscreen and a towel — and after you snorkel, grab some sun on the sundeck.

If you don’t want to get wet, check out their glassbottom boat. It’s air-conditioned with sundecks, a snack bar, and restrooms. If you enjoy live music, then their “Commotion on the Ocean” is up your alley. Watch the sunset while dancing to live music, sipping a margarita or beer, and munching on hors d’oeuvres.

Key West’s Sebago offers the “Island Ting” combining snorkeling, kayaking, sailing and a buffet lunch. If wave-running and “flying” sounds like an exciting day, then consider the “Power Adventure.”

Key West even offers adventures in jetpack-powered flight! (Photo by Rob O'Neal, Florida Keys News Bureau)

We love to fly here in Key West and there are several options.  The Fury and Sebago both offer single and tandem (two flying at one time) parasailing. Another great option is the new Jetpack Adventures. After a brief training session, you strap on the jetpack and soar above the water. It’s like flying with the seagulls and pelicans.

For a more intimate and gay-focused water adventure, try the Blu Q’s day trip for the guys. Captain Steve and his crew will take you out to the backcountry on their catamaran for a day of dolphin watching, kayaking, snorkeling and a great lunch. A waterproof camera is a must so you can share the adventure with your friends back home. Also this trip offers clothing-optional tanning, so you might want sunscreen.

In the evening on the Blu Q, join your friends as you chase the sunset into the Gulf of Mexico. All are welcome on the sunset trip.

The women can enjoy trips with Captain Karen on Venus Charters. Originally a steel worker in Ohio, Captain Karen packed her bags and left the cold for the emerald waters of Key West. Venus Charters is the only women-only snorkel and dolphin-watching trip in the Keys. Captains Karen and her partner Debra take you out for dolphin watching, fishing, and snorkeling — and they’re also well known for commitment ceremonies on the water.

On Key West's gay trolley tour, passengers learn about the island city's LGBT sites, history and highlights.

If frolicking on the water is not your thing, hop aboard the Key West Business Guild’s Gay Trolley, running every Saturday afternoon at 4 p.m. Learn intriguing facts about our colorful history and both the famous and infamous (though we feel there’s not much real infamy here on the island!).

Hosted by guild staffer Matt Hon, the tour will make you laugh, hoot and even holler (check this fun YouTube video of the tour). The trolley departs from the corner of Duval and Angela Streets, across from courtyard restaurant Mangoes.

By the way, for overall LGBT information about our southernmost paradise, visit the Business Guild’s website. You’ll find all the latest on events, lodging, dining, nightlife, attractions and much more.

Topics: Environment, Highlights, LGBT, On the Water

For some people, “seeing stars” means spotting Angelina Jolie on a Manhattan street or Johnny Depp at an Aspen ski lodge. But for some 600 amateur and professional astronomers from around the world, “stars” have a meaning that’s literally light years away from the realm of Hollywood celebrities — and the best place to see them is in the Lower Florida Keys.

Astronomers flock to the Lower Keys each winter to view stars and constellations that can't be seen from anywhere else in the U.S. (Photo by Rob O'Neal, Florida Keys News Bureau)

In fact, the Lower Keys are so well known as a stargazer’s paradise that, each year for more than 25 years, the tranquil region has been the site of an annual gathering called the Winter Star Party.

The event’s primary draw for astronomers is the incredible number of southern constellations, comets, stars and other celestial objects that are visible from the Florida Keys — thanks to the Keys’ southern location and relative absence of large-scale artificial lighting at night.

“The Florida Keys are an ideal place to do this conference because at this latitude, 24.5 degrees, we can see down to minus 65 degrees on the horizon,” said event founder Tippy D’Auria, an international lecturer and astro-photographer. “It’s so far south that it enables the viewer to see things farther down in the Southern Hemisphere than they can see from anywhere else in the country.”

An easygoing man who is also world-renowned for his knowledge of volcanoes, Tippy has even led an expedition to the volcanoes of Costa Rica for the filming of a National Geographic documentary called “Volcano Hunters.”

