If you’re like many of us who call Miami home, odds are at least two of the following three things are true:
- You were not born here.
- There is Florida, a beautiful representation of the United States of America and then there is Miami, which has its own cultural signature separate from the rest of the nation, and then you return to Florida as soon as you enter Monroe County. There’s no passport required, despite what those who live north of Miami-Dade county or in the Conch Republic may want to claim.
- Miami is full of great places to eat.
In my case, all of the above apply. However, despite moving to Miami in 1997 I can still claim that I don’t know my adopted hometown that well. Sure, I can ride Miami-Dade Transit like a pro – even tell you with full confidence how not to use Metrobus and Metrorail,,. I can even tell you about little known gems, such as Schnebly Redland’s Winery and not so hidden gems like the Metrozoo. At the same time, I can make some crazy claims like “I’ve lived here for 12 years without a car!” and “I do appreciate that Miami-Dade County – despite its speckled past – is a decent place to live if you know where (and how) to live.
This portion of my blog is about my on-going discovery of Miami-Dade County. I didn’t say Miami because for most of the world, Miami starts and ends east of the Julia Tuttle causeway, with some (coincidental) destinations east of the Everglades and north of Key Largo.
It is possible to be a tourist in your own hometown… In a way, I will always be. Miami is vibrant and ever changing. Some of this changes are for the best, some, not that much; but one thing is true: Miami is eclectic, and – at least for me – Miami is home.