Chicagoan just returned from Miami/PBC - was exploring relocation-too many or too few ppl-Are my impressions correct? (Orlando: sale, high crime)

[DaniellaG]

Hi. You did stay in a nice area in Boca. I lived in Boca for the winter and am returning for full year in a few weeks. Anyhow I am a younger one there but more of a home body. I am not sure what you can afford but there are lovely communities or there are high rises on the water but of course there expensive. I would think regardless of where you live in FL it will be a change cause most place you will have to commute. I am single and young and feel very safe in Boca though I feel like it is much older in general. I think Wellington is younger but still nice and Royal Palm. On a side note I feel like in Boca and I am sorry if I am being general and I am basing this on my family is a lot of country clubs,eating out,boating. What do you do and that should probably be a focus to on where you want to live?

[Desdemona25]

Originally Posted by PBCboy

That was quite an interesting write up that I enjoyed reading.

However, I'm just wondering... what did you get a ticket for?

I can't add anything constructive for the OP, but just wanted to say that you're getting a rep point for the fact that I got a chuckle from your descriptions.

As for Boca, well...it's summer. All the snowbirds went back north. So that's why it was so quiet in that area.

[Manny561]

Originally Posted by Native51

That's why the downtown areas generally cater to locals and the young.

i dont see how downtown areas cater to any young at all. every downtown in pbc is so completely boring. there is nothing to do unless you have alot of cash. which the young typically dont have. and its all the same stuff. its like buy completely overpriced food, and overpriced clothes, and maybe an overpriced movie. thats about it. the only place that was a teenage hot spot in downtown west palm beach was rays downtown blues, and they closed it down for the clematis/city place revitilization project thing. I just know that downtown west palm beach is always a complete bore whenever me and my friends go down there.

[goofykid]

Dear Dreamer

First off you can't come down here expecting to find Chicago or anything like it. People often come down here and expect everything to be perfect for them. No matter where you move it will not be perfect for them people need to learn how to adjust. That being said I like the overall report you had on where you visited

Aventura is mostly a jewish area very ritzy. No you will not need to learn spanish there or anywhere you have posted.

Downtown FT. Lauderdale is very nice with Los Olas and Riverwalk beach isn't that far.

Boca and Delray are for the birds.

Downtown WP it's a small downtown with plenty to do it's just that everything is either Clematis or Cityplace not spread out like major cities downtown.

Palm Beach it was Sunday what did you expect to be open on a Sunday on Billionaire Island.

Juno Beach and Jupiter first off you should have your eyes on the road not the beach. But some of the nices beaches in the area that dune is for beach preservation. Get a condo you'll see right over it.

One question I have for you is why didn't you go to Miami? the Brickell neighborhood sounds right for you. Everything's close a even has a skytrain for transportation.

[dreamer312]

Desdemona25~

Thanks for your support!

[dreamer312]

Hi goofy~

My cousin who just moved to S. Beach/Miami told me about Brickell just after I left there. He thinks it has a feel similar to Chicago. However, I was never looking at Miami, in general, because i kept reading about all of the crime, the necessity to speak Spanish (which I do not and my friends in Hollywood, Hallendale, Aventura and Coral Gables all concur you DO NEED to need to speak Spanish) and while I love vacationing in S. Beach, it is just too over the top to live there. Still, I will take a peek at Brickell.

And, for what it's worth, I knew i wouldn't find "Chicago" there and didn't expect perfection as "nothing is perfect" and if Chicago were warm, it would be perfect and there's be no considertaion to relocate. Still, you say it was Sunday as if people stay in at noon on Sundays. Come to Chicago and it is always full of energy.

Lastly, we have a 22 mile lakefront path for runners, joggers, cyclists, walkers, etc. to the east and a gleaming metropolis of arguably some of the best architecture in the world to the west with Lake Shore Drive which runs for miles smack dab in between. It is stunning! Thus, if we are running/biking/blading OR if we are driving, we can enjoy stunning views of both the lakefront, all the people and boats AND the lovely architecture and. guess what? We can still stay on the road! Multitasking is not that complex for us. LOL!

[dreamer312]

Hi Daniella~

I thought Boca was sort of quiet and older too, but the place everyone told me to go. My mom;s friends are snowbirds all around there. And, country clubs, golfing, boating and dining out all sound fabulous to me!!!! I guess I just need to find my man first and together, we can go somewhere warm! LOL! I LOVE Sarasota, just not old enough yet. You should check it out. Stunning!

[The Bees]

Dreamer,

I think your reactions are remarkably perceptive.

I left Chicago in June 2005 and arrived, via Northern California, in Fort Lauderdale in 2007. I've also explored everywhere you have with the exception of north of Palm Beach. South Florida is not Chicago.
If you are seeking anything resembling the Lincoln Park lifestyle, in my opinion, the closest is Miami Beach, or Coconut Grove/Coral Gables. My presonal preference is Coral Gables because it's physically beautiful, multicultural, has a decent downtown, gets good "energy" from UM, and is upscale like Lincoln Park. It's also more off the tourist/snowbird track so there is more sense of community.
That said, we Chicagoans only wish Chicago had decent weather......

[goofykid]

Dear Dreamer

I think you will find what your looking for in Brickell. The whole spanish speaking is blown out of proportion. Don't get me wrong they are many neighborhoods that you won't get nowhere without speaking it. It's just that in Miami there more of those neighborhoods than probally any other city in America. It would come in handy but you won't need it in Brickell, Aventura, Miami Beach, Coconut Grove and a few others. Comprendes?

Anyways I'd hope Chicago is busy on Sunday that's a big metropolis. What I mean by that was in Palm Beach people are so filthy rich they have people do their grocery shopping. Did you know that come winter time the island of Palm Beach is the richest per capita in the world. Did you drive dowm county line road and see trumps house? I'm sure the rest the city of West Palm wasn't like this. Sunday is a really big day for boating here in Florida too.

Yes we can multitask too it's just not safe accidents happen that way.

May I ask what makes you want to move to South Florida?

[DaniellaG]

Good luck in your choice. If you end up near around the Boca area and want any more info you can always message me.