I mentioned last week I was in Marathon for three days of classes. One day we took lunch at what is frequently described as the best place to get seafood in the city.
The restaurant and marina is located on the Gulf side (the north side) of Highway One at the end of 35th Street which is behind the Switlik School and the Florida Highway Patrol Offices. It's a busy place.
Karl and Kristi were looking for one of the attractions here, the tarpon looking for tid bits. None were available when we were there.
The restaurant exudes the sort of Florida Keys picturesqueness people queue up to enjoy.
I was sorely tempted by the lobster mac and cheese, a very popular fad currently sweeping the islands but I thought it would be too heavy for an afternoon's class work yet to come. The "Name a TV Show" suggestion is part of the shtick here.
To place an order the staff require each customer to name something, in this case a program on television. I've been there when they wanted the name of a tune or an actor or some other thing. 
It's a gimmick that really gets people going. Karl opted for "South Park" and Keith took "fantasy Island." That got the lady to giggle at the window. I chose "Northern Exposure" the only TV show that left me bereft when it ended. I still watch the collection of discs my wife bought me years ago. This category could have been a problem for me as I have no TV connections outside my Netflix subscription.
Keith started to give me a hard time when I took his picture but I wanted to illustrate the place with something a bit more lively than static photos. 
Outdoor seating was the thing in this weather- sunshine and a light cool breeze and no humidity. From the left, Karl, Kristi ("Jersey Shore") and Lisa ("The Flintstones").
I expect this sign gets as ignored as any other. 
Bird feeding isn't allowed either though judging by the pelicans attitude they have expectations...
...as did this bird, imitating the posture of the tourist in the distance. 
Keys Fisheries is a big place, causing Fred to pause and ponder as he waited for his order. I forget which show he picked though there was some discussion about the choices.
They sell knick knacks in the store and I quite liked these t-shirts.
My grilled mahi mahi (dolphin) over Caesar salad was ready before I knew it. My colleagues were shouting "Northern Exposure " at me several times before I twigged that my food was ready.
Karl got shrimp and they looked excellent.
Lisa got the Lobster Reuben which came with sauerkraut and it was enough to feed two. I will have to come back with my wife and soon, as she loves lobster. The stuff really is fresh too, as you might imagine.
Ray had a fish sandwich and he was happy as a clam enjoying the Keys experience. He'd lost the formal looking tie by this stage in the class. he never did show up in a Hawaiian shirt as promised.
The last day of class the Monroe County Sheriff's Office put on lunch and they did us proud. But for a visit to Marathon and when out hunting for fish I would come here:
It's a full service kind of place.
The colors of winter are outstanding.
And then back to reality along Highway One, here looking south towards the traffic light at 33rd Street.
Considering we had excellent hamburgers at Burdine's on 15th Street the day before we ate pretty well during our stay in the Middle Keys.
The restaurant and marina is located on the Gulf side (the north side) of Highway One at the end of 35th Street which is behind the Switlik School and the Florida Highway Patrol Offices. It's a busy place.Karl and Kristi were looking for one of the attractions here, the tarpon looking for tid bits. None were available when we were there.The restaurant exudes the sort of Florida Keys picturesqueness people queue up to enjoy.I was sorely tempted by the lobster mac and cheese, a very popular fad currently sweeping the islands but I thought it would be too heavy for an afternoon's class work yet to come. The "Name a TV Show" suggestion is part of the shtick here.
To place an order the staff require each customer to name something, in this case a program on television. I've been there when they wanted the name of a tune or an actor or some other thing. 
It's a gimmick that really gets people going. Karl opted for "South Park" and Keith took "fantasy Island." That got the lady to giggle at the window. I chose "Northern Exposure" the only TV show that left me bereft when it ended. I still watch the collection of discs my wife bought me years ago. This category could have been a problem for me as I have no TV connections outside my Netflix subscription.Keith started to give me a hard time when I took his picture but I wanted to illustrate the place with something a bit more lively than static photos. 
