Goodbye, View

We just recently gave the standard thirty day notice about leaving our current apartment and have been looking at new places. This has got me feeling nostalgic and wanting to document different aspects of our layout and view for a couple of reasons; a) so I can recreate it if I want to and b) in case we go somewhere that isn't as scenic. With that said, I decided to grab my camera, drop in my newly charged battery, and head out to the balcony.

Some background information before heading into the woods: My boyfriend and I live in a really nice part of a city within the city of Miami, called Coral Gables. The building we live in is particularly nice and very highly regarded in the world of rentals. But don't think for a second that we are in any way snobby, my boyfriend is an ambitious man who works in a great industry and I have two part-time jobs as well as my Etsy shop to live off of. With that said, we just found an awesome place at a steal of a deal.

Until today, I felt that I could safely say that only people with a certain level of appropriateness lived in our building. But no, my friends. Never underestimate the randomness you can find when you're not looking. I step out onto the balcony with my camera, giddy about taking a couple great shots for this post when, lo and behold, our neighbor is sitting on her martha-stewart-blue adirondack chair in a t-shirt and panties. Yes, you read that right. Panties. Not only is she in her panties, but she is lounging like she's in her living room and no one can see her. So I find myself standing on the balcony not knowing what to do, but feeling the time-sensitive nature of the situation. I have to make a decision before she notices that a) I'm outside b) I can see her and c) I have a camera. I immediately turn my gaze to the opposite side of the balcony and another neighbor is heading outside. This neighbor is definitely the kind that I have seen here before. Very nicely dressed, a drink in hand and giving someone a tour of her place. We make eye contact and she proceeds to ignore me. I turn back to the offender and make a move toward the apartment. I put one foot in the doorway and whisper to my boyfriend who is just inside watching a baseball game on tv; "Guess what our neighbor is wearing?! A t-shirt and panties! She's crazy, right?" He laughs and proceeds to watch the game. Best part: I decide that going back outside is the right move at this point. Why? Not sure, but I was determined to get the photos and told myself that I needed to check if she was still there. She had been smoking a cigarette (this is how I even noticed her in the first place) and maybe, just maybe, she was done with it by now and has done the right thing by going inside. I was not so lucky. I immediately turned back into our place, dropped the camera, started this post and left for dinner.

P.S. This journey began at around 7:30 pm which in July means that there is still enough sun to get a tan. It is now 9:21 pm and this is what I've got to show for the day.

Downtown Coral Gables (West)

Downtown Miami (East)

P.S.S. The next day at 1:36 pm: My ode to the best pigeon-less view (so far).

Downtown Coral Gables (West)

Downtown Miami (East)