Mark your calenders and plan on attending these upcoming events!

The Midwest’s only and the nation’s largest indoor all-sail boat show arrives January 26–29, 2012 at Chicago’s famous Navy Pier. The Progressive Insurance Strictly Sail Chicago is a must-attend event for all sailors and has become one of Chicago’s favorite boat shows. The 2012 Progressive Insurance Strictly Sail Chicago Show offers more boats, more gear, more seminars and more fun than ever!

The fun begins Thursday, January 26th and will not end until the final bell sounds on Sunday, January 29th. This four-day sailing extravaganza features the latest and greatest the sailing industry has to offer. You’ll find the latest boat designs and their designers, the newest sailing gear, accessories and hardware from the industries top suppliers and the most up to date charter information, all from more than 250 exhibiting companies from around the globe.

Live Music with Frankendread

When: All Days of the Show

Frankendread is an accomplished Caribbean performer. His energetic performances have put smiles on faces around the world.

Known for his inexhaustible performance schedule of corporate events, weddings, private parties, pool parties, conventions, clubs, bars, tiki huts, backyards, schoolyards, restaurants, cruises, street performances, resorts, subways, and any other conceivable venue, Frankendread’s mission of presenting island music anytime, anywhere, anyplace has served him well.

Don’t miss this rare appearance by one of the best steel drummers in the world. Live everyday!

Be sure to stop by and visit Latitudes and Attitudes in Booth 421
For more info: http://www.strictlysailchicago.com/

SEATTLE BOAT SHOW, INDOORS + AFLOAT
JANUARY 27 – FEBRUARY 5, 2012

The Seattle Boat Show, Indoors + Afloat, is the West Coast’s Largest Boat Show featuring more than 1,000 recreational watercraft, seminars and the latest accessories indoors at CenturyLink Field, plus afloat on South Lake Union.

A free shuttle runs every day between CenturyLink Field and South Lake Union every 30 minutes.

Be sure to stop by Lattitudes and Attitudes Booth East 1420

For more info visit: http://www.seattleboatshow.com/

Port Salerno Seafood Festival
January 28th, 10AM to 8PM
FREE Admission

Living Like A Pirate Gear available here!

The Port Salerno Seafood Festival will return for its sixth year on Jan. 28, offering live music, Florida-themed art displays and thousands of pounds of local seafood caught by Treasure Coast fishermen. Admission to the festival, open 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., is free.

Jeanne Fernandez, a member of the festival committee, estimated more than 40,000 people will attend this year’s festival, many from different counties and states. About 30,000 people attended last year.

For more info: http://www.PortSalernoSeafoodFestival.org

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Bob Marley 1980

You can hear the influences of Reggae Music throughout Trop Rock.

Reggae is a music genre first developed in Jamaica in the late 1960s. While sometimes used in a broader sense to refer to most types of Jamaican music, the term reggae more properly denotes a particular music style that originated following on the development of ska and rocksteady.

Reggae is most easily recognized by the rhythmic accents on the off-beat, usually played by guitar and/or piano, known as the skank. This pattern accents the second and fourth beat in each bar (or the “and”s of each beat depending on how the music is counted) and combines with the drums emphasis on beat three to create a unique feel and sense of phrasing in contrast to most other popular genres focus on beat one, the “downbeat”. The tempo of Reggae is usually felt as slower than the popular Jamaican forms, ska and rocksteady, which preceded it.^[1] It is this slower tempo, the guitar/piano offbeats, the emphasis on the third beat, and the use of syncopated, melodic bass lines that differentiates reggae from other music, although other musical styles have incorporated some of these innovations separately.

Bob Marley is said to have claimed that the word reggae came from a Spanish term for “the king’s music”.^[5] The liner notes of To the King, a compilation of Christian gospel reggae, suggest that the word reggae was derived from the Latin regi meaning “to the king”.

Reggae developed from ska, mento and R&B music in the 1960s. The shift from rocksteady to reggae was illustrated by the organ shuffle, which was pioneered by Jamaican musicians like Jackie Mittoo and Winston Wright. This new technique was featured in the transitional singles “Say What You’re Saying” (1967) by Clancy Eccles, and “People Funny Boy” (1968) by Lee “Scratch” Perry. The Pioneers‘ 1967 track “Long Shot Bus’ Me Bet” has been identified as the earliest recorded example of the new rhythm sound that became known as reggae.^[7]

Early 1968 was when the first genuine reggae records were released: “Nanny Goat” by Larry Marshall and “No More Heartaches” by The Beltones. American artist Johnny Nash‘s 1968 hit “Hold Me Tight” has been credited with first putting reggae in the American listener charts.^[8] Around that time, reggae influences were starting to surface in rock music. An example of a rock song featuring a slight taste of reggae rhythm is 1968′s “Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da” by The Beatles.[9

Read the entire article and more Trop Rock facts at: www.TropRock.co

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Living Like A Pirate Gear Huge Clearance Sale!

Up to 50% off and more on men’s women’s and kids select items!

Hurry on over to the Store to see the huge selections and savings!!
Limited time!

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Their mission is to create new handbags and home decor for you, your home and your boat out of recycled sailcloth. Each one of their products involves sailcloth that has previously sailed somewhere in the world and possibly all the way around it. (If only sails could talk!!) They do their best to incorporate the unique features of each sail into the bags like the reefing lines, grommets and the Sailmakers signature.  All of their patterns and designs are original and unique and you will never see the exact same bag anywhere else in the world.

The sailcloth goes through an extensive cleaning process to achieve its brightest white while being mindful of the environment. Some bags have a small marking or blemish that is non-removable but almost unnoticeable which gives character to the bags they find. Their products are GUARANTEED FOR LIFE.

Recycle Your Sail!! If you have a used sail that you would like to get rid of, please consider trading the sail for a handbag. We will trade a large Land-Ho Handbag or a Bermuda Backpack for your clean sail.

Please call Loretta directly to discuss details or other options. (727) 938-8200 or visit http://www.Castawaysails.com

Follow Castawaysails on facebook

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Where will you celebrate New Year’s Eve? 

