Miami/Ft Lauderdale

These 2 places are one in the same for me.  I usually tell people when they ask, I’m going to the Miami, Ft. Lauderdale area.  It’s the end of January here, and my skin is tanned brown, my body lean from daily cold swims, the palms wave their wispy fronds as I count the laps, the morning sun heating everything. I understand why people move to Florida.  It really is the sunshine state.  Each time my departure date has arrived, I’ve extended it.  “I am a beautiful tropical snowbird,” I tell people when they ask.   The locals don’t like the Northern Snowbirds and I can understand why.  The primary New York species has brought the New York state of mind with them with harrowing driving and frightening visits to Costco.  But the locals here love me and I love them back. 

Some of the things I have loved doing in the past in every city I visit is the Hop On Hop Off Bus.  They give a great comprehensive tour of any place you visit.  When South Beach opens again, make sure to walk into one of the bars with live music for great people watching and dancing.  Favorite places to dine:  Check out the Alchemist in Wilton Manners.  They have an amazing garden.  And if you don’t want their particular type of cuisine, there is a Mexican and French restaurant that yawn out over a garden.  For vegans, Matthew Kinney’s 5 star cuisine is a great choice.  And for the acai bowl that changed my life forever, Under the Mango Tree.  As for the beaches, the farther north from South Beach you head, the more peace you can find.  But that is not why I come to the area.  I visit for the people. 

I have a large community of the most wonderful people who live in that area.  I met them through local burning man festivals.  One friend, met one friend, met one friend, and so the community continued to grow.  Another friend moved from Atlanta back home to Florida, and thus, we blended even more deeply so that we no longer see where it begins and where it ends.  When I reached out to let me friends know I was coming, invitations to stay filled up my inbox.  Especially during Covid days, I know what a trust and honor it is to receive the invite.

People

On the way to Key West, I stayed with Sheri Poole and her partner Pri.  They’re awesome humans. Individually and together. I had just spent a wonderful week with them in St. Augustine for New Years, and was happy to take their offer to stay with them just a few days later.  Sheri has had a huge influence on me during the time I’ve known her.  I met her when she lived in Atlanta and have seen her often and consistently in the time since she moved back to Florida.  It’s impossible not to be drawn in by her sassy fun energy.  Wherever she goes, glitter, laughter, and leopard print are sure to follow.  She is one of the women who taught me what it means to be a sister for other women.  She does not compete with other woman, instead, shines light and friendship.  There is nothing but kindness, openness, and friendship in her strength and acceptance.  She and her partner Priyanka, are beautiful together.  I love watching them and learning what a good partnership looks like: patience, love, fire, inspiration.  They fully accept and love one another for how opposite the other is to them in nature but not in heart.  They are supportive of one another and honor one another for who they are.  As I begin my quest to receive my Divine Partner, their love, friendship, and partnership inspire me.