It didn’t feel like our last trip to Key West was over 6 months ago. Instead of returning in October, my husband and I wanted to go back to St. John in the US Virgin Islands. We had a great time in the Virgin Islands and enjoyed sharing it with our friends Brent and Julie. After our trip we made plans to return to Key West the same time in January.
Several days before we were returning to Key West we unfortunately had to put down our beloved cat Angel, after 16 years with us. She had been losing weight and stopped eating. I brought her to the vet a few times during the holiday season and it was most likely a tumor of some sort in her stomach. It was one of the hardest things I had ever gone through and the last thing I was thinking about was our up and coming trip to Key West.
I finally put myself together and packed all of our things the day before we were leaving. I saw that the weather in Key West was going to fluctuate a bit during our stay so I had to make sure we were prepared if it indeed did get cool for a few days. Last year, the winter we had here in New Jersey was very mild and we barely had any snow which isn’t typical. We just got over having a storm that dumped over 10 inches the weekend before. And then there was news that an artic blast was coming in to our area (and most of the United States) later on in the week allowing us for more chance of snow. At that point, I was definitely ready for a much needed change of scenery and some warm sunshine.
This trip marked are 31st time to the special island and also the same amount of time staying at the Gardens Hotel. I don’t know if I get more excited about returning to Key West or staying at the Gardens. Maybe it is a little bit of both. Nevertheless as usual, I was ready to return to my happy place.
You can read my review of the Gardens Hotel here: https://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowUserReviews-g34345-d227346-r935969810-The_Gardens_Hotel-Key_West_Florida_Keys_Florida.html
Sunday, January 14 – Arrival Day, Jazz at the Gardens, A&B Lobster House and those Holiday Lights
Thankfully there were no storms in sight and the forecast was for a quiet morning. Actually when we got up in the morning it was considerably mild for January. Our flight was scheduled for 9:30am out of Newark, so I had arranged our usual car service to pick us up at 6am. I noticed the sun rising in the sky as we were neared the airport – it was a beautiful morning. Our gate was in Terminal C this time instead of the brand new Terminal A which we flew out of back in October. Nevertheless I was curious to see the newly renovated United Club Lounge in Terminal C.
We do have Clear, but unforunately the scanning equipment was down and we noticed people waiting in line. The TSA agent told us that the kiosks should come back on shortly, but without wanting to wait too long, we wound up going in the TSA Pre line. It was definitely longer, but it moved fairly quickly. We got through security without any issues and walked down the terminal and up the stairs to the United Club Lounge.
It was very similar to the lounge in Terminal A with the open space and bright white walls. We walked on over to the bar area where there were several seats open to sit down where we could wait until it was time to walk down to our Gate to board. While we were waiting there were two ladies that sat down next to us. We started talking and it turned out that the one lady was the owner of the restaurant Ocean Grill in Key West. Small world I thought. Well she wasn’t exactly the owner, but inherited it after (I believe) her father passed. However, they were in the process of putting it up for sale. She mentioned that we should stop in one morning for breakfast. My husband and I never have eaten there before and thought it could be an option during our stay.
I checked my phone and the United app alerted me that we would be boarding soon, so we grabbed our luggage and walked all the way down the terminal to the lower level to board our plane.
This was the first time we were flying on a 737 plane (not a MAX thank goodness). Usually we are in a smaller plane with only 2 seats on each side of the aisle vs. the standard 3 and 3. As a result, it made the boarding process longer then it usually is. Luckily there were no issues, so once everyone boarded we taxied to the runway.
The plane most have taken a different route because the captain told us the flight would be around 3 hours and 15 minutes. Usually it is about a 2 and a half hour flight. Sometimes give or take another 15 – 20 minutes.
Eventually I could see the blue and green hues of the water below from the window indicating we were getting closer. This time we were on the left side of the plane which made for a different view point of the Keys below. I could even spot Sunset Key as we were about to land.
Once we landed we were escorted as usual around all the construction going on and into the airport. Being that we just had carryon, we beelined it back outside to the taxi stand line. We were the first ones to arrive so within seconds a taxi pulled up to take us to the Gardens Hotel.
The driver was a friendly gentleman that made the ride seem quick (even though it is only about 10 minutes) give or take stopping for traffic signals or the occasional conch train that goes by.
After he dropped us off we were about to check in, but then we saw our friends Brent and Julie. They just came back from having lunch at Latitudes. It was great to see them again. Since we just saw them several months ago, it felt like we picked up just where we left off. We decided that we would meet back at the Gardens Pool Bar once we checked in and unpacked our things.
When we walked in to check in, I recognized immediately the lady at the front desk. After staying at the Gardens so many times you do wind up knowing everyone. She made the check in quick and effortlessly. Our room wasn’t exactly ready yet so we left our luggage in the room near the check in area.
We walked back out to the pool area and saw Portia behind the bar. She gave us both big hugs and welcomed us back. A nice cold beverage was calling our names so we sat down. While she was getting our drinks ready, we were joined by Brent and Julie.
The temperature was just about perfect not too hot or cool, but you could tell that the temperature was going to drop once the sun went down. While we were catching up with everyone, I noticed that our luggage was being brought to our room. Shortly after that we were given the keys to our room. I didn’t want to break away from our conversation, but I knew I would feel better once everything was unpacked.
While I was unpacking everything, I gave my sister a quick call to let her know we arrived safely and updated her on the weather. She mentioned to me that they were expecting snow in a couple of days. I thought to myself, what a great time to get away for several days. Once I finished unpacking I freshened up and grabbed a lightweight jacket for later in case it did get cool.
A couple months ago, I was thinking about where we could go for our first dinner in Key West. I remembered last year we went around the same time and they had all the beautiful lights decorated on all of the palm trees at the Bight. However, we didn’t walk down to the Bight at night time last year and we missed all of the lights. I was thinking about going to Bel Mare, but then wanted to try something different. We had only been to Berlin’s cocktail lounge several times in the past, but never to the dining room at the A&B Lobster House. It is one of the more expensive places to dine in Key West, but I thought it was our first night and why not. I know it is one of Brent and Julie’s favorite places for dinner, so I reached out to her about having us all go out to eat our first night we arrived. Julie went ahead and made the reservation for 7pm, giving us time to sample some of the Jazz at the Gardens that evening and walk around the Bight to see all of the holiday lights.
