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Things to do in Historic Key West Florida

12/28/2016

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... by Linda Y. Walters

​When it comes to having a great time, Key West, a city founded back in 1822, is an incredible mixture of excitement, sea faring exploration and most of all, one's own imagination. There's no shortage of local bars and legendary haunts to "drop in on" on any given day. Just don't try to do them all at once!

Duval Street, a hub of activity, has long been the center of  Key West  night life. You might want to visit The Bull, Sloppy Joe's Bar, or The Whistle Bar which has a clothing optional mantra. Captain Tony's (known for its bar stools which hang upside down from the ceiling) was also reportedly the favorite afternoon haunt of the Pulitzer and Nobel prize winning author, Ernest Hemingway.   Many world reknowned persons including Tennessee Williams, former President Harry Truman and the legendary ocean treasure hunter, Mel Fisher, have contributed to the undeniable lure and history of this tiny island just 90 miles off the coast of Cuba.
Fisher's haul of buried treasure, which reportedly took him 16 years to eventually find, tragically cost him the loss of his son and daughter in law. After finding the 1622 wreck of the Spanish ship Nuestra Senora de Atocha, a Spanish galleon, Fisher cashed in on years of determined treasure hunting. 
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Fort Zachary Taylor is a Florida State Park

​During the Civil War, Key West flew the Confederate flag and Fort Zachary Taylor played a significant role in helping protect the coastline. Munitions were moved by the railroad tracks located there.
Prior to the Cuban Missile Crisis, ferries and trade between Key West and Havana were a common daily occurrence. Visit Zachary Taylor Fort for an exciting look at Key West's historical past.

With local haunts like Blue Heaven, Smokin Tuna, and a liquor store named "The Lost Weekend," Key West's significant cultural allure remains in place. Even John F Kennedy is said to have visited Captain Tony's, still known for the distinction of offering its visitors the opportunity to flip coins into the mouths of groupers. Recently renovated, this undeniable landmark reopened in early November of 2016.
Yacht charters are an everyday occurence in Key West and Floridays Yacht Charters has earned high marks for its  appeal, convenience and expertise on the water. Whether its a champagne sunset cruise, a private charter for a wedding party, or an afternoon snorkeling expedition, this is a sailing experience to be remembered. Check the website at: floridays.org or call 888 773 5455
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Visit Floridays website
Mallory Square, located just a short walk off Duval Street, offers a popular stretch of beach which comes alive daily with a celebration of entertaining street performers and crafts vendors. There's also the undeniable allure of the amazing daily sunset. Thousands gather nightly to witness the splendor of watching as the sun seems to meld with the vastness of the ocean. Cameras poised, its a nightly celebration aptly named "the Sunset Walk".
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For general sightseeing around Key West, try Hydrothunder Rentals which has a large fleet of individual rental bikes and scooters for use.

They also have motorized cars, golf carts, jetskis and other "toys" and transportation.

Reach them at 305 295 7000.
Key West generally has something for everyone whether its the Key West Butterfly and Nature Conservatory, the Audubon House, the Conch Tour Train, watersports, the Key West Aquarium, the Mel Fisher Maritime Museum, or the Key West Shipwreck Treasure Museum. 
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General admission fees apply to most of the attractions so, please, do your homework. Visit KeyWestAttractions.org 
​or call 305 293 7249.


Stay at the Hyatt Centric

The new Hyatt Centric Resort & Spa  is right in the heart of the old town, with it's own beach and within walking distance of all the fun!

​For more information, check out Linda Walters review of this exiciting new resort right here.

#KeyWest #Hyatt #LindaWalters
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Key West Hyatt Centric: World Class Amenities

12/28/2016

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by Linda Y. Walters

The Hyatt Centric Key West Resort & Spa offers a dynamic experience with world class amenities and lovely ocean views.

Your visit will be an experience you won't soon forget.  Sensory illumination is in full effect as the world class amenities at this luxurious hotel offer you a full palate during your stay.  

