Merry Christmas from Key West - 2016

As we drove over to have Christmas Eve dinner at the Banana Cafe last night, I saw the finally completed H20 Hotel on upper Simonton Street in Key West. While I think it is totally out of place in Old Town, it caught my eye and ear. Water trickles down the two-and-one-half story star lighted fountain and adds a sense of calm to the ever increasing calamity that continues to invade this once quiet part of the our island home.

Merry Christmas to my loyal readers and those of you who have contacted me to help you find your place in Paradise. While prices continue to rise, rest assured that they are only to go higher and higher as the years pass. 

I just celebrated my 23rd anniversary of moving to Key West. My only regret is that I didn't do it sooner.

SUPERMAN & Me

Sometime ago a reader posted a couple of comments about me being just a 'salesman'. He or she noted there is nothing wrong about being a salesman. That reader thought my 'job' is pretty much like being a sales clerk in a store. No more, no less. Later in response to another comment on another blog I posted a pic of a snappily dressed used car salesman with the notation 'not Gary Thomas'  as if to disprove that I am a salesman. I don't wear Hawaiian shirts, gold chains, sun glasses. Nor do I smoke a cigar or look particularly untrustworthy.

A few years ago I was invited to dinner during Fantasy Fest at the Cafe Marquesa . I decided to wear some old beads I had stored in a box. While I was searching through boxes looking for the beads, I found the wallet I used when I was still in elementary school. Inside I found school photos taken of me and some friends taken between 1957 through 1959. Included in the wallet was my identification card as an OFFICIAL MEMBER of the JUNIOR SALES CLUB OF AMERICA. Seeing that card brought back a wave of memories and internal ruminations about how I got to Key West and where I am in my life. It started with SUPERMAN.


When I was a kid primary concerns were candy, things to amuse themselves with, and not getting beat up. I lived in Denver from birth until I moved to Key West in 1993. In the mid 1950s I would ride the Continental Trailways bus from Denver to Sterling Colorado to spend a week with my three second cousins - all girls my age and younger. I would always take a SUPERMAN comic book to read on the bus ride. I was 11 years old in 1958 when I took my yearly trip to Sterling. There was a full page ad which lured me into becoming a 'salesman' for the Junior Sales Club of America.  DOUBLE CLICK HERE to see a larger view of the ad.


As soon as I returned from Sterling I cut out the coupon and mailed it to Springfield 1, Mass. A few weeks later I got my OFFICIAL MEMBER identification card and a sample box of 'all occasion' cards which I promptly hawked from door to door in my neighborhood. I earnestly plead the efficacy of buying a box of all occasion cards because you never know when someone would have a birthday, get married, have a baby, become ill, or sadly die. You just need a box of cards for all occasions. It worked. I sold the required number of boxes. At $1.25 a box of cards was a 'deal' since back then $1.25 was more than a lot of people made for an hour's work. My mother sent the money I had collected to the Junior Sales Club of America headquarters. A couple of weeks later headquarters shipped the cards to me. I promptly delivered the all occasion cards to my awaiting customers.

In the early fall of 1959 headquarters sent me a sample box of Christmas cards together with a list of prizes I could earn. The Kodak movie camera pictured at the top left hand corner of the above ad caught my eye. I sold the required number of boxes in no time. The prize was mine.  I started shooting movies as soon as my 8 mm Kodak movie camera arrived. A year later I got a projector for Christmas so I could finally see the movies I shot. I decided I was going to be a cinema photographer and end up in Hollywood.

When I delivered the Christmas cards a neighbor lady up the next block told me that I had been knocking on her door ever since I was a little kid - always trying to sell something. She said the first time I went to her house I was really small and had a wagon filled with canned goods out of my mother's kitchen. OMG! I guess the reader who said I am nothing but a salesman was right!

There was another ad in the SUPERMAN comic to which I also responded. That ad was to request a printed pamphlet from Charles Atlas who was going to change me from a 75 pound wimp into a muscleman. Although I sent the coupon, I never received the pamphlet from Mr. Atlas. He must have known I had lied about my age when I mailed the coupon. I was destined to be a wimp for life.


