Livin' on Key West Time

Boondocks Grille & Drafthouse and Miniature Golf on Ramrod Key hosted a charity event for Care Camps.  Care camps are located across the United States and Canada and are designed specifically for children with cancer.  These camps are staffed with medical personnel and camp counselors trained to meet the needs of these young campers who have cancer.  There are three such camps in Georgia: Camp Sunshine in Decatur, Camp Rainbow in Augusta, and Camp Twin-Lakes in Rutledge.

 

A group of 5 couples in two vehicles left from Marathon Marina to attend this event on Ramrod Key.  Ramrod Key is named for a ship which was wrecked on a reef south of here in the early nineteenth century.   We had reserved seating for 4 but were able to purchase another table and chairs upon arrival.  We were fortunate because the Boondocks was crowded on this night due to the popularity of the musicians. 

Howard Livingston and the Mile Marker 24 Band provided the entertainment for the event.  Livingston can be described as the local Jimmy Buffet style musician.   Livingston is known for one of the first song she wrote and recorded, Livin' on Key West Time.  The story goes that while in China on working on a business transaction for his automotive based company, a friend was trying to determine their time zone.  Livingston replied "It doesn't matter what time zone we are in, I'm livin' on Key West time."  After this conversation, Livingston wrote the song.  Shortly afterward he sold the automotive business in Chicago and made his home on Mile marker 24 on US 1 in the Keys. 

 Livingston and his wife became interested in supporting the Care Camps when the band played at a KOA Care Camp fund raiser.    They began performing at many venues to help raise money for the KOA Care Camps.  They sell bright turquoise hats for $100 at each event.  Perhaps their largest money maker is the auctioning of Margaritas made from an old Johnson outboard motor blender.  At the 2012 International KOA Convention in Orlando the famous outboard motor Margarita was auctioned for $13,000. 

 Joy

Radio Marti

We saw these radio towers the other day when we took out the dinghy.  We discovered that these towers are the only 100,000 watt medium wave station in the US called Radio Marti.  Radio Marti transmitted its first broadcast in 1985 from Washington, D.C.  as a part of the Radio Broadcasting to Cuba Act in 1983.  These towers are named after Jose Marti a Cuban writer.  

 Joy

Border Patrol in Marathon

Several years ago we went on a class trip with our daughter, Caroline.  I won't go into how thrilled she was to have us accompany her and her class mates on this trip, but I will tell you that Steve and I had a great time and we were asked to accompany the teachers frequently on class trips.  While on this trip we visited the Border Patrol Museum in El Paso Texas.  Steve thoroughly enjoyed the visit and purchased a Border Patrol hat and shirt.  He gets a big kick out of wearing the hat whenever we go out to eat at a Mexican Restaurant. 

On our walk I observed an "Authentic Mexican Restaurant" thinking we might have found a great place to eat. Guess what we saw out front?

What do they put into that container on the truck bed? 

Joy

Faro Blanco

I have seen several references to Faro Blanco around Marathon.  We walked to the newly opened Hyatt Place Faro Blanco Resort and Marina.  The marina is not yet finished, but we were allowed to walk around. The Resort  is north of the US Coast Guard Station and includes the original Faro Blanco Lighthouse which was built in the 1950's.  Faro Blanco is Spanish for White Lighthouse. 

When the resort is complete it will have 125 rooms along with a full-service marina and yacht club, swimming pool, fitness club and a waterfront restaurant and bar.

Joy

Porkys Bayside BBQ for Dinner

 Dressing up is not necessary for dining at Porky's.  The picnic tables are covered with local waterway charts or not covered at all.  The windows are made of heavy plastic that can be rolled up to catch the breeze.  Fishermen and women bring in their catch of the day to have the chefs cook it for them.  Porky's is a fun kind of place to experience all that Marathon has to offer.

Dollar bills are stapled to the ceiling while buoys and other fishing paraphernalia hand from the rafters.  Many of the patrons have just come in and are busy telling tall fish tales.  The pig theme is overdone to the max.  

 
The next photo might not be appropriate for all ages or genders, so please remember that you were forewarned.  I love taking photographs of the odd and unexplainable.  The photo below fits into that category.   I can only wonder  what was going on at Porky's on the night that this item was hung from the ceiling.  

The local radio station was hosting a raffle...I was one number away from winning the Costa sunglasses.  

 Steve ordered the Lobster Bisque--looks like he is enjoying it.  He also ordered "When Pigs Fly" over homemade potato chips while I ordered Key West Crab Cakes with mixed vegetables.

 I was feeling pretty good after dinner and enjoyed the stroll back to the marina.  It wouldn't be too far off the mark to say I was feeling "fat and sassy" kind of like the girl below. 

Joy

Porky's Bayside BBQ #1

I could not resist taking a picture of Porky's Bayside BBQ and Seafood.  Porky's has been around since the 1950's--hard to believe I know.  They claim that Ernest Hemingway, Jimmy Hoffa and Elizabeth Taylor have all come to dine at this fine establishment when it was known as Bill Thompson's Villas and Marina.  Today, the marina is called Pip's Marina and Hideaway. 

The menu which includes BBQ pork, shrimp, catfish, mahi, seared sashimi tuna, and fried oysters to name just a very few.  What caught my eye on the menu? The Key West Crab Cake with 5 cheese wine sauce for 12.50 with garlic bread and a side.  The sides include the typical french fries, cole slaw, baked beans and the surprising Fried Corn on the Cob.  A glance at the drink menu advertises that they serve Georgia Sweet Tea! Gotta try this place. 

Joy

Georgia Fans in Florida

We do not have a car here in Marathon, so we walk or ride our bikes everywhere we want to go. We have to cross US1 to get to the bike lane.  It can be a little harrowing getting around, but we think we have found the safest routes and places to cross.  The closest traffic light at which we can cross is about a mile and half down the road.  On our first walk we discovered we aren't the only Georgians around.

 This same home at UGA Avenue has a mailbox that many boaters may find interesting.

 Joy