Pier House Resort & Caribbean Spa-A Room with a View

Dateline: June 19, 2009 Key West, Florida

We were under no "Pier Pressure" when we left the Square Grouper in Jupiter, Florida under the watchful eye of the Jupiter Lighthouse on the Jupiter Inlet as we peeled out onto the Florida Turnpike, "Southbound & Down." We had fresh new Michelin rubber on the Lexus and MargaritaShack.Com Margaritas in the cooler.

Our destination was Key West, Florida and the World Renown Pier House Resort & Caribbean Spa, One Duval Street.

But first we had to make a pit stop for a late lunch at Craigs, in Tavernier, Florida just south of Key Largo and a little north of the Purple Isle also know as Islamorada. You see, Craigs is known for the World Famous Fish Sandwich and it has long been a favorite of ours. After about a two and half hour ride from Jupiter we were ready for the "Super Grouper."



The "Super Grouper" comes fried or grilled, but who in their right mind is going to fry a fillet of grouper? It is served on toasted bread, with melted cheese, a tomato and a juicy secret sauce that melts in your mouth, if not in your hand. If you get a cold draft beer and a some hot greasy fries you are good to go. Lets Roll!

So off we went, anxious to get to our destination and the Pier House Resort & Caribbean Spa. We had made our reservations at the last minute, with Susie, who is the owner of Key West Key, Inc. We found out about Susie through the Tampa Bay Parrot Heads, and boy are we lucky we did. Remember, it was Father's Day Weekend and we had waited until Thursday to make reservations for the weekend. Tell her Margarita Steve sent you.

In any event, we made our way through the Keys and over the Seven Mile Bridge (one of the seven wonders of my world) and down into Key West at about 6:00PM.

One of the best things about the Pier House is the location. It is right at the end of Duval Street and it has plenty of free parking to boot. For those of you who aren't in the know, Duval Street is to Key West what Bourbon Street is to the French Quarter in New Orleans.


We ripped right up to the front door and were met by the bellman who helped us unload our gear. At the front desk, I was introduced to Eric Van Hove, the Guest Services Manager, who immediately welcomed us with a complimentary upgrade to "A Room with a View."


The Room Eric set us up with was much more than words could describe. It was located in the "Beach House" building overlooking Sunset Key and Christmas Island, which were located right off our two balconies and the Florida Straits. The view was to die for and the room number is 212 if you want to request it on your next visit. In fact the room, which is in actuality a suite, was so nice you could actually live there.


It had a huge living area with a couch, two Caribbean style chairs and an entertainment center with flat screen TV and gaming controls. The separate bedroom had a king size bed, of course, and a large walk in closet. The bathroom was like a spa in and of itself, with slate tile floors, a separate dressing area and a luxurious stand-up shower with a sunflower shower head. All classically divided with white Bahamian louvered doors with etched glass. We were told that the resort had recently completed a multi million dollar renovation and it showed!

In addition, one of the features that I like best about the Pier House Resort & Caribbean Spa, besides the aforementioned luxury accommodations and exclusive location, is their private label line of bath products, appropriately labeled the Pier House Spa Collection. Their Lemon Eucalyptus Shampoo, Conditioner, Shower Gel and Body Lotion feels like an aroma-therapeutic spa experience every time you take a shower and it is available by calling the resort at 1-305-296-4600. It will remind you of the wonderful experience you had at the resort when you are back at the ranch in Texas or wherever, wishing you were back in the Islands...

That being said, we realized that we had a few minutes before the nightly Sunset Celebrations that occur at Mallory Square and the Sunset Pier, which were both within a few steps of our room. Or we could just stay in on one of our two lanais and watch the sunset, from the privacy of our suite at the Pier House Resort & Caribbean Spa. Na!


We opted for the Sunset Pier and the live music which was right next door. After witnessing an amazing technicolor display of the sun blazing into the horizon, we had another margarita and cruised over to the historic Key West Harbor Walk along Key West Bight, just a few blocks from the resort. This boardwalk along the historic harbor is a must see attraction. As we strolled along the Harbor looking at the Charter Boats and smelling the fresh seafood spilling out from the restaurants along the boardwalk, we made our way over to Schooner's Wharf for a hand rolled cigar, some more live music and a little Grand Mariner.


It was there that we met "Cayobo," or Cayo Jim, who had moved to Key West from Northern California when Jerry Brown became Governor & Ronald Reagan President, he declared.

