Margaritaville Resort and Marina: Your Access to Sunset Key

A while back, my wife and I discovered a wonderful, isolated tropical location right here in the United States: Key West, FL.  The island which is just over a mile wide is great for walking/strolling.  On many evenings, we would make our way down to Mallory Square, a large public plaza along the waterfront facing west.  It is here that much of the island comes to watch the sunset each evening.  Just off the coastline is a very small Key known as Sunset Key.  This small twenty-seven acre Key is aptly named as it is generally behind this Key where the sun sets.

On this small Key are a handful of very upscale, expensive homes.  On seven acres of the Key, the Margaritaville Resort and Marina has a small number of cottages, some overlooking the water and others overlooking the pool.

The pool is set in among the palm trees and cottages right along the edge of the Key and was one of the most wonderful, relaxing pools that I have ever experienced.  .  Guests of the cottages have instant access to this pool simply by being guests there.  But what about the guests of the Margaritaville Resort over on Key West?  Can they take advantage of this wonderful place in this beautiful setting?   As it turns out they can!

Each day, the Margaritaville Resort allows travel by boat from the Margaritaville Marina to Sunset Key.  But, here is the catch.  Not everyone can go.  Only the first twenty guests of the Margaritaville Resort who sign up with the resort each morning are given an access pass to Sunset Key.  This pass gives you a boat ride to and from the Key and access to the pool, restaurant and small beach.  The water is beautifully clear!

REMEMBER:  The Resort begins to take names at 8AM.  It is smart to be there a little early to make sure you get your name on the list.  Most people staying at the resort know nothing about the ability to go to Sunset Key, so that is very much in your favor.

I highly recommend that if you stay at the Margaritaville Resort (formerly the Westin Key West Resort), then most certainly try to go to Sunset Key.  And, if you just happen to be staying in a cottage at the Sunset Key Cottages, then good for you!

IMPORTANT 2017 UPDATE:  As stated above, the Westin Key West Resort has been purchased by Margaritaville.  As would be expected, Westin points are not accepted by Margaritaville.  The Westin Sunset Key Resort is now Sunset Key Cottages and they operate with Margaritaville.

A big Pat on the Back to Westin Resorts for such a beautiful resort in such a wonderful location!!

Starbucks: The App with Benefits

Late last year, I downloaded the Starbucks app onto my phone.  Yeah, that was pretty much it.  Another business, another app.

Later that same day, with the app loaded onto my phone, I realized I could place my Starbucks card onto the app.  Flipping the card over, I punched in the numbers on the back of the card and before my eyes, that exact card came onto the screen with my account balance.  This allowed me to use the card for purchases and card reloads through my iPhone.

I felt fairly cutting edge, whipping out my phone and holding the screen beside the scanner as it took away the charge for my coffee.  But that was about it.

THEN, I actually started reading the messages that Starbucks would send once or twice a week to their app.  I had always figured that it was the usual advertising "junk email" that you always receive.  As I looked into the app's message box, I saw a message that stated, "Pick of the Week,  Free App Download".  I couldn't resist.  I downloaded the app to what would become one of my favorite games.  The next week, "Pick of the Week, Free Song Download".   Over the summer I have downloaded 8 songs.  All free!  Just today, I downloaded a Cheryl Crow song, all compliments of Starbucks.

If you enjoy free music and apps, I highly recommend the Starbucks app.  The app is free, just like the downloads.

I would like to give a pat on the back to Starbucks for an excellent app with benefits!

A Healthy Alternative: Organic Oat Beverage / Milk

In early August, I took a calcium scan test at my local hospital.  The test is non-invasive, takes less than ten minutes and cost about $100.  The test checks for plaque buildup in your arteries and heart.  It then comes back and gives a score based upon the amount of plaque buildup you have vs others of your age and gender.

When my score came back off the charts in a negative way, I scrambled to see if there was anything that I could do to help myself.  I looked at several books, hoping to save myself from myself.  One of the books, Track Your Plaque, by Dr. William Davis, went into great detail as to some of the causes of plaque.

One major cause is saturated fats.  I began to look at all of the labels of everything that I consumed.  I started out with my morning cup of coffee which always contained two Spendas and a hefty shot of Half & Half.  As I checked the nutrition labels, it went something like this: Coffee, check. Splenda, check. Half & Half, OH CRAP!

As it turns out, when I checked the nutrition label on the Land O' Lakes Half & Half, it stated that two tablespoons contained 10% saturated fats.  And here I was each morning, drinking it down, enjoying it very much before 9AM even rolled around.  I immediately stopped consuming this product.   To Land O' Lakes defense, they do sell a non-fat Half & Half that contains 0% saturated fat.  In fact, they pretty much had 0's all the way down the nutrition label.  I have found that as a general rule, "low fat" equals "poor taste", so I went about the local Kroger looking for a substitute.

