Miami: 'You Are One Big Tease'

Tease? Brett, I don't follow.

That's okay. Let me explain. We've all been in a grocery store where we've been given the option of two things. For the sake of blog, we'll call this the do we get the name brand or the generic version. And that is what Miami is.


But Brett, which is Miami the generic or name brand?

I don't know you have to tell me. But to me it's the generic version, and here's why. But first let me say this. For a lot of people Miami is the name brand and that is more than ok. Now, why is Miami a generic version and a big tease to me? Because it's a daily reminder of what's out there. Let me explain. My apartment complex should change it's name from 'The Fountains' to Argentina. I can go across the street from campus for lunch and have my choice of Columbian, Nicaraguan, or Cuban cuisine. I can go down 8th street and read signs that wish death upon Fidel Castro. The group of people sitting next to me at lunch were speaking French Creole. Do you know how many Brazilians there are down here? This is all a good thing. But my problem is that they are all here. They've all been brought to me. My problem is that I want to go see them, or at least where they came from. I watch Anthony Bourdain and get so jealous. My passport sits patiently in the safe begging for me to max out my credit cards and just go. I here talk about the homelands all the time but here I am. Stuck in the capital of Latin America. But you know what, it may be a giant tease but I liked being teased. I like my palomilla medium and the option to eat plantains everyday for three meals. And I don't care what anybody says. There is a fierce battle raging for worlds best coffee between everywhere in Miami and Cafe Du Monde in New Orleans. Thanks to Baseball and my parents and a job I had once, I'm somewhat well traveled in the US but there is way more out there. So until then I'll settle for being teased.