Winter Star Party founder Tippy D'Auria is a well-known astronomer, astro-photographer, lecturer and volcano expert. (Photo by Rob O'Neal, Florida Keys News Bureau)

But in February each year, it’s stars that are on his mind — and on the minds of scores of other astronomers, astro-photographers, telescope makers and more.

This year, they’ll gather Feb. 20-26 at a Girl Scout camp on the aptly-named Scout Key for the 28th annual Winter Star Party — hosted, as always, by Miami’s Southern Cross Astronomical Society. Founded in 1922, the SCAS is one of the oldest amateur astronomical societies in the Western Hemisphere.

What do you DO at a Winter Star Party?

During the day, participants can attend lectures and presentations by nationally recognized astronomers and guest speakers, shop for astronomy equipment from on-site vendors, compete in photo contests, vie for prizes and share insights with fellow astronomy aficionados. There are even special camp activities set up for young astronomers.

Featured speakers at the 2012 gathering include award-winning author and astronomer Stephen James O’Meara, whose books include the truly fascinating Deep-Sky Companion series, astronomer and telescope maker Mike Lockwood, astro-photographer and event director Tim Khan, solar system research and planetary photography specialist Dr. Donald C. Parker and of course Tippy D’Auria.

This amazing shot was taken by Dean Schwartzenberg during the 2009 Winter Star Party. (Photo courtesy of SCAS)

A few years back, the gathering’s headliner was Dr. F. Story Musgrave, the only NASA astronaut to have flown on five space shuttle missions — and NASA’s lead astronaut for space walking for more than 25 years.

But no matter how intriguing the speakers’ presentations might be, the Star Party action really heats up when the sun goes down. That’s when the covers come off the expensive, highly prized telescopes — some of them so massive that it’s necessary to climb a ladder to gaze through their lenses — and the heavens come alive for those whose passion is viewing them.

When that happens, trust me, nobody’s thinking about Johnny or Angelina at all.

Topics: Big Pine Key & Lower Keys, Environment, Events, Highlights, Voices Main Archive

The official Florida Keys Over-Sea Railroad centennial celebration ended Jan. 23 (and it was a great joy to be part of the once-in-a-lifetime event). But even though that date has passed, you can still explore sites, exhibits and landmarks recalling the world-renowned railroad that, in 1912, connected the Keys with mainland Florida for the first time.

Visitors to the Key West Museum of Art & History at the Custom House examine the exhibit commemorating the 100th anniversary of the debut of Henry Flagler's Florida Keys Over-Sea Railroad. (Photo by Andy Newman, Florida Keys News Bureau)

For example, check out “Flagler’s Speedway to Sunshine,” a permanent exhibit at the Key West Museum of Art & History at the Custom House. Fascinating for railroad buffs, history aficionados, kids and anyone who loves the Keys, the exhibit showcases the construction, heyday and demise of the railroad once called “the eighth wonder of the world.”

At the impressive red-brick museum, you’ll find a re-created railway car, a replica section of the Old Seven Mile Bridge that was the Over-Sea Railroad’s centerpiece, vintage footage of the train trip from the Middle Keys to Key West, a film spotlighting railroad creator Henry Flagler and the first train’s arrival in Key West, and MUCH more.

In a new exhibit section, you’ll discover Key West’s Prohibition era, the Great Depression, and even the 1935 hurricane that severely damaged parts of the railroad and helped end its reign. Also featured are the history of Key West’s Casa Marina, the jewel of Flagler’s resort hotels, and even family albums and memorabilia from Ernest Hemingway’s life in Key West during the 1930s.

Railroad and history buffs can visit the former Over-Sea Railroad work camp at Pigeon Key, lying beneath the historic Old Seven Mile Bridge. (Photo by Andy Newman, Florida Keys News Bureau)

The museum is far from the only place you can experience the history of the fabled Over-Sea Railroad — whose track, by the way, stretched more than 100 miles out over open water. Near Marathon in the Middle Keys, a railroad heritage site called Pigeon Key lies beneath the Old Seven Mile Bridge, providing an eye-opening window on Keys life a century ago.

