Tag Archives: photography

Key West Couplets — Part One

December 3, 2012

Key West Shoreline

Key West is America’s tropical southernmost city,

One-and-a-half miles wide and four short miles of pretty,

Home to Mile Marker Zero, the end of US Highway One,

Where the Atlantic meets the Gulf to kiss the setting sun.

Jolyse Barnett Photography

Key West is roosters, six toed cats, and endangered Key Deer herds,

Street performing dogs, skittish lizards, photo posing boas and birds.

Kayaking to view manatees, nurse sharks, and dolphins,

Fishing the flats for grouper and hogfish while dreaming of marlins or tarpins.

Jolyse Barnett Photography

Key West is baked clams with bacon, pink shrimp, lobster cheese and mac,

Catch of the day so incredible we keep coming back,

Michael’s, The Flaming Buoy, Cafe Sole’s, and Blue Heaven,

Sloppy Joe’s, Hogs Breath, Aqua Club, and Irish Kevin’s.

Jolyse Barnett Photography

Key West is Hogaritas, Ultimate Margaritas, and Corona with limes,

Rum punch, Flying Monkeys’ frozen concoctions, and our favorite red wines.

(Hmm, that sounds like a good place to stop for now. I’m feeling a bit thirsty.)

To Be Continued…

What is Key West for you?

Hurricane Sandy — One Week Later

November 5, 2012

Are you ready for a Margarita Moment? I am. One hundred percent. Today we’ll browse one of Key West’s beautiful Mallory Square buildings, the Casa Cayo Hueso Bar & Restaurant. But first, I apologize for being offline last week. Hurricane Sandy preparations took precedence, and I’m thankful we heeded the warnings.

As you may remember, my family lost the fight with Tropical Storm Irene last summer, and this time we braced for Sandy’s powerful punch. We were among the fortunate. Despite having no power in our neighborhood for six days, our property sustained very minor damage, we had a neighbor with a generator in the evenings, and we had relatives only ten minutes away with power (including intermittent internet and phone service).

Some neighbors and friends lost vehicles, homes, were flooded out, or had to evacuate. People on the south shore of Long Island, Staten Island, and parts of the Jersey Shore suffered tremendously. Any life lost is great, and there were dozens of fatalities in the region.

We are doing what we can from here to help those without power–donating blankets and clothes. Local schools are housing people left homeless by the storm. Other schools are serving as warming and recharging centers. We are hopeful the situation will improve soon, with most schools reopening this week.

The morning after the storm, I trekked outside to assess the damage. We had lost a few roof shingles. Then, I walked to the end of my driveway. I looked to the left, and this is what I saw:

Jolyse Barnett Photography — One end of my street

Then I looked to the right. I began to get nervous.

If I had two trees down on my little street, how hard was the rest of my area hit? Without access to media, there was only one way to find out. I packed up my child and our go-bags and set out in the car. For my son’s sake, I made it an adventure. We were trying to find our way through the maze of downed trees and wires. There turned out to be only one way out, unlike the usual ten options.

Today, I sit in my warm, whole house while others continue to endure hardships–without heat, without light, and maybe without a loved one. I’m very blessed, very thankful, and send positive thoughts to everyone affected by Hurricane Sandy.

Do you have any hurricane experiences or messages of hope to share?

As promised, here’s your Moment:

Casa Cayo Hueso Souvenir Shop

This souvenir shop is located just south of the Ocean Key Resort on Mallory Square in Key West, Florida. The painted, wooden animals and decorative signs are plentiful and worth a look. If you’re in the mood for an impromptu history lesson, take a stroll through the wide hallway between the shop and Casa Cayo Hueso’s Bar and Restaurant.

You can easily spend a quarter hour gazing at its murals depicting life in early Key West.

We walked through the spacious Casa Cayo Hueso Bar & Restaurant, and the spicy aromas made out mouths water. We had reservations at another place, however, so we couldn’t sample the fare that particular day. But we will return, and when we do, I’ll be sure to share the details.

What restaurant do you enjoy visiting as much for the ambiance and decor as for the great food?

Keep your Valium, doctor, I have my cat!

October 8, 2012

Cats have been part of my life since I was a little girl. Dogs are great, but due to our love of travel, adding a canine to our family hasn’t seemed the wisest option. In recent years though, my husband has often stated that our current cat is THE LAST ONE.

