stylish couple with kids moving to Miami Beach? (Coral Gables, Sunset: insurance, condo)

[illini84]

As mentioned in the "Welcome to Miami" thread, Miami really doesn't have any culture. I don't consider myself an artsy fartsy culture snob by any means, but I do enjoy little local coffee houses, acoustic guitarists singing in random places, food festivals, etc. Miami really doesn't have any of this. All I see are Starbucks on every corner (while sitting through hours of traffic every day) and reggae or salsa music blasting from every direction. Everything is strewn about the city, so you're always spend tons of time in traffic to go anywhere. There are very few places you can drive to, park your car, and spend an afternoon walking around. It's drive to one store--spend 30 minutes in traffic going to another place--back in the car and sit in traffic 30 minutes to go somewhere else...ugh. What an urban wasteland.

Like mariecug said, I NEVER would have believed the things I read about Miami before I lived here. Mariecug referenced a thread I wrote ("To all the Miami-haters on this forum...") that expresses the fact that I read MANY posts on this forum and discarded the negativity, assuming that the main posters were just a select few who were bitter at life (and Miami), and moved here anyway. I'd happily adapted to every city I've lived in before, so I figured the same would be with Miami. Not the case.

Anyway, just think long and hard about your decision to move to Miami. There are lots of negative things about Miami that cannot be realized until you actually LIVE here. If you still think it's for you, go for it. You can always move back Coral Gables is a great suggestion though, and I think you could find happiness there if you play your cards right.

[Wild Style]

Originally Posted by parklifemedia

We are a cool couple 30 and 29 that owns are own marketing company. We travel to New York frequently (at least once a month) and currently reside in the neighborhood of Silver Lake in Los Angeles. We have children that are 7 and 5 and can afford private school. We've lived in Beverly Hills, San Francisco (6 yrs), and, Cincinnati, and New York previously and have visited Miami a few times, and now considering moving there. Is it completely ridiculous to have children and live in South Beach? Is Coral Gables at all fun if you enjoy style while having a family? We are looking for something stylish and aesthetically pleasing.

I think you will fit in and enjoy S. Beach

[kevinkagy]

For those that constantly complain about Miami, traffic, suburbs, etc. Two things:

1. Every city in the U.S. has traffic, huge suburbs, and sprawl. And big shocker: there's a lot cities that have worse traffic than us with even more sprawl! -GASP-

2. Don't like it? Move to a part of Miami that is pedestrian-friendly, with lots of culture, and with public transit, that way you'll never have to drive. Like Downtown Miami or Miami Beach.

On the subject of Spanish/English. You seriously can get by just perfectly fine, not knowing a word of Spanish. Granted, you will hear Spanish on a daily basis, but that doesn't mean they don't speak English. Most people in Miami who are Hispanic are bilingual. In the worst case, you might be approached in Spanish and when they realize you don't speak Spanish, they'll either switch to English or find someone by them that speaks English. Seriously, don't worry about not speaking Spanish. People always bring this up like it's a huge problem. What parts of Miami are you guys in, Little Havana 24/7? Even in restaurants in Little Havana, they speak English.

[Wild Style]

Originally Posted by kevinkagy

For those that constantly complain about Miami, traffic, suburbs, etc. Two things:

1. Every city in the U.S. has traffic, huge suburbs, and sprawl. And big shocker: there's a lot cities that have worse traffic than us with even more sprawl! -GASP-

2. Don't like it? Move to a part of Miami that is pedestrian-friendly, with lots of culture, and with public transit, that way you'll never have to drive. Like Downtown Miami or Miami Beach.

On the subject of Spanish/English. You seriously can get by just perfectly fine, not knowing a word of Spanish. Granted, you will hear Spanish on a daily basis, but that doesn't mean they don't speak English. Most people in Miami who are Hispanic are bilingual. In the worst case, you might be approached in Spanish and when they realize you don't speak Spanish, they'll either switch to English or find someone by them that speaks English. Seriously, don't worry about not speaking Spanish. People always bring this up like it's a huge problem. What parts of Miami are you guys in, Little Havana 24/7? Even in restaurants in Little Havana, they speak English.

