Miami Beach

I arrived Tuesday (1.2.07) at MIA International Airport. It was a short journey home with my new roommate - Aria (more about her later). Miami drivers are currently being described by moi as rash (more on that later too). Aria is a good driver from Denver. I feel safe with her which is a good thing. We drove across a particular "causeway" to get to 41st on Miami Beach. We live at 30th & Indian Creek. A beautiful canal runs along the road and our place faces West so we get to enjoy it's beauty from our balconies and windows. (see picture at left)

It's Sunday now and here's what I've noticed about Miami besides the rash drivers and all the palm trees: It's Humid by Golly; English is the minority language spoken; models stand at crosswalks with their lanky figures and luxury-sense of fashion; hotels line all roads and they are currently filled with tourists: it's "high season" from Dec-April; platinum blonde got its roots here; most pedestrians make suicide attempts every time they cross the road; you can pick up your hormone replacement pills at the local drugstore over-the-counter (think steroids); the food is good, plentiful, and worldly; nightlife begins around midnight; there is a healthy way of thinking here (besides the late-night partying); celebrities live just a short drive down the road; and it gets windy everyday in the late afternoon.

Now for a story: Aria and I went onto the mainland yesterday for some much needed shopping for "things" at Target. We were hungry and stopped at a Pollo Tropical - fast food version of Caribbean cuisine. The cashier was out of this world: it was so hard to order from her! Every time you told her something, she'd repeat it back to you in a different way and you weren't sure if you ordered the right thing so you said it again and this went back and forth several times. I wanted "chicken with yellow rice and vegetables." Finally I was just happy with whatever she had on her screen. And she looked at me and said "why you always gotta say vegetables?" and I said, "well that's what it says on the menu." Her eyes bugged at me and she asked, "if you're cooking yellow rice at home, what do YOU put in it?" I said, "I don't know, I'm from Oregon." :P

And that's where I will end this blog. More to come soon, maybe once a week or something. Love to my good friend and great family!