It has been a few days since last I was here. That is because I have been soaking up the sun and tourist culture in the South Beach section of Miami Beach. Today was a bit on the cool side with a high temperature in the mid-70's under partly cloudy skies. I was very sorry to hear that there have been temps in the 30's and snow and sleet and such in Chicago, but not sorry that I was here instead. I saw a horrid photo on the sports page of the New York Times this morning that showed some poor groundskeeper at U.S. Cellular Field shoveling snow and slush, with the notation that the Opening Day game was canceled due to inclimate weather. Well at least the Cubs were in Houston playing in warmer weather, and in a domed stadium, I believe.
Life in South Beach has been just lovely these last couple of days. We got an upgrade on our room and we got a room with a terrace. From the terrace, we have a view of the Atlantic Ocean in all its stunning blueness in one direction. In the other direction we have a "City View," with Biscayne Bay in between us and the skyline of Miami proper. Between our room, its terrace, and the restaurant and pool in the hotel, there has hardly been any reason to leave the hotel. Nevertheless, Babs and I have ventured out on occasion.
South Beach is an interesting blend of people. There is a sizable gay population here. We had to witness an obligatory Drag Show. Babs has photos of that on her I Phone. We went up to Miami Beach proper to the newly rejuvenated and restored Fontainbleau. The lobby is stunning. The bar by poolside, La Cote, is much ballyhooed and ridiculously overpriced. We had a ball, and spent the Gross National Product of a small 3rd world country there. Took a cab ride down to the point at the extreme South end of Miami Beach and went to Smith and Wollensky's for drinks and dinner. A completely different atmosphere there. It is away from the tourist areas and apparently there are real people who live here and they have money. Had a bit of a chat with a plastic surgeon who keeps one home in South Beach (He told us that he pays $12000/year in property taxes there.) and another in Anapolis, Maryland (He volunteered that he has 24 acres of land there and 20 acres of it is wooded and for some reason he is not taxed on the non-homestead portion.). Mr. Plastic Surgeon was big on sharing his tax status with us. The bartender shared with us that he carried a Black American Express Card. Apparently, there is something beyond Platinum for the people who really like to rub their money in people's faces.
As for the tourists here, we sometimes feel a bit odd amongst them. We seem to be outnumbered by Europeans, Swedes, Italians, Germans, Spanish, French, all being served by a large cadre of Cuban waiters, and Haitian cab drivers. OK not all waiters are Cuban. Along Ocean Drive in the bars and restaurants, there are a considerable number of what, in Chicago, are known as snotty gay waiters. There is an entire stretch of Ocean Drive where you cannot just walk down the sidewalk without having menus thrust into your face with a hard sell on the particular restaurant or bar/restaurant you happen to be in front of. Luckily, I am from Chicago and I am very good at saying "No!" to people
Then there is the beach culture. The weather is perpetually warm here and it breeds large numbers of runners, bikers, roller bladers, assorted skateboarders (Saw one big skateboard with an electric motor and what appeared to be off-road wheels like you would see in larger perspective on trucks at a monster truck rally.). Babs and I actually went out for a 4 mile run this morning before breakfast. Odd thing about breakfasts here at the hotel. Yesterday I had an omelette. Today I had a typical American Breakfast with scrambled eggs, bacon, and toast. With both orders there were tomatoes and grilled asparagus spears. Got to say, in spite of the oddity, I could get used to asparagus with my breakfast. The Cuban style coffee is kick-ass as well.
After 2 days of spending a great deal of time outdoors, most of it at the pool reading a mystery novel, I have managed not to get sunburned as yet. Apparently it took 58 years for me to figure out that if you use sunblock, you don't get beet red. I may learn slowly, but eventually I get it.
One last observation about South Beach, the warmth and the tourists attract a lot of homeless, hustlers, and assorted oddballs. This morning on our run, in addition to the movie company shooting a scene from some movie, I saw men with shopping carts harvesting coconuts from the palm trees in the park (A public park.). I saw some guy who makes hats, birds, and assorted little pieces of art from palm fronds. I saw a lot of dreadlocks on people who obviously had been sleeping in the park, and had just woken up. I saw a lot of very happy dogs out to the park and the beach with their owners on morning excursions. I saw a 75 year old man in a jean jacket that said Hard Rock Cafe, Las Vegas on it. Frankly, he didn't look the sort, but who am I to judge?
All in all, it is a very lively and vibrant community here. I think I could learn to like it here. I definitely would want to move into an area away from the serious tourist areas, but warmth and beach culture is nice. Nothing wrong with a view of the water, and running, biking, or even just strolling in the sun. It gives one's spirits a lift. It's not so hard on my respiratory system. I didn't even bring my allergy meds with me. Now if someone would just pay me a decent living that would allow me to move from the 14th floor in Streeterville to a 14th floor in Miami Beach. Got to keep scheming, just at a little higher level than the palm frond weaver or the coconut harvesters, or the assorted hustlers who see the benefits of a warm climate as well.
Have a good day boys and girls. I hear it may get up to 56 degrees in Chicago tomorrow. Meanwhile I'm going to the terrace and enjoying the sunshine in my shorts and flip flops. I lift a glass of cold Chardonnay to you hardy souls in the Northland. I'll be back with you in a few days, so I cannot afford to gloat. Meanwhile, I wonder what the real estate market here has done recently. Hmmmm.
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