Those are good choices. I do have a few comments. I don't have Golden Gate but my sister does. To my eye it looks more similar to Sunny Delight or Sun Power. It is upright and wavy. It is a very beautiful plant. King Tut was a standout for me this year. I've had it since 2009 but aparently it's been in the wrong spot. I now know it needs sun to color. It was in a place with morning sun and always stayed kind of blaa and greenish. I moved it to a west facing hot spot. It was the plant that knocked me out. It seemed to glow from within. It is domed shaped vs Golden Gate's upright look. Unfortunately I will have to move it again next year. It loved the sun but later in the summer bleached to almost white so location is probably the key to this one's best location. You asked about placement. That is an individual choice. I think what looks good to you will work. There are places I have reverses of the same plant to show off similarity and contrast. Abiqua Recluse with Paradigm and Academy Blushing Recluse for instance. I also have Satisfaction next to Summer Serenade. When I moved King Tut this year I put a duplicate of Grand Prize in its place in the shadier garden. Grand Prize grows so well and in the shade keeps the yellow border. I realized what a difference the smaller plant made in that garden. King Tut was the same basic size as most of the hostas around it. The smaller Grand Prize showed everybody up much better. I'm now conscious of keeping from having a 'sea' of similar sized hostas where they all blend together. Again, it's just a matter of personal preference. Go with what pleases you.