I walked back to the pool area after everything was put away in our room and noticed that all of the chairs were rearranged for Jazz. I secured a table near the bar area as my husband went upstairs to freshen up. People started to show up one by one.
I looked over and saw Kate the owner of the Gardens with her little dog, Tiny (short for Valentine). When my husband came back to where I was sitting we walked on over to say hello to Kate. She always is so delighted to see us and for us as well. I had my husband take a picture of us like I usually try to do each and every trip. Kate mentioned she was leaving in a couple of days for a small getaway, but we made sure we would see her again before she did so.
As more and more people filtered in to the Gardens, the music started to play. My husband grabbed me a glass of white wine and a cocktail for himself while we waited for Brent and Julie. I noticed it was starting to get cooler and was very happy I grabbed my jacket. Once Brent and Julie came back to our table, it was time for us to start walking towards the Bight.
It was a leisurely walk and the sun was dropping. By the time we arrived at the Bight it was dark allowing all of the holiday lights to sparkle. It was so beautiful to see even though the holiday season was over.
I noticed there were lights shaped in a heart displayed next to Jimmy Buffett’s recording studio, which brought a little tear to my eye. How wonderful I thought to myself.
After getting all of my photos taken, we walked up the stairs to A&B. I recognized the entrance to Berlin’s behind the hostess stand, but this time we were eating in the main dining room. The overall atmosphere reminded me a little of Prime with the wood slat panels on the windows. We were seated at a table in the middle of the room, which was fine, but I tend to prefer tables that are on the side. When I am in the center of the room I feel like all eyes are on you.
As we perused the menu, everyone ordered something to drink. I did look ahead of time on their website so I was prepared for the prices. It still amazes me now how some prices for one entree, is the same amount a dinner for two used to cost a few years go. I figured for our first night we can splurge, we were on vacation.
For starters I went with the caesar salad and my husband ordered the beef carpaccio. Brent and Julie shared the burrato salad. Since I rarely cook red meat at home, my husband immediately went for the filet mignon. I was thinking about having the snapper, but the lobster tournedo caught my eye. Again the price wasn’t for the faint of heart but what the heck…. Brent ordered the lobster tail and Julie went for the Alaskan King crab legs.
Our served brought our appetizers out without too much of a wait. My caesar salad was tasty but nothing special. I did like the couple of anchovies they put on top of it though. I tasted my husband’s beef carpaccio and it was so good. After our plates were cleared it wasn’t before long our entrees were served.
I couldn’t believe the Alaskan King crab legs that Julie ordered. Wow they looked incredible. In fact everyone’s meals looked delicious and they were. As we were finishing our meals I took a taste of my husband’s filet. It was tender and full of flavor. Then Julie offered a piece of the crab leg and I did not hesitate one bit. The crab meat was so tender and sweet – I think even better then the lobster I just had. We were all so full that when we were finished we asked for the check.
You can read my full review here: https://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowUserReviews-g34345-d491668-r935969067-A_B_Lobster_House-Key_West_Florida_Keys_Florida.html
No one was feeling tired yet and I felt like walking off some of our dinner so I suggested we walk on over to the Galleon to the Sunset Tiki Bar since it is right next door. As we neared the bar, I noticed all of the holiday lights up. It looked so festive and pretty at night. There were several people at the bar and music was playing. It felt like though we walked in to the ending of a party. A couple of seats were open so we sat down and Julie and we ordered a couple cocktails, which at that point I didn’t really need, but it was our first night.
We finished our drinks and walked back towards Duval St. As always, Duval St. was busy but not as bad as a Friday or Saturday night.
Once we made it back to the Gardens we agreed that we would have breakfast together at La Te Da. It was a long day, but it was fun, good to be back. With that we turned in for the night.
Monday, January 15 – La Te Da, Sunset Tiki Bar, Watching the NFL Playoffs at Kaya, Old Town Mexican
We woke up to a beautiful morning. The sun was shining and it felt a little bit warmer then the day before. We both freshened up and walked down to grab a cup of coffee that was set up on the back porch at the Gardens while we waited for Brent and Julie. Once they were ready, we walked through the back of the property onto Simonton St. avoiding walking all the way around the Gardens.
We walked along Simonton and took the short cut through the Duval Square mall passing by the Ocean Grill restaurant.
I noticed though they didn’t open up until 10:00am.
When we walked into La Te Da, the two tables near the front entrance were taken. (As a side note I never realized the hostess stand was a martini glass.)
We wound up sitting inside towards the back. I enjoy sitting at the bar personally, but with all four of us dining together it was easier for us to talk to one another at a table. Being that it was a Monday morning and a holiday MLK, the place was very quiet.
Everyone ordered the basic breakfast besides my husband who had the Eggs Blackstone. I have ordered them before and they are quite delicious. Basically it is similar to the traditional eggs benedict, but instead of the canadian bacon and/or ham that is often used, they replace the meat with breaded tomatoes. For some reason it works really well. I wasn’t exactly starving from our heavy dinner at A&B the night before, that ordering a couple of fried eggs over medium and bacon was more then enough for me.
When we were finished with breakfast, Brent and Julie went back to the Gardens to relax and then run some errands. We figured that we would meet up later to catch the first NFL playoff game at Kaya Island Eats since Jack Flats was most likely going to be very crowded.
It was warming up a bit and it was a gorgeous day. The kind of when you welcome the warmth of the sun.
After walking around for a bit we were getting a little thirsty. So of course we had to go to one of our go to places while we are in Key West, the Sunset Tiki Bar at the Galleon.
We walked along the boardwalk and up to the Sunset Tiki Bar.
Candace was working and she recognized us right away. She welcomed us back as we settled into our seats. After ordering a couple of drinks, the owner Phil came out and said hello to us. It always feels like we were just there even though it had been over 6 months.
Not wanting to get too comfortable, we thanked Candace for the drinks and conversation and made our way back down towards Duval. We walked down to Captain Tony’s to see if Gabriel Wright was playing, but no such luck.
Next we walked by Rick’s, followed by the Tree Bar and noticed that the Sandal Factory closed down. Honestly I don’t know how that place stayed open for as long as it did. I still miss the Lazy Gecko.