SUPERMAN has been the idol of boys who admire strength for generations. He was morally straight and fought the bad guys. And he always won. As I look back on it years later, SUPERMAN's strength, power, and moral rectitude was partially what motivated me to become an attorney. I grew up in a the western suburbs of Denver just after World War II. The Jefferson County schools were always top rated in the State of Colorado. Plus America was on the move upward in the 1950s. At least where I lived everybody was moving up in life. I recognized that I had an advantage by living in a community that was participating in America's upward mobility.

 In my early teen years I really envisioned going to California to become a cinema photographer. I wanted to attend the Brooks Institute of Photography in Santa Barbara to learn the craft. First in junior high and later in high school, I started to take an avid interest in politics. I admired President Kennedy and watched how he responded to the racial unrest and political strife. A lot of people hated Kennedy. I remember hearing anti-Catholic rants; Anti-Irish rants; Anti-Joseph Kennedy wealth insults; Anti-civil rights comments such as 'give them an inch and they'll take a mile' or 'who do you trust less a Mexican or a n***er?'.  Most of the negativity quieted down after President Kennedy was assassinated. I felt a tremendous sense loss after he died. I forgot about becoming a cinema photographer. One day I announced to my family that I wanted to become a lawyer. I figured as an attorney would give me entree into politics. Hopefully one day I would get elected to public office where I could change things for the better.

Left to Right: Marcia McGinley, Ben King, Gary Thomas

In 1964 I was seventeen years old and got involved in the campaign of three Democrats who were running for the position of county judge in Jefferson County Colorado.  The county seat is Golden, Colorado - the place where Coors Beer is brewed.  Democrats Frank Jamison and Dan Shannon got elected to the bench.  C. F. Johnson, a Republican, won the third judgeship race. Later Judge Jamison took me under his wing and became the male father figure I needed after my dad died the week before I graduated from high school. I put myself through college and law school. Judge Jamison helped me get summer jobs during college.  I eventually clerked for him while I attended law school. As a lawyer and as a man, I looked to him for advice and counsel when it sometimes seemed the world was not a nice place. And he was there. Always. It was Judge Frank Jamison that became my mentor, my SUPERMAN.

I was admitted to the Colorado bar in 1972. I became an attorney in a five man suburban Denver law firm. Later I did commercial loan workouts for two Denver banks. I worked in the Resolution Trust Corporation (RTC) from 1990 until December 1993.  I worked on multimillion dollar assets some of which were extremely complex in nature. I had more personal satisfaction working at the RTC than I did in law or banking. I only quit that job to move to Key West after I purchased a guest house here.

I operated the guest house for almost two years. I made the decision to sell it at a time I was having personal relationship issues. I made a bunch of money and successfully invested it just as the stock market started to soar during the Clinton years. Later I decided I needed a job to keep myself busy. I got a real estate license.

Selling real estate in Key West is not a part time job. The people who make good money do their job every day. They are listing new properties, showing properties, attending home inspections, handling customer issues, and maybe even writing blogs. Helping people achieve their dreams is very rewarding. But it is a seven days a week job. 

The little kid who mailed the coupons in the SUPERMAN comic (one to sell cards and the other to get muscles to avoid getting beat-up) became the man who would become a lawyer to help others not get beat-up in the court room and the guy at the bank (and later the government) who had the job of recovering money from people or businesses that would not pay it back. The little kid is still inside the old guy writing this blog. My mission now is not to get the bad guys - it is to get the good buys.

And that, Dear Reader, is how SUPERMAN got me to Key West where I became a SALESMAN.

GLEE Club - Key West

Do you watch GLEE? If you do you know it is okay to be whoever you want to be. You can be the boss of you. You can sing and dance and wear strange clothes. You can be a boy and like other boys. You can be fat and pretty and gifted all at the same time.


There is a lot of GLEE in Key West. It was here before the TV show first aired. It will be here after the show goes off the air. If you have dreamed of owning a small nightspot in Key West where you can let your inner-glee out, you may want to take a look at the new listing at 1114 Duval Street. The listing Realtor describes the property this way:

"The Keys, a Piano Bar, now available. Currently operated as a piano bar with light food service. 5COP liquor license with lease hold to convey. All equipment included, business sold turn key. Continue operations as is or develop into full service restaurant. Lease to convey expires July, 2013 with 5 year option to renew. Extensive improvements made to property within past year. Please do not disturb business. Leasehold and liquor license only, no real estate to convey."

Some readers may remember the space when it was Alice's on Duval. If you have been there under any of its incarnations you will recall that the corner building has large windows that open onto Duval Street to let the music out and the fresh air in. Patrons can watch thousands parade by each evening. The world famous La Te Da is right across the street.

