Keys Style, Featuring Tim Chapman by dkl.lookingglassdesigns

KEYSStyle

2016

| WINTER EDITION |

PEOPLE • EVENTS • FEATURES

TIM CHAPMAN

FLORIDA KEYS'

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IMENT A RY

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Photo by C.W. Griffin

ABOUT THE COVER

Signature shot of Tim Chapman. Courtesy of the History Miami Museum / Tim Chapman Collection.

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A QUARTERLY MAGAZINE CELEBRATING THE UNIQUE LIFESTYLE OF THE FLORIDA KEYS

WINTER 2016

CONTENTS

28 COVER STORY

Florida Keys

TIM CHAPMAN | Tim Chapman enjoying a Carl Hiaasen read | Courtesy of History Miami Museum/Tim Chapman Collection |

6 The Life Aquatic

36 Smoke 'Em If You Got 'Em

12 Gonzo Tropical:

42 Inside the Southernmost

22 Get Cultured

44 Bites of Key West

The Boat Next Door

Hunter S. Thompsonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Time in the Keys This Edition: Shady Palm Gallery

28 Feature Story: Flipping The

Lens On Tim Chapman

Cigar Making in Key West

Bocce League

Eat and Drink Like a Local: Conch Cooking

46 Keys Wide Event Calendar

| PUBLISHER Paul A. Clarin | ADVERTISING DIRECTOR Melanie Arnold | EDITOR Kay Harris | CREATIVE MARKETING STRATEGIST Dannielle Larrabee | | WRITERS Kay Harris, Sarah Goodwin, Gena Parsons, Sarah Thomas | PHOTOGRAPHERS Brian Basham, Rob O'Neal | | ADVERTISE 305.292.7777 sales@keysnews.com | FRONT COVER Photo Courtesy of History Miami Museum/Tim Chapman Collection | A Cooke Communications Florida LLC Publication

T H E

life

A Q U A T I C By Sarah Thomas

the

BOAT NEXT DOOR

“When I was five years old, my mother traded a yurt and a school bus for a boat.” - Bhajon Ananda

| The liveaboard lifestyle on the Miss Lone Star | 6 . KeysStyle . WINTER 2016

hajon Ananda sits on the back of a 36foot cabin cruiser called “Recess,” one of the many “liveaboards” anchored around Wisteria Island. I’ve come out to the Recess to spend 24 hours experiencing life on the water.

Now eighteen, Bhajon and his mother, Satya, live on a neighboring boat, which he points out in the waning pink light of sunset. “We were living in Asheville, North Carolina, at the time. And we came out here on a whim.” He laughs, “And the boat was really nice, actually! We were surprised.” I ask about his parents, the originators of his nomadic lifestyle. “My mom seasonally travelled, and my dad was always on the move until I was like fifteen, never stopped for more than a month or two. Back then, my dad was like a Hindu Krishna worshipper, and my mom was more of a pirate. My name means ‘truth’ in Hindu.” He pauses, smiling. “They’ve toned their hippiness down.” That was Bhajon’s first stint living in the little boating community that dots the waters around Wisteria Island, known as “Christmas Tree Island” by those that live there. This time, Bhajon’s been there for three years. “When the rent went up on our old boat, we ended up buying this one, from a pair of gay street performers that juggled in Mallory square. It was a week of intense cleaning, pennies and cigarette butts everywhere, but my mom’s kind of OCD, and she made it great.”

Nellie narrates information about the boats we pass and the people that inhabit them. She also intermittently educates me on the apparently infamous nature of the dinghy. They are mercurial, unreliable, expensive, and “completely crucial.” “One of my neighbors made his dinghy motor out of a weed wacker,” Nellie muses, “that takes some creative thinking. He has to replace it a little more often, but cheaper than a new dinghy motor.” She points out a neighboring island flanked by its own cluster of boats, which generally look to be a bit larger and more polished than those around Wisteria. “That’s Fleming Key. They’re a whole other neighborhood. And over on Garrison Bight is where the mooring ground is, and there are probably a hundred more boats over there.” Just beyond Wisteria Island is Sunset Key, an uberexclusive destination for the wealthy.

“There are people out here that have nothing, and total millionaires,” she says. “So we're all here together.” -Nellie Appleby

There is a calm over the water as the sun sinks, turning the sky orange. I got a ride out from Bhajon’s neighbor, Nellie Appleby, in her dinghy to the Recess. Nellie and her boyfriend, Dave, own the Recess, and they’ve lived on another boat off Wisteria called “The Desperado” for the past year and a half. Not only are Bhajon and Satya Dave and Nellie’s neighbors, but they, too, lived on The Desperado for a stint. I find that the tales of the people that choose the aquatic life are circular: many have shared boats, paths cross and re-cross, stories fold over each other like the waves. Nellie’s path to Wisteria was later in life. An artist in New York and later, Columbia, Nellie came down to Key West for a residency at The Studios of Key West. She met her boyfriend, Dave, who was then living on a tiny 20-foot sailboat, and they embarked on boat life together, first in Key West, and also for a time on Lake Michigan. “It was kind of picturesque. You’re out there, under the stars, and you’re bathing your lover. It was very romantic,” she says.

| Liveaboard resident, Nellie Appleby in her dingy. | Photo by Sarah Thomas |

AN ISLAND LEFT BEHIND

The boats are scattered across the horizon as you approach Wisteria Island from Key West: triangles of white, patches of bright blue, red, and natural wood against the vast expanse of the sea. There are sailboats and cruisers. Aloe plants and flowers, colorful flags, and hanging lights dot the boats’ decks and lines. Only the hum of the dinghy’s motor cuts through the nearsilence. Some of the boats are inhabited by people who travel to town daily some of the boats are in varying states of decay and abandon. “That's a shipwreck,” Nellie says, pointing to black, jagged shapes protruding from the water’s surface. Fish and gulls concentrate above and around the shapes. “You can't see it when the tide is in. And that's the Wisteria. The name of the boat was the Wisteria.” The island’s namesake looks like a skeleton rising from the ocean, and the island itself is a place forgotten by time: the beach is undeveloped, the brush scraggly and wild, the boats placid in the water.

Wisteria Island is an island literally created out of leavings. It was formed out of dirt and rock and sand, when the United States Navy dredged the Key West Harbor at the turn of the 20th Century. The thenunnamed strip of land found her name when the ship—a United States Lighthouse Service ship (an organization that preceded today’s Coast Guard)—sank, and then was burned on her mooring by the island. The island was sold by Monroe County to state representative Bernie Papy, and it served as home to a commercial shark camp, where sharks were raised for their skins. Wisteria Island, has serendipitously resisted the changes Key West and her neighboring islands have experienced. And in the place of luxury condos or minimansions, the 21 acres have remained much the same, with rumored transient camps and bonfire parties that straddle the line between utopian and anarchist.

THE DARK SIDE OF PARADISE

“When I was 8, we lived on the Coco Loco,” Bhajon says, “and it got hit by a water spout during Hurricane Wilma. It was like a 100-ft long and several stories, and it splintered all over the place - it was just pieces.” The hurricane rocked the Wisteria Island liveaboard community. Several wrecked boats are still visible from the Recess, their spindly fingers a reminder of yesterday’s devastation. “No one stays on boats for hurricanes. You really can’t… people die. People die out here, in the community. And usually one a year is a drowning. We’ve had two so far this year… but neither was a drowning.” Bhajon looks toward the island. I see a few lights shining through the twilight. “This is like the ghetto,” he laughs, but I know there is truth in it. He confirms my notion that the communities of Fleming Key and Garrison Bight seem to enjoy more wealth and luxury than most of the folks around Wisteria. “Most people have limited or no electricity. No air conditioning.” Nellie and Bhajon both describe the daily grind of living on a boat: the outdoor showers, lugging fresh water back and forth from the docks, weathering storms and bailing out the dinghy. Bhajon optimistically calls waking up “a great adventure,” which means getting up hours before sunset, driving the dinghy to the dock, where he picks up his bike and rides to school.

“No one stays on boats for hurricanes. You really can’t… people die” - Bhajon Ananda

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there

| Photo by Sarah Thomas |

ARE “FIGHTS AND

OVERDOSES.”