The Top 10  New Year’s Eve Celebrations 

1 – New York City, NY                                                             

Yes, it’s freezing and crowded, but attending the most famous New Year’s Eve celebration in the world is a once-in-a-lifetime must. December 31 will see 1 million revelers pour into Times Square (while another billion ogle the spectacle from their TV screens), where the center-of-the-New-Year’s-Eve-universe for more than a 100 years will usher in 2012 with star-studded performances by Lady Gaga and Justin Bieber, part of Dick Clarks’ New Year’s Rockin’ Eve with Ryan Seacrest.

2 – Walt Disney World, FL                                                            

Even more fireworks, entertainment, and extended openings to as late as 2 AM.

3 – Key West, FL
A warm-weather winter magnet, this southernmost Florida city’s quirkiness can’t help but spill over to its New Year’s Eve celebrations, with not one, not two, but three only-in-Key West events. A trio of outlandish “drops” showcase Key West’s unusual take on the Times Square countdown tradition, including the descent of a costumed “pirate wench” from a schooner’s mast, set to the sound of booming canons and the cheers of spectators and the ship’s “pirate” crew (at the Schooner Wharf Bar in the Historic Seaport area). Thousands more gather on anything-goes Duval Street to watch a mammoth manmade conch shell descend from atop Hemingway’s favorite watering hole, Sloppy Joe’s Bar (live music is on inside), while more crowds congregate for the “Red Shoe Drop” just down the road, where bedazzled local drag queen legend Sushi is lowered in a super-sized red high heel from above the Bourbon Street Pub (peek inside for over-the-top performances by female impersonators).

4 – Atlanta, GA

5 – Miami, FL

6 – New Orleans, LA 

You wouldn’t expect the city responsible for Mardi Gras and Jazz Fest to skimp on its New Year’s Eve celebrations, would you?

7 – San Antonio, TX                                                                                 

San Antonio serves up New Year’s Eve celebrations in Texas-sized proportions

8 – Las Vegas, NV                                                                                

Nearly 50,000 mesmerizing pyrotechnic effects shot off above Sin City’s neon lights from surrounding rooftops

9 – Vail, CO

10 – Boston, MA

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Meet Bahama Bob:

Bahama Bob is a Key West Bartender at a Bar with over 200 Rums, and Rum Ambassador. He currently is living on a boat in Key West and a long time traveler of the Caribbean, Mexico, and the United States. In a previous life he was a NASCAR Racing chassis and suspension engineer, still being carried on in a small way today. Bob grew up in The San Francisco Bay during the 50′s through the 80′s before moving to the Charlotte area of North Carolina. In 2005 he moved to Key West where he currently resides.

His blog will take you through the Rum lifestyles of a fine group of people that enjoy the fun and pleasure of fine rums. He travels to distilleries, parties, and Rum Events to bring you the Rumstyles of all those he comes in contact with. Check out Bahama Bob’s Blog.

Bob took a 5 day trip to Panama and returned with an incredible find of three bottles of Ron Abuelo Centuria Reserva de la Familia, along with a new cocktail called “Lord Panama”. Bob has many rum recipes on his blog, including his famous “Root Juice” recipe, as well as “Painkillers”. Read more about Bob’s yummy “rumilicious” recipes and adventures on his blog.

Follow Bahama Bob on Facebook

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Jimmy Buffett surprises the crowd with an impromptu concert on Duval Street

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With the Meeting of the Minds in Key West still rustling great memories in this seadog’s mind, it was fun to find another perspective on the weekend on the Island Art and Treasures blog, Four Days With the Parrot… (Heads), written by JVbytheSea.

So in case you didn’t get to read it the first time around, we thought we’d share it here:

Four Days With the Parrot… (Heads) - Sometimes travel discoveries can be like gifts of the coming holiday season, unexpected.  Shake a box, tear a ribbon, shed some discounted paper, and voila, lookey what I found!  A recent experience provided just such a welcome surprise to this road-weary soul.

This past summer we were contacted and invited to participate as a vendor in the Mini Mart at the 20th Annual Meeting of the Minds, Parrotheads in Paradise convention in Key West, Florida. The title alone had me seeking the refuge of a nearby hammock!  We thought “that seems like a great opportunity, and surely a fun week on the island”.  But what followed turned out to be so much more than we’d anticipated.

We found ourselves pulling into Key West at the conclusion of a 13-day, and 4-island tour around the northern Caribbean.  We were physically exhausted and hoping we could do this show while sleeping on our feet.  This was our first exposure to KW and the Parrothead Convention, so we really didn’t know what to expect.  Well, we’ve shed that paper and bow, popped the lid, and now we’re ready to Show and Tell the contents of that bountiful box!

First and Foremost, Parrotheads are a Hoot! These people love to have a good time!  Immediately upon arrival we discovered the crowd of faithful, adorned in some of the most colorful, tropical costumes and apparel that one could imagine.  Surely these were thrift store refugees, no one would actually pay good money for this stuff… right?  I suspect that most possess a more subdued wardrobe during their normal nine-to-five existence. Here however, they were decked out like a 64-count Crayola box.  While many appeared to be at or nearing their golden years, it was clear was they were not yet ready to retire from life.

The Parrotheads, as a group, are frequently engaged in many worthy philanthropic causes. And it’s commendable, that even this week centers around their charitable interests.  But make no mistake, Parrotheads Love Music! This week also centered around some of the best Trop Rock music assembled.  You can stop in at almost any resort, bar, or restaurant, at any time day or night, and you are sure to find some really great live music.  We met some great young artists, more about that in a future post, but almost from the time we arrived the rumors began to fly.  By the second day the crowd was in a “fins” feeding frenzy, when the biggest name in the Parrothead vocabulary, Jimmy Buffett, made a surprise appearance and performed a free concert at the Street Fair.  They really should widen Duval Street!