CLICK HERE to see the mls listing info and agent provided interior photos. I took some street shots. You can see those pics if you follow me on TWITTER.

Seriously, if you have been thinking about fulfilling a lifelong dream of opening a small place in Key West that is either food or food and beverage oriented, you may want to consider taking a look at this business opportunity that includes ownership of a very valuable 5 COP Liquor License. This is a listing of Preferred Properties Coastal Realty, Inc. (That's where I work.)

If you would like more info on this property please call me, Gary Thomas, 305-766-2642 or send me an email at kw1101v@aol.com. I am a full time Realtor at Preferred Properties Coastal Realty, Inc. in Key West, Florida. Let your inner GLEE out!

Merry Christmas to One and All

808 Shavers Lane - Old Town - Key West

808 Shavers Lane is another one of those "just listed" posts I having been writing of late. The potential sellers are getting geared for selling season and that starts in earnest the day after Christmas. This is how the listing Realtor describes this home that was built (not renovated) in 1999:

"Shavers Lane is about as central to the Duval corridor as a property can be. The lane runs one block and separates the Bourbon Street Complexes and Hemingway's Home/Key West Lighthouse. The property is a newer home for Oldtown and features the classic three bay Conch revival look. Originally a three bedroom home, the owner has removed a wall between guest rooms for a second master suite and will replace the wall for a Buyer if necessary. There are two off street parking spaces with a brick drive, an elevated deck and pool are in the back for smooth flow from the home, and the home has covered porches up and down both in the front and the back. The home was upgraded from the sister homes on each side with tall ceilings."

CLICK HERE to read the details on this house. As of writing this there are not any interior photos so I borrowed a couple of older photos that show the house when it was previously listed. Those photos may or may not depict the house as it looks today. PHOTO #1 shows the living room and kitchen and PHOTO #2 shows the pool. 808 Shavers lane is offered at $749,000 or $535 per sq ft for a 1400 sq ft two story home in Old Town with a pool and bricked off-street parking.

Shavers Lane is one of those locations you forget about. Not in a bad way, but in a good way. There is absolutely no reason for any Conch Train to try to go down the lane because it couldn't make the turn and the train is about as long as the lane. Besides nothing of importance ever happened there. Tourists won't be riding down the lane beeping their damned horns because the lane doesn't go anywhere they want to go. Just below is a photo of the house across the street. This lane has got some very attractive houses.


It is an easy one minute walk to Bourbon Street Pub or the 801 Bar. (Have you ever wondered why so many drag queens are seven feet tall?) Blue Heaven is a 60 second walk and Santiago's Bodega is a 90 second walk. South Beach can be reached in about five minutes and Ft Zachary Taylor Beach is a ten minute walk or five minute bike ride. The location is close to a lot of places residents and tourists love about Key West. You will hear some noise from the Bourbon Street Complex on occasion. If you are gay that noise could be viewed as revelry to get on down to the pub. To others, it could be a distraction.

I think this property will appeal to someone who wants to be near the action on Duval Street and who likes the nightlife Old Town has to offer. If you are that buyer, please call me, Gary Thomas, 305-766-2642, to arrange a showing. I am a full time Realtor at Preferred Properties Coastal Realty Inc. in Key West, Florida.

Keys in the News--Again

The International Herald Tribune has an item in the November 21st issue entitled Florida Keys at a crossroad between locals and the rich. CLICK HERE to read the entire article. (About 5 minutes reading time.)

The author's main premise is that the character of island living has been changing as a result of Keys' population and popularity increases over the years which lead to more structures being built on limited amount of land. This in turn caused two social changes: (one) the demise of the Keys' laissez-faire lifestyle "where it once was possible for almost anyone — retirees and fishermen, hippies and lost souls — to move here with a little money, in search of paradise" and (two) the price of housing to rise disproportionately to the rest of South Florida. The author then reports about the loss of the egalitarian lifestyle of the Keys and the emergence of a class conflict between "the obscenely rich and their servants".

Read the article because most of what the author wrote is true. I have previously written about my dissatisfaction over the change in the character of Key West and the redevelopment of too many high priced hotel rooms and high end condos. A lot of us bemoan the loss of Atlantic Shores as an example. It will be reincarnated as an expensive oceanfront condo. I have also written about the number of over-priced new condos that have been built but not sold because they are priced too high for this market. I am not sure that I agree that there is a class conflict between the rich and their servant, however. But there most certainly is a financial disparity.