“But you know, poor people need a place to go” -Nellie Appleby

| Contributed Photo |

| Clockwise: Over 100 year old shipwreck remains by the Wisteria Island, Key West, FL

Nellie says: “There’s the excitement of learning something new, and getting another side to that thing of just going to work and paying rent. Instead, you're just doing the actual work to live.”

| Photos by Sarah Thomas |

The idiosyncrasies of life in the community abound. Bhajon tells a story of he and his mother saving a drunk neighbor from drowning: “He was very wet, and he rolled over on my history project. It was one of those trifold display boards, totally wet. The best homework excuses are out here, better than a dog.” Nellie tells a story of Bhajon and Satya’s boat drifting away off the anchor while he was playing guitar, and a neighbor had to call and tell him. “It’s a great life,” Bhajon says, “but there are definitely hardships.” The life out by Wisteria Island isn’t just a life of mild inconveniences. The same problems that plague low income communities across the nation crop up even in the most breathtaking places. They acknowledge that there are “fights and overdoses.” Nelly adds, “But you know, poor people need a place to go. And this is one of those places. There is nowhere to live in this town. And not only poor people live out here too.” I think of this as I go to sleep on the Recess, the electric lights around me all switched off, the island nothing but a shadow on the sea, the stars as bright and sharp as holes punched out of the sky, the water flat as glass.

THE SALT LIFE

Waking up, the sunlight shines through the open hatch in the bedroom. The boat gently rocks with the rhythm of the ocean. There is the sound of seagulls, the smell of salt, and something else: quiet. There isn’t the sound of cars honking, or the Conch Train bell ringing, or even the faraway crow of a rooster. The neighbors wave from across the water as I stretch on the deck. After a swim in the ocean, I decide that I wouldn’t mind waking up like this more often. I am reminded of Bhajon saying “the best thing are the sunrises and the sunsets… and the sea turtles.” He has been up for hours, now living the most conventional part of his day: as a high schooler. Nellie picks me up in the dinghy. As we make our way through the channel, there is Wisteria Island, covered in the evergreens that earned its nickname. On the other side of the channel is Sunset Key: chic and landscaped. It epitomizes the luxury that is becoming the new face of Key West. Nellie catches my line of vision. “It’s these two worlds,” she says. “And neither is perfect. One is so exclusive, you can't even pull up to the dock. And one is wild and strange, and it has these utopian moments. And it’s everybody’s.” KS

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Tropical: Hunter S. Thompson’s Time in the Keys BY SARAH THOMAS

THE PIG IN THE NIGHT On March 18, 1983, 13-year old John Good woke up in the early hours of the morning to use the bathroom, only to find a dead pig’s head in the toilet. The macabre bathroom scene was in his parents’ residence at the Sugarloaf Lodge, the hotel owned by the Good family since 1973. The four Good children grew up accustomed to the mischief on the grounds. The pigs’ head wasn’t placed there by an ordinary prankster, but by Hunter S. Thompson. Thompson wrote about that night at Sugarloaf Lodge in his short story, “Tales of the Sunshine Family.” “There is a huge pigs head in Lloyd Good’s toilet tonight. I put it there about three hours ago just before he walked home from the bar. The snout is poking straight-up and out of the family toilet and the pigs lips are glistening with ruby red lipstick and the eyes are propped open and the toilet bowl is filled with red commercial ketchup.” The pigs’ head incident didn’t mark the beginning, or end, of Thompson’s idiosyncratic and epic relationship with the Good family. Thompson writes that proprietor Lloyd Good and his sons put the pig in his bed the night before: “tied up and drugged and half hidden under the covers so that I sat down on the bed right next to the beast and began talking

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Ralph Steadman worked with his friend Hunter S. Thompson for 35 years. In 1987, the year the author turned 50, he agreed for the first time to sit for a formal portrait. Hunter -- Study in Gamboge Hat by Ralph Steadman

seriously on the telephone to my account was not amused when the thing suddenly began moving and I said, ‘I’m sorry. I’ll have to call you back. There’s a pig in my bed.’ Which was true.” Thompson later let the pig loose in the dining room, to the horror and delight of dinner guests. The prank war culminated with the pig decapitation and subsequent discovery by young John Good.

STRANGER THAN FICTION Now in his 40s, John Good owns Sugarloaf Lodge with his three siblings. He is pleasant but understated, fitting the part of island host in flip-flops and sunglasses. John is accustomed to the “crazy things happening when running the lodge.” He is cautious in revealing too much about Thompson’s time there, describing the writer as becoming “almost like a family member” over the years. Good says that eccentric guests and unusual incidents are “pretty normalized” as part of owning a Florida Keys hotel, though “It’s less smugglers, less drugs, and it’s much more touristy now.” Growing up in the ‘70s and ‘80s on the grounds of the Lodge, John and his siblings enjoyed more unconventional adventures than your average kids. “I had to feed the dolphin every day,” he says. “There was a dolphin show in those days and Sugar came with the place. There were two when we bought the place, actually: Sugar, who was an ex-Navy dolphin, and Dolly.” Beyond the marine and wildlife, a rotating cast of eccentric characters filled the lodge. But none who made a lingering impression on the family in the way that Thompson did, who took an interest in the kids in particular. “He was always sort of a southern gentleman, and there was that side to him. And he could also go gonzo, and he had bullhorns, and firecrackers, and firearms, and he was like a big kid in that way.” John also took to Thompson, chatting with him at the hotel bar when he got home from school. “He seemed to like children, because he’d hang out with me. And that was between the ages of about ten and seventeen.” John

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recalls that he wrote a paper on Thompson for an assignment in high school, which the writer himself eventually read and approved of. He barely acknowledges the otherworldliness of that experience: truly, he lived out many writers’ fantasy. John and his sister, Caren, muse on when Thompson first began vacationing at Sugarloaf with some regularity. Caren mentions the time that Thompson came down to write about the Peter and Roxanne Pulitzer divorce trial: “He was writing an article for the Pulitzer trial, and I was making Xeroxes for him. And he was writing for Rolling Stone, and I remember he had a big old fax machine, and it was in this old suitcase.” Caren says. But the Pulitzer divorce was in ‘82, and both siblings agree he was there before then. “Well, he came down with Bill Murray, and that was right after Meatballs, but Hunter had already been here before,” John says. Meatballs came out in 1979, part of the canon cementing Murray’s stature as a comedy giant. During that time, Murray also starred in, “Where the Buffalo Roam”, a semi-autobiographical comedy based on Hunter S. Thompson’s life, and his own meteoric rise to unconventional literary acclaim in the 70s. The movie came out in 1980. Since then, of course, Thompson’s legacy has reached cult-like levels. Caren and John debate the timing for a while, and it’s clear that Thompson was a mainstay from their childhoods, rotating in and out for months at a time, to the hilarity (or headache) of the family and their guests. “I just remember waiting on him,” Caren says, “and that his Dunhills always had to be in stock.” John acknowledges that people would come and go, doing stories on Thompson or interviewing him for various articles and radio shows. “People would ask him to do insane things,” he says, “Just like hey, do something crazy, Hunter, and Commander Cody did that one time. And Hunter blew up this big firework, and well… it kind of blew up the [hotel] room.” While Thompson’s unpredictability was a signature of his appeal, it also made him a liability. But the Goods seemed okay with the trade-off.

| Photo by Tom Corcoran |

“I’M SORRY. I’LL HAVE TO CALL YOU BACK. THERE’S A PIG IN MY BED." - Hunter S. Thompson

| Contributed |

| Hunter S. Thompson driving his boat through the mangroves of the Florida Keys | | Hunter and Bill Murray during the power boat races in Key West | The author photographed in Sugarloaf Key |

THE WRITER “I hate to advocate drugs, alcohol, violence, or insanity to anyone, but they’ve always worked for me.” - Hunter S. Thompson While drugs and chaos marked Thompson’s public life, his writing was prolific. His work was emblematic of the newly coined genre of “gonzo journalism,” which championed firstperson experience through highly personal prose and a flair for the extreme. His gonzo style was introduced in his lengthy coverage of Hells Angels (eventually chronicled in a book of the same name, Hells Angels: The Strange and Terrible Saga of the Outlaw Motorcycle Gangs), which Thompson produced while, essentially, living as one of the Angels. His style developed over the years, his journalism studded with dramatic proclamations. “There is a lot of Wreckage in the fast lane these days,” Thompson began provocatively in the 1983 Rolling Stone article on the Pulitzer divorce trial that he composed in Sugarloaf. Thompson’s collection Songs of the Doomed wasn’t published until 1990. It featured not only “Tales of the Swine Family,” the pigs head story, but also a partial novel treatment starring Frank Mont, a character based on the Good family patriarch, Lloyd.

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| Photo by Gena Parsons |

[

Radios were originally built into the headboard above the nightstands at the Sugarloaf Lodge office

[

| Hunter S. Thompson at the “Bat Tower” in Sugarloaf Key, Florida | Photo by Tom Corcoran |

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“He wrote this story with my dad as one of the main characters, Frank Mont, based on him.” John and Caren ’s father was a lawyer in Philadelphia, before quitting his job and buying the lodge, while Frank Mont was a Chicago-based broker who did the same. Indeed, “The Silk Road” paints an embellished reality reflecting Keys life at the time. Thompson wrote:

Key West, both for work and pleasure, often overlapping. He displayed a fascination with the stirring, parasitic nature of Key West’s salvage industry in the sister stories “The Gonzo Salvage Company” and “Salvage is

The Sugarloaf Lodge continues to host its fair cast of colorful characters, now with this generation of the Good family at the helm.