Our friend Terry was working at the Tree Bar and I saw that there were a couple of seats open, so we sat down to say hello. Memories of me almost falling off my chair back in April of last year came to mind. I didn’t want that to happen again. My husband and I kind of joked about as we waited for Terry to make us a vodka and freshly squeezed orange juice. They are so tasty but you can’t have too many.
We talked to Terry for a bit and talked about how we were avoiding the snow and cold weather up north. Then it was getting to be about the time to get back to the Gardens to relax for a bit. We thanked Terry and got back on our feet and walked down Duval to the Gardens.
We relaxed for a bit before meeting up with Brent and Julie again at the Pool Bar. Peggy was behind the bar and she is always so friendly and full of energy. I love that.
Brent and Julie joined us and we all talked for a bit before we walked down to Kaya Island Eats to catch the Steelers and Bills game. Kaya Island Eats is literally across the street from the Gardens so it takes no time at all to get there.
We walked in and there were already people sitting at tables getting ready to watch the game. The bar was mostly open so we grabbed 4 seats at the end.
Julie and I ordered their famous mai tai and my husband and Brent ordered a couple of cocktails. I forgot how Kaya has so many tvs to view sports a games. Also being that it was the old Cowboy Bills, they have additional rooms in the back with pool tables, etc.
I was thinking about grabbing dinner at Kaya because it is so good, but earlier in the day we joked about going back to Old Town Mexican for dinner. It isn’t the best mexican food mind you, but we we usually have a good time there with halfway decent food. And plus I was in the mood for mexican the more and more I thought about it. We stayed at Kaya for most of the game and then walked to Old Town Mexican.
When we walked outside I noticed there was a parade going on. I didn’t realize they had a parade for MLK. The parade was fairly small but it was fun and festive.
When we made it to Old Town Mexican, the place was busy as well, so we wound up just sitting at the bar so we wouldn’t have to wait for a table. Plus they had the game on as well behind the bar so we could catch the ending of the game.
I wound up ordering the salmon enchiladas. They were surprisingly quite good. My husband had a beef burrito and I believe Julie had the nachos and Brent went with their fish tacos. Again, it wasn’t fancy or the best food, but it hit the spot and we were all satisfied with our meals.
We ordered a few more drinks while catching the second game, the Eagles at the Buccaneers.
We stayed through about halftime and then walked back to the Gardens to have a night cap in the gazebo. I grabbed the bottle of wine that was left as a welcome gift in our room. We chatted about our day and what our plans were for the next day. Julie then reminded us that she made reservations for Latitudes the following morning that I totally forgot about. Our reservations weren’t until 9:45am so we could sleep in a little, which I welcomed. I saw that it was getting late and we all turned in for the evening.
Tuesday, January 16 – Latitudes, Smokin’ Tuna x2
We woke up to another mild day. I checked my phone and saw that the Eagles lost to the Buccaneers. Being a NY Giants fan I was happy to see that score and also couldn’t believe they lost. I also saw a message from my sister that it was snowing back home. What a lovely day to be in Key West I thought to myself.
My husband and I freshened up and walked down to Cuban Coffee Queen for a large hot cup of their cuban american coffee. I just love their coffee.
You can read my review here: https://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowUserReviews-g34345-d9729234-r936063464-Cuban_Coffee_Queen_Downtown-Key_West_Florida_Keys_Florida.html
It was so nice to see that there wasn’t a line so we were able to order our coffee right away.
We walked back to the Gardens to meet up with Brent and Julie. They just finished getting ready as well, so we strolled down Duval towards the Opal Resort to catch the water taxi over to Latitudes.
As we were nearing the end of Duval, we noticed a lot of people walking along the streets with lanyards around their necks. Must be a cruise ship in town. And sure enough, when we got to the Opal Resort, there it was – a huge Carnival ship. They must have recently docked because everyone was walking off of the ship. I couldn’t imagine waiting all that time just to leave the ship and then having to constantly check the time on your watch / phone when you have to be back on the ship. No thank you. I prefer to do things at my own pace.
We walked to the little dock to wait for the water taxi. I couldn’t believe how many people kept leaving the ship. One after the other. It was never ending – being it was a massive ship I assume there were thousands of people on it. Finally I could see the water taxi make its way to the dock around the cruise ship.
Only a few people were on it so we didn’t have to wait long to board the taxi. It must have been a popular time for breakfast because the taxi filled up and there were no empty seats left.
As we made our way around the huge cruise ship and along Key West, I noticed it the skies were getting cloudy. The temperature was still warm but the skies were turning gray. It was a short trip and soon we all walked off the taxi and down the dock to the restaurant.
We were seated in a nice table outside.
I looked around and oddly the place was very quite. Julie mentioned how the RokIsland festival is starting the next day and most likely a lot of the musicians would be staying on Sunset Key. So maybe people were checking in later on that day. Anyway, it was nice and peaceful that’s for sure. For breakfast I ordered an omelette and everyone else ordered some sort of egg dish.
We all enjoyed our breakfast. It isn’t anything that special, but the backdrop is what makes breakfast at Latitudes worth it. I just wished it sunny out to see that blue/green water. Once everyone was done, we noticed that we could make the 11:30 taxi back otherwise we would have to wait. So we asked our server for the bill and we walked down to the dock.
When we got back to Key West, we wanted to try another way to leave instead of walking back through the Opal Resort grounds. We wound walking in to the Truman Annex. It was really pretty. I don’t think we ever walked that part of Truman Annex before.
Brent was scheduled to play later that evening at the Smokin’ Tuna with the Nick Brownell Band, so he wanted to get back to the Gardens to practice for a bit. I mentioned to Julie that I wanted to see Caffeine Carl and Zack Seemiller play at the Tuna that afternoon as well. So she said that she would head back to the Gardens with Brent and meet us at the Tuna a little later. So Brent and Julie headed back to the Gardens and we walked around for a bit.
Eventually of course, we decided to head back to the Sunset Tiki Bar.
Candace was working again so she didn’t even have to ask for our drink order. We always order the Deep Eddy Sweet Tea and water with a squeeze of lemon. For some reason they just set the tone for the day without being to harsh. Knowing we had a long day ahead of us we didn’t stay too long.
