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Moonlight Penguin
Captain

PostPosted: Fri Dec 29, 2006 8:25 am


Miami, Florida.

Translated to english: "Mi-ami" means my love. And do they love this city......

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The areas we should look at:

Little Haiti

South Beach

Biscayne Bay

North Miami

South Miami

Coconut Groves

Coral Gables
PostPosted: Fri Dec 29, 2006 8:49 am


Little Haiti


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Through the years, the community has changed from agricultural to residential, from middle class to lower class and middle class again. Part of this change was driven by immigrants from Haiti, and soon the area was called "Little Haiti, (La Petite Haiti)." To a large extent, the Haitian Creole and francophone culture thrives there, but because of discrimination and misunderstanding, certain practices like voodoo must be done in secret. Attempts are underway to make Little Haiti into an ethnic enclave, but this has been hampered by the fact that many prosperous residents have moved away. Little Haiti is one of the poorest areas in Miami and is known for its crime and drug trade.

Little Haiti's boundaries are roughly as follows: to the north, 85th Street, to the west, Miami Avenue, to the east, Biscayne Boulevard (U.S. Route 1), and to the south, Northeast 36th Street (US 27).

The southern extremity of Little Haiti is now referred to as the Miami Design District, an 18 block section of art galleries, showrooms and restaurants located between NE 41st Street and NE 36th Street, Miami Avenue and Biscayne Boulevard.

Moonlight Penguin
Captain


Moonlight Penguin
Captain

PostPosted: Fri Dec 29, 2006 8:54 am


South Beach


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Today the South Beach section of Miami Beach is a major entertainment destination with hundreds of nightclubs, restaurants and ocean-front hotels. The area is popular with international tourists, as well, with German being the third most spoken language after English and Spanish. The large number of European tourists contributes to South Beach's tolerance of topless sunbathing, despite being a public beach. The beach is adorned with several colorful and unique lifeguard stands.

There are several residential neighborhoods in South Beach. South of Fifth (also known as SoFi) encompasses the area from the Atlantic ocean east to Biscayne Bay on the west, and from Fifth Street to the South Pointe. As of 2005, it has Miami Beach's highest property values. Although mostly residential, the area is also home to several large scale development projects and large buildings such as Portofino Tower and sister buildings such as ICON (spearheaded by designer Philippe Starck), Continuum, and Murano at Portofino. This area has several notable nightlife destinations, including Opium Garden, Privé, Nikki Beach Club, and Pearl. It also has several smaller, upscale bars, and in addition several restaurants, including world famous Joe's Stone Crab, Smith & Wollensky's steak house, and China Grill.

Flamingo Park is the neighborhood directly north of Fifth, and expands from Alton Road on the west to Washington Avenue on the east, with its northern boundary being Lincoln Road; it does not include Lenox. This area consists mainly of low rise apartment buildings, with commercial development largely limited to Alton Road, Washington Avenue, and Lincoln Road. Presently, there is little notable nightlife, with the exception of Tantra on 15th Street. It is also home to Flamingo Park, one of South Beach's public parks, which includes recreational facilities such as tennis and basketball courts.

Flamingo West is a neighborhood of single family homes that spans from north of the Park to Lincoln Road on Lennox and Michigan Avenues.

Collins Park is South Beach's most "up and coming" neighborhood, according to the Miami New Times. The newspaper cites the new Sanctuary Spa Resort, a updated public library, and several open projects as evidence for its claim. Collins Park is contained by 17th Street to the south, 23rd Street to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the east, and Washington Avenue/Pinetree Drive to the west. It is directly across from the Miami Beach Convention Center. Collins Park consists mainly of low rise art deco buildings built in the 1930s and 1950s; it is also the location of the Bass Museum of Art. The area is currently undergoing gentrification, as many of the old apartments from the 1980s (many of which still have bars on their windows) are being purchased by major New York and South Florida real estate developers to be converted into condos.

Additionally, many high-rise buildings are located along Bay Road and West Avenue, and there are multifamily residences located north of Lincoln Road and east of Collins Park. The Flamingo, the world's largest apartment complex, is located on Bay Road

South Beach has a very active club/bar scene. It is host to over 150 clubs and other destinations, most of which close at 5 am. South Beach can be expensive, and access to nightclubs is often difficult for non-locals who do not have connections, or do not plan their evenings in advance. Access to the more popular nightspots can cost anywhere from $20-60 for entry (depending on event and venue) and a wait of up to several hours, in addition to evaluation by door staff.

Nightlife in South Beach is dynamic and ever-changing, although watering holes like The Clevelander and "The Deuce" have remained steadfast tourist destinations on Ocean Drive for well over a decade. Clubs constantly change decor, name, and owner, so it is difficult to state at any given time which clubs are popular. The average club is only open for about a season or less. Recently, the local government has been taking steps to prevent these short-lived venues from establishing themselves at all
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PostPosted: Fri Dec 29, 2006 8:57 am


Biscayne Bay


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A lagoon that is approximately 35 miles (56 km) long and up to 8 miles (13 km) wide located on the Atlantic coast of south Florida. It is usually divided for purposes of discussion and analysis into three parts, North Bay, Central Bay and South Bay.