We also discovered quite simply that, Parrotheads are Awesome People! Everywhere we turned people were one sunburned grin from ear to ear.  This has to be one of the friendliest groups of people we had ever encountered.  One of the highlights of the week for us was the many new friends we made along the way. We had the good fortune of being situated adjacent to the Living Like A Pirate booth. Captain Dave and Cris were the consummate helpers for this newbie vendor, and provided a lot of laughs along the way. We also had the good fortune of meeting Tiki Doug, and the gang from Life’s A Beach.

Our final discovery was that Parrotheads Have Great Taste! The host hotel for the week of activities was the Casa Marina Resort and it could not have been better prepared and presented.

Situated on a beautiful stretch of soft white sand, the resort features two spectacular pools, and stunning grounds that served well as the backdrop for the nearly non-stop concerts on the beach.  The staff was accommodating to a fault, and I’m not really sure how they did it, but even the weather was perfect the entire week.  What a great facility, for such a great event.

Unexpectedly, this box was packed full of goodies that we hadn’t anticipated.  And if that’s any indication of what the future holds, we can hardly wait to see what’s in our stockings!

Got any other stories from the great Meeting of the Minds weekend in November? Tell it to us in the comment section below, or share it on the Living Like a Pirate Facebook page!

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Joe Jambo Bones

……………………………………………………………………………….. Ahoy! Pirates, Trop Rockers, and Parrotheads everywhere! Beachfront Radio is conducting its annual  “Top of the Trops 2011,” the trop 40 countdown for 2011, and our old salty friend Jambo Joe Bones and his trusty duo partner, Amy M, deserve some recognition for their original chantey “Living Like a Pirate,”  for reasons which should seem obvious.

Also, it is a great song. Accompanied by the sweet vocals and harmonies of Amy M, his guitar his only weapon and in true pirate three quarter time, it’s impossible for any buccaneer or wench to resist: .

Jambo was voted the #2 favorite new Trop Rock artist in 2010, and his song “Keep an Ocean Mind” was voted #3 Trop Rock Song last year by Beachfront Radio listeners.  This year, “Livin’ Like a Pirate” is eligible for the Top of the Trops favorite song, and Jambo and Amy M are eligible for favorite artist nods in the male and female categories. To vote, friends and fans can go to “Top of the Trops 2011” and cast your ballot for your favorite artists and tunes.

Jambo and Amy

If you’ve had the pleasure of seeing Jambo Joe Bones perform his “bit of laid-back rock, some raunchy country, a blender full of Jimmy Buffett and a handful of my own tunes all washed down with a couple cold beers and a shot of tequila (salt and lime, please),” tell us about it in the comments box below.

And don’t forget to vote, early and often. After all, a vote for “Livin’ Like a Pirate” is a vote for living like a pirate. Arrrrr!

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Travel writer Alistair Wearmouth wrote an interesting article for the Away.com travel site  on where to travel if ye wanna be  living like a pirate, or simply to catch some good old fashioned pirate action.  Safe pirate action, that is. Here are Away.com’s top ten picks; tell us if you know any other good pirate hideouts in the comments section below.

#1: Pirate Festivals
Given their colleague’s passion for all things pirate, it’s no surprise that there are some fun pirate festivals out there at which to get in the spirit of things. Grand Cayman hosts an annual Pirates Week each November, where revelers dress up as pirates and “invade” the harbor by boat. Tampa’s Gasparilla Pirate Festival, held in early February, is another buccaneering good time.

#2: Blackbeard’s Last Stand
There’s no better ambassador for the pirating fraternity than the 18th century’s Edward Teach, better known to all but his mom as Blackbeard. To get to know the man, mellow out on North Carolina’s Ocracoke Island, a two-and-a-half-hour ferry ride from Cedar Island on the mainland or a shorter 40-minute hop from Hatteras on the Outer Banks. Sample the good life in the Ocracoke Village pub, or hop a kayak for a cruise through the same tidal marshes where Blackbeard met his watery end in 1718.

#3: Disney’s Castaway Cay
Blackbeard might be where the real historical action was at, but it was all Cap’n Jack Sparrow and those pirates of the Caribbean before today’s Somali goons got in on the game. In true schmaltzy Disney fashion, Castaway Cay, a private port-of-call for Disney cruises in the Bahamas, features the pirate ghost ship, The Flying Dutchman, and characters playing the part of Johnny Depp’s now-legendary Captain Jack Sparrow.

#4: Hong Kong & the South China Sea
As a child I lived in Hong Kong and remember seeing news footage of pirates heisting a gleaming S-class Mercedes off to their lair on the back of a high-powered speedboat; the chasing coastguard were no match. Piracy has been a profitable business in this part of the world since as early as 220 A.D. following the tumultuous collapse of the Hang Dynasty. The British put a lid on things to protect their slice of the burgeoning opium trade in the late 19th century, but pirates still see juicy pickings out here in the shape of big shipping lanes that keep the world stocked with cheap plastic toys.

#5: Pirate-Themed Cruises
A little closer to home, but certainly more family-friendly, lots of maritime outfitters put on skull-and-crossbone-themed cruises for l’il (and big) pirates. For example, take a look at the Pirate Adventures cruises that sail out of Annapolis on the Chesapeake Bay or from Manteo in North Carolina’s Outer Banks; there’s also the Captain Memo cruise that sails out of Tampa in search of treasure and some good, clean fun.

#6: Florida Keys
Consistent with its history as a bootlegger and secessionist paradise, the Florida Keys, and in particular Key West, is imbued with a rich history of piracy. All those European navies battling for colonial supremacy brought with them an opposing ragtag posse of gold-digging (literally) opportunists, today’s version of the Afghan warlord. The Keys were the prime strategic hub for raiding opportunities among the islands of the Caribbean, as well as important trading routes linking the New and Old worlds.

