Lazy Way Lane

The Waterfront Market may be closed with no business prospects in sight, but the Wyland mural is still there.The Western Union schooner is back in it's customary berth, now owned by a non profit and recently restored to floating condition on the hard at Truman Waterfront.Apparently there is more restoration to be done and more money needed to do it. For a ship that used to lay telegraph cable between Florida and Cuba it doesn't look that badly off. This is William Street looking toward Caroline Street. The white fence surrounds a failed development that has left a large open space in it's wake. BO's Fish Wagon is under the tree to the left.The historic seaport now has a boardwalk running round much of it. It used to be home to fishing boats that caught turtles and shrimp and has now become home to several marinas suitable only for recreational craft. Scooter parking is always full here. I blame Schooner Wharf Bar, probably the best known business on Lazy Way Lane.The city of Key West has yet complete an ordinance allowing dogs in outdoor restaurants, per the new state laws approved in Tallahassee. It is a cumbersome new state law invoking everything from soap and water to insurance coverage to allow dogs in bars. Cheyenne as usual ignored the other dog and went about her business smelling smells in peace.Welcome middle class professionals in leather vests with plenty of drinking money. Reemeber Bike Week? And here we are at Fantasy Fest!
I know this is is the slowest time of the year overall, but the marina slips looked emptier than usual recently. I was talking with the captain of a para sailing boat and he reluctantly acknowledged as much. Fantasy Fest brings lots of middle aged money bags to town to dress up (or down ) and behave badly in public.
Lazy Way Lane is a shortcut to Elizabeth Street winding along the waterfront for a few hundred yards.Across the water one can see the monument where tourists and homeless gather to catch their breaths while walking this area.
And this bland, unmarked white building is Shrimp Sound Studio, where the legendary Jimmy Buffett shows up to record they say, from time to time.
On the other side of Lazy Way lane this building was supposed to be the first of the development that replaced the Jabours Trailer Park. The project went bust and construction stopped here.There had been questions about how Schooner Wharf and it's live music would have survived in the face of an upscale development across the street. That potential conflict has evaporated.

Lazy Way Lane is barely one wooded block long; that's Elizabeth Street at the end.Dust catcher central.That this is a one way street from William to Elizabeth seems not to matter to the cyclists riding in the middle of the street with every chance of a car coming round the corner the other way.
We were minding our own business when Kermit himself came across the street bearing gifts. For Cheyenne, not me. Kermit has made a name for himself standing attired as you see him promoting his all-things-Key-Lime store on Elizabeth Street. His human foods are really quite good and apparently his new line in dog cookies isn't bad either.
"Testing a new cookie," he said. She liked it but she's not a picky eater.
He said he expects to be carrying them this month. I shall have to check back. Who knew Cheyenne would like Key Lime flavored cookies?A pair of the ubiquitous v-twins lounging around.
Wandering away from Lazy Way Lane it wasn't all motorcycles. I also spotted a few interesting titles on the sidewalk. Unfortunately my wife has banned any new book purchases until we have read our library at home...

These last few pictures are pure whimsy. I wasn't actually on Lazy Way Lane when I took them, but wandering down Greene Street.
And here we have a cyclist waiting for a red light. The crack down on cyclists and traffic laws is having an effect apparently.
And while I was wandering I saw this gate. Are we sure that's the bell?
I think I had too much time on my hands on my afternoon off.