The Best Italian Meal That Wasn't!!!

What happens when you mix 95 degree weather, 100% humidity, and a day of cocktails at the pool?  I can tell you first hand, you will miss a meal from your favorite restaurant!

Key West, Florida, to date, has been one of our favorite destination spots.  I believe we visited 5 years in a row.  Each year, we made two food pilgrimages.  The first was Magnolia's Cafe on Duval Street.  Magnolia's is a small dive with the most incredible hamburgers.  The grease just drips down your arm!  The second, was New York Pizza Cafe, possibly one of the best Italian restaurants I have dined in. We dined there each year we visited Key West.

Key West and New York Pizza Cafe is where my story begins!  Those that know me, know that I personally feel responsible for the entertainment and well-being of all of our traveling companions while on vacation.  Kevin continually tells me I do not need to worry about everyone else's welfare and after this trip, I can honestly tell you I don't anymore!

This trip, in my role as Julie McCoy - Cruise Director, was exceptionally trying.  I just was not having a good time while trying to please everyone else.  Please note:  DO NOT PLAY CRUISE DIRECTOR ON VACATION (Unless you are getting paid for it!)

The one bright spot this vacation was going to be the meal at New York Pizza Cafe. Sitting outside under the stars and palm trees.  The gentle ocean breezes, the wine, and the hustle of people walking along Duval Street make for a great dining experience.  Oh, how I looked forward to that each year! 

The guesthouse we stayed at each year would host a cocktail hour each evening poolside.  Beer and wine for two hours.  After the cocktail hour we walked down Duval Street the few blocks to the restaurant.  

When we got to the restaurant we were seated at our tables and our waiter arrived to take our drink orders.  I had been drinking wine earlier so I thought I would continue with wine.  Our waiter brought our drinks and took our dinner orders.  Since the restaurant was very busy, we ended up having another round of drinks.  By that time the damage was done.  

As we sat waiting for our food, it hit me!  The sweat, the slur, and the blur.  I went from 0 to loaded in 12.6 seconds.  Kevin took one look at me and knew I needed to walk.  By the time we hit Duval Street to take a sobering stroll, it hit me.  I had an emotional breakdown!  There in the middle of the street and hundreds of people I began to cry.  I am not talking a few sniffles but the full blown sobbing!  Julie McCoy could not take anymore!  I had hit the breaking point.  This episode would go down in history as one of my best drunken crying jags.  I cried non-stop (seriously) until 1 in the morning until I cried myself to sleep.

Needless to say, the one thing I looked so forward to did not happen.  Eventually, our friends did bring our dinners back to the room when they were done eating but I was not having any.  I couldn't, I was passed out.  To this day, I can not tell you what I ordered. Kevin, thank you for patiently sitting there listening to me babble.  I am sorry you missed the rest of the planned events that evening.  That was our last trip to Key West and not the way I wanted to remember that trip.  Not by a long shot!  

Remember, while on vacation make sure you don't worry about whether or not the others in your group are having a good time.  Because you will miss...the BEST Italian meal....that wasn't!  After all, it is all about the food, right?