Miami--Top Ten Opinions on my Childhood Hometown

Miami is a unique destination for this blogger. It is my hometown, where I resided full-time from birth through going off to college in the early 1980s. It is where I developed my interests in cities, neighborhoods, sociology, and demographics.

It is like no other city in the United States: tropical climate, high rises juxtaposed against Biscayne Bay and the Atlantic Ocean, vibrant, sultry, sensual, over-the-top, delightful in Winter, and unpleasantly torrid in Summer.

Below are my Top Ten Thoughts on my hometown, based on 2 recent visits:

1. Great coffee. Thrice-daily lattes and café con leches fueled me.

   
   

2. Miamians of all persuasions—from Real Estate Moguls to Uber drivers—have great self-esteem. I didn't meet one humble, self-facing person on my two recent trips. Come to think of it, I never did during my childhood either!

   
   

3. Brickell is an amazing example of a walkable, high-density, pedestrian, and transit-oriented neighborhood.

   
   

4. On a good day, I am about 90% fluent in my second language, Spanish. If I lived in Miami, I would be 120% fluent, and the Cuban accent in which I learned Spanish would return!

   
   

5. I had insightful Spanish conversations with Uber drivers from Colombia, Venezuela, and Puerto Rico. They were amazed that someone grew up in Miami, and that I spoke decent Spanish!

   
   

6. Every type of Latin American food is well-represented

   from Peruvian Ceviche to Venezuelan Arepas to Argentinian empanadas to, of course my favorite Cuban Arroz con Pollo.

   
   

7. A few comparisons to Los Angeles, my home for the past 30 years: The redeveloped parts of Miami seem cleaner and have more user-friendly signage than their L.A. counterparts (Wynwood vs Arts District, Brickell vs Mid-Wilshire).

   
   

8. Public transport in the downtown Miami area seems cleaner and better used than its LA counterpart.

   
   

9. Aventura, a suburb on the Broward County border, has come into its own with a Brightline Station, an ever-expanding Shopping Mall, and residential high rises dotting the horizon.

10. Outside of New York City, Miami seems to be one of the few places where high-rise apartments or condos are considered desirable.

Stay tuned for more posts on Miami. All agreements or disagreements are welcome in the comments!