Tutu Tuesday

A friend of mine suggested Tutu Tuesday is the most popular Fantasy Fest event for locals, vying with the local's parade ("Masquerade March") on Friday for the title of most desirable event. After my walk around yesterday I'm wondering if I shouldn't get a tutu next year for my dog: Rusty had a blast.

I saw the crowd pictured above on Whitehead Street but I held out little hope of finding parking for the Fusion. I drove up Greene with a no hope attitude, especially when I saw these old goats dragging their feet on their Harleys, imitating the scooter rider above who was actually stopped. Foot dragging to me is a sign of not being in control of your machine and riding badly while I'm stuck in a car (sorry Rusty) is slightly aggravating. Put your feet on the floorboards and learn to control your machine with your balance. Rant over.

 Walking back to Duval Street from Greene and Simonton I stopped some kind folks and asked for a picture. Like this lot:

Rusty was sniffing bushes and drains, as you do, while I was talking toa friend when a nice lady came up and made a fuss of the dog. She said she read the blog but didn't want to be "on the Internet" (too late for that methinks in the modern era) so I deleted the picture of her rather nice smile and offer these fine folks instead, in the spirit of Tutu Tuesday. In these situations I ask myself what their neighbors would say Up North if they knew these upstanding citizens were parading around in public in toile and crepe chinoise and showing off the tops of their legs?

 I lack the necessary nerve to dress up like this but it does seem to be a popular way to spend a Tuesday afternoon with assorted bars offering venues for night time parading around in inappropriate clothing.  My surprise was Rusty. Six months ago he was a timid little street dog afraid of every sound and squeak. Yesterday he turned in another bravura performance as Master of his Domain.

He strode among the freaks and tutus with aplomb, tail up high like a feathery flag fluttering between the legs and precariously carried drinks.

When he meets other dogs, especially his own size or larger he used to get defensive but he was on Duval to party yesterday. His tail fluttered like a flag in a gale and he pranced like he wanted to play and run. I'd never seen that before especially in such a crowded noisy place. 

He practically started purring as the bouncer chatted about fake IDs for youngsters and how he spent a fortune treating his old rescue dog's teeth. Nice guy he had a tattoo of his 17 year old animal on his bicep. I'm not doing that!

 French tutu exponents:

 I don't know what to say. Everyone was determined to look ridiculous. It was very laid back and fun.

And here he was again, and I wished we in an open space like a field where they could have run and chased each other as much as they wanted too.

 Perfume seller trying to get Rusty to take  a sample. He was not playing. I wasn't either when they suggested their grossly over priced wares make good gifts. These stores are a disgrace to Key West famous for over charging the unwary and taking advantage of incautious shoppers.

One good thing about tutus compared to other more elaborate costumes is that you can ride a bike or scooter in one.

 Or simply go for a walk.

 Key West being the town it is Rusty had his own comfort stations posted along the sidewalk.

Alcohol nudity and crowds of people unused to either, yet it was a serene cheerful afternoon for all concerned.

The only thing that did freak Rusty out was this idly wandering human cockroach. His nerves got so jangled he wrapped himself round a lamp post and we had to have a little time out.

 These two left him indifferent:

 It was time for some rest and for once I happened to be walking with a ten dollar bill in my pocket.

Half of it went on this bottle and if you think that's expensive you should check hotel prices during Fantasy Fest in Key West. They'll make you want to put on mascara to hide your tears and a tutu to jolly yourself up.

Practical Key West

If you want to know which party to attend tonight you have to check the Fantasy Fest website  but if you are living the normal life in Key West you will notice a few wintery touches in the streets where people live (fully clothed). Halloween is much celebrated and decorated, though Rusty isn't sure what to think of that. We were on Olivia Street yesterday around lunch time, circling the cemetery:

I wanted to spin this skeleton round but I feared unintended consequences so I contented my ghoulish self with views of blood spattered nightgown: 

This one used a palm for a hammock. Where many outdoor displays elsewhere show off skeletons in Key West where nudity is the theme this week, unfortunately, dressing up skeletons is a form of alternative commentary on the tourist craze that has become Fantasy Fest.

 Pirates of the Caribbean you might say, even if a bit past their prime.

And if you look closely through the foliage you may see real people doing ordinary things in regular clothes:

 And through some other foliage there are actual homes:

This week the weather is forecast to be absolutely perfect with no humidity, fresh cool north winds and blue skies. Time to throw open the doors and live outdoors!