Fabulous dining at the Shor American Seafood Grill overlooking the water, cocktails at the fabulous Blue Mojito waterside bar, a full menu of relaxing  treatments at Jala, their newly renovated spa, or an exhiliariting  poolside experience as you enjoy  the warmth of fire pits after an evening swim.  
All of these tie in to make your visit a memorable one.

The recently refurbished and rebranded Hyatt Centric includes 120 ocean view rooms, a fully outfitted (state of the art) audio/visual enhanced conference room for corporate meetings and an additional 2,200 meeting room for use in all types of private events.  
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With the hotel's prime water front location, weddings are frequently held here, with the reception often scheduled to take full advantage of the majestic Gulf Coast sunset view.

This Key West treasure is designed by Hyatt to be unique, and to fit into the community in which it is located. 
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"Hyatt Centric", which is a branded subdivision of Hyatt Hotels, focuses on and utilizes the specifics of its locatIon and all its inherent components," stated Braedan Quigley,  Hyatt Sales & Marketing Director at Hyatts of the Caribbean.
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He continued,  "In Key West, for example, we focused on Cuban coffee, Ernest Hemingway's influences, and Tenessee Williams' drink specialties, in giving this location its higher demand and visibility". 

The Hyatt Centric Key West offers extremely spacious bedrooms, each with a water view from your own private balcony. A sumptuous bathroom, with a generous sized shower, and the added luxury of your choice of operation including rain shower or hand held, in many ways is mindful of a spa experience minus the massage. Add the fragrant lotions and scents, and, of course, the relaxing effects of simply letting your thoughts slow down,  and firmly reconnect with your inner calm.
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Which brings me to the Hyatt Centric's Jala Spa, a wonderfully energizing, yet relaxing experience which includes a full array of spa services. Whether its the island coconut milk and honey ritual, designed to nourish, hydrate, tighten and strengthen the skin, an after sun rescue wrap complete with fragrant Tropical Nut Oil; or the seaside renewal which offers a full Swedish massage, you will leave Jala Spa feeling as if you may have just become another person.  ​
Couples massages, called "duets", are available as well and can include full body signature massage, hot oil scalp massage , or the extremely rejuvenating footscrub. 

Jala, which means "water" in Sanskrit, is really all about getting you in touch with your essential life.   Explore the delightful experience of relaxation.  You owe it to yourself to slow down even if it's only for one hour.
If you're in the mood for an afternoon cocktail, or Happy Hour libations, visit the Blue Mojito Bar and Grill.

The bar sits poolside, looking over the ocean. Try a refreshing Key West Lemonade, the Key Lime Martini or sample the Prickly Pear Margarita.  
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There's no shortage of imagination or deliciousness on the menu. Frozen drinks are also available and you can order from the Mojiti poolside menu which includes a great selection of salads and finger foods.

For breakfast, lunch or dinner, Shor American Seafood Grill is on property and does an amazing job of delivering five star cuisine.

The eclectic menu offers a wide array of internationally represented flavors with several choices of fresh catch, local favorites and delicately prepared side dishes you won't soon forget.  ​
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Breakfast offerings include delicious smoked salmon served on pumpernickel break with egg white, cream cheese and capers which took the dish to another level in its delivery of flavor.   The Cajun Omelet was amazing and included Andouille sausage, bacon, peppers, Monterey Jack Cheese as well as several requisite Cajun spices.  The menu also included the ever popular Fried Chicken and Waffles, an Island  Breakfast Ceviche, Eggs Benedict and even a healthy Warm Tropical Fruit Quinoa.  Freshly squeezed orange juice, good, strong Cuban coffee and an assortment of teas are also available.   Lunch is available as well and includes great soups, salads sandwiches with a local flare and seafood choices as well.

