For the past several years my husband and I have been visiting Key West in January. It gives us a nice break during the long winter season. Sometimes it can be on the cooler side which is to be expected, but usually you get a few nice warm days in between. This time however, we were about to experience the coldest weather for us while visiting Key West ever.

A couple of weeks leading up to our return trip to Key West (making it our 34th time, but who’s counting besides me) I saw some weather reports that an arctic blast was going to affect most of the US. I thought to myself what timing. Last year when we visited Key West during the 2nd week in January, it was cool for the first few days and then it warmed up. Then the 3rd week was perfect after we left. That is why I thought maybe waiting until the 3rd week in January we would have a better chance of hitting Key West during a warm spell. Unfortunately, the forecast was looking quite grim. I waited until the day before we were leaving to pack our things. With the weather turning cold during our visit, I tried to pack accordingly. 

Sunday, January 19 – Arrival Day

Our flight was somewhat earlier then normal – scheduled for takeoff at 9:15am. So I had arranged our car service to pick us up at 6am. Normally I like to give a little bit more time, but due to the fact it was a Sunday morning I figured that the traffic wouldn’t be so bad at that hour. Snow was in the forecast, but luckily it wasn’t supposed to start until later on in the afternoon. 

I set my alarm for 4:45 am, but I didn’t need it. I woke up just before the alarm went off and freshened up. Then I woke up my husband so he could get ready. This was our second trip leaving our somewhat newly adopted kitty, Kobe. Last time while we were away on vacation, he hid the entire time when anyone would come by to feed him and clean his litter. I was hoping that by now he would be a little more open to make contact with whomever we had scheduled to come by. I made sure his litter was cleaned and a fresh bowl of both wet and dry food.

The car service showed up right on time and we said our goodbyes to Kobe.  The drive to Newark Liberty International Airport was uneventful arriving around 7:00am. Our flight was leaving out of Terminal A, giving us the opportunity to try Clear. We have used it in the past, but only in Terminal C. Surprisingly, there was a decent line for Clear. I assume everyone now is catching on that by signing up for TSA Pre or Clear, or both (like us) expedites the TSA screen process.

Eventually we made it through security and we still had to time to head up to the United Club lounge for a bite to eat and something to drink. 

I looked at my phone and the weather looked promising for when we arrive in Key West, but then Monday looked like it was going to take a turn with rain and cold temperatures in the forecast. At least we were going to miss the snow I thought to myself.

Soon it was that time to grab our things and walk down to our gate. Once everyone boarded, the captain came on to the intercom and explained to us that we were going to be delayed due to some of paperwork. I thought really? Thankfully, it wound up not being too much of an issue. After about 20 minutes (give or take) we started to pull away from the gate. The captain came back on and told us that we would make up the time in the air and should arrive as scheduled.

After a couple of hours I started to see the water below and eventually the Keys. The excitement started to build as we neared Key West. I am always excited to return to my happy place especially that we were also joining our good friends Brent and Julie once again along with Lynn and Alan. 

The plane touched down just before 1pm and I noticed the progression of the airport construction. It was 6 months since the last time we visited Key West. At first I thought that maybe we would actually be able to go in to the new section of the airport, but then I saw the outdoor walkway being moved toward the exit door. I did hear that possibly by April that the airport would be completed to the point that it would be able to accept arrivals in the new terminal building. I think it is that the much needed airport expansion is a no brainer due to all the flights that come and go now into Key West, but I know I will miss that feeling of when you stop off the plane and walk the tarmac to the baggage claim area. 

As soon as we departed the plane, I could immediately feel the warm air and humidity. It was a beautiful day as the sun was shining above. We made the long walk around all of the construction to the baggage claim area. Like usual, we only had carry-on so we bypassed the baggage clain carousel and walked back out through the doors to catch a taxi. No one else was waiting, so we were told to go to the first taxi waiting in line. My husband told him that we were going to the Gardens Hotel (where else would it be?).

Like the previous 30+ times visiting Key West, we were returning to the Gardens Hotel. The only reason I can remember how many times we have stayed there, is due to my previous trip reports on my blog, otherwise I couldn’t keep track anymore – honestly. My husband and I just adore the Gardens Hotel. It always feels like we are returning home if you will. We truly love the place and can’t say enough how much we both look forward staying there each and every visit. 

You can read my review of the Gardens Hotel here: https://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowUserReviews-g34345-d227346-r992874055-The_Gardens_Hotel-Key_West_Florida_Keys_Florida.html

The drive from the airport to Old Town always makes me happy. I love seeing the water along A1A which I just saw on Google Maps has changed to “Jimmy Buffett Memorial Highway”? I thought that was pretty amazing. I texted our friend Julie that we were on our way. It wasn’t too long before I could see the usual yellow cement wall that encompasses the Gardens Hotel property. 

Our taxi driver pulled up to the entrance and we grabbed our luggage. We walked up the stairs into the main building to check in.

No one was in the room, but once we sat down the receptionist Rhoda appeared through the door. She welcomed us back and checked us in within minutes, since we know the lay of the land by now. Our room was ready and she handed us our keys. We thanked her and wheeled our luggage back out to the pool area where Brent and Julie were waiting for us.

We gave each other big hugs and grabbed a couple of seats at the bar. I knew we had to unpack but just one beer I thought to myself before we go ahead and get settled in. Portia was behind the bar who also welcomed us back with hugs. After a few photos capturing our reunion we enjoyed a cold beverage. I didn’t want to move at that point, but both my husband and I took our luggage to our room to unpack our things. When we opened the door to our room, I saw a couple bottles of liquor left from previous guests who happened to be friends of ours. I thought that was so nice of them. 

It didn’t take us too much time to unpack our things and replace our socks and sneakers with flip flops (I always love that feeling). We headed back to the pool bar area where we saw the other bartender Phil. My husband and I went ahead and ordered another round and then our other friends Lynn and Al arrived. Their flight landed about an hour after ours. All of a sudden it was a reunion celebration of all sorts.

We spent the afternoon catching up while enjoying the wonderful weather. 

Then I noticed that the staff was moving tables around. I totally forgot that it there was jazz that evening. (The last time we were there in July, there wasn’t any jazz on Sundays since they take a break during the summer months.)

We wound up grabbing our things and moved over to the gazebo that overlooks the pool. It was the perfect vantage point to enjoy jazz and watch all the people arriving. 

All of us were starting to get hungry. Plus some of us wanted to catch some of the NFL playoffs (like me). Everyone agreed to go to Kaya since it is both conveniently located in close proximity to the Gardens and they have many TV screens to watch live sports. It’s a win win. When we walked down Angela St. on to Duval, I noticed there was more of a breeze then when we first arrived at the Gardens. 

