Moving From Miami to Miami Beach is a Sobering Fantasy

Wow, Matt, great article.  I never thought of SoBe that way.  What do you think of about those who have spent most of their lives there?  Does that mean they have only been dreaming?  Just curious.

Posted on 09/13/2010 at 4:18 PM

South Beach is a world unto itself, no doubt.  Its an inspiring place.  In discussions I’ve had, the following two questions always get raised whenever the topic of leaving the beach comes up:  1) why leave the beach if you don’t have to, and 2) why would you want to go through the hassle?  It’s been my experience that people who live here, love it and simply want to enjoy life.  It’s easy to do here.

Enjoyed the article, Matt.

Posted on 09/13/2010 at 7:08 PM

Wow. I think that has to be one of the best things you’ve ever written. And as a beach girl, I have to completely agree with everything you said (for once!). Now stop trying to drag me across 395, I don’t wanna go!!!

In all seriousness, loved it Bob.

Posted on 09/14/2010 at 8:19 AM

Back in my 20s, I spent four months in Torremolinos, Spain, which is like a Cancun for Europeans. I was tending bar and working as a karaoke MC.

It was the best summer of my life but I lived it just the way you described the beach people living.

I left in September after the summer because tourist season had ended and it was getting cold. I needed to get back into reality, so I ended up moving to Dublin after traveling through France.

But on South Beach, the seasons really never change. It’s always tourist season. So I would imagine it would be harder to leave if you’re caught up in that fantasy life you mentioned.

Posted on 09/14/2010 at 9:54 AM

I know exactly the feeling that you are describing in your article.  It’s a kind of spontaneity.  One of the things that first attracted me to South Beach.  I thought it was gone now.  I’m glad it’s still around!

Posted on 09/14/2010 at 10:08 AM

don’t let your experience speak for the rest of us.

Posted on 09/14/2010 at 10:31 AM

Its not like those people in the city are going to be doing something unprecedented and that you will miss out by living on the beach.  Its also highly unlikely that you will change the course of history by living in the city vs. the beach.  So i ask exacly what is it that they will be “moving on to”?  Do you mean maturing or carrying on with your life?    The fact is your life is short and its the only one you got and it should be lived how you see fit whether thats on the beach or in the city, fast or slow, clear or blurry, etc.

Posted on 09/14/2010 at 1:47 PM

Life sure is great for a local.  Dont you wish you were more local.  So you would never be bored with nothing to do. We’ve got the short list of municipal jobs with great pay, just don’t be so local okay.  The whole world makes your life reality TV here so don’t forget to smile.  Unless they come from NYC the tourists forget, it’s just so humid.

Posted on 09/14/2010 at 4:27 PM

“The whole world makes your life reality TV here so don’t forget to smile.”

It really would help me if you would smile more.  Some of you are doing fine.  Thanks. 

Posted on 09/14/2010 at 4:40 PM

LaFemme - Lifers are a rare and weird breed. The people I know that were born in South Beach were born there when it was ghetto, and have since been forced out by skyrocketing rents and gentrification. I think the people that stay in the Beach for a long time are those that never want ot face reality. Which I guess is fine.

Scott - That’s the same argument I here from New Yorkers. Why leave if you don’t have to? Why? Because there’s a whole country out there full of stuff you have no idea about, so it’s probably a good idea to see what the f*** else is going on so you don’t sound liek an idiot when you have no idea about the country you live in. Incidentally, I don’t apply this rule to seeing the entire world, as that is cost-prohibitive to many people. But seeing your entire city? That’s a $2 bus ride.

Steve - Absolutely. Live however you like. I’m just observing that Beach people, unlike the City people Ive been around for years, have no intention of doing anything real with their lives. Whether that’s good or bad is wholly subjective. But the fact remains that South Beach is not a place you go to mature or take any kind of responsibility for anything.

AW - That the f**k are you talking about?

Posted on 09/14/2010 at 8:57 PM

Matt,
I took you semi-seriously up until this response.  Really?  A whole country full of stuff that I (or others) have no idea about?  So we should leave the beach so we don’t sound like idiots?

Really?  This is the argument?