*gasp*

Don’t get me wrong, he likes our feline companion, but he’s concerned about the toll it takes on us to care for an animal, especially as it ages and we’re forced to make tough decisions with medical options.

I agree on one level. I don’t look forward to emptying and changing the litter box, and my heart broke when I had to say goodbye to another loving pet five years ago. But, there are so many wonderful aspects to pet ownership. Isn’t the sacrifice and commitment worth it?

You’ve heard of the studies about the positive effects of pets on humans. You know how a cat snuggling on your lap can relieve your stress, or how a dog wagging its tail can melt your worries away. If only for a little while.

I’d heard about some of these studies, too. What I didn’t know, however, was the extent dogs, cats, and other domesticated creatures can contribute to our quality of life. So, the next time my spouse reminds me of how simple our life would be without a feline or canine underfoot, here’s my response:

Benefits of Pet Ownership:

Pets improve your mood. I mean, who can stay sad or angry when greeted by a loving, non-judgmental fur ball? I can’t.
Pets lower your blood pressure. Wow. There’s hard science behind this one. (See the study, “Pet Dog or Cat Controls Blood Pressure Better than ACE Inhibitor“)
Pets provide social support and relieve stress. This one makes me think of all those romantic comedies where the guy uses the dog to break the ice with the girl he adores from afar. But there’s more to it. Pets can give us the opportunity to get out and socialize.

On our summer getaway to Key West, my husband and I met the street performer in this photo. If you are a regular reader of Margarita Moments, you know my motto, “You can see it all on Duval.” That’s the norm in Old Town. However, we are much more likely to engage in conversation with those vendors or performers with a pet by their side.

That leads us to the last benefit proven by scientific studies.

Pets decrease loneliness. In a 2006 study, researchers learned that nursing home residents were less lonely after five-six weeks of regular visits from dogs than residents who visited with a dog in a group setting. Researchers were shocked to learn that these elderly patients greatly preferred the company of a dog to that of their nursing home companions.

Unlike me, one of my dear blogger friends, Catie Rhodes has had the honor of being a dog owner. I urge you to read her touching blog post, “Life Lessons and Little Dogs” . You won’t regret it.

Is the research right? Does your pet provide you with an escape from daily life hassles or worries?

DISCLAIMER: If you dislike animals, are allergic to fur or dander, or otherwise unable to care for a pet properly, I wouldn’t recommend getting one for the benefits listed above. In addition, I’m not a medical professional, and as such, used the title as creative license, not as medical advice. If you are experiencing anxiety, depression, high blood pressure, or other emotional or physical ailments, please seek the advice and consultation of a trained medical professional. This blog post is merely the opinion of an animal lover.

Key West Stylin’

October 1, 2012

Key West draws me in for so many reasons. It’s part of the United States, but feels like the Caribbean. It’s casual, laid-back, and tolerant. And it’s truly stylin’. There’s nothing more relaxing than pedaling a conch cruiser through the streets of Old Town past the beautifully unique island residences. There’s an elegance, a permanence, and a mystical presence I cannot explain. Today, I share my love and admiration for the homes of my home-away-from-home. Enjoy!

Larger homes in Cayo Hueso reflect the Spanish heritage of the region, with Spanish colonial architecture, such as this home on the right, with a full length porch on each level to take advantage of the tropical vistas.

Most homes in Old Town feature white picket fences, perhaps as a territorial measure due to miniscule lots. Whatever the reason for their being, the fences add a cozy, whimsical appearance to these homes.

Key West properties feature an abundance of plantings, whether in the form of palm, banyon or ornamental Royal Poinciana trees (shown below), and a variety of tropical shrubs and flowers.

Many of the larger Old Town homes are traditionally painted white, yet some reflect the Caribbean influence of the Conch cottages, in colors such as pink, blue, and green. Victorian touches, such as gingerbread detailing is common, too.

Of course, part of island life is coping with extremes–the tropical heat and hurricanes. Shutters serve a dual function, allowing in a breeze while protecting its residents from the sun’s rays and destructive winds, like on the house shown below.

