Bar None Suds Stroll

March 18, 2019

 

Bar None Suds Stroll

There are many annual traditions and events that happen in Key West, but few have the history and heritage of the annual St. Patrick’s Day Bar Stroll. This year marks the 41^st consecutive year that the event has been held, making it one of the longest running Key West events that there is. The event has an illustrious history since it first began back in 1979.

 

Buco and Rick

Founder Rick Dostal still runs the event, which has been going strong since it first began as the St. Patrick’s Day Bar None Suds Run. The original race (and for the first six years) the stroll was an actual race across the island with stops at various bars where participants would chug a full beer before racing off to the next stop. A lot of beer chugging, running and vomiting led to the event being reclassified as a stroll for its seventh year, with local legend Buco Pantelis still holding the record for the fastest suds run at just under 14 minutes.

Buco

 

Buco and Rick may be the only ones still around from those early years, most of the bar stops that have been used over the years have come and gone and are now known only in Key West lore. Places like the Full Moon Saloon, Simonton Street Station, the Blue Boar, Lowell C’s, Maynard’s, Billy’s Bar, The Cistern, Dill’s Pickle and the Sandbar are all nothing but memories but some current bars go back nearly to the beginning.

Debbie and Matt

 

The Bull and Whistle has been a stop since the beginning, the only bar to be a stop at every stroll, places like Rick’s and Schooner Wharf Bar have been stops since they opened and even more bars are more recent additions. The stroll begins promptly at noon, now starting at the Southernmost Beach Café and this year included stops at the Salty Angler, 915 Restaurant, Cowboy Bill’s, Aqua, the Hard Rock Café, Rick’s, The Bull, Lucy’s Retired Surfer’s Bar and the Schooner Wharf.

 

 

Hundreds and hundreds of people show up, all decked out in their St. Paddy’s day finest and there is a sea of Kelly green wandering down Duval Street making stops for their free beer at each stop. The stroll takes many most of the day and into the early evening and for many, it is their favorite Key West event of the year. In addition to the official registrants, there is a sort of shadow crowd that does not pay an entry fee, yet follows along each year as part of the throng.

Trevor 

These people sort of miss the point of the event being a charity fundraiser, but still add to the overall festive nature of the event, which gets more and more festive with each stop and additional alcohol boost. It can get a little messy by the end, which is why I generally don’t make a day of it, making it a little past halfway before calling it a day.

 

This year it was especially hot and sunny, which to me just increases my level of discomfort which is why after passing the halfway point, I ditched the end of the stroll and hit the pool at the Marker Resort for some cool relaxation. I do enjoy the event in spite of often cutting it short and I really appreciate the history and fun that people have with it and the fact that so much is raised for charitable causes. 

http://www.stpatricksdaybarstroll.com/

Happy 50th Trevor!

March 17, 2019

Trevor 

Happy 50^th Trevor!

Kathy and I are so fortunate to be blessed with a number of amazing friends and it gives us great pleasure when we are asked to be invited to share in monumental moments in their lives as was the case this week when our good friend Nadene invited us and many others to share in the 50^th birthday celebration of her husband Trevor. Trevor and Nadene and their daughter Meredith are among our closest and most favorite people and we could not be happier to be even a small part of Trevor’s big day.

 

Turning 50 was a weird time for me when it happened back in 2014, I am not sure why but it affected me more than I ever would have expected it. I think it is because of the milestone nature of the entire thing, half a century- that is a long time. Plus I had previously always thought of 50 as kind of old, I mean you are supposed to start getting colonoscopies at 50 and that is something old people do, right? 

Kathy

Trevor 

The initial trauma of reaching that age has quickly faded, 55 is not all that much different than 45, at least to me and in many ways it is better. Being older and wiser and more settled and secure in who I am has been pretty cool and I hope that Trevor is experiencing reaching the ripe old age of 50 with a true sense of who he is and where he fits in the world.

If his wonderful birthday celebration is any indication, he seems to be off to a great start. Nadene had put her skills as the best event planner in the Keys to good use in planning Trevor’s big night. She organized a wonderful progressive dinner for Trevor and his friends and guests that had a Mojito theme and started off promptly at 6 PM at the Blue Mojito bar at the Hyatt Centric Hotel, right on the water where we could all be treated to a beautiful sunset while sipping on mojitos and munching on the lovely selection of appetizers that were available for us all.

Coleen and Gary

 

We had never really spent any time at the Blue Mojito which is too bad as it is a lovely little spot to catch the sunset and enjoy the beautiful oceanfront location. The sunset was great as usual and the company was even better as many of our good friends joined together to toast Trevor and his 50 years on this planet. Hopefully somewhere in the far Northern climes where he lives, his twin brother Travis was also enjoying his 50^th birthday. Kathy and I certainly join in wishing him a happy birthday as well.

Trevor and Paul

Greg and Trevor 

Chuck

Crystal

The next stop was a short stroll across Front Street to the Key West Legal Rum Distillery where Nadene had arranged a private tour as well as a lesson in the art of making a real mojito by owner and rum expert Paul Menta. It was another place where Kathy and I had not visited and it was really fun and fascinating and the mojitos there were quite tasty. 

Fiona and Rob

We took the elevator upstairs to a private room where a beautiful catered steak and shrimp dinner was awaiting all of us, in yet another beautiful touch arranged by Nadene. The dinner was great but it was not the final stop, we still had one more stop for yet more mojitos and dessert including of course, the really cool birthday cake that Nadene had made for Trevor.

 

Ray and Casey

The final stop was just down to the end of Front Street to the White Tarpon Mojito Bar located on the docks at the foot of Front Street. The bar had just been completely redone by the talented crew at Wonderdog Productions and is really cool. There we enjoyed even more libations and Trevor was served hsio beautiful cake and we enjoyed dessert to cap off a truly wonderful event that honored an even more amazing friend. Happy 50^th Birthday Trevor, welcome to the club and we hope you have many, many happy returns!