For the past 25 years or more December 26th has always been the day "Tourist Season" starts in Key West. Every year I ask myself "If it is Tourist Season" can I shoot them? All kidding aside we couldn't say Tourism is the main business in Key West because Tourism is the ONLY business in Key West. Not to mention, they keep us entertained. We get asked things like "How many sunsets are there going to be today?". Very often I will get asked if people actually live in Key West. My favorite one had to be "What do you use for anchors to keep the Island from floating away?". The scary part is these people are serious. I was downtown about an hour today and I think I fit in the entire season of crazies in one day.
The day started off with a great breakfast at Harpoon Harry's AKA "Breakfast at Tiffany's". It became Tiffany's 20ish years ago. I can't recall why off hand but I am sure a few of their life changing Bloody Mary's played a role it the name. Have you ever had a Bloody so strong you can see through it? Harpoon Harry's is one of the very few places in Key West we don't tell the tourists about. On any given day the servers and cooks can call everyone in the place by first name and already know what they want as well as where they like to sit before they get through the door. They don't even bring me a Menu when I come in.
After breakfast I had to run up to Shark Key to photograph a house for an out of town client. Shark Key is one of the more expensive areas in the Florida Keys and I can't for the life of me understand why. It is a man made of fill. The Military Jets fly over so close a glass of water will fall off the table. There is no boating and the mosquitoes are unbearable. Yet the average house there sells from $3M to $5M and a few of them over $10 Million Dollars.
I spent a few hours on Shark Key then came back to work from my Home Office better described as sitting with my feet in the pool while working on my laptop. Yes, I know, uncivilized working conditions but that is the sacrifices we have to make living in Key West. It was a beautiful day outside so Kitty came out to join me by the pool. I prepared some paperwork for an appointment I have tomorrow. I made more progress on my 2017 Marketing Plan but mostly just enjoyed a beautiful day sitting outside. Today was a Pseudo Holiday causing banks and Government Offices to be closed. Not much went on in the Real Estate World which allowed me to catch up on things I have been putting off.
I went downtown to Duval Street about 4:00 PM and the Freak Show was on. In less than two hours I saw a car attempting a U Turn hit a scooter that was parked, a guy on a skateboard crash into a moving motorcycle and a woman on a bicycle come to a dead stop and just fall over as if she was dead. The scary part is none of these people appeared to have been drinking. Then came the rain and did it ever rain hard. Rain just causes people to do dumb things in Key West. One woman decided she wanted to lay down in the street so she could feel the rain hit her body. I can understand that but did she have to choose the middle of Duval Street to lay down in? I had had enough and got the Hell home. Now I remember why I don't cross White Street after 5:00 PM during Season. For those not familiar with Key West White Street pretty well cuts the Island in half separating the residential section from the tourist section.
I got back to the normal side of the Island, well as normal as Key West gets. Then again, what exactly is "Normal"? Either way I was away from the craziness of Duval Street. The week from the day after Christmas to January 02 is always the busiest time of year in Key West. Since I had a huge breakfast at Harpoon Harry's I didn't have lunch and was very ready fr dinner. I went to Roostica on Stock Island which is another mostly Locals place with excellent food, great service and very reasonable prices. I needed to unwind after my Duval Street experience. Had a nice dinner and now I'm home and ready for bed.
Until Tomorrow,
Gary
Gary McAdams, P.A.
The Key West Life
Barbara Anderson Realty
305-731-0501
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