Miami - more than just a party city (Miami Lakes, Seminole: home, theatre)
MiamiMiami-Dade County
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I've seen many people come on this forum and say that Miami is only about the party scene. That shallow club scene is a big part of Miami, no doubt. But I live in Miami and am so far removed from that I don't even see it. Here's my Miami reality, just to give you an example of another Miami niche that's out there:
I hang out with people whose scene it is to live low-key and minimally, and to not stand out. We also try to make as little ecological impact on the Earth as possible. We reduce, reuse, recycle in every way. We sometimes shop at thrift stores, use Freecycle, and use Earth-friendly cleaning products. We drive ecologically efficient used vehicles. We don't play the "keeping up with the Joneses" game. We don't care if others think we're uncool. We know we're cool!
We are parents with traditional, conservative social upbringing styles. We try to teach our children to be ethical, concientous, civil, and to live mindful lives. They're taught that their actions have consequences. We are very involved in their education. They participate in soccer, flag football, t-ball, and little league baseball. We're there at every game, trying our best to keep out of the game.
We feel vested in our community through our places of employment, our children's schools, and our places of worship. Many of us take on leadership roles in these places.
Our entertainment includes film and theatre; in particular, shows at the Adrienne Arsht Center, though not limited to that venue. Also local sporting events - Marlins, Dolphins, Heat, Panthers, college games, etc. We attend art exhibits at the many museums in Miami (yes! we have museums!). We take our children with us to try to pass these interests on another generation. We also read, participate in book clubs, attend the Int'l Book Fair every year, and host and attend themed dinner parties. We travel when we can to broaden our view of the world.
We try to support mom & pop businesses when possible.
Outdoor recreational activities we do are kayaking, biking, camping, snorkeling, scuba diving, fishing, trips to the Everglades, letterboxing, and none of us own a boat - an unnecessary luxury.
We volunteer with the Red Cross, Special Olympics, animal rescues, and several other organization in South Florida.
We are members of Woman's Clubs, Optimist Clubs, Lion's Clubs, Rotary Clubs, etc.
We are Hispanic (mostly Cuban-American, but also Venezuelan, Colombian, Chilean, Uruguayan), anglo, black, white, African, European, Asian, Christian, Jewish, Muslim, agnostic, and atheist. Our ages range from 20's to 60's. We all get along.
We all have advanced degrees and speak more than one language - even the anglos!
I bring all this up because everytime I hear someone on here say something about the only scene in Miami is the club/party scene and everyone is so shallow, I can't reconcile this with my daily life in Miami and I wonder how did I end up in what I consider to be this great little niche in this "god-forsaken shallow party world."
Well, I think the answer is that this is not (just) a god-forsaken shallow party world; you just have to get away from the clubs and look elsewhere.
Go volunteer at some organizations; join some of those clubs I mentioned, or others; go attend a place of worship and get involved with their social groups; get involved in the ecological world of South Florida, there is so much there, like the Everglades and coral reefs; learn about the Miccosukees and the Seminoles; learn about the local history of this place, also so much there - try to attend one of Paul George's (http://www.hmsf.org/programs-adult.htm - broken link) walking tours or a Miami Memorabilia meeting with Seth Bramson. Those guys will show you a Miami you never knew was there, and it's right under your nose.
This is just the tip of the iceberg; there's a lot more to Miami than just the shallow, egocentric club scene. I've been here since 1971 and this is the Miami I know. Just another perspective.
I've seen many people come on this forum and say that Miami is only about the party scene. That shallow club scene is a big part of Miami, no doubt. But I live in Miami and am so far removed from that I don't even see it. Here's my Miami reality, just to give you an example of another Miami niche that's out there:
I hang out with people whose scene it is to live low-key and minimally, and to not stand out. We also try to make as little ecological impact on the Earth as possible. We reduce, reuse, recycle in every way. We sometimes shop at thrift stores, use Freecycle, and use Earth-friendly cleaning products. We drive ecologically efficient used vehicles. We don't play the "keeping up with the Joneses" game. We don't care if others think we're uncool. We know we're cool!