We walked in and the place was packed. There wasn’t an empty table within sight. We walked past the bar into another room where there was a second bar and additional tables. The manager of Kaya approached us and asked us how many people were in our party. My husband told him that there was six of us and we could sit wherever he could fit us. Within minutes he had his staff pulling together a couple of tables and we were seated. I couldn’t believe how quickly they were able to accommodate us.

Once we sat down, I had to order one of their signature mai tai’s. While everyone was looking over the menus I checked the tv screens and saw that the Bills and Ravens were tied. Normally at home, my husband and I would be glued to the tv watching football, but we were back in Key West enjoying a fun night. 

My husband and I went ahead and shared the ahi tuna nachos which I always enjoy. He also went with an old reliable dish that we both tend to order, the rasta pasta with chicken as his choice of protein. I felt like a fish sandwich with fries. So I ordered the fried mahi mahi sandwich. Even though the place was packed with both tourists and football fanatics alike, we didn’t wait too long for our first courses to be served. The nachos were delicious. I only wished that we each ordered our own. Then our main courses arrived and I couldn’t have been happier. The grouper was both delicious and crispy. My husband enjoyed his rasta pasta (which was now served with a spiral pasta instead of the regular linguine/spaghetti noodles). He loved it nevertheless. In fact everyone enjoyed their meals.

After dinner we made the short walk back to the Gardens. Jazz was over so we had the place to ourselves. We all went back to the gazebo to enjoy a nightcap. While we were sitting there, you could feel the temperature dropping and the wind picking up. I thought to myself that is it for the warm weather. I was hoping I was wrong, but unfortunately I was right. 

Monday, January 20 – Cold Front Moves In – Azur, Hogs Breath, The Square Grouper

I checked (again) the weather right before turning in and I saw that the cold front would be moving in by the morning. Knowing that bit of info, there was no reason to get up early, so sleeping in was the plan. I eventually woke up and noticed there was no sun shining through the windows. I opened our door and it was so cold and raining. It was such a deflating feeling. Havine breakfast at La Te Da like we usually do our first morning in Key West, was definitely out of the equation. After I took a quick shower, my husband followed suite and we met up with Brent and Julie outside. I suggested going to Azur for breakfast since their service tends to be on the slower side and we were in no hurry that morning.

I was craving Cuban Coffee Queen first, so my husband and I grabbed a couple of umbrellas at the Gardens and told Brent and Julie we would meet them back in a few. We made the short walk across Angela St. towards Cuban Coffee Queen through the back of the Firehouse parking lot. When we neared the small lane to Cuban Coffee Queen, my husband almost bumped into a tall gentlemen wearing a suit. He said excuse me, and then we realized it was a friend of ours Kokomo Joe. He was in town on business for a few days. We hugged hello and he walked with us in to Cuban Coffee Queen (where he was just coming from). While we waited on line, we chatted for a few. (Joe used to live in Key West several years ago. We met him a while back at the Galleon Sunset Tiki Bar. Then throughout our visits to Key West, we would meet up for coffee at Cuban Coffee Queen in the mornings.) He told us he was only in town until the next morning, but he asked us if we were going to see Zack Seemiller later that afternoon at the Hogs Breath. We told him we would probably head over there around 1pm. We made tentative plans to meet up later and then he was on his way.

With our Cuban American Coffees in hand, we walked back to the Gardens to grab an Uber to take with Brent and Julie over to Azur. We also ran into Lynn and Al who were enjoying the breakfast at the Gardens out of the rain. The Gardens has a wonderful breakfast, but I enjoy going out for breakfast since we tend to skip lunch. 

I went on the Uber app and plugged in our coordinates. Within minutes our Uber showed up and we piled in. The rain had subsided a bit, but no one felt like walking – plus it was cold. We arrived at Azur and walked in. It was fairly quiet and we were seated at a nice table inside.

To start my husband I ordered a couple of screwdrivers, while Brent and Julie ordered a couple of mimosas. The weather wasn’t what I had hoped for, but we were still in my happy place with great friends. 

There are so many things on the menu to choose from at Azur that it was so hard to decide what to order. I finally chose one of their frittatas. I picked the four cheese and egg white frittata with fresh avocado. My husband went with the traditional breakfast route – two eggs over medium and bacon. Brent ordered an omelet, while Julie ordered the granola and yogurt with fresh berries.

While we were waiting for our orders, we talked about our plans for the day. I mentioned that I wanted to see Zack that afternoon at Hogs Breath, but besides that, everything was up in the air. Brent and Julie decided that they were going to go back to the Gardens after breakfast and then meet up with us later on. 

Our breakfast arrived and it was tasty. I really enjoyed the avocado on top of the frittata. I noticed that for Julie’s order, they served the yogurt, berries and granola separately with a bowl. This way you can add as much as you want. I thought that was a pretty clever way to serve it. (Note to self, if I am in the mood for that order it next time.)

You can read my review of Azur here: https://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowUserReviews-g34345-d788388-r992202557-Azur_Restaurant-Key_West_Florida_Keys_Florida.html

Once we were done, we all wound up walking back to the Gardens to regroup before heading back out for the day. The rain had stopped for the moment so the timing was perfect. Right before we were going to make our move, we ran into Lynn and Al again. We told them that we were going to walk around and then head on over to Hogs Breath. They were going to walk around as well and mentioned that they would see us later.

Even though it wasn’t a great day weather wise, I wanted to go to the Galleon Tiki Bar to see the water. We hadn’t walked down Duval yet so it was time to do so. The streets weren’t very busy and then I realized it was a holiday – MLK day.  At least we didn’t have to dodge a lot of slow people walking in front of us which tends to happen, but we do like to walk at a quick pace. 

First we wanted to make a detour and check out the progress of the new Smokin’ Tuna location. We walked down Charles St. and made the turn and saw the lot. There wasn’t much progress besides the bar and areas of fake green grass since the last time we saw the property back in July. I did notice they transferred the name plate badges on the back wall. Maybe ours made the wall? Other then that I couldn’t see it being completed anytime soon. Honestly I don’t know how it is going to work with such a small area? 

We walked down Front St. and the water didn’t look too friendly. No one is going out on the water that’s for sure I thought to myself. We walked along the boardwalk and made it to the Sunset Tiki Bar. 

There were only a couple of people there so we were able to sit at our regular seats. The plastic tarps were down on the far end which helped block the wind. We ordered a couple of drinks from the bartender, then the owner Phil showed up as always and welcomed us back. We enjoyed a couple of beverages and conversation before moving on to our next stop.