“The Silk Road is a story about people who got caught in the fast and violent undercurrents and, finally, the core of the action of the great Cuba-to-Key West Freedom Flotilla in the spring of 1980—a bizarre and massively illegal sea lift.”

“Having a hotel and a bar… there is always something insane going on,” John laughs. “’Never a dull moment,’” as my mom used to say.” Truly, dullness is the very thing that seems to have crept into Hunter Thompson’s later life. At 67, he was bound to a wheelchair (at least temporarily, due to a broken leg) and didn’t enjoy the good health that he happily abused in his youth. Just a few days before his death, which was ruled a suicide, Thompson wrote:

Thompson is describing the Mariel boatlift, a massive immigration of 10,000 plus Cubans who flooded the Keys in 1980, which was at the center of the novel idea. Thompson describes the Frank Mont character as: “an ex-commodities broker from Chicago, who came to the Keys to get rich,” whose resort “Spanish Key” is the baseline of the narrative: “a once-lazy backwater fishing resort transmogrified, overnight, into a seething fortress of thieves, smugglers, and criminally insane Cuban refugees.” The novel was never completed. In “Swine Family” and “Silk Road,” Thompson’s narrative tone toward Lloyd Good is contentious, and when I query John about Thompson’s quarrelsome nature, and his relationship with his father, he demurs. “I think that there was sometimes the escalation of whatever was going on… I wasn’t there for the drinking or carousing or drug doing… I was a kid.” When I ask point-blank if Thompson didn’t play well with others, Good says: “He did, and he didn’t.” The same could be said of Thompson’s presence on the page, which was as volatile as his living persona. Sensational and divisive, the Florida Keys proved to be an alluring home for a writer so prone to excess and excitement. Thompson didn’t limit his Keys exposure to Sugarloaf. He also stayed at the Pier House in

shot out of a cannon. “I loved him, and I thought he was great,” John says. “I had a strong kinship with him, as much as we really knew him.”

“No More Games. No More Bombs. No More Walking. No More Fun. No More Swimming. 67. That is 17 years past 50. 17 more than I needed or wanted. Boring. I am always bitchy. No Fun -- for anybody. 67. You are getting Greedy. Act your old age. Relax -- This won’t hurt.” It is comforting to know that at Sugarloaf Lodge, the games, and fun, and even a little insanity, lives on in his wake. Not Looting,” writing “…cruel storms are the lifeblood of our profession. It is the nature of salvage to feed on doom and disaster.”

AFTER THE STORM While Sugarloaf Lodge may have quieted some in the years after Thompson’s tenure, his presence in John Good’s life wasn’t over. John stayed with Thompson years later at his home in Woody Creek, Colorado, enjoying the opportunity to read unpublished treatments that would make it into “Doomed.” John also attended Thompson’s memorial service, hosted by Johnny Depp, where Thompson’s ashes were, in classic fashion,

PHOTO OF BILL MURRAY AND HUNTER S. THOMPSON During the filming of "Where the Buffalo Roam", the image on page seventeen was taken in Key West during the power boat races. Hunter tried to cross the barrier, where he was told he could not proceed. He tried that line of being a journalist, but was told to back it up. This photo is of him backing up. The shirts say Amazing X Navy. It was a gift from Dan Gerber. The shirts were made by Dan for his ranch (the Amazing X Ranch in Fremont Michigan) and this was a version of the ranch shirt he made for his Keys friends. KS

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| Contributed Photo |

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get

CULTURED By Gena Parsons

| Contributed Photo |

THIS EDITION:

Photo by Gena Parsons

SHADY PALM art gallery

SHADY PALM ART GALLERY SHOWCASES THE KEYS. Shady palms and sandy shores attracted

Lori and Barry Gaukel to the Florida Keys for decades. As each trip stretched longer, they became more acclimated to island living, finally making the permanent move to Marathon in 2014. The name and logo of their one-year-old business, Shady Palm Art Gallery and Photography, illustrate their desire to not only live in paradise, but to show it off. Barry, a professional photographer in Michigan, intended to continue his services in the Sunshine State. Lori, a frequent admirer at local art fairs, had bigger ideas. “Originally, it was just going to be our own studio, but I told my husband, ‘There are just so many people down here that we could do this with, and, if we all do it together, it’s going to be affordable for the artists,’” Lori recalled.

| Opposite Page: Susan Moshier creates distinctive fused glass pieces reflecting local aquatic life | | Top Right: A Yoslan O’Farrell mural illustrates Barry and Lori Gaukel’s desire to show off their surroundings. | 23

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| Contributed Photo |

| Below: A wading heron titled, "Stairway to Heron” by Craig Kerns | Contributed Photo |

Professionals and novices quickly flocked to fill the one-and-only gallery in the Middle Keys, eager to display their creations for a reasonable monthly broker fee and commission. Summerland Key artist Susan Moshier was among the first to sign up. Her spectacular, kiln-formed, fused-glass jellyfish lamp and other sea life designs are positioned perfectly near the front door at 2900 Overseas Highway. “The location, the gallery’s layout, the displays, and Lori Gaukel and her staff’s relaxed and easy style are a great asset for any gallery. It’s been a pleasure working with them and I look forward to a long relationship,” Moshier said. The more difficult part of the startup was cleaning and renovating the former home of Fishmongers, which left a smelly mess behind. A Marathon Chamber of Commerce beautification grant provided encouragement and resulted in the roofline mural by Yoslan O’Farrell that features the Gaukel’s dog Marley on the beach under the shade of swaying coconut palms. Now, the gleaming gallery, with more than 50 exhibitors, is covered floor-to-ceiling with vibrant paintings and scenic prints illustrating Keys character. Glass and fabric art, ceramics, pottery, jewelry, ornaments and other works spread across tables, shelves and floors. “We wanted to have a really diverse collection here,” Gaukel said. “I wanted things that when people came here, that they could buy gifts. Everything we have is made by somebody. I don’t think people really realize how much work goes into these pieces.” Nature is a central theme in Craig Kerns’ photographs. The Switlik Elementary art teacher jumped at the chance to show off his shots of frequently seen subjects like parrotfish and shore birds that are difficult to capture through a camera lens. “The gallery has given local artists an ideal venue to showcase and sell their work. Barry and Lori have also helped create camaraderie among local artists,” said Kerns. In addition to the painting classes already offered, Lori wants children involved in creating tropically-themed cutouts that sponsoring businesses can stake in front of their stores. The Gaukels’ ambitious goals also include establishing a sculpture garden out back and turning the state-owned lot next door into an interactive art park. The Gaukels’ efforts have already been noticed by the Florida Keys Council of the Arts, which named Shady Palm Art Gallery as one of six locations to host its annual arts mosaic, a collection of 400 six-by-six inch canvases created by local artists and celebrities. The showing is set for March. Having escaped harsh winters and a stuffier art culture up north, the Gaukels’ dream of a comfortable, casual gallery is coming to fruition just east of the Seven-Mile Bridge. KS

“The gallery has given local artists an ideal venue to showcase and sell their work. Barry and Lori have also helped create camaraderie among local artists,” - Craig Kerns 25

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FLIP IN G the lens on

TIM CHAPMAN BY KAY HARRIS

When you are a journalist – a true, old-school, boots on the ground, hit‘em with the truth right between the eyes and dare them to challenge you – journalist, you don’t ever retire. You simply turn your focus to all of the things you are passionate about. And the list is endless. 28 . KeysStyle . WINTER 2016

| Illustration by Marco Ruiz |

The methodical, occasionally maniacal and frenzied pace doesn’t just stop because you are no longer sharing it with a large audience. You do what you do because you are a driven, insatiably curious, restless, compassionate-and very human-- being.

im Chapman, a now permanent Keys resident, retired from the Miami Herald after a 40-year career spent documenting major historical events pretty much anywhere they happened in the world. He may no longer report in to a newsroom on a regular basis but that doesn’t mean he’s out of touch. Far from it. Making the transition from journalism to a more normal life was apparently effortless for him, as he meticulously planned for post-career life. An environmentalist since long before anyone had a label for it, an avid fisherman, and a “heavily armed Democrat” of the old-school variety, Tim bought a lot on one of the Torch Keys in the mid1980s. He vacationed in the Keys while growing up, loved it, and decided to make it home one day.

| Photo by Rob O'Neal |

Journalists are supposed to be objective and not let feelings interfere with documenting events as they happen, regardless of the dangers of exposing the public to the truth. But that doesn’t mean they enjoy seeing what they dothe images are imbedded in a place in their brain that cannot ever be erased. Some turn cynical, a la Hunter S. Thompson, while others retain their optimistic confidence that they can still make a difference. Like Tim Chapman.