House after house in the Old Town section of Key West is an attraction unto itself–another reason this place is home-away-from-home for many of its visitors. You can’t help but want to lounge on a shady porch with a refreshing drink surrounded by nature’s beauty.

Someday I plan to live in one of these beautiful homes. What is your dream style of home, and why?

The Southernmost Artist and Key West Art

September 24, 2012

On our recent getaway to the Conch Republic, my husband and I met the Southernmost Artist. As we waded and swam in the warm waters of Southern Beach that first day in Key West, William Craig Sasser employed his craft on the sidewalk overlooking the Southernmost House, his back to the Atlantic.The man was an anchor in a sea of tourists milling about that summer morning. Most people walked right past him as if he didn’t exist, fascinated by the art in nature, taking photos posing in front of the water instead of admiring his work. It didn’t faze him. He kept on painting, his pose relaxed and his gaze serene.

Finished with our swim, my husband and I wandered over to the man in the wide-brimmed hat. He didn’t look up from his painting, allowing us to peruse the displayed pieces at our leisure.

One piece in particular caught my eye. It reminded me of our fishing charter experience last fall. The oil featured a heron flying above mangrove islands in an early morning scene.

I wanted that painting if we could afford it. But first, I was more interested in getting to know the man behind the art. We waited patiently, and at last he lifted his brush from the canvas and glanced our way. The look on his face, the wonder of returning from the thrill of his art, connected with me. I get lost in a story and lose all track of time and space. I guess you could compare it to a runner’s high.

In our chat with Mr. Sasser, we expressed our interest in the painting and asked him about the inspiration. He said that it was, indeed, a morning painting over “the lakes” where we’d fished. My husband and he then chatted about the frame of the painting. My husband was brutally honest, saying he planned to change the frame and make his own, like he had done with the other art in our Key West themed bedroom. Instead of being insulted as I’d anticipated, the artist agreed, emphatic that a person become a participant in their art. This sentiment is echoed in his artist statement attached to the back of that painting we ultimately purchased: “It is the human relationsihip to nature and the oneness we all share with it.”

I would happily include a link to William Craig Sasser’s website, if he had one. He doesn’t use the internet or display his work online. However, if you happen to visit Key West, you may find the Southernmost Artist painting at the Southernmost Beach or at his Key West Studio at 6621 Maloney Avenue.

Art abounds in Old Town, Key West…

…all unique, all beautiful in their own way.

Getting Personal & Key West Dreaming

September 17, 2012

On the Homefront

Hi my friends,

I admit, I’ve been living a bit of a roller coaster these past two weeks. Not that anything is really wrong or desperate, like illness or death, but emotionally I’ve struggled. In times like this, music and writing nourish my soul and make me whole again. I write romance, and to write romance, a person needs to truly believe in a happily-ever-after. My relationship with my husband is a huge inspiration in this way. Lately, I haven’t always appreciated him or the sacrifices he makes on a daily basis for our family. He works long hours far from home, and yet I still expect him to pull his weight (and more) at home. He always has, but that doesn’t mean he always will. I wonder if someday he’ll say, “Enough.”

I thought a lot about that this week. I considered many ways to show him how much I love him. I thought about sending him love texts (no, not sexts, that’s not my style, and with my luck, I’d accidentally sext the sitter or one of my colleagues). I’ve never done that, so I didn’t want him to be suspicious. I considered writing a love note. I also thought about surprising him with his favorite meal–but I’m not such a great cook.

None of those ideas seemed right.

Then I was on my way to work a few days ago, and I accidently hit CD instead of FM radio. I only have one CD in my car, and it’s David Archuleta. (Yes, I adore the beautiful purity of his voice.) His song, “You Can” played, my love anthem. Not because of him (Sorry, David!), but because the lyrics bring me back to 1984 when my husband was my best friend on the verge of becoming my boyfriend, when I first realized he could be the one to “save me from myself.” I wasn’t a lost soul by any means, but I lacked belief in myself, and I didn’t grasp my true potential until he came into my life.

So this is for my husband, the one who always believed in me and helped me believe in myself:

What song reminds you of a special person in your life?

Key West Dreaming…

For my fellow Key West lovers, here are some recent photos I took just for you:

Restaurant Bar on Mallory Square — Ocean Key Resort Sunset Pier Restaurant

Until next time, I hope you spend your days doing what you love best.

xoxo

Jolyse

PS Any Key West topics you’d like me to blog about? Let me know. I love to chat Conch Republic.

