In this episode, Mark Baratto sits down with the owner of The Baklava Key West.

We talk about how these delicious treats make their way from Istanbul to Key West daily and the inspiration behind bring this classic Turkish dish to Old Town.

Instagram:  https://www.instagram.com/thebaklava.keywest/ Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100090923799900 Location:  411 Greene St, Key West, FL 33040 Contact: (305) 304-8660

In this episode, Mark Baratto sits down with 2005 Mayor Morgan Joseph McPherson.

We talk about how he turned his dream of going into the NFL into being a public servant.

In 2005, Morgan McPherson defeated incumbent Mayor Jimmy Weekley and was the Mayor of Key West from 2005-2009.

• Area Advisory Committeeman, Boys' and Girls' Club of the Keys
• Board Member, Department of Juvenile Justice
• Former President, Lower Keys Ministerial Association
• Former Treasurer, Monroe County Tourist Development Council
• Former President, Police Athletic League
• Former Board Member, South Florida Regional Planning Council

In a remarkable display of unity and celebration, the vibrant island community of Key West came together to host the largest-ever pop-up parade to honor the legendary musician and local icon, Jimmy Buffett, following his passing. The incredible story behind this unforgettable event is now available in a captivating podcast interview hosted by Mark Baratto, a local artist and podcast creator, and featuring Paul Menta, the mastermind behind the extraordinary parade and owner of Key West First Legal Rum Distillery.

Jimmy Buffett, known for his timeless music and island-inspired lifestyle, held a special place in the hearts of Key West residents. When news of his passing reverberated throughout the island, Paul Menta took it upon himself to organize an awe-inspiring tribute that would make Jimmy proud. In less than 24 hours, Paul and his team orchestrated a pop-up parade that drew over 8,000 enthusiastic participants.

The podcast episode delves into the life and legacy of Jimmy Buffett, recounting cherished memories, his profound impact on the island, and his final Key West concert. Paul Menta shares his personal connection with Jimmy and his deep desire to celebrate the musical legend's life in a manner befitting his spirit.

More details about the annual "It's 5 O'Clock In Key West" Parade are revealed in the episode, with plans for the 2024 event already underway. The procession, inspired by the lively traditions of New Orleans' Second Line, offers Key West residents and visitors an opportunity to sing, dance, and celebrate the music and joy Jimmy Buffett brought into their lives. The parade will make three stops along Duval Street, culminating in an unforgettable concert.

For those who missed this year's extraordinary event or those eager to relive the magic, the 2023 live feed is available here.

As the proud sponsor of this annual event, Key West First Legal Rum invites everyone to join in the celebration, with proceeds benefiting the Bahama Village music program.

For more information about the annual parade and related events, please visit the Facebook page.

About The Backyards of Key West Podcast

The Backyards of Key West Podcast is a Key West-based podcast hosted by Mark Baratto, dedicated to showcasing the diverse and talented individuals who call the island home. Through engaging interviews with local business owners, musicians, artists, and entrepreneurs, the podcast offers listeners a glimpse into the vibrant and creative spirit of Key West.

About Key West First Legal Rum Distillery

Key West First Legal Rum Distillery is a renowned establishment located in the heart of Key West. It is committed to crafting exceptional rums and supporting the local community through various initiatives, including the annual "It's 5 O'Clock In Key West" Parade.

About Jimmy Buffett

Jimmy Buffett, a music legend and island icon, is celebrated worldwide for his music and laid-back lifestyle. His connection with Key West has made him a beloved figure among the island's residents and visitors.

In this episode, Mark Baratto sits down with fellow artist, Maggie Ruley.

We talk about how she got started as an artist, how she made her way to Key West, and when she made the jump to full-time artist and gallery owner.

Many people who love Key West could not live at their highest potential on a itsy-bitsy island.  If that's you, what do you do? Well, you vacation here whenever you can or create an island getaway home here. Good for you.  And when you need to relax, the island is here waiting for you.

Maybe your island getaway needs the finishing touches of Key West art to make it the perfect island home you so truly deserve.

Or maybe you need to take some tropical bliss to your up-north home as a reminder to relax.

In that case, some of my island-inspired, ahhhhhh...... inducing art is just what you need.

You can visit me in the gallery or explore the website to find the perfect art for your island haven, wherever it is, here in Key West, or up-north somewhere.

​Wishing you all beautiful island days.