The dinner menu at SHOR is nothing short of spectacular. Appetizers include everything from Charred Baby Octopus, Key West Seafood Hot Pot, Bacon Wrapped Pork Belly and/or Calamari Fries. Or choose from the  Angus Prime Steak, Orange Mojo Gulf Stream Mahi Mahi, Key West Ale Braised Short Ribs, or Pan Seared Local Catch of the Day. Much of the seafood served at this distinctive dining establishment has been caught locally and is done so on a daily basis. The freshness is evident.

​With an idyllic location in Old Town Key West, Hyatt Centric Key West Resort & Spa offers access to prime sites for relaxation and rejuvenation. Get out on the water, lounge on the beach, or meander through the streets of Old Town as you marvel at the historical architecture. Whether your passion is golf, snorkeling, or spa treatments, you’ll find that you can experience it all from our Key West resort, leaving you refreshed when the time comes to journey home.  

Hyatt Centric website:
KeyWestHyat.com

Read more reviews
601 Front Street
​(305) 809-1234
Reservations:
​888-735-2954
​
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More about Historic Key West

When it comes to having a good time, Key West, a city founded back in 1822, is an incredible mixture of excitement, sea faring exploration and most of all, one's own imagination  (read more)  
#KeyWest  #Hyatt  #LindaWalters
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Viral Videos: Moose on the Loose

12/27/2016

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TWA's Inside Scoop on your Favorite Viral Videos

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Click above for the FIRST VIDEO
This viral video of Theresa & CJ's "Moose Encounter" in Banff, Canada has been viewed over 3 million times, as of this date.

Theresa Malan works at the
Canada House Gallery
in Banff, Canada
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"Boreal Monarch" by Terry McCue
by Theresa Malan

​​This happened Thursday December 15th at Peter Lougheed Provincial Park / Kananaskis Alberta. Just outside our home in Banff National Park .  

​My husband CJ Malan and I live in Banff National Park and we love our surroundings. We love our protected environment and on a daily basis we see lots of natural wildlife. Elk, bear, eagles, deer, wolves. Moose are a rarity to see here in this area of Canada but they are here…... I have lived her for 12 years and have only ever seen 4-6 moose and always at a very large distance.

My husband CJ is new to Canada, he is originally from South Africa but has been living in the UK for 10 years with the British military, This is his first year here in Canada so every opportunity we get, we love to be out doors exploring the national parks together. His goal was to see a moose and we totally got more than a  “Spotting” of a moose. I feel like we made friends with this moose!

I work at Canada House Gallery in Banff and now I feel like I need to add “Boreal Monarch” by Terry McCue to our art collection to commemorate our time spent with this cool kind-eyed moose. Terry is one of my fav artists here at the gallery and he is First Nations Ojibway and he is such an incredible colorist and story teller with his paintings…..after this experience I think we need this moose in our life, haha. 
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Moose are quite solitary, and can be aggressive. This moose was probably about 3-5 years old so he was big…..but not the biggest. We drive a Ford escape and he was taller than the vehicle!

He was totally chill and docile.  We went out for a drive that day to specifically see if we could spot a moose as there had been “Moose Warnings” out in that area that they were licking cars….. so we tried our luck.  
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After driving for about 2-3 hours, with no spottings, we decided to turn around and ...Boom! There he was, this beautiful bull, standing still and staring at us out of the woods on the side of the road.

There were two other vehicles pulled over as they were out "back country skiing," and he started licking the other pulled over truck (Moose have learned they can get salt from licking vehicles). We decided to watch from a distance. He was so unbothered and the road we were on was totally quiet and very wide. If had it been anything different we wouldn’t have stuck around, for the safety of the moose. 


After a couple of minutes we were able to roll in a little closer and he knew we were there and watching him, still not caring, and more so looking at us as his next snack and very appreciative.

He then made his way over to us and I was a tad bit apprehensive because, with each step closer he took, the larger he became and it was overwhelming. Yet, he was incredibly gentle and amusing as he made his way around our car, gently bumping his dish (antlers) against our car.