Just over two miles west of Marathon, five-acre Pigeon Key was home to more than 400 workers who built the railroad in the early 1900s. The island was a base camp with a commissary and one-room school during the Seven Mile Bridge’s construction from 1908 to 1912.

Today many of Pigeon Key’s original railroad buildings and houses still stand — and it’s no surprise to find that the tiny, pristine speck of land is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. It also has a museum that chronicles the construction of the amazing railroad, and daily historic tours are offered.

Costumed artists and re-enactors celebrate the debut of Key Largo's mural inspired by the Over-Sea Railroad centennial. (Photo courtesy of Cris Sandifer)

Combine your Pigeon Key expedition with a boat ride by taking the ferry from a visitor center at Knight’s Key, located at mile marker 47 on the west end of Marathon.

Even if you can’t explore Pigeon Key or the Key West exhibit, you’ll glimpse plenty of reminders of the Over-Sea Railroad simply by driving through the Keys on the Overseas Highway — which evolved from the railroad itself. For example, near mile marker 95 bayside in Key Largo stands an intriguing outdoor mural, recently painted by artists from the Upper Keys’ Art Guild of the Purple Isles and Keys high school art club students.

The hand-painted mural measures 60 feet long and 11.5 feet high, and depicts an Over-Sea Railroad passenger train steaming across an arched bridge that looks a lot like the Long Key Viaduct. In the sky is a full moon adorned with the face of railroad visionary Henry Flagler.

And speaking of bridges, it’s easy to spot many of the original railroad bridges alongside the spans supporting the modern Florida Keys Overseas Highway — the contemporary connection from mainland Florida through the Keys — that follows the trail blazed by Flagler a century ago.

Topics: Events, Highlights, History, Key Largo, Key West, Marathon, Voices Main Archive

The list reads like a “Who’s Who” of significant Florida Keys artists: Jim Salem, William Welch, Jon McIntosh, Sal Salinero, Carrie Disrud, Sean Callahan, Julie Joyce, Gale Upmal, Fran Decker, Ann Irvine, Keith Bland, Anja Marais, Jimm Sherrington and more than 60 others who are equally significant.

"Turquoise Squall" by photographer Rob O'Neal is among the exceptional pieces to be auctioned at the 2012 Anne McKee Artists Fund fine art auction.

But instead of a “Who’s Who,” the list documents the artists whose work will be auctioned at the 2012 Anne McKee Artists Fund fine art auction, set for Saturday, Jan. 28, at Key West’s historic Fort East Martello Museum. For art lovers, there’s no better place to find top-quality, affordable pieces by the creative spirits who call the Keys home.

The McKee Fund, FYI, is a wonderful example of Keys artists helping their fellow artists. The fund provides project-based grants to qualified Keys residents who show talent in visual art, writing or performing art — plus a commitment to the Keys arts community.

Each year, money is raised for the grants at a winter gala and live auction of fine art. It’s all created by generous local artists who are eager to support other members of their close-knit community.

Auction attendees can bid on striking, beautifully crafted images such as "Lotus" by Keys artist Jill Benado. (Photo by Carol Tedesco)

While many nonprofit organizations ask artists to donate their work, that’s not the way the McKee Fund operates. Instead, each person whose work is auctioned receives 50 percent of the proceeds from the sale, and the fund gets the other 50 percent.

At the Jan. 28 auction, you can expect to find original paintings, sculpture, photography, fiber art, ceramics, woodworking, mixed media, art jewelry and more — some created by critically acclaimed masters and some by talented emerging artists.

As in the past, the bidding will be guided by renowned New England auctioneer Charlie Bailey-Gates. In addition to nearly 20 years of experience, Charlie possesses a deep respect and appreciation for the Keys artists whose pieces he has showcased at previous McKee auctions.