We strolled around for a little bit and walked by the old Rooftop Cafe. There was some sort of construction going on, hopefully that means it will reopen at some point. Perhaps a new restaurant is on the horizon. It is such a shame the Rooftop Cafe closed down. The place was one of my favorite restaurants in Key West.
While we were walking around, we got in touch with Julie letting her know we were going to the Tuna. We walked on in and Phil was working behind the bar. He welcomed us back as well as we grabbed a table to sit down at. Carl and Zack were setting up and we said hello. Soon Julie showed up as well.
While we were hanging out and enjoying the music I noticed that I got a message from one of Zack’s friends Jolene. She just came in town with her friends for the RokIsland Festival that was starting the following day. I told her about Brent playing later that evening at the Tuna with the Nick Brownell Band. So we planned on meeting up later at the Tuna.
I also looked around for our name plate. Back in July of last year, I had our names engraved on one of the plates they have displayed all over the columns at the Tuna. I was sent a photo of the plate several months ago when it was completed. So I new it was hanging up, somewhere. I walked around and looked at every column – no such luck finding it. I thought that I would check again later or that evening when we came back.
After enjoying Carl and Zack play, we walked back to the Gardens. We didn’t have any dinner plans that evening, so decided that we would all grab something to eat at the Tuna later on. The weather was getting iffy and then it started to rain. We wound up sitting at the Gardens Pool Bar for a bit to wait out the rain.
It was getting to be about that time to freshen up a little and head to the Tuna. Brent and Julie wanted to get there early so Brent could set up and whatnot. The rain thankfully subsided and we made our way down to the Tuna. We walked in and the place was packed. Cliff Cody was on the stage finishing up his set.
I noticed that one of the tables in front of the stage only had several people standing around it with empty cups piled high. I walked up to them to ask them if they were leaving soon. They nodded and said that we could sit down at the table. One person from the group mentioned how it rained earlier and they had to move because the water came down from the edge of the covering above. Good to know.
It wasn’t raining at that point so we stayed at the table for the meantime. We all ordered something to eat. I wound up ordering their fish dip and my husband ordered the wings. While we waited for our food we noticed that the table next to us left, so we wound up moving over to that table just in case it rained again.
When our food came out I was quite hungry. I haven’t had the Smokin’ Tuna fish dip in quite some time and boy did it taste good, especially when you pair it with their hot sauce (the green one is my favorite). My husband enjoyed the wings as well. I was contemplating ordering something else, but I was pretty satisfied and so was everyone else.
Soon it was time for Brent to join the stage with the Nick Brownell band.
You can see a video I took during the show here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I5QZe3vZ9R8
While we were listening to the music I saw Jolene walk in with her a friend of hers. I waved her over to our seats. She introduced us to her friend Terry who was so nice. We all ordered around of drinks and settled in for the night.
It was so much fun. Even John LaMere came by to check out the band.
Unfortunately the rain started again and it poured. And I mean poured. It poured so much that in front of the stage, big pond of water formed. Then we noticed the table we moved away from initially, had a little waterfall coming down from above. Good thing we did more. The table we were sitting at was fully protected from the rain thank goodness. The band sounded great. I never heard Nick Brownell play before and he was very good. At one point towards the end of the evening there was someone in the crowd who asked if he could come up and sing Tennessee Whiskey. Nick welcomed him up on to the stage and he started singing. Then within minutes a young lady came up on the stage and joined in. I never seen anything like it and it was probably the best impromptu at the Tuna, I have ever heard. They were great.
You can see the video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LjSFtj6g39w
When the band finished up for the night, we were all pretty tired and ready to get back to the Gardens. Since it was still raining we grabbed a taxi to take us back. I told Jolene that we would meet up again at the Tuna the following night to see Caffeine Carl and the Buzz after the concert. (She was going to for the RokIsland fest at the amphitheater.)
We made it back to the Gardens for much needed sleep.
Wednesday, January 17 – Bagatelle, The Red Shoe Bistro, Smokin’ Tuna
Since we were up quite late night before we slept in a bit. The rain must have brought in a cool front, because when I opened our door to check the temperature, I felt a little chill in the air. Good thing I brought a couple of long sleeved shirts just in case. While we were waiting for Brent and Julie to get ready we walked down to Cuban Coffee Queen. Again, there wasn’t much of a line so we didn’t wait long to have our coffee in hand. As we walked back to the Gardens I could feel the wind blow and it was chilly.
I assumed it was most likely coming in from the North. I checked my phone and sure enough it was quite cold back up in NJ. Usually when there is a cold front back at home, it tends to be cooler down in Key West.
Brent and Julie were ready when we walked back to the Gardens. When we met up with Brent and Julie, my husband suggested that we could head down to Bagatelle for breakfast. Even though it was cool out, it was still nice enough for a stroll down Duval. We arrived at Bagatelle and we were greeted by the hostess. I noticed that there was a table open on the front porch in the corner and was hoping to sit there. However, the hostess brought us upstairs to sit on the second level balcony which was fine, but we were on the side of the building, so there wasn’t much of a view. Plus when you sit on the second floor, you feel the servers walk by. The floor actually shakes a bit. I assume it is nothing to worry about, but it does make me feel a little uneasy.
We looked over the menu and I forgot how many things they have on their menu. I thought about ordering the southern eggs benedict, but I wasn’t hungry enough to have the pulled pork even though it is so good. I decided to go with the lobster omelette. Plus it just sounded good to me. When the server returned we all placed our order. While we were waiting on our breakfast we all talked about the night before and what fun it was. Speaking of, I couldn’t wear my keen shoes that day. They were soaking wet from filming the band perform from standing in that huge pond of water.
Our meals arrived and my omelette looked delicious. And it was.
After breakfast Brent and Julie went back to the Gardens while we wondered around. The air felt a little warmer as the day went on, but it was still a bit overcast.
We thought about stoping by the Smokin’ Tuna to see who the afternoon music act was. Generally, it is usually quiet at that time of day and you don’t have to try and find a place to sit.
As we neared the back entrance to the Tuna, we heard music – loud music. I totally forgot that they also host bands for the RokIsland Fest. The place was packed – standing room only. All well we tried. Instead we made it back to the Gardens to relax for a bit.