We are parents with traditional, conservative social upbringing styles. We try to teach our children to be ethical, concientous, civil, and to live mindful lives. They're taught that their actions have consequences. We are very involved in their education. They participate in soccer, flag football, t-ball, and little league baseball. We're there at every game, trying our best to keep out of the game.
We feel vested in our community through our places of employment, our children's schools, and our places of worship. Many of us take on leadership roles in these places.
Our entertainment includes film and theatre; in particular, shows at the Adrienne Arsht Center, though not limited to that venue. Also local sporting events - Marlins, Dolphins, Heat, Panthers, college games, etc. We attend art exhibits at the many museums in Miami (yes! we have museums!). We take our children with us to try to pass these interests on another generation. We also read, participate in book clubs, attend the Int'l Book Fair every year, and host and attend themed dinner parties. We travel when we can to broaden our view of the world.
We try to support mom & pop businesses when possible.
Outdoor recreational activities we do are kayaking, biking, camping, snorkeling, scuba diving, fishing, trips to the Everglades, letterboxing, and none of us own a boat - an unnecessary luxury.
We volunteer with the Red Cross, Special Olympics, animal rescues, and several other organization in South Florida.
We are members of Woman's Clubs, Optimist Clubs, Lion's Clubs, Rotary Clubs, etc.
We are Hispanic (mostly Cuban-American, but also Venezuelan, Colombian, Chilean, Uruguayan), anglo, black, white, African, European, Asian, Christian, Jewish, Muslim, agnostic, and atheist. Our ages range from 20's to 60's. We all get along.
We all have advanced degrees and speak more than one language - even the anglos!
I bring all this up because everytime I hear someone on here say something about the only scene in Miami is the club/party scene and everyone is so shallow, I can't reconcile this with my daily life in Miami and I wonder how did I end up in what I consider to be this great little niche in this "god-forsaken shallow party world."
Well, I think the answer is that this is not (just) a god-forsaken shallow party world; you just have to get away from the clubs and look elsewhere.
Go volunteer at some organizations; join some of those clubs I mentioned, or others; go attend a place of worship and get involved with their social groups; get involved in the ecological world of South Florida, there is so much there, like the Everglades and coral reefs; learn about the Miccosukees and the Seminoles; learn about the local history of this place, also so much there - try to attend one of Paul George's (http://www.hmsf.org/programs-adult.htm - broken link) walking tours or a Miami Memorabilia meeting with Seth Bramson. Those guys will show you a Miami you never knew was there, and it's right under your nose.
This is just the tip of the iceberg; there's a lot more to Miami than just the shallow, egocentric club scene. I've been here since 1971 and this is the Miami I know. Just another perspective.
People who say those negative things live in South Beach, Downtown, Brickell areas, consumed with the touristy image of Miami. Meanwhile, the REST of Miami is very normal, hard working, God fearing, tax paying, law abiding citizens...but that's boring, isn't it.
A lot of people are very socially inept and really need to be forced into situations to actually get involved. A lot of people mainly hangout with friends that they made in childhood when creating friends was easier. As they get older they may gradually add an associate here or there from people they work with on a constant basis. But when it comes to simply going out and meeting bonafide new people randomly many people are very intimidated of this. Then when you add in things from Miami like the heavy Latin culture it becomes much more intimidating. These people are going to go out and take salsa lessons or join some type of club. So instead they simply go to work and come home, then go back to work and come home again... An most of the people like you enjoying their lives day to day will simply ignore them.
So then these people feel rejected because no one came up to them and said "hey do you want to be on my kickball team" like when they were kids. So basically they either find some decent friends at work or they don't find any friends at all. And instead of blaming on the fact that they don't really have the initiative to go out and make new friends its easier to simply blame it on Miami so they don't have to take responsibility for their actions.
I'm mean seriously, there is a thread where a young college student can't make friends while in college!!! The person talks about how college students in Miami want to go to nightclubs and get drunk and how that is not what they're into. And then blames it on Miami!?!?! If you not into going out and getting drunk you probably aren't going to make to many friends an the majority of colleges in America.