Upon arrival at the auction, you can view the featured artists’ work and enjoy gourmet hors d’oeuvres and cocktails on the grounds of the Civil War-era East Martello (where, by the way, Key West’s “paranormal pop star,” Robert the Doll, lives in a comfortable glass case). Viewing begins at 7 p.m. and bidding at 8 p.m.

Anne McKee conceived the auction and fund many years ago to benefit individual Keys artists. (Photo by Carol Tedesco)

Many whose work will be auctioned Jan. 28 are previous recipients of McKee Fund grants.

People in the fields of visual, literary and performance art are eligible to apply for grants when the annual awards cycle begins each spring.

Since its creation, the fund has given more than $170,000 to deserving members of the Keys arts community. Between 10 and 20 grants are typically awarded each year, including two to talented young people.

Three grants are given in memory of notable Florida Keys residents: Richard Heyman, the late Gingerbread Square Gallery founder and former Key West mayor; Jack Baron, the late Key West artist; and Miriam B. Good, a late Lower Keys artist and McKee Fund board member.

Anne McKee, a Key West resident since 1971, is a longtime friend of the arts. Years ago, she realized that many funding opportunities were available to arts organizations.

"Eyeing Breakfast," by Marathon artist Jerry Bachman, was featured in the 2011 fine art auction.

In contrast, she saw a great need to provide financial assistance and recognition to talented individual artists. Today, the McKee Fund’s volunteer board of directors carries out her mission.

Everyone who supports that mission is invited to attend the Jan. 28 auction, and view and bid on the featured artwork. Not only do buyers take something from the Florida Keys home with them — they leave something behind to help the local arts community continue to flourish.

Topics: Arts, Big Pine Key & Lower Keys, Events, Highlights, Marathon, Senior Adventures, Voices Main Archive

Just about 100 years ago, a five-year-old Key West girl was chosen to present a special bouquet of flowers to Henry Flagler’s wife Mary Lily on the day that marked the completion of Flagler’s Florida Keys Over-Sea Railroad.

Henry Flagler re-enactor Paul Jellinek reacts to remarks by 105-year-old Lamar Louise Curry after presenting flowers to her. (Photo by Andy Newman, Florida Keys News Bureau)

Those plans fell through — but a century later, at 105 years old, Lamar Louise Curry finally met “Flagler” and he presented a similar bouquet to her.

The Over-Sea Railroad, a miracle of engineering whose track stretched more than 100 miles out into open water, connected the previously isolated Keys with each other and the Florida mainland for the first time. Its completion has been called the most important single event in Florida Keys history.

On Jan. 22, 1912, when the first Over-Sea Railroad train arrived in Key West from the mainland, thousands of Key Westers greeted Flagler, his wife and other dignitaries. Despite carefully laid plans, however, the young Miss Curry was not among them.

The little girl had eaten peanuts the day before and come down with a terrible stomachache. Her stomach illness (later determined to be a sensitivity to peanuts) caused her to miss the train’s arrival, and the honor of presenting the flowers was given to another young lady.

When the organizers of the Florida Keys Over-Sea Railroad Centennial Celebration found out about Miss Curry — who now lives in Coral Gables, Fla. — they desperately wanted her to come to Key West on Jan. 22, 2012, to present flowers to a Mary Lily Flagler re-enactor.

Miss Curry displays a photograph of herself as a five-year-old girl -- the age she was when Henry Flagler's Over-Sea Railroad first steamed into Key West. (Photo by Andy Newman, Florida Keys News Bureau)

Unfortunately, her health simply wasn’t good enough to allow her to make the trip. So they did the next best thing.

Just before the centennial anniversary, Henry Flagler re-enactor Paul Jellinek went to see Miss Curry at her Coral Gables home.

“About 100 years ago, I understand that you were going to bring flowers to my lovely wife,” said Paul, who visited Miss Curry on his way to the Florida Keys for the centennial anniversary celebration. “You weren’t feeling well (that day), so this day I thought I would bring you some flowers.”

Miss Curry can’t quite remember how she felt about missing the honor, but she does remember the anticipation of Jan. 22, 1912, and what it was like to ride the “railroad that went to sea.”

