Sorry everybody's 30th birthdays. Andrew's won by virtue of being in Key West while temperatures in the Northeast dropped below the 30s. We stayed in these cute cabins called "Courtney's Place" with a pool and a breakfast that stayed open late. We were a two-block walk from Duval Street. We got in Friday afternoon and after some relaxing by the pool we had dinner and partied at Irish Kevin's, The Green Parrot, Smallest Bar, The Hog's Breath Saloon, and Sloppy Joe's. That was our warm-up.
Me, Kevin, Katie, Andrew, and Mike at Irish Kevin's on Friday night
Andrew, Stephanie, Corey, Ken, and Tatiana outside Irish Kevin's
Andrew, Doug, Marisa, and Tana dancing at The Green Parrot
Everyone had a lot of beers and jello shots, and I sipped water like a
champ. We easily walked 4 miles going up and down Duval Street. Who
says we're old? Mike S. may or may not have danced on a table at Hog's
Breath, and Kevin may or may not have unbuttoned all the buttons on his
shirt at Sloppy Joe's. Suffice to say, I have pictures I am not blogging here. Kevin's mom got some fun drunk texts from various phones. Thanks for babysitting Ma!
Ken plus the cousins at Hog's Breath Saloon on Friday night
It took a while for everyone to recover on Saturday, even me, even though I only drank water. So we started the day with some Cuban coffee at Cuban Coffee Queen, a walk along the waterfront, and some light window-shopping on Duval. A good number of people made it over to the Hemingway House, and everyone regrouped at the pool at Courtney's Place by the afternoon.
The Clou men at Cuban Coffee Queen for coffee and Cuban sandwiches
Some mad posing at the waterfront: Corinne, Matt, Andrew, Mike M, and Kourtney
Contrary to appearances here, most of us went in the pool.
We did a little walk to Southernmost Point, but the sunlight was bad for a picture. So after the boys stopped for cigars at the Dominican Republic Cigar Shop, we all headed over to Mallory Square for the sunset. Some of us just missed the actual sunset but we were mostly there for the party. A few people were psyched for The
Cat Man at the Sunset Pier so we checked that out too. Finally we gathered for a 22-person dinner at Finnegan's Wake! Andrew gave a really nice toast where he said he felt like he'd become rich by 30-- with friendship.
Me and Kevin at Mallory Square
Andrew giving a thank you toast to everyone who came out for his birthday
Everyone who went to Key West (except Dave who graciously took this picture)
After dinner, we would have liked to see some turtles race at Turtle Kraals, but they only do that on Mondays (!) so we settled for playing some really intense bocce. Kourtney impressed us with her kinetic super powers. If you'd seen it, you'd be a believer. There was much mischief at Captain Tony's
Saloon, and thanks to Kevin, Katie met a man named "Bottom." Probably that's not going anywhere. We rejoined a bigger group at The Green Parrot and enjoyed some tunes from the band Xperimento. Google Maps tells me that means we walked at least 5.5 very fun miles on Saturday.
Kourtney, Mike M, Andrew, Stephanie, and Ken at Captain Tony's Saloon
Matt, Corinne, Tana, and Mike M at The Green Parrot
The weekend was epic, and will be hashed and rehashed for many years to come. Happy birthday, Andrew! Oh, and we had a little spa time before we came home from Florida, by which I mean:
I got Kourtney to walk on Kevin's back because I am the best wife ever. ;)
