We are almost to the six month mark of living in Florida after moving from Atlanta, Georgia. While I usually feel like time flies, the past few months have held so much change and settling in that I feel like they have gone slowly!
A few things have been expected- the heat, sand ending up everywhere in my car, alligator and spider sightings (cue several screams), and loving being so close to family. But I’ve been also been a little shocked by a few things living here. Today I’m sharing the top ten reality-check moments… the good, the bad, and allll the surprising!
ONE.
Florida is so friendly, it feels like what I expected Atlanta to be like when I moved there from Maryland. People in Sarasota are warm and welcoming, and the pace of life is so much slower after living in the city. There is a calm and friendliness every single place you go that I just love.
TWO.
The alligators really do roam free. We admittedly live in a very natural and undeveloped part of town, but I truly did not think I would encounter gators at all in my day-to-day! In fact, when we moved here people told us repeatedly that you don’t see them as often as you think you would! Well, we’ve seen them on our sidewalks, crossing the street, and in the water behind our home. It’s a