No, while I’m not currently on the debauched, sweat-drenched, homocentric Island, I do have plans to go down (ahem) and am already dreaming of days spent poolside, busting ass at my open-air gym and going back to a few favorite restaurants to undo the cardio I did earlier that day. While much of KW is now geared towards the tourist just off the ship, I’ve been lucky enough to make a local group of friends who always seem to get me into fun trouble, all without stepping foot into one of those horrible Duval St t-shirt shops. What has gotten a little more than depressing is the influx of new business on the island: Most of what’s opening up are chains, the homegrown is dying and it’s more unaffordable than ever to be a Key West local. A recent article in the KW Citizen made mention that dollar-for-dollar, it’s more expensive living in Key West than Manhattan. Seeing what people pay for things there, I believe it.
If you know me, you know that I hate shopping malls. DISPISE. They make me angrier than even leaving the cake out in the rain (and it took so long to bake it!). Most of my shopping is done with brands I’m already familiar with and online. I recently took a shot in the dark with shorts I found through a Facebook ad that kept popping up. They’re called Chubbies.
Yeah, the site is a little camp, but it’s what sold me. For $60, they’re not exactly cheap shorts, but the cut is just perfect (mid-upper thigh) for those of us who pride ourselves in having muscular, thick legs. Got my first pair last week and I’m in love. They’re solidly built, don’t seem to fade when washed and they come in some awesome colors/prints. No, they’re not paying me to say any of this, but if these aren’t going to be my new go-to summer uniform, I really can’t imagine anything better. UPDATE: Fuhgetaboudit… Chubbies has some craptastical customer service, leaving me high & dry on a pair of ‘backordered’ shorts without letting me know for over a month. No bueno. Their shorts might look great on muscular legs, but I’m sticking to a company who gives two shits about their paying customers.
I also snagged a few new items that Aussiebum is putting out as daily wear clothing:
Aren’t the socks just killer hot? I have this thing for ringer socks. They remind me of ’80s porn… You know, when porn was still hot and looked like the guys were enjoying it. A pair of tennis shoes and those socks (along with a tiny pair of obscenely tight shorts) is the quickest way to my heart. That vintage look just does it for me. Sadly, many of the young guys who try to pull that look off don’t have the legs, ass or upper body to fill it out. Twinks have this odd notion that being ultra skinny is as attractive as having muscle. I just don’t get that.
Just spent a week in NYC and it was good getting back in a city that moves at such a quick clip. Caught a matinee of Bullets Over Broadway (a one-and-done kind of show), was inches away from enjoying a meal at Barbetta (a favorite of mine on Restaraunt Row) but decided last-minute to go for noodle soup at Shun Lee West. Had an enjoyable time watching The Grand Budapest Hotel. Got in a week’s worth of great workouts at David Barton and even through all of my dietary sins (sour candy, peanut butter cups and binging on House of Cards episodes), I’ve still kept my weight at a lean, tight 185lbs, down from 200 a few months ago. Through my twenties, I wanted imposing muscle, but now in my early thirties, I’d rather have flexibility, ripped muscle and a body I can more easily maintain with healthy eating, a variety of classes and weights.
I’ve also now completed my first week with the new Samsung Galaxy S5. It’s a monster of a phone, just a little larger and more complex than my previous S4 and based on all I’ve seen so far, the right choice for me. Build quality is tops, it’s got the most beautiful screen I’ve ever seen on a mobile device and the new version of TouchWiz (Samsung’s operating system) is much less bloated than previous versions. In having played with HTC’s M8, as well as this S5, I can say that Samsung has the upper hand.
While you wait for snapshots from my next KW adventure (coming very soon, I assure you), why not check out the plethora of other websites I’ve got on the web? From anonymous Q&A sessions to a rather salty Twitter feed of 20k+ followers, I’ve got my hands in a few pies and it’s never been more fun.