A Snapshot of Bermuda

August 20, 2012

Bermuda is famous for its pink sand beaches and lush vegetation. Both times we’ve visited this group of one hundred eighty islands, we cruised there from New York City. I hope to fly there someday and stay at a resort, perhaps one like the Grotto Bay Beach Resort my talented blogger friend, Gwen Hernandez enjoyed with her family last winter. (I was unable to link directly to her article, but it’s called “Holiday in Paradise” and worth a look.) Until then, here’s a snapshot of our experience in beautiful Bermuda.

Our First Visit – 1998

The first time we traveled to this British territory in the Atlantic Ocean about 600 miles off the coast of North Carolina, our daughter was seven and our son not yet born. We enjoyed spectacular views from atop Gibbs Hill Lighthouse and played in the turquoise waters off Horseshoe Bay Beach. Our daughter and her two cousins appreciated the aquarium and petting zoo, as we traveled from place to place via public bus–an adventure in itself on the island’s narrow roads. We also shopped in Hamilton and walked the streets of Kings Wharf, explored the history of Fort St. Catherine and cooled off with a swim at Tobacco Bay.

Our Second Visit – 2012

This time, our ship was docked for only one-and-a-half days in Royal Naval Dockyard and we traveled with both our adult daughter and our teenage son who is autistic. We didn’t explore Bermuda as much as fourteen years ago, yet took a forty-minute ferry ride from our port to revisit Tobacco Bay Beach, a taxi ride’s distance from King’s Wharf. (The ferry ride was $8 roundtrip per adult. Expect to pay $2-$3 per person for your ride, and more if you don’t fill the taxi. We shared our ride with other tourists to avoid paying more.) This public beach has a concession stand with restrooms and a shaded eating area. There are snorkel sets and a limited supply of umbrellas and beach chairs for rent. Arrive early for a good spot and if interested in renting beach items. Families with young children will especially like this beach, as the waters are tranquil and comfortably shallow. You may spy a variety of tropical fish near the rocks, too as the children did the day we were there.

Royal Naval Dockyard, Bermuda

After dinner that evening, six of our party trekked off the ship into Dockyard to soak in the Bermudian atmosphere. There was a street fair that night, complete with Goombay dancers and photo ops. Our enthusiastic photographer had difficutly getting my Nikon to cooperate. (Oh well, it’s a fuzzy photo from a fuzzy night.) If you look carefully, you may see our cruise ship in the background of this first photo.

DSCN3765 — Giggling with the Goombay Dancers

After browsing the vendors, we headed toward the Frog & Onion Pub. On the way, we stopped by the Dockyard Glassworks. The store was open but demonstrations had ended for the day. The displayed pieces were exquisite. In spite of the summer heat the following day, our daughter, her cousin, and aunt returned there to be mesmerized for an hour. She later told me, “For a moment there, I questioned why I plan to attend med school when I could return to Bermuda and learn the art of glass blowing instead.” I guess she liked it.

One of our group bought the Big Mama, a forty-five ounce margarita meant to be split between two or three. What do you think? Could you down that baby by yourself?

Clocktower Mall in Dockyard has a mix of upscale, kid-friendly, and local artisan shops. The air conditioning is a huge plus in the summer, especially for those individuals sensitive to the heat and humidity like our special-needs son. There were places to sit and rest, ice cream shops, and reasonably priced toys. All good.

See those jet skiers in the harbor. If you recall my recent adventure in Key West, you’ll understand why I wasn’t even tempted to go touring around the island with them. Don’t let those jet skiing myths fool you!

Well, that about sums up our ventures in Bermuda to date. We plan to return. Maybe then we’ll bike through island gardens, walk underground in Crystal and Fantasy Caves, play at Snorkel Park and enjoy a rum swizzle or two.

What have you been up to this fine August month? Working or playing, or a bit of both? We’d love to hear about your adventures.

Key West Street Fair and Sunsets

July 30, 2012

The Papa Look-Alikes Contest is a big draw for fans of Key West Hemingway Days, but that’s not all this annual festival offers.