Posted on 09/14/2010 at 11:45 PM

Yeah well, I have lived elsewhere, I have lived in plenty of places and there is nothing like South Beach. Is it fantasy land? Yes. Do I care? No. To live in a place where there is no stress and lots of sunshine is priceless. And if the ‘real world’ moves on without me, I don’t think I’ll mind that much, as I am happier living here than anywhere else.

Posted on 09/15/2010 at 10:48 AM

Re: everything Jess just said…

Word.

At the end of the day, all you have are memories.  Life in South Beach has given, and continues to give, some of the best in my life.

Posted on 09/15/2010 at 10:54 AM

So Matt -  You did the Morrison thing and broke on through to the other side ?

Posted on 09/15/2010 at 3:23 PM

Great article, Matt and while I agree that what you write is true for many people who see South Beach as an escape or a temporary life, I also know there are plenty of stable, “normal” people who call Miami Beach home.  They even raise kids there!  I think it’s not so much about the place, but how you choose to live there.  I think you are speaking about a particular demographic, but not of the beach culture in its entirety.  I moved back to the mainland for convenience and for other reasons but it had nothing to do with getting back to reality.

I do believe however that “beach” people who never set foot across the causeway are missing out on a lot. But that’s there choice.

Posted on 09/16/2010 at 2:38 PM

Scott - Maybe YOU are up to date on what’s going on in the world around you. And that’s great. But I guarantee you could walk into a Starbucks on Lincoln and ask 10 people their opinion of the Tea Party, and MAYBE one would know what you were talking about. Asmit it. There are some STUPID fucking people in South Beach, and even the smart ones do not tend to be the best informed. They just don’t care to know. Not ALL, but A LOT. If you’ve learned nothing nothing me, I generalize and stereotype all the time. It’s faster.

MDLA - As I said in the forums, this is typically aimed at South Beach, not so much all of Miami Beach. So, yeah, there’s a lot of families and whatnot when you get up north on Pine Tree and into the 40s-80s. But south of Dade Blvd.? This is a lot of what you get. And look, even YOU moved back to the City when you were done with it. Not exactly moving back to Chicago or wherever, but back to some semblance of reality.

UTS - I moved out here because I got a job that required it. And there’s worse places to have a job require you to live.

Posted on 09/16/2010 at 4:47 PM

“Beach people aren’t real people. They’re phases of real people’s lives.” “It’s not their real life. It’s the part of their life that will be a pleasant memory, and nothing more.”
Excellent article and I totally agree with these quotes. I’ve had this opinion of most young SoBe residents for a long time. It’s not bad to drop out of real life for awhile.

Posted on 09/16/2010 at 6:46 PM

I have lived most of my life in Detroit and seen lots of real life. Most of it has been good and if it were sunny and warm all year round I wouldn’t want to spend at least half a year in Miami Beach. But I think that the article speaks more to the three blocks on the east side of south beach and ignores the population west of Washington. Part of Matt’s comments are indicative of many if not most young people as far as politics are concerned but I really think that for me South Beach has a quality of life which exceeds my highest dreams and I am glad that I can call it home, at least for half the year if not a little more.

Posted on 09/17/2010 at 3:09 PM

sunaddicted, snowbirds like you are part of that transient feel. You may love it here, when its convenient for you, and that’s great for you. But snowbirds are here to get away from where their “real” lives are, most of the time. It’s where you winter, not where you live. real Cities, even Miami, have year-round residents who deal with the bullshit all the time, not using the city as an escape from the cold. I’m sorry if that comes off harsh towrds snowbirds, a lot of them are really cool people. But it’s still not real life.

Posted on 09/18/2010 at 11:07 AM

I don’t really think Miami Beach is the haven for snowbirds that places further north like Delray Beach or Boca Raton are. That phase of life in Miami is long past. Those of us snowbirds, and I will probably be in Miami more than up north, that call Miami “home” are going against the flow because we are not looking for a warm version of what we have up north. One thing I really love about the beach is the youth factor. I like being among younger people, frankly. I like being in a more creative climate, more with it architecture and a pedestrian lifestyle. I also think its unfair to label life in Miami Beach as not real. Exactly what is “real” life. My real life maybe someone elses fantasy or vice versa but it is real to me. You only live once and the time is frankly limited (you can tell my age) so live life as you want it, it is real for you.

