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Tomcal

Moving to Florida

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On 6/7/2021 at 4:56 PM, Slvkguy said:

Miami Beach is a literal hell hole now.  Lincoln Rd is 40% vacant w homeless people all around.  I was there 2 weeks ago.  There are 2 gay bars remaining in Miami Beach and the traffic/crime is terrible.  
Thus, the choice for most is Ft Lauderdale - not because it’s awesome.  It’s just that Ft L is the least bad place in Florida.

The guys who actually live in Miami & Miami Beach all drive up to Ft Lauderdale for evenings out.  Yes, it’s that bad.

What? To each his own but your judgment on Miami Beach is a bit harsh. Yes, we’re still recovering from the pandemic and it’s effects on the tourist market but your vacancy, homeless and crime rates are just not accurate.

I’ve never been to a gay bar or any bar so can’t comment on that. Ft. Lauderdale is nice but Miami is home.

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23 hours ago, Lonely_John said:

I've heard multiple times that FTL is much better retirement destination than Miami. Been to both cities and can definitely confirm.

i have been to both cities many times over the last 25 years and agree! although not being under 35 nor being latin, Fort Lauderdale seems like the best option fo me!

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Pay no mind to @Slvkguyhe speaks so negatively about Miami, and generalizes about all Miami men — and as a Miami Beach guy, I can say his version of Miami is not what I experience, living here.  

Miami scene is way more than the beach.  You have Wynwood which is always slammed and a lot of fun. Little Havana, Little River and Brickell have cool bars and lots of pop up warehouse parties.  Not to knock FTL, but it doesn’t have the vibe or the swag of Miami hot spots.  Hit up any bar in Wynwood or head to Space, 11, Palace, the basement at the Edition, Blackbird Ordinary, the Wood, Swan, Soho House, Deuces, or Nandos and Komodo after hours.... or this weekends pop-up cocktail lounge promoted by a celeb or promoter...

@Slvkguyis right that FTL is traditional gay, it’s a scene is focused on oddly lit gay bars in strip malls, playing gay pop anthems mixed with club dance DJ sets, the kind of place that always need a good cleaning and the kind of place we’ve already spent so much of our lives in...  guys in muscle tees or sparkly tank tops, cargo shorts and flip flops.  

Miami’s scene is mixed, restaurants turned to night clubs after hours, gays and straights dancing together, hanging together, cruising and flirting together...  it’s vibier, way sexier and I think a lot more fun.

and no, all Miami gays don’t go to FTL for the weekend.  You go up maybe once every 5 or 6 weeks, when a friend wants to hit the bear bar in FTL (there isn’t a good one in Miami) or a friend just got dumped and wants boys night — outside of Miami.  

Nobody in Miami hates the gay scene in Miami. If we did we’d move, FTL is a lot cheaper and only 30 mins away.  Gays who live in Miami think it’s head and shoulders above FTL.  It’s just a very different scene — and just cuz SlvkGuy doesn’t like it doesn’t mean the rest of the rest of the gay world feels the same. Most of my friends from other places in US all hit up Miami, not FTL...

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I lived Miami Beach in the mid to late 90s - the heyday of the revitalized beach scene before it got crazy expensive, the gay bars/clubs closed and was invaded by homeless/violence.  I loved Miami Beach then & to see what has become is so sad.  

Last time I was in Miami Beach a few weeks ago, there were so many drugged out people in the streets, it was like a zombie movie.  Not safe at night. That’s why the mayor has implemented new curfews and closed roads to vehicular traffic - because there is a violent crime wave w shootings, robberies and vandalism. If there weren’t real crime issues, why the new curfews ??  That must be the crowd w the “swag”, yes ?

As for the rest of Miami - nice to visit I guess once you get through the traffic.  And, don’t confuse overpriced restaurants/stores & staff w attitude as “sophisticated”….it’s the opposite.  

btw - the Miami Beach vs Ft Lauderdale debate goes back to 1985.  Like I said, it’s not that Ft Lauderdale is awesome…it’s just the least bad place in Florida now.  

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On 6/15/2021 at 1:36 AM, Ethanmiami said:

Pay no mind to @Slvkguyhe speaks so negatively about Miami, and generalizes about all Miami men — and as a Miami Beach guy, I can say his version of Miami is not what I experience, living here.  

Miami scene is way more than the beach.  You have Wynwood which is always slammed and a lot of fun. Little Havana, Little River and Brickell have cool bars and lots of pop up warehouse parties.  Not to knock FTL, but it doesn’t have the vibe or the swag of Miami hot spots.  Hit up any bar in Wynwood or head to Space, 11, Palace, the basement at the Edition, Blackbird Ordinary, the Wood, Swan, Soho House, Deuces, or Nandos and Komodo after hours.... or this weekends pop-up cocktail lounge promoted by a celeb or promoter...

@Slvkguyis right that FTL is traditional gay, it’s a scene is focused on oddly lit gay bars in strip malls, playing gay pop anthems mixed with club dance DJ sets, the kind of place that always need a good cleaning and the kind of place we’ve already spent so much of our lives in...  guys in muscle tees or sparkly tank tops, cargo shorts and flip flops.  

Miami’s scene is mixed, restaurants turned to night clubs after hours, gays and straights dancing together, hanging together, cruising and flirting together...  it’s vibier, way sexier and I think a lot more fun.

and no, all Miami gays don’t go to FTL for the weekend.  You go up maybe once every 5 or 6 weeks, when a friend wants to hit the bear bar in FTL (there isn’t a good one in Miami) or a friend just got dumped and wants boys night — outside of Miami.  

Nobody in Miami hates the gay scene in Miami. If we did we’d move, FTL is a lot cheaper and only 30 mins away.  Gays who live in Miami think it’s head and shoulders above FTL.  It’s just a very different scene — and just cuz SlvkGuy doesn’t like it doesn’t mean the rest of the rest of the gay world feels the same. Most of my friends from other places in US all hit up Miami, not FTL...

FYI - this thread was started by someone moving to Ft Lauderdale for retirement - and my comments were in context Ft Lauderdale vs Miami in 2021 as a retirement destination.  I don’t hate Miami - although I guess you could say I hate what Miami Beach has become vs how it was in its peak. 

Also - for guys considering retirement or already there, a primary concern is safety/security and ease of access for the places we want to go. For those reasons, Ft Lauderdale wins without question for someone considering retirement in a safe gay friendly community with almost all activities in close proximity.  

Always a good idea to read the room - or at least the previous comments to get a sense of context.

 

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Congrats Tomcal on your pending move East ! I travel to FLL quite frequently and I enjoy all the clubs . Even when BW sucks I enjoy Felipe and Andreas , 2 hot bartenders . I enjoy Johnsons  and have had luck with some of their dancers . As we always say “your mileage may vary !” 
 

I hope to meet up with you one day so we can have a drink and compare our taste in dancers!  For now I am hoping some of my favorite FLL hotel rates come down or I will have to find new accommodations! 

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Lucky i don’t know yet I don’t get there until tomorrow but the trip across the county with the 4 dogs has gone surprisingly smooth!  the dogs are doing great! and traffic has been very light the whole way!  it’s a 6 day car trip averaging 450 to 550 miles a day!(2?10 niles)!

 

 

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