Have Fun with Two Naked Monkeys
By Gary S, Hatrick
What happens when a New Yorker comes down to Florida, buys a seedy motel, and renovates it into a tropical Florida resort? Well in this case you get Two Naked Monkeys.
Truthfully, Two Naked Monkeys Bar is only part of the renovation that former Empire Stater Michael Bremmer has done at the sight of the old Happy Hill Motel on US 301 between Dade City and Zephyrhills, but it is the part with the best name recognition unless you count an old trolley car turned food truck called, A Streetcar Named Desire.
When Bremmer talks, you can hear his home.
“I've been in Florida for two-and-a half-years,” said Bremmer, 68. “I'm from the south shore of Long Island in New York. I had a waterfront place, a bar/restaurant in New York for 15 years. I sold all my crap up there and said: that's enough, I'm moving to Florida.”
“I bought this place outright,” Bremmer continued. “I thought that, you know, a little inn might be a nice retirement hobby Uh-huh, but I got bar business in my blood, so …”
The whole resort area is called Libertine Key. It is an adults-only resort – “no kids, no pets,” Bremmer said. This is a place for adults to get away by themselves with no distractions. It currently consists of three parts.
The first part is the Liberty Inn Executive Inn Motel. The motel is renovated entirely and features 10 rooms each with a full kitchenette, jumbo TV, modern bath, queen size bed, work station, and a pullout couch. In addition, a coffee maker, coffee, creamer, and housekeeping are included with the booking.
Stay one day or more. “We do weekly discounts. We do monthly discounts, but you can't stay more than six months,” Bremmer said.
The second part is the Two Naked Monkeys Bar, a tiki bar described this way on the resort website: “Kick off your shoes and dance on our white sand beach, relax on our sun loungers, get yourself a VIP cabana or enjoy a drink around our mini lagoon fountain while enjoying the music from the best local bands.”
“At the moment we're doingcountry and Southern rock on Fridays, dance music on Saturdays, and then, ‘Chill’ on Sundays, - small acts – laid-back beachy kind of stuff, a little[;Jimmy] Buffet, and some reggae and whatever,” Bremmer explained.
TheTwo Naked Monkeys Bar is open to the public with no cover charge, but again, no kids no pets. Liquor is available so the minimum age is 21.
Third is A Streetcar Named Desire, after all, what would a tropical resort be without food?
The truck has a variety of odds to please a variety of tastes. “We have New York sandwiches.”Bremmer said. “So we have like a 12-ounce ridiculous chicken sandwich, pork sandwiches, Reuben Sandwiches,and everything is served on bagels.It's got that New York kind of a flare to it.Okay, okay, everything is overserved. We don't feed you; we overfeed you. Okay. And then, we got a zillion appetizers as well,”
In case you’re wondering about the name, Bremmer is one of the naked moneys. The name came to him in his sleep. Originally there were two, but the other decided to stay up north, but he kept the name. “The deal fell through - one monkey now,” he chuckles.
The Libertine Key is located at 8744 Gall Blvd. Zephyrhills, FL 3354. Prices and eventsat Libertine Key can be found on the website, Libertine Key.com. Check out what’s happening or call (631) 804.0595.