I doubt people in Iowa think life in NYC is real but I also doubt people in NYC think life in Iowa is real either.

Posted on 09/18/2010 at 9:31 PM

Very funny article, I think that beach life is surely this way.  When you live for the tan, the parties, and the sand, everything else falls by the wayside.  Beauty and vanity become all encompassing and simple meals become pleasures of life.

Posted on 09/20/2010 at 10:09 AM

Good point sunaddicted. Although Gainesville also sounds like it encompasses everything you want too.

And you think every condo in Miami is occupied by a year-round resident? You’re nuts. Miami is choc-full of snowbirds, or people who “have a place” here. A lot of them are from South of the Border, but it’s the same thing.

Posted on 09/20/2010 at 3:03 PM

I am a resident of ohio and plan on relocating to south beach area. I plan on selling real estate and running a document delivery service to support myself. I cant wait, possibly 24 months from now i will be one of the beach people. I want to know as much as possible about everyday life in the south beach area.

Posted on 09/29/2010 at 10:01 PM

Hi Ron,

Congratulations on your upcoming move.

The real estate industry is a little soft, right now, but if there’s one thing Miami Beach history has shown us, it will bounce back. It amazing how many people have made their fortune selling real estate down here, and it seems like every few years, there is a new top dog on the block.

To stay up-to-date on what’s going on, I suggested joining our forum and subscribing to our Facebook page, by “Liking” us.

Keep in touch!

Gus

Posted on 09/30/2010 at 8:19 AM

I’m wondering though, Gus, if this time may be different. I don’t believe Miami has ever had such an over-abundance of supply that cannot feasibily make it down to a price point where demand can meet it (I don’t see 3 BR condos in thos highrises dropping down to 150K). Also, the city’s job market would have to improve dramatically to get enough people in all those empty condos. Third, I don’t think the City or county is going to allow many large-scale projects like this again to avoid such a bust. Our government is greedy and stupid, but not that dumb.

Real estate, Ron, not a good idea to plan on if you’re gonna make Miami home. Document delivery, on the other hand. That might work.

Posted on 09/30/2010 at 4:58 PM

Matt, the way I see it, the overabundance of condos means there is just more stuff to sell.  Eventually, someone will have to live in them.

What I was trying to point out is, I’ve met so many Miami realtors who’ve made a nice carrier for themselves, starting from scratch—Lyle Chariff, Mark Zilbert, Bryan Sereny,  Jeff Moor, Kevin Tomlinson—all these guys were able to make a name for themselves in a relativity short period of time.

But just like with anything, you gotta have a gimmick.

Speaking Spanish, Russian, or Portuguese also helps.

And for the first year or two, a second job and/or a fat trust fund is a must!

Posted on 09/30/2010 at 6:12 PM

As a snowbird, we are getting ready to escape reality and “fly” down to Miami Beach stopping along the way since we have no jobs, no obligations, no time schedule, to worry about. I think that south Florida will bounce back before much of the country and south beach will lead the way since it is a natural and world famous vacation spot, not just a place for people to wait out the winter until they can go “home”. I thought this was an interesting discussion and look forward to life, real or not, where the leaves aren’t on the ground, snow isn’t in the air, and where I can walk to a concert, a movie, or dinner; in fact all of them on the same evening if I choose.

Matt, you are too young to be so pessimistic. The physical beauty of the beach, the bay, the skyline, the graceful cruise ships gliding by, and the persistent sunshine (most of the time) coupled with the music and excitement in the air should work better than Celexa or any other anti-depressant. It certainly works for me. While others go to see a shrink I go to the beach. Ron welcome to the beach. It ain’t Kansas and that goes double for Ohio.

Posted on 10/01/2010 at 2:54 PM

Hey, I’m not pessimistic. I’m realistic. I know that’s what all pessimists say. But, again, life is a lot harder here when you have to do things like find work, pay bills that you may not be able to afford, meet friends/romantic partners and the like. A lot harder than in most other cities.

