RnR

Thanks for helping me with my December trip - sorry for the delay in feedback. Cafe des Artistes is closed - being refurbished to serve seafood. The best we found for dinner, and they were superb: Seven Fish on Olivia Street (tiny, you must reserve) and Alice's restaurant in the La te Da Hotel on Duval. Alice is fab - she'll come out of the kitchen to answer any and all questions.

For lunch, fun: Blue Heaven (yes, the chickens are still extant!), and Mangoes on Duval - good food for a touristy place. BTW, Blue Heaven will serve you their special drink guaranteed to numb your upper half. I suppose if you've got to numb anything, it's the preferred half.

Disappoinments: Cafe Sole (not worth the money) and Banana Cafe on Duval - bad breakfast, service, just not worth the wait.

As reported by several here, Louie's Backyard looks bad - we stopped by and gave it the once over. Bad vibes!!!

This summer we have to go back for a conference - and will try El Siboney, Michael's and Mangia (interesting menu, nice place). The Green Parrot bar on Whitehead looked wonderful - will definitely go there!!!

Good places to shop: the Chicken store on Duval; Glass Reunion (825 Duval).

Casa Marina (the old section) was great, and I must say having a convertible with the top down is the way to see Key West. I checked the prices of the four-seater electric vehicles - a whopping $135 per day, can you beleive it.

Finally, on Front Street a block off Duval is a place selling a 1,000 hot sauces - you must see this place and sample them all. Charming guys, and they make a banana sauce you will not believe - I bought a ton! And nearby is "Last Flight Out" tee shirt shop - oh, yes, you must go there.

Hemingway and Audibon made interesting tours once again! Love those cats.

Biggest bummer: the KW mayor has taken a disliking to the chickens and roosters roaming KW, and is shipping them to Tampa - 300 kidnapped and shipped to date. What a jerk - no city council vote, no public input. Just snatch and ship, at taxpayer expense. I don't know about you, but hearing all that crowing just made me smile and know I was in the islands once again.

I love Key West!!!! Have a good 2003!

Ronnie

Many thanks for the Key West data.

Jean

I wonder if Key West has any provisions in their city code for impeaching a mayor. Sounds like he deserves it. I'll be really upset if there aren't any chickens around during my next visit.

Thanks for the restaurant update. Next time Alice's for sure. We love Seven Fish.

RnR

At Alice's, the best, very best rare tuna ever - and she came out when I asked the waiter what if any preparation she'd done. Nice chat about food in general - and she also visited the other tables. Nice touch!!

People at up in arms about the mayor - he never touched based with anyone, simply decided on his own the chickens had to go. Cost so far, in December, $15,000. No word on their fate in Tampa!!

Have a good trip!

LMAO

Do you people not understand government? The Mayor works for the people! They are the ones who are complaining. I read the paper (online) everyday and its not the Mayor, its the locals and visitors.

Slug

No LMAO, I don't understand the government. Would you please explain?

right

The Mayor speaks for the masses. If the "masses" want the chickens they will stay. BTW, nice report on the restaurants.

LMAO

Slug I hope you do not vote.

Slug

Of course I vote.

Tongue in cheek.

x

Nice report. Those chickens have got to go or at least reduce in numbers. I will not stay at a b&b that has any near. Last thing I want on my vacation is to hear the sound of a rooster at 6am.

RnR

Oh, noooo, rethink the chickens! If you've ever had the top down in KW, headed down some side street for lunch, or late in the afternoon firing over to Duval and the Gulf to celebrate sundown - and you've heard a rooster cry - well, it will transport you island lovers right back down deep into the caribbean. Or coming home at night, half in the bag, too much of the demon, and something with feathers struts in front of you and you panic skid, and he crows, then you'll never vote for that dumb mayor, ever. The asshole, and I use the term respectfully, of course, actually sends out the cherry pickers to take the birds out of the palms. If this is government in action, then ban it up nawth of Miami. I'd ban the mayor to Tampa and take the roosters out for drinks and a dance.

gina

topping in hopes of a good chicken recipe.

chick

The lady who owns the chicken store is the one who transports them. Its not the Mayor.

x

So false - she keeps chickens on the premises, I've seen them. She despises what his honor is doing.

chick

Wrong. Here is the site. Look at the Dec 2002 article.
http://www.thechickenstore.com/

Rooster

She does both, keeps some and send some north.

RnR

Oh, that's nothing more than a commie plot to discredit the Good Friend of all Roosters! Have you no shame! She did hit me up for a small cash contribution, something about needing a ticket to Tampa.

FoghornLeghorn

The Yuppies that have over run KW are the ones complaining about us chickens. I say that we ship the Yuppies back up to South Beach.

Well now

ummm.. the "Yuppies" are up in Boca or maybe Fort Lauderdale, not South Beach. You must be thinking of Euro-trash hipsters?

Foghorn

Yea well whatever. I haven't been the same since they rounded up the Widow and shipped her off. I am awful lonely down here and it gets tiresome trying to evade the "chicken police" everyday.