Outdoor seating was the thing in this weather- sunshine and a light cool breeze and no humidity. From the left, Karl, Kristi ("Jersey Shore") and Lisa ("The Flintstones").I expect this sign gets as ignored as any other. 
Bird feeding isn't allowed either though judging by the pelicans attitude they have expectations...
...as did this bird, imitating the posture of the tourist in the distance. Keys Fisheries is a big place, causing Fred to pause and ponder as he waited for his order. I forget which show he picked though there was some discussion about the choices.They sell knick knacks in the store and I quite liked these t-shirts.
My grilled mahi mahi (dolphin) over Caesar salad was ready before I knew it. My colleagues were shouting "Northern Exposure " at me several times before I twigged that my food was ready.
Karl got shrimp and they looked excellent.Lisa got the Lobster Reuben which came with sauerkraut and it was enough to feed two. I will have to come back with my wife and soon, as she loves lobster. The stuff really is fresh too, as you might imagine.Ray had a fish sandwich and he was happy as a clam enjoying the Keys experience. He'd lost the formal looking tie by this stage in the class. he never did show up in a Hawaiian shirt as promised.
The last day of class the Monroe County Sheriff's Office put on lunch and they did us proud. But for a visit to Marathon and when out hunting for fish I would come here:It's a full service kind of place.
The colors of winter are outstanding.
And then back to reality along Highway One, here looking south towards the traffic light at 33rd Street.
Considering we had excellent hamburgers at Burdine's on 15th Street the day before we ate pretty well during our stay in the Middle Keys.
It was aggravating that there was no bicycle path along here else I would have had the chance of pushing my motorcycle along it to get around the blockage. As it was I had to sit in line with all the cages and wait for things to resume normal operations. Just one of the disadvantages of having but one highway to roll along. I sat there and envied the push bike:
I had been in Marathon all day for a dispatch class with some colleagues and the next day when we reassembled they were bitching about the delay in getting home. I was none too pleased as I should have been 25 minutes away from my waiting dog but it took me an hour almost, to get home. Nevertheless like I told the youngsters... it could have been worse.
I had been following Lisa when we got stuck. She was all over her phone to warn her family of her delay. I didn't bother to call anyone as Cheyenne hasn't learned how to answer the phone and my wife had a staff meeting.
Some other people were ready to wait out the delay in comfort.
Finally we got rolling again and traffic was moving pretty fast as though to make up for the involuntary pause. It was still sunny when we stopped at the red light in Big Pine Key:
The class took three days in the state building in Marathon 22 miles north of my house. It was rather odd for me to be getting up before dawn- God I hate alarm clocks- walking Cheyenne and then spending all those precious sunlit hours sitting indoors learning the latest medical dispatch techniques.
Kristi has a modern full service phone and she uses it.
As do Karl and Fred. Fred thought I was hilarious documenting all my neighbors busy with their telephone applications. "I'm Facebooking," Kristi said indignantly, also stabbing proper use of English through the heart with a newly minted verb.
"You're like my sister," Karl grumbled. "She's always taking pictures of everything." Funnily enough she should because Key West as I always point out is changing all the time. Even more funny Karl, Kristi and Fred are all Conchs, though Kristi denies it saying she moved to Key West when she was three. I say if you graduate Key West High School you're a Conch (a Key West Native) as high school is what seems to form most Americans as adults. Karl and I agree that anyone who pronounces Conch as "consh" might as well be running their fingernails down a black board. "I hate that," Karl groaned. He grinned at me and added: " I tell them the 'h' is silent!" When I managed to stop laughing I decided there and then I would adopt that same line. Thus in the word Conchscooter, the 'h' is silent. Works for me.
Commuting to Marathon in the early morning put the sun directly in my eyes, which was okay as the views were really quite pleasant. The ride is faster than that to Key West as more of the road between Big Pine and Marathon is 55 miles per hour and there are lots of opportunities to pass. On the way home it was easier for me to snatch a few pictures as I had no deadlines. Winter is really quite lovely when it is as calm and sunny as this:
