Since I really can’t say it better, I’m hoping that the folks over at the KWF&WF won’t mind if I lift their own description, word-for-word, about the event:  “Key West’s famous Duval Street will be electric as the Key West Food and Wine Festival hosts “Duval UNCORKED” tantalizing revelers with a mile long wine tasting, food sampling and shopping extravaganza. This Key West Food and Wine Festival party promises to be the event that can’t be missed.  Duval Street’s chic boutiques, funky shops and fine galleries will flow with a large selection of wines from famous wine regions while the neighborhood’s best restaurants will be serving samplings of their signature dishes. Toasting, tasting and shopping will be infused with the gusto of Key West’s personalities, performance artists and other sexy and sophisticated spectacles.”   (Click here for a montage of views from last year’s event.)

Anna with culinary cronies, Executive Chef Rick Boyer of The Inn at Biltmore and Michel LeBorgne, VP of New England Culinary Institute

Now a little info about my dynamic entrepreneur friend, Anna Toole-Hutchens, the owner of SaborAM.  Anna’s passion for art, creativity and cuisine, bolstered by formal training at the New England Culinary Institute and a gastronomical career developed under the guidance of internationally renowned culinary talents, has served her well through decades of experience as both executive and personal chef to some of the most discerning palates in the world.

The story of how Anna’s cheesecakes came about is one of unexpected inspiration, as is so often experienced by the creatively gifted.  She was one day enjoying a companionable moment with friends at an al fresco cafe in Manhattan when she noticed a chocolate shop across the street.  Dashing over to make an impromptu purchase, she returned to the table with a selection of bittersweet confections, the perfect compliment to the Champagne and cheese plate they were sharing.

During her return trip home to North Carolina, her imagination soared, as she reflected on the magical combination.  What culinary delight might be concocted to recapture the experience?

After years of fine tuning, one day in her cozy Cashiers cottage, Anna’s determination was rewarded.  From a preservative-free combination of quality ingredients and culinary vision, the first of her spectacularly indulgent line of cheesecakes was perfected!

One thing led to another, as they say … the “seal of approval” from  the executive chef of Asheville’s exalted Biltmore Estate … a spotlight on CBS Sunday Morning’s feature segment, “Chasing Down the Best Cheesecakes” …  an inquiry from  “For the Gourmet” … then Williams/Sonoma … and, ultimately, that bastion of luxury, Neiman Marcus … where her cheesecakes were featured in its prestigious 2010 Holiday catalog.

What’s next for Anna?  She is soon to be interviewed by Wine Enthusiast for a feature article.  And, of course, there’s that fabulous event in Key West, “Duval UNCORKED”.  Don’t miss the chance to meet her and savor a sample of her uniquely silken-textured, mousse-like creations at The Tropical Inn on Saturday, January 29!

We’re participating in one of the signature events, “Duval Uncorked”, of the Key West Food & Wine Festival, coming up the last weekend in January. And I’ve been asked to be the guest writer for the December issue of the Festival’s newsletter. Following is a sneak preview of the article.

Be sure to reserve your room and buy event tickets early!  Last year was the Festival’s inaugural event and it sold out.  This year looks even more promising.   Click here to check it out: Key West Food & Wine Festival.

As the owner of a Key West bed and breakfast, I’m occasionally asked what to expect of a stay at The Tropical Inn.  Those new to the B&B experience sometimes think it means questionable standards, lack of privacy, and forced mingling with other guests.  Not so!  Each establishment is regularly inspected and must adhere to the same health and safety standards as hotels and resorts.  And how much you choose to interact with the hosts and fellow guests is exactly that:  your choice.  Your privacy will always be respected.

When visiting Key West, not to stay at an inn (here, we interchangeably call them “bed and breakfasts”, “B&Bs”, or  “guesthouses”) is to miss an integral part of the history, culture, and character of the island.  Offering most, and often, more, of the amenities expected in a traditional hotel, the typical Key West bed and breakfast exudes island style.  It is smaller  — and therefore, far more intimate — than larger accommodation choices.  A B&B stay is a distinctive brand of hospitality; not just a pretty room, but a comprehensive travel experience.

Inns range from simple and economical to sophisticated and lavishly indulgent.  Each is a highly individual lodging establishment, offering guests unique accommodations in a variety of sizes and styles — an enjoyable alternative to the “one size fits all” hotel.

The ambience of each reflects the personality of the owners who, as often as not, are also the hosts.  Architecture and decor is indicative of the innkeepers’ personal taste rather than the standards of a remote corporate office.  Some are gated compounds, further contributing to a sense of comfort, security and serene privacy.  No chain hotel can rival the character of a gracious old home, drawing its personality from its history, unique appointments, lovely gardens with pools and hot tubs, and individually designed accommodations, many of which have private outdoor areas that allow interior and exterior spaces to seamlessly blend.

At a B&B, expect a more casual, relaxed and friendly attitude than is usually found in institutional hotels. You won’t find elevators, room service, or a porter to carry your luggage.  Instead, you’ll be shown about the property and invited to make yourself at home, partaking at your leisure of all the amenities provided to enhance your stay.  Breakfast is included in your room rate. Enjoy it on your private patio, in the shade of a wide veranda, or in a secret garden nook tucked away amidst riotous tropical foliage.

Key West Innkeepers love what they do and are genuinely eager to make your stay the best it can possibly be.  They’ll gladly attend to your requests and share with you all the island’s  “best kept secrets”.

Most inns are located in Old Town, within easy walking distance of all you have come to see and do.  Sightsee, shop, enjoy water sports, or party, assured in the knowledge that the quiet relaxation of your beautiful home-style accommodation is conveniently located just a short distance away.

When attending the Key West Food and Wine Festival, make the event all the more memorable by enjoying the hospitality of “that great little B&B” that perfectly suits your own personal style.

Junkanoo Band

Whew.  Goombay Weekend this year seemed to be  one of the most heavily-attended in recent memory! Honoring Key West’s earliest settlers, Bahamian residents who migrated across the water in the early 1800s to help colonize the fledgling American seaport, the annual Goombay street festival is a celebration of the cultural connection between Key West and the Bahamas. Highlights  included a Junkanoo band leading costumed marchers in a parade down Duval Street, a 2-day street fair, and nonstop entertainment by popular Bahamian, South Florida and Keys musicians and bands.

Goombay’s high energy level was a fitting kick-off to Key West’s 31^st. annual Fantasy Fest, the Southernmost City’s 10-day masking and costuming gala, running now through next Sunday, Oct. 31.   What began as a rag-tag and humble respite from the doldrums of the tourism “off season” is now a highly-organized,  internationally-known event representing a $30-million annual infusion to the Keys economy.

Fantasy Fest 2010 King Chris and Queen Anne

Concurrent with Goombay, the Coronation Ball on Friday night saw Key Westers, Chris Elwell and Anne O’Shea, crowned king and queen of Fantasy Fest 2010.  They earned their crowns by raising the greatest share of more than $207,000 for the Keys’ AIDS Help organization.   That sum was accrued through a series of non-stop parties and fundraising events spanning the past couple of months, staged by a field of royal contestants.

Not for the timid, Key West’s annual blow-out – this year’s theme is “Habitat for Insanity” — will entertain an anticipated 70,000 visitors with over 40 masquerade balls, parties and costume competitions for the adventurous and creative, bold and bawdy.  The excitement builds each day, leading up to the festival’s two peak events:  the masquerade march through the streets of Old Town on Friday and Saturday night’s grand parade down Duval Street, the island’s main drag.

Read more about it online at http://www.fantasyfest.net — then start making plans to join us for next year’s festivities.  The Tropical Inn is strategically positioned right at the mid-point of Duval Street, so it’s the perfect base for all that is Fantasy Fest, and a “ringside seat” for the parade.  Reservations for FF 2011 open on November 1, so be sure to reserve early for the best room selection!

70 miles west of Key West lies a cluster of keys that are the true end of the chain of islands known as the Florida Keys (you thought it was Key West, didn’t you?) Upon discovering them in 1513, Spanish explorer in the New World, Ponce de Leon, dubbed the westernmost islands Las Tortugas, “The Turtles”. “Dry” was an admonition to mariners noted on navigational charts, warning that there was no fresh water to be found there.

