Miamians, Former Miamians - POLL!

[Gringo]

I'm finally moving to California after 3.5 looooong years in Miami.

I'm sooo glad to be leaving.


What do you think of Miami?

I think it's a combination of them all.

However, Miami is a far sight nicer to live in than Los Angeles.

[greatauntoftriplets]

1. Have you ever read Tim Dorsey's novels?

First one is called Florida Roadkill. There are now five in the series, one funnier than the other.

[catzies]

2. Ha ha! This ex-Miamian lives in LA!

I still go back every few years when I need a humidity fix.

I don't miss mosquitoes and palmetto bugs, but the mosquitoes miss me.

From where in Miami are you leaving, and to where in LA are you going?

[Gringo]

3. Actually, I'm moving to SF.

I just mentioned LA because it hs many of Miami's faults, but fewer charms. LA: worse traffic, ugly beaches with ice-cold water and creepy people around, terrifying crime and gang violence, filthy air...

At least Miami has clean air, and the beaches are fit for swimming most of the year. As rude as the people are here, at least they are real. LA people mostly seem so fake, and selfish - and LA seems so much more segregated.

Anyway, I live in the Brickell area near downtown, almost by Little Havana.

Used to live in Kendall - an extremely boring suburb.

[catzies]

6. My dad lives in Kendall now and OJ lives a few blocks away.

But when I was growing up we lived in Coconut Grove.

[Gringo]

7. You can tell Coconut Grove must have been wonderful back in the day

The yuppies have taken it over now, very trendy and pricey with huge, expensive highrise condos going up everywhere. I love the canopy of trees on the old highway south of there. The saddest thing about Miami is that there are miles and miles of beautiful coastline, and almost all of it is obstructed by rich a-holes' mansions or huge high-rises.

Not a model of civic planning, Miami.

[Gringo]

5. Our duplex is being torn down

Most of the other tenants have already left, so the RATS from their apartments apparently came over to our apartment and took up residence. I saw one and put out traps & killed 3 in 2 days, then caught one myself in a bucket. I had to smash it under some plywood (that's right, PETA people). The lady downstairs caught one. Downtown Miami is overrun with rats. It's buggy here too. I'm really not cut out for the tropics.

[anti-NAFTA]

4. This Miamian loves Miami

but will be moving to NYC for college.

[RebelOne]

8. I moved to Miami from Philly when I was 4 years old.

Lived there most of my life, except for a year in California and a few months in Alabama and New Jersey. I moved to the Atlanta area in 1989. That's the smartest move I ever made. My name for Miami is "the Hellhole of the South."

[Gringo]

9. Some of the Cubans here are full-on fascists

And that's not just lefty rhetoric. Ever see the Cuban gun-runners in 'JFK'? That film was not exaggerating. It's more peaceful now, but there were political assassinations all the time here in the 60's, 70's & 80's.

[Gringo]

10. kick

for the night folks' take.

[Awsi Dooger]

11. Love Miami and can't wait to move back

I would be there now if my sports consultant business were 100% internet based.

Grew up in the southwest suburbs and simply feel more comfortable there than anywhere else. Reasonably priced golf, dominant 'Canes football at the metallic house of horrors Orange Bowl, relaxing drives through majestic tree-lined Coral Gables, fantastic Shorty's barbeque grub on South Dixie Highway, legit beaches, plenty of interesting quick day trips, and most important all my relatives nearby.

I loved LA during college, then was immediately lost and discontent after graduation. The people in California were extremely friendly and less judgmental than Miamians, but I hated the traffic and always viewed the freeway stalls as a metaphor for my life in LA. However, there is no greater truth than the Beach Boys' evaluation of California Girls!

catzies, your dad must live near Killian High School. O.J. lives just a bit south of there. I see O.J. several times whenever I'm in Miami, searching for Nicole's killers every afternoon at Calusa Country Club.

BTW, I've been emailing with jiacinto and he would definitely chime in with a NO vote regarding Miami. Exact quote: "more than one mile inland and the entire area is seedy."

[dmr]

12. All of the above

Spent more than 20 years in Miami. I left in 2001 and will never return.