1. NYC, DC, Chicago, Philly, parts of Jersey, Boston etc. have EXCELLENT Mass transit. So living in one of those you can avoid the whole traffic mess. In South Florida as a whole, you are far more limited on that front.

2. Miami schools aren't the best (if you have a family). Downtown is pretty sketchy at night and cost to live down there can be a barrier for some.

3. I have only had a problem with non English speakers in Miami once. Other than that, your right, every where I have gone in Miami they have spoken English.

[parklifemedia]

Thanks for all the feedback. It's hard to understand what bad traffic is to someone. We live in Los Angeles and it takes about an hour to go 8 miles on the way home in the evening... Everyone in LA speaks spanish and the schools are crap for the most part.... Even through this, LA does have a ton of culture and an indie aesthetic and a fashion one, and it's an interesting place to live. The decentralization of the city is a major annoyance, and I didn't realize that Miami was so spread apart. Are there decent private schools in South Beach? We've been several times, and my sister actually lives out in West Palm, so we somewhat understand the area. Thanks for the feedback on the day to day. Are there any former Angeleno's in Miami that have any comments?

[rogerbacon]

Originally Posted by parklifemedia

Are there any former Angeleno's in Miami that have any comments?

My friend lived in Miami for two and a half years and then moved to LA in 2005. She loves it there and hated it here. She says the traffic is about the same. When I was in LA the traffic was nowhere near as bad a rushhour here but I wasn't in rush hour in LA so it's not an apples to apples comparison. Her comparison is though because she lives there and drives to work every day.
The only thing she said she likes better about Miami is the air. Even the weather is better in LA because it gets cool at night. Here it is hot and muggy day and night. If you don't have the AC on at night you will sweat here in the summer, mostly due to the oppressive humidity.
She also says the restaurants are much, much better out in LA than here. I also found that to be the case.
Good luck if you move to Miami. If you have a lot of money and can minimize your day to day contact with people you might be happy.

[goldencouple]

There are wonderful places here to enjoy. We are as well a very stylish and positive couple. Send us a message

[planetsurf]

Originally Posted by parklifemedia

The welcome to Miami post seems like the welcome to LA post, but perhaps LA is even worse than LA? LA may actually have a little more culture, but let me know how jaded is that post? A lot of people describe LA in a similar fashion, yet there is much redeemable about the city if you're not tired of it and have a stylish/cool/rich setup, is it the same with Miami?

YES, EXACTLY!
We just moved back to Miami (in April - after being gone 5 years) from San Diego. We have friends in LA and are VERY familiar with it -- we actually liked LA a lot more than SD and spent a lot of time there.
Specifically, we live in Coral Gables and think that is one of the best places in Miami to raise kids. I don't see a problem with SoBe for kids, but I just DON'T KNOW what the school options are beyond the very good Yeshivas (but you sort of have to be an Orthodox Jew for those).

Miami compares to LA in lots of ways. The best design, arts, restaurants, architecture, book lectures, all the things WE are interested in and enjoy in Miami, are just as good as LA.
BUT there is just less of the BEST stuff. LA definitely has more going on. Physically more museums, great restaurants, universities, interesting neighborhoods, etc.

BUT (again a but), Miami has the upscale Latin thing that is VERY unique and is significantly cheaper than LA. For what friends pay for a nice, big but average house in Brentwood, you can live ON THE WATER in Miami.

Miami is also spread out like LA, but not nearly as big and traffic isn't as bad as LA on a daily basis. The 405 is backed up even on a Saturday! You can't compare the 2 overall. The drivers in LA are almost as bad as in Miami, but I think overall Miami has worse drivers (if that's a big deal to you, it seems to be to some.)
It takes me 12 minutes to get my kids to their school in Pinecrest from CGables (near UM) and my wife ~25 minutes to get from our house to her office in Blue Lagoon (near the airport). As with everything in life, if you can afford to be where you need to be for work/school/pleasure, it makes EVERYTHING easier.

If your familiar with Miami at all, you realize you don't NEED to speak Spanish to get by. My parents have lived in Aventura for 15 years and don't speak ANY Spanish (nor do most of their friends). BUT you will hear it a LOT; also French, German and lots of Portugues.

If your traveling to NYC a lot, I'd say Miami is a GREAT base. Miami and NYC have a long history of being linked and there are TONS of cheap flights and it's just 2.5 hours away (and the same time zone).