“It was a great occasion and I remember planning it for a long time,” Miss Curry recalled. “We heard about it and watched it since 1909 being built.”

Mary Lily Flagler holds the flowers presented to her after the first Over-Sea Railroad train arrived in Key West Jan. 22, 1912. (Photo courtesy of the Monroe County LIbrary Collection)

She also recalled the experience of riding an Over-Sea Railroad train, especially when it traversed the Bahia Honda bridge.

“It was very exciting, because I looked out the window the whole time while we were on the trestle,” she said. “So it was a wonderful occasion to ride over it.”

Though the meeting between “Henry Flagler” and Miss Curry came 100 years later than originally planned, it was a momentous occasion for both of them.

Paul Jellinek, who is obsessed with the visionary Flagler he portrays, was the most enthusiastic of all.

Over and over, he kept repeating, “I can’t believe I’m seeing someone alive today who was alive when Henry Flagler arrived in Key West.”

Topics: Big Pine Key & Lower Keys, Events, Highlights, History, Islamorada, Key Largo, Key West, Local Color, Marathon, Senior Adventures, Voices Main Archive

While most kids who visit New York’s Coney Island find themselves enthralled by the rides, sights and sounds of the boardwalk, Pasta Pantaleo found himself obsessed with a large replica sailfish.

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

“I grew up with a love of cars, so I always said that sailfish are like a Ferrari and tarpon are like a four-wheel-drive truck,” Pasta said. “I’ve always been fascinated with the structure of a sailfish, and found myself drawing that sailfish from Coney Island millions of times before I ever saw a real sailfish.”

Today, he’s recognized around the world as a gamefish artist and runs the acclaimed Pasta Pantaleo’s Signature Gallery in Islamorada. And as president of the area’s Morada Way Arts and Cultural District, he helps showcase the creative culture of the Upper Keys.

A native of Italy, Pasta spent most of his childhood in an Italian immigrant neighborhood in Brooklyn, N.Y. As a young teenager, he made his way to South Florida.

"Gimme Shelter" showcases Pasta's talent for capturing the underwater world and its gamefish inhabitants.

Though he was born Roberto Pantaleo, he’s gone by the nickname “Pasta” for many years. He inherited it from his older brother Nick, often called “pasta fazul” by friends because of his Italian accent and their problems pronouncing the name Pantaleo.

He credits his artistic talent to another inheritance — abilities passed down from his artist father.

Pasta Pantaleo spent much of his professional life working as a commercial graphic designer, and indulged in sport fishing and boating as hobbies. His career in gamefish art began in 1999, when he was contracted to produce a poster for a Florida fishing tournament.

“That was when I realized that my fishing life, my marine life and my art life could be put together a little bit more,” Pasta said. “Because the two loves I had were painting and fishing.”

Shown here helping local art students, Pasta (right) was chosen Florida's best artist of 2011 by Florida Monthly Magazine.

During the early years of his fine-art career, he worked with several Keys galleries and fishing tournaments, frequently traveling to the Keys for art shows.

In 2006, Pasta decided to move to the Keys permanently. He opened his first gallery, called Keys to Life, on Windley Key.

Soon afterward he began offering gallery nights, partnering with other local galleries and businesses to create culturally entertaining evenings for visitors.

“In my opinion, the fishing guides, artists, musicians and chefs are the fabric of what holds the Keys together,” Pasta explained. “They all work with each other to make a really great experience in the Keys — they’re what people come down here to experience.”

Eventually, those gallery nights and partnerships led to the formation of the Morada Way Arts and Cultural District, a nonprofit volunteer organization whose mission is to increase awareness, knowledge and support of the arts and unique culture of the Upper Keys.

Pasta's "Daily Special" depicts a light-drenched underwater vista.

On the third Thursday of each month, the organization hosts the Morada Way Arts and Cultural District Third Thursday Walkabout. The 5-9 p.m. cultural stroll features national and local artists and artisans who are showcased in galleries along Morada Way — as well as live music, food and vendors.

