FOOD & WINE FESTIVAL roars through Key West




Mark Certonio didn’t get much of a break. The dust has hardly settled after November’s WINEDINE Key West festival, for which Mr. Certonio worked around the clock to turn our kooky little island into a restaurant-week destination to rival neighboring Miami Spice. Now he’s back at it again, promoting the return of the eighth annual Key West Food & Wine […]

Master Chefs Classic offers outstanding cuisine for a stellar cause




Talk about having your cake and eating it, too. On Jan. 29, under the shade of a stark white tent, 450 lucky ticket holders will descend upon the Westin Key West Resort & Marina Pier for the 23rd annual Master Chefs Classic, a culinary competition and fundraising event to benefit the Monroe Association for ReMARCable Citizens, which provides support for […]

An insider’s look at Key West



The most traveled and visible street in Key West is only the beginning, the surface, of what the town has to offer. Ask the locals about their favorite spots, stroll through quiet neighborhoods or down alleyways off Duval and you’ll begin to dive deeper into the quieter, more diverse and less readily apparent offerings. Here are eight spots that you […]

Getting around Key West



1. Southernmost PointThe corner of South Street and Whitehead Streetwww.southernmostpointwebcam.comThe city of Key West erected this now-famous concrete buoy in 1983 to denotethe southernmost point in the continental United States. 2. Conch Tour Train303 Front St., Key West(305) 294-5161 or (888) 916-8687www.conchtourtrain.comThe Conch Train has been windingits way through the streets of Key Westsince 1958. 3. Sloppy Joe’s201 Duval St.(305) […]

BARTENDER OF THE WEEK

TJ Reynolds has something going on the side


TJ Reynolds (that stands for Timothy John, but he says don’t tell anybody — shhh!) moved to Key West nine years ago from New York, N.Y. He was born and raised and subsequently worked in the Big Apple in the bar and service industry until he was 29. He attended State University of New York at Purchase with a degree […]

KEY WEST CALENDAR OF EVENTS



SPECIAL EVENTS Key West Wine and FoodFestivalJan. 25 to Jan. 29Tickets available at www.showclix.com Eclipse-Cuban Play ExchangeJan. 26, 27 and 28, 8 p.m.The Key West Theater512 Eaton St.Tickets available at www.thekeywesttheater.com “Murder for Two”Jan. 26, 27, 28, 29 and 31, Feb. 1The Red Barn Theatre319 Duval St., RearTickets available www.readbarntheatre.com “The Sunday Ramble”Jan. 29, 8 p.m.The Key West Theater512 Eaton […]

32nd annual Schooner Wharf Bar Wrecker’s Cup races set sail Jan. 29



The first race of the Schooner Wharf Bar Wrecker’s Cup Race Series is scheduled for 1 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 29. The course is seven miles from Key West Harbor to Sand Key, re-enacting the ancient wrecking tradition of Key West: series of ruthless one-way races to the reef to claim the booty. This all-in-fun race series recalls the 1800s wreckers’ […]

MUSIC SCENE

Michael Festa’s cookin’ up something new


“I’m one of those rare cases. I came to Key West with a job, a place to stay and friends,” Michael Festa said before going on stage at Willie T’s. “I came down originally to be a chef.” At the time, he was working as the GM for the Finnegan’s Wake in Pittsburgh (where he was born and raised) playing […]

This week’s entertainment at Schooner Wharf Bar



Here’s a lineup of entertainment coming up at the Schooner Wharf from Jan. 26 to Feb. 1. ¦ Cool Duo will heat up the Schooner Wharf stage from 7 to 11 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 26. Get down to Motown, Detroit funk, classic rock, reggae and all your island favorites with Sam Ramos and Chris Case. Be prepared to move, groove […]

PINK TRIANGLE

J.B. McLendon and Gassy Winds take Key West by storm


Peer into the 801 Bourbon Bar on a Sunday afternoon and it’s pretty much guaranteed that you’ll see an older woman, messy mop top, lipstick drawn so far outside the lines of her lips you might think she hasn’t seen a mirror in decades. I’ll let you in on a little secret — that ain’t no lady, but she sure […]