#7. Madagascar
This is as close as you’ll get to the Horn of Africa without getting an Uzi aimed at your head. Pirates are the entrepreneurs of the high seas, so it makes perfect sense that they’d sit off the key trading routes for the best pickings. In the early days of the expansion of the British Empire and the flow of goods between the mother country and colonies like India and Malaya, pirates used the Indian Ocean island of Madagascar as their hideout. And unlike today’s Somalia, Madagascar is a peaceful and safe place to visit.

#8. Treasure Island Hotel & Casino, Las Vegas
Where else could you pit a posse of scantily-clad “sirens” and band of testosterone-charged pirates against each other, then devolve it all into what Treasure Island’s website calls a 21st-century party of “music, dance, excitement and seduction”? In the bone-dry desert? Yeah, only in Vegas, where the nightly Sirens of TI performance is probably not quite what those Zodiac-riding Somali teenagers have in mind when they imagine pirate martyrdom. Or not.

#9. Execution Dock, London
It’s not just Hillary Clinton who has a zero-tolerance piracy policy. With supremacy of the oceans of such importance to the expanding British Empire of the 18th and 19th centuries, piracy was one irritant and obstacle for which the punishment was death. Captured pirates were taken to Execution Dock just downstream from the Tower of London on the River Thames, where they’d be taught the ultimate lesson for challenging the rule of the crown. East London’s nearby Captain Kidd pub may be the best place to contemplate if piracy is the career for you.

#10. Tortuga Island, Haiti
There’s a line from my four-year-old son’s CD of Swashbuckling Sea Songs that I can’t get out of my head whenever I read something about piracy these days: “When you see Tortuga’s coast, oh you’re gonna be smilin’; the songs, the fights, the days, the nights, there’s so much to behold.” This small Caribbean isle off the coast of today’s Haiti, so-named by Christopher Columbus because its shape resembled a turtle, was one of the first hideouts for Spanish-hating French boucaniers after the Spanish drove them off the island of Hispaniola (now Haiti and the Dominican Republic). The island still has that primitive, forgotten feel—though you can probably leave your cutlass at home.

So there you have some pretty choice pirate coves. Tell us about yer favorites, mateys!

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Point Richmond (CA) – December 5 2011

Sextant Publishing, Inc. has announced the acquisition of “Latitudes & Attitudes Seafaring International.” In addition to the flagship publication the transaction includes a secondary title, “Living Aboard,”  “The Seafaring Ship’s Store,” and all of the various venue operations.

“We have already assumed day to day operations of “Latitudes & Attitudes” from FTW Publishing to insure a smooth transition, with the transaction expected to be complete by the end of Q4 2011,” says DJ Doran, president and CEO of Sextant Publishing, Inc.

“We are pleased to include “Latitudes & Attitudes” and all of the peripheral intellectual assets of this micro media company into our growing portfolio of niche publications.”

Bob “Bitchin” Lipkin initially began writing a newsletter during his five years sailing the world’s oceans aboard “Lost Soul” with his wife Jody. The newsletter was sent to 300 readers where he shared his experiences of the real cruising lifestyle.

The final newsletter included an announcement that a new boating lifestyle magazine was being launched and “Latitudes & Attitudes” was born. Within weeks more than 600 subscriptions were sold, and “Latitudes & Attitudes” became one of the most widely read publications of it’s genre, featuring stories that showcased what cruising and the cruising lifestyle is really like.

Over the past 15 years, “Latitudes & Attitudes” expanded its operations to include television, radio, exotic charters, boat show operations and of course “The Seafaring Store.”

“‘Latitudes & Attitudes’ is not about boats, it’s about the boating lifestyle,” says Lipkin.

“From Bob’s initial vision of creating a small magazine for active cruisers, “Latitudes & Attitudes” has grown to epitomize what the cruising lifestyle is all about and has offered a clear and irreverent voice for the cruising boater for the last 15 years, and we plan to build on that foundation,” says Doran.

Plans for the future of the magazine include fresher content, the launch of an iPad and Kindle application, expanded TV development, new lines of products for “The Seafaring Store,” and much more.

“Our goal is to preserve the style and feel of the magazine and its peripheral operations while redeveloping its core businesses to better serve our loyal fans and introduce the magazine to a new generation of readers,” says Doran.

“Bob will always be the founder of Latitudes & Attitudes, and more importantly, the man responsible for all this.”

Lipkin will remain as publisher until the end of the year, at which time he will assume the role of publisher emeritus. In addition to his role as publisher emeritus, Lipkin will also continue as co-producer of Lats & Atts TV, and he and Jody will be active consultants to Sextant Publishing, Inc. for at least three years, participating in various boat shows and venues.

“I am looking forward to working with DJ and his team during this transition and beyond,” says Lipkin. “The partners in Sextant Publishing share my vision for the magazine and the same passion for cruising and the cruising lifestyle, and I am very happy that “Latitudes & Attitudes” is being passed on to fellow sailors and enthusiasts.

“Jody and I are excited for the future of our baby and will do whatever we can to help the new publishers take the magazine to the next level.”

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About Latitudes & Attitudes Seafaring International:

Latitudes & Attitudes is a dedicated niche media enterprise serving active cruisers and the worldwide cruising community. It’s focus is the lifestyle of cruising, and covers topics and issues that showcase and promote the gear, boats, skill, and locations that interest cruising sailors.

http://www.seafaring.com

http://www.facebook.com/Latitudes.Attitudes.Seafaring.Magazine

About Sextant Publishing Inc.:

Sextant Publishing Inc. is based in San Francisco Bay Area and currently offers web based content such as micro niche lifestyle magazines. The officers of Sextant Publishing, DJ Doran (President/CEO), Joe Morales (VP Operations), Kim Paternoster (VP Marketing/Technology) and Chris Larsen (VP Events/Product Development) are avid sailing enthusiasts.

http://www.sextantpublishing.com

CONTACT:                                                                                                                                              Kim Paternoster                                                                                                                                           VP Marketing/Technology                                                                            kim@sextantpublishing.com Office: (415) 779-2633

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Living Like a Pirate wants to welcome the Floribbean holidays with the newest CD by The Conch Fritters, “Deep Fried” – genuine island melodies that combine the group’s original music with arrangements of trop rock favorites including Calypso, Reggae, Island tunes, Jimmy Buffett and Kenny Chesney.

