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RIP Chris Case: Key West Music Legend

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Key West music legend Chris Case passed away on October 5, marking the end of an era. I knew Chris for his entire stay in Key West. I also knew Chris’s friend, Steve Mello for his entire musical stay in Key West. Like Chris, Steve played at both Matt and Becky’s wedding receptions in Key […]

Key West Insider’s Guide: UVA Wine Shoppe

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I hope you’re looking forward to being with family and friends this Easter. If you’re in Key West, stop by and see our friend Mark Gambuzza at UVA Wine Shoppe. Originally posted on December 28, 2023. Your Survival Guy wants you to get away from it all this winter. A tropical break, if you will, […]

Key West #1 Wine Shop & Wine Expert

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Originally posted March 29, 2022. French Burgundy, Syrah, and Champagne: As a group, these are the one/two/three punch for which I rely on Mark Gambuzza, Key West’s “Wine Guy.” Nobody in the Florida Keys comes close to Mark, where most restauranteurs know little to nothing about fine wine. I buy 100% of my French Burgundy, […]

Iconic Key West Hotel Reopens After Extensive Renovation

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The iconic Casa Marina hotel in Key West will be reopening after a renovation that was “all-encompassing.” The revived Casa will make a great high-end choice for all incoming Key West guests. Ted Lund of The Keys Citizen reports: One of the Florida Keys’s most iconic hotels — dating back to the days of Henry […]

The Breakfast of Champions

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I start every sunny Key West morning by heading over to the Cuban Coffee Queen. Prior to heading out, I take the well-used time to apply some very special 10,000 mg. hemp goop to my 82-year-old, damn annoying (and you thought you were alone) thumb joints and neck. By then, I have been up for […]

RIP Jimmy Buffett: Death of an American Treasure

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Jimmy Buffett—just writing his name makes me think of a different place and time—will be remembered as a pirate who brought his listeners treasure. What a blow it was Saturday morning after learning that he died the night before. In an instant, I knew what it felt like the day the music died. My life […]

Tropical Storm Idalia a “Candidate for Rapid Intensification”

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Forecasts for Tropical Storm Idalia suggest its center will pass hundreds of miles to the north of our home in Key West, heading inland near Tampa, where residents should be exercising caution. National Weather Service forecaster Joe Rizzo has suggested Idalia is a “candidate for rapid intensification.” The Keys News reports: Florida Keys schools and […]

One of America’s Best Kept Live Music Secrets

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As long-time readers will know, Debbie and I moved to Key West around 30 years ago. One of the highlights of our time here has been the live music scene in town. In The Keys News, Ralph Depalma calls the live music scene in Key West one of America’s best-kept secrets. He also discusses the […]