Eileen, If you cant tell by my online name, IÂm gardengrlÂs DH and yes, I am a former resident of Key West (KW) (born and raised there, so IÂm a Conch). Gardengrl called me and said you needed some info on where to stay, where to eat, what to see, etc. Hotels First a heads up, the dates youÂre going down there is the same weekend as Sport (mini) Lobster season. This means you will be competing for hotel rooms, restaurant seats, parking spaces, etc., with every person coming down for the lobsters. Given this, I would start working on securing hotel reservations now. Sorry you couldnÂt get into the Pier House; I have family working there and it is very nice. Suggestions on hotels/B&Bs depends on whether you going to have access to a car while in KW. If youÂre not planning to take/rent a car and are looking to stay in downtown KW, and since you were looking at Pier House, IÂm going to suggest taking a look at the Crowne Plaza La Concha. It is on Duval St very close to the downtown scene. Just checked the website and they are running summer specials, which may or may not be in effect given the Mini Lobster season. http://www.laconchakeywest.com/ There is a Hyatt in old town; however, I have never stayed or been inside the hotel and wonÂt recommend something simply based on the name. If you want to try a B&B, the Curry Mansion mentioned earlier is nice. Another place to try is the Pilot House, which is on the corner of Eaton and Simonton, which is one block off Duval St. Outside of Old Town, I can recommend two hotels. The first is the Courtyard Marriott on the corner of North Roosevelt and Kennedy Dr. Gardengrl and I stayed at this hotel last year and it is a good value. The other hotel, which IÂve been to before (and where Gardengrl and I will be staying in September) is the Doubletree Grand Key Resort on South Roosevelt (by the airport). http://doubletree1.hilton.com/en_US/dt/hotel/EYWDTDT-Doubletree-Grand-Key-Resort-Florida/index.do Getting around If you are planning to visit KW in August sans automobile, I do not recommend staying anywhere outside Old Town because as Gina alluded to earlier, it is the hottest month of the year. The ocean breezes that keep KW moderately bearable during the summer months die down during August and you will die trying to ride a bike to downtown KW. Even if youÂre coming from a strong sun area, do not underestimate the sun in KW. Definitely recommend strong, waterproof sunscreen, hats, and light clothing. If you will have access to a car, and plan to stay at a hotel outside of Old Town KW, be forewarned that parking in Old Town can be a challenge during a special event like Mini Lobster. In any case, if you have a car, bring a good supply of quarters with you to feed meters (we do when we go). Unless you and DH are used to riding motorized bikes, I recommend renting or taking bicycles vice renting mopeds to get around the island. The parking is far easier, you will just as much of the island, and you will be less likely to wreck a bicycle. Places to Eat. Again, all of these are local places. Breakfast: SandyÂs Café 1026 White St-- If there is one place that I recommend to EVERYONE who visits KW, SandyÂs is that place. This is THE locals place to gather in the mornings; most tourists drive by SandyÂs and donÂt give it a second look. SandyÂs is located inside M&MÂs Laundry on the corner of White and Virginia Streets and is a morning ritual for Gardengrl and I whenever we visit KW. There is no seating per se, since it is inside a Laundromat, so anything ordered there is takeout. I believe I san safely say that SandyÂs serves the strongest, best tasting coffee on the island. I recommend the colada (unless you like your coffee really strong and black, get a milk chug to dilute the colata), Cuban Espresso (AKA bucce or Cuban Speed) and Cuban toast for breakfast. They also serve the best Cuban sandwich (Cuban Mix) on the island. PepeÂs Café, 806 Caroline St  If you want something more sitdown, PepeÂs Café serves a very good breakfast at reasonable prices. It is located on Caroline St, near the Turtle Kraals area and is one of the oldest restaurants on the island (opened 1909). They also serve lunch and dinner. Lunch/Dinner: Turtle Kraals Restaurant & Bar 231 Margaret St  Given the last couple of experiences Gardengrl and I had here (slow service), I almost did not include this long-time local hangout. Turtle Kraals is on the water and serves good seafood. DanteÂs Restaurant and Raw Bar, 951 Caroline St  DanteÂs is a newer place, but has become a favorite of locals. It is located across the parking lot from Turtle Kraals restaurant. DanteÂs is noteworthy because they have a pool in the middle of the restaurant. They serve more sports bar type foods, but have a full bar and pretty good drinks. Rusty Anchor, 5510 3rd Avenue (on Stock Island)  If you donÂt have a car and want seafood, you can try this local favorite. Stock Island is just outside the KW city limits. Usually during Mini Lobster season, Rusty Anchor runs a special on whole lobster. The next two are places I have promised to take Gardengrl, but havenÂt gotten around to. When we go down in September, I will have to take her to one of these two eateries. El Siboney Restaurant, 900 Catherine St  Most people who come to KW want to try Cuban food at least once during their visit. El Siboney is the localÂs choice. This restaurant has been family owned forever (number of different families) and when you walk in, you feel like youÂre walking into someoneÂs living room. However, the restaurant has excellent food at very reasonable prices. Blue Heaven, 729 Thomas St  Dine with the kitties and chickens. Blue Heaven is located within Bahama Village and serves chicken and seafood with a Caribbean flair. They have a blog that I found while looking up the street address. http://blueheavenbacktalk.blogspot.com/ Bars and places for cocktails Its difficult for me to recommend bars to someone I donÂt know. Bars that I think are quite acceptable may be out of the question for others and vice versa. Since youÂre into Buffett, will recommend a few in Old Town Green Parrott, Whitehead St (great to go during the day) Bull and Whistle, Duval St Fat TuesdayÂs, Duval St (yes, I know this is a chain, but its going to be hotter than hell down there and you may want something cold, frosty, and alcohol-laden). HogÂs Breath Saloon, Duval St And since it will be your first time, do recommend Sloppy JoeÂs on Duval and the Original Sloppy JoeÂs (the one Hemingway went to), which is now Capt TonyÂs, and is on Greene St, just around the corner from Sloppy JoeÂs. Just as a heads up (since I donÂt know you). Key West does have a good sized gay and lesbian community, most of who reside in Old Town. I mention this because many who visit KW and are not aware of this sometimes come away with a poor view of the city, simply based on their own beliefs or something they witnessed while on vacation there. What I advise people who have never been down there before is keep an open mind and enjoy yourself.

Where is this tattoo being done? I own Paradise Tattoo on Duval Street, and Stock Island, and I would love to share some space for such an event! Ami and Chris both know Lou Perdomo, a long time artist at our shop (14 years now) Please contact me if you have any questions or thoughts. We have a very impressive, brand new shop which would be a a great spot to tape this tattoo being done! Doreen Eppy Paradise Tattoo, Inc. 627 Duval Street Key West, FL 33040 (305)292-9002 dozye@bellsouth.net

Key West is a beautiful place. BIL was stationed there some 50 years ago, and we went to visit our family there. It was shortly after the Cuban missle (sp) crisis and BIL took us to see one of the airplanes/helicopters that were shot down. It was the first time I've seen a key lime tree, the fruits were very small and they were not tart at all. but it would take a lot limes to make the key lime pies. Yes, there were a lot of bars, but they were more like social centers for the locals back then. Things change, but is seems that the natural beauty is being preserved. Thanks for the photos of the present Key West.