Difference in feel and life between Miami and Hollywood? (Hialeah: neighborhoods, luxury)

[JBez]

I'm moving in 2 months and still have the luxury of not knowing what awaits me and knowing that whatever it is I will make the best. The decision to move to Florida from Jersey is one made out of a desire to start over and see what else life has in store. Not because I'm sick of my hometown or friends here...I'm just luck enough to have the opportunity to try something new and I am.

With that said. I've been to Miami, but not Hollywood. I think Hollywood sounds more like the environment I'm looking for but I like the city life,too.

Please tell me the differences from living in Miami, as opposed to Hollywood. Which place has a better feel, and what are your opinions and likes about each??

Thanks.

[cuba libre]

There are more whites in Holly-hood than in Dade, but most of them seem to identify with black ghetto culture. There are also fewer Hispanics. It's fascinating what happens when you have a minority segment of working class, downwardly mobile whites who marinate in ethnic/ghetto culture for years to the point where they talk, act, and behave the same as everyone else. Reminds me of the white kid from the movie Gran Turino when Clint Eastwood told him to stop emulating blacks and to "get the *$&%# outa here"!

[compelled to reply]

Originally Posted by cuba libre

There are more whites in Holly-hood than in Dade, but most of them seem to identify with black ghetto culture. There are also fewer Hispanics. It's fascinating what happens when you have a minority segment of working class, downwardly mobile whites who marinate in ethnic/ghetto culture for years to the point where they talk, act, and behave the same as everyone else.

Only the first part of the first sentence was accurate. They acutally got minorities to act like white trash in Hollywood. Also, anything east of US1 in Hollywood is nice.

[cuba libre]

Originally Posted by compelled to reply

Only the first part of the first sentence was accurate. They acutally got minorities to act like white trash in Hollywood. Also, anything east of US1 in Hollywood is nice.

That's an interesting twist! I wish I could have seen it! Last time I checked, didn't minorities like big rims, Fubu, Roca Wear, saggy pants, and ebonics?

[JProg305]

Hey JBez, just out of curiosity, what part of Jersey are you from? My mom was born in Cuba but raised in Jersey City. She relocated to the greater Miami area just before I was born. To answer your question, Miami and Hollywood are pretty different. Miami has a large metro area of it's own and when most people say they're from "Miami" they actually mean an adjacent city that is still in Miami-Dade county. I was born in Hialeah (a predominantly Cuban/Hispanic enclave northwest of Miami proper) but I've lived in North Miami Beach, Biscayne Park, North Miami, Hollywood, and Davie. Needless to say, I'm familiar with a good deal of the greater Miami and Fort Lauderdale/Hollywood region. In my opinion, living in Hollywood or Fort Lauderdale is better than living anywhere in Miami-Dade county (with the exception of Coral Gables, Miami Beach, or some parts of Coconut Grove). Hollywood is around 20 minutes north of Miami and 15 minutes south of Fort Lauderdale (these are non rush hour driving times). Hollywood has a quaint, vibrant, walkable downtown area with lots of restaurants (Middle Eastern, Romanian, Peruvian, Jamaican, Thai, Deli, etc.), cafes, bars/pubs, a couple of live music venues, and some other amenities. About a mile and a half east of downtown is Hollywood Beach which has countless little restaurants and bars and pretty nice beach. There is a trolley that connects the two. Areas to watch out for in Hollywood are parts of the US 1 corridor, most of the area between I 95 and Dixie Highway, the 441 corridor, and the Pembroke Road corridor. East of US 1 is pretty nice (North Lake and South Lake) although, because of its proximity to US 1, this neighborhood has some rough edges. All of that being said, "bad" neighborhoods in Hollywood are not nearly as "bad" as the dodgy areas of the greater Miami region (Liberty City, Carol City/Miami Gardens, Brownsville, Allapattah, Bunche Park, Goulds, Perrine, south Hialeah, parts of North Miami and North Miami Beach, etc.). If you have your heart set on living in Miami-Dade county, I'd strongly consider looking at areas in Miami Beach.

[JProg305]

Note: North Miami Beach is not part of the city of Miami Beach. The northern part of Miami Beach, which is up and coming, is referred to as "North Beach." It's kind of confusing but I thought I'd clear that up for you.

[Lost in Translation]

Originally Posted by cuba libre

There are more whites in Holly-hood than in Dade, but most of them seem to identify with black ghetto culture. There are also fewer Hispanics. It's fascinating what happens when you have a minority segment of working class, downwardly mobile whites who marinate in ethnic/ghetto culture for years to the point where they talk, act, and behave the same as everyone else. Reminds me of the white kid from the movie Gran Turino when Clint Eastwood told him to stop emulating blacks and to "get the *$&%# outa here"!

This may be true in parts of West Hollywood, or even in parts between I-95 and US1, but East Hollywood (east of US1) and downtown Hollywood (between Young Circle and Dixie Highway) are some of the nicest areas of Broward IMO. The closer to A1A the better.

I'm not sure where this poster is coming from, as I've not really seen this myself. I work in Hollywood and travel through most parts of it on a daily basis. Either Cuba Libre had some experience that most of us don't see, or he is just fooling with you. Although I find some of his posts interesting and informative, I'd ignore this one.

Hollywood also has a very interesting mix of Eastern European and French Canadian. Walk downtown during the weekend or evening, and you'll find all kinds of people enjoying all kinds of cuisine. I personally wouldn't live in Hollywood, but it's a real happening place on the weekend.

I'd opt for Miami Beach, Aventura, Sunny Isles, or Surfside. I think you'll find what you are looking for in these areas.

[JProg305]

Lost in Translation, there is some validity to Cuba Libre's post. I went to McArthur High School in Hollywood and there was a good deal of students that fit CL's description. Most of them live in west Hollywood near the border of Pembroke Pines. Some of the areas off of Johnson, Taft, and Sheridan streets west and east of 441 have older lower middle class neighborhoods that used to be predominantly white but are now becoming more ethnically/racially diverse. Many of the kids that I knew from these neighborhoods were white and they had gold teeth, saggy pants, cars with 24 inch rims, etc. I love the ethnic/racial diversity in downtown Hollywood and in Hollywood beach. The eastern European presence is tangible (Romanian restaurant, Russian bakery, Russian/Armenian restaurants on the beach) and the radioactive, orange hued Quececois who crowd the broadwalk in the summer are awesome. Just out of curiosity, why wouldn't you live in Hollywood?

[angelo7221]

Hollywood has a rather cool vibe going on....it's really showing Miami a thing or to in terms of city planning....though the lower middle/working class neighborhoods around 441 and n dixie (north of the downtown) has it's fair share of problems....the apt I was staying at which was near the corner of n dixie hwy (near johnson st) had a crack dealer near the convenience store. Young's circle park has been revamped and there are free shows put on oftentimes by raga players/ peruvian flute musicians. In front of Chocolada's (the russian bakery) is a latin/jazz/flamenco band. The ethnic cuisine selections are many-faceted...there is a turkish coffee shop on 20th and Hollywood....an italian one near the dixie...and towards 19th a bar that features beers from around the world. The magazine stand next to Publix is a great place to people watch, as well as Jack's Diner and Tark's (which is in dania beach). I like it because it's old school Miami incarnate...when there was less tension and more openness between cubans and non-cubans. I even like the suburbs in Broward..though it's like stepping out of the borough and heading over to nassau county (excluding Miramar and Pembroke Pines, which have officially been annexed to Dade in my eyes). Oh, and let's not forget about the Italian deli's and Mimi's bakery....as well as Levy's..an Israeli kosher place on Sheridan and N park.

[boricua70]

Originally Posted by JProg305

Hey JBez, just out of curiosity, what part of Jersey are you from? My mom was born in Cuba but raised in Jersey City. She relocated to the greater Miami area just before I was born. To answer your question, Miami and Hollywood are pretty different. Miami has a large metro area of it's own and when most people say they're from "Miami" they actually mean an adjacent city that is still in Miami-Dade county. I was born in Hialeah (a predominantly Cuban/Hispanic enclave northwest of Miami proper) but I've lived in North Miami Beach, Biscayne Park, North Miami, Hollywood, and Davie. Needless to say, I'm familiar with a good deal of the greater Miami and Fort Lauderdale/Hollywood region. In my opinion, living in Hollywood or Fort Lauderdale is better than living anywhere in Miami-Dade county (with the exception of Coral Gables, Miami Beach, or some parts of Coconut Grove). Hollywood is around 20 minutes north of Miami and 15 minutes south of Fort Lauderdale (these are non rush hour driving times). Hollywood has a quaint, vibrant, walkable downtown area with lots of restaurants (Middle Eastern, Romanian, Peruvian, Jamaican, Thai, Deli, etc.), cafes, bars/pubs, a couple of live music venues, and some other amenities. About a mile and a half east of downtown is Hollywood Beach which has countless little restaurants and bars and pretty nice beach. There is a trolley that connects the two. Areas to watch out for in Hollywood are parts of the US 1 corridor, most of the area between I 95 and Dixie Highway, the 441 corridor, and the Pembroke Road corridor. East of US 1 is pretty nice (North Lake and South Lake) although, because of its proximity to US 1, this neighborhood has some rough edges. All of that being said, "bad" neighborhoods in Hollywood are not nearly as "bad" as the dodgy areas of the greater Miami region (Liberty City, Carol City/Miami Gardens, Brownsville, Allapattah, Bunche Park, Goulds, Perrine, south Hialeah, parts of North Miami and North Miami Beach, etc.). If you have your heart set on living in Miami-Dade county, I'd strongly consider looking at areas in Miami Beach.

I see how little you know about Miami Dade County......I know with my eyes closed how to navigate thru Broward and I can tell you that it sucks other than the new Pembroke Mall in the corner of I75, Weston, West Miramar and may be Parkland if you don't mind being bored. I live in West Dade near Florida Int. University....awsome...then you have Brickell, Key Biscayne, South Miami, Coconut Grove, Dadeland, Kendall, West Kendall AND oooonnnnnn...beautiful places to live with young people, jobs, safe and very important blacks from the hood none existent actually very few black people unless they are black hispanics....West Dade ROCKS.....