With all the parties, fun and celebrations going on today, we would just like to take a moment, to thank all of the individuals who give of themselves everyday in many ways. Here is a heart felt THANK YOU to everyone in the Military, Veterans, and Military Families. Also Thank You to the men and women of police and fire departments here at home that put thier lives on the line everyday also helping to keep us safe and free to enjoy all that life has to offer.

THANK YOU EACH AND EVERYONE!

You may ask, what is it like to live and work in Key West? Many times you will get the standard answer--it’s wonderful to live on a tropical island and enjoy the beaches, ocean and salt breezes. But living in any tourist area can be difficult. The local economy is usually based on the tourist trade and can be quite expensive for the locals. So once you have stripped away the glamour, what is it really like?

Fortunately, you will still have the great area with its sandy beaches, ocean breezes and wonderful sunsets. You have to remember that this is what attracted you to the area. The economic part of life in Key West can be just as appealing, if you know where to look and ways of making ends meet, just like in any part of the country.

Also there are many other people who live and work in Key West, and they may give you some insight on how to make the living just a bit easier. Suzette is just one of these people and has started a website to help others like her find less expensive ways to stretch the budget. She gives tips, ideas and shares coupons. Suzette also invites others to join her by sending in ideas for everyone to share.

But before you can stretch your budget, you need an idea of what kind of budget you might have. One way to find out if you can afford to live in Key West is to do a cost-of-living comparison. SalaryExpert is a website that calculates these comparisons for you. The site shows that the cost of living in Key West is about the same as living in Cleveland, Ohio. This site bases its calculations on a $50,000 lifestyle and compares this cost of living to four other states similar in size and wage bases. You can also use SalaryExpert to give you an idea of other areas in the country where you might like to live.

So if you do your homework, living and working in Key West, FL is not so much different than living in other areas of the country. But Key West does have the fresh ocean breezes, sunshine and sandy beaches. Things people in Cleveland, OH can only dream of, and it didn’t cost you anything extra!

Whether you’re a tourist, looking to move permanently to the Keys, or just someone who likes the beauty of nature, the great variety of amenities in the homes in our area are just more reason to want to live in beautiful Key West. If you’re interested in real estate in this attractive area, contact me, Jimmy Lane, at Key West Real Estate: 305-766-0585.

How ARRRRE you doing? Might ye want to check out some of the local pirate cluture? Then stop by Ke West's, Florida's Pirate Soul Museum. It's located in downtown Key West and the Pirates say the the museum will facinate even thos that feel museums are nothing but a bunch of items you've seen a hundred times before. Go to http//:voice.yahoo.com/key-west-floridas-pirate-soul-more-than-just-a-308406.html for mor information.

picture courtsey of Nancy Forest's Secret Gardens web-site

You don't have to be a pirate or say Polly want a cracker to learn more about parrots and our eco system. You can go to Nancy Forest's Secret Garden and not oly learn about eco system. Nacy will teach you to communicate with the parrots and show you the rest of Secret Gardens go to: Normal 0 false false false EN-US X-NONE X-NONE

http://www.nancyforrester.com/?utm_source=keywest.com&utm_medium=link&utm_campaign=KeyWest.com_link  and find out more information.

picture courtesy of Whifield Jack Jewelry Genius

While walking around our beautful Key West Island and something catches your eye. It's a very unique piece of jewelry. You have been thinking about getting that special someone a little something to remember your time together. So why not stop in and check out Whitfield Jack Jewerly Genius for some specialty jewerly. Jack makes his own jewelry and draws inspiration from the island in the form of conchs, dolphins and other sea creatures. Check out Whitfield Jack's web-site at http://www.jewelrygenius.com

Picture courtesy of National Park Service web-site.

It may take some planning to get to  Dry Tortugas National Park but this is the trip of a lifetime and worth the effort. So go to http://www.nps.gov/drto/planyourvisit/index.htm and check it out.

May 17 – 20 Key West salutes Jose Marti, Cuba’s foremost patriot and  poet, and celebrated Cuba’s 1902 independence from Spain. Events Start Friday at 8 PM and range from an award-winning documentary “Jose Marti: Legacy of Freedom” to a concert and musical tribute. Events repeat on Sunday for your connivance. Go to: http://www.fla-keys.com/news/news.cfm?sid=8396 for more information.