On a side note, several months ago, a well known Key West photographer by the name of Ralph De Palma reached out to me about helping him promote his new book called The Soul of Key West Volume 3. Since I have been doing artwork for several musicians down in Key West for several years, I was delighted to have the opportunity. I also helped design his new 2024 calendar which features all the musicians that play on Key West. Being a fan of music myself, it was a fun project to do.
I got in touch with him and told him that we were going to meet a couple of friends at the Smokin’ Tuna that evening to see Caffeine Carl and The Buzz play. We did have reservations that evening at The Red Shoe Bistro, but for 6pm so we wouldn’t miss anything. He told me that he wanted to get some photos of Caffeine Carl and Zack Seemiller to help promote his book. So we had tentative plans to meet up at the Tuna after dinner.
That afternoon seemed to fly by. Before I knew it, it was time to get ready for dinner. The temperature was dropping again so I wound up staying in the same clothes I wore during the day. I made sure I grabbed a heavier hoodie so I wouldn’t be too chilly at the Tuna that night. Brent and Julie met us at the Gardens Pool Bar for a drink before we walked down to The Red Shoe Bistro. Phil was behind the bar which is always entertaining.
The Red Shoe Bistro isn’t very far from the Gardens. It is just a quick stroll down Petronia in the old Bliss location.
When we arrived at the entrance the door wasn’t open. They weren’t open just yet. Several people were standing outside already waiting. I guess we weren’t the only ones a little early.
Within minutes the owner open the door and welcomed us in. He said that he recognized me when I told him my name for our reservation. We have been loyal customers ever since it opened up several years ago. I usually try to make it a point to eat there at least once every time we visit Key West. When we were in Key West back in July they were closed for vacation so unfortunately we couldn’t have dinner there.
We were seated in a lovely corner table overseeing the bar area. I think every table was occupied by the time we gave our server our drink orders. It is great to see The Red Shoe do so well.
The server came over and told us the catch of the day. It was black grouper, one of my favorites. So of course I ordered that and so did Brent and Julie. My husband always order’s their signature beef stroganoff and that’s what he went with again. I noticed that they had a new item under appetizers, crispy pork belly crositini. I usually order their caesar salad, but I do love pork belly so I wound ordering that. I thought to myself I am going to have to run a bit extra when I get home to work off all these great dinners we have been having.
Our appetizers arrived and I was excited to try the pork belly. It was perfectly cooked and delicious. My husband had the shrimp mango toast and enjoyed his selection. Next up were our main courses. The black grouper on my plate looked amazing. It was beautifully prepared, so fresh. I don’t think anyone had anything negative to say about their meals except how good they all were.
You can read my full review of The Red Shoe Bistro here: https://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowUserReviews-g34345-d21141783-r935968271-Red_Shoe_Island_Bistro-Key_West_Florida_Keys_Florida.html
When we were finished I couldn’t even think about dessert, I was stuffed. So was everyone else. I was tempted to just go back to the Gardens as my husband suggested, but I did make plans to meet up with both Jolene and Ralph De Palma and I would have felt terrible not showing up.
With a little bit of convincing, I rallied up the troops and we walked down to the Tuna. Again all the tables in the front of the stage were taken. Then I noticed there was a couple at one table and they looked like they were about to leave. I asked them if they were leaving. They said they were finishing up their drinks, but they welcomed us all to sit with them. I thought that was really nice. Then before I knew it they wound up leaving. Shortly after they left, I saw Ralph De Palma come over with his camera and book in tow.
I told him to grab a seat and we talked for a bit. When Carl, Zack and the rest of the band began setting up, he took a bunch of photos of them with his book. And so I thought I should get one myself (even though Brent wasn’t part of the band that night).
He then said I could get in a picture as well. So of course I did!
After my photo shoot I made a quick walk around the bar looking for our name plates again thinking I probably just missed it. Again, no dice. Eventually I thought to myself I will find it. Maybe not this trip but someday – it will be my mission. Soon the band came on and started to play their regular set. I think I know it by heart by now.
While we were enjoying the music Jolene and her friend Terry showed up again. She said the band that they just saw at the amphitheater was really good. I can’t remember which band it was. Maybe it was Wig Wam? Anyway, it was nice that they were able to join us as well. Then all of a sudden another familiar face appeared, it was Vincent Bergamo.
Ironically he is a musician from Lavallette, NJ where we would spend a lot of summers at the Jersey Shore. We have seen him play back in NJ a few times. He was in town for a bit to play a bunch of gigs in Key West. We chatted for a few before he had to make his way out.
Due to the fact there was another RokIsland Fest Band scheduled to play after Caffeine Carl, they only played until around 10:30pm, which I was okay with. I was tired and still full from dinner. Once the band ended we made it back to the Gardens and called it a night.
You can see a video of the band performing here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WObC4-fX3p0
Thursday January 18 – The Saint, Mallory Square, Wille T’s, Lola’s
The cold front had lifted that morning. When I opened up the door I could feel the warm air. It felt great. The sun was back out shining and the skies were blue.
Brent and Julie wanted to sleep in and have breakfast at the Gardens. Once my husband and I freshened up and were ready, we took a leisurely walk down towards the Moondog Cafe. We had not been there in quite some time and I wanted to check it out. I remember their breakfasts were always good. However, when we neared the cafe we saw a line of people waiting to be seated. Plan B we both thought. Since we were on Whitehead St. we thought about maybe going to Ramshead Southernmost, but then I remembered the last time we were there I wasn’t exactly thrilled with what I ordered.
We walked along the road which was fine since it was a beautiful morning. Then I suggested going to the Saint for breakfast. It wasn’t exactly early in the morning so no matter where we would end up, there most likely would be a wait. And the past few times we have been to the Saint, it is usually fairly quiet.
We walked past the Mile 0 sign and there wasn’t anyone waiting to get their photo taken. Even though I have numerous photos of myself standing next to it, you can never have enough. So I had my husband take a quick photo before we walked in to the store. My sister asked me to grab her a Mile 0 car magnet and this was the place to get one. We walked in and the lady behind the counter showed us the display of all of the magnets hanging on the display. I wound picking out the traditional Mile 0 sign one.
After my purchase we walked down to Eaton St. We walked inside of the Saint and to no surprise the bar was empty. We sat down and the bartender gave us a couple of menus. I noticed he was getting over a cold as he kept sniffling. It was a bit off putting but we were both pretty hungry for breakfast.