Elevated to National Park status in 1992, the history of the Dry Tortugas began in 1825 with the construction of a light house at a strategic spot amidst the rocky shoals, on Garden Key. In 1846, construction began on what was to become the largest brick structure in the western hemisphere, a part of the US chain of coastal defense forts known today as Fort Jefferson. Covering eleven acres of Garden Key’s sixteen, it remains incomplete today. Construction went on for over 30 years, plagued by materials and logistics problems and Yellow Fever epidemics. During the process, the rifled cannon was invented, rendering the fort obsolete because its thick walls could then be penetrated. With this development, construction was abandoned.

During the Civil War, the fort was used as a military prison for captured deserters. It was there that the four men convicted of complicity in President Abraham Lincoln’s assassination were held, including the infamous Dr. Samuel Mudd. The Army ceased operations at “Fort Jeff” in 1874.

In the early years of the twentieth century, the cluster of keys became a wildlife refuge. In 1935, Fort Jefferson was proclaimed a National Monument, encompasing 100 square miles of geography, both above and below sea level.

Today, May 10, Key West Seaplane Charters begins flying to the Dry Tortugas. It has been two years since a former company offered a similar trip. This is a most welcome return of service, as it is arguably the most exciting attraction in Key West. Half and whole-day trips are offered. The inaugural flight is underway as I write this, and we have Tropical Inn guests on board. I can hardly wait for their return, to hear their review!

The flight out takes about 45 minutes. Skimming along just above the water, everyone has a birds eye view of denizens of the deep as they go about their daily life. You’ll spot rays, sharks, sea turtles, and pods of dolphins in the crystal clear waters. There is even a sunken ship resting on the ocean floor that you’ll fly over. Landing and takeoff is exhilarating, and a unique experience for the uninitiated.

Once on land, you’ll have ample time to explore the fort, either on your own or with an interpreter who will fill you in on its history. Then gear up for snorkeling, as you venture below the ocean’s surface for some amazing sights of the underwater world in the surrounding environs.

This trip is primo. You just gotta do it!

This year’s festival features over 100 songwriters performing their own material at venues all over Old Town, many outdoors and most free of charge.  Live music and salt air is a naturally intoxicating combination, but when it’s infused with the exuberance of the songwriters themselves, sharing their creations as they were conceived — straight from the heart — Key West takes on an energy that’s hard to describe.  These are the lyrics you hear on the radio, intimately presented with all the passion that inspired them.  Sounds sexy, doesn’t it?  It is.

Come join us for a long, mellow weekend of sun, song, tropical breezes, and free-flowing libations.  The Tropical Inn is sold out except for one room.  Be the lucky one to nab it.

Just like Key West, there is “something for everyone”, from funky coconut bowling to fine wine tastings designed to curl the pinkie finger of the most discriminating connoisseur.

Want some tips on how to wrap a cake in fondant?  Learn the difference between Old World and New World wines?  Go on a bike tour that ends at the place where they make – and you taste – the best ice creams ever, using unique local ingredients?  Enjoy an authentic Key West shrimp boil on the docks where they bring ‘em off the boats?

How about a visit to an open-air wine market?  Or explore the Key West-Cuba connection by celebrating the birth of  Cuba’s most renowned literary and political figure, Jose Marti, at a classic cigar dinner.  And you must do the civilized version of the “Duval crawl”:   “Duval Uncorked”, a mile-long stroll, sampling great food, wine and entertainment at some of Key West’s most unique restaurants, bars, galleries, and shops.

We hope we’ve whetted your appetite!  Come join us for all the courses, cultural, cerebral, and gastronomical.  And stay right in the middle of it all, at The Tropical Inn, 812 Duval … where there will be some really special breakfast treats, in honor of this event (included in your room rate, of course)!

For a complete schedule, prices and tickets, go to keywestfoodandwinefestival.com.

Never before has there been such a cornucopia of  things to see and do, from Thanksgiving Eve through New Years Night, in the Southernmost City!  Here are some highlights (there’s actually much more; these are just some of our favorites) to get you into the holiday spirit, island style.  And don’t forget the shopping opportunities!  Our local merchants are offering great bargains on treasures to be found no where else but Key West!

Thanksgiving Eve, Wednesday, November 25

If you were lucky enough to be spending the Thanksgiving holidays in Key West, you perhaps joined the festivities to kick off the 2009 holiday season with the lighting of the Key West “Harbor Walk of Lights” at what we locals call “The Bight” and may appear on your map as “Historic Seaport”.  The switch was flipped on thousands of holiday lights lining the Historic Seaport Harbor Walk, which runs for four blocks along the waterfront where Green, William, Margaret, and Grinnell Streets meet the Gulf of Mexico.  The lights will sparkle on the water every night through New Years night.

