[OT] Anyone live in Miami? Anything I should know?

[Plane Sailing]

Hi Guys,

there is a slim chance that my wife's work will take her out to Miami for 2-3 months (and I'll be coming along to do the househusband/looking after baby role).

So does anyone here live in Miami or know anything about it? I'm UK born and bred and have never visited the States; I'm curious for anything I ought to know just in case the trip actually happens!

Thanks for any help/suggestions

 

[Piratecat]

It's hot. Very, very hot. Air conditioning is your friend.

Make sure you get out of the city; explore little restuarants, go to nature reserves on beaches, head down the Florida Keys (islands at the southern tip of Florida, reaching down 190 miles from Miami (I know cause I biked them once in college.) Cultivate a taste for Cuban cuisine, be smart about what areas of the city to avoid at night (just like any big city), and have a delightful time!

 

[Mixmaster]

From a Cuban-American who has family in Miami:

Learn Spanish!!!! (even a little will help).

It may be the United States but with a influx of Columbians, Dominicans and of course the "exiled" Cubans, it seems that English is the second language.

 

[Plane Sailing]

Thanks for the helpful comments. I'll make one more post on this subject once I know if and when it may happen.

Cheers!

 

[War Golem]

So does anyone here live in Miami or know anything about it? I'm UK born and bred and have never visited the States; I'm curious for anything I ought to know just in case the trip actually happens!

Hi Plane Sailing,

P'Cat is right. It's hot. And humid. If you are not used to these conditions, it can be a brutal shock.
It is usually very sunny, but will also frequently rain very hard for short periods of time with no warning. You will want to bring or acquire sunglasses and an umbrella in short order.
Traffic is awful, but public transportation is worse. Miami drivers are, as a rule, fast, poorly skilled, and exceedingly rude.
Miami is geopolitically part of the United States, but culturally has very little to do with the rest of the US. Habla espanol? Neither do I.... don't worry about it, unless you are psychotically bothered by people around you speaking a language you can't understand. Almost everyone speaks English as well, with varying degrees of proficiency.
If you have other questions, let me know. My girlfriend and I can show you and your wife around a bit when you get here if you like.
Cheers,

War Golem

 

[Voneth]

*Well, for one beware I-95 during rush hour. Unfortuntantly, the Florida Turnpike can be just as busy. And don't be fooled by a map. Traffic makes South and West Miami almost an hour away from North Miami even on the highways.

*Depending on where you are in Miami, Spanish may be optional. But I think you may be surprised to find a few other Brits and New Zelanders running around here already.

*Watch your money. South Florida is a very social place. There is always a party, bar, or concert that will tempt you to go out. I don't have that problem since I can't find a babysitter.

*If you like archetecture, then just sightseeing the condo entrances, and local museums will be a blast. I heard somewhere south is a WotC store, but I live one county up in Broward and that makes the trip almost an hour and a half.

*Bewarned about South Beach, people do go topless and that might get you in trouble with the Mrs.

*From North Miami, Orlando is almost 4 hours away. From Broward it is closer to three if you take the Turnpike. After you leave Miami though, the turnpike gets expensive and the trip to Orlando will cost you about $10 -- one way! However if you visiting during the summer, you will want to avoid Orlando's attractions because it not only hot but packed shoulder to shoulder. Wait until school starts again and try to visit Universal and Disney on a weekday.

*Try to make some friends who know the local resturants and spots, if you haven't tried Jamacian, Hatian or Cuban, you'll find you have been missing out.

*Yes, A/C is manditory even during most of the "winter."

*Cover your eyes! A lot of women in Miami dress very ... cosmopolitan, you may be in for a culture shock, especialy if you're wife has image issues. The Midwesterner in me thought he died and went to heaven.

*Check out Dragon's Lair in Hollywood, FL on 441. It's a cute place that just got a facelift. Saturdays are CCG days though. RPGing is easier at night or Sundays. If you drop by on a Saturday, ask for the guy who runs the Trinity game.

*I don't know about the stores further south, but I do know that there are gaming places in Lake Worth and Boca Raton.

So we seem to have some SoFlas here on d20reviews. Anyone care to network and pass on names in private email?

 

[War Golem]

I heard somewhere south is a WotC store...

*I don't know about the stores further south, but I do know that there are gaming places in Lake Worth and Boca Raton.

So we seem to have some SoFlas here on d20reviews. Anyone care to network and pass on names in private email?

Hi Voneth,

Yes, there is a WotC store in Miami-Dade county. It is located at The Falls shopping mall, which is closer to the south end of the county, off US 1. The manager is actually a buddy of mine, and a player in my campaign. I don't know how much actual gaming goes on in the store, though...

I just invited another EN Board member, Green Knight, to game with our tuesday night crew. Maybe we can get you down here to North Cuba for a game sometime as well. Send me an email at the email account listed in my profile. If nothing else, we can swap details on other gaming stores in our respective counties.

Cheers,

-War Golem