North Bay separates Miami Beach on its barrier island from Miami on the mainland. It has been severely affected over the last century by raw sewage releases, urban runoff, shoreline bulkheading, dredging, the creation of artificial islands and the loss of natural fresh water flow into the bay. North Bay accounts for only 10% of the water area of the bay.

Central Bay is the largest part of the bay. It is separated from the Atlantic Ocean by the Safety Valve, a series of shallow flats separated by tidal flow channels, stretching from the south end of Key Biscayne to the Ragged Keys at the north end of the Florida Keys. It has been adversely affected primarily by bulkheading, urban runoff discharged by canals, and the loss of natural fresh water flow.

South Bay is nearly as large as Central Bay, and is the least affected by human activities, although it also suffers from the loss of natural fresh water flow. South Bay is separated from the Atlantic Ocean by the northernmost of the Florida Keys, and is connected to Florida Bay through channels and "sounds" lying between the mainland and the keys.

Moonlight Penguin
Captain


Moonlight Penguin
Captain

PostPosted: Fri Dec 29, 2006 9:02 am


North Miami


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A city located in northeast Miami-Dade County, Florida. Originally the town of Arch Creek, the area then incorporated as the Town of Miami Shores, which changed names to North Miami in 1927. The city lies on Biscayne Bay and hosts the Biscayne Bay campus of Florida International University, as well as the North Miami campus of Johnson & Wales University.

The city is also home to the Oleta River State Park, which is the state's largest urban park.

The Oleta River State Park is the largest urban park in the Florida State Park system. The park is located on 1043 acres (4.2 km²) - 993 acres (4.0 km²) of land and 50 acres (0.2 km²) of inland water - on Biscayne Bay, in the northeastern end of the city of North Miami in Miami-Dade County, Florida, and adjoins the Biscayne Bay Campus of Florida International University. In some documents, the park is designated as the Oleta River State Recreation Area. The park contains one of the largest concentrations of Australian Pine trees (an invasive species) found in a Florida State Park.

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PostPosted: Fri Dec 29, 2006 9:07 am


South Miami


As of the censusGR2 of 2000, there were 10,741 people, 4,301 households, and 2,593 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,811.0/km² (4,680.5/mi²). There were 4,457 housing units at an average density of 751.5/km² (1,942.2/mi²). The racial makeup of the city was 69.84% White, 24.70% African American, 0.14% Native American, 0.40% Asian, 0.04% Pacific Islander, 1.75% from other races, and 2.13% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 34.37% of the population.

There were 4,301 households out of which 26.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 40.4% were married couples living together, 15.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 39.7% were non-families. 30.7% of all households were made up of individuals and 9.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.47 and the average family size was 3.15.

In the city the population was spread out with 22.7% under the age of 18, 8.2% from 18 to 24, 31.8% from 25 to 44, 23.7% from 45 to 64, and 13.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females there were 92.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 90.4 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $42,488, and the median income for a family was $57,791. Males had a median income of $37,250 versus $29,772 for females. The per capita income for the city was $24,526. About 8.9% of families and 17.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 22.0% of those under age 18 and 13.4% of those age 65 or over.

Moonlight Penguin
Captain


Moonlight Penguin
Captain

PostPosted: Fri Dec 29, 2006 9:11 am


Coconut Grove


Originally spelled Cocoanut Grove, is a neighborhood located in the City of Miami, Florida in Miami-Dade County, United States. The area is defined as southeast of US 1, from N. Prospect Ave as the southern border to the intersection of US 1 and Brickell Ave as the northern border. The western border is Le Jeune Road and the eastern border is Biscayne Bay. Technically, all of Coconut Grove has a zip code of 33133, which actually extends the area north of US 1 into what is called "Silver Bluffs". The region is often referred to simply as "The Grove".

Coconut Grove is also home to The Kampong, an 8 acre (32,000 m²) tropical garden that forms part of the National Tropical Botanical Garden.

Coconut Grove is also the location of The Barnacle Historic State Park. Built in the late 1800s, the former home of Ralph Middleton Munroe is one of the oldest homes in the country and is situated on the shore of Biscayne Bay. The forest surrounding the home is hardwood hammock and is the last of its kind in the area. The unique architecture includes period furniture and wide porches that afford magnificent views.
PostPosted: Fri Dec 29, 2006 9:16 am


Coral Gables


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The city is best known as the home of the University of Miami.

Coral Gables also is the former home to the National Hurricane Center, responsible for tracking tropical depressions, tropical storms and hurricanes.

The city also has a sizable business district. Coral Gables is an extremely affluent city. Its residents include upper class businesspeople and professionals. The city is well known for its restaurants, art galleries, unique shops and boutiques and live theater performances.

The median household income for a Coral Gables resident, as of the 2000 census, was $66,839.

Portions of the film Fair Game were filmed in Coral Gables[8].