I used to live in Denver and traveled up to Aspen frequently. I watched the same phenomenon occur there. The town is now almost entirely elite. The workers live down valley and commute everyday. And even the down valley towns such as Basalt have become high priced as well. The scenery and skiing in Aspen is one of a kind.

Key West used to be unique because of its' sub-tropical climate and laissez-faire lifestyle. The climate is still the same, but many of us fear that too much of Key West will turn into a Disney-like caricature of itself. And if that happens, well that would be a real shame.

The tourists are starting to return and Christmas decorations are appearing all over town. So in spite of high prices and the demise of our culture (lol) I'd like to end by saying Happy Thanksgiving to you readers.

Cujo OREO

  CUJO OREO, that's what I called the condo I foreclosed on about 25 years ago for a bank in Denver. I used to do commercial loan workouts, commercial litigation, and property acquired by the bank through foreclosure (OREO or "other real estate owned"). The homeowner defaulted on the loan a year earlier. Another asset manager in the same department had started to foreclose the property and then dropped the ball. He left the bank and I inherited some of his problem loans including this one. I reviewed the file and determined that the condo had been vacant for more than a year. 

I drove to the property to verify my suspicions but saw the place was fully furnished and I could see a dog moving about inside. I went back to my office and verified with the Public Service Company (the electric utility company) that service was terminated a year earlier. I called the condo association and learned that water had definitely been shut off a year earlier for non-payment of association fees. So I filed an a lawsuit in Denver District Court and got appointed as a Receiver to preserve the property during the foreclosure process. 

With Court Order in hand I went back to the condo with a locksmith who got me inside. There was a cat that disappeared from view as soon as we entered and the dog was not to be seen. But evidence of the dog's existence was everywhere as there was poop on all three floors of the condo. Poop and urine everywhere--even on the walls where the dog did his business. The house reeked. The smell was overwhelming. But the place was not vacant. There was a baby grand piano in the living room, a formal dining room table and breakfront, three fully furnished bedrooms, pots and pans in the kitchen, and clothes in all of the closets. There were remnants of burnt candles all over the place with candle wax on tabletops. There were empty plastic milk cartons that had been used to deliver water to the animals that got to live in the condo. 

I saw what I thought was a pool of dried blood in one of the second floor baths and called the police. It wasn't blood. Use your imagination. One of the officers refused to go into the basement. There was so much feces on the floor that it was disgusting beyond your wildest imagination. Stephen King could not have written a more horrific tale of a foreclosure from hell. In fact I named the "asset" CUJO OREO because if reminded me of King's novel of the dog from hell. Foreclosures are always named for the owner who was foreclosed upon, but this time the asset was named to commemorate a dog of a foreclosure. 

We literally had to tear our the bottom four feet of drywall throughout the condo to get rid of the urine. We had to remove the floors down to the floor joists because the urine had penetrated the plywood flooring. Banks often have no choice but to foreclose on a loan. In good times most properties sell, but not all. If they don't sell it is usually because the price is too high or there is something wrong with the property. Lenders typically don't get a chance to see what the inside of a property looks like until after the foreclosure is over. Cujo was the worst, but there were many that were almost as bad. Some people purposefully damage their former homes as much as possible just to make the resale more difficult. There were others, however, that cleaned their homes and even left notes on how to make things work. 

You are asking yourself why I wrote about a foreclosure in a distant place and a long time ago. Well if you happen to wake up in the middle of the night and watch some of the crap on TV about how you can make a bunch of money by buying foreclosed property without any effort you may think twice before you buy something unseen at a public auction. If the former owner could have sold the house he normally would have. The axiom "location, location, location" applies to the sale of foreclosed properties as much as it does to premium properties. Good sells. Crap does not sell. Want to buy a foreclosure? A bank owns THIS ONE. The former owner bought it 3 years ago for $555,000. It is priced at $345,000 today. It is located on Frances Street near Eaton. I've seen better construction, but the price is "affordable" by Key West standards. The 932 sq ft abode has 2 bedrooms,1 bath, and could be fixed up fairly economically. There is a little upside on this one. The bank is the loser for sure. If you are thinking of buying a foreclosed property, give me a call and let me help you. I know dogs. 305-766-2642.