“I’ve always been a person who likes to band people together to better the community,” Pasta said.

Each day, he strives to improve his craft of capturing the majesty and beauty of the Keys’ marine life and environment. He sees his life in Islamorada as similar to living in a small Italian fishing village … with a slow pace allowing the time to stop and appreciate the natural beauty that inspires his work.

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

You had to be there, and boy am I glad I was. There’s nothing — absolutely nothing — like New Year’s Eve in Key West.

"Keys Voices" author/editor Carol Shaughnessy (in shoe at left) and her friend Maria Newman try Sushi's shoe on for size. (All photos by Andy Newman, Florida Keys News Bureau)

That’s because, each year, the island city’s offbeat populace stages three wonderful warm-weather takeoffs on the fabled New Year’s Eve “ball drop” in New York’s Times Square: the “red shoe drop” featuring elegant drag queen Sushi in a super-sized red high heel, the “drop” of a giant manmade conch shell (the symbol of the Florida Keys) above legendary Sloppy Joe’s Bar, and the descent of a winsome pirate wench from the top of a majestic sailing ship’s mast in the Historic Seaport.

But before that happens each New Year’s Eve, Key West goes to the dogs. Dachshunds, to be precise. And this year, there were 227 of them — all parading down Fleming Street in the tail-wagging, smile-inducing annual Key West Dachshund Walk at noon Dec. 31.

The long-bodied, short-legged participants included miniature and standard dachshunds, many of them costumed or wearing offbeat accessories.

Esme O'Kelly carries her canine Duna, costumed as an iguana, during the Key West Dachshund Walk.

Among the standouts were a pair of dogs dressed as Green Bay Packers cheerleaders, “party animals” in feather boas and top hats, a floppy-eared Elvis impersonator, a “horse” with a cowboy doll rider, and a “newshound” dubbed Woof Blitzer — who wore a functioning video camera and shot dogs-eye footage of the wacky walk.

Key Wester Esme O’Kelly dressed her nine-year-old dachshund Duna as a bright-green iguana with a three-foot-long tail (the costume, Esme confessed, was constructed out of green fishnet stockings!). Duna, who didn’t seem to mind wearing it at all, ambled down the street attracting attention from hundreds of dachshund-loving spectators.

Later on New Year’s Eve, the focus turned from dachshunds to divas — led by the dazzling Sushi and covered live during Anderson Cooper’s New Year’s Eve show on CNN (for the ninth consecutive year, believe it or not!).

Sushi prepares to welcome 2012 during the New Year's Eve "drag queen drop" in Key West.

Thousands of revelers gathered on Key West’s Duval Street outside the Bourbon St. Pub/New Orleans House complex to watch the lavishly costumed Sushi “drop” in her high-heeled chariot.

“About 15 years ago we started a tradition here in Key West of me being lowered in a giant glittery red shoe, at the stroke of midnight, in full drag,” said Sushi, otherwise known as Key West resident Gary Marion.

An incredibly talented seamstress and costume designer, this year she created a vivid tangerine gown for the event. Its Victorian flavor was inspired by the upcoming centennial of the Florida Keys Over-Sea Railroad.

CNN’s stellar John Zarrella, dashingly dressed in a tux despite the balmy weather, provided lighthearted commentary to viewers around the world as drag queens and dancers entertained before the “drop” — enthralling spectators that ranged from couples to seniors and families.

2012 got off to a wonderful start in the fabulous Florida Keys.

“When I was a little kid I never really dreamed about being in drag, let alone being lowered in a giant red heel,” Sushi admitted. “What a way to make a living, though — it’s fabulous.”

Seconds before midnight, the shoe and its passenger were lowered from the complex’s second-story balcony toward the cheering crowd below.

As midnight struck and 2012 officially began, Sushi landed and gleefully popped the cork on a ceremonial bottle of champagne.

Dachshunds, drag queens and lovely 70-degree temperatures even at midnight … what a way to welcome 2012!