I decided to go with the salmon eggs benedict while my husband went for the traditional egg breakfast. We ordered ourselves a couple of screwdrivers while we waited. There were a few tables of people but overall the place was quiet. I find the lights that hang above so intriguing. The entire place has a whimsical flare to it if you will.
Eventually our breakfast was served. It looked delicious. I took a few bites and disappointingly it was cold.
It must have been sitting out for a while. I wound up eating anyway, but I wasn’t exactly happy about it. My husband said his meal wasn’t hot either, just lukewarm. All well. When we were done with our meals we went back on to Duval to walk around and wound up at our go to place, the Sunset Tiki Bar for a drink.
Our friend Ramsey was working so it was fun to catch up with her since our last trip.
After we finished our drinks, we made our way towards Mallory Square and maneuvered our way through the shops.
I didn’t see anything that caught my eye so we kept walking out to the square to check out the water. There wasn’t any cruise ships in town that day so it was nice and quiet.
We walked back through the shops of Mallory Square, but through a different building. It was a small indoor mall, which reminded me of going to the mall as a kid. We noticed there was a Cuban Coffee Queen shop as well inside.
Once we were back onto Whitehead St. my husband wanted to stop at First Flight.
We grabbed a couple of open seats at the bar and my husband ordered a flight of their brews and I went with a mojito.
I probably should have went with a margarita but it wasn’t bad – just a little too sweet for what I was in the mood for. I remember back in the day when it was Kelly’s, they used to have the best key lime margaritas. Ever since they changed over to First Flight, they are not the same.
After our drinks we walked back along Whitehead St. down to Angela.
We made it back to the Gardens to relax by the pool for a little while. Zack Seemiller was playing at Willie T’s that afternoon and Jolene told me that she was going to be there with her friend Terry and Lisa whom I wanted to meet. We caught up with Brent and Julie who were relaxing by the pool and I mentioned to Julie that I wanted to go to Willie T’s. My husband didn’t feel like going so he stayed behind with Brent.
Julie and I made the fairly short stroll down Duval to Willie T’s. Ironically when my husband and I used to come to Key West years ago, our first stop was always Willie T’s after we would check in at the Gardens. Now we usually just hang out at the Gardens Pool Bar our first afternoon.
When we walked in to Willie T’s I immediately spotted Jolene. She secured a table right near where Zack was playing with her friends. She introduced us to everyone as we grabbed a couple of seats to join them. We talked for a bit while we listened to the music. Even Jolene sang a duet with Zack. It was a fun time.
Unfortunately we couldn’t stay until the end of Zack’s set. Julie made reservations at Lola’s for the first seating that evening which was 6pm. We said our goodbyes to everyone and made tentative plans to meet up later at the Smokin’ Tuna.
When we got back to the Gardens, my husband and Brent were hanging out at the pool bar. I quickly freshened up and not before long it was time to walk down to Lola’s. Lola’s is literally a half block away from the Gardens, if that. When we walked up to Lola’s, everyone was outside waiting. Apparently this was the first night Lola’s was reopening after being closed for vacation.
After a few minutes, the door opened and the hostess started reading off names. Then at the very end of the list, Julie’s name was called. They originally had our reservation for a party of 2 instead of 4, which was the reason for being the last ones called. It was no problem since they were able to rearrange a couple of tables. We were seated towards the front of the little restaurant.
Our server came over and opened the bottles of wine we brought. I totally forgot about that part, but thankfully my husband went out with Brent to grab a bottle of wine while Julie and I were at Willie T’s. After our bottles were open our server told us what was on the menu for that particular evening. One of the main course offerings was a hogfish entree served with a garlic pepper sauce. I was so happy when I heard that and new immediately what I wanted, but he had to take care of another table first and gave us a few minutes to decide what everyone wanted to order.
I was so hungry that it seemed like an eternity before he finally returned to take our order. Julie ordered scallops for her appetizer, which they are known for. Brent and my husband both ordered the roasted lobster tail for their appetizers. I didn’t want anything to extravagant, because I wanted to save room for the hogfish. My husband followed suit and ordered the hogfish for his main course. I wound choosing the braised artichoke hearts for my first course, which I have had in the past and really enjoyed them. I think Julie wound up ordering the roast duck for her main course and Brent decided to go with the branzino.
Our first course came out and without any surprise the artichoke hearts were delicious. There was a bit of a lag for our main courses which is to be expected since there is only one person cooking everyone’s order, but it is always worth the wait. The hogfish was amazing with the pepper and garlic sauce. Everyone else loved their meals as well. My only slight critic is that I wish they would have a small side with the protein. Even if it was just a little roasted broccolini or something. I find it a little incomplete when they present say just the piece of fish. Overall though, the food is outstanding.
Julie wound up ordering a slice of pecan pie for dessert. I tasted a piece of it and it was so good. It reminded me of Thanksgiving. By the time we were finished and paid the bill it was after 8pm. I felt kind of bad for all the people waiting outside for the second seating. Maybe they should adjust it from 8pm to 8:30pm.
You can read my full review here: https://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowUserReviews-g34345-d19247202-r935967589-Lola_s_Bistro-Key_West_Florida_Keys_Florida.html
We still had some wine left over so we took it back with us to the Gardens. I really wanted to go out to the Tuna, but looking at the little gazebo at the Gardens all lit up did look inviting. I sent a message to Jolene to let her know we weren’t going to make it. After the rich dinner I was pretty tired anyway. We wound up having a night cap and I headed to the room shortly after. It was an early night for me.
Friday January 19 – Last Full Day – Azur, Sunset Tiki Bar, Bob’s on Margaret
Usually the sun shining in our room wakes me up, but that morning the room was dark. We wound up sleeping in thinking it was earlier then it actually was. I didn’t mind though because we really didn’t have any set plans for our last full day. I checked outside and it was another cool day. My husband mentioned to me that while I went to sleep before everyone else the night before, he made plans for all of us to go to Azur for breakfast. I always like going to Azur for breakfast so I was all for it.
We both freshened up stopped at Cuban Coffee Queen before meeting up with Brent and Julie.
The route we took was to walk down down Simonton St. and then make a right onto Fleming. It was a nice leisurely walk down the lesser visited streets of Key West which I love. There was a cool breeze, but not cold enough to prevent us from sitting outside.