Cheap Seats

One of the good things to occur as a result of the downturn in the real estate market in Key West is that single family homes in Old Town are more affordable. I just did a search of homes priced under $600,000. CLICK HERE to view the details on the homes. I used the strict criteria as to boundary lines: Duval East to White and Truman North to the Gulf of Mexico. No Bahama Village, Meadows or quasi-Casa Marina.

There are six homes that made the cut. The least expensive is a 1 bed, 1 bath 594 sq ft home priced at$450,000. The median home is a 3bed, 1 bath with 717 sq ft priced at $539,000. The most expensive is a 3bed, 2 bath with 1,638 sq ft priced at $599,900.

The house at 405 Frances needs lots of work. It is located across the street from a guest house, and it is just off Eaton Street. At $296 per sq ft it may seem a bargain to some. I think the price is still too high given the negatives.

I previously wrote about 730 Passover Lane. It is a cute little cottage just off the Key West Cemetery. It is priced at $1010 per sq ft. There is no pool and no room for a pool. It doesn't have off street parking, but that is not an issue since parking is not a problem given the location. I like the location, but the market does not.

630 Olivia Street is a cute cigar maker's cottage with a good sized backyard that has been updated. It is priced at $838 per sq ft. There is room for a pool. It is two blocks off Duval and the neighborhood is a mix of high and low priced properties. The house is situated on a one way street that is mostly used by locals. There are some absolutely charming homes in the area, but the area has never performed as well as other parts of Old Town as far as sales go.

The house at 5 Hunts Lane is priced at $499,000 or $412 per sq ft. Cheap yes, deal no. House needs lots of work. I love lane life, but this is a walking lane meaning you cannot drive your can down it to unpack groceries, etc. Everything you do in life has to be carted from some other location to the house. So your cost to remodel will be higher than other locations. There is no room for a pool so whatever outside life you want will be diminished.

527 Bahama Street is another problem property. It was tremendously overpriced when I showed it 3 years ago. You are basically buying the right to spend a fortune of renovate a small house on a 744 sq ft lot. Not a lot of space. And the location is worse. The house is basically adjacent to the downtown Faustos' parking lot.

Then there is 1116 Eaton Street. It is the little charmer located across the street from Strunk Ace Hardware. Price reduced to $450,000 or $670 per sq ft. And it is listed below appraised value. Cute 2 bedroom 1 bath Conch house with heated swimming pool. Perfect Key West retreat in Old Town. This little cottage has a rooftop sunning deck to get that perfect tan! The house did flood during Wilma.

At least two of the above properties are in or near foreclosure so there may be some flexibility on pricing. I know you can buy a bigger house in better condition in some other location. But then you would not be buying that house in Key West.

The weather here is absolutely wonderful right now. The days are warm but not horrible. The nights are cool, but not cold. The trees that flower are starting to bloom again. The recent rains have made everything come alive. Yes, you can buy cheap seats elsewhere, but who wants to live elsewhere?

You can perform your own search of all Key West homes by CLICKING HERE to search the Key West mls real estate listings. If you see something that strikes your fancy, please call Gary Thomas at 305-766-2642 to schedule a showing.

Key West Waterfront Single Family Home

Key West Waterfront Single Family Home. Imagine that. Do you have any idea how many people dream of owning such an animal. But they don't exist. Well, there are a few, but only a few. There are lots of condos and some town homes with water views, but very few homes. That is one reason I decided to mention this one at 100-2 Eaton Street in Truman Annex and just steps away from the Historic Old Town area.

Rare opportunity to own a freestanding single family waterfront home in Key West in the gated community of Truman Annex. This two story home has classic Key West style architecture, 3 or 4 bedrooms, 3 baths, private heated pool with spa/waterfall and spectacular unobstructed views of the Gulf of Mexico and those famous Key West sunsets. Additional features include recently installed hurricane resistant windows & doors, elevator, whole house sound system & parking for 2 cars including a carport with storage. The second floor living area has an open floor plan with vaulted ceilings & multiple sets of French doors to a deck with incredible water views. CLICK HERE for more info and photos.

The property was originally listed in December 2006 at $2,395,000 and has been just reduced to the asking price of $1,995,000 or $1086 per sq ft for the 1819 sq ft house. The lot is 3688 sq ft and like I said, it has dead-on water views.