He had bought and fixed up a little place in Old Town that is now worth somewhere shy of a cool million. He spends his time fixin' and takin' pictures with his Fuji Pro S5 DSLR Camera while his wife is a concierge at a local hotel. They also do a few weddings every once in a while and after looking at Cayobo's pictures on Flickr after we got home, I would highly recommend them if you are considering tying the knot on Bone Island...We did it back in March of 2007 and wished we had known Cayobo back then.

From Schooner's Wharf we made our way over to Duval Street, after nearly getting run over by the Pub Crawl Gang. We should have taken that as a sign because it was then and there that we looked up and saw Elvis.


I knew he was still alive! ELVIS LIVES!!! and he was standing out in front of the Bull and Whistle Bar, right on the corner of Duval and Caroline Street. Of course Sinbad, had to get her picture with The King of Rock-n-Roll and then I had to give him a few bucks for some jelly donuts. I thanked him for puttin' some air in her tires so I could ride her home later that evening as we went into the The Bull Bar on the first floor.

Now I know you are not going to belive this, but Sammy the Crown Royal drinking dog was ON THE BAR, lapping at the Crown Royal bottle and waggin' his tail to beat the band and I have the pictures to prove it.


As if that wasn't enough we had to go up to the third floor balcony club, called "The Garden of Eden" a clothing optional bar, the sign said, as if when the pretty girl coming down the stairs said, "Don't go up there," was not enough of a warning sign.

Why is it that when we are told not to do something that we always end up regretting it when we do?

We stumbled down the stairs and spilled out onto Duval Street laughing our asses off at the "Garden of Eden." If God had wanted it to be in Key West he would have came up with Adam & Steve instead of Adam & Eve...

On that note, we headed west down Duval towards Irish Keven's and Sloppy Joe's, both of which were so crowded you couldn't get a word in edge wise much less a cold beer to wash the taste of the garden out of your mouth. So it was across the street to Hog's Breath for a few beers, wings and an awesome cheeseburger to top off the mornin' as it was getting close to 2am.


Tell Brian the Bartender, who had worked there for the last eighteen years, that if he can't lie no better, he might as well tell the truth...

Needless to say the sugar sand beach and swimmer's lagoon back at the Pier House was deserted when we got back so we had the place all to ourselves for a clothing optional french dip, hold the au jus. We rinsed off back at the suite, had a night cap on the lania and fell asleep to the rhythm of the waves lapping at the foot of the resort's waterline below us, while the ceiling fan whirled away above our dreary wet heads.


The next morning, after breakfast at the Beach Bar & Grille at the resort, I informed Cindy that I had made her an appointment for a facial at the Caribbean Spa.

This gave me some time to explore the resort's tropical setting, Koi fish ponds and the Chart Room Bar, which is reputed to have hosted Jimmy Buffet's first gig in Key West upon his arrival in Jerry Jeff Walker's Packard automobile. In fact, did you know that Key West has more bars and "chuches" as my grandfather Curly used to say, per capita than anywhere else in the United States and that Schooner's Wharf has a happy hour at 9am?


I digress...the bottom line is this. The Pier House Resort and Caribbean Spa is the self proclaimed "Flagship Hotel of the Key West State of Mind," and I for one would not disagree.

So the next time you are needing a little "Sunshine State of Mind" give Susie a call at Key West Key, Inc (1-800-881-7321) to make your reservations or call the Resort directly at 1-305- 296-4600 and ask for Eric in Guest Services. Tell him Margarita Steve, freelance photojournalist & travel writer, sent you from One Mans Florida, LLC "A Sunshine State of Mind."


Until next time, it has been a lovely cruise...

Capt Hirams Resort & Sand Bar on Dewars & Lures

Dateline: July 4, 2009 Sebastian, Florida.

We time traveled back to the future of what I like to call "New Old Florida" today when we pulled into Capt Hiram's Resort & Marina at about 5 O'clock somewhere on a beautiful Fourth of July "Roadtrip from the Edge of the Atlantic."

Walkin' onto the Sand Bar at Capt Hiram's Resort on the western shores of the Indian River Lagoon in Sebastian, Florida with Margaritashack.com Margaritas in hand, we had the good fortune of finding a nice hightop table on the deck next to the water's edge at the entrance to the Marina docks and within earshot of the acoustic duo Tree Frogs, playing inside the restaurant.

