Thursday, July 16, 2009

Mid Beachin Miami Beach Arthur Godfrey Road

Bell Tower of St. Charles Catholic Church West end 41st Street



Forty first street effectively bisects Miami Beach. On my visits, it's one of the areas where I usually spend considerable time. It is largely devoid of tourists and is home to a considerable portion of hasidic jews. If one is anti-semitic, homophobic or uncomfortable with hispanics, Miami Beach would be a place to avoid. On the other hand, if you savor the rich olla podrida here as I do, then by all means, dig in. From the over the top and wildly expensive Forge restaurant to the simple Chicken Kitchen or middle eastern Pita Palace, Arthur Godfrey Road offers a wide variety of dining options.




If you're wearing clothes like these a little breeze and shade helps when it's ninety-two outside






What captivates about mid-beach is that the amenities feel like those you associate with every day living. The hardware store, the little shops and neighborhood eateries are frequented by people who call the island home. With almost one hundred thousand full time residents this city is unique in blending its two worlds. The intermingling of urbanity and a Manhattan insouciance with the lush tropical backdrop, pulsing street life and killer architecture make this a place that excites even the most jaded traveler. As I return to Miami Beach, every time I reach the top of the bridge on the Julia Tuttle Causeway and see the island laid out before me in all its beauty, I feel a palpable rush of pleasant memories. I always think, " this is going to be good." And so far, it always has been.

Mary Statue is cooled by twin fountains at St. Charles


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