[The Jim Jones massacre]

“It was awful, but the decades spent photographing the Everglades

Then he built his house. He calls it “a piece of art you can live in.”

have been

Tim served as his own contractor, working with an architect, to design and create the perfect dream home where he and his love, Charlene, could get married – they did, in the yard, in 2012, with trees and flowering bushes as the backdrop in a 12-minute

incredible.”

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ceremony – and live happily ever after. The house has enough reinforced concrete to withstand Armageddon, let alone a simple hurricane, explaining, “I covered 51 hurricanes” – ‘nuff said – along with their own aquifer and water supply – and is a haven and refuge for Key deer (“No, they’re not just smaller white tail deer- they have a different skull structure”), 60 species of native plants he has grown from seeds, plus 47 different bird species, including 6 on the endangered list. “I took a wild lot and turned it wilder,” he says proudly, hardly taking a breath between stories. Oh, and did he forget to mention? The day we were talking just happened to be his birthday – his 66th. But there were more important things to discuss, which we did at length, sitting under the house in the carport, more commonly known as the man cave – the place where his current hobbies are housed, including the antique fishing flies he is restoring and repainting – “to use, not to sell” – and the only place on the property where he can curse. Pulitzers? Nah, he’d rather talk about the screwworm outbreak killing the Key deer. The Jim Jones massacre in Guyana? It was awful, but the decades spent photographing the Everglades have been incredible.

| Photo by Rob O'Neal |

| Contributed |

| Opposite page: Tim Chapman as he is today, going for a short walk from his home to fish, smoking his ever -present stogie | | Photos from top to bottom: In the zen area of his home, Chapman shows some of his favorites among his years of shooting, including a young girl in a refugee camp in

Nicaragua, behind him, and the one he's holding, a photo from the Mariel boat lift with a young Cuban woman comforting her grandmother after they landed in America | Shown shooting from the infamous jeep which he still owns, Chapman frequently loaned it out to make guest appearances in movies and TV shows shot in Miami |

| “PINK FLOYD” - Flamingoes at the Miami Metro Zoo were given refuge in a bathroom to protect them from Hurricane Floyd.

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They were let out as soon as the danger passed | Photo by Tim Chapman |

The Miami drug wars? There were killings almost every day, but he’d rather talk about the day he met Charlene. And then we entered the main house, otherwise known as Charlene’s haven, and it was like entering another world – very Zen, very uncluttered, and very calming. Walls, floors, cabinets, ceilings- all were handcrafted and carefully chosen to reinforce that soothing feeling. The only reminders of Tim’s past are the handful of photos that hang around the walls- his favorites from four decades of shooting. Moving to the sanctuary from the man cave had the desired effect, and Tim relaxed, sharing those war storiesliterally – including his lengthy time with the Contras in Nicaragua, where he photographed a young girl staring at a barbed wire fence. “You knew something was getting ready to happen when the refugee camps started filling up with children. The rebels left their families there when they were planning an attack.” We walked around the room as he narrated- the photo of the old woman on her front porch was taken in the remote Kentucky area he grew up in. “My parents were so poor they didn’t know there was a depression.” The Orchid Thief photo, which apparently inspired a movie. The Mariel Boat Lift, which showcased the Cuban refugee crisis. And a photo of his son with his first snook, which demonstrates how much of a softie this larger than life man really is. When he retired, he gave all of his camera equipment to a good friend’s son. Any photos now are taken on his phone, and are mostly wildlife and family. Tim said when he tried to decide on a career, his intent was to change the world. By documenting the joy, the pain, the beautiful and the horror of life through his lens for 40 years, frame by frame, he has. KS

34 . KeysStyle . WINTER 2016

â&#x20AC;&#x153;You knew something was getting ready to happen when the refugee camps started filling up with children"

| Opposite Page Top to bottom: 1980 - A baby is held in the air by new arrivals to the U.S. from Cuba during the Mariel Boat Lift | A young Cuban woman comforting her grandmother after they landed in America from Cuba during the Mariel Boat Lift | Above: A child in a war-torn refugee camp in Nicaragua.

Cigar Making in Key West BY SARAH THOMAS PHOTOS BY GENA PARSONS

A pleasant whiff of dried tobacco, like a mixture of leather, cedar, pepper, and chocolate, hits the nose upon entering the Rodriguez Cigar Factory, 113 Fitzpatrick Street, in the Kino’s plaza. Danny Difabio greets his guests with a big smile and a dash of old world graciousness. His grandparents opened this shop 32 years ago, and carrying on their legacy is Difabio’s passion. “I’m humbled that I get to continue what my grandparents started.”

36 . KeysStyle . WINTER 2016

[

“I can't tell you how good it feels when people from all over the world come into my shop. We talk, share a cigar, have a drink. This isn't just a product I'm selling to people. I'm sharing my heritage.” - Danny Difabio

ifabio's

maternal grandparents, Angel and Daniela Rodriguez, owned La Finca de Carmencita, a tobacco plantation in the Las Villas province of Cuba. From 1947 through the 1950's, business boomed, until they were growing over 120,000 pounds of tobacco annually. Then, in the 1960's, the Cuban government nationalized the plantation, and the Rodriguez family decided to head to the U.S. in 1971. "It's bittersweet," Difabio sighs. "My grandparents left everything behind, but they found a great new life here, with new opportunities.” Cigar-making has deep roots in Key West. Though an Englishman, William Wall, opened the first cigar factory in Key West in 1831, the Cuban Independence War of 1868 turned the island into the cigar-making capital of the U.S.. By 1884, Key West was home to 80 cigar factories, producing over 62 million cigars annually. From 1895 to 1900, we raked in $2,300,000 a year from cigar exports. At Rodriguez Cigar Factory, a woman sits at a large desk. She picks up a dried leaf the size of an elephant's ear from a stack, her head nodding slightly to the Cuban music drifting through the speakers. Beside her sits a neat pile of rolled cigars and a steaming cup of bucci. The woman's name is Yanette, and she's originally from Cuba. As a cigar-roller, called a torcedore, Yanette is part of a great artesanal tradition. It's often a trade passed from parent to child. The first cigar factory owners in Key West needed to lure skilled torcedores away from their home countries, and

38 . KeysStyle . WINTER 2016

[

to that end, they created entire communities. The Key West barrio once known as 敵Gatoville� was such a place. These days, the Gato Building at 1100 Simonton Street houses mostly municipal offices, plus some public spaces dedicated to historical exhibits. Nearby, the streets bustle with locals and a few tourists heading to Camille's Restaurant, Bottlecap Lounge, or Bad Boy Burritos. Back in the late 1800's, this area was a compound of 40 cottages surrounding the 3-story Gato Cigar Factory. Cuban-born Eduardo Gato opened his factory there in 1871, and by 1894 it employed 500 workers. Around the corner from the Gato Building, in a quiet pocket park at 616 Louisa Street, a replica stands of the facade of a cigar-maker's cottage. An actual cottage once stood on the spot in 1897. It housed Fernando and Serafina Gato, whose grandaughter still lives in Key West. In other parts of the city, cigar workers lived in shotgun houses, and many of these still house local residents. In Gatoville, cigar workers rode the Keys’ first streetcar system, a mule-drawn trolley. They had their own hospital, bakery, pool hall, grocery store, ice cream shop and baseball league. The factory was well-lit by natural sunlight, and each torcedore had their own table. The tables faced a raised lectern, where a reader, paid by the factory workers, read to the workers. The vibrant communities surrounding the cigar factories eventually attracted Cuban artists and intellectuals to the island. In 1871, a pair of

| An employee of Rodriguez Cigars looks over some of the inventory |

40 . KeysStyle . WINTER 2016

Cuban exiles created the San Carlos Institute as a Cuban heritage center, bilingual school, and a gathering place for those opposed to Spain's rule of Cuba. The original San Carlos Institute was a modest building on Anne Street, then a larger one on Fleming. Plenty of tobacco money made its way to Cuba to arm and support Cuban rebels against Spain. So, some believe a Spanish arsonist set out to destroy the industry. In 1886, a great fire originating at the San Carlos Institute burned down 18 cigar factories and over 600 houses. Suspiciously, a Cuban newspaper reported the blaze the day before it occurred, and Spanish ships waited just offshore while Key West burned, offering to take all the newly unemployed workers back to Cuba. The current San Carlos Institute at 516 Duval Street, built in 1924, is a cultural gem designed by prominent Cuban architect Francisco Centurion. Its Spanish Mission- style arches add grandeur to downtown Duval. Inside, hand-crafted mosaics, great marble stairways, and checkered floors of Cuban tile evoke Havana in its prime. Key West's cigar-making heyday ended soon after the fire, and most of the cigar factories moved to Tampa, where it was easier to ship to the mainland. However, cigar aficionados need not worry. Key West still offers some amazing cigars. Difabio stands behind the Rodriguez Cigar Factory's four blends. “I've personally spent time in the fields of Nicaragua where we get our leaves. I've seen them, smelled them, and held them in my hands before they were picked. I want people to know that Key West still produces quality cigars using traditional Cuban craftmanship.” Difabio looks around at his little cigar shop, as unpretentious as it is authentic. “I can't tell you how good it feels when people from all over the world come into my shop. We talk, share a cigar, have a drink. This isn't just a product I'm selling to people. I'm sharing my heritage." KS

| A worker is shown hand rolling cigars the old fashioned way at the company | A close up of some of the selection of Rodriguez cigars |