And our next stop was Hogs Breath. I had a feeling that it was going to be crowded since no one was going out on the water. Sure enough when we walked in, there were no seats at the bar available. 

I received a text from Julie telling us that they would be on their way soon and would probably order something to eat. So instead of sitting at the bar (which there were no seats open anyway) we asked the hostess for a table. While we were about to sit down, Joe showed up. Talk about perfect timing.

We wound up sitting at a table near the bar, but not in a great view to see Zack. I gave him a wave hello as we settled at our table. 

Our server came up to our table and we ordered a round of beer. As we were talking and enjoying the music Brent and Julie showed up. We grabbed a couple of seats for them and managed to fit comfortably around the table. It was a fun afternoon hanging out and listening to the music. Joe had to head out and as he left, Lynn and Al showed up. We shifted a couple of chairs once more and stayed a bit longer.

After Zack’s set was over, we headed back to the Gardens. Once we made it back to the Gardens, we saw that Al was working behind the pool bar. He had been out of work for a while due to an accident, but luckily he was okay and back. It was good to see him and we chatted for a bit. 

We started to talk about the new Square Grouper that recently opened up in the old Off the Hook location. He told us that he did indeed tried it and said it was great. We had no dinner plans that night and thought why not give it a try? Unfortunately, they don’t take reservations so there would most likely be a wait. We didn’t mind, so we made the decision to go to the Square Grouper for dinner. Brent and Julie also wanted to try it so we grabbed an Uber to head back out.

When we arrived, there were people standing outside. My husband went in and put our name down. The hostess said that it was going to be about a 30 minute wait. Great I thought, but they offered drink service outside while you wait. How fun I thought! So while were waiting, a server came out and took our drink order.

Probably 20 minutes or so passed and then our name was called. We walked in and the place looked a bit different then when it was Off the Hook. We were seated at a table in the front room. 

To start my husband and I shared the fried calamari, while Brent and Julie ordered the fish dip. I had to try their grouper sandwich since we were at the Square Grouper after all. My husband opted for the burger while Brent and Julie ordered one of their other fish entrees. (I can’t remember exactly what they had). When our appetizers came out I was starving. The fried calamari was delicious – crispy and not greasy. I tried the fish dip that Julie ordered and it was terrific. I could have eaten the entire thing.

Even though it was crowded we didn’t wait long for our main meals to come out. My grouper sandwich hit the spot and my husband’s burger looked amazing. Everyone thoroughly enjoyed what they ordered. We would definitely come back and plus the prices are fairly reasonable as well which is always a plus in my book.

After dinner Brent and Julie headed back to the Gardens while my husband and I wanted to check out the Green Parrot. We told them that we would meet up in the morning for breakfast. When we made it to the Green Parrot it was packed. There wasn’t even a place to stand. I wasn’t sure who was playing that night but I knew that the Mile 0 festival was starting the so it could have been a band from that? I couldn’t tell.

Since the Green Parrot was off the table, we walked back down to Duval and saw that Tony Baltimore was playing at Willie T’s. It was crowded as well, but we managed to get a couple of seats at the bar. We listened to a couple of songs and then it was the end of his set. Just as well because I was getting tired. After saying our hellos to Tony we walked back to the Gardens to call it a night. 

Tuesday, January 21 – A Little Nice Weather Reprieve – La Te Da, The Bali Bar, Latitudes

When we woke up there still was no sunlight shining into our room. This time my husband beat me to the shower. After he freshened up, he checked outside and said that it didn’t feel as cold as the day before. With that bit of knowledge, I quickly hopped in the shower to get ready.

Once we were all set for the day, we met up with Brent and Julie and discussed where to eat. Since the wind had subsided Julie suggested that we could give La Te Da a try. It sounded perfect, but first my husband and I had to make the quick walk to Cuban Coffee Queen. When we returned, the weather was indeed improving. We figured that we would walk down Duval instead of using an Uber. When we made the turn onto Duval, the streets were quiet.

Probably a lot of the tourists that were down for the holiday weekend had left, but then again it was the start of the Mile 0 Festival. 

We arrived at La Te Da and there were only a handful of people sitting at the bar. Our two favorite tables that are located right behind the hostess table, were open. Julie asked the hostess if we could sit at the two tables and she nodded. When we sat down the bartender came over and handed us menus and took our drink order. I couldn’t believe that it was starting to feel warm. Then all of a sudden the sun started to peak out. When the bartender came back with our drinks we placed our breakfast order. 

While we were enjoying the breaks of sun, we noticed people walking along Duval. Some were wearing cowboy hats and whatnot. So it looked like people were arriving for the Mile 0 Festival. 

Soon our breakfast orders arrived and it was time to dig in. I wound up ordering an omelet with swiss cheese, spinach and mushrooms.

My husband ordered the eggs benedict blackstone which is his favorite. I have ordered it before with the ham being replaced by breaded and fried slices of tomato. It is quite tasty. 

We all enjoyed our meal and then it was time to walk back to the Gardens and decide what to do for the day.

As we walked down Duval you could feel the warmth of the sun. It was going to be a nice day which was welcomed after the weather we experienced the day before. 

After a quick stop at the Gardens my husband and I headed back out for the day while Brent and Julie stayed at the Gardens. 

We wanted to try a new place, but had no idea where to go. So without a plan we walked back down Duval St. While we were walking I noticed there was a sign out on the sidewalk pointing down this little alley way that read “The Bali Bar”. 

What is that I thought? I looked down and could make out what appeared to be a large bar covered by a palapa. I called to my husband and pointed at the sign. We could see that there was a light on and it looked open, so we walked down the alley way. There were two girls behind the bar that were finishing setting up. What appeared to be the manager/owner was sitting at the bar doing paperwork and welcomed us to sit down.

I went ahead and ordered a mango mojito while my husband ordered a Titos and soda. We chatted with the manager for a few who was coincidentally from New Jersey. He told us that they opened up about 3 months ago. It used to be the old Casa 325 Hotel and now it is called the Key West Hotel. They have 6 rooms in the front building on Duval and additional rooms in the building behind the bar. I took a peak and they also have a pool.

It was a cute place. 

You are just a couple steps off of Duval, but when you sit at the bar you would never guess it. The manager/owner also mentioned that they have live entertainment starting at 7pm. We thought that we should check it out later and bring Brent and Julie along.

We finished our drinks and continued to walk down Duval. I then saw that Terri was working at the Tree Bar. We grabbed a couple of empty seats at the bar and sat down. We enjoyed a couple of Titos and fresh squeezed orange just and talked for a few. 

