Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
That was well written, and I agree with everything you said, except...
...there is no way I would compare Miami's cultural scene to that of Boston or New York, or Paris, the places on your list that I have personal experience with. Cincinnati or Indianapolis -- perhaps.
Art Basel is a world-class event, and the concerts surrounding the Winter Music Conference are great, but there are really no world-class cultural institutions here.
A lot of artists have small (and large) studios from Wynwood (just north of Downtown Miami) to the Design District, further north. There are a few places to hear live music (besides the big concerts), like Tobacco Road, Churchills, and a few other places. Also, there's Harrison St. in the Young Circle area of Hollywood, and more stuff in Fort Lauderdale. If I were starting a rock band, though, I don't think I'd start it here. Also, a jazz/blues street performer told me that the locals generally don't pay attention to him; it's mostly tourists.
I agree with you... There is little live music here. I have been to Tobacco Road several times and really enjoy it. Never been to Churchills though I've driven past it. If raggeton were live I bet they would have it everywhere, but like rap, thank god it isn't. If you don't like raggeton or rap don't turn on the radio. lol
If I may take a stab at answering the question....
First of all, you have to read all of these responses with a grain of salt. I say, throw out the best and worst comments and average out the rest. The answer is probably somewhere in the middle.
Miami is definitely unique and not for everybody. I've been here for three years now (after living in Atlanta, Cincinnati, West Palm Beach, Tampa and Spain). Your Miami experience will most definitely be related to where you live. There is very little sense of an overall community; instead, people identify with their neighborhoods. The main concerns when people move here are language and crime, in my opinion, and those are affected by what type of person you are an where you live.
I moved to Miami to finish college at FIU, in the heart of the western suburbs of Miami (the bulk of the county's population), where the demographic makeup is around 90% Hispanic. Despite what people say, language is an issue here. I am an American of distant European descent (tall, blond, blue eyes) and have been told by numerous friends and acquaintances that I look like a gringo. That's fine, because I do and take no offense to it. However, when doing basic daily tasks like going to the grocery store, mall, bank, gas station, etc., I was constantly spoken to first in Spanish. Fortunately, I picked up the language while in Spain, so in general it wasn't a problem, although Spain vs. Latin American Spanish is a similar case to British vs. American English. For my friends who don't speak Spanish, it was an extremely frustrating situation. Even for my Spanish speaking friends, they complained about the ignorance/arrogance of not making an attempt to speak the country's most spoken language.
This situation all but stopped once I graduated and moved east of I-95. I live in what's called the Design District, which is very close to downtown, and although Spanish is still spoken, English is used more commonly. You will find this to be the case in most of the towns along the bay or beach. Research Aventura, Miami Shores, Design District, Downtown, Brickell, Coconut Grove, South Miami, Dadeland/Kendall, Coral Gables, Pinecrest, The Falls, Miami Lakes, Miami Springs or Miami Beach if you prefer to speak English as your primary language. Otherwise, areas like Little Haiti, Hialeah, Sweetwater, Westchester, Doral or Little Havana might be problematic.
Crime is an issue, but it's like that in any big city. Approach Miami as you would a trip to NYC, LA, Chicago, etc... As opposed to Tampa, Charlotte, Denver, etc. If you're smart, you'll be fine, although there are instances of wrong place/wrong time. Don't let it be a hindrance in you coming here.
Traffic is a major issue, so choose carefully where you live and work as to avoid crowded highways, angry drivers and hour long commutes. There are plenty of places where you can live and work with just a bicycle, if you so choose, but there are far more places where a car is absolutely necessary. The metrorail, while not extensive, can be a tool for you to use if you plan right. Once again, Coconut Grove, Downtown, South Miami and the Beach are good places to go without your car.
The people, yes, are rude. There is no small town smile/waving at strangers here. Unless you make the first move, good luck on getting to know your neighbors. And once again, the roads are where you meet your fellow Miamians in the worst kind of way. Poor driving, lack of signaling, speeding, cutting off, running red lights and road rage make for an unpleasant experience.
Culture in Miami is a mixed bag. You have amazing venues for sports and theater, countless restaurants, multiple international film festivals and art shows, a pretty impressive book fair and a lot of music acts/festivals that rivals many cities in the world. On that level, in my opinion, it is more similar to a NYC, London, Boston, Paris, etc, than a Cincinnati, Memphis, St. Louis, Indianapolis type of city. However, the public schools in Florida are not that great, and in Miami they are worse. There is very little intellectual culture on a day to day basis that engages a bulk of the population, and most people find their escapes in the club/fast car/plastic surgery/gym scene than in the book store/tea room/independent arts scene. But this is just one man's opinion.
Let me just say this: Miami is cool for what it is. I've enjoyed my time here and will enjoy visiting later on in life, but I'm looking forward to accomplishing my plans and life goals elsewhere.
This was very well said! I agree that one cannot generalize the Miami experience. Everything depends on where you live, and someone living in Coral Gables will have a vastly different perspective and experience than someone living in Hialeah, Opa-Locka, or even South Beach for that matter.
I didn't read the interim replies 'cause I wanted to give my own opinion without slanting it towards what others have said.
RE: -Impossible to get even an entry level or restaurant job
Bullsh.. it's like everywhere else, there are jobs if you are willing to make almost nothing
RE: -Gotta be able to speak Spanish
It's an invaluable tool, but you can manage, if you speak any other language, you can do better.