This talented trop rock ensemble features Dustin “Dusty” Barber and Barry Olsavsky, members of the Jimmy Parrish and the Ocean Waves Band who have taken their love of the Caribbean and pirate lifestyles to a new level with Conch Fritters.

The Conch Fritters have built a steady following with their sound, which combines spectacular guitar and steel drum virtuosity, with a twist of some sweet ukulele. Conjuring shades of smooth jazz of the Bourbon Street school, the tropical aesthetic of Trinidad, reggae, and Bob Marley, and the gentle ocean trop rock vibe of the Florida Keys, Conch Fritters take audiences to a place that satisfies everyone.

Skilled guitarist, songwriter and master of the ukulele, Dustin Barber brings a lifetime of learning and performance milestones to the Conch Fritters, including a world tour with the legendary Reverend Al Green and appearances on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno. Nominated for the prestigious Margarita Mafia Artist Award, Dustin is a respected pirate in the trop rock scene.

Steel Drum master Barry Olsavsky, a section percussionist with the  Jacksonville Symphony Orchestra for 20 years, worked with many of the top names in the Classical and Pop world including Luciano Pavarotti, Doc Severinsen, Chuck Mangione, Bernadette Peters, The 4 Tops, The Temptations, Tony Bennett, Lou Rawls, and James Taylor to name a few. Barry and his wife Barbara own Coral Coast Concoctions, a Live365.com Internet radio station featuring music of the Caribbean, steel drums and other styles. Barry also directs the adult hand bell choir at Mandarin Presbyterian Church and “The Calypso Christians,” a middle school steel band program also at Mandarin Presbyterian Church.

With the Conch Fritters, Dustin and Barry are now living like pirates in Jacksonville, Florida, enjoying the Trop Rock scene 24/7, and playing to parrotheads and pirates everywhere.

Dustin recently reminded me of what he’s grateful for this holiday season, and what the holidays are all about, from the perspective of one Conch Fritter:

“Friends, family, and great music; living in a free country, trop rock music and my guitar,” he said.

Let me just add living like a pirate to the list.

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SAINT PETERSBURG, Florida, November 29, 2011 – Living Like a Pirate, LLC will officially launch its K.I.D.S. fundraiser in St. Petersburg, Florida Dec. 1^st, when it sets up shop at the 2011 Power and Sailboat Show.

Living Like a Pirate Founder and Owner Dave Ladage has announced that he has partnered with the K.I.D.S. (Kids in Distressed Situations) organization to contribute $1.50 from every tee-shirt and clothing item sold on the Living Like a Pirate online store and at public appearances like the St. Petersburg boat show. Thanks to the K.I.D.S. collaborative charity model, every $1.50 contributed by Living Like a Pirate will buy $15.00 worth of clothes for kids in need.

Online sales taking place before December 1^st will be included in the fundraiser.

Ladage, a long time contributor to various charitable organizations involved with helping children in need and at risk, recently learned about the work done by the K.I.D.S. organization and wanted to help. K.I.D.S. is a global charity of leading retailers, manufacturers, and licensees of children’s and youth products, in partnership with major foundations, committed to helping improve the lives of children who are ill, victims of natural disasters, living in poverty, homeless, challenged by low literacy, victims of domestic abuse, children of incarcerated parents, and military families.

K.I.D.S. pioneered a charity model more than 25 years ago that today aligns hundreds of companies with nearly one thousand leading local social service agencies in the United States and Canada. Eighty-five percent of K.I.D.S. donations are distributed to agencies in the U.S. and the remaining 15 percent to countries abroad.

“It’s always a wonderful opportunity when you can reach out to help children in need, especially at this time of year,” Ladage said. “We’re happy to launch our fundraising for K.I.D.S. at a time when people are inclined to open their hearts up to the less fortunate children in our world.

“But we plan to keep the momentum up even after the holidays have passed.”

Living Like a Pirate is a Southern California-based online retailer developed by founder Dave Ladage to remind us all that life is an adventure; hunt for treasure, and treasure the hunt. In the process, Ladage believes that reaching out to help others is a big part of his philosophy to have fun, share the spoils, and enjoy your surroundings and the people in them while you can.

Consumers can log onto the LLAP online shop to purchase tees, tanks, and hoodies for adults and kids, knowing that with each purchase they are making life a little bit better for a child in need.

For more information on Living Like a Pirate, visit the website at www.livinglikeapirate.com, or the LLAP Facebook page.

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Navigating the Living Like a Pirate online gear shop is a great way to generate gift ideas and find unique stocking stuffers  for everyone on your list.  We have tees, tanks, hoodies, swag and headgear for everyone – kids, teens, Mom and Dad, grandparents, friends, sons of sailors, and even the son of a son of a sailor. High quality fabrics and workmanship – like our heavyweight 6.1 100% cotton tees,  and our soft and warm (and sexy) French cotton hoodies for him and her.  The countdown to Christmas is on; shop early to take advantage of these great prices and free shipping.

Buy in bulk to save more! We’re offering $10, $20, or $30 on all merchandise (with the exception of the $5 treasure chest). And since shipping is free, you’re doing better than you would be if you had to put your flip flops back on and drive to the mall!

Only at Livinglikeapirate.com, through Friday, December 2nd :

Spend $50 on any combination of LLAP gear and get $10 off.  (LNZ10)

Spend $75, and rustle yourself up a $20 savings.                        (LNZ20)

Spend $100, and put $30 back in your dipper!                            (LNZ30)

Make sure to use the code when prompted at Checkout!

Now’s your chance to pillage and plunder from the comfort of your own sand dune, skiff, or bar stool. Stuff your favorite wench and pirate’s stockings with the LLAP booty they’re cravin’.  Don’t forget about our line of kids tees for the little lads and lasses. Every elf wants to wake up on Christmas morning to find they’re living the pirate lifestyle, but  you don’t have to be a pirate to love this booty. Make sure to check out our Trop Rock and Parrothead favorites in your well-rounded search for Christmas treasure.