About 10-15 min into his snack on our car the skiers returned to their vehicle behind us and they couldn’t believe what they were witnessing. They were about 20 meters away from us and the moose even knew they were there, taking off all their equipment and loading up their car, and the moose couldn’t care less. He was so infatuated with the salt he was getting for his diet from our car.

Had there been any aggression shown or uncomfortable nature the back country skiers would have gotten into their car for safety…as with us (we never got out of the car or unrolled the windows). Had there been any danger or aggression we wouldn’t have stuck around. We are very very respectful of the animals we live around and advocate for safe and conservation focused wildlife viewing. We are always very responsible and respectful.


We DO see a lot of disrespectful behavior from national park visitors  causing “Bear Jams” which is essentially a traffic jam caused by a bear on the side of the road,  and by people causing a very disruptive stir either by stopping or by getting out of their car for photos (which is SO not cool).

So yea……I’d say we were very lucky to have this moment but had the roads been busy, packed, narrow, or anything of that nature, we would have left straight away.

If you are ever in Banff, please keep your safety, and the safety of our wildlife in mind and, please, stop in to see me at the Gallery!  I'd love to meet you and we are located right downtown at 201 Bear Street, Banff, Alberta, Canada. I'll give you some recommendations on some great places to eat and things to do!

UPDATE: The video and story are making their way around the globe. Scroll down to see some of our favorite ones... including in Russian and Japanese!
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See more MOOSE encounter
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More on Banff & the Gallery

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Theresa & CJ (Gerhard) Malan live in Banff in the Alberta Province of Canada right in the heart of the Banff National Park.

They are passionate about nature and the arts... CJ works at the Banff Center for Arts & Creativity while Theresa, as you already know, works at the Canada House Gallery.

Follow them on Facebook:  Theresa & CJ/Gerhard
​
#Moose #Canada #Banff #ViralVideo 

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​Grand Case – French St Martin – The Gourmet Capital of the Caribbean

12/20/2016

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​by Joe Mack

​Thinking about the Caribbean Island of St Martin, for me, there is only one side, the French Side. I had heard about St Martin. I knew half of the island was French. I like all things French. I go regularly to Quebec City, Canada, and I have toured the South of France.  Nice, St Tropez, Cannes.  But that’s another story.  HERE I deal with the Caribbean. 

I did research before coming to the island. My wife Jaci and I are “foodies" and I discovered the town of Grand Case is considered the “Gourmet Capital of the Caribbean.” There is a good reason why. Main Street in Grand Case is called Grand Case Blvd. Here you will find some hotels and B&B’s lining the beach side of the street but, the first thing you will notice, are the number of restaurants. They adorn both sides of the street. On the ocean side, you will get the extra benefit of an ocean view while you dine. Anything in Grand Case that is along the beach is RIGHT ON THE BEACH. It is not a walk to the beach, you are right on the beach. In St Martin, as in most Caribbean islands, no beach is private, they belong to everyone.
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​After breakfast it’s off to the beach to enjoy the sun, sand and water. On Sundays, just about every Sunday, there is a Boat Race in Grand Case. The boat race is done by locals. They own and take pride in their boats. They head for to the beach. Get their boats ready, then off they sail to the Island of Anguilla that is just beyond St Martin. You can see it from the beach in Grand Case.  Watching them get ready was more fun than watching them sail.
My first time on the island, I stayed at the Atlantide. This is a small building. Three stories, and three units on each level. Then, they were all hotel units, but over the years they have been purchased privately and get rented out by the owners on Airbnb and web sites like that. This first photo is from our terrace. We had the middle unit on the first floor. Again, when I say we were RIGHT ON THE BEACH, I mean we were RIGHT ON THE BEACH. In Grand Case you don’t pay a fortune for this luxury. We have returned many times. The second is a shot taken from out in the water, what a great place to stay.