Julie had made reservations that evening for all of us to go to Latitude’s for dinner. I didn’t think that with the weather we would go, but since the temperature wasn’t too bad and the winds had died down, we decided to give it a go. 

After the Tree Bar and walking around for a bit, we made it back to the Gardens to relax for a few and get ready for dinner. 

When it was nearing the time to catch the water taxi to Latitudes, we met back up with Brent and Julie. Instead of walking we took an Uber to the Opal resort. It was a quick drive and within minutes the Uber driver dropped us off right in front. Then we walked through the Opal Resort towards the pier to catch the water taxi.

While we were walking I noticed the winds were starting to pick back up. Luckily I did have a jacket on over my dress since I didn’t know how the weather was going to be that evening.

Not before long the water taxi showed up and we all loaded in. Even though it wasn’t the warmest weather, there were still plenty of guests headed over to Latitude’s for dinner. 

When we arrived we were seated at a table outside which I was a little concerned about. The server went ahead and lit one of the outside heaters for us since it was getting a bit chilly. As usual Latitude’s doesn’t offer any specials, which is fine, but we have been fortunate enough to dine there quite often and would be open for them to change up the menu a little.

However the one thing I always saw on the menu was the lobster bisque. I would think to myself who orders soup in Key West? Well that evening was the perfect time to do so. Both my husband and I went ahead and ordered the soup with a shot of sherry on the side, which one of the bartender’s at the Gardens Hotel recommended. For my main meal I wound up going with the seared grouper and my husband went with the Key West pink shrimp carbonara. Brent and Julie ordered a couple of salads and the crispy salmon as their main entrees.

I could not wait for the soup to arrive to warm me up. While we were waiting, I walked out to one of the empty tables in the sand. I was hoping that my husband and I could get a picture together as the sun was starting to set.  

One of the servers offered to take our photo and wound up taking a lot of pictures. It was very kind of him and we did manage to get a couple of keepers.

When we walked back to our table our soup was served. It was delicious – especially with the shot of sherry poured over. The soup was full of lobster flavor and warmed me right up. Then our main meals arrived. My grouper was good, but it didn’t blow me away. I went ahead and tasted the carbonara my husband ordered and it was amazing. I should have ordered that instead. 

As the sun fell behind the clouds, all of the holiday lights that were still on display at Latitudes came on.

It was so magical and beautiful that it made me so happy that we did go to Latitude’s that evening. When we were done with our meal, we walked back down to the dock to take the water taxi back.

When we got back to the main land, my husband and I suggested to Brent and Julie that we could check out the Bali Bar. We strolled back onto Duval and down to the Bali Bar (the entrance is located right next to the Key West Women’s Club building). 

We walked in and the place more people there, then when we stumbled upon it earlier that day. A young gentlemen was playing guitar while we sat down at one of the empty tables. My husband and Brent walked on over to the bar and ordered us a round of drinks. While we were enjoying the music, the winds started to picked up even more. Here comes that arctic blast that was supposedly going to take over most of the country. Even though it was starting to get chilly it was still a fun night.

When the music ended, we trelked back down towards the Gardens. As we passed Rick’s we saw that Just George was playing. I also had to make a pit stop, so I walked in with Brent and made a beeline to the restrooms. When I came back out, Brent was talking to George and I said hello. He was mentioning to us that for the Mile 0 Festival, he and the band (Caffeine Carl) would be playing the next night at the Backyard Bar (which is located at the back of Kaya Island Eats). We told him that we would check it out.

Then we wound up walking near the Green Parrot. Since we couldn’t get in the night before I suggested that we could try again. Brent and Julie decided to go back to the Gardens so we said good night. When we walked in, the Green Parrot was packed, however I noticed there were two seats available at the bar. I couldn’t believe it. We sat down and ordered a couple of beers.

There was a great band playing most likely part of the Mile 0 Festival. 

I was getting tired so we didn’t stay too long, but long enough to enjoy a couple of tunes. We headed back to the Gardens to turn in for the night.

Wednesday, January 22 – Cold and Windy Day – Bagatelle, The Sunset Tiki Bar, The Backyard Bar

As it was nearing the time to get up, I could hear the winds ripping outside. I didn’t have a good feeling about the weather. After my husband freshened up, it was my turn. Before I did, I opened the door and couldn’t believe how cold it was. This is Key West?

I made sure to wear leggings and sneakers. There was no way I was going to walk around in shorts. My husband was braver then me as he grabbed a pair of shorts to wear. Since the weather wasn’t ideal to eat outdoors we thought about going to Bagatelle for breakfast. I felt like walking instead of taking an Uber. So after we grabbed our coffee at Cuban Coffee Queen, we met up with Brent and Julie.

It was a chilly morning no doubt. As we ventured down Duval the winds seemed to pick up. I didn’t think it would be that windy. We all noticed that the street were nearly empty. I think we were the only ones walking down Duval. 

We made it to Bagatelle and it was obviously too cold to sit outside. They did had the tarps down along the balconies to protect the outside seating area from the wind, but no one took the bait. When we were met with the hostess, we told her we would like to sit inside preferably upstairs. She escorted us up the stairs where we were seating at one of the 4-tops inside. I don’t think I had ever eaten at Bagatelle inside. 

To start we all ordered a cocktail. I remembered how I enjoyed their red sangria in the past so I went ahead and ordered a glass. Like the day before I ordered an omelet while my husband had the American classic of two over medium eggs. Brent and Julie ordered the veggie omelet. While we were waiting for our breakfast to arrive I looked at my phone. I couldn’t believe it when I saw that it said 61 degrees with real feel of 46 degrees – yes 46 degrees. It said that the 36 mph winds were making it feel colder. No wonder why there was no one walking down Duval St. except us. For some reason when it is below 70 degrees in Key West, it feels colder then it actually is. I think it may have to do with the dampness in the air being by the water.

We didn’t have to wait too long for our breakfast to be served. As usual the breakfast at Bagatelle didn’t disappoint. Everyone enjoyed what they ordered. After breakfast since we were already close to Front St. we walked down to the Galleon Sunset Tiki Bar. Brent and Julie hadn’t been there yet so we thought it would be a perfect time to check it out.

We walked down Front St. to the end where we walked onto the boardwalk. As we maneuvered down, the wind became so strong and it was extremely uncomfortable. 

Once we got the Sunset Tiki Bar at the Galleon we had some relief from the wind, because like Bagatelle, they had the tarps down and a few heaters on. 

Ramsey was working behind the bar and we said hello. She was in the process of putting together hot apple cider which I never thought I would see the day. It was tempting to order one, but I stuck to our usual cold drink of sweet tea and water. When we were done with our drinks we said goodbye to Ramsey and walked back towards Front St. At least leaving you can walk through the parking lot. No one wanted to walk the way we came in along the water. That was not fun.

