It was time I returned to my favorite Key West neighborhood known as The Meadows. That's because this was once a meadow close to city limits. That was in an age when a dairy farm covered New Town and the cemetery was on the back side of the city streets that huddled around the harbor.
Nowadays The Meadows is a collection of pretty streets set in an easily navigated grid pattern, lined with pretty homes, plant life of all kinds and a sense that this neighborhood is a long way from Duval Street and it's bars and noise and bustle.
The Meadows appeals to me thanks to the architecture, the absence of tourist attractions and indeed the complete absence of anything even approaching an inconvenience store.
The Meadows is close to the shopping hub of Truman and White Streets on one side and the easy water access of Garrison Bight on the other. If you can't afford a canal home in the city, this is the next best thing and there are more homes here than there are homes on Riviera Canal or at Hilton Haven.
This area is not part of the Historical Architectural Review Commission so the strict building codes that are enforced on the western edge of White Street do not necessarily apply here.
And yet we see homes that are pretty and represent those qualities that make this town so rare on a continent devoted to crass styles of building that represent nothing quite so much as a quick buck. And a few outspoken opinions too.
The meadows, from what I have observed is areal neighborhood with a relatively close knit community that can often be seen taking a stroll of an evening in these quiet and pleasant back streets.
What this piece of crime scene tape was doing was not at all clear.
Old Florida details can be found all over the place. like these shutters.
I am an unabashed fan of central air, what can I say?
Who needs all these cars?
"...in the Key West style..." of home building.
This actually
is Key West home building.
Excessively verbose, as is often the case around here. And ugly.
A surfeit of bougainvillea flowers.
Penguins in Paradise.
Pleasant signage, and not ugly.
Orange lobster claws I think. though I am horrid at labeling plants.
Dare I suggest this yellow stuff be honeysuckle?
A sunny day...
...the aftermath of a rain storm.
That's why I like The Meadows.
It was time I returned to my favorite Key West neighborhood known as The Meadows. That's because this was once a meadow close to city limits. That was in an age when a dairy farm covered New Town and the cemetery was on the back side of the city streets that huddled around the harbor.
And yet we see homes that are pretty and represent those qualities that make this town so rare on a continent devoted to crass styles of building that represent nothing quite so much as a quick buck. And a few outspoken opinions too.
What this piece of crime scene tape was doing was not at all clear. 
Who needs all these cars? 
"...in the Key West style..." of home building. 
This actually is Key West home building.
A surfeit of bougainvillea flowers. 
Penguins in Paradise. 
Pleasant signage, and not ugly. 
Orange lobster claws I think. though I am horrid at labeling plants. 
Dare I suggest this yellow stuff be honeysuckle? 
A sunny day... 
...the aftermath of a rain storm.
That's why I like The Meadows.
12 comments:
If those yellow flowers are on the corner of Pine and Florida or Georgia I think they are allamanda. There's a beautiful climbing vine of it on South Street, at the corner of Vernon (? the street that leads back to Louie's).
Lovely walking tour, CS! Reminds me of how Florida is really three states: the Keys, the area from Miami to Orlando, and then everything north, which is essentially Southern Georgia.
How gentle the admonition to be "aware" of the dog. No pitbull behind that fence, I don't think.
Meet a man @ the Southernmost American Legion who told me they played baseball down on South and Duval Street. Said there was a Dairy farm there. He now works on Boca Chica.
Mr Conchscooter:
I wished I could have a winter home in the Meadows. Large enough to host my buddy from West Chester, so I would require a very large . . .
lots of undercover M/C Parking and a large fridge for spirits
and an A/C unit sticking out of every window
bob
Wet Coast Scootin
Tibsy the library has pictures from those days. It is quite revealing, and every time I ride through new town proper I think of the fields and wonder how we learn to adapt to the present.
Dear Conch:
"A canal house," the sound of it brings me to Venice. I wish I had a nice little place in Key West, about 18 inches from the house of my friend Bobskoot. I wouldfthrow the kind of parties that would require tear gas and the National Guard every Friday.
Very funny, Bob. Very, very funny.
Fondest regards,
Jack • reep • Toad
Twisted Roads
Why do you let people make fun of Jack R. in your blog's comments? He seems perfectly jovial, and yet he is a constant target of abuse. I feel compelled to apologize to this poor guy. Can he be so lonely for friends that this is the best he can do? If he were here now, I'd lift up my shirt for him. And only him.
Betty
Sorry I missed the "Be Aware of the Dog" sign... that was cute!! I got a lot of cute signage pictures while I was there though. I am planning to blog on my vacation although a topical one is in the works not just a day by day accounting. Thatnks for the reminder!!! Memories of all the rain and scootering across town with a box in a plastic bag. What a hoot!!!
I love jack riepe. I hope to see him this fall and i will dertainly pull up my shirt for him. dear betty thanks for the reminder, and i'm only sorry that it's riepe's intimate family that ahs to post to remind us of our manners.
Betty, via Mr Conch:
I love Jackie "r" and really like Mr Conchie too. It's our way of showing affection towards each other and I will lift my shirt for him too.
. . . and if I see you, then "you first"
bob
Wet Coast Scootin
Orange Lobster claw flowers = Heliconia. Special order tropical flowers in my neck of the woods!
Orange lobster claw flowers = Heliconia, special order flowers in my neck of the woods!
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