Funk, Frivolity, and Florida History in Key West Key West, Florida, is more than a place. It’s a spirit, a funky energy that enters your soul and takes residence in your worldview as well as your inner vision. A state of mind more than a city; a way of life more than a place to live. It’s a lifestyle, not a destination. All expressed in the absurdist poetry that is Key West, a language not spoken anywhere else in the country. But even recognizing all this, I didn’t fully have a grasp on the essence of the town until I spotted several older men playing bocce ball. I asked another observer if lawn bowling is popular because many people of Italian descent live in Key West.