Florida: Fine Art and Smoked Mullet

Fine Art and Smoked Mullet

What one has to do with the other was a mystery but you have to admit it's an interesting combination--fine art and smoked mullet (a fish of some sort that's been smoked).  As we travel we look for the local restaurants, pubs, and unusual places--we can see a McDonald's anywhere but a treasure like this is a once in a lifetime opportunity.  We’ve been staying in Florida this year and have no international trips planned until later this year (late summer/early fall) so we’ve been exploring north central Florida.  The other day we took a drive out to Cedar Key--about 45 minutes from us.  Nice drive for most of the trip then the road turns boring as it flattens and straightens out like a ribbon to the coast.  

The bustling metropolis of Cedar Key (population 706) is primarily a tourist area.  Lots of little craft and antique shops along with the predictable array of shell shops and other chotzkies.  If you like to browse, there’s plenty of options down the main street.  But what caught our interest the most was a sign that said “Fine Art and Smoked Mullet.”  If nothing else, it causes you to ponder what one has to do with the other.  Curiosity got the best of us so we followed the arrow …

Once off the main street, there were no other signs as we wended our way through the side streets of suburban Cedar Key.  As we came across the above on a back street we knew we had found the world headquarters of "Fine Art and Smoked Mullet."  Although unoccupied and clearly no business within, the fine art was evident on the roof and sides.  The "mullet" in the middle has a body made of a 1/2 bushel basket and other assorted odd parts.  The bathing beauty is...well, a sight to behold.  Someone was clearly high on something when this creation was made.  Better yet, the town apparently hasn't bothered to remove the sign in years.  I doubt it will ever be on the National Register of Historic Places, but who knows?  Only in Florida !

It will be hard to top this in our travels, but we’ll keep looking.  I think a poster-sized reprint of this photo would look good on our living wall but Heide, thankfully, has more taste !   

For those of you who want the true experience, a few close-ups for detail...

Beach Babe--Fine Art

Rooster Critter w/Shovel for Snow--Fine Art

Mullet--Not sure this is smoked but the guy who put it up certainly had to be.