And then the person talks about how they looked for friends at meetup.com. Why would you be looking for friends on the internet when you are in college and have countless groups to join??? Again most people are very socially inept, and this simply doesn't mix well with a city like Miami.
NYer75 ~ Yes, it's boring, my daily life is fairly normal and unremarkable, and I guess that's why people don't see that side of Miami. It's not glitzy. But it's interesting and of substance, which contradicts what so many people on this forum say about the Miami people and experience. I don't know any of those shallow people I keep hearing about on here! I guess we are the "nerds" of Miami, but like I said, we know we're cool & we don't need to drive a "bimmer" to prove it.
gixxer ~ My undergrad degree is from Alabama and yep, it was all about frat & sorority parties, and going to "the strip" to drink and party as much as possible! That is just part of college life (and it was a blast back then, but I grew up), so it's not just a Miami thing. It's a "I finally have a little freedom from my parents and I'm gonna live it up" thing. But there were other college kids that weren't into that scene, and that's great, too. They attended or participated in piano/violin recitals, lectures, poetry readings, school theatrical productions, etc. (I did all that, too). Then of course there are all the athletic opportunities on a college campus for everyone. That thread was what threw me over the edge to finally wonder out loud about this - are my friends and I the only ones who don't live this shallow Miami experience? To read this forum, you'd think that's all there is, but I'm here so I know it can't be.
NYer75 ~ Yes, it's boring, my daily life is fairly normal and unremarkable, and I guess that's why people don't see that side of Miami. It's not glitzy. But it's interesting and of substance, which contradicts what so many people on this forum say about the Miami people and experience. I don't know any of those shallow people I keep hearing about on here! I guess we are the "nerds" of Miami, but like I said, we know we're cool & we don't need to drive a "bimmer" to prove it.
gixxer ~ My undergrad degree is from Alabama and yep, it was all about frat & sorority parties, and going to "the strip" to drink and party as much as possible! That is just part of college life (and it was a blast back then, but I grew up), so it's not just a Miami thing. It's a "I finally have a little freedom from my parents and I'm gonna live it up" thing. But there were other college kids that weren't into that scene, and that's great, too. They attended or participated in piano/violin recitals, lectures, poetry readings, school theatrical productions, etc. (I did all that, too). Then of course there are all the athletic opportunities on a college campus for everyone. That thread was what threw me over the edge to finally wonder out loud about this - are my friends and I the only ones who don't live this shallow Miami experience? To read this forum, you'd think that's all there is, but I'm here so I know it can't be.
All those negative things people say about Miami, people say about every other major city in America. You will always have people who live in La La Land and think big cities should be perfect.
My husband just returned from a 4 day trip to Miami with a job offer. He lived in Miami Lakes for almost a year and loved it, and has been searching for a suitable opportunity in South Florida for the past 6 months or so.
I, on the other hand, have never lived outside of Los Agneles county my entire life. I love Southern California for the beautiful diverse scenery and people. Although the people can suck a lot. And the traffic. And public transit. And taxes. And housing costs.
But still.
I am flat out TERRIFIED of moving to the other coast. I have been trying to cram some research in to see if the salary offered will make the cut (it's less than he's making now by quite a bit, but housing costs in FL seem to be anywhere from 20 to 65% less than where we are in So Cal) and was getting more and more nervous as I read the posts here.
I realize that it can't all be that bad but my only frame of reference is a week in South Beach and my husband's fond recollections. However, it was a few years ago and he was younger and single, so priorities have kind of changed now that we have a 7 month old son.
Anyway, your post injected a much need dose of reality. Just like L.A. isn't all Beverly Hills 90210 OR Training Day, I'm guessing Miami's surrounding areas have a bit more dimension than the visions of the ultra rich or drug addled party kids and gangbanging Cubans.
I'm still scared as hell, but can go back to looking at things a little more rationally.
This kind of post is like a balm for our ears. Miami is starving for new activities...Thks a lot.
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