Thursday, December 3:  Lighting of the Southernmost Christmas Trees

^{Harbor Walk of Lights}

Shortly after sunset, the Harbor Walk of Lights will become complete with the lighting of four Southernmost Christmas Trees, one located at each plaza along the Harbor Walk and one in the Key West Ferry Terminal. The smell of natural pines mingling with the tang of salty sea breeze is unique to a Caribbean Christmas.

Saturday, December 5:  Annual Christmas parade, beginning at 7 PM

Originating at Bayview Park, traveling to Duval Street via Truman Ave., then Duval Street to the Gulf.

If you’re “of a certain age”, you probably grumble about how much more meaningful Christmas used to be.  You know, before TV commercials and internet ads moved the gifting frenzy to late summer.  Back when everyone in town turned out to see the local high school band march down Main Street in the annual Christmas parade.

Here’s your chance to catch a Memory Lane glimpse into a best-kept secret that, thriving quietly in the shadow of Key West’s presence as a world class travel destination, is its lesser-known persona as Smalltown USA, where hardworking folk raise their families and rally behind community causes.

A true, old-fashioned, community event as only Key West could do it, the Holiday Parade is an incongruous conglomoration of the playful, provocative, religious, and mythical – what more delightful mix for the child in all of us?

Local dignitaries (if one can use that word in Key West) ride the route in convertibles.  Floats fashioned from light-strewn boats on trailers and pickup trucks sporting banners representing various local organizations alternate with bands exuberantly playing Christmas carols.  Fire trucks, drag queens, schools, civic clubs, and churches peacefully merge, exuding the spirit of the season, while everywhere, candy flies through the air and excited children scramble from their curbside viewing spots to retrieve it.

Of course, Mr. and Mrs. Claus – gender assignation unimportant, in a nod to Key West’s official motto,  “One Human Family” – is always a highlight!

Sunday, December 6:  Schooner Wharf Tree Trimming Party 5 PM

Schooner Wharf Bar & Galley on the Harbor Walk of Lights at The Bight

Bring a nautical ornament to hang on the Schooner Wharf Christmas tree, and enjoy a free cup of holiday cheer —- eggnog with rum, Swedish glogg or hot applejack.  Prizes will be awarded for the most original, most nautical and most popular ornaments.  Donate an unwrapped gift for the Toys for Tots toy drive and get – what else? — a free cocktail!

Friday & Saturday, December 11 & 12:  Holiday Historic Inn Tour

5:50 – 8PM, various locations in Old Town (www.keywestinntour.com for schedule)

The holiday season is one of the most enchanting and beautiful times to visit Key West, and the annual Historic Lighted Inn Tour captures the essence of our tropical island.  Sample refreshments provided by the finest Key West restaurants as you stroll from inn to inn, taking in each one’s individual personality.

The Tropical Inn is offering free tour tickets with a 3-night stay, both weekends of the tour. Check availability and book your room today!

Friday & Saturday, December 11 & 12:  Reef Relief Holiday Cayo Carnival

Conch Republic Seafood at the Bight (Historic Key West Seaport) 5:00 – 11:00pm Friday & 11:00am – 11:00pm Saturday

The Holiday Cayo Carnival is back, under the big top tent outside the Conch Republic Seafood Company.  Great food, drinks, music and entertainment to benefit one of the Keys’ most worthy causes, Reef Relief!

Saturday, December 12: Annual Lighted Boat Parade

6-8 PM at The Bight (Historic Key West Harbor)

This magical display of holiday lights and nautical creativity on the waters of the Bight is an annual Key West tradition. Boat owners vie for $20,500 in cash prizes. 

Friday, December 18:  Fourth Annual Free Christmas Concert and Bite of the Bight Holiday Food Tasting

Foot of Margaret Street the Harbor Walk of Lights, 5-9 PM

Another classic Key West community holiday event, this year’s celebration features music from perennial holiday favorite, the Gerald Adams Elementary School’s Steal Your Heart Steel Drum Band. You’ll also be treated to a diversity of special holiday performances, including a Reggae Christmas by Toko Irie and Family, a Country Christmas by C.W. Colt, “A Sailors Christmas” by Geoff Kaufman, and returning for their second year at the Bight Before Christmas Concert: the ever-popular traveling family band, The Doerfels.