No lines, no waiting – no need to leave  the beach (or Tiki bar). It’s a pirate Christmas, but hurry! Sale ends December 2.

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To help make the festivities extra special this year, Living Like a Pirate has scheduled “Pirates in a Winter Plunderland,” a great, grand, vast holiday sale on your favorite Living like a Pirate loot, to keep you celebrating long after the last grog nog is toasted.

Beginning today (November 23) through Sunday, November 27, save $10, $20, or $30 on all merchandise (with the exception of the $5 treasure chest). The more loot in your treasure hunt, the more doubloons in your pocket. Plus free shipping on everything!

Here’s how to plunder in the LLAP winter wonderland:

Spend $50 on any combination of LLAP gear and get $10 off.  (LNZ10)

Spend $75, and rustle yourself up a $20 savings.                        (LNZ20)

Spend $100, and put $30 back in your dipper!                            (LNZ30)

Make sure to use the code when prompted at Checkout

Arrrr, and since this treasure hunt ends Sunday, now’s your chance to pillage and plunder.  And, as we’re feeling as sentimental as an old carouser with a full pint, free shipping for all our pirate friends to the year’s end!

Stuff your favorite pirates’ stockings with the LLAP booty they’re cravin’. Grab yourself a grog and saunter through our vast, magnificent catalog of booty: sexy tanks for your favorite wench, a cozy French terry hoodie for those cooler tropical beach nights, or a legendary Rumskull tee for your swashbuckler of choice. We even have a line of kids tees for the little nippers, along with the coolest LLAP headgear and swag this side of the Caribbean. You don’t have to be a pirate to love our booty this Christmas. Check out our Trop Rock and Parrothead favorites while you’re hunting for Christmas treasure at Living Like a Pirate.

It’s just our pirate way of saying, Happy Holidays, Mateys!

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With the memory of the 20th annual Parrothead convention in Key West earlier this month still fresh in my mind, it’s easy to feel a rush of pleasure over my decision to live my life by pirate rules, partying with a purpose, searching for adventure — with nothing but sand, surf, or boat deck under my bare feet.

Not everyone follows their heart to live their personal fantasy life, and for those of us who do, some days are better than others. But there is something to be said for stepping out of the dream to actually live the life you’ve been dreaming of.

That said, I thought this would be the perfect opportunity to share some musings from Author Anthony Bjorklund, whose book “I’m Gonna Live My Life Like a Jimmy Buffet Song (The Island Book, Part 1) is a great incentive for anyone considering ditching it all in exchange for the beach-and-margarita (or rum)-lifestyle of their dreams.

Bjorkland says:

There is something ever appealing about the search to truly enjoy one’s life, to take the  perfect moments we have, whatever they may be, and spend more time with them. Put simply, that’s what this book with the very long title is about. That and drinking a lot of rum and margaritas, since I’ve found they tend to blend well with that very enjoyment. And of course having a little Jimmy for a soundtrack never hurts either.

So if you’ve ever sat in the sun on a beach or around a campfire in a forest and wished the moment would never end, this book is about you, too. I’ve felt that way many a  time in Key West. And pulled up on the sandbar on the lake, kicking back on the S.S Lazy Lizard pontoon that is much more than a simple, sturdy craft; like Key West it’s my island of escape to more of those perfect moments that “I’m Gonna Live My Life Like a Jimmy Buffett Song” is all about.

Since 2009, I’ve been living my dream, living like a pirate since stepping out of the corporate world and into the freedom that searching for treasure and adventure brings. Have fun, share the spoils, enjoy your surroundings, the people in them, and your grog while you can.

In the immortal words of Jimmy, “Live a lie, and you will live to regret it. That’s what living is to me.”

Arrrrrr, (translated, means Amen).

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As any self respecting parrothead already knows, once you have the taste of a pirate’s life in your craw, you’re hooked.  All it took was that trip to the Keys last January, the temperature hovering around 85 degrees, gentle breezes, hard partying, the rum tasting better than you remembered it tasting at any other time or place.

But really, it was a few weeks later, after returning home; “A Pirate Looks at Forty” streams from an unseen radio in the supermarket or dry cleaners, and your eyes well up.
Yeah, it’s a lifestyle that suits you; vivid colors, tropical breezes, and a penchant for flip flops has you frequently escaping, at least mentally, to your newfound happy place on a boat, in aquamarine waters, searching for a lost shaker of salt. Lucky for you, the pirate lifestyle is growing in popularity, and your options for indulging the scallywag within are abundant.

Even though pirate festivals happen year round across the U.S., there is no better time than the present for all privateers and landlubbers, wenches and wannabe drivelswiggers to hoist the rumskull and start planning for the upcoming pirate season. First, get your pirate juices flowing before you land on sand with the right gear from Cap’n Dave at livinglikeapirate.com.

November 24 through December 4, Key West will be hosting Pirates in Paradise, aka “11 Days of Pure Piratical Escapades Celebrating Key West’s Rich & Colorful Maritime Heritage.”

Featuring plenty of events for scallywags of all ages, count on well known entertainment, historic re-enactments, and plenty of piratical adventures and booty to satisfy your scurvy crew.

The 2012 pirate season launches January 28th in Tampa, Florida with the Old Seadog of them all, the 108th annual Gasparilla Pirate Fest.

Tampa residents take this over-the-top celebration very seriously, as pirates and lovers-of-all-things-swashbuckling converge on the city to shed the winter doldrums, grab a tan, and toast (heavily) the memory of Jose Gaspar, a legendary Buccaneer who terrorized the Gulf Coast waters of West Florida. Today, Gasparilla – a name he gave himself during his pillaging tenure in the late 18th and early 19th centuries – is all about pirates, boats, parades, partying and living, at least a little bit, like a pirate.