Brent and Julie wanted to head back to the Gardens for the afternoon so we said we would meet up with them later.  We walked around for a bit before landing at the Surly Siren. We walked up the stairs and inside to sit at the bar. There were a couple of people already sitting at the bar so we weren’t the only ones. The bartender asked us what we wanted and I thought that a margarita sounded good. Little did I know they actually won an award for the best margarita. 

When the bartender served me the drink I could see why. It was tasty and not made with sour mix which I am not a fan of. My husband had a regular vodka and soda. While we were trying to warm back up we chatted with the owner for a bit. She was trying out other margarita recipes and gave us each a sample as she came up with a new concoction. They were all very good.

Our next stop was The Bull. We normally don’t patronize the Bull, but it looked inviting since it was indoors for the most part. We walked in and grabbed a couple of seats at the bar. The bartender behind the bar named Lou was a real hoot. The Bull is a great place to watch all the people walk along Duval. I don’t think there was one person wearing shorts that I saw. My husband was definitely second guessing his choice of apparel that day.

When we were done with our drinks we walked back down Duval towards the Gardens. I realized it was Wednesday and that Zack Seemiller would be playing at Willie T’s. I didn’t think it would be too crowded because of the weather. I mentioned it to my husband and we decided to stop in. We walked in and it was packed.   I guess everyone had the same idea as us. We walked up to the bar and my husband ordered us a couple of drinks. While we were waiting I noticed a couple of seats opened up around the bar. We waved our hellos to Zack before sitting down around the side of the bar. 

After listening to Zack for a bit we made our next move – back to the Gardens. We still weren’t exactly sure where we were going to eat that evening so figured that we could meet back up with Brent and Julie to see what they were doing. 

When we got back Brent and Julie were at the pool bar, along with Lynn and Al. We talked about how cold it was but not nearly as cold as it was back up in NJ. Since we found out that Just George and Caffeine Carl were going to be playing at the Backyard Bar that evening, it was a no brainer. We planned to go back to Kaya Island Eats for dinner. That way we could check out the Backyard Bar after dinner. 

Once everyone was ready we made the short walk down to Kaya. 

This time when we walked in, it wasn’t as nearly crowded as it was on Sunday night. Most likely since there weren’t any NFL playoff games going on.  We were seated at a similar table like last time by the bar. This time I was in the mood for the rasta pasta. They also had the buffalo cauliflower appetizer which I have had in the past that I ordered and then for my main course I went with the rasta pasta with portabello mushrooms. My husband ordered it as well, but with chicken. 

Similar to a couple of nights before, our food was served to us in a timely manner. The appetizer was tasty and so was the rasta pasta. I do prefer the regular spaghetti noodles that they used to serve with the rasta pasta verses the curly pasta. 

You can read my review of Kaya Island Eats here: https://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowUserReviews-g34345-d23162562-r992202331-Kaya_island_Eats-Key_West_Florida_Keys_Florida.html

When we were done our dinner, we headed towards the back of Kaya which lead us to the Backyard Bar.

When we were done our dinner, we headed towards the back of Kaya which lead us to the Backyard Bar. There were a bunch of people at the bar so we opted to grab a couple of seats along the side of where the stage/dance floor area was set up. Caffeine Carl, George and the rest of the band just arrived as well as they were setting up. We walked up to them to say hello. Then I noticed back at the bar Erin was tending the bar. I made sure I ran over to her and give her a hug hello. It almost felt like the Smokin’ Tuna was sort of back. 

Not before long the band started playing and it was great to hear them again. At one point George mentioned how it was the first time that all of them are playing together since the Smokin’ Tuna closed down 9 months ago. I couldn’t believe it and how we were lucky enough to catch them during our stay in Key West.

You can see a video of the band here: https://youtu.be/qLjMZR4Z5p8

While we were listening to the band, Lynn and Al showed up. We all wound up staying until they were done. They only played a couple of hours since there was another band after them for the Mile 0 Festival. I heard Carl mentioning that they would be back with Zack at 5:30pm the next night. I was kind of bummed because I knew Julie made dinner reservations for us at 6pm at Lola’s. 

We said goodbye to everyone and made it back to the Garden’s. When we got back to our room we had a little visitor, Lucy, the Garden’s Hotel resident kitty. She was quite cold (like us) so we let her in our room to warm up. She wound up sleeping with us (well right at my husband’s feet) all night. Eventually around 6:00am she woke us up meowing to go outside (assuming she probably had to use the restroom). 

Thursday, January 23 – Another Cold Day – Breakfast Club Too, Back to the Bali Bar, Lola’s

We woke up to another cloudy and cold day. This time my husband made sure to wear pants instead of shorts for the day. After we freshened up we joined Brent and Julie by the coffee station at the Gardens. Lynn and Al were also at one of the tables enjoying the Gardens breakfast. The Gardens offers a great breakfast for all guests, but as I mentioned prior we like to eat out for breakfast since we tend to pass on lunch. 

The breakfast place of choice that we all settled upon was Breakfast Club Too. Since it was another cold morning, we opted for an Uber (especially after our experience walking down Duval the other day in the wind to Bagatelle). As usual with Uber in Key West as soon as I hit send on the app, the driver was in front of the Gardens Hotel within minutes. We all hopped in and soon we were on our way to the Breakfast Club Too. 

We must have hit it right because when we arrived there wasn’t a wait. The hostess seated us at a table along the wall. I knew ahead of time I was going to order their grits served with melty cheese on top. I love their grits. Our server came over and took our drink order. When she came back, I ordered a couple of eggs over medium with grits instead of the usual breakfast potatoes. My husband ordered eggs benedict. Last time we were there he ordered the croque madame and it was enormous. Generally speaking, the portions at Breakfast Club Too are quite generous for the most part.

When our breakfast was served, I could not wait to dig in to the grits. They were just as I remembered – cheesy and delicious. Brent and Julie wound up sharing an omelet order and a side of grits. My husband enjoyed his eggs benedict. Once everyone was done, we headed back on to Front St. As we were exciting the restaurant, we noticed there were many people outside waiting to be seated. I guess we timed that right.

You can read my review of Breakfast Club Too here: https://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowUserReviews-g34345-d13526247-r992203967-The_Breakfast_Club_Too-Key_West_Florida_Keys_Florida.html

Since we were right near the Bight, there was no hesitation where to go next – yes the Sunset Tiki Bar at the Galleon. 

We walked along the water once again. It was still chilly, but not nearly as windy as it was the day before. As we were walking closer to the Tiki Bar, the skies started to reveal some shades of blue. I started to get excited about the potential of it becoming a beautiful day.

