17 February 2006

* Took me about 15 minutes--and the help of a neighbor--to get my car out of my driveway this morning. It is still totally caked in ice--even 4 days after the storm. I can't even make headway on my front steps or sidewalk, the ice is so thick.
Even our backyard is covered in snow with a thick layer of ice on it--the girl and I skidded around on it last night when we came home from dinner. Fortunately melting is on the way--the temps are due to hit the 40s in the coming days.



* Got our cruise documents the other day--with information on our on-shore "excursions." It's totally helping me deal with all this WINTER STUFF.
I'm extremely excited to explore the the Caribbean and our exotic ports-of-call (Puerto Rico, St. Thomas/St. John's, the Bahamas) but I'm really happy to visit one of my favorite places ever: Key West. (That's our first stop from Fort Lauderdale before we head into the Caribbean.) We only have about 6 hours there, but I already have my "mental list" of places I want to hit. Tops on the list: Blue Heaven for breakfast (including Bloody Mary's)--it's literally hand-painted picnic tables surrounded by a canopy of palm and banyan trees on a dusty lot that used to be home to cockfights and boxing matches. Ernest Hemingway used to referee the Friday night fights, and is said to have thrown a punch or two. And the food is amazing.
Other stops: cafe con leche (Cuban coffee) at this neat deli across the street from the Green Parrot bar, books at Flaming Maggie's (Key West's amazing gay bookstore), shopping at Besame Mucho, Cuba, Cuba, and bargain-hunting at Fast Buck Freddie's. The girl wants to check out the Hemingway House and the famous six-toed cats. I'm absolutely in love with the architecture, history and tropical feel of this place. (I'm a bit obsessed with Hemingway.) OH, and speaking of the Hemingway House cats they actually have a live Cat Cam!

Hemingway House

Hopefully we'll have time for a drink or two at La Te Da--this cool outdoor piano bar on the "gay" end of Duval street. The girl and I spent an afternoon there during Key West Gay pride a few years ago and had a BALL. Too bad we'll have to miss the Sunday night drag queen show at the 801.