And in the often magical Florida Keys, it’s a good bet that the rest of the year will live up to its kickoff.

Topics: Animal Ambassadors, Events, Highlights, Key West, LGBT, Local Color, Quirks, Voices Main Archive

Standard Oil millionaire Henry Flagler conceived the Florida Keys Over-Sea Railroad in the early 1900s, and the first train traveled from the Florida mainland to Key West Jan. 22, 1912. Today historians credit the railroad, officially named the Key West Extension of the Florida East Coast Railway, with making possible the evolution of the modern Florida Keys.

Seth Bramson displays a signal lantern from the original Over-Sea Railroad. (Photo by Andy Newman, Florida Keys News Bureau)

Seth Bramson is a company historian for the Florida East Coast Railway and author of “The Greatest Railroad Story Ever Told: Henry Flagler and the Florida East Coast Railway’s Key West Extension,” the recently released history of the engineering and construction of the railroad that stretched more than 100 miles over open water.

A celebration commemorating the 100th anniversary of the Over-Sea Railroad’s completion culminates Jan. 14-23 in the Keys. Its final event is a Jan. 23 evening presentation and book signing by Seth Bramson at The Studios of Key West, 600 White St.

Here, he shares insights into the railroad that connected the Florida Keys with mainland Florida, and each other, for the first time.

Q: How complex was the construction of the Florida Keys Over-Sea Railroad? What other large-scale construction projects does it compare to?

Seth Bramson: The building of the Key West Extension was the greatest single railroad engineering and construction feat in U.S. — and possibly world — history. During the era of the extension’s construction, the only engineering feat that could be even remotely compared to the Key West Extension’s construction was the building of the Panama Canal.

Constructing the Long Key Viaduct, shown here, was one of the greatest engineering challenges faced by Flagler and his team. (Photo courtesy of the Monroe County Library Collection)

Q: What were the most daunting engineering challenges in the construction process?

SB: Unquestionably the most daunting engineering challenges were the building of the three major bridges: Long Key Viaduct, Bahia Honda Bridge and what is today known as {the} Seven Mile Bridge — as well as the filling of open water to create the Key West Terminal property, today known as Trumbo Island. Nothing like the building of the bridges had ever before been attempted.

Q: What did construction of the Over-Sea Railroad mean for Flagler and his team?

SB: The successful completion of the Key West Extension added to Flagler’s legacy to the point that, today, the name Henry M. Flagler is the single greatest name in the history of Florida.

Q: What were the Florida Keys like before the railroad was built?

SB: Prior to the completion of the Key West Extension of the FEC, the Keys were completely rural and mostly uninhabited. The FEC brought life to the islands as well as hospitality venues. Whole communities came into being because of the railroad, including those at Marathon, Matecumbe, Long Key and others.

The arrival of the Over-Sea Railroad changed the face of the Keys forever. (Image courtesy of the Key West Art & Historical Society)

Q: How did the Over-Sea Railroad change the Florida Keys?

SB: The completion of the railroad to Key West meant the fulfillment, to the people of the Keys and the island city, of one word: accessibility. With the coming of the railroad, the isolation ended and, although it would take time and patience, development could and did begin. The Keys were, with the completion of the railroad, a completely different world.

Q: The railroad operated for less than 25 years, but it left an indelible legacy. How does its existence continue to affect the Keys?

SB: The building and operation of the Key West Extension of the Florida East Coast Railway was, and is, the greatest railroad story ever told. The incredible task of building a railroad over the sea in the early years of the 20th century has come, in no small measure, to define the residents of the Keys — the Conchs — who have come to be known for their hardiness, their pluckiness, their adaptability and their resilience.

Q: Why should people care about the centennial of the Over-Sea Railroad’s completion?

SB: It is extremely important that, especially given the issues and problems that America faces today, the celebration of what America was — and still is — capable of doing should and must be celebrated and memorialized.

Topics: Big Pine Key & Lower Keys, Events, Highlights, History, Islamorada, Key Largo, Key West, Marathon, Voices Main Archive