The Redland

Family Heads Back to South Florida

February 16th, 2010 Categories: About, Random Thoughts, South Florida Living, The Redland

In the past few years there’s been so much talk of people leaving south Florida and heading north.  It seemed that was all I heard a few years back.  But homes have become affordable once again in Miami and surrounding areas.

I read an interesting story of a family who headed to North Dakota lured by the promise of small town life, sweetened by the offer of free land and money to get their home purchase on its way.

It’s been four years since the Tristanis moved and they’re apparently trying to come back to south Florida.  The beautiful weather here is just one of the many reasons.

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Blog Action Day 2009

October 15th, 2009 Categories: The Redland

Today is Blog Action Day.

No, you’re not at the wrong blog.  Although my usual posts are, of course, related to the Miami real estate market, once a year I choose to sway from that and participate in Blog Action Day.

On Blog Action Day, the intent is to get as many bloggers as possible writing about the same issue of global importance.  This year the issue is climate change. There’s no getting away from it.  It affects us all.

I admit that I don’t do as much as I can to prevent slow down climate change.  None of us does.  There’s always something else you can be doing that helps the cause.  But don’t let that thought overwhelm you.  If living off the grid is not your goal, at least try to shrink your carbon footprint by making small consistent changes.

Take a look at the list of the Top 100 Effects of Global Warming.  It’s pretty sobering stuff.  I’m not a wine drinker, but if I were, I would not be happy at seeing my Pinot Noir on the most endangered wine list.  Saying goodbye to baseball?  Unthinkable? Well, at least the present baseball bat as we know it.  Live Christmas trees gone too?  Yep.  No more lobster dinners? These things are things that we could do without, albeit begrudgingly, but there are items on the list that are serious issues: increased illnesses, whole species disappearing, more hurricanes, more floods, more fires and on and on.

I read the whole list.  I admit it wasn’t the best way to start my day.  Bummer.  But the seriousness of the issue can’t be toned down.  It’s too important.  Life as we know it is at stake. Here’s a link to an empowering list.  One with solutions.  It tells you some of the things you can do to make a difference.  And you’re never too young to get involved.  Kids are making a difference too.

Start small if you haven’t started already. And keep it constant.  The earth is counting on you.

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Best Pizza in Miami

June 18th, 2009 Categories: Dining, The Redland

My family’s search for really good pizza in Miami has ended. Finally.

They’re a little hard to please in the pizza department. The kids were born in NYC, undisputed king of the pizza, and not without merit (many have ventured guesses that it may, in fact, be the water?).  So they were a little spoiled when it came to pizza.

We’ve been searching for that perfect piece of dough, sauce & cheese combo in Miami for almost eight years.  Today I can confidently state that our search is over. We came close once before, but we were in Ft. Myers Beach on vacation so that didn’t count.

Don’t get me wrong.  We’ve had good pizza in Miami. The kids always sized it up, though, and came to the conclusion “yeah, but it’s not as good as New York pizza.”  Alas, when those words were uttered, the search continued.

Last week, instead of summing up our new find with those words, they “mmmmm, mmmmm’d” their way through the pie, while rolling their eyes in delight.  When finished, they proclaimed, “THAT was good!”  The best they’ve had in Miami. Period.

The winner of their kudos was found in the most unlikely of places.  A gas station. Yes, a gas station. Corrina’s Pizza is located inside the quick-mart at a gas station on Krome Avenue and 272 Street. I don’t even remember which gas station it is. Not important.

Corrina’s doesn’t sell just pizza. They’ve got a full line-up of hot subs (including my all-time favorite eggplant parmigiana), baked pasta dishes & Italian dinners.  But with such good pizza I’ve yet to make it to that part of the menu. =) I love their Special Deluxe pizza (pepperoni, sausage, mushroom, onion, green pepper, olives & garlic).  One slice makes a whole meal.

And their prices are pretty darn reasonable. A large pie is $10.95 (and it is large). A slice is $1.95 (I remember paying 35 cents as a kid in NYC…my age is showing). Hot subs are $5.95 while their restaurant counterparts charge $2 or $3 more for the same thing.  The dinners are $4.95 – $8.95, again much less than their competitors.

So, if you’re lucky enough to live in the Redland / Homestead area, or find yourself taking a drive “out to the country” make sure you stop at Corrina’s for a slice of pizza.  They do have a seating area so you can eat it nice & crispy.  Even if you live “in the city” it beats a flight up to NYC.

• Corrina’s New York Style Pizza
• 27200 SW Krome Ave., Homestead, FL 33031
• 305.242.2772
• *Closed Sundays until football season so plan your visit to the Redland on a Saturday!
  

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Buying Miami Beach For Only $37.50

January 31st, 2009 Categories: The Redland

Can you really buy Miami and Miami Beach properties for only $37.50?  Well, sort of.  =)  Yes, you too can own your very own piece of prime Miami Beach real estate.  But it will be Monopoly style!

The all-American favorite board game has a Miami and the Beaches version.  And your purchase helps to benefit the New World Symphony.  Check it out!

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Finding a Condo in the Redland

October 18th, 2008 Categories: About, The Redland

Well, this one’s easy.  You can’t! You can’t find a condo in the Redland because there aren’t any.

So what types of properties can you find in the Redland?  This one’s easy too.  If you’re referring to residential properties, single family homes and a couple of manufactured home parks is all you will find in the Redland.

There are no condominiums here.  No townhomes.  No duplexes.  No apartment buildings.  No multi-family units whatsoever.  I think the closest you’ll get to a multi-family unit is the occasional guest cottage or in-law quarters (permits pulled and not).

The Redland is at the southwest end of unincorporated Miami-Dade (still “Miami” on the letters the post office delivers to us).  It is an agricultural community primarily and because of that, not densely populated.  There’s lots of room to stretch your wings here.  Because of this, the need for anything other than single family residences is non-existent.

There is a hotel(motel?) on Krome avenue in the low 200’s.  I think it has about 15 rooms.  It’s the only one I know of.  I stayed there a couple of nights a few years ago after one of the hurricanes took out our power.

Apart from residential properties, the most common thing you’ll find in the Redland are nurseries as well as acres and acres of crops.  Then, of course, there’s the businesses found mainly on Krome Avenue.  Gas stations, U-picks here and there, small local businesses clustered in small strip malls and more and more nurseries.  But no condos!

Need help finding a home in the Redland?  I know a great real estate professional who can help you out. =)

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Living in the Redland ….perks!

August 26th, 2008 Categories: About, The Redland

One of the first things I did when I moved to Miami was plant a mango tree. I loved the idea of having something growing in the yard, taking care of it, and later enjoying fruit from it. But when I moved to the Redland to an acre-plus of land I found myself planning for other fruit trees. The property in the Redland already had mangoes, avocadoes, lychees, longan, starfruit, bananas, loquat and various citrus, but I wanted to try some others.

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