This Week on the Island 06/27/2010

'This week on the Island' is written by Doug Bennett and is an update to friends about happenings in Key West last week. Everything is true except for those parts that are lies.----------------------------------------------------------------------------
The picture this week (click to enlarge) is ‘Casa Antigua’ near the corner of Caroline and Simonton St. It was built in 1919 as the Trev-Mor Hotel, and is the place Hemingway stayed in April 1928 on his first trip to Key West. He came here from Paris to pick up a new Ford and drive up the Keys Highway. The car was late so the Hemingway’s were stuck and enjoyed the island. Two years later the Hemingway’s purchasing the house at 907 Whitehead. The house was built by Asa Tift in 1851 and was quite rundown when the Hemingway’s purchased it.

Weather: Summer is here. It is hot and humid. I love it. ‘Summertime and the living is easy’.

No book this week.

No oil yet.

No dogs in bars yet.

I spent some time on my bicycle this week, Over to Smather’s Beach. A trip to Higg’s Beach. A trip to Fort Zack Beach. Another trip to Kmart and a trip to Albertsons. Also some trips to local landmarks. Then we had some people in from out of town (Minnesota) that wanted to do a bicycle ride around the island.

The people that own Wisteria Island (Christmas Tree) next to Sunset Key off Mallory Square want to develop it. They tried to get it annexed into the city and the citizens voted it down. Now they are trying to get the county to change their rules about off shore islands so they can make another Sunset Key. (The county rules say only 2 homes can be built on the island.) It has passed the first ruling and people are pissed. They also want to develop a mooring field between the two islands. This will give them the right to the bay bottom and then they will be able to run utilities from Sunset Key to Wisteria Island. More later.

The Truman Waterfront: The government gave the city the Truman Waterfront almost 10 years ago. The city still has not made up its mind what to do with the property. There are lots of discussions between a harbor for the rich to park their mega yachts to a nice park, to a working harbor, to what ever.

If you like Key West and Howard Livingston, go to www.ConchTV.com and listen to ‘Key West Time’. My newest t-shirt is a Howard Livingston MM24 Band shirt. On the front it says ‘Sell your stuff – Keep the dog- Live on an island’. I get lots of comments about the t-shirt.

Want to learn more about Key West? http://www.keywesthistoricmarkertour.org/

And last but not least, a guy was found floating out 1 mile off the Keys coast in a kids round float. He was arrested for boating under the influence: http://www.gadling.com/2010/06/24/coast-guard-rescues-unwitting-drunk-man-a-mile-offshore-drifting/?icid=main|htmlws-main-w|dl10|link6|http%3A%2F%2Fwww.gadling.com%2F2010%2F06%2F24%2Fcoast-guard-rescues-unwitting-drunk-man-a-mile-offshore-drifting%2F

Key West, You have got to love it
'Living the life that others dream'
Doug Bennett
Lat 24.55967N, Long 81.80169W

You may join this group by going to http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ThisWeekontheIsland/
Sassi dancing to Schooner Wharf Bar Dog.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SbxD3D-rPqo