 This really is how Key West, Johnson Lane in this case, looks under the bright white winter sun. 

Two friends chatting: sometimes it's easy to forget what a small town Key West really is, even with the influx of winter visitors who like to claim residence in a town they know for a few months of the year.

Rusty likes prowling the city as he finds lots to see and smell. I believe variety is important for dogs as much as humans and I enjoy walking him in different places every day. He seems to like it too.

 AA regular conch cottage on Windsor Lane:

 A conch cottage dolled up rather effectively to look like it belongs in the desert southwest:

Traffic is heavy in parts of town as more and more people pile into Key West for this weird carnival week. Next week they will all be gone until it starts snowing Up North:

Everything will take longer than it takes this week, and cost more than it costs. It takes practice to remember how to be practical Fantasy Fest week.

Zombie Bike Ride

The Zombie Bike Ride had its first appearance in 2009 and organizers say 70 people participated. By now it is arguably the most popular event at Fantasy Fest, and organizers suggest possibly 8,000 or more people take the "leisurely ride" into Old Town Key West.

The event used to start on Stock Island at the bike shop called Recycle which invented the ride and still sponsors it. This year the start was moved to Pines Park and the East Martello Tower on South Roosevelt, shortening the "leisurely ride" and also avoiding a massive traffic snarl at the entrance to Key West. 

I made my way to the East Martello Tower area by approaching along South Roosevelt as traffic was a mess already in the other direction where the four lane street was closed.  Fred and Chelsea flagged me down so of course I took their picture:

It was a huge crowd enjoying the sunshine and cool fresh north wind - perfect conditions for a slow intoxicated ride with 8,000 of your favorite living dead neighbors.

The great thing about the Zombie Bike Ride is that it really is family friendly in that it's about zombies and costumes not about nudity. And yes, people are drinking alcohol, not an activity normally associated with the term "family friendly" but this as peaceable a gathering of people as you can imagine. The Zombie Bike Ride is about being silly and having fun which makes it enormously appealing in a week that is usually considered to be adult only in Key West.

It was an almost Druidical gathering in the Pines Park on South Roosevelt, followers of some obscure cult of the bicycle, or blood, or torn clothing:

There was one political sign I noticed though the the owner of the sign chose to step out of the picture.

 Some body paint got quite elaborate.

 The mood is totally festive and fun.

Some come to ride and some come to drink and ride and some come to wear a costume and ride. Your choice! Mix and match.

Costumes can be elaborate or not. I like silly animal heads:

 Some Zombies smile for the camera...

Some less so.

 Some Zombies even have the faculties to use their phones....

The ride in to town looked glorious, but I had to go to work so I got out while the going was good before the six o'clock start of the ride, which was coincidentally when I had to be ready to work in the dispatch center at the police department.

It has become a family spectacle too, everyone hanging out having a sunny picnic and enjoying the coconut palms on the Bridle Path. I really like this picture, small town Key West having innocent fun:

We got a 911 call later in the evening, a report of a cycling Zombie catapulting himself over the seawall into the ocean. My colleague got a breathless 911 call announcing: "We need help! There's a Zombie in the water!" and in the background Nick could hear someone shouting "Man overboard! Man overboard!" I sent an officer and Shannon sent an ambulance and a fire truck as the seawall is quite high above the water and a ladder could be useful. Happily no harm was done and the wet Zombie was safely reunited with his friends on dry land. We got to have a  laugh when we heard the outcome and were grateful to the Zombie Bike Ride for a moment of good cheer on what promised to be a busy and crowded night. I really do like this event.

Decorated Key West

When it  comes  to the last  week in October Halloween vies for attention against the noisy nudie crowd that comes to town for Fantasy Fest. Halloween comes across not as creepy and scary  but as wholesome family affair. 

 Unless that is you want to wear a tutu and not shave your beard for Halloween:

It's funny inasmuch as  Key West's landscape and architecture lend themselves perfectly to a celebration of the dead, and a display of the macabre.

And  then you see some muscular dude hauling clothing around and you assume its costumes. No, it's nothing that interesting. Just clothes, like anyone might carry around for any banal reason. No tutus to see here.

And then if Halloween and Fantasy Fest aren't enough there are hidden dangers in full sight on the sidewalk. Use this discarded stove and DIE! Wow. Hugs and kisses...

 You'd think these buildings could use some Halloween decorations, but no such luck:

 Oh and then there's the cemetery always good for Halloween imagery.

It's a place where people bury their dead family members, no more, no less.