Tis the Season

It's hard in Key West for Northerners like me to get into the Christmas spirit because the weather is so unlike the White Christmas we dream of. Strangely enough, the song I'm Dreaming of a White Christmas just came up on the CD Player! How's that for coincidence?

Anyway, Key West's weather and all the tropical foliage and colors make decorating for Christmas a challenge, especially in the shop. The traditional red and green seem too heavy for the light airy look we've got going here. So we've put together decorations to express the same feeling - big silver glass shells, mercury glass spiral drop ornaments, blue glass spirals, blue glass birds with feather tails,some painted tin birds with crystal drops, some pastel painted whimsical shapes of tin, all interlaced with aqua, lime, and coral net ribbon. And - voila.....Style Key West Christmas!


Merry Christmas to All,

Smells Like Team Spirit

I've been working out at Stay Fit Studio ever since I moved to Key West two years ago, and this year the gym sponsored the first ever Key West Triathlon. Several of my friends trained faithfully for months and completed the full Olympic length triathlon: 1 mile swim, 24 mile bike, 10K run. This is not their story.

Meet The Team:


Mary and I had been planning to compete all along; we even went to some training sessions: open water swims, long bike rides, but as the training threatened to interfere with our social calendars, we decided that we would find a third and be part of a TEAM! Yes, that's it! We couldn't manage the rigorous training to compete individually, but with the pressure of being part of a team, we would surely press through with whatever training our schedules permitted. We couldn't, we wouldn't let the team down.

We did find a third. However, three weeks away from the event we discovered his devotion to "The Team" was even weaker than our devotion to training. I begged my significant other, John, to please, please, please fill in for this slacking ne'er do well who let the team down. John had been on swimming teams through high school, and his level of commitment in all things matched our team philosophy completely. He agreed and a new team was born.

So on the morning of December 5, 2010, the very last person to jump in the water was John:


Biker, Mary's team affiliation was in question...are we team 619 or 617?


And finally, the senior member of the team crossed the finish line....I know, it looks like I'm walking, but if you look closer, neither of my feet are touching the ground...pretty cool!


We had a blast, didn't make too bad of a showing at all, and we've vowed to do it again next year. We might actually train!

First Thursday Featured Guest: Key West Artist, Eric Afinson

For the First Thursday Holiday Open House last week, Style Key West was excited to host Key West artist, Eric Anfinson, who shows at Lucky Street Gallery. Eric's haunting portraits tell a story of a spiritual evolution, both of the artist and the subject.


Eric's own story is as inspiring as the work he exhibits. At 16, he suffered a football injury causing paralysis and minimal use his limbs. But in his thirties, he began painting. Thanks to some flexibility in his right arm and shoulder, he found that he had enough movement to put paintbrush to canvas. And the successful career that followed tells the rest of the story.

This year, in addition to his collection of five boxed note cards, Eric has created a 2011 wall calendar. The calendar is a "red balloon project," and 10 percent of the proceeds goes to the Just For Kids Art Program in Bahama Village, here in Key West. You can visit his website for more information about Eric and his Etsy shop if you are interested in purchasing his calendars and note cards.

Today's Headline: Flaming Flags in Key West!

Last week Key Westers found yet another cause for celebration (that's not hard for us to do).

December 1 marked the end of an uneventful (for Key West) hurricane season, and tourism and weather officials celebrated by burning the red and black hurricane flags that are flown at the Coast Guard stations when the islands are under a hurricane warning.


We're out of the woods until June 1 next year! Hooray!