No Direction Home: It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year

December 6, 2018

Wendy and Livi

It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year

The holiday season had begun in earnest by the time I returned to Key West, I was flying solo for the first three weeks of December as Kathy was traveling out to Colorado to check on our house there and then to New Mexico to see our friend Dakota and her baby Sloane. Dakota and her family recently moved to Clovis, New Mexico where her husband was to be stationed at Cannon Air Force Base. Now he was headed to his first deployment since they had the new addition and Kathy went out to help Dakota with the baby.

That left me on my own in Key West during what is certainly the busiest time of the year as the holiday season was in full swing when I returned from Indianapolis. The first major holiday event that I had the privilege to attend was the third annual Back In Time Fundraiser to benefit the Key West Customs House Museum. While technically not a holiday themed event, the party is one that has kicked off the holiday season since its inception three years ago when it celebrated the 125^th anniversary of the Customs House.

Cricket and Michael

This year the theme was Back In Time: Cruise to the 40s and guests were encouraged to get gussied up in their finest 1940s themed outfits. Partygoers were asked to get “decked” out in their best frock or dinner jacket, uniform or swing dress and to break out those zoot and victory suits and cruise Back in Time to the 1940s aboard the luxurious SS KWAHS for the Society’s annual fundraiser benefiting the Custom House preservation.

Kathy and I had attended for our first time last year and we had a great time and so I was back again this year, joining the table of hostess Dani Holiday for the dinner and dancing party. The festivities started with a wonderful cocktail party on the veranda surrounding the Custom House before moving across the street to one of the ballrooms at the Margaritaville Resort for a wonderful dinner and dancing party featuring live music from the Southernmost Brass Band.

Evan and Camilla

Jaqueline and Mark

Another reason that I wanted to attend was to see the special presentation of the 2018 Scotti Merrill Preservation Award to our friend the wonderful Brewster Chamberlain in honor of his work at the Custom House. The award recognizes an individual who has dedicated him or herself to preserving the cultural heritage of the Florida Keys, with special emphasis on the Custom House and as a historian who has dedicated countless hours to the Custom House, Brewster is an obvious and deserving choice.

Brewster

It was a really fun time and great to see everyone in their finest 40s fashion. As is the case during the holiday season, attending one event meant missing another (or at least most of it). The first of the annual City holiday bike rides was held the same evening and it culminated at a block party at Mary Ellen’s bar where they had blocked off Appelrouth Lane for a holiday post-ride party.

Livi and Chris

Paul and Ashley

Suzanne

Chacka

I was able to stop by the party after leaving the custom house and see many friends who had participated in the holiday bike tour and were now enjoying the block party, one of the first major Key West holiday parties which would be filling the calendar for the rest of this month and in to the New Year. The party was another huge success as hundreds gathered to celebrate the onset of the holiday party season.