Saturday afternoon, Old Town hosted a Caribbean Street Fair, designed to reflect the spirit of Key West during the original Hemingway’s era. A large section of Duval Street was closed to vehicles for local artisans and mom-and-pop food vendors to display their goods. People browsed the stands, many sipping ice cold lemonade in the tropical heat. There was wall art designed from sheet metal, touristy plaques made from recycled fence, Cuban sandwiches, and Bahamian-prepared sausages among other items. We bought little other than bottled water, focused on hydration.

At dusk, over six hundred people participated in the Hemingway 5K Sunset Run/Walk. My husband entered as a runner, and convinced me to participate as a walker. I ran recreationally for a number of years, but with children and other responsibilities, I’d become more of a treadmill kind of gal this past decade. More recently, I was injured in a fall and endured PT for many months. My knees continue to give me grief. On top of that, Key West’s weather was still like a steambath at race time. I had valid concerns about finishing.

I kissed my husband good luck and he flew ahead of us few walkers with the other runners. I focused on putting one foot in front of the other, stretching my gait as far as possible and pumping those arms. And I kept that pace. Eventually, I passed a number of other racers, some jogging slower than my walk. That’s okay, though, because we were all in it for fun. The race entry fees went toward a local children’s organization, and there was something special about race-walking from the famous Southernmost Point, down Whitehead Street where Hemingway’s Museum is located, onto the Truman Annex, down the Quay for a spectacular sunset view, looping through sidestreets and back down Whitehead to the finish line at Southernmost Point. Spectators cheered and encouraged everyone. I did it. We all did it. It felt good. I may just enter another 5K in the future, and next time I’ll run.

Property of Jolyse Barnett — What a View!

When was the last time you were coaxed into doing something outside your comfort zone? How did it turn out?

Summer’s Grace

June 25, 2012

Dusk descends upon us,

Relief from the heat of the day,

We’re drawn to the wooden boardwalk,

Where flowery fragrance fills the air,

Hidden creatures chirp their mating songs,

And svelte swans grace the lawn.

Away from the raucous festivities,

Warm bodies, pulsing music, and stilted small talk,

Into the cool, calm quiet.

Rare is our solitude, rare is the perfect June night.

~Jolyse Barnett

Scrap Your Memories & Blogiversary Giveaways

April 30, 2012

Scrapbooking1 — A sampling of my scrapbook collection

Long before I began writing seriously, I kept journals–reams of pages filled with daily entries, jots, sketches, and reflections. Then, I began scrapbooking in the mid nineties to record my family life and move my photos from boxes to books. This hobby gave my creativity an outlet my day job previously had but no longer did.

Scrapbooking2 — I love this book! Great ideas for the novice scrapper.

As with most things in life, there were negatives to my new obsession. Every material and specialty tool cost money, which added up. Between the price of the photos, books, filler pages, and specialty materials such as stickers, pens, scissors and other tools–not to mention my labor–one project could easily top fifty bucks.

Then, there was the mess. I didn’t have a designated space for my hobby and ended up filling my closet and kitchen cabinets with the supplies.

Durability was my greatest concern. Others were eager to look at the photo albums, but I was forever worrying about torn and soiled pages. That bothered me, because the reason I’d started scrapping was to make our family photos accessible. These albums help develop my son’s language and social connections, too, areas of concern for a child with autism.

Scrapbooking5 — Disney books are magical to create.

The solution to my dilemma was the advent of digital scrapbooks. Not only is this form of scrapbooking quicker and more professional-looking than my best handmade efforts, but all the work is online instead of all over my house. It’s also easy to make duplicate books. The price of both kinds of scrapbooks is comparable, unless you splurge by creating an album like the Disney one I made two years ago.

Scrapbooking8 — My photo albums are more like picture books.

Photo sites such as Shutterfly and Snapfish are user-friendly and provide many options to create the book you imagine. They take up a fraction of the space at 1/2″ thick whereas the handmade scrapbooks are 2″-3″ thick. You can share digital albums online, so there’s no need to purchase every album you create.

With each successive album, I used fewer photos and more journaling until the photos supported the text rather than the other way around. Maybe I shouldn’t be surprised I took that next step in creativity–painting pictures with words as a novelist.

What’s your creative outlet? Do you scrapbook, journal, or research geneology online?