Ramblings From The Road
February, 2001
Hi Dolls,
So, I got
some answers from our German friends as to a translation for "The
sweet life." Mike & Monika say: It's, "Die guten
/ suessen dinge des lebens." Which is: "The good / sweet
things of life." So, Germans do have fun!
On to the
adventures of "The Agentina Turner Review". What a couple
of weeks we've had. First let's start off with Asbury Park, NJ. I
re-shot a scene in a movie and one of the teamsters took me to dinner
at Jimmy's Italian Restaurant, "Where Good Friends
Meet"..... because it ain't the food. May I just say that
I have never had worse Italian food in my life. And I am convinced that
Jimmy is "connected" if you know what I mean? We ordered appetizers,
lots of them, and they were all either stale, tasteless or rubbery.
And these are my people! I cannot recommend Jimmy's Italian
restaurant. Let us leave Asbury Park. And on to Miami.
I was singing
on a cruise ship. It was 1800 gay men and me.... anyway, my crew and
I flew to Miami and decided to drive to Key West. Our first stop was
Key Biscayne so that I could show my dear friends Stiltsville. But
after a long plane ride we had to eat, and what better food to eat in
Miami than Cuban. I recommend "La Carreta" 12
Crandon Blvd., Key Biscayne, FL 33149 305-365-1177. This
is a road stand restaurant and it was great. Then, after the surreal
beauty of Stiltsville we drove to Coral Castle in Homestead, FL. I can't
even describe Coral Castle. "This is the story of Ed Leedskalnin,
a five foot tall, 100 pound Latvian immigrant who spurned by the love
of his life, excavated, carved and moved tons of coral rock and built
Coral Castle." Don't miss it. On to the Everglades.
I've always
wanted to go, I finally went. We took the half mile Anhinga Trail
and saw alligators, turtles, sawgrass, large mouth bass, great white
heron, osprey, red mangrove with coon oysters on prop root, (can you
tell I'm reading from the map?). It was such a gas, so quiet.
It appeared all was right with the animal world. However, I did
see a face off between an alligator and an egret. When we returned the
egret was gone. Eaten perhaps? Do you think if you hung out in
this particular place every day for a long time you'd actually see alligators
attack a bird or a turtle or something? It was truly beautiful and an
area that really must be preserved. After that we got in our car
and hit the Keys.
I missed
the great bar in Key Largo. My friend Lindy tells me it's "The
Caribbean Club", a biker bar on the water where parts of the
movie "Key Largo" were filmed. We did hit "Papa
Joe's Landmark Restaurant", MM79, Islamorada, FL 305-664-8109.
Another biker bar with a sunset view. I really loved Islamorada.
I could tell it was funky. The telephone poles are in the water.
We drove, and drove, and drove and finally ended up in Key West.
A tropical New Orleans or Savannah, so beautiful. I could
move there. We went to Hemingway's house the next day. I
could move in. I just felt that I was again in the richest part
of American culture. For which I am grateful. I am so sick
and tired of the homogenization of this country. How many Starbucks,
Gaps, and Banana Republics do we need? There are still Mom &
Pop establishments in this country. Thank the Lord. We must FIGHT
this insidious juggernaut of sameness, banality... the stomping out
of any individual character. I feel like I'm entering the communist
era of America. And if it's not communism it's globalism. It's
happening and the individual will be powerless very soon. WHOA!!!
Where did that come from? On to the gay cruise...
What can
I say?... I know what I can say. I have never seen more beautiful men
than I saw on this ship. 1800... well at least 1000 of the most beautiful,
ripped men. But not for me. We had a ball, did the show,
got off the ship in Miami and thanks to the graciousness of Gael and
Antoinette Baldwin we were able to see the interior of one of the houses
in Stiltsville. What views, what serenity, and what lovely people
to share this experience with us. Thank you Gael and Antoinette.
We had a fantastic boat ride out to Stiltsville thanks to Bruce
and Mindy. It was a perfect day and a perfect experience. Stiltsville
must be protected. The government is trying to claim Stiltsville as
theirs. These houses have been privately owned for years. Please
go to Stiltsville.org
and sign the petition, or write to your Congressman, or do something
to help preserve the rights of the individual and Floridian culture.
We're all
home again. I'm shooting another movie playing opposite the wonderful
John Turturro. One restaurant recommendation for all you vegans
out there: "Souen Restaurant", 210 6th Ave, NY,
NY 10014 212-807-7421. Fine natural food and a nice jazz
atmosphere.
So Dolls, bye bye for now. On to bigger and better adventures. I'm sick of Rambling.
Love, Patti