Making my way to the small "Organic and Healthy Folks" section of the store, I prodded around for something else to put in my coffee.  From reading the book that I earlier mentioned, oats were mentioned throughout as being very good for the heart, and right before my eyes on the shelf sat a product that looked like milk.  On the label were the words: Pacific Organic Oat, Non-Dairy Beverage.  Below the words was what looked like milk being poured from a pitcher into a glass.  I thought, "What the heck, I'm dying anyway" and purchased the product.

Now here is where it gets good.  The next morning, I pour this Oat "milk" into my coffee, stir it up and take a sip.  Quite to my surprise, there was this really good and unusual sweet taste.  Not only is it not killing me, it tastes good!

I have also tried it with cereal and it is delicious.  It has a somewhat dingy white color but what really counts is the taste.  In fact, on the container, it states: "We keep it simple, letting the natural sweetness of the oats shine in this creamy beverage packed with a full serving of whole grains."  I highly recommend that you try this product.  It has been a pleasant surprise.  

Speaking of surprises, after about three weeks of stressing over my test score, I checked into the hospital and had a nuclear stress test done on myself.  As it turns out, the calcium scan is somewhat like a mammogram.  It might show something but that does not necessarily mean that anything is wrong.   Fortunately, in my case, all was well. 

So, the moral of this story is that by thinking I was dying, I have begun to eat better.  That includes organic oat non-dairy beverage in my coffee.  

I would like to give a big pat on the back to Pacific for their  Organic Oat, non dairy beverage.  It's good!

Finally: Chicory Coffee in a K-Cup

As a child, while living on the Mississippi Gulf Coast, 45 miles east of New Orleans, I watched my mother drink her daily cup of Luzianne Coffee.  Luzianne Coffee is one of a handful of coffees that contain chicory as an ingredient.  Later in life, I began to drink chicory coffee myself.  Chicory coffee, found mostly in the New Oleans, Gulf Coast area, is a delicious blend of coffee.

A couple of years ago, I started using a Keurig to brew my coffee.  Up until that point, I had used a generic coffee maker.  Luzianne, CDM, French Market and Community Coffee had all provided good blends of chicory coffee for my coffee maker, but until recently, none provided it in a K-Cup.  Just a few weeks ago, while on Amazon, I typed in the phrase, "chicory k-cup".  Right before my eyes, French Market Coffee provided me with what I think to be the only chicory K-Cup coffee that exists.  Immediately, I ordered the medium dark roast blend.

Within a couple of days, my shipment of a box of 12 K-Cups of French Market chicory coffee arrived.  Almost immediately I placed a K-Cup in the Keurig and made a cup of coffee.  It was as delicious as ever!

To the folks at French Market Coffee, I'd like to give you a pat on the back for providing a product that has been needed for some time.

UPDATE:  A pat on the back to Community Coffee!  I generally order my K-Cups through Amazon on a subscription basis.  At some point a few months ago, I was sent an email from Amazon that my supplier was unable to provide the product that I had requested (French Market K-Cups).  I logged onto Amazon.com and searched for chicory coffee.  To my surprise, Community now offers their chicory coffee in K-Cups.  The price was slightly better than what the other supplier had been offering and so for the past few months I have been drinking Community's New Orleans Blend coffee.  It has a good taste and the price is slightly lower than what I was paying for French Market.  Also, it is available at my local Kroger.

2016 UPDATE:  Last year, I switched back to purchasing French Market C offee K-Cups through Amazon.  I kind of like the taste of French Market a bit better than Community but everyone has their own taste and both are very good.  On a recent trip to New Orleans, I stopped in on the Cafe Du Monde in Kenner, LA.  On the shelf beside some Cafe Du Monde Mugs, t-shirts and coffee was Cafe Du Monde chicory coffee in a K-Cup.  I did not know that this existed.  The price was very reasonable at $8 for 12 K-Cups.  I have yet to try the Cafe Du Monde K-Cup but felt that you should know about this option.  Cafe Du Monde K-Cups can be bought from CDM's website.

2018 UPDATE: Two things:  First, I have started getting a limited supply of Cafe Du Monde Coffee in a K-Cup either from Cafe du Monde's  Kenner, LA location or online from Cafe du Monde's website.  It has a great flavor and has become my weekend coffee.   Second, I always drink Half & Half in my chicory coffee and for years I drank Land O' Lakes Fat-Free Half & Half until I discovered it's ingredients and discovered that it was full of corn syrup.  At that point, I decided to not worry about fat-free and I tried Land O' Lakes Buttercream Style Half & Half.  It is absolutely delicious in any chicory coffee and also most any cold brew.