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Moonlight Penguin
Captain


Moonlight Penguin
Captain

PostPosted: Thu Jan 04, 2007 10:45 am


Vaulderie:


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One of the hottest night clubs in South Beach, this is where the Vaulderies will take place. One night during the weekdays, all will go from the party down stairs to the party upstairs, to feast and be one!

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PostPosted: Tue Jan 23, 2007 12:47 pm


"Mistress, they are approaching now." The man called out to the red headed woman seated on a rather luxurious chair, lounging a bit. Green eyes rolled over to look at him, and nodded.

"Thank you my pet." She called after him, smiling, swinging her legs about so that she could sit up. For this first night, she invited all vampires to her beautiful house, as she could be on a more personal feel with everyone there.

She brushed out her black slacks, and straighted that black business coat, and pulled down that white shirt underneath, so that the buttons smoothed over her feminine curves. Where she sat was a large chair at the end of a long dinner table. Each spot was filled with an empty chair.

Moonlight beams danced off of her milky white skin, as the high-vaulted windows were open to let in the fresh moonlit night. Of course, the light pollution from the city filled the night as well, only leaving the moon and a few planets, and one large star if you look close enough, to scatter across the night sky.

This was Julianna Gowan, the new Archbishop of Miami. Her former sire passed on by undisclosed causes, and so.. she was held best, and so she got the position. This Irish maiden sat, reclined into her chair even, and shut her eyes, relaxing... and as how it goes "the calm before the storm."

Moonlight Penguin
Captain


PhaetonClymene

PostPosted: Wed Jan 24, 2007 12:07 pm


Jacques paced back and forth in his haven. The church had been abandoned for years before his arrival, but he made sure it stayed that way after he arrived. A letter had been slipped underneath the front door of his church, and the deliverer had been gone before Jacques could tear him to pieces. He contemplated leaving for quite a long time. He was always a shut in, leaving only when needed.

It's about time I left, at least to meet this new Archbishop, he thought to himself.

With that, he opened the front door to his haven, closed it tight, barricading it, and took off into the night sky towards the address of the leader of the city's home.
PostPosted: Wed Jan 24, 2007 2:45 pm


Miami was already buzzing with activity when Bega stepped off the midtown city bus on her way to the Archbishop's haven. Having lived in Miami for 25 years, Bega had known the last Sabaat leader and was admittedly curious about their successor.

"Hey baby! Can I talk to you a minute?" a young black boy said leaning against a rail, trying to appear cool in front of his friends. Bega chose to ignore the child but when he ran over to her insisting on her response, she grew impatient. She turned her piercing gold eyes glaring the boy down. He stumbled backwards, staring at her. Her eyes told a story that her supple young body was incapable of. Her eyes exposed age and power that the young kid was not prepared to handle. He turned quickly and fled back to his friends who had already begun to heckle him. He was too shaken to really care.

Bega lifted her full white skirt as she moved up the stairs of the grand estate. Here we go she thought.

xxDethWishxx


SincerelyWrittenMachine

PostPosted: Fri Jan 26, 2007 9:36 pm


To any casual onlookers, though there were none, what seemed to be a shadow moved quickly through the alleyways of the city. In fact, the figure was not a shadow, but was a very tall, thin man dressed all in black. His coat, pants, shirt, suit jacket, hat, and even sunglasses were all black. The only thing that was not black was his chalk white face, which (if not for the shade of the hat) would have been glowing blue.

'A new artifact, a new city, a new Archbishop to meet...' Alexander sighed to himself. Often the thought came through his mind that Sabbat politics were no better than those of the Camarilla. He cared not for sects, though. All he cared about was the fragment of the Book of Nod that he was led to believe was in this city.

Alexander came upon the estate of the Archbishop and looked at the building with slight contempt, 'As usual, much... tackier than anything needs to be.' He stopped and watched a small spectacle in front of him. He chuckled to himself as he saw a young human get snubbed by an islander girl, "Oh, the affairs of mortals..." He whispered quietly to himself. As he watched the girl head toward the large haven, however, he changed his opinion, "Perhaps not so mortal after all..." He moved on then, not wanting his little flaw to draw attention to himself.
PostPosted: Fri Jan 26, 2007 10:17 pm


He didn't care how many mortals saw him flying through the air, if any at all, but he was blending into the night sky, however, once he landed at the front door, ignoring the other people walking in, he was in clear view. He looked behind him at the other two entering the building, then turned away and walked right in, ignoring servants and heading straight for Julianna, the archbishop herself.

PhaetonClymene


xxDethWishxx

PostPosted: Sat Jan 27, 2007 9:22 am


Bega was so startled by the dark figure that landed next to her, she nearly bumped into the tall, frightening thin man coming up behind her. In a heavily accented Caribbean tongue, she muttered softly "I tink I may 'ave to put bells yeh all". Taking another look around outside, almost as if she were looking for someone, Bega turned back and entered into the building. "'Tis nicer than I imagined someone in porn would make it" Bega said to herself. Perhaps louder than she intended since her voice bounced off the high ceilings and echoed around her.
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