B O C C E

INSIDE THE SOUTHERNMOST

LEAGU 42 . KeysStyle . WINTER 2016

BY Sarah Goodwin

IT’S A MONDAY NIGHT, shortly before

sunset. Beside the Sonny McCoy Indigenous Park, at the southernmost tip of White Street, the bocce courts spill over with rowdy locals. One can hear them from half a block away, crying “Bocce! Bocce!” and “Blue point!” through the balmy evening. At the perimeters of the court, people in fold-out chairs sit next to coolers full of beer. An occasional toddler or a bandana-wearing dog wanders around the gathering’s outskirts, making friends. The game of bocce, of course, is the focus of the evening, but half the fun seems to happen while sitting in the benches. You see, unlike golf, bocce encourages both trash - talk and cheering, the louder the better, and beer-drinking is almost mandatory. Welcome to the Southernmost Bocce League. “Ours may be the biggest bocce league in Florida,” boasts league president Neil Mellies. “We have 56 teams and over 500 members. We even have a waiting list, but we really don’t get much turnover. Some people wait a year to get their chance.” For anyone unfamiliar with the game, bocce involves rolling eight big balls at one small target ball, the goal being to get the big balls as close to the target ball as possible. According to

the United States Bocce Federation, ancient Egyptians played a form of the game with polished rocks as early as 5000 B.C.. It made its way to Greece around 800 B.C., and the Romans picked up the game from the Greeks, making their balls from coconuts or hard olive wood. In modern times, bocce is the third most participated sport in the world, preceeded only by soccer and golf. Mellies attributes the sport’s popularity to the fact that almost anyone can play. “In our league, we have people in their teens, and we have senior citizens. Men, women, it doesn’t matter. Plus you get to be outside in the fresh air. We’re especially luckily at our courts because we get to watch the sky and the sea as the sun sets over Rest Beach right across the street.” Mellies has been with the league since its inception in 1987, when the Sons of Italy started playing in Bayview Park. Now, he plays for Key West Brewery, the league’s current champion. This grants them not only gloating rights, but temporary possession of a large trophy which has been passed down to each winning team since ‘87. “Half the people play because they want to win,” Mellies admits. “The league can be competitive, but we know how to have a good time. Then, half the people are just there to have fun.”

For some, the excitement of their first bocce game never wears off. Tony Scardina, for example, has played bocce since he was a teenager. During the day, Scardina works for A-Plus Roofing, a company started by his father. Like roofing, bocce runs in Scardina’s blood. “My whole family plays bocce, my father, mother and brother play. My parents played when it first started back in Bayview Park, in fact, I was with them playing in the womb! They always had us kids out there at the courts, and seeing our parents having so much fun made us want to play when we grew up.”

to play together. And, what’s more, it raises money for charity. Mellies explains, “Most of our entry fees, after upkeep, go to local non-profits. We give approximately $1000 twice a year to places like MARC House, Wesley House, and the Florida Keys Children’s Shelter. Recently, we raised $10,000 at a tournament which was used to create scholarships for Key West High School students. So at our heart, this league is not just about having a good time. It’s about spending time in and giving back to this place we love.” KS

Though he’s been on a few different teams throughout the years, Scardina currently plays for Harpoon Harry’s. “When we go out there and participate in the bocce games we are also talking about work that day or talking about the game the night before. Anything. Everyone usually gets along and has a great night. It shows that even though we are all different we can all have something in common and have fun.” Certainly, this scenic little bocce court at the southernmost tip of the Keys represents the best of our community. Playing bocce fosters multi-generational friendships, builds pride in local businesses, and brings families out

Stacie Eggers, a manager at Blue Heaven, falls into the second half.

“I JUST STARTED ON THE BLUE HEAVEN TEAM AND IT’S HILARIOUS.” “Lots of beer drinking, some yelling, some dancing, and some bocce balls in the wrong court. There are some pretty serious players, but my team is there to have fun. I think I won over some of the old timers, I have got some ‘nice rolls’ and congratulatory high fives. My team captain is 77 years old, and she told me I need to add some finesse to my game. Needless to say, I can’t wait until next Monday.”

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CRACKED CONCH CAFE'S

CONCH CEVICHE

Str

eat and drink like a local

bites of KEY WEST

By Gena Parsons

Con

INGREDIENTS:

CONCH COOKING

The surest way to tell people are new to the Florida Keys is to hear them pronounce “conch.” Residents of the Conch Republic, and frequent visitors here and throughout the Caribbean, know that the name of the large marine mollusk begins and ends with a “k” sound. Conch is the second best known edible snail, behind escargot, and has been a popular dish in the islands since before Christopher Columbus arrived. Conchs are found in the warm waters of the Atlantic and Caribbean and can live up to 25 years with some reaching a foot in length. They move about using a claw-like appendage to dig into the sand and push themselves along.

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Gena Parsons to by

The United States considers the Queen Conch, prized both for its white meat and its beautiful, pink-lipped shells, an endangered species. Collecting and eating them has been illegal since 1985. American restaurants and markets must import the costly conch meat from Central America, the Bahamas and the Caribbean

where harvesting is still allowed, although under government control due to population decline. The only commercial conch farm is in the Turks and Caicos Islands. “Being able to harvest it is one thing, but processing it is a whole different story,” noted Joe DeConda, whose Cracked Conch Café in Marathon boasts the most extensive menu of conch dishes in the Florida Keys. Queen is the preferred conch due to others producing darker, less palatable meat. Once extracted from its substantial shell, its unappetizing, slimy, gray protective skin must be removed along with organs and the orange clawed foot. Washing and soaking the remaining meat is not enough to make it edible. Like abalone or squid, conch is extremely tough and must be pounded, marinated or stewed. “You have to tenderize it individually per order because if you pre-tenderize it, it will shrink back up. And then, if you go to tenderize it again, it’ll make it tougher,” DeConda explained. “Once you pound it out, then you have a beautiful piece of white meat that you can do whatever you want with it. It’s thin. It cooks fast. The longer you cook it the tougher it gets. So you have to cook it fast, both sides – bing, bing!”

44 . KeysStyle . WINTER 2016

1 Medium Cucumber Peeled and Chopped 2 Medium-Size Tomatoes Chopped 2 Medium-Size Green Peppers Chopped 1/2 Stalk of Celery Chopped 1 Medium Onions Chopped 1/2 Cup Old Bay Seafood Seasoning 1/2 Tbsp. of Basil 1/2 Cup of Key Lime Juice 5 Cups of Mojo Marinade 2 1/2 lbs. Finely-Chopped Conch DIRECTIONS:

Mix all ingredients together. Makes one gallon

Flavor can be added during sautéing to create Conch Francoise, Capri, Marsala, Picatta and other delectable options. Conch steaks and strips can be battered and fried, like fish and chicken. For soups, salads, ceviches and fritters – or conch balls, as DeConda prefers – the meat need not be tenderized, but must be diced finelycto break up the fibers that make it chewy. Conch is a very good source of protein, vitamins E and B12, folate, magnesium and selenium, and is low in saturated fat, although high in cholesterol, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

“You always heard about it, but nobody did it. I kept seeing conch everything - Conch Train, people were called Conchs, conch this, conch that, Conch Republic, but nobody was selling conch. I just wanted to get a little niche.” The Cracked Conch Café, serving breakfast, lunch and dinner, has been open every day since. KS

Photo by Gena Parsons

In 1980, as now, most seafood restaurants in the Florida Keys offered the ubiquitous fritters, but little else in the way of conch cooking. That’s why DeConda chose to feature the shelled creature on his menu.

| Above: To tenderize conch meat for frying or sautéing, Cracked Conch Café Chef Pepe Cinto places it in plastic while pounding with a mallet |

EVENT CALENDAR KEYS WIDE

DECEMBER 3

FIVE TO TRY

KEY WEST HOLIDAY PARADE

KEY WEST

DECEMBER 10 -18

NUTCRACKER KEY WEST Producer Joyce Stahl has placed the Nutcracker story in Key West in the 1860s. The Nutcracker becomes a Conchcracker.

JANUARY 22

CONCH REPUBLIC CUP, The CRC is a historic sailing race. The non-profit organization's mission is to introduce the US sailing community to Cuba.

