Looking for girlfriends that aren't idiots (Miami, Tampa: friendly, place, top)

[armystrongmd]

Originally Posted by tonyff67

You will meet No one in SOHO. I moved there when it was still Ghetto. I bought a renovated 4-plex that was an old crack house. My neighbors were mostly male prostitutes, crack heads, female prostitutes, drug dealers and homeless. They may have been dirtbags, but they were friendly dirtbags. Then the Yuppies started moving in. My property value shot way up, but friendly nieghborhoods went way down. I lived in that neighborhood for 13 years and can never remember a person making eye contact with me and saying "hi". At first I thought it was because I lived in the apts and people thought I was just a renter and transient. I later bought a one of the largest and newest homes in the neighborhood. Well people still wouldn't even say "hi".
I moved to treasure island and I wasn't here a week and I had people inviting me to their house for dinner.
Amazing what a difference a few miles can make in people's attitude.

You have the attitude difference pegged...SoHo is great for young singles who want to stay single.

You have to work extra hard to get people to open up, but if you're genuine, kind, and outgoing, even the SoHoers can be cracked.

I prefer the beach scene too, more relaxed, friendly, and the homes are much nicer. If it was closer to work I would have to consider moving! For now, SoHo will have to suffice!

[crazynip]

If you just want sex, become a regular at one of the better strip clubs. Throw money around, the rest will take care of itself. She might be dumb as rocks, but as long as the stream of money and/or coke keeps coming, she will stay loyal to you. When you get tired of her and want to "trade up", you can do so.

[armystrongmd]

Originally Posted by princessrachel19

I live just off SoHo. I moved here about a month ago and have been having a hard time making girlfriends. Considering I had a ton of friends back home I'm hoping it's not just me. Apparently, you need a $2,000 purse here and despite having a brain, talk like you don't? I'm not being bitchy, I really do have an open mind and have friends of many different ethnicities, sexual orientations, sizes, IQ levels, professions, etc...I just don't like hanging out with women who act dingy or judge others based solely on what they look like. I am 31, engaged to a man that works a TON and am very independent; so I like to have my own friends. I was a realtor for 9 1/2 years, have two degrees in political science and philosophy, love cooking, wine, dogs, running, reading... I'm a huge smart ass with a perverted sense of humor, I'm not snooty, I like fashion but I'm not a brand ***** (which seems to be the thing here?). But basically I'm just looking for a friend to go to dinner or drinks with, just generally shoot the **** with. I am not interested in going out to see how many guys we can get to look at us. nuh-uh. Any real people out there!? *sigh*

That's exactly what South Tampa is about. It is the closest thing to Orange County we have.

You would probably be happier in New Tampa, Westchase, or Dunedin.

[thethinktank]

OP is my wife, and she really struggled to find genuine people here who were open to real friendship. Today, she has a handful of very close friends whom she sees often. She didn't have to settle for so-so friends, she found some truly great people that share her interests and are kindred spirits at heart. She did this here, in Hyde Park, a place that most would consider vapid and transient.

If you wander away from SoHo, South Tampa has some pretty cool people who are just as turned off by the usual crowd as we were. It wasn't until we found these people that we truly felt at home, and boy do we love this new city that we chose so much more as a result.

If you're in the area and are having a tough time, I'm happy to share my advice. PM me, I'll offer more.

[parisandgrey]

Originally Posted by JSnFla

Do u really find the crowd in and around tampa to be beautiful?? My friends and I have lived all over and partied all over and dont find tampa's talent to be top notch at all. Even within florida it doesnt compete, surprisingly found way cleaner more attractive crowd in Sarasota while south florida and even orlando seemed to blow tampa away. IMO tampa falls way short of other metro areas around the country in the "beautiful" people category.

So true...tampa is the minor leagues for miami, when the hottest girls in tampa realize tampa is too small and slow of a scene for them they quickly move down to miami/south florida. IMO south florida natives are the best looking people in the entire state it has to be something in the water or the extra heat/sunshine south florida gets, that doesnt mean there arent some really attractive people in other parts of FL, including transplants from south florida that moved to other parts of FL but youll find the LARGEST AMOUNT of attractive, beautiful and modeling-contract-worthy people in south florida, I would say that in SE FL 50% of the women are EASILY above a 7 out of 10. and because its so hot all the time everyone wears as little clothing as possible

I think the other person is a northerner who moved to tampa and thinks tampa is the best thing ever when it really isnt, its nothing compared to miami/south florida.
But its really unfair to compare tampa people to south floridians and people from orlando, both the orlando and south florida areas are more of a "big city" than tampa, south florida more than orlando of course...tampa is mostly elderly retirees, northeastern transplants, canadians, and families....south florida has some retirees but theyre outnumbered by the LARGE young population, it has ocean drive, south beach, tons of clubs, bars, hangouts, a thriving nightlife and miami is very elitist so looks and money do matter there and everyone knows it- so people that are born into that culture just assume that they have to hold themselves up to that physical/superficial level its like second nature -for women its looking like a victorias secret model and for guys its all about great body+money+cars to attract those victoria secret model looking girls and I think the people who move to south florida from other places adjust and assimilate as best they can or as much as they can or if they decide they hate the culture and city they move out....which is completely different from the tampa bay area where people arent as superficial, probably 80% of people dont care about brands like varvatos or ferragamo, you see a lot of shorts/tees/flip flops combos, and its extremely laid back so they dont feel the drive/need to look a certain way or dress a certain way like south floridians, theres no pressure in tampa to be elite because laid back= they dont care. Tampa was voted one of the worst dressed cities in the U.S. a few years ago... but they don't care, they like things laid back- so why fix something thats not broken

[parisandgrey]

Originally Posted by recentgrad123

I feel your pain, but there is no easy solution to this problem.
It is extremely hard to come across highly educated, open-minded, cosmopolitan and well traveled young professionals here. I've been struggling with this for almost two years. Unless you are into partying and watching sports all the time - you will have a tough time making friends here. I hate to be pessimistic, but that's just the truth. I've tried everything - from sports leagues to meetups (in some cases where I was the only person below 50) lol

Most people who fit the adjectives I've mentioned appear to move away from Tampa Bay at the first available opportunity. The ones that remain are hard to find. It is such a pity, I love Tampa Bay and it is such a beautiful metropolitan area with so much going on. However, man is a social animal, correct?

Good luck in your efforts to make friends!

Theres a reason the passing grade on the FCAT was lowered lol

Florida lowers passing grade for state writing exam

Florida lowers passing test grade after students' scores drop? – Cafferty File - CNN.com Blogs

Its almost scary....does that mean intellect for future generations of Floridians is doomed?

Anyway looks like you moved out of Tampa to SA, good luck man! Gotta love a guy who knows how to make changes and make moves if he doesn't like something
Maybe post an update on the women/dating scene there sometime?

[parisandgrey]

Originally Posted by armystrongmd

Go enroll at USF- tons of girls to meet there!

The alternative is having a really expensive car and getting it valet parked in Channelside or SoHo every weekend. The money grubbing south Tampa ladies love me haha

LOL!!! money grubbing isnt exclusive to south tampa its actually taught secretly to the prettiest girls (potential future trophy wives) in high schools in places like miami, LA and malibu if you dont bag a rich one by 25 then you are disowned/shunned by everyone, stripped of anything with designer brands and sent off to work at Hooters

[jambo101]

As the topic is 2 years old i wonder if the op ever got some friends and if so where she found the success..

[thethinktank]

Originally Posted by jambo101

As the topic is 2 years old i wonder if the op ever got some friends and if so where she found the success..

Read up, four comments before yours

[CSD610]

Originally Posted by thethinktank

Read up, four comments before yours

I'm glad it worked out for you both and the original message said engaged so I see you also got married. Sometimes it takes time to sift through the fake stuff at the top to find the real stuff at the bottom and it is worth the times it takes to sift and dig, especially when it comes to friends.

I wish you both continued happiness and much success and many blessings (if you believe).