New Kid On The Block

A month or two ago a new Starbucks opened in North Miami. We've got two now. This one is a bit further away from my house, but it's right downtown, just half a block away from city hall, so I'm frequently nearby anyway.

I was really surprised at just how different the ambiance is. I already knew some of the employees from the other location, and they made me feel at home. The crowd is a lot different, though. Not so many college students with their laptops and their piles of books, studying in silence. About no older folks reading the Miami Herald or the New York Times. Conversations conducted mostly in unaccented English rather than Portuguese, Spanish, Russian, Thai, or Chinese. It was almost like being back in the United States rather than the United Nations.

The other big difference is the stage area, complete with sound equipment and lighting. Now there's a place to go that features live poetry reading and folk music. I don't remember who this was but it was Open Mike Night and several people got up and played and sang. I guess I didn't feel quite at home there, though, because I left myself out of the photo.