Florida Keys Eats was recently invited to Sirius XM’s Radio Margaritaville Sunset Walk Studio, and I couldn’t be more over the moon.
For those just “tuning in,” let me start from the beginning. I’m constantly asked, “Why do you take vacations to Margaritaville if you live in the Keys?” That question drives me bananas. I noticed those who inquire live in the Keys and never visited Margaritaville, or they’ve been to Margaritaville but never the Keys. It’s like saying, why do you go out to dinner if you know how to cook?
My dad and uncles are second-generation Italian and grew up in New York. I’ll never forget the story I was told time and time again as I complained about living in the Keys as a kid. My dad would spout off, “There I was 18 years old shoveling snow and my mom yells there’s a phone call for me. My friend had just moved to Key Largo with his family. He told me it was ridiculously hot and he was going on the boat. I look around at all the snow surrounding me and not even a month later I packed one duffle bag, a couple hundred bucks, moved down and never looked back”.
Once my father got to the Keys, he was on island time. That meant long before I was born, Bob Marley and Jimmy Buffett were permanent staples playing on our house radio.
As a child when we would vacation to Orlando, I’d perpetually interrogate my parents. Why do we always go to Universal and not Disney? The answer was quick, Universal had a Margaritaville spot to lounge and soak in the vibes. You can’t help but notice the humongous towering volcano right when you walk into the restaurant. If you’re lucky to be there on the hour, you’ll feel the restaurant starting to rumble from the bass speakers. The television is going berserk. Emergency sirens are blaring as you hear the sounds of a volcano erupting only to look over and see a bright green cocktail spewing from the top and trickling all the way down to the blender. Once it’s filled to the brim, the volcano lets out a large audible “burp,” followed by Jimmy Buffet’s voice shouting “I think we made it to Margaritaville, everybody.”
Little did I know many years later, now in my 30s, I would be invited to host my very own guest DJ show on Radio Margaritaville on Sirius XM. A segment they call “Fruitcakes on the Radio” named after a funny little Jimmy Buffett tune that was a chart-topper. Here I was this past weekend walking up to the shiny new Margaritaville Studios and saying in the mic, “Hey there parrot heads, I’m Samantha D from the Florida Keys and I think we made it to Margaritaville, everybody!” The experience was beyond flattering and just all-around incredible.
I was guided by their head host, J.D. Spradlin, on how to headline my own show with no co-host. I did a lengthy intro about myself, picked four Jimmy Buffett songs and got to explain what they meant to me. I talked about my passions in life and of course I mentioned having my own column for the Keys Weekly and what a dream that has been.
They even had me enjoying a Landshark lager as I was in the booth. We stayed on site at Margaritaville Orlando’s cottages, a cute three-bedroom all decked out in bright tropical colors. The resort here is its own world with all things Margaritaville, including chandeliers made of margarita glasses. There are multiple restaurants and bars, making sure there’s no need to leave the resort.
The Sirius XM studio also resides here on the famous sunset walk. If you’re ever looking for me, the pool is where I’ll be. Not only is the water always the ideal temperature, the crowd is upbeat, the music is live, drinks are plentiful and the food is unreal. I tell everyone and I’ve mentioned this on my blog, some of the best seafood dishes I’ve had here are better than anywhere else I’ve ever been. Their peel-and-eat shrimp alone are squeaky clean, boiled in beer and have just the right bite. The menu names would crack up any Keys local, with cocktail names like “The Overseas Hwy” and “Snake Creek Bridge Margarita.” It feels like I get to enjoy the vibes and know what the meaning of it all is behind the scenes.
Buffett has created an entire brand with the same roots as me, the Florida Keys. Keep an eye out on Florida Keys Eats on Instagram for the dates as to when the Radio Margaritaville show will air. As always, my local Keys community, thank you for your support.