"Hello there," came the call from the attractive couple sitting next to us before we even sat down. "I'm Capt. Jim from the Dewar's & Lures and this is my lovely First Mate Tamara," the skipper declared.

Capt. Jim was sporting a Panama Jack and drinking a Grey Hound and Tamara was wearing a red & blue patriotic number and drinking the same.

"We'll how do you do," I replied in my finest Texas drawl. Come to find out Capt. Jim is living aboard the Dewar's & Lures, a 44' Ocean Yachts Sportfisher, at the end of the "T" Dock at Capt Hiram's Marina. He told us he loves it there, after relocating from Blowing Rocks Marina a few years ago, in Tequesta, Florida.

Then Capt Jim proceeded to tell me why he moved up to Capt Hiram's Marina, and I almost flopped on the deck like a Kingfish in the cooler after being separated from the gaffe when I heard his reasoning. "I like it much better at this marina. I can find half-way intelligent people around here to talk to that have teeth." Ouch! Sad to say, but I know what he means about Blowing Rocks.

After that comment, I knew we would become good friends, since I like a nice smile and a sense of humor as much as the next guy.

Cindy and I proceeded to order a drink and some appetizers, after the introductions were over. She had a Rum Runner on the rocks with a floater and I had a "Top Shelf" Margarita with Patron Tequila and Grand Mariner. Our waiter, Punxsutawney Phil, suggested the Lobster Bites and the Sesame Tuna, so we said, "What are you waiting for, ground hog day?"

The Lobster Bites were lightly fried and sweetly succulent with a cream sauce on the side and the Sesame Tuna was fresh, thinly sliced and served with a generous portion of wasabi, ginger and soy sauce, just like we like it, sans the chop sticks though. I like to use the chop sticks whenever I can, just to show off a little, I guess.

After we finished off our appetizers, I ordered a Bahama Mama and Cindy got a Bud Light when all of the sudden Tamara asks if we would like to join them and a few friends out on the Dewar's & Lures to watch the upcoming fireworks show.

"Why hellyea, of course we would, wouldn't we honey," I replied. "We thought you'd never ask!"

Next thing we know we are paying the tab and off to the Lexus to fetch the rest of the Margaritashack.com Margaritas and on our way down to the end of docks. Upon our arrival Capt Jim gave us permission to come aboard so we hopped off the dock and joined the festive crew.

It was on the fighting deck of the Dewar's and Lures that we met Virgil and Suzy, as well as Tina and her girl friend, who's name escapes me at the moment.

The triple crown embroidered fighting chair was covered with an elegant white table cloth and all sorts of carefully prepared finger foods including boiled spiced shrimp, Swedish meatballs with pineapple, assorted block cheeses, mango and pepper salsas and white chocolate dipped pretzels as well as some premium bottles of fine red wine and Vodka. Great provisions for a Fourth of July Cruise!

My favorite was the white chocolate dipped pretzels of course. Like I always say, "hand over the chocolate and nobody gets hurt!"

In any event, after we cleared the dock lines, the twin engine diesel sportfisher had us out on the Indian River in no time and we anchored in a strategic position with a few other party boats from the marina and proceeded to share appetizers, drinks, jokes, laughs and gaffes (not necessarily in that order).

The nimblest among us jumped from boat to boat in order to sample the "aphrodisiac oysters" and the "backyard burgers" that our floating flotilla buddies had carefully prepared.

As the sun slowly faded into the horizon along with our inhibitions, we were ordered by the Captain to the bow of the ship so that we could watch the fireworks. As we all took our respective positions, the fireworks began to fly from all directions as well as the UUUUUUU's and AWWWWWW's from the front row. You would have thought that one of our slightly intoxicated crew members was about to have an orgasm or maybe two?

In reality, the bursting fireworks, the new friendships, the perfect weather and the patriotic atmosphere was certainly something to get excited about and I for one was grateful that we had been invited to the show onboard the Dewars and Lures. Capt. Jim could not have been a saltier dog and Tamara was certainly a most gracious and lovely hostess.

I was however, a little melancholy as we pulled up anchor and headed back to port so soon after the fireworks had descended. I could have stayed on the moonlit bay for a few more drinks and a little more chocolate, but I promised Capt. Jim that I would return with a bottle of Dewars 12 next time and he said that we were always welcome aboard his vessel.

So until then, it will have been a lovely cruise! Thanks again, Capt. Jim!

Cheers,

Margarita Steve