Sunburns, Aloe and Miami's Other Beaches

One of my mom's home remedies for sunburn is fresh aloe from the garden. She slices off a leaf and peels the skin off one side and then you just rub the jelly-like inside on your bod. I don't know if the aloe does anything to prevent additional peeling but it sure does feel nice, especially if it's been kept in the fridge, ahhh cool and refreshing. It does have a weird odor at first but that completely disappears when it dries leaving you silky soft! Meg and I are both peeling just a little bit. How could this happen? We’re Italian for goodness sake! Well, I’m half Italian and Meg’s one quarter, but she looks more Italian than I do and we NEVER peel… until now.

We can’t stay away from the beach forever so we head out to explore some of Miami’s other beaches. We load up sunscreen and cover-ups and leave later in the day when the sun isn’t so damaging.

Megan is very interested in marine life so we decide to visit Matheson Hammock. The main beach there is an atoll, kind of a big salt-water pool. My family spent many Sunday afternoons there in the late 1950’s and one of the very cool features was the coral rock building that housed a snack bar where, as a special treat, I could get an ice-cream cone or some other frozen delight. I’m sure there were changing rooms and such also but my memory stops at the snack bar!

Meg is not at all impressed with the beach, the snack bar is closed and the rest of the coral rock building has been converted into a fancy restaurant. The mile long sandbar that used to be on the ocean side of the pool seawall is gone too. My last chance to salvage the day is a side beach that has tidal pools and a lot of interesting sea life. The sign for the beach access road is missing but I’m sure that I remember where to turn so we venture down a familiar if unmarked path. The road hasn’t been maintained and I comment on how deserted the area is which is odd as it used to be quite popular and now appears to be abandoned. We park the car and as I am about to get out and walk down to the beach Meg says, “Wait, let’s see what that sign says.” Eeek! No wonder no one is on the beach! We drive around for a bit peering into the mangroves but we don’t spot any Crocs and neither one of us want to be bait to entice them to come out so we leave.

Most of the beaches in Miami don’t allow dogs. The only one I know of is along the causeway to Crandon Park. It’s very rocky with little sand but it’s a beach and we want to see if Iggy will like the ocean.

Although he’s an excellent swimmer one quick paddle to shore is enough for him and he is not at all interested in splashing along the shoreline. Get me outta here! Poor baby! We wrap him up in a towel and soon he is sleeping peacefully.

I have to say that even though I have fond memories of Crandon and Matheson, as those are the beaches my family usually went to when I was little; Miami Beach is by far the nicest beach we visited. It’s very clean, the waves are nice and there are no crocodiles running around ;-)

Thrifting in Miami

It rains the next day so I head off to the local thrift and antique stores that I always visit when I’m in town.

The crabby old guy who owns Dietel's Antiques just had open-heart surgery a few weeks ago but there he is back in the saddle with his shirt unbuttoned low enough to show off his stitches. Unfortunately, his disposition is now worse than ever. After one too many nasty comments from him about how much I am willing to pay for some mid-century glassware – which he refers to as “cheap crap” - I walk out vowing never to return. I leave my pending purchase of glassware (all of which has been languishing in his store for at least a year) sitting on the counter. I’m sad about leaving these treasurers with someone who doesn’t appreciate them, especially three beautiful antique cut glass saltshakers with sterling tops and some Ritz Blue glass by Hazel Atlas including three Sailboat items, but they will have to wait for someone else to rescue them from this horrid little man. Every time I drive by his store for the rest of the trip I stick out my tongue *pffft!!* Silly, but it makes me feel better and it amuses my passengers :-)

I visit a vintage clothing store across the street and OMG what a blast from the past! When I was young, I loved to go dancing at the local clubs – this was during the Disco era and my favorite outfit consisted of an aurora borealis iridescent white sequin tube top with wide leg pink bell-bottom pants and shiny white patent leather platform sandals with 4-inch heels. I could have purchased an identical ensemble right then and there, but I restrained myself, lol!

NYC - High Rents Killing the Antique Business??

Jessica’s apartment is only 5 stops from Manhattan, about 12 minutes on the subway and within walking distance from the very hip Williamsburg. Spacious and cheap by New York standards, her railroad style apartment has an open hallway from the kitchen through the living room and bedroom to the front room. There’s also a roof you can use as a “deck” if you climb out the kitchen window. Her friends from Manhattan are always amazed at how large her place is but it seems tiny to me. The bathroom has tiles falling off, there are water stains on the kitchen ceiling and the wood floors slope quite severely. All this for only $1300 a month! One could pay the mortgage on a very nice house in Columbus for less but as Jess says - it would be in Columbus.

She shares her place with her babies Nancy and Fuzzy. The kitties didn't appreciate Iggy coming to visit them and didn't want to play. Iggy loves cats. He used to live with two cats and they played together all the time so he was a little disappointed that these kitties didn't want anything to do with him.

I go to sleep but my girls stay out late and sleep in the living room

I have to admit that the front room where she has her studio is perfect with two big windows and plenty of room to work on a large canvas.
The next morning I take the L train to Union Square remembering an antique section close to the park. However, when I find the right street there are only a few stores left the others having closed or moved due to the economy and high rents. The remaining stores carry mainly European antiques – somewhat disappointing for a collector of American glass. I stop in a couple of vintage clothing stores and OMG – a purse like the one I just (happily) sold for $37 was priced at a whopping $125 – I guess the rent has to be paid somehow.

Giving up on the antiques, I decide to visit some wholesale bead stores and on the way, I notice this odd little sign so of course I head down the stairs to the basement of the church. At first, nothing catches my eye but then I see this darling doll and I have to take her home with me. There is a wind-up key on the back and she still plays “Thank Heaven for Little Girls”. When I find out who she is I’ll be listing her in one of my stores.

Next - we leave NY and head for Miami