When we arrived at Azur I requested to be seated outside. The host sat us at a very nice large corner table. Can you tell I like corner tables?
While we looked over the menu Julie and I each ordered a mango mimosa. I normally don’t drink mimosas, but I figured it was our last full day so why not. I didn’t realize it was quite late – nearing 11am. No wonder why I didn’t feel like breakfast. I noticed that they had salad options with a choice of chicken, shrimp or yellowtail snapper. So I decided to go with the caesar salad and yellowtail snapper. Julie also ordered one of their other salad offerings with the snapper. My husband didn’t go the breakfast route either and ordered a burger. Brent was the only one that ordered an actual breakfast of fried eggs.
When our drink order came out, I couldn’t believe the size of the mimosa (I wish I took a picture). It wasn’t served in a typical champagne flute glass, but a wine glass. You definitely get your money’s worth. I really enjoyed the champagne mixed with the mango.
Our breakfast or brunch I should say, arrived after a little bit of a wait, but we weren’t in any rush. My caesar salad was delicious and like most of our previous meals during our stay, and that snapper was excellent. Everyone enjoyed their meals as well.
You can read my full review here: https://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowUserReviews-g34345-d788388-r935967859-Azur_Restaurant-Key_West_Florida_Keys_Florida.html
When we were done and asked for the check, Brent and Julie told us that they were going to go back to the Gardens to relax. We had reservations later on in the evening at Latitudes, but the weather did look a little iffy. So we decided to wait and see how the day went before canceling our dinner. We told them we were going to walk around for a bit and then meet them later, as usual, back at the Gardens. Plus I wanted to start packing as well at some point that afternoon.
My husband and I wound up walking down Grinnel St. past the new restaurant Eaton Good. There were people sitting outside eating and it looked like a cute little spot. Maybe a place to check out in the future. Then we turned down Eaton St. to Margaret.
As we were nearing Harpoon Harry’s we noticed a lot of police activity. There were several police cars parked along the roadway and cops standing outside a building across from Harpoon Harry’s. As we walked by we noticed it was a place called New Market with a Western Union. Interesting we both thought.
We continued our walk down towards Half Shell and around the Boathouse Restaurant. As we were walking down the pier we saw a couple more police officers talking. We over heard them mention a young guy most likely from the cruise ship and something about an attempted robbery. Who knows what exactly happened but that was the first time we ever saw anything like that in Key West. Hopefully they caught the guy.
We walked down to look at some of the shops near the Waterfont Brewery. There was a dress I was eyeing but unfortunately I needed a Small and all that there was, were a couple of XS and XLs so that didn’t work for me. Next we walked down to the Conch Farm. I always like their little retail shop next to the restaurant. We walked in and surprisingly there wasn’t anything that caught my eye. I think this was the first trip I didn’t buy anything during our stay (well besided the Mile 0 car magnet for my sister). Then again how many Smokin’ Tuna, Conch Republic, Hogs Breath, shirts can I possibly own? Too many.
Since it was our last full day we wanted to make sure we stopped in again at the Sunset Tiki Bar to see Ramsey who usually works on Fridays. We walked down the pier looking at the ominous weather. It reminded me of the Jersey Shore on a rainy day. We walked up to the bar, and sure enough Ramsey was working. There were a few people already at the bar, so we sat on the other end. Ramsey made us a couple of drinks while we talked for a bit.
We noticed the weather wasn’t looking like it was going to clear up any time soon. In fact it was looking worse then it did a few hours earlier. We mentioned to Ramsey that we were supposed to go to Latitudes that evening, but most likely would have to cancel since it wasn’t conducive enough to sit outside and would not have any sort of view, which is the entire point of going to Latitudes.
Ramsey mentioned that she wanted to try this new restaurant Bob’s on Margaret in the former Michael’s location. Then I remembered reading about it recently on the TripAdvisor forum that it just opened literally a few weeks ago. I checked the menu on my phone and it looked like something everyone would enjoy – especially all the gluten free options. Brent and Julie are gluten free. I was able to make us a 6:45 reservation for that evening through their website. I texted Julie about it and she agreed about canceling Latitudes and was excited to try something new. We thanked Ramsey for the idea and told her we would report back how the dinner went.
Again, not wanting to get too comfortable we asked Ramsey for the check and wished her well. We told her we would see her again soon and thanked her for the drinks. We walked back down Duval and the winds were picking up. Canceling our Latitude’s dinner was definitely the right call.
We walked back down by the Tree Bar and noticed most of the seats were empty and Terry was back behind the bar. We walked on over and grabbed a couple of seats. We chatted with Terry for a few and told her we were headed back to NJ the following day. She asked us about the weather so I checked my phone. I wish I hadn’t. It was forecasted to be 17 degrees when we land back in Newark. All well I thought, at least it was warmer in Key West and we managed to have several beautiful warm days. Things could be worse.
Then I was itching to get back to the Gardens so I can start packing our things. We thanked Terry and made our way back on to Duval to Angela St. We also had a load of laundry done midweek so I was hoping that was ready. When I walked into our room I saw the bag of laundry. It was perfect timing. While I packed up a bunch of our things, my husband retired at the pool bar to chat with Phil the bartender for a bit. Once I was satisfied with my pre-departure packing, I joined my husband at the bar. Both Brent and Julie were also at the bar. They were both eager like us to try the new restaurant. Then it started to rain. Good thing I made the Plan B reservations I thought to myself.
Thankfully the rain subsided by the time we were ready to walk down to Bob’s. Once everyone was freshened up and ready we made our way down Simonton to Southard.
It was so quiet and peaceful as we walked past all these beautiful homes. Someday I thought – well maybe if we won the lottery. It is the only way to afford anything in Key West.
We made the left turn on to Margaret and the restaurant was right there. It was beautifully lit when we walked inside. I didn’t specify our preference where to sit when I made the reservation. The host guided us inside to a table along the wall. The room was nice, but I noticed the outside area had more ambience.
I asked the host if we could sit outside, but he said due to the threat of rain they were trying to seat people inside. It wasn’t a deal breaker so we walked back inside and sat at the table.
Everyone ordered a cocktail, while we looked over the menu. Our server came over and told us the catch of the day was swordfish. I am not a fan of swordfish, but both Brent and Julie are.