We walked in and grabbed a couple of seats next to one of the heaters they had on. While waiting for our drinks, I went back out to the boardwalk to take a couple of pictures capturing the blue sky and sun, since we had not seen much of it for the past couple of days. 

While we were enjoying our drinks,  Julie reminded us that we had dinner reservations that evening at 6pm. I was excited to go, but at the same time I wanted to catch Zack with Caffeine Carl at the Backyard bar, but with them playing from 5-7pm I knew it was out of the question. Well hopefully we could catch them the next night for our last night in Key West.

After we finished our drinks, we made it back out on to Front St. Brent and Julie decided to head back to the Gardens. They wound up walking down Simonton, while we wound up heading down towards Captain Tony’s. We checked to see if Gabriel Wright was playing, but no such luck. (So bummed that he and his wife Kim are moving to St. Martin, but wish them the best of luck.) Anyway, then we saw the little alley way, Telegraph Lane which takes you to the the entrance to the Alamo (the old Smokin’ Tuna). Do we dare check it out? Hmmmm… why not we thought. 

We walked in and it felt so strange to see all the Smokin’ Tuna branding replaced with the Alamo signs. There were several people there and it appeared to be a band (most likely for the Mile 0 festival) setting up on the stage. We sat down at the bar and saw a food menu on the bar, but no drinks. I wasn’t sure what to order when the bartender asked us. Neither was my husband. While we were trying to decide, the bartender told us he would be right back. We both looked at each and said we don’t feel right here, so we bolted out of there. 

We just couldn’t sit there and enjoy ourselves knowing what happened and plus being such huge supporters of the Smokin’ Tuna we didn’t feel right. So we walked back down Charles St. on to Duval.

Then we saw the sign again for the Bali Bar. My husband and I both looked at each other and thought why not?

As we sat down, I felt the temperature start to drop again and the sun retreating. So much for a beautiful day I thought. We ordered a couple of drinks and chatted with the bartenders and a couple of people that were sitting at the bar for a little bit. However, I couldn’t help watching all the news coverage about the cold and snow the south was experience. At least we didn’t have snow in Key West.

Our next course of action was to get back on to Duval and stop in and see Zack again at Willie T’s. We walked in and again the place was crowded. It wasn’t as bad as the other day, but I was still surprised being it is an outdoor place, but somehow it does tend to block the wind – well close to the bar.  

We found a couple seats by the bar where we ordered a couple drinks. I wanted to have some time to relax and freshen up for Lola’s so we didn’t stay too long. We said our goodbyes and walked down to the liquor store located just a few steps down Duval after Angela St. 

I was in charge to pick both a red and white bottle of wine. They did have a good selection of wine to choose from and after perusing the bottles, I found the perfect bottles (or at least that’s what I thought).

We made it back to the Gardens where we ran into Kate, the owner. It was nice to see her as always and we talked for a little bit. And of course say hello to her little dog, Tiny. 

I was getting cold again so changing into a dress was out of the question. So I wound up leaving on what I was wearing for Lola’s (including an insulated jacket and Carhart beanie). When Brent and Julie were ready, we grabbed our bottles of wine that we brought to our room and made the short and convenient walk down Simonton to Lola’s.

I couldn’t believe that there weren’t anyone standing outside, but then we realized we were a few minutes late. It was just after 6pm but it wasn’t a problem. We walked in and we were seated in the front row. Well the front row to watch the chef cook up all his wonderful dishes. I even notieced he had the amuse bouche all ready to go for the first course to all the tables. 

We opened our wine while we waited for the server to tell us what was on the menu for the evening. She rattle off the typical seared scallop appetizer that they are known for, then lamp chops and also their braised artichokes which I have ordered in the past. Then she mentioned several fish options (which would be served over ravoli which I thought was an unusual pairing) for the main dishes as well as filet mignon. 

For some reason the lamb chops sounded good for my first course followed by the salmon. (I normally don’t eat red meat, but once in a while I will make an exception – especially for rack of lamb.) I knew that I can get salmon all the time at home here in NJ, but I was in the mood for it. My husband ordered the seared scallops to start and then of course the filet mignon. Brent and Julie also started with the seared scallops and the filet of pompano I believe. 

When our first courses came out I was second guessing my choice for an appetizer. While the lamb chops looked amazing, the portion was enough for my main meal. I was quite hungry so I powered through them. They were cooked perfectly. As we were enjoying our appetizers my husband poured a glass of the red wine that I picked out. We each took a taste and realized it had a sparkling quality to it – like someone poured club soda in it. Not exactly what we were looking for. It tasted fine, but the bubbles were a bit odd – and it wasn’t sparkling wine. Then we tried the bottle of white wine I picked out. It was so acidic and not to our liking. Thankfully Brent and Julie had a nice bottle of red we were able to enjoy.

There’s usually a bit of a wait between appetizers and the main courses due to the chef cooking for everyone. It was fine to relax and digest our first course. I was looking at the time and it was almost 7pm and I knew that Caffeine Carl and Zack Seemiller were only playing until 7:30pm at the Backyard Bar. Definitely not going to make it. 

Then I checked my phone and saw that the Marshal Morlock Band was playing at General Horseplay that night at 9pm and I always wanted to see them, especially after hearing my company who I work for sponsored them when they were playing at a trade show in Vegas last year. Well that could be an option I thought to myself.

Eventually our main courses were served and I still had some room to dig in. The salmon was delicious and tender. I wasn’t really a fan however, of the ravioli underneath it. I thought it really didn’t pair well. My husband’s filet mignon looked wonderful. It was served over couscous. Again an odd pairing I thought, but he said the filet was delicious. I took a small sample and he was right. Brent and Julie enjoyed their main courses as well. 

You can read my review of Lola’s here: https://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowUserReviews-g34345-d19247202-r992203700-Lola_s_Bistro-Key_West_Florida_Keys_Florida.html

When we were finished we walked back to the Gardens. Brent and Julie decided to stay behind while my husband and I headed out for the evening. Plus it was a good. excuse to walk off some of the food we just ingested. I looked at the time and it was a little before 8pm. It was too early to go to General Horseplay, so we walked down Duval and back to the Surley Siren. When we walked in there wasn’t any entertainment going on, but there were a few people at the bar. The bartender behind the bar ironically was from Minnesota (the company I work for is based in Minnesota and ironically have to go to this spring). It was nice to pop in for a drink and try to warm up after the walk down Duval and to Whitehead St. . 