CLICK HERE to see what else is available in the price range of $1,875,000 to $1,999,000. You will see other homes that are more architecturally interesting or more historic, but you will not find any with a better view. So if waterfront view is in your search criteria, this home may interest you.

You can perform your own search of all Key West homes by CLICKING HERE to search the Key West mls real estate listings. If you see something that strikes your fancy, please call Gary Thomas at 305-766-2642 to schedule a showing.

1110 Curry Lane

I have often recommended that second home buyers purchase a home on one of Key West's quiet lanes. GO HERE to read about Key West lane life.

This delightful Conch Cottage tucked away on at 1110 Curry Lane in Old Town Key West just got more affordable. The seller has reduced the asking price to $1,095,000 or $907 per sq ft. The 2 bed, 2 bath home has 1207 sq ft of living space and sits on a 2321 sq ft lot. Curry Lane runs east-west between Frances and White Streets. The homes are compact and the lane is ultra-charming. There are two corner grocery stores within two blocks. And Duval is but a 7 minute walk.

The cottage has been lovingly restored to maintain all the character and charm you'd expect to find such as Dade pine walls, Georgia heart pine floors and beautiful attention to detail. The floor plan is open and spacious and offers indoor/outdoor living amid privacy. There are two bedrooms and two full baths plus a chef friendly kitchen with soapstone countertop and generous amenities. Outdoors you can enjoy the river rock lagoon pool, outdoor shower and lush landscaping. Relax on the front porch with a cool beverage and a good book. Off-street parking for small car. CLICK HERE for more info and photos.

If you have read this blog for very long you know that certain words signify things I think make a Key West home a good buy. The paragraph above is overflowing with those words. This is a home worth your inspection. Give me a call to arrange a showing: 305-766-2642.

Gay Enclaves Face Prospect of Being Passé--Huh?

The New York Times reported it so it must be true: Gay Enclaves Face Prospect of Being Passe`. CLICK HERE to read the entire article.

The article's author, Patricia Leigh Brown, says"These are wrenching times for San Francisco’s historic gay village, with population shifts, booming development, and a waning sense of belonging that is also being felt in gay enclaves across the nation, from Key West, Fla., to West Hollywood, as they struggle to maintain cultural relevance in the face of gentrification." She talks about the change of character of San Francisco's Castro Area and how that mirrors the destruction of gay neighborhoods. The article then mentions Don F. Reuter, a New York author who is researching a book on the rise and fall of gay neighborhoods, or “gayborhoods.” He says “The Castro, and to a lesser extent the West Village, was where you went to express yourself.” “Claiming physical territory was a powerful act. But the gay neighborhood is becoming a past-tense idea.”

Poppycock. I was in San Francisco two weeks ago and the Castro was a gay as gay can be. I was in the Folsom area and it was gay can be. The department stores around Union Square were filled with gay sales clerks and gay shoppers. There was a sea of gay men. Ms. Brown specifically referred to the Castro Street Halloween celebration back in 1979. I was there on Halloween Night in 1979. The next night I was part of the filming of the finale of the movie CAN'T STOP THE MUSIC. That was 28 years ago. What a glorious time we all had.

In the article Ms. Brown mentions straight people walking down Castro Street today as if they were reclaiming space. Poppycock again. Gay enclaves don't mean straights are not allowed. There are, if anything, more gay stores today on Castro Street than there were 28 years ago.

As for Key West's mention in the article as being a part of these "wrenching times" of "population shifts, booming development, and a waning sense of belonging" and "the struggle to maintain cultural relevance in the face of gentrification" she has a bit of a point. I have lived in Key West for almost 15 years and have noticed that a lot of gay people have moved from Key West either because it does not offer them what they want in gay life or that the town has become too expensive. But every year there is a brand new bunch of gay men and women who move here for a variety of reasons including the openness and inviting atmosphere of this small little island where people are free to be who they want to be.

Key West today is certainly more gentrified than it was when I first came here as a visitor over 20 years ago. You can't stop the music and you can't stop progress. But you can pick the place you want to live and how you want to live your life. If you are gay and want to live a closeted cloistered life and deny your feelings you can live anywhere. If you want to live an open and free lifestyle your options are more limited. Like a lot limited. Key West, like San Francisco, is one of the places where it is okay to be gay. And I don't think there is a snowball's chance in hell that Key West is on the way to becoming passe`.