Notes from Miami

We spent the weekend in Miami for my mother’s birthday and then immediately launched back into a packed workweek back in D.C. I wanted to jot a few notes about the weekend before I forget everything…

It was my first time back to Miami in almost five years, and a lot has changed. I’ll cover the Miami trip in greater detail in posts during the coming weeks, but here are some quick observations:

1. A building boom happened: I hardly recognize some areas of town, particularly Brickell.
2. Miami gay nightlife is lackluster: There are a handful of new gay bars, but the critical mass remains in Wilton Manors (45 minutes north of Miami.)
3. Food service is atrocious: The only decent service that we received in South Beach was at a rare restaurant that did not include tip in the bill. (It was a chain.)
4. Chain clothing stores replaced many of the special spots on Lincoln Road, and what’s left of the Art Center is a giant random ad for Estonia.
5. Drinks are still expensive. ($10-15 for a rail beverage.)
6. Locals hang out in Wynwood, which is no longer the hood.
7. The Miami Design District is now a high-end shopping mall.
8. Every bar we went to eventually played Suavemente and La Vida Es Un Carnaval.
9. It’s so hot and humid that we went through three changes of clothing every day.
10. I was grateful to return to cold and rainy Washington D.C.

Vacation was fun, but it makes me appreciate home.