In this episode, Mark Baratto sits down with Aaron Pearlman, the General Manager of Prime Steakhouse Key West. We talk about the restaurant’s history, how they stay upscale, but with a relaxed island vibe, and how they keep their food consistently amazing in our tiny island paradise. A Message from Prime Steakhouse Finally a light…

In this episode, Mark Baratto sits down with Master Framer, Jeff Rodriguez. Jeff is the co-owner of DE LA Gallery, located in Key West, FL and Charleston, SC, AND the co-owner of Art Warehouse, located in Key West. I visited Jeff at his Key West gallery where we talked about his wildly talented partner, photographer/artist…

**NOTE** This episode was recorded in December, 2019. During the Coronavirus crisis, the Cuban Coffee Queen is open from 7AM – 3PM for takeout and still delivering all of Key West up to Cow Key Bridge. In this episode, Mark Baratto sits down with head barista and manager, Irena Dalton at the iconic Cuban Coffee…

**NOTE** This episode was recorded in January 2020 and published on my other podcast, The Songwriters Podcast. In this episode, Mark Baratto sits down with singer, songwriter, guitarists, storyteller, sailor and road warrior, Scott Kirby. We talk about his long career as a musician, and where he goes for writing inspiration, and how a little…

This episode was recorded months before COVID-19 happened, and Social Distancing was the new catchphrase. I spoke with their team today and they wanted to let you know that they are OPEN FOR BUSINESS from 12pm – 8pmevery day for TAKE OUT ONLY during the crisis. Location: 1105 Duval Street, Key West, Florida In this…

This episode is a first for me. As some of you may know, I record these episodes months in advance and have collected 6 months’ worth of podcasts to put out. With times like this, I reached out to Scott Atwell, the Executive VP & CEO of the Key West Chamber of Commerce to bring…

***NOTE*** This episode was recorded months ago before the Coronavirus began. If you like this episode, even the tiniest bit, please reach out to Rodriguez Cigars and order from him online to help support: https://rodriguezcigarskeywest.com In this episode, Mark Baratto sits down with a third generational owner of Rodriguez Cigar’s, Danny Difabio. We talked about…

Hi everyone! This episode was recorded months before all this Coronavirus-mania all started, but gives a little insight into things to come when we get back to normal 🙂 ***PLEASE MAKE SURE YOU SUPPORT YOUR LOCAL RESTAURANT*** In this episode, Mark Baratto sits down with Courtney Wilson and Jenny Robinson of Mellow Cafe and Gastropub….

In this episode, Mark Baratto sits down with Alex Risius (Assistant Program Director) and Mill McCleary (Executive Program Director) to talk about the data behind what’s happening to our coral reefs. We talk about how Reef Relief® is making a difference on a global scale, and how tiny changes you make, can make a big…

In this episode, Mark Baratto sits down with Len Johnson, the co-owner of Better Than Sex – A Dessert Restaurant, to talk about where Len’s wife Dani gets her inspiration as head baker, and how she “tested” her recipes on all their dinner guests. We talk about the genius behind the restaurant’s name (it was…

In this episode, Mark Baratto sits down with local brand creator and artist Cristina Velardi. We talk about where the vision of the brand came from, how she ended up at the Art Shack, how she got started in screen printing, and how patience has been her biggest strength. More on Cocky Key West Basic…

In this episode, Mark Baratto sits down with yogi, chef, and all-around awesome person, Sofia Artola. We talk about the transition going from student to teacher to business owner, moving locations (twice), and incorporating the cafe into the space, creating a full organic experience. More on Shakti Yoga Shakti Yoga is committed to offering you…

In this episode, Mark Baratto sits down with celebrity chef Graham Dailey of the famed Cafe Marquesa. We talk about his early beginnings at the Peninsula Grill as the Executive Chef, to professional kitchens in New York City, where he worked under well-known Chef Anthony Bourdain. Later on, Chef Graham moved to Paris and became…

In this episode, Mark Baratto sits down with the family (almost the entire family) behind Tropical Vibes Cones & Bowls. We talked about family values, how the business got started, and how their love for the community is the driving force for the business. More on Tropical Vibes A one of a kind, eco-friendly company,…

In this episode, Mark Baratto sits down with Michael Halpern to talk about life at the famed Southernmost House, his wife’s beautiful foundation (Michelle’s Foundation), and the wonderful things the B&B is doing for the community. We share some NYC stories, revel in how kindness and old school morals matter, and how Michael pulled off…

In this episode, Mark Baratto sits down with Raymond Vazquez of the famed real estate brokerage firm, Truman & Co. We talk about oil spills, fly fishing, and of course Real Estate 🙂 More on Raymond: Raymond has been assisting buyers & sellers since 2005. His diverse background means he is one of the few…

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

In this episode, Mark Baratto sits down with Alessandra Torre, an award-winning New York Times bestselling author of more than twenty-two novels. We talk about how a summer project turned into her first novel, and how tweaking a couple of words on the Amazon description had her go from 10 sales per day to over…

In this episode, Mark Baratto sits down with the CEO/ Co-Owner George Fernandez.   We talk about the more than 60 different species of butterflies and rubbing elbows (more like beaks), with Rhett and Scarlett at the Flamingle (a meeting with 2 local flamingos).   George explains how they delight all or your senses with…

In this episode, Mark Baratto sits down with Matthew Nooner and Raymond J. Vazquez, the owners of The Local, Butcher & Market. We talk about where the idea came from (hint, it was over drinks), and how Matt and Raymond went from idea to execution. If you are in a family business or work with…