My Mom, cousin Mia, Aunt Denise and Paula (Denise's cousin) went to Key West for our 5th Annual Girls' Weekend. I look forward to this trip every year. I love these ladies and the time we spend together. What a wonderful trip we had!
The first night Paula, my Mom, Denise and I went to dinner at Mangoes while we waited for Mia's delayed flight to get in. We sat outside and started off our ritual of ordering 2-3 main dishes, sides/appetizers, salad and dessert for dinner. And of course a good bottle of wine to share. We picked up Mia and had our first night of catching up, laughing and remembering old memories.
We rented a little one bedroom house right off of Duval Street (famous street where all the action is)
Courtyard outside the house
The first day we went on a trolley bus tour of the city.
Here is a picture of Mile Marker 0!
Mallory Square
I had to get a picture of the rooster and her chickies
We walked around and had lunch
Stopped by Hagen Daz for some ice cream
On the trolley bus
The first night we had dinner at Blue Heaven and sat outside and listened to live music. We really loved the restaurant and had our first experience in Key West with Key Lime Pie. Their key lime pie had meringue on top and the best crust. It was so delicious!
After dinner we went on a walking ghost tour around Key West. It was really interesting listening to all the stories of ghosts and places that were haunted. Surprisingly I was hoping to go into the houses and see the ghosts, but we only walked in front of the house and not inside. We did see a lot of orbs (if interested you can google it) in the pictures I took.
In front of a very special tree
After our tour we stopped by a bar and listened to a band play
Saturday we went to a famous restaurant called Pepe's for lunch. Of course we had to try the key lime pie and it was very good!
It rained all day Saturday so we went to Ernest Hemingway's house and heard all about his life and his many wives.
Ernest wanted to make one of his wives mad so he put a urinal on the property and now the cats (they have 30+ cats back then and now) drink out of it
Ernest Hemingway's House
We had to get a belly picture...
We also stopped by the Audubon House...
Saturday night we went to dinner at Camille's. The decor was all pink on the outside and very colorful on the inside. They had great food and yummy key lime pie.
Several mornings we had breakfast in the courtyard...
Sunday we went to the beach...and saw lots of pretty birds
We stopped by a cute french bistro on Duvall St for a late lunch
The last night we went to Hotel La Concha to watch the sunset, but we actually missed it by about 1 minute because we didn't take into account the clouds. Oh well, it was still a beautiful view of Key West from the top of the hotel.
We went to dinner at Michael's Steakhouse for our final dinner together. We had amazing food, two molten chocolate cakes and of course a key lime pie. Delicious!!!
We walked home that night and stopped by the cemetery so I had to take some pictures
At the front of our little rental house at 921 Center St
The little pool in the courtyard
Here is a poem that we wrote about our time in Key West (By Paula & Mia):
To 921 Center street, the Bonaire suite they go!
The first arrive with luggage in tow
Mia and lil' Lily arriving last
Hard to miss in those orange pants!
While Mia waits, the mosquitos attack
She soon hears giggling girls, arriving in a pack
521 gets them into the gate
The oasis garden and "spa" pool awaits!
Then gifts galore for lil' Lily Bertha, Ruthie, Catherine or Maria?
Perhaps Patronia, aka Petro, Paula or Denise?
Off to bed they go, with a curtain dividing
Ocean sounds roaring when snoring starts rising
Down below the young ones rest
A pull out couch suits them best
Breakfast of pineapple, yogurt and pastries only a day old,
Plans are made for the 4 days yet to unfold
Then they hop to the trolley filled with facts,
Like why porches are blue and how these old houses stay in tact
First stop is Flagler's, his 50 million dollar dream comes true
Until, or course, a hurricane swept through
A 5 hour luncheon with 100 dollars a whirl
Caught just in time to pay that girl!
Back on the trolley, oops we passed by our street,
But mother stays put, a little longer in this heat!
Onward they go with not much else to see,
But at least they arrive with no scrapped knees.
Back at Bonaire showering and primping took some time,
Then off to Blue Heaven to dine
Feather hats and boas, mini-sax and guitar
Their vocal stylings open to the stars
It was the night of their very first key lime pie
Out it came with meringue piled high!
Six ladies in a cab
running late
luckily the ghosts can wait.
Gallows and nooses
a banyan and kapok tree
where the orbs would be.
Robert the doll
shipwreck industry
lots of Key West history.
The Bull we went
more drinks & fun
music and flirting
but now it was time
for readings to be done.
Long white beard and robe
he had a particular glow.
Lives into our 80’s
seeds and peels must be chewed
for the kidney to be renewed.
Running under awnings
escaping the rain
back to 921
the wine awaits.
Thunderous morning
kept us in bed.
Arriving at Pepe’s for breakfast
and getting lunch instead.
The writer’s home filled with
44 polydactyl pets
a surly sailor guide
told us about the 4 wives.
Pauline put in the chandeliers
heating up the already steamy scene.
One museum was not enough
and more ghosts spotting was not going to be tough.
The Audubon museum was the Geiger home
A loud bang in the gallery of birds
had been foretold.
The patrolled march to Camille’s
kept us all safe and walking straight
instead of snapper
it was mahi mahi
discovered too late.
Stopping at CVS
wine and snacks
that kept us up
chatting like yaks.
No salt and no pepper
but put on that cheese
this should tie us over til after 3:00.
Fort Zackery Taylor
wind and birds
pelicans diving and swallow tails soaring
kept us from snoring.
One more meal
then fast Freddies
known for their displays.
We had to head
for public restrooms
before it was too late.
Sunset on the Top
La Concha Hotel
dinner at Michaels
chocolate lava cakes
and key lime pie.
Here we are
soon needing to say goodbye
until next time.
April, 2012
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