Website:  https://www.maggieruley.com/ Instagram:  https://instagram.com/maggieruley Facebook:  https://facebook.com/MaggieRuleyPaintingAndPottery

Gallery address:  933b Fleming Street, Key West, Florida 33040

In this episode, Mark Baratto sits down with the owners of Key West's newest restaurant, Atlas Izakaya.

 We talk about their inspiration for the restaurant, their experience in the industry, their tasting menu, and giving back to the community.

Izakaya means “stay-drink-place”. It is a word used to describe the perfect spot to settle down and dine with company. We are a chef owned and operated family establishment located in the heart of the historic Key West. Focusing on creating Japanese small plates.

We’re happy to share that some of our menu offerings are part of a give-back program for the Boys and Girls Club of the Keys. $1 from our featured items goes to our community non-profit.  We encourage our guests to check out and sponsor our local programs.

Address:  500 Truman Avenue #7 Key West, FL 33040Hours:  Monday - Saturday: 5:00 PM - 10:00 PM | Sunday: ClosedContact:   (305) 998-4189Make a Reservation:  https://www.opentable.com/r/atlas-izakaya-reservations-key-west?restref=1271458&lang=en-US&ot_source=Restaurant%20website

Website:  https://atlasizakaya.com/ Instagram:  https://www.instagram.com/atlasizakaya/ Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/people/Atlas-Izakaya/100087047744681

In this episode, Mark Baratto sits down with Key West local Nick Norman to talk about where he started, and where he is going in this previous episode REBOOT.

We find out how he got started with music and how he is constantly working to "sharpen the sword" of his craft.

This is one of my favorite interviews so far because Nick is so easy to talk to and talks about his career as an open book. 

A show-stopping vocalist and sharp songwriter, Nick Norman brings humor, heart, southern storytelling, and soulful swagger to the country genre. It's a sound that began taking shape in his hometown of Columbia, South Carolina, where Nick grew up listening to a soundtrack of home-state heroes — including Edwin McCain and Hootie & the Blowfish — and icons like Stevie Wonder and The Band. He soaked it all up, mixing the rootsy sounds of the FM dial with the awe-inspiring power of the gospel singers he'd hear every Sunday morning at the local church.

A lifelong friend and collaborator of country star Lee Brice, Nick began recording songs as a teenager, working inside a makeshift studio that he constructed with Lee in the pump house of a local church camp. He later moved south to Key West, where he established himself as one of the area's strongest draws. Even so, it was his newest album that brought him back to Nashville, where Nick recorded a batch of raw, rootsy songs — including several tracks co-written with his childhood friend, Lee — in Zac Brown's Southern Ground Studio. Produced by Lee Brice, Rob Hatch, and Elisha Hoffman, Nick Norman isn't just Nick's strongest effort to date; it's also the first release on Pump House Records.

Website: https://www.nicknormanmusic.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nicknormanmusic

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/nicknormanmusic

In this exclusive interview reboot, Mark Baratto sits down with Rapper and Singer of the Dirty Heads, Jared Watson (aka Dirty J).

This interview happened 30 minutes before the band went on stage for the beginning of their national tour, down here at the Key West Amphitheater.

It may have been short, but for those fans out there, we touched on the bands origin story and their beginnings.

Following in the footsteps of their California brothers Sublime, Huntington Beach’s Dirty Heads mix hip-hop, reggae, and rock along with that laid-back South Cali attitude. The group formed in 2003 when punk rocker Dustin Bushnell (aka Duddy B) asked his friend, rapper Jared Watson (aka Dirty J), to collaborate on a project that would focus on positive vibes and infectious grooves. Watson added singing to his vocal skills, and with percussionist Jon Olazabal, an acoustic trio version of Dirty Heads began playing shows and building an audience. 

They soon hooked up with producer Rob Cavallo and headed into the studio to record their debut album for Warner Bros., but differences with the label had them looking for other opportunities. Still, the band was able to retain most of its work, including sessions with drummer Josh Freese, along with the late-Beatles collaborator Billy Preston in one of the keyboardist’s last recordings. The finished album, Any Port in a Storm, would arrive in 2008, with a deluxe edition following in 2010. The deluxe version featured the track “Lay Me Down” with special guest Rome Ramirez of Sublime with Rome. The song would top Billboard’s Alternative Songs chart just before the summer of 2010. 