I am reading a very interesting book right now that talks about the potential for economic growth in various cities (will review for this site when I’m done). It says that cities who’s only growing sectors are healthcare and education really do not have much potential for real growth. Which, shockingly, are the 2 sectors people always talk about there bieng jobs for here. I think we are actually going to lag far behind the rest of the country in terms or recovery, mostly because we rank so low in having an educated population, and in any sort of innovation or science fields.  And if you think a nice beach and pretty music can make for a strong economy, tell that to the people of Haiti and Cuba.

Posted on 10/03/2010 at 8:19 PM

Completely agree. I’ve been visiting family in Melbourne Beach for 20-something years, and it always has a timeless, drifting, totally unstructured feel. I’m getting ready to move to Miami (to be closer to them and just for a change of pace) from Richmond, Virginia, and am hoping to strike a balance that won’t make the whole experience feel like a place holder: real job, real friends, cultural experiences, dance classes, dog stuff, etc. I hope I can say I “lived” in Miami after this, not that I just passed through…

Posted on 01/04/2011 at 6:54 PM

Good luck, Kris….

Posted on 01/04/2011 at 7:14 PM

Hard to find good people on the beach, that is the downside. Sounds cliche, but in Miami Beach, you’ll go through 100 to find 1 halfway normal person who isn’t just being nice to try to scam a buck off of you, either being a ““real estate professional”” or some other transactional parasite with no real job or purpose in life.

There is a large predatory female population down here as well, be careful of them if you’re a professional and have more than a dollar to your name. They generally have no education, resources or any marketable abilities but will make you think they have made it big, showing off the cars and jewelry that their last victim bought for them.Yikes.

Act poor, that’s my best advice. There are two rules down here, don’t drink the water and don’t date the women.

Otherwise, it is truly one of the most beautiful and interesting places to live short of the major cities, NY and SF particularly. And, once you settle in and find a good crew, Miami Beach has a lot to offer. New performing arts center, cultural events and a growing underground professional “anti-douchebag” crowd. We’re getting there!

Posted on 04/24/2011 at 2:30 PM

MB101, those are some phenomenal descriptions. “professional, anti-douchebag crowd.” Fucking hilarious.

I’m gonna have to take issue with your take on the ladies, though. I’ve actually found Miami girls, particularly American native ones, to be pretty decent chicks. And the water is actually beyond drinkable. So, yeah, I pretty much have to disagree with that entire statement.

LA, however. Totally true in both cases.

Posted on 04/24/2011 at 7:45 PM

I completely forgot about this thread, maybe even this site. Having been living down here in South Beach since before Halloween and thanking God for the privelege every single day I somehow stopped dropping by the site to be in Miami Beach Vicariously. The only things I find here really objectionable are the water which is horrible; the traffic which is beyond dangerous; and the city help who both “police” and clean the boardwalk each morning, beyond help! Unfortunately reality hit me when I returned to Michigan for the beginning of Passover and there was 4 inches of snow on the first night, and the knowledge that on May 11 we pack up and drive up north.

But on the bright side of things, we fly back in June for a two week vacation!

Posted on 04/26/2011 at 4:27 PM

Must be nice, to get out right before the weather turns unbearable and rainy. And go back to a normal culture before the “exoticness” wears thin.

Posted on 04/26/2011 at 5:31 PM

I am sure you had some bad experience/s that led you to these hard feelings. However, you can’t say that everyone that lives on the beach lives unreal lives. And after all…. what’s real life really? I have been living on the beach for 11 years now. The first 3 years were party, party , party. After that I have been concentrated on my carrier and I am lucky to say I surround myself with many friends ( WHO LIVE ON THE BEACH ) who are as professional as I am and more. Do I like to leave my car parked on Friday night after work and not touch it until Monday morning? Hell yea! What’s wrong with it. You need to find your happiness within. No need to criticize the ones around you . I hope you change your mind about ” BEACH PEOPLE “. I am sure you just had the bad luck to run into the wrong ones. There are bad people everywhere. And likewise, there are good ones. Give it time. Like attracts like. You will find professional and goal oriented people like you soon…

Posted on 07/22/2011 at 8:27 PM