Gulliver in S Miami and Ransom in Coconut Grove are AWESOME private schools (Ransom is 6-12) and both adjacent to CGables, and there are great Catholic schools around too if that is your thing. And it sounds like you can probably "escape" for some time during the dog days of summer which is another bigee in Miami -- sometimes you NEED to get out, we're pretty stuck down here and summer is long, hot and humid!

We love Miami. We enjoy what it has to offer and take advantage of things. WE like the diversity, craziness and the ocean here is just awsome (if you don't surf).
We have TOTALLY taken advantage of the big stuff that goes on during the year (especially winter 'season') like the Film Festival and Art Basel in the past and can't wait to see this year's versions.
The awsome SoBe Food Festival is in February too:
http://miami.about.com/od/fooddrink/a/sobewinefood.htm
Good example of LA vs Miami -- we go to the Coconut Grove farmers market almost every weekend and enjoy it and get great stuff BUT it can't compare to the Santa Monica one. Just isn't as big or varied (and I REALLY miss the pistachios I used to get there). BUT, parking isn't as big a deal and it's cheaper here.

illini84 is right that Miami just doesn't have a "coffee house" culture, but there are 3 lower-key kind of places places I can think off the top of my head to go to on a Saturday night to hear awesome Latin music, jazz and/or see flamenco.

There is tons to do here, lots of VERY cool and unique things about Miami but it just isn't as full of options as LA.

If I can make a suggestion that wherever you buy, try to get as cheap a place as possible, even if it means you need to do some remodeling. Remember that in Fla we don't have State Income tax (& sales tax is 2 cents cheaper), but property tax is almost double Calif to make up for it.

Good luck. IM me if you have any specific questions, like a good contractor or specific neighborhoods in the area.

[runswithscissors]

Originally Posted by parklifemedia

Thanks for all the feedback. It's hard to understand what bad traffic is to someone. We live in Los Angeles and it takes about an hour to go 8 miles on the way home in the evening... Everyone in LA speaks spanish and the schools are crap for the most part.... Even through this, LA does have a ton of culture and an indie aesthetic and a fashion one, and it's an interesting place to live. The decentralization of the city is a major annoyance, and I didn't realize that Miami was so spread apart. Are there decent private schools in South Beach? We've been several times, and my sister actually lives out in West Palm, so we somewhat understand the area. Thanks for the feedback on the day to day. Are there any former Angeleno's in Miami that have any comments?

I agree it's hard to define bad traffic among people. It really depends on how you visualize your days and what you're willing to sacrifice for what you may feel a great house in a great location. Sometimes you need to absorb a daily commute if your nights and weekends are worth the daily annoyance. (of course having done that for years now, at 55 no way am I ever going to spend another minute in the car that I don't have to....)

But for me, when my only child son was young it was very detrimental to lose over 2 hours per day with him in commuting time. I was stuck doing that and my parents were his caretakers during the day but it was a big issue and really impacted him imo. Since we had essentially no extended family I wanted to live near my parents for his benefit but that meant a trade off in commuting. The only other choice was to live near my offices where there was no family at all for over an hour away. At least this way he had grandparents around and we built a social network of other multi kid families that he grew up with and it was very beneficial even though it was a problem between us, having me gone for hours every day.

I feel the MOST important gift you can give your children is your time, and they really could care less about having a view, or a pool or a yard, or living in someplace trendy, if they have to be in child care a whole extra time early in the morning or waiting for you at evening. You don't say where you'll be working. I would be doing the drive to that location every day and testing it out from different areas. Then decide on the neighborhood. Perhaps you'd prefer living right near your job if there are decent school selection.

I don't know a thing about Miami but I would never consider living in a city where you have to hope that your fellow citizens will honor you with speaking English when necessary. Some people feel there is a Race Patriotic Agenda there albeit the term race is loosely defined but it's been an issue here, if you take what goes on the site as representative of real life. Having been married to an immigrant I have no time for that craziness, he couldn't wait to assimilate here. But times have changed.

[noland123]

If you like the beach side I would recommend Bal Harbour or Sunny Isles very analogous to the Beverly Hills lifestyle, only a plethora of condominiums instead of mansions and you have the beautiful ocean view to go with it.