Also that night, the best restaurants in the Harbor Walk area will be serving up their signature dishes at the “Bite of the Bight” Holiday Food Tasting.  Bring a hearty appetite and leave jolly, full of holiday cheer!

Friday & Saturday, December 18 & 19: Holiday Historic Inn Tour 5:30 to 8PM

5:30 – 8PM, various locations in Old Town (www.keywestinntour.com for schedule)

Key West is known for its historic inns, and the Historic Lighted Inn Tour is the perfect way to view these magnificent properties decorated for the season, featuring art, fine food, and refreshments.

Free tour tickets when you stay 3 nights at The Tropical Inn! Check availability and book your room today!

Christmas Day, December 25:  Festive holiday brunches, lunches, and dinners at Key West restaurants

Our world-class restaurants show off their best, vying with each other for the most creative gastronomical feats in honor of the day.  Over-indulge in an elaborate hotel buffet, order ala carte from the special holiday menu at your favorite intimate eatery, or pack a gourmet picnic (don’t forget the champagne!), bike to the beach, dig your toes into the sand and toast envious friends back home in colder climes via cellphone!  Now, that’s a Caribbean Christmas!

Tuesday & Wednesday, December 29 & 30:  Old Island Restoration Foundation’s 50^th Annual House Tours

Various locations (http://www.oirf.org/housetour.htm for schedule)

As part of the Old Island Days Celebration, there will be tours of spectacular historic homes decorated for the holidays.  Walk from house to house or take a free ride on a Conch Tour train.  If you love historic architecture and creative interior design, this is a “must do” – just like the Innkeeper’s Historic Holiday Inn Tours — so mark your calendar!

New Years Eve, Thursday, December 31

At the stroke of midnight, take your pick:  the countdown lowering of the Giant Conch Shell at Sloppy Joe’s, the drop of the Pirate Wench from a 110-foot sailboat mast at Schooner Wharf, or the descent of local drag queen, Sushi, in the Red High Heel, in the 700 block of Duval Street.  No matter the venue, don’t be surprised to see CNN cameras hovering!  Key West has in recent years become a media darling, vying with New york’s Times Square, as Old Year meets New in the Conch Republic.

Balmy breezes and flip-flops will be the order of the evening for the celebration, when the Shell, the Wench, and Sushi-in-the-Shoe touch down at midnight.  Champagne corks will pop, the confetti will fly, fireworks will fill the sky, and merriment will be at frenzy level in the streets of old Key West!

The Tropical Inn (only a block from Sushi’s performance – and a short walk to the others) is almost sold out for the Christmas/New Year holidays.  Call today to secure your reservation!

We still have a few rooms left, so there’s no reason to miss the party next weekend, September 18-20.  Call or book online from the Tropical Inn website today!

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The project was the concept of local Captains Joe Weatherby and Sheri Lohr, both avid scuba divers. On Wednesday morning, a brilliant sun cut through the haze of sugar cane fields being burned off in Cuba as a host of supporters, interested onlookers bobbing about in boats on the periphery of the mandated 1-mile safety zone, and anxious divers were on hand to applaud their persistence. In the end, it took less than two minutes for the retired 523-foot-long U.S. missile tracking ship, Gen. Hoyt S. Vandenberg, to settle into her final resting place.

Commissioned in 1944, she once tracked space launches off Cape Canaveral and monitored Soviet missiles during the Cold War. The final leg of her international travels brought her to Key West, towed here from Norfolk, VA, to be sunk as an artificial reef in the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary – and the southern anchor of the Florida Keys Shipwreck Trail. She scuttled perfectly upright, as engineers intended, but the vessel’s two enormous tracking antenna dishes became dislodged, and anxious divers had to be detained from their explorations until contractors could re-secure them yesterday. The new attraction for sport divers and anglers opened to the public this morning at first light. To learn more, check out www.bigshipwrecks.com – they have a link to some great video footage. And when you come to see her for yourself, plan to stay at The Tropical Inn, right at the midpoint of Duval Street, in the heart of the historic district!