On Saturday, March 3rd we lift our grog in honor of the sacking of St. Augustine, the oldest city in the U.S. and the site of some serious plundering and pillaging reenactments. On June 2nd, it’s back to St. Augustine to celebrate Sir Francis Drake’s 16th century raid on the beleaguered port city with plenty of exciting historical reenactments, right down to the iconic head scarves, petticoat breeches, earrings, and true pirate garb – patched, stained with tar/grease/wine/rum/sweat/blood and  a bit ragged.

Of course, we’ve just scratched the surface of upcoming pirate celebrations, but it’s a start.  Now you know, you don’t have to be reincarnated to be living like a pirate. Just ask Jimmy Buffet.

Or better yet, if you’re hesitating over pirate plans this winter, just ask yourself “What would Jimmy do?”

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Come and join The Living Like A Pirate Crew this weekend in beautiful sunny, (most of the time) Southern California!!

We’ll be in Dana Point at the Tall Ships Festival. Be sure to come by the booth and say arrrrrrrgh!!!!

This year, the Ocean Institute is celebrating its 27th year hosting the Toshiba Tall Ships Festival! Come and explore the majesty and wonder of tall ships through the smells, sounds and sights of real working tall ships. Interactive living-history encampments including blacksmiths, scrimshaw artists, and the infamous Port Royal Privateers are sure to entertain and amaze guests of all ages and are not to be missed.

Inside the Ocean Institute, explore our work on protecting the local watersheds through hands-on labs and art activities, get up-close and personal with some of the ocean’s most amazing sea creatures, including sea stars, jellies, rays and octopus. Back by popular demand this year, your child may participate in our Friendly Pirate School! Watch as your child learns to talk like a pirate, walk like a pirate and sing like a pirate!

These are just some of the fun & exciting activities that will be a part of this year’s spectacular Toshiba Tall Ships Festival. Come celebrate with us as we celebrate the area’s rich maritime history!

Check the website for directions, hours, schedule of events and more information.

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It’s Fun! & It’s Free!

Sunday, April 17th, 2011
9 AM to 5 PM

San Diego Sportfishing Landings
in Point Loma

We hope you’ll take this opportunity to join The Living Like A Pirate Crew in beautiful, sunny, San Diego, California down at the Docks,  and discover a bit more of what the Port of San Diego holds for you. We’ll be there with all the new Living Like A Pirate Fashions, Tanks, Tees, FREE Booty, and lots of FUN!!! We hope you’ll come down and say “hello” or “arrrrrrrrrrrrrr”… we’d love to meet you!!!

It runs Sunday April 17th from 9 AM to 5 PM. Admission is absolutely free! You’ll find plenty to see and do while you visit the San Diego Sportfishing Landings. Here are some of the highlights:

FISHING SEMINARS
Don’t forget to look for the seminar schedule

KID’S FISHING ADVENTURE
The Kid’s Fishing Adventure are areas set aside and stocked with fish, providing kids with the chance to make a catch.

CATCH, PREP & COOK CENTER
CATCH, PREP & COOK DEMOS will provide ideas and techniques to improve the enjoyment of your catch. Recipes and samples will be available at the seminars. Get the schedule here.

CASTING CONTESTS
Points are awarded for distance and accuracy. Fishing trips and tackle awarded to the winners!

IZORLINE KNOT  TYING COMPETITION
Hands-on competition in which individual knots will be tested against the Izorline Knot Gauge, a device that measures a knot’s breaking point by pressure. Prizes include ½ day and full day fishing trips.

FISHING VIDEOS
Continuous showings of dramatic sportfishing videos. From San Diego to Baja, Clipperton Island and Costa Rica …

BOAT RIDES AROUND THE BAY
Take a boat ride around San Diego

GOURMET GALLEY
There is great variety to choose from…

HOT TACKLE
Find out what’s hot on the fish equipment market. The top manufacturers will be there to show off their latest.

LOTS OF BOATS
You are welcome to climb aboard and look around.

MARINE ART
Glory Giffen showcases her marine watercolors, Peter J Galleries art features painting atop marine charts. And there are many other marine artists.

OPEN HOUSE ON THE BOATS IN THE FLEET
Have you never been on a San Diego Sportfisher before? Well now is your chance.

-ENTERTAINMENT ALL DAY ON STAGE

Things get going at 9 AM
Come join in the fun and help us celebrate the season’s official start! There’s plenty more to see and do at The Port Of San Diego’s Day At The Docks 2011. We hope to see you there on April 17th !! Come on by and say Arrrrrrrrrgh… meet the Living Like A Pirate Crew, and check out the new gear!!!!

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Enter to Win!!

Most “Likes” wins all the Booty!

Invite Friends to “Like” your comments

>> comment here >>

My Favorite Rum Drink is _______? and dont forget to include the recipe.

Win everything in & around the Treasure Chest…LLAP Shirts, Tops, Flag & coozie. Cd’s by “Jambo” Joe Bones & Young Rebel Goombas & “A Pirates Life” from John & Mark from International Talk Like A Pirate Day. Contest ends

Sun 4/10 at Midnite PDT

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We’ve reached 5000 Facebook Fans and we’re celebrating!!

Facebook Fans use the code “5000fans” and get 50% off 1 item purchases. Good thru 4/5/2011.  Not a Facebook Fan?… it’s ok… sign up here!!

May 20th is the Premier of Pirates of the Caribbean 4 – This is a great opportunity to get some cool new Pirate Apparel to wear!!  If you haven’t seen the new designs, check them out at The Pirate Store!… and tell your friends, they’ll be wanting to stock up on the booty as well!!

Yo, Ho Mens Tee

Wet Wench Mens Tee

Grab Some Booty Tee

Pirates Stole Homewok

Tiki Bar Tank

Wicked Wench Tank

Follow Living Like A Pirate on FaceBook

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Nola Pyrate Week 2011

10 Days of Pyracy in New Orleans

March 25 thru April 3, 2011

Take What Ye Can, Give Something Back

From the last weekend of March through the first weekend of April every year, the citizens of New Orleans celebrate NOLA Pyrate Week – 10 days of swashbuckling, art, music, food, events and general camaraderie among the Pyrates of New Orleans – past & present – and their mates from around the globe!

