Dennis Tempel

No

U of Wisc, Madison
University College, London

Non-profit organizations, Key West:

Old Island Restoration Foundation (one of oldest historic presevation groups in US, circa 1950s)
15-years hosting House/Garden Tours (major fund-
raiser) & Board of Directors, Late 1980s-2003

Historic Florida Keys Preservation Commission,
3-years as judge for annual preservation awards

Friends of the Library, Director of Book Sales,
1997-present

Audubon House and Tropical Gardens, house tour docent, 2005-present

Architect, London, 1967-1980
Innkeeper, Key West, 1980-90
Curator, Historic Home, Donkey Milk House, 1991-97
Walking/Biking Tour Escort, 1997-present

I think of my whole life as an adventure. It has certainly been a fun ride, full of lots of highs and a few of those reality-check lows that strengthen our characters.

Passionate about where I live. Swimming every morning, biking 10-20 miles each day, Caribbean island life style, thousands of historical wood houses on National Register, creative atmosphere suiting artists/writers, clean air/healthy food/350
days of sunshine yearly, fascinating mixture of all sorts population. Who could ask for anything more....

I read voraciously.

I enjoy repairing/refinishing/restoring antique furniture.

Looking after the maintenance of an old house is theraputic, as is looking after the tropical jungle that can take over surrounding the house.

I'm not sure sure about "dreams" but I always wanted to be moving toward destinations that could allow for my free-spirit to be at its best.
London at the end of the 'Swinging Sixties' was a perfect fit. The '70s there was full of good work, glamorous life style and lots of (mainly European) travel. The '80s was the ideal life: hosting a successful bed & breakfast in the tropics for the winter and summers in London winding down my architectural practice while catching up on theater/friends/travel/the Good Life.
With the sale of the hotel, I had to do some roll-over investing and re-invented myself as a mini-Donald (a Trump-ette ? ) with properties in London (10 rental flats), Bucks County (PA, 2 houses on 20-acres) and Key West (2 historic homes). Suddenly, we had a RECESSION and I found myself having 'fire sales' in all three locations. My positive energy saw me through; less is more and a return to VERY modest means was good for me. My one house in Key West is now full time. I held onto my modest flat in London (into which I had moved in 1967) until 2000. I had lost my zest for England (both of us had changed) and am very happy to have only one property, my home now for nearly 20-years and I'm still in a head-over-heels honeymoon with every historical square inch. Scarry!

A couple of my architectural projects were taken up in UK glossy magazines, 1970-80s.

The Key West Inn received favorable reviews in the travel guides of the time and a NY Times recommendation during the first year of operation, 1980s.

The restoration of Donkey Milk House received various awards, was featured in US/European glossies and filmed for two programs on HGTV
("If Walls Could Talk' & 'Restore America').


I'm asked by the Tourist Development Council to look after visiting jounalists (US and Europe) who end up writing about or filming my walking/biking tours.

Everyone hates a show-off, but FACTS:

I still have a full head of hair (no comb-over/
transplants),
I'm the same weight/waist (155lbs./31") I was in high school,
I read and have pretty good far sight with out corrective lens.

Now before going into uncontrollable gagging, quickly superimpose these realities on the above:

Agressive silver hairs have pushed the gold strands into a pathetic minority,
The charming laugh lines of youth are now a permanent map of wrinkles,
Annoying forces of gravity have left me with one or two saggy bits.

HOWEVER, I'm still told that I remind people of Douglas Fairbanks Jr. They go on, unnecessarily,
to say "you know, the old actor" (always with rather excessive emphasis on the 'old')

I've been practicing the twist with hopes that Clair Gother and Jennifer Smart will be available to recreate some of our award-winning moves.

8th May 2011:

Auto-send out has requested an update:
No changes to report. After a winter of incredibly good weather, perhaps I'm even more delighted with my life here in Key West AND I'm still Twisting to express contentment with my good fortune.


25th March 2015

I am just coming to the end of a four generation association with Whitefish Bay. My Great Grandfather was one of the earliest settlers and one of the handful of landowners who siged the documents when the village incorporated in the 19th c. My paternal grandfather was born in the Bay. In his teens he worked part-time at the WFB Resort (a bit like me working at the Big Boy after school?). Part of the farm he inherited provided the land for St Monica's and Dominican.

My parents moved to the Bay before I was born. They acquired an Edgewood 2 (later 332) phone. That number went with them when they moved to the brick house on the Lake Dr/Lake Forest corner in '63.

I was staying at the house at the beginning of March. My dad died a few months short of Birthday 98. After the funeral I was busy giving family treasures to neighbors and readying the house for sale. I called AT&T to disconnect the phone. I asked the representative if this was a record, a number with the same subscriber for 72 years. I think she said "HUH ?" So much for my fantasy of a Guinness World Book mention.

My father was an amazing guy. He looked after my mother single-handedly for years as she declined with Alzheimers. She died at home in 2012 around the time of their 74th wedding anniversary. She was 94.

I arranged for two favorite nurses (who had assisted my mother) to look after my dad. I began to commute, giving my dad a week in the Bay every month or two while keeping my tour business going in Key West. My dad retained all of his sharpness of mind. We bonded in those years in a way that had never been available to us in earlier times. This was a gift for which I shall always be gratefull.

My dad took a studio apartment at St John's on Prospect when the two flights of stairs became difficult. St John's was like a fountain of youth. His zest for life and sense of humor bumped up a few notches when he began to be presented with tasty meals each day, a schedule of weekly events offering classes, classic films, lectures and concerts. He went to the library every morning to get thro' the NY Times, Wall St Journal and (of course) The Milw. J/S. He went to the gym to work on the macines for 40-50 mins. every morning and did a similar session in the afternoon if he didn't have a visitor.
He remained an outrageous flirt with all the women and was on hugging terms with MANY of the great staff members there. I participated in most of this love-festing during my visits.

I hope many of us will be able to enjoy this quality of life to the very end.









5th July 2012:

Important clarification:
I have never consumed a martini.
Donkeys in Key West were not milked.
There is no Donkey Milk House recipe book under consideration.


Persistant Bruce Bendinger was told that DONKEY carts delivered cow's MILK in the 19th century, that my house backs onto DONKEY MILK LANE (for milkpersons to make delivery via servant's entrance) and that donkeys hated being milked (as did the mules that powered our 19th c. trolly cars).

However, one must humor those with youthful senses of frivolity....

Meanwhile, Life for me remains unchanged and GOOD on the little caribbean island with a zip code.