Living in Key West was somewhat of a dream to me. When I think back of my years living there I often laugh out loud to myself thinking of the mad life that existed there. There's no denying it was beautiful, relaxed and often surreal but there's also no denying it created some havoc in my life I never expected. I would ride my bike around the island feeling like I was living inside of a painting with the flowers around me exploding with vibrant colors and the ocean changing shades of blue throughout the day. The humid Florida heat had its way of slowing the whole island down, sometimes a little too much.
Locals in Key West are on a completely different time clock than the rest of the East Coast .The evening usually didn't start until midnight for many and continued into the next afternoon. I quickly found a job working the front desk at a beautiful family run Inn and also ran a gift shop at a popular Bar and Restaurant just off busy Duval Street. I had not a care in the world as I rode my bike from job to job and met new people from around the world daily, it was pure heaven to me. I met some of the most unique friends living there and many I still talk to today. My boss from the Inn I worked at is now one of my best friends and I can't imagine going through life without knowing her. I do think you have to be somewhat 'unique' to live in Key West. Just about anything goes there. You can be your true self and no one's going to judge you being true to their motto, ' One Human Family'. That statement can be found making it's way through town in many ways. When I first got to Key West I lived in the Seashell Hostel for 2 months until I found an Attic to rent out. The hostel was the perfect introduction to the southern most place in the states and proved to be huge lesson in what to expect while living in the keys.
I even hung out with Rob Lowe (not the actor) and ate shrimp, oysters and sushi everyday for the 2 years that I lived there. Found out the hard way later that Rob Lowe was actually wanted by the authorities for fraud and I guess those all you can eat crab leg dinners 'on him' were really on someone else's good fortune. When I first arrived in Key West I found a job quickly thanks to my now dear friend Jamie and lived between the hostel and a van. Another girl had just arrived in town, Samantha and she was my right wing girl. We went everywhere together. Then there was also Corey, Rob, Gail, Narise, Renee and Irish Tom. Irish Tom was unique Irish lad straight off the boat from Ireland to Key West. He was a leprechaun living under the rainbow of the Key West skies. He was a believer that when it rained, it poured and when it poured it rained pure gold (his gold was actually pints of Guinness). Standing only 4'8 ft tall he would ride around town on his over sized Harley and turn heads like he was a super hero.
My Attic on William Street
I spent my time off walking the beach and sitting for hours in the sand watching the boats pass by, and watching tourists as they vacationed on my tropical play land. I soon became friends with the many homeless people that call the streets of Key West home. Sister Mary and Tommy were my favorites. Predictable in their stances along the Duval strip always certain I could find them on any given night. To me there was nothing better than getting a fresh coconut and adding a few
shots of Rum to it while I wandered Duval looking for good spot to settle. The seafood was fresh and with my love for it I spoiled my taste buds. My mouth watered when I would be on my way to the bar for Conch fritters and Key West shrimp or when I would splurge and buy a piece of Key Lime Pie. The island is know for it's party's and I was happy to be at every one of them. On any given night it was easy to hear a party going on and walk right in, there was no shortage of good times that's for sure. The Keys are a natural inspiration for artists and you can see the passion of the artists that call Key West home just about everywhere you look. The architecture of the houses standing proud are a work of art themselves. The galleries throughout the streets showing off their talent, and the famous entertainers that meet at sunset every night at Mallory Square are just the obvious creative souls. I found it was often the quiet hermit painting in his hidden bungalow that seemed to impress me most. Key West is also photographers dream. There is a photo op around every corner with its colorful streets, skies and quirky natives. Each evening the sun sets behind the blushing tangerine sky and that's when the real party begins. I tried my hand at screenwriting at the local college and explored a new area of my hobby. I found inspirations everywhere I found myself. My first step outside in the morning and taking a deep breath of heated salt air made me smile. I even dabbled in love while I was there and learned a hard lesson about death. It seems crazy I would leave such a paradise after all this praise but everything has it downside. I lived paycheck to paycheck and when 3 hurricanes halted work one year it made it difficult to survive.