They’ve taken all the fun and also made it meaningful – throughout the 10 days Pyrates give back to the city they love…volunteering with rebuilding projects like lowernine.org and raising funds for many others. In 2009 they helped raise $10,000 for various charities in the city, including $8,000 to the family of NOPD Det. Tommie Felix.

NOLA Pyrate Week was originally conceived and developed in the heart of New Orleans by a small group of like minded “Pyrates of The New World” – now joined by many other Pyrates, Artists, Musicians, Community/Charitable Organizations, Krewes, Local Businesses and other citizens who support our creed: “Take what ye can…GIVE something back!”™

Join them on Facebook

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We’ll be at booth #300-301. Come by and say hello, and meet the Living Like a Pirate Crew!! All our new arrivals will be available for sale, we’ll be giving away some free booty and Captain Sparrow will be available for photo opportunities!!! It’s going to be a fun filled 4 day event!!

March 17, Thursday & Friday March 18….12pm-9pm
March 19, Saturday…………………10am-9pm
March 20, Sunday……………………10am-6pm

Discount admission  tickets available!

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FaceBook Fans use the code “NEW25″ for 25% off any of the NEW Items

- Pirate Chick Bling, Super Soft “Pirate Chick” Tank

What goes best with rum? Why BLING of course! Let your inner Pirate-Chick sparkle with our newest rhinestone design. This is sure to catch the eye of your favorite pirate!

On sale at the www.livinglikeapirate.com now!

-Wet Wench Charter

The first in a line of great things to come…introducing the Wet Wenches! Join the ladies for a rollicking deep-sea journey. With these girls handling your rod, your always guaranteed a good time!On sale at the www.livinglikeapirate.com now!

-Yo Ho

Yo, Ho! A Pirate’s life for me! Yeah, we’re talking about the song, what else? Of course, if you happen to know any slightly politically incorrect Pirates, this shirt would be perfect for them!

On sale at the www.livinglikeapirate.com now!

-Grab Some Booty

Pirates love the sea, Pirates love rum, but most of all Pirates love BOOTY! Far be it from us to suggest anyone grab anything inappropriate, but come on…we ARE Pirates, so, go for it!

On sale at the www.livinglikeapirate.com now!

-Tiki Bar2

Our favorite design just got a grown-up makeover! Now you can have your boat drinks and enjoy the pirate management at your local Tiki Bar in spectacular LLAP style

On sale at the www.livinglikeapirate.com now!

FaceBook Fans use the code “NEW25″ for 25% off any of the NEW Items

Code good thru 3/20

Not a facebook fan? …. click here!

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Coming off the heels, or rather boots, of the news earlier this week that six iron cannons from the lost ships of famed privateer Captain Henry Morgan were recovered off the coast of Panama, the Captain Morgan Rum Company expressed its gratitude to the archaeological team responsible for locating, recovering and returning the historical artifacts to their rightful owners.  In addition, the company has offered each adult member of the expedition team a barrel of their very own blend of rum, and will immortalize the team by renaming a section of the Captain Morgan distillery in St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands in their honor.

“We cannot thank these brave archaeologists  enough for recovering Captain Morgan’s lost cannons and returning them to us, as we all feared they were lost to the seven seas forever,” said a spokesperson for the Captain Morgan Society for the Preservation of Life, Love & Loot.

Additionally, the company firmly believes that the numerous bottles of Morgan’s spiced rum that were aboard the Satisfaction and his other ships off the coast of Panama remain on the ocean’s floor waiting to be recovered.  Towards that end, they have offered a reward and a role in a future advertising campaign to the professional fortune-hunter who recovers them, provided they do so responsibly and without damaging anything natural to environment.

“This is an historic find, important to further understanding one of the most revered naval men of all time, and as such, great care must be taken to ensure the preservation of the site. Captain Henry Morgan had quite a taste for his beloved rum, so it’s entirely possible that some of it went down with his ships and remains down there today,” said a brand historian.

“These bottles are just waiting to be discovered, not by a ‘sailor,’ but rather an individual that truly craved adventure,” said a brand historian. “Whoever recovers this truly original batch of Captain Morgan rum will be rewarded generously for their efforts, and their name will go down in history.”

Source: Captain Morgan

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Meet Russell Newberry, Star Deckboss from Discovery Channel’s Deadliest Catch. Russell will be greeting fans, signing autographs and telling tales of the Bering Sea. Thurs & Fri 1pm-3pm & 4pm-7pm Sat & Sun 11am-2pm & 3pm-6pm

Make no mistake, the main attraction of the Los Angeles Boat Show are the hundreds of new boats and marine accessories contained within South Hall at the L.A. Convention Center. There’s no other boat show west of the Mississippi with as much diversity or impact…..that’s a fact. But the Los Angeles Boat Show has also become synonymous with delivering great entertainment and enjoyment for the whole family. Unlike other one-dimensional boat shows that cater to a very narrow audience, the Los Angeles Boat Show provides a full-featured experience with an unlimited array of outstanding new boats from 6 to 60-feet, plus fun and exciting diversions for family members of all ages. When you attend the Los Angeles Boat Show, don’t be surprised to spot a couple of your favorite movie stars (celebrity lookalikes), or perhaps become part of the act with one of our talented novelty performers, or simply enjoy a live musical interlude. For the children, there’s always the popular free puppet show about water safety, fun balloon sculptures, and colorful face painting. SpongeBob SquarePants Appearance Saturday from 11am-3pm. Bottom-line, the boat show is a guaranteed fun family outing whether you intend on simply browsing or buying.

March 17-20, 2011
L.A. Convention Center, South Hall

SHOW HOURS

Thursday & Friday….12pm-9pm
Saturday…………………10am-9pm
Sunday……………………10am-6pm

Discount Admission Tickets

http://www.losangelesboatshow.com/discounts.cfm

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