BIG PINE

DECEMBER 17

LIGHTED BOAT PARADE All boats are welcome to enter the Pine Channel Causeway parade.

ISLAMORADA

JANUARY 5 – 15

UNCORKED The 10-day food, wine and spirits showcase features 30-plus savory events to please virtually every palate and budget.

KEY LARGO

JANUARY 6 – 7

BREW ON THE BAY A craft beer festival. Includes a home brew competition and 100 craft beers from around the world.

46 . KeysStyle . WINTER 2016

KEY WEST

DECEMBER 1 – JANUARY 30

CHRISTOPHER PETERSON'S EYECONS

A master of impersonations, both visually and vocally, with impeccable comic timing. The show is all LIVE, no lip-sync. Thrill to his parodies of Marilyn Monroe, Carol Channing, Madonna, Joan Rivers, Lady GaGa and many more. Show time 9 p.m., at La te da 1125 Duval St.

305.296.6706

DECEMBER 1 – 3

KW TRIATHLON AND EXPO: TRIKW SWIMBIKE-RUN IN PARADISE

The Key West Triathlon and Expo expects to host a maximum of 1,000 participants and some of the sport's best known triathletes; TRIKW allows you to bask in the warm weather and the waters of the Atlantic Ocean while the rest of the country is experiencing winter. Olympic and Sprint distances. lizlovekw@gmail.com

DECEMBER 2 – 17

HOT PINK HOLIDAYS

Sponsored by the Key West Business Guild, this LGBT holiday event is full of festive activities as well as special retail opportunities on the island. Events include "flash mob shopping sprees" for gifts galore, holiday lights tours, a hometown holiday parade experience and Christmas caroling. www.kwbgonline.org

DECEMBER 3

KEY WEST THEATER PRESENTS: MARSHALL TUCKER BAND

These good ol' boys from Spartanburg, South Carolina remain as a powerful force in the world of music, with its definitive blend of rock, rhythm & blues, jazz, country, and gospel. Show time 8 p.m.

305.985.0433

boxoffice@ thekeywesttheater.com

The island city shows its holiday spirit with this annual hometown parade. Featuring marching groups and motorized and non-motorized floats, the festive procession traditionally draws entries from churches, civic organizations, businesses and neighborhood and school groups.

305.809.3881

DECEMBER 5

KW THEATER PRESENTS HOWARD JONES

Along with 'New Song', a host of hits include 'Things Can Only Get Better', 'What is Love?', 'Pearl In The Shell', 'Like to Get To know You Well', 'Hide And Seek' (performed at Live Aid), 'Look Mama' and 'No One Is To Blame', which reached No.1 in the US.

305.985.0433

boxoffice@ thekeywesttheater.com

DECEMBER 7

KEY WEST LIGHTED BIKE RIDE

The Lighted Bike Ride helps to gather the needed toys for the struggling, working families of Key West for the holidays. At the Holiday Helpers Store, eligible parents walk through the store, empowered by the ability to pick free, new toys their children will want instead of just allocating non-specific toys to parents. The ride is a family event beginning

with a registration at 5:30 p.m. with the Lighted Bike Ride beginning at 7:00 p.m. Families and individuals with lighted and decorated bikes ride through the streets for the community to see. Registration for the ride is one unwrapped toy for the Key West Holiday Store. Register online.

KEY WEST

claire.hiller@wesleyhouse.org

HOLIDAY HISTORIC INN TOURS

Enjoy an enchanted evening of five decorated inns and a sampling of holiday treats and cheer at each property. From 6-8 p.m., tours are self guided. Free trolley transportation is provided between inns but participants are welcome to bike or use their own transportation. Call the Lodging Association for tickets.

DECEMBER 10

SCHOONER WHARF BAR ANNUAL LIGHTED BOAT PARADE

Lighted and decorated vessels from rowboats to tall ships proceed around Key West's Historic Seaport and harbor areas. Parade is scheduled to begin at 8 p.m. Holiday revelers can watch and applaud from bars, restaurants and resorts in and around the Historic Seaport.

305.296.4959

305.292.3302

DECEMBER 10

DECEMBER 11

THIRD ANNUAL PARADE OF PAWS AND HOLIDAY BAZAAR

Bring your dogs, wear a t-shirt with a picture of your kitty with pride, or walk with a paddle displaying your pet's photo! Holiday Bazaar inside the dog park features entertainment, food vendors, photos with Santa, gifts for that special person on your list and more! A unique opportunity to support the lifesaving mission caring for the Keys' community's homeless animals, the event supports the Florida Keys SPCA. Check in is 9 a.m. Event is from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., Higgs Beach, at the Higgs Dog Park. Bring four-legged friends. www.fkspca.org

DECEMBER 10 -18

NUTCRACKER KEY WEST

Of all the holiday traditions, one of the most delightful is the Nutcracker ballet. Producer Joyce Stahl has placed the Nutcracker story in Key West in the 1860s. Her beautiful period costumes are enhanced by the 60 children in the production who are fish, shrimp, and chickens. The Nutcracker becomes a Conchcracker. The largest production on stage in the Keys. A true Christmas spectacular. Tennessee Williams Theatre.

305.295.7676

www.nutcrackerkeywest.com

305.296.9911

DECEMBER 13 – JANUARY 7

WATERFRONT PLAYHOUSE PRESENTS: IT'S ONLY A PLAY

305.809.5000

DECEMBER 9

Alfred Einstein and Pablo Picasso, mixing the sublime and the ridiculous.

KW THEATER PRESENTS: DEVON ALLMAN

Devon Allman has toiled long and hard to establish his own musical identity, separate from his legendary dad, Gregg Allman. Royal Southern Brotherhood was formed during JazzFest in New Orleans. Their mixed sounds of funk, blues, rock and jazz proved to be a force to be reckoned with. Show starts 8 p.m.

305.985.0433

boxoffice@ thekeywesttheater.com

DECEMBER 11

CHRISTMAS ON THE SHERIFF'S ANIMAL FARM

From 1-3 p.m., kids and adults can visit the furry, fluffy and feathered residents of the Animal Farm and petting zoo and get a photo taken with Santa. This event is free and open to the public. The Sheriff's Animal Farm is open the second and fourth Sundays of the month.

305.293.7300

DECEMBER 13 – JANUARY 14

RED BARN THEATRE PRESENTS: PICASSO AT THE LAPIN AGILE In 1904, in The Lapin Agile - a bar in Paris - a 10-person cast of wonderful characters hold an imagined meeting of the young

It's opening night for a new Broadway play called, The Golden Egg, and all of New York show biz has gathered for the opening night party to anxiously await the reviews. It's a celebration of theatre at its best...and theatre people behaving their not-so-best. All performances at 8 p.m., no shows 12/24 or 12/31.

DECEMBER 21

INAUGURAL HOLIDAY CONCERT & BAZAAR AT CUSTOM HOUSE MUSEUM The event, from 5-9 p.m., will feature Key West's finest artisans, musicians and choirs, along with a spectacular holiday light show. Browse hundreds of unique gift options while enjoying the music, food and libations on and around the island's architectural crown jewel, with eggnog to lift the frazzled 'final shopping days' spirits and Santa on hand for last minute requests and 'selfie' photos. Open and free to the public.

305.295.6616

scowles@kwahs.org

305.294.5015

KEY WEST

DECEMBER 16

DECEMBER 27 – 28

Enjoy an enchanted evening of decorated inns and a sampling of holiday treats and cheer at each property. From 6-8 p.m., tours are self guided. Participants are welcome to bike or use their own transportation. Call the Lodging Association for tickets.

Presented by the Old Island Restoration Foundation, the annual self-guided tours showcase festively dressed Key West homes and gardens. December tours are from 4-7 p.m., both evenings. Transportation between homes is NOT included. Tickets are $30. Proceeds benefit the Old Island Restoration Foundation's museums, collection and education, grant and scholarship programs.

HOLIDAY HISTORIC INN TOURS

305.296.4959

DECEMBER 20 – 24

FRINGE THEATER PRESENTS: A VERY LILLIAN BAXTER CHRISTMAS Feeling the tropical island holiday blues? We've got just the antidote! It's 1970 and Lillian Baxter is staging her comeback with a Christmas show. Oy Vey! Tinsel flies in this very entertaining "one woman" show. This is an extreme dose of whatever it is your holiday spirit is missing!" Performances at 7 p.m., at Little Room Jazz Club at 821 Duval Street.

