Today I'll continue my report on the less-familiar aspects of Miami. As soon as I moved here I thought that Miami felt quite different than the other (numerous) places I've lived in the U.S. It can take quite a bit of thought, though, to pin down exactly what feels different, but here's a start:
1. All the windows have decorative grilles over them. I live in what is called a "transitioning" neighborhood, which means we have well-appointed houses and fancy art galleries quite near to convenience stores that accept food stamps. So I did wonder if the grilles were for safety. They are, but from hurricanes rather than people. They're made so that you can slip wood in between the grille and the window during hurricanes, which looks like a lot less work than boarding up your windows.
2. The summer is "off-season." Sure, summer is still the hottest part of the year. But the growing season actually takes place from October-April, when it's not so hot. And since all the tourists visit in the winter, summer is the time to snag deals at restaurants and hotels.
3. Miami has a reputation for a strong focus on bodily beauty. This does appear to be true. I especially enjoy the weekly plastic surgery advice column in the paper.
3 comments:
Is the grille at your own personal windows?
lol! The weekly plastic surgery article. I wish there were some equivalent here in Amsterdam (local flavor, not the body image obsession)
I found the color palette in Florida unique, as well as the propensity for the locals to spend time outdoors. Are these common in other areas where you've lived?
Also, having moved there from Iowa I found it shocking (in a delightful way) how long people would hold doors open for one another - they weren't the least bit concerned about the mosquitoes coming in or the cool air getting out!
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