You like good food? So do I. Breakfast is simple and NOT so gourmet. But oh so French. Down the street from our room, is a small place. It’s only open for breakfast and lunch. Their menu was simple. And the price was always right. Café au lait, croissant, and French baguettes. 
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​​On my first trip to St Martin, I didn’t know what to expect. And when I found the Atlántide, parked and then started walking, after seeing buildings similar to this one, I didn’t know what to expect. And thought,

​“Maybe this island stuff isn’t for me”.
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​It didn’t take long for me to stop dwelling on these buildings. And they are not the norm. As of this date, places like this are few and far between. Renovations are booming.  And now, at least on the ocean side, it’s hard to find a vacant building. The rest of the town is wonderful. And the people really are friendly as the name implies, The Friendly Island.
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​Grand Case Blvd is narrow. Cars park on both sides. Lucky for you, on most of Grand Case Blvd there is only one way traffic, including the main part. You learn to weave in and out of parked cars as you maneuver down the street. You see people walking, in cars and in their houses. You wave, they wave. You learn the rhythm of the island very fast.
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​The beach is a small one. The water is shallow, warm as you might expect. There is a sandy bottom. Not really much of a surf.  If you want surf, got to Orient Beach.
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​Oh, this was about food wasn’t it? You have your choice. French, Sea Food, Thai, Italian, Creole, Vietnamese, Indian, Japanese, Tapas and, of course, Caribbean.  There is an Island Barbeque type place with traditional island food called “a Lolo”. There is one in Grand Case. 
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​Don’t expect luxury. Plastic forks, plastic knives and paper plates. But the food is delicious and you can’t beat the price. When I was there last, it was New Year’s week.  The Lolo had entertainment, this steel drum band. They were very good and the music went well with the food. Great ambiance

​​On New Year’s Eve that year, we did “the restaurant crawl”. We had a pre-dinner drink in one bar. Then on to a restaurant for an appetizer. We left and picked out another for our entre. We found our last restaurant for desert. We really learned how to ring in the New Year that night in Grand Case.
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​So at the end of the day. What do YOU think of? After desert and drinks I mean. SUNSET right?

Grand Case has the best sunsets. You can sit on the beach to watch the sun set, or you can watch it from your table at your restaurant if you were lucky enough to get one on the beach side of the street. We did.
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​At the end of your stay. Before you pack your bags and head for the airport, you have go to “Tijon Perfumeries & Boutique”. Here you will get a lesson in making perfume. The owner is very knowledgeable about scents, and guides you thru the process of making YOUR own personal scent. You take one of these scents, one of those, one of the other. He mixes it for you. Catalogs it in his data base. YOU give it a name and the formula is saved. If and when you come back, you can have more made, the same fragrance. Or you can contact him thru a web site and re order your own special scent that NO ONE else in the world has but YOU.
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​Did you enjoy this short tour of Grand Case, on the French Side of St Martin? It really is a beautiful little town to stay in. You have so many choices of types of places to stay. A Resort, a B&B, a Hotel, maybe a Condo, you name it.  

One more thing. I forgot to tell you. It’s about our very favorite restaurant, if we eat nowhere else, we eat at “Le Pressoir”. It’s at the end of the street, well beyond the rest of the restaurants and stores. There is a large old Salt Press across the street from the Restaurant, you can’t miss it. It’s worth the walk down the street. Get a table on the porch. It’s not beach side, well away from the water, but on the beach side, but it is still our favorite. If you like Pâté de Foie Gras get the sampler, “c'est très bon.“
If you want to know more about Grand Case, contact me: iwanttogotherephoto@yahoo.com

​
I’ll be happy to tell you more, answer questions or even make some suggestions for you for dinner or a place to stay.


Joe Mack is a 
Photographer, Writer, Craftsman, Musician and Engineer Tech. He, and his wife Jaci live in upstate New York and love to travel. Look for more of their adventures here, or on his Facebook pages at:
Joe's Facebook
Vacation Photography

More photos on Viewbug
 
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