Originally posted January 14, 2014. 

As you can imagine, Dick and I have just skimmed the surface of places to recommend and things to do in the Conch Republic. I was at Archeo Gallery yesterday talking with our friend Margit Bisztray, one of Shakti’s beautiful yoginis, as well as a travel and food writer for such publications as Gourmet and Dwell, and was reminded of the impressive job Margit has done with Key West’s foremost travel directory, The Key West Insider Guide. And the news gets better—lucky you—it’s now an app. Make sure you go to iTunes and download Margit Bisztray’s Key West Insider App. Margit has lived in Key West for 20 years and knows the ropes. Her app is the same quality as one of my favorite Paris apps, Patricia Wells’ The New Food Lover’s Guide to Paris. Don’t go to Paris without it.

Several years ago, Dick and I went on a great France/Switzerland food tour with David Lebovitz. (Check out David’s tours at davidlebovitz.com and get a copy of his amusing The Sweet Life in Paris.) As part of the tour, we had dinner with Alec Lobrano, restaurant critic and author of Hungry for Paris, and renowned journalist and chocolate/olive oil enthusiast Mort Rosenblum, author of Olives: The Life and Lore of a Noble Fruit and Chocolate: A Bittersweet Sweet Saga of Dark and Light. We learned so much from each of them about the ins and outs of Paris.

Well that’s what Margit will do for you in the Keys. Now you never have to waste a vacation minute or meal wondering where in the tropical Keys to go next. And not unlike Paris, the best part of Key West is often the time you allow for wandering Old Towns’ quaint lanes and alleys and discovering stuff on your own. But even if you’re not coming to the Keys anytime soon, you can pretend you are with Margit’s free app. Happy Key West vacationing and bon appetit!