RE: -Can't go out after dark without getting mugged
Depends, but for the most part, it's not safe if you are alone or with a 'weak looking' crowd.
RE: -The people are meaner than in other parts of Florida
ABSOLUTELY, POSITIVELY, YES. Unless you are a guest at a 4 star, driving a Porche, or trailing cash and groupies behind you, it's the most unfriendly place in Florida. Oh, if you are a minority, there are a couple places that might be worse, but dead men don't talk
RE: -Way too hot, all of the time
That's relative. After 3.5 years in Chicago, I have never found Miami "cold" unless it happened to get under 40 degrees, which is maybe 1-5 days a year.
-Cost of living is sky high
It's not cheap. There are probably some housing bargains if you want to buy, but day to day expenses stink, Insurance is high because EVERYONE drives like a moron down there, and guess what? EVERYONE HAS to drive. Throw in the fact Insurance companies like to show profits on years like Andrew and Katrina and I have two words of advice: Bring Vaseline.
-White (non-hispanic) middle class
-White (non-hispanic) lower class - I really feel sorry for these folks!!!
-ANYONE who has either assimilated or grown intellectually beyond the regular Hispano-centric Miami culture
That's it...
Could you please explain why you say this?? I am white and from the feedback I have got so far I can't understand why you would say that no white people who are not rich will like Miami. To me it just seems like an extremely ignorant thing to say. Is there any particular reason why you say this?
In regards to the racial tension and issues that seem to find their way into conversations about Miami.
I am a white (non-hispanic) working class citizen. I am not racist. I am friendly to everyone, say hi, open minded to everyone, will look everyone in the eyes with non-judgement and a slight warmth. I don't need or want anything from anyone and am fine going on about my day without you if that's what you want. I am not anal about peoples behaviors either. If I walk out of my apartment and jump in my car and there are 5 hispanics in the road playing basketball in the street and Im late to work I am not the kind of person who will think to himself (awww those F'ing hispanics mang). I mean I view people as people. I treat people with decency and respect. I view everyone as equal. I love diversity and it makes me feel alive.
I don't mind a black and a hispanic trading coccaine across the street from me.
What I DO have a problem with is people who treat ME with a lack of respect when I have done nothing to them. If someone wants to judge a book by it's cover here and there because I am white and not black or not hispanic that is fine, but if I am cool with you and show you respect and you just have it in your head that I am trouble or out to get you and your going after me or waving guns at me or just out to shoot some innocent white dude walking down the ****ing street with no agenda then THATS where I have a problem. My problem is with threatening and unwarrented behaviors. Not your own behaviors but behaviors that don't have my best interest in mind that compromise my safty and are absolutely unwarrented.
So based on this description of myself I would like to know who thinks i would have a problem with Miami based on BEHAVIORS and at most CULTURAL BEHAVIORS and not based on the color of someones skin.
In regards to the racial tension and issues that seem to find their way into conversations about Miami.
I am a white (non-hispanic) working class citizen. I am not racist. I am friendly to everyone, say hi, open minded to everyone, will look everyone in the eyes with non-judgement and a slight warmth. I don't need or want anything from anyone and am fine going on about my day without you if that's what you want. I am not anal about peoples behaviors either. If I walk out of my apartment and jump in my car and there are 5 hispanics in the road playing basketball in the street and Im late to work I am not the kind of person who will think to himself (awww those F'ing hispanics mang). I mean I view people as people. I treat people with decency and respect. I view everyone as equal. I love diversity and it makes me feel alive.
I don't mind a black and a hispanic trading coccaine across the street from me.
What I DO have a problem with is people who treat ME with a lack of respect when I have done nothing to them. If someone wants to judge a book by it's cover here and there because I am white and not black or not hispanic that is fine, but if I am cool with you and show you respect and you just have it in your head that I am trouble or out to get you and your going after me or waving guns at me or just out to shoot some innocent white dude walking down the ****ing street with no agenda then THATS where I have a problem. My problem is with threatening and unwarrented behaviors. Not your own behaviors but behaviors that don't have my best interest in mind that compromise my safty and are absolutely unwarrented.
So based on this description of myself I would like to know who thinks i would have a problem with Miami based on BEHAVIORS and at most CULTURAL BEHAVIORS and not based on the color of someones skin.
Thanks.
I think most level headed people don't care what color someone's skin is. Cultural behavior, however, is quite distinct among different races/ethnicities in Miami. Just the other day I was talking to a black dude wearing snake skin cowboy boots on a flight from Phoenix to Chicago, and he was telling me how he was buying a 500 acre ranch in Nebraska so that he can train his horses. I wish there were more people like this guy in Miami, people who buck trends and shatter stereotypes. Too many people fit right into the molds that outsiders make for them... ie rude Hispanic male drivers with Hummers or crime ridden black areas.
My point is that Im laid back. What I don't like is when I think of the stereotypes. Like some hispanic coming up to me all emotional telling me he is going to cut me up into pieces because he feels like I was looking at him funny or something. You know ... crazy people.
I don't mind people being straight up with me or telling me how they feel but if I am making a descent effort to be respectful and cool to people and they just want to hate on me because I'm white then I could think of better places to live with warm weather, nightlife, and beaches. If it's going to be impossible to get along with the hispanics or blacks in Miami even if I am cool with them then I wouldn't like it there.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