305.731.0581

57TH ANNUAL KEY WEST HOUSE & GARDEN TOURS

305.294.9501

DECEMBER 31

NEW YEAR'S EVE: CONCH SHELL DROP AT SLOPPY JOE'S

The arrival of 2017 is to be heralded on the island's Duval Street with the "drop" of a gigantic manmade conch shell, the symbol of the Florida Keys, to the flat roof of Sloppy Joe's Bar, 201 Duval. Thousands of spectators gather at 10 p.m. and features dancing in the street and a countdown to midnight recorded on a huge clock. www.sloppyjoes.com 47

DECEMBER 31

NEW YEAR'S EVE: PIRATE WENCH DROP AT SCHOONER WHARF

For piratical partiers, a New Year's Eve salute to Key West's rowdy seafaring roots is scheduled at the island's Historic Seaport. At midnight, a winsome pirate wench is to descend from the top of the mast of the tall ship America 2.0 as cannon blasts welcome 2017. Scallywags in attendance can expect live music all day, dancing and festivities at the Schooner Wharf Bar. www.schoonerwharf.com

DECEMBER 31

KEY WEST DACHSHUND WALK

Frost-free Key West becomes a "wiener wonderland" when about 200 dachshunds and their owners take a noontime New Year's Eve stroll through the island's picturesque downtown. Spectators can watch the fun and meet the canine participants on Fleming Street between Whitehead and Duval streets. keywestdachshundwalk @gmail.com

JANUARY 12 – 22

FRINGE THEATER PRESENTS: AGNES OF GOD

A novice nun. A dead newborn child. A court - appointed psychiatrist and a mother superior battle for the life of the novice nun, Agnes. Is she gifted in the mysteries of faith or guilty of cold-blooded murder? Performance dates January 12-15 and 19-22, show starts 7 p.m. at The Studios of Key West at 533 Eaton Street.

305.731.0581

JANUARY 13 – 14

57TH ANNUAL KEY WEST HOUSE & GARDEN TOURS

Tour a series of elegant and unique private homes of Key West, ranging from exquisite restorations to creative renovations, and the interior design that complements each. March tours are offered 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. each day. Transportation between homes is optional, via Conch Train. Tickets are $30. Proceeds help benefit the Old Island Restoration Foundation.

live music. $5 admission per person; hours open from 11 a.m. - 8 p.m. on Saturday; 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Sunday, at Bayview Park, Truman Avenue and Jose Marti Drive.

813.362.9555

Caitlin.Hemphill@gmail.com

JANUARY 15

KEY WEST HALF MARATHON & 5K RUN

Recognized by Runners World magazine as one of the 10 great half-marathons of the winter season, the race follows a 13.1-mile course that includes Old Town Key West and the scenic waterfront. Now in its 19th year, the race typically attracts American and international runners to compete in Key West's balmy January climate. Named as one of the United States' leading winter half marathons in Runner's World, and was ranked among 13 must-do U.S. half-marathons by Competitor.com.

305.240.0727

bwpromo3@bellsouth.net

35TH ANNUAL KEY WEST LITERARY SEMINAR

The 2017 topic is "Revealing Power: The Literature of Politics Stories." A first-come, first-seated Sunday afternoon session is free and open to the public. The annual highspirited gathering attracts literary aficionados from around the world for readings, discussions and lectures led by some of contemporary literature's leading writers.

888.293.9291

48 . KeysStyle . WINTER 2016

RED BARN THEATRE PRESENTS: MURDER FOR TWO

Everyone is suspect...one actor investigates the crime and the other plays all the suspects and the BOTH play the piano. A highly theatrical duet loaded with killer laughs, it's a perfect blend of music, mayhem, and murder in a witty, winking homage to old fashioned murder mysteries.

305.296.9911

JANUARY 20 – 22

Headquartered at Stock Island Marina Village, this newly formatted four-species event enhances what was formerly a king mackerel tournament, adding tuna, mahi and wahoo. Anglers are to vie for cash prizes.

305.294.9501 tickets@oirf.org

NEW YEAR'S EVE SHOE DROP CELEBRATION

JANUARY 7 – 10

JANUARY 20 – FEBRUARY 12

KEY WEST WINTER RODEO

DECEMBER 31

The Southernmost City celebrates with a descending 6-foot red high heel shoe carrying drag queen Sushi at the Bourbon Street Pub/New Orleans House complex, 724 Duval St. Seconds before midnight, the high heel bearing a lavishly gowned and coiffed Sushi is to be lowered from the second-story balcony of the complex toward the cheering crowds below. schroedkw@aol.com

12 countries and 24 American states. More than 100 racing yachts typically compete for class championships in this international regatta. To view the action, fans can book seats on spectator boats ranging from excursion catamarans to historic tall ships or from land at Key West's Atlantic-front restaurants, resorts and beaches. info@keywestraceweek.com

305.296.0364

lee@murraymarine.com

JANUARY 22 – FEBRUARY 3

CONCH REPUBLIC CUP, KW CUBA RACE WEEK

JANUARY 6

The CRC is a historic race that started in 1997 with direct race to Varadero then expanded to Havana in 1999. The triangle race as it has been coined is a traditional race to Cuba that allows the racer to complete a triangle between KW and two Cuba cities - Varadero and Havana. The CRC is a non-profit organization with the mission to introduce as many of the US sailing community to Cuba as possible as well as revitalize racing in Cuba.

THE REVEREND PEYTON'S BIG DAMN BAND

The Reverend Peyton's Big Damn Band promises to be a sandalstomping, scorcher of a debut for these innovators of Americana. The multi-instrumentalist has innovated a way to plug in and play most anything you can lay hands on. At any time during a show he may produce an instrument built from a cigar box, or an axe handle, or a can of ham. Show time 8 PM. at Key West Theater. www.thekeywesttheater.com

305.731.6219

info@conchrepubliccup.org

JANUARY 14 – 15

JANUARY 15 – 20

JANUARY 23 – 30

A family-friendly event with local fresh Keys seafood, drinks, marinerelated crafts, youth activities, and

The annual race week challenge features world-class competition and yachting teams from more than

Women and girls from around the world are to meet on the playing field for hard-fought sporting action.

12TH ANNUAL FLORIDA KEYS SEAFOOD FESTIVAL

30TH ANNUAL QUANTUM KW RACE WEEK 2017

KELLY MCGILLIS CHAMPIONSHIP

Each year, more than 26 teams from across the United States, Mexico, Central America, Sweden and India participate.

(and somewhat treacherous) journey of friendship, love, and loss. Performances at 7 p.m., Little Room Jazz Club at 821 Duval Street.

305.896.8678

305.731.0581

iwffa@iwffa.com

JANUARY 25 – 29 KEY WEST FOOD & WINE FESTIVAL

Top chefs and restaurateurs display culinary creativity and the Keys' indigenous cuisine in a flavorful event for food lovers. Highlights include neighborhood wine strolls, food and wine pairings, intriguing seminars and a grand tasting.

800.474.4319

info@KWfoodwineFest.us

JANUARY 26

SOUTH FLORIDA SYMPHONY PRESENTS: UBERMENSCH

Featuring violin soloist Tessa Lark, enjoy a Korngold concerto for violin and orchestra. Performance at 7:30 p.m., Florida Keys Community College, Tennessee Williams Theatre. www.sflso.org

FEBRUARY 2 – 4 CUDA BOWL

Shallow water flats anglers and guides are invited to hook-up and fight their barracuda rivals. Event is to be headquartered at Hurricane Hole Marina, Stock Island. Prizes and trophies are to be awarded for top angler and guide in light tackle spin and fly divisions.

305.744.0903

info@cudabowl.com

FEBRUARY 3 – 5

kwartctr@earthlink.net

JANUARY 29

23RD ANNUAL KEY WEST MASTER CHEFS CLASSIC

Local restaurants vie for top honors in appetizer, entrée and dessert categories. Attendees sample the culinary treats while judges pick the winners. The show is held from 4-7 p.m. at the Westin Key West Resort & Marina pier.

305.294.9526

FEBRUARY 2 – 5

FRINGE THEATER PRESENTS: HATE MAIL, REPRISED

What begins as an innocent letter of complaint soon blossoms into a full-fledged battle of wits. How could this not be a love story?!? Hate Mail takes us on a hilarious

adminassist@ lowerkeyschamber.com

MARA THON

DECEMBER 4

305.292.6850

The Lighted Bike Ride helps to gather toys for the struggling, working families of Marathon for the holidays. At the Holiday Helpers Store, eligible parents walk through the store, empowered by the ability to pick free, new toys their children will want instead of just allocating non-specific toys to parents. The ride is a family event beginning with a registration at 5:30 p.m. with the Lighted Bike Ride beginning at 6:30 p.m. Register online.

Colorful Civil War re-enactments, the roar of cannon fire and the sight of soldiers in Civil War uniforms are to greet visitors at Key West's oceanfront historic Civil War-era Fort Zachary Taylor Historic State Park, as participants journey into the island's past.