They followed up two years later with Cabin by the Sea and later recorded an acoustic version of the title track. This, in turn, led to an entire acoustic album in 2013 called Home: Phantoms of Summer. Dirty Heads’ next album, Sound of Change, would prove to be a breakthrough for the now-veteran band, debuting at number eight on the Billboard Top 200 while topping the Independent and Alternative Albums charts upon its May 2014 release. 

Building on their renewed success, Dirty Heads enlisted a bevy of industry hitmakers to work on their self-titled 2016 follow-up, which — thanks to its mainstream appeal — again charted high on the Billboard Top 200. The following year saw the band drop its sixth studio album, Swim Team, featuring the singles “Vacation” and “Staloney.” Also included on the album was the track “So Glad You Made It,” featuring 311’s Nick Hexum. The single “Listen to Me” arrived in early 2019 and was later included on Dirty Heads’ Dave Cobb-produced seventh album Super Moon. ~ David Jeffries, Rovi

Website: https://www.dirtyheads.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dirtyheads

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DirtyHeads

Twitter: https://twitter.com/dirtyheads

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/DirtyHeads

Spotify: https://play.spotify.com/artist/6GkJh85o22LfD2vgL9DP6f?play=true&utm_source=open.spotify.com&utm_medium=open

Apple iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/artist/dirty-heads/id287941061

In this episode of the podcast, Mark Baratto sits down with the Kiteboarder, Chef, and owner/creator of the Key West First Legal Rum Distillery, Paul Menta.

We talk about how Paul took a number of chances when creating his rum distillery and how his "failures" help him find success.

In a post-COVID-19 world, Paul saw how hand sanitizer was hard to come by, so made his own product mixing 140 proof alcohol with aloe and transmission gel, used in ultrasounds.

Menta gave away the 3-oz bottles around town to service workers, retailers, mail carriers, and anyone else hard at work in Key West during high season for tourists.

For centuries, Distillers have been making the sweet libation...Rum.  Some legal, some not so legal.

One common task shared by rum Distillers and Chefs alike is cooking sugar cane in big kettles or "stills." We are Chefs first and Distillers second, so our process is called Chef Distilled!

This combination of skill brings out the best flavors in our original white rums, made with Florida sugar cane and with infusions of Coconut, Vanilla Creme Brulee, and Real Key Lime. Our 6 times distilled specialty rums are sure to twist your taste buds on an adventure!

We are still "Chefs," so we jar rum cakes, fresh fruits, and savory vegetables. Why is our craft different, you ask?  Because homemade has no preservatives!

Taste History at the First-Ever Legal Rum Distillery in Key West Fla.  Chef Distilled means a whole new way to craft food and drink!

YouTube: https://youtu.be/GDVE3vuOEAM

Website: https://www.keywestlegalrum.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/keywestlegalrum

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/keywestrumdistillery

Location & Contact Infor 105 Simonton Street Key West FLA 33040 [email protected] T  /  305-294-1441      

In this episode, Mark Baratto sits down with interior designer and self proclaimed vintage treasure hunter, Alexandra.

We talk about her career as an interior designer, her mobile design studio and her new shop at the Shops at Mallory Square; right down the hall from the Backyards of Key West Gallery 😎.

Website:  https://www.boutiquealexandra.design/ Instagram:  https://www.instagram.com/boutique.alexandra_

We are a boutique design studio offering full spectrum interior design services from the comfort of our vintage emporium located in Key West, FL! Stop in for interior design services, or to shop our eclectic mix of home decor & vintage curios.

Address:  291 FRONT ST. UNIT 108 | KEY WEST, FL | 33040 PHone:  609-353-3263

In this episode, Mark Baratto sits down with local musician, Reggae Lou.

We talk about Lou's past, how he got into music, how he almost died (a couple of times), and how he finally found his groove.

Website:  https://www.reggaelou.com/ Instagram:  https://www.instagram.com/reggae_lou/ Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/Reggaelouandthekindbudz YouTube:  https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCvXIOP2dbOeOoWHzosPmM3w

With over a decade of experience in the music industry, Reggae Lou & The Kind Budz has gained quite a notable reputation for their solo career and collaborations. Not content to rest on their laurels, they are always building towards the next release, adding more classics to their repertoire. It is a common belief that music should be shared with listeners as much as possible. That’s why this Reggae Artist goes on tour on a frequent basis, making countless public appearances nationally and internationally.