In 24 hours I made a decision to rent a car, pack all of my things I could fit in it and said goodbye to my last sunset in Key West as I watched it set in the review mirror heading north off the island. My new destination was Portland, Oregon. Just like the hurricanes that so frequently visit the Keys I blew into town, stirred up a little trouble and then left without warning and just like all hurricanes.. I will also be back.
Locals in Key West are on a completely different time clock than the rest of the East Coast .The evening usually didn't start until midnight for many and continued into the next afternoon. I quickly found a job working the front desk at a beautiful family run Inn and also ran a gift shop at a popular Bar and Restaurant just off busy Duval Street. I had not a care in the world as I rode my bike from job to job and met new people from around the world daily, it was pure heaven to me. I met some of the most unique friends living there and many I still talk to today. My boss from the Inn I worked at is now one of my best friends and I can't imagine going through life without knowing her. I do think you have to be somewhat 'unique' to live in Key West. Just about anything goes there. You can be your true self and no one's going to judge you being true to their motto, ' One Human Family'. That statement can be found making it's way through town in many ways. When I first got to Key West I lived in the Seashell Hostel for 2 months until I found an Attic to rent out. The hostel was the perfect introduction to the southern most place in the states and proved to be huge lesson in what to expect while living in the keys.
I even hung out with Rob Lowe (not the actor) and ate shrimp, oysters and sushi everyday for the 2 years that I lived there. Found out the hard way later that Rob Lowe was actually wanted by the authorities for fraud and I guess those all you can eat crab leg dinners 'on him' were really on someone else's good fortune. When I first arrived in Key West I found a job quickly thanks to my now dear friend Jamie and lived between the hostel and a van. Another girl had just arrived in town, Samantha and she was my right wing girl. We went everywhere together. Then there was also Corey, Rob, Gail, Narise, Renee and Irish Tom. Irish Tom was unique Irish lad straight off the boat from Ireland to Key West. He was a leprechaun living under the rainbow of the Key West skies. He was a believer that when it rained, it poured and when it poured it rained pure gold (his gold was actually pints of Guinness). Standing only 4'8 ft tall he would ride around town on his over sized Harley and turn heads like he was a super hero.
I spent my time off walking the beach and sitting for hours in the sand watching the boats pass by, and watching tourists as they vacationed on my tropical play land. I soon became friends with the many homeless people that call the streets of Key West home. Sister Mary and Tommy were my favorites. Predictable in their stances along the Duval strip always certain I could find them on any given night. To me there was nothing better than getting a fresh coconut and adding a few
shots of Rum to it while I wandered Duval looking for good spot to settle. The seafood was fresh and with my love for it I spoiled my taste buds. My mouth watered when I would be on my way to the bar for Conch fritters and Key West shrimp or when I would splurge and buy a piece of Key Lime Pie. The island is know for it's party's and I was happy to be at every one of them. On any given night it was easy to hear a party going on and walk right in, there was no shortage of good times that's for sure. The Keys are a natural inspiration for artists and you can see the passion of the artists that call Key West home just about everywhere you look. The architecture of the houses standing proud are a work of art themselves. The galleries throughout the streets showing off their talent, and the famous entertainers that meet at sunset every night at Mallory Square are just the obvious creative souls. I found it was often the quiet hermit painting in his hidden bungalow that seemed to impress me most. Key West is also photographers dream. There is a photo op around every corner with its colorful streets, skies and quirky natives. Each evening the sun sets behind the blushing tangerine sky and that's when the real party begins. I tried my hand at screenwriting at the local college and explored a new area of my hobby. I found inspirations everywhere I found myself. My first step outside in the morning and taking a deep breath of heated salt air made me smile. I even dabbled in love while I was there and learned a hard lesson about death. It seems crazy I would leave such a paradise after all this praise but everything has it downside. I lived paycheck to paycheck and when 3 hurricanes halted work one year it made it difficult to survive.
In 24 hours I made a decision to rent a car, pack all of my things I could fit in it and said goodbye to my last sunset in Key West as I watched it set in the review mirror heading north off the island. My new destination was Portland, Oregon. Just like the hurricanes that so frequently visit the Keys I blew into town, stirred up a little trouble and then left without warning and just like all hurricanes.. I will also be back.
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