32ND ANNUAL KEY WEST CRAFT SHOW

305.294.1243

305.872.2411

CIVIL WAR HERITAGE DAYS FESTIVAL

JANUARY 28 – 29

Tens of thousands of attendees browse and buy among juried artisans and crafters who gather to display their talents at this popular outdoor festival on lower Whitehead Street in historic Old Town Key West.

steals and deals on everything imaginable for boating, fishing, diving and more, from nearly 200 vendors. Crafts, food and beverage, live music and entertainment round out the two-day event.

BIG PINE

DECEMBER 17

LOWER KEYS LIGHTED BOAT PARADE

All boats are welcome to enter the Pine Channel Causeway parade including deep-sea cruisers, dinghies, kayaks and canoes. Santa and Mrs. Claus are expected to arrive and hand out candy to the kids. The best recommended viewing is from Kiki's Sandbar, 183 Barry Ave. on Little Torch Key. Parade begins at 7 p.m. Saturday evening.

305.923.5370

bigpinenews@aol.com

JANUARY 14 – 15

NAUTICAL FLEA MARKET

Admission and parking at this event are free, held at the Lower Keys Chamber of Commerce grounds, MM31, from 8AM to 2PM. Find

MARATHON LIGHTED BIKE RIDE

305.809.5000

claire.hiller@wesleyhouse.org

DECEMBER 10

20TH ANNUAL BOOT KEY HARBOR LIGHTED CHRISTMAS BOAT PARADE

A holiday kick-off event; watch as dinghies, mega-yachts and anything in between turn the harbor into a sparkling procession along the parade route. Best viewing sites include Lazy Days South, Marathon Marina, Dockside Tropical Cafe and Burdine's Waterfront. Starts just after sunset, near 6 p.m. www.bootkeyharbor.com

office. The public is welcome. An after-party is held with awards for captains and crews. www.kcbca.org

JANUARY 6 – 9

THE FLORIDA KEYS CELTIC FESTIVAL

Some of America's most celebrated Celtic musical masters are to be featured at the Marathon Community Park, MM 49. The festival will also feature Irish and Scottish dancing, Highland athletics, Celtic merchandise, food and beverage booths and children's activities. floridakeyscelticfestival.com

JANUARY 12 – FEBRUARY 4

MARATHON COMMUNITY THEATER PRESENTS: THE HALLELUJAH GIRLS

From the authors of Golden Girls comes this hilarious and rollicking comedy of six feisty women who have taken over an abandoned church and made it into a day spa. Now, It's the regular Friday meeting place where these women realize their time is precious and if they are going to change their lives and achieve their dreams, they have to get on it now.

305.743.0994

FEBRUARY 4 – 5

23RD ANNUAL PIGEON KEY ART FESTIVAL

Artists and craftspeople are to exhibit their work from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily at this weekend event, located at the Marathon Community Park, MM 49, that includes live music and delicious food. Marine artist Wyland plans be on hand to create ink paintings to be auctioned live as part of the annual fundraiser. Event proceeds from the event are to benefit the Pigeon Key Foundation. pkartfestival@gmail.com

DECEMBER 11

KEY COLONY BEACH LIGHTED BOAT PARADE

Christmas lights on outriggers, Santa's elves and brightly lit deck displays highlight the beautiful festivities during the Key Colony Beach Boat Parade. Great viewing spots include Sadowski Causeway at MM 53.5 and the dock area behind city hall and the post 49

ISLAMORADA

the artists are part of the annual highlights. San Pedro Church Gardens, 9 a.m. - 4 p.m., Mile Marker 89.5 on Plantation Key in Islamorada. Onsite parking is available for a $5 donation. Free parking is available at Coral Shores High School, with shuttle service to the event.

305.360.8556

artundertheoaks@yahoo.com

FEBRUARY 3 – 5

DECEMBER 1 – 4

ISLAMORADA SAILFISH TOURNAMENT

The first leg of the triplecrown Florida Keys Gold Cup Championship series is the only tournament in the series to offer a junior division for anglers age 16 and younger. Unlimited anglers are allowed per vessel.

305.522.4868

ditournaments@aol.com

DECEMBER 2

FLORIDA KEYS HOLIDAY FESTIVAL

This extravaganza begins at 4 p.m., and highlights include a tree lighting ceremony, holiday parade featuring Santa Claus, food, drinks, kids activity booths and live onstage performances. A 30-ton mountain of snow is the favorite among mitten-clad children. Event is staged at Founders Park, MM 87.

305.664.4503

DECEMBER 10 – 11

SECOND ANNUAL ISLAMORADA HALF MARATHON AND 10K

New this year, is the Friday "Beer Mile" event, that is quite simple: 1 Mile and 4 Beers. Do you have what it takes? There are to be cash prizes for the top 3 finishers for male/ female in the half marathon and great awards for the top 3 finishers of the 10K. In addition, prizes for those who place top 3 in their age groups for both races. Register for all events online. Earlybird savings.

305.587.0901

islamoradahalf@gmail.com

DECEMBER 16 – 18

ISLAMORADA JUNIOR SAILFISH TOURNAMENT

Recreation for teens in the Florida Keys can mean learning from experienced local captains and 50 . KeysStyle . WINTER 2016

ISLAMORADA WOMEN’S mates to tie a bimini or rig ballyhoo. SAILFISH TOURNAMENT One weekend each year anglers aged 16 and younger can apply such lessons in this competition. A maximum of six anglers is allowed per boat. Proceeds aid the Montessori Island School.

305.240.9337

fishnbully@msn.com

JANUARY 5 – 15

UNCORKED ... THE KEY LARGO AND ISLAMORADA FOOD & WINE FESTIVAL

The 10-day food, wine and spirits showcase features 30-plus savory events to please virtually every palate and budget, spread among numerous Upper Keys venues with fresh, locally sourced seafood and international-style dishes. The festival's outdoor 'A Grand Tasting,' is set for Jan. 14. For a complete events schedule, visit website.

305.522.1300

events@fkrm.com

JANUARY 13 – 15

FIFTH ANNUAL BAYGRASS BLUEGRASS FESTIVAL

Featuring several great Oldgrass, Newgrass and a blend of next generation Bluegrass as well as some tasteful variations of the genre. Tickets to be available in advance online and at the gate. Monies raised help fund music, dance and art scholarships for local students; MM 87 bayside at Founders Park. Attendees can bring blankets and lawn chairs, but coolers are not permitted. Food and beverages available for purchase.

305.587.0901

JANUARY 14

34TH ANNUAL ART UNDER THE OAKS

Fine art & original crafts, a variety of entertainment, specialty food booths, children's arts & crafts, as well as a raffle of items donated by

In this light-tackle challenge, awards await the grand champion team (boat), first runner-up and second runner-up team, captain and mate. Other awards are presented for the high-point angler, outstanding catch, largest tuna, dolphin and kingfish, most tagged sailfish and hard luck. Proceeds benefit the Cancer Foundation of the Florida Keys.

305.240.9337

fishnbully@msn.com

KEY LARGO

DECEMBER 10

KEY LARGO LIGHTED BIKE RIDE

The Lighted Bike Ride helps to gather toys for the struggling, working families of Key Largo for the holidays. At the Holiday Helpers Store, eligible parents walk through the store, empowered by the ability to pick free, new toys their children will want instead of just allocating non-specific toys to parents. The ride is a family event beginning with a registration at 5:30 with the Lighted Bike Ride beginning at 6:30pm. Register online.

305.809.5000

claire.hiller@wesleyhouse.org

DECEMBER 17

KEY LARGO HOLIDAY LIGHTED BOAT PARADE

Blackwater Sound is to shimmer as decorated boats parade along the shoreline in celebration of the holiday season; 55-foot yachts

to single-person kayaks are to set sail at 7:30 p.m. The best viewing and libations are to be found at Sundowners, Jimmy Johnson's Big Chill, Senor Frijoles, the Marriott Key Largo Bay Resort and Caribbean Club, MM 103-104. Awards after-party at Sundowners, at 10 p.m. www.keylargoboatparade.com

DECEMBER 31

NEW YEAR'S EVE FIREWORKS ON BLACKWATER SOUND

The back bay is the setting for the annual New Year's Eve fireworks extravaganza hosted by Sundowners, Jimmy Johnson's Big Chill, Senor Frijoles, Cactus Jacks, Gus' Grille at the Marriott Key Largo Beach Resort and the Caribbean Club, MM 103-104. Check website for details.

305.451.4502

JANUARY 5 – 15

UNCORKED ... THE KEY LARGO AND ISLAMORADA FOOD & WINE FESTIVAL

305.522.1300

events@fkrm.com

JANUARY 6 – 7

BREW ON THE BAY

Presented by the Rotary Club of Key Largo, this craft beer festival includes a home brew competition and a main event featuring more than 100 craft beers from around the world, showcased in an unlimited tasting with food, music and entertainment along the waterfront at Rowell's Marina, MM 104.5 bayside.

305.304.0554

teddreaver@aol.com

52 . KeysStyle . WINTER 2016