Becoming residents

As we are approaching the sizzling Florida summer season, I realize this is our second summer here already.  I remember visiting my girlfriend in Tampa years ago and going for a morning walk. I remember looking over at her, walking leisurely next to me. Her face is  glistening. I said: "Are you wearing a shiny lotion or are you sweating"?  She replied with: "I am sweating". It's what you do here.  Surprised I said that I assumed one would get used to this climate after some time. When it's hot and humid you kinda melt. 

Welcome to SOUTHERN FLORIDA.  

Our apartment has become our home. This city has become OUR city. We are constantly exploring and expanding our knowledge of what Saint Petersburg is all about. 

Our place is only a 15 minute bike ride to the popular St. Pete Pier. Located downtown its one of the many happening places.

 Outdoorsy tan people in shorts, on scooters you can rent at every downtown street corner,  beach cruiser bicycles 🚴,  are cruising or walking. 

Street vendors, pop-up stores,  musicians. You name it, you can probably see it here. The vibe is just right. The murals.  Oh my gosh. They are everywhere and oh so creative. See below!

When you drive down Central Avenue on the weekends, you'll  see people dining and having drinks in the many eateries. You'll hear what sounds like music competitions between the many different bars. It's the perfect place for people-watching, I swear! 

The modern day tricycles with engines, now called slingshots, parading up and down and adding their own screaming tunes to the night air.  

This city seems to have its own fashion as well. Younger women with distinct high-waisted mom-shorts with crop tops. White chunky tennis shoes and fun sun hats. Playful summer dresses. Then you'll find men of all ages with colorful shirts with flamingo prints, latin-influenced fedoras and flip-flops.  

Speaking of downtown. It seems like the high-rise-building season lasts all year now.  The view changes continuously. If you blink,  you might miss another big structure being build. The demand is there, thats obvious. 

 The 2022 average rent for a downtown modest apartment in our beautiful city is now at $ 2.879. Holy smokes! You see, living in paradise has its price.

Our neighborhood, Woodlawn Park is lively, too. In the evening you'll always see the busy beach volleyball courts right across the street from us with young athletic women wearing provocative next-to-nothings alongside with the David Hasselhoff-looking kinda studs of the 2000's (flashback alert)!

Outdoor dog-friendly cafés

 and bars,  restaurants and hip music-infused breweries.  Tourists all year round. Lakes with alligators, kayak and boat launches,  water everywhere and an abundance of sunshine.

There is a stigma attached to Florida,  it seems. Our good friend refers to it as the "purple hair state". While there are many retirees or so called snowbirds living in Florida,  St. Pete has escaped being overrun by just one age group.  We hear that just 10 years ago this age group was the majority. In 2022 the median age group is now in the mid 40's. 

It was a sleepy outdated town with many crime invested neighborhoods. Now it holds a nice balance of all ages. The run-down areas have revitalized. Old neglected structures have gotten face-lifts. The out-of-town investors drive the real estate market value up.

 There's still tons of old-world charm here. Take a turn off a main road and you will most-likely be driving on a red-bricked little neighborhood road. There's many of these. Alongside of them you'll see mostly older homes. Often hiding under enormous old gnarly branched spanish moss-covered southern live oaks. 

This is why Joe and I find this city so appealing. We love the combination of old and new. We want the kids, the teenagers,  young families with strollers and ALL other age groups.  All of this, all the beautiful different colors of it is what makes St. Pete so special to us. 

We are happy to be residents here. 

We are home once again.