[StarfishKey]

I think we need more Keys threads. And more fun and positive threads to come to. So here's one of them.

Call it kitschy, eccentric, weird, out there, or artistic - no matter what your words for it, the Florida Keys are known for their culture of creativity! It's one of the things that for me personally, makes living here so fun!

What pictures or stories do you have about the quirky side of the Keys, either as a tourist or local, that made it fun for you?


To me, one of the best aspects about life in the Keys is the near-mandate residents have to erect a creative "Keysey" mailbox. Here are a bunch (NOTE: this are not my own photos, just photos I got from the internet):




(That's a manatee in a sarong, if you didn't know)

[StarfishKey]

(made from a scuba tank)

[tallrick]

I lived in Key Largo for 20 years. My home was built to look like it was from 1958. I had a mail box made from a cannon, and a yard full of marine artifacts. A friend had a mailbox inside an outboard engine. A neighbor had a mailbox in a concrete cat. Yes she is a "cat lady".

[StarfishKey]

Originally Posted by tallrick

I lived in Key Largo for 20 years. My home was built to look like it was from 1958. I had a mail box made from a cannon, and a yard full of marine artifacts. A friend had a mailbox inside an outboard engine. A neighbor had a mailbox in a concrete cat. Yes she is a "cat lady".

LOL! I wish you had pictures of some of that! The house I bought is one of the few weird ones that has a completely boring normal mailbox. I am trying to decide what I want to do with mine when I replace it! It's one of the most fun parts of living here that is not part of the tourist experience at all.

[StarfishKey]

Conch cruisers are also popular [careful, on Craigslist a used rusty bike will be referred to as a "Conch Cruiser" and can cost $75! They tend to be sold over and over again, as new transplants by them and then sell a year or so later when they leave, and then they're sold again. Some people will even sell you a conch cruiser offering to buy it back for half the price if you decide to leave - of course, no guarantee they themselves will still be around, or have the cash for buy-back.]

Here are some in both car and bike variety:
















I am so bummed, there was a custom conch cruiser maker selling on Craigslist, with one of the models being a bicycle with a fold-down mini bar in the center complete with shot glasses and mini bottles. But I can't locate the picture now!

Be advised, contrary to what these bikes may make you think - it is illegal in Key West to ride a bike while under the influence, and there are no shortage of people who have been charged for it. Pretty sure you can't ride a bike while on acid either, although apparently you can paint one.

[StarfishKey]

Conch Republic Days passed 2 months ago, and if anything is part of the history of Keys Culture weirdness, that is.

Key Largo Conch Republic Days

[OptimusPrime69]

omg those mailboxes are too cute!

[StarfishKey]

Another great part of FL Keys culture - Key Lime Pie contests!

Florida Keys celebrate their signature pie at the Key Lime Festival | Arts & Entertainment | KeysNet

There is also one that takes place I think around Jan. in Tavernier at the Key Lime Products store. They judge two contests - one of the best traditional pie, one of the best creative pie (can have weird colors, candy added or other flavors mixed in, any weird take on Key Lime you can think of).





Key Lime Pie popcorn - there are multiple recipes, but here's one:

8 oz. white chocolate candy coating or white chocolate chips
1 lime, finely zested* {about 1 heaping tablespoon zest}
5 graham crackers, crushed
Green food coloring, optional

Melt chocolate and stir in lime zest. Coat over popcorn, holding aside about 1/4 of it. Toss popcorn well - may be easier if done on coated baking sheet to coat more evenly. Sprinkle graham cracker crumbles (can mix cracker crumbs in a bag first with sugar and a little cinnamon if want to taste more like graham cracker crust). Mix a few drops green food coloring in with remaining 2oz. of chocolate/lime mixture, and drizzle over finished popcorn to add attractive effect.


Strawberry Key Limeade Slush recipe [from The Rebel Chick website]:

Ingredients
2 cups water
1 cup sugar
1 cup key lime juice (freshly squeezed or not, it’s up to you!
2 cups frozen strawberries
1 cup ice
(if using fresh strawberries, add two additional cups of ice)
Directions
In a saucepan, bring water to a boil and add sugar, and remove from heat. Stir until it’s melted and set in the refrigerator to cool.
In a blender (or a smoothie maker, if that’s how you roll), blend the strawberries, ice and key lime juice until completely blended. Once the water and sugar is completely cooled, at it to the blended and blend thoroughly.
Garnish with fresh strawberries and a slice of key lime!
Serves two!

[StarfishKey]

So there are more festivals in the Keys this month that are probably not likely to be duplicated almost anywhere else in the country.

First up is Mel Fisher Days, which took place this past weekend, celebrating the guy who in the 80s located a pirate ship that sank in 1622 off Key West containing $450 million dollars' worth of riches. The celebration includes pirate stuff, gambling, and events for other salvage enthusiasts still on the hunt for their own big pay-off. Here's Mel Fisher himself, who is now deceased:



----

The other festival in Key West (where it is nearly a non-stop party) is Hemingway Days, which runs this week through this weekend. The most bizarre part of this festival celebrating the writer who once lived there, and left the genetic heritage of his 6-toed cat all over the island, is the annual contest for best look-alike:



Something about that I find very creepy... lol!


Anyone who has a personal experience of weirdness in the Keys, or plans to come down to see for themselves, is again more than welcome to contribute to the conversation here! Keys culture is something that is meant to be shared - if you saw it all by your lonesome you would have to question from time to time if you were perhaps hallucinating and should seek medical care. Sharing verifies that these strange visions are in fact real, though far from the culture of towns in the mainland US!

[StarfishKey]

A local article about the passing of one of the centers of Keys Kitsch, known as the Prime Minister/Secretary General of the Conch Republic - he even had his own passport stating such that some countries accepted!:
Big celebration of life planned for Conch Republic's Anderson | News | KeysNet