So they wound up ordering the swordfish for their main courses. I was a little tired of seafood and my guilty pleasure is rack of lamb. I rarely ever eat red meat, but that’s one exception I will order. I noticed they had it on the menu and for $43 which I didn’t think was such a bad price. My husband also went in the red meat direction and ordered the filet mignon. For starters I tried the salmon tataki appetizer and my husband ordered the caesar salad. I think Brent and Julie shared a salad and maybe another appetizer, but I really can’t remember and I didn’t take a photo of what they had. When our appetizers came out, my salmon tataki looked like a work of art and it tasted just as good as it looked.
Then for my main course, the rack of lamb, it too looked amazing when it arrived. Instead of the typical 4 chops, they gave you 5 chops. The only little negative was that they weren’t all sliced. They were in two pieces. One piece had two chops and the other had three chops. I didn’t mind too much – plus they gave me an ultra sharp knife so it was easy to cut through. The lamb was cooked to a perfect medium rare. Brent and Julie raved about their swordfish. And of course my husband enjoyed his filet mignon. I was a bit relieved that everyone enjoyed their meals since I was the one that suggested going to Bob’s instead of Latitudes.
For dessert I ordered a key lime martini. It was a nice way to end the meal. Once we paid our tab we walked back outside and noticed all the tables were filled. So much for rain I thought and it looked so pretty with the lights. Especially the bar – if it was just myself and my husband I would definitely eat there.
You can read my full review of Bob’s here: https://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowUserReviews-g34345-d27101266-r935968070-Bob_s_on_Margaret-Key_West_Florida_Keys_Florida.html
While we were walking back to the Gardens, the thought of going out to the Tuna crossed my mind, but then I thought would I really want to go out and drink more on such a full stomach? Probably not. So I didn’t even suggest it and we walked back to the Gardens. Plus with a travel day ahead of us, who wants to be feel terrible or not well rested.
We all had a nightcap at the Gardens before getting some sleep on our last night.
Saturday January 20 – Going Home
When we woke up we noticed light in our room. The sun had returned. I opened up the door and the sun did indeed return, but so did a cold front. It was chilly. Then I thought about how it is supposed to be really cold when we arrived back in NJ. We both freshened up and packed up anything else we had left out the night before.
We met up with Brent and Julie to have our last breakfast at La Te Da. Since it is usually our first breakfast stop in Key West, why not make it our last stop as well. Thoughts of our trip back in July kept crossing my mind. I remember how we were actually on the plane and we had to leave the plane only to be told our flight was canceled. However the United app said our flight was on time for 1:59pm.
We walked down to La Te Da and our two favorite tables were open. Julie and I were so excited.
We asked the hostess if we could sit there and she said of course. We sat down and the bartender came over to take our order. I was still pretty full from the lamb chops the previous night, so I just order a couple of eggs and bacon. Of course my husband had the eggs blackstone again and Brent and Julie had eggs as well.
It was a beautiful, but chilly morning. Thankfully we couldn’t really feel the wind from our seats. Our breakfast arrived and it was again, very good. The thought of leaving in a couple of hours started to get us all a little sad. Brent and Julie still had one more day before they headed back to home.
When we finished our breakfast, we walked back down Duval to Angela St. It was the last time walking down Duval I thought to myself.
I went back to our room to gather or things while my husband arranged for a taxi pickup at the front desk. My husband came back to the room to help me with our luggage. We rolled our bags to the pool area to meet up again with Brent and Julie. (I hate the sound of the bags rolling when we leave, but love the sound when we are rolling the bags to our room.) We grabbed a couple of seats and talked about the week we just had. It always goes by way too fast. Like a blink of an eye. I would love to do a 2 week vacation but it is very hard with my husband’s schedule and mine. Plus the cost for two weeks in Key West – yikes.
To pass some time, my husband and I walked in to the back of the Gardens, because he wanted to hit the gong they have. The bartender Phil usually shows new guests when they arrive at the Gardens and hits the gong. We never have, so my husband wanted to give it a try. Wow it was loud.
Soon it was that dreadful time to say goodbye. We hugged Brent and Julie and wished them safe travels the next day.
We walked out to the front of the Gardens. I moved so I could stand in a spot on the sidewalk where the sun was shining down, while we waited for the taxi. It was chilly in the shade. A few minutes passed, but then we spotted the taxi. Once he arrived we grabbed our things and soon we were at the airport.
Since we only had carryon we walked right to the TSA Pre line. I noticed this time they had TSA agents for both lines. It didn’t help much though, because the screen process was slow. Very slow. It also looked like they had new scanning equipment for the luggage – very high tech. Eventually we made it through and took the escalator down to the lower level. Then the sea of people appeared. We walked in to the gate area and it was standing room only. I had never seen it that packed. It was crazy. I think they had all the flights leaving around the same time. Crazy. Luckily we found a table near the food / beverage area. I thought about maybe just sitting in the outside area and feel the sun one last time, but it was closed for construction. That probably didn’t help with the crowded gate area. No extra area for people to wait.
I checked our flight status and it still said on time. Thank goodness. Again we were flying out on a 737 jet so the gate area had a lot more passengers waiting as opposed to when we would fligh out on a smaller plane. It seemed like eternity, but finally they announced that the boarding process would begin.
We made it to the plane and once everyone boarded we were soon on our way back to Newark. The flight was quicker then the way down – only about 2 and 1/2 hours. As we neared Newark I could see the white below.
It looked so cold and so uninviting. Once we landed I got in touch with our car driver.
We made it to the doors and as soon as we walked outside of the terminal, I had to take a second breath. It was so cold. You try to prepare yourself for it, but you really can’t. It was an uneventful hour drive back home. It was nice to see our house again and be home, but for the first time not seeing our little cat waiting for us at the door made us both sad.
This wasn’t the most eventful Key West trips, but sometimes that’s all you need. Especially when you need a little escape from the monotony of winter weather in the Northeast. No matter what we have planned or not planned, it is always great returning to Key West seeing friends and making new ones. It is place that brings a smile to my face each and every time we return. I am so grateful that we are able to return as much as we do and never take it for granted.
I hope you enjoyed my blog and thank you for taking the time to read it. As always I truly appreciate it….. until next time!
susannj 