Then it was just about 9pm so we finished our beverages and walked down to General Horseplay. Along the way we passed the sad looking new Smokin’ Tuna lot. I really hope they can pull it off, but then again if not the Backyard Bar seems like the perfect replacement? I am not sure about all the logistics regarding the Smokin’ Tuna musicians and the Backyard Bar but it seems like a no brainer to me never the less.

When we arrived at General Horseplay there were a bunch of people sitting in the back by the stage. The Marshal Morlock band was already in full swing. We walked around to a small bar that was set up out in the back and ordered a couple of drinks (at this point I really didn’t need any more, but I just mainly held the drink in my hand). I found a little table along the wall where I could sit. My husband stood near me since there really wasn’t any other options to sit down.

We enjoyed the entertainment especially when they performed Crasy by Dave Matthew’s Band. Normally you don’t hear bands cover DMB. I can see why the Marshal Morlock band has a following. They were a lot of fun to watch.

You can watch a video of them here: https://youtu.be/OZENujjlPi8

When they went on break we both realized we should head back to the Gardens – plus I was freezing. However, first we stopped back at the Backyard Bar. It was some band again playing from the Mile 0 Festival. Funny, we ran into Big Ed who was there watching the band play. We didn’t stay long though.

We made the walk back to the Gardens. I could not wait to get to sleep and warm up.

Friday, January 24 – Still Cold – The Saint, One Last Stop at the Sunset Tiki Bar, The Flaming Buoy

We woke up again to another chilly cloudy morning. Knowing it was our last full day in Key West, I felt like going to the Saint for breakfast. Brent and Julie have never been there and I thought it was again a nice “indoor” place to have breakfast. 

We freshened up and we met up once again with Brent and Julie. Before exciting the Gardens we ran into Lynn and Al enjoying breakfast at the Gardens. We joked about how maybe today it would warm up and we would see the sun. I looked at my phone and saw that it was going to warm back up, but of course on Sunday – the day after we leave. 

Even though it was a chilly morning, the winds had subsided so we walked down Duval. It isn’t a very long walk to the Saint located on Eaton St. We walked along Duval noticing more people coming in for the weekend. Inside I was so jealous. They are going to get warm weather if they are here for the next several days.

We made it to the Saint and when we walked into the restaurant, there was a table perfect for 4 open by the end of the bar. What luck! Usually my husband and I like to eat at the bar at the Saint, but with the 4 of us it would be easier to eat at a table. 

Once we sat down, the bartender came over and handed us menus and took our drink order. I was debating as to whether or not to go for the eggs benedict, but I decided to go with the standard two egg breakfast. While we were waiting for our breakfast to arrive, more and more guests would come and go. It turned out there was a self serve breakfast station at the end of the bar for the hotel guests staying there. Most of the guests were wearing outfits with a western flare. I figured that they were there for the Mile 0 Festival which was ending the next day.

Our breakfast and I thought my eggs were a little on the cooler side. All well – I still ate everything on my plate. When we were done, we made the walk towards Front St. and back down to the Sunset Tiki Bar at the Galleon for one last drink. I remembered that our friend Ramsey was working so I wanted to be sure to see her before we left.

This time walking down along the water, the winds were minimal that day and the sun was out. 

We walked in and sure enough Ramsey was working. We grabbed a couple of seats at the corner of the bar and ordered our drinks.

We talked for a bit before saying our goodbyes. Since we were leaving the next day, my husband suggested that we should go back to the Gardens to pack up our things. Plus we had the Gardens send out our laundry the other day that was brought back that was still sitting in a bag in a corner in our room. Oh how I hate packing when it is time to go, but I would rather just get it over with.

We walked back to the Gardens and went to our room where our laundry bag was waiting for us. In a way it made it easier to pack up most of our things since the clothes were folded up neatly in the bag. With mostly everything packed away in our luggage (besides what we were wearing for the plane the next day) we met up with Brent and Julie at the pool bar. Soon Lynn and Al joined us. It was kind of like how our trip started except with the cold weather and the thought of leaving tomorrow was on my mind. 

As we tried to stay warm near the heater that was set up right next to us (thank you bartender Phil), we contemplated where to have dinner that evening. While I was looking, I noticed I had a message on my phone from Zack that I missed from earlier. When I opened the message he said that he was playing with Caffeine Carl and the band that night at the Backyard Bar. I was so excited, but then I saw that they weren’t going to start until 10:30pm. 10:30?? No way am I going to be able to stay up for that? I guess we could try I thought to myself after all it is our last night. 

Then I went back to do a little searching on my phone to see where we could eat. I thought maybe Red Shoe Bistro. I used the Open Table app and no tables were available (which I figured since they generally just do the two seatings and it is a small place). Next option was maybe back to Kaya? I really wanted to try something new. Well not necessarily new, but some place we had not been to in a while. Then the Flaming Buoy came to mind. My husband and I hadn’t been there since they moved to the Eaton St. location. I tried the app on my phone and it said that there weren’t any tables available. Then I thought maybe I should just try calling them. When the gentleman answered the phone I asked him about availability for a table of 4. I mentioned 6 and then he counter offered with 6:30pm. Perfect I told him! So we were all set for dinner that night.

I quickly retreated to our room to freshen up a little and my husband did the same. When we were all ready to go, we made the short walk to Eaton St. (Ironically we were on Eaton St. earlier that morning to go to the Saint, but the Flaming Buoy is located on the other side of Duval.)

We walked in and the place was crowded, but I did see one table empty. That must be ours I thought. The hostess asked us our name and once we told him he seated us at a table kind of in the center of the restaurant. It was cozy and I loved looking around since I had never been there before. I noticed right away all of the Star Wars themed decor. It was quite interesting but fun at the same time.

We decided to share a bottle of wine (since it is a beer and wine only establishment). I looked at the wine list and picked a not too expensive bottle of red. I believe it was a malbec? The server came back over and I tasted the wine. It was delicious.

The next order of business was ordering our dinner. I wound up choosing the caesar salad to start, followed by the lobster thermidor. My husband select the trio they have for an appetizer that consists of mac and cheese, grilled shrimp and a caprese salad. I thought wow that’s a lot of food to start with. Then he went out of his comfort zone (steak) and ordered the chicken and waffles.

The appetizers arrived and my caesar salad was just what I was in the mood for. It was well dressed and refreshing. And when I looked at my husband’s trio, it wasn’t that large. There were 3 little or somewhat little bowls containing each item.

Then our main dishes arrived and my lobster thermidor was presented in a way I wasn’t expecting. It was still delicious don’t get me wrong, but I was expecting a rich sauce over the lobster tail. In a way it was probably better for me without the richness of a cream/ butter sauce. My husband enjoyed his chicken and waffles, (he said the chicken was a little dry) but I think he would have been happier with the filet mignon.

You can read my review of The Flaming Buoy here: https://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowUserReviews-g34345-d1580331-r992202811-The_Flaming_Buoy_Filet_Co-Key_West_Florida_Keys_Florida.html

Everyone was too full to have dessert so we asked for the check when we were done. We walked back out onto Duval. It wasn’t that late – maybe around 9pm or so. As we walked near La Concha (which is now completely redone and has a pinkish coral facade), my husband suggested we check out the mojito bar. It was a great idea since I had to use the restroom anyway.

We walked in and it was beautiful and expansive. It did feel a bit cold in there though, maybe because there weren’t may people inside?

My husband went up to the bartender and ordered us each some sort of cocktail off the menu that we all selected. Not really being able to warm up inside we finished our drinks and headed back to the Gardens. At this point it was around 10:00pm and I was done. I knew with the travel day to follow I just didn’t have it in me to go the Backyard Bar even though I wanted to.

So we made the left hand turn back down Angela St. to the Gardens. As we neared the entrance to the Gardens we saw two familiar faces getting out of a vehicle grabbing guitars. It was Zack and Carl! Talk about timing?! We all hugged and said hello. We told them that we were settling in for the night and they even agreed that they were starting pretty late. After a quick conversation we all went our separate ways. They went one way towards the Backyard Bar and we went the other way, to back to our rooms.

Saturday, January 25 – A Beautiful Day Finally – And We Are Leaving

When I first woke up I could see the sun shining through the windows. Figures I thought.

When I first woke up I could see the sun shining through the windows. Figures I thought. This was the first time during our entire stay it was shining in our room. I almost felt sick to my stomach knowing that the cold front was leaving and so were we.

After my husband and I freshened up, we went through our things and made sure everything was packed away. I also went through the toiletries and tossed anything that we couldn’t bring back home in our carry on bags. 

Our flight wasn’t until 2pm that afternoon so we had time to have a nice breakfast out and about. We met up with Brent and Julie who weren’t leaving until the following day. Since it was a beautiful morning we agreed to walk down Duval back to Bagatelle. This time it won’t be as cold and windy we all thought. Grant it, it was still a little chilly but not nearly as cold as it was just a few days ago. Plus the sun felt so nice and warmed us up.

We walked down Duval and noticed many more people in town for the weekend. We arrived to Bagatelle and the hostess once again sat us upstairs. As I mentioned it was still a little brisk out so we opted to dine indoors again, but there were a few takers outside dining.  Being that it was our last meal if you will in Key West we all ordered screwdrivers when our server came over. She mentioned a few specials while we were looking over the menu. 

To start Julie ordered the glazed bacon for the table.

Then both Brent and Julie ordered the veggie omelet again and I went for the southern eggs benedict. I wasn’t going to be wearing a bathing suit anytime soon, so why not? My husband went with the standard eggs for his order.

As we waited for our breakfast, more and more people were arriving for breakfast. The place was getting quite busy. It was to be expected – it was a Saturday. Our breakfast arrived and I my eggs benedict looked amazing. That will hold me over for a while I thought. They tasted as good as they looked as well. I was so glad I ordered it.

When we were done with our breakfast we walked back to the Gardens to wait for the impending doom of leaving and going to the airport. As we were walking along Duval, we ran into Lynn and Al. It was good timing since we would most likely not seem them again before we left. They were staying a couple days longer, so they would get to experience some warm weather. Good for them I thought. Lynn was on her way to find the best bloody mary. She was sampling different places throughout their stay. I wonder which one was her favorite? I will have to find out. We all said good bye and made our walk back to the Gardens.

We went back to the room and grabbed our luggage. There was still some time before we had to go, so once I checked us out, we relaxed by the pool. Brent and Julie joined us and stayed with us until it was time to go. Those couple of hours felt like eternity.

Then it was that time. We got up and hugged them goodbye and told them we would see them soon. Not later… but soon.

I plugged in our coordinates for the Uber driver and within minutes there he was. We hopped in and soon we were on our way back to the airport. Once he dropped us off we were planning on having a drink at the Conch Flyer before going through securuity since we had some time, but it all depended on the TSA line. Well when we walked through the doors the TSA line was out of control. Even the TSA pre line had a long line. Most likely it was due to the fact many of the people that came for the Mile 0 Festival were leaving, even though technically it wasn’t over until that night.

So relunctantly we wound up going in the TSA pre line. It slowly moved, but it moved faster then the regular TSA line. Eventually we got through security and as always held our breath as we took the escalator down to the departure area. I cannot wait until they have the new airport open. Yes I will miss arriving and walking down the stairs and along the tarmac, but I won’t miss trying to find a place to sit or even stand while waiting to depart.

Luckily we found one of those tables near the bar and food area to stand around. My husband went on line to get us a couple of drinks. I wasn’t really in the mood for anything to drink, but I thought maybe I could have a sip or two. While we were waiting I was getting a kick out of one of the gate agents for one of the airlines announcing the flight to Chicago was boarding. He was imitating a Chicago accent while he was talking and everyone was chuckling while we were waiting. 

Soon it was time for us to walk over to the gate and somehow wait in line to board. We were group one so we tried to move towards the front, but there were so many people already standing there that weren’t even in group one. Most of them however, either had small children or needed extra help. 

After they boarded and the global passengers, etc. our group was finally called. We walked outside and around all the construction to our United flight, which is always the plane furthest away. As we were walking I saw a flight that just arrived with the passengers exciting the plane. I was so jealous with envy. They are going to have such wonderful weather. Good for them though.

Our flight left on time without any delays. It was a pretty uneventful flight which is always a welcomed experience. As we were nearing our arrival into Newark Liberty International Airport I looked down below and saw white. Everything was covered with snow and it looked so cold.

Once we landed, we grabbed our luggage and exited the plane. You could feel the cold temperature walking down the gate into the airport. I don’t think I ever warmed up during this entire trip except our arrival day.

We made it outside to meet up with our driver. The gust of cold air really woke us both up. It took about an hour and soon we were back home. At least we had our kitty waiting for us. (He did hide the entire time while we were away, so when we first came home we had to call him, but within a few minutes he did come out.)

Well this trip wasn’t the most memorable one regarding the weather, but it is usually a gamble visiting Key West in January. Sometimes you can get a warm spell – other times you can get a cold spell. However, this was the most unusual situation with the arctic blast affecting most of the country. Even though we didn’t get a chance to relax in the pool and/or wear our swimsuits, it was still a great time seeing our friends and being back in my happy place regardless.

Thank you as always to take the time to read my blog. It is always appreciated!

….until next time!!