We drove down to Miami Beach yesterday for the first time in about two years and were struck – despite all the traffic – by all the absences, especially along Lincoln Road. It was depressing when the big chain stores moved in, as the street lost its local character, but it’s sad seeing them gone, as the street has been deprived of some of its raison d’être. Of course, people still strolled and ate al fresco, despite the city's crackdown on outdoor tables, which apparently applied to a popular gelateria, whose front sidewalk was strangely empty of chairs. Sunday was a gorgeous day and it was hard to imagine buying an ice cream and not eating it outside.
Sunset Harbor, on the other hand, looked prosperous and active. Heading up Collins Avenue, we were surprised to see that the road work just north of South Beach is still going on, reducing a three-lane street to one lane. But that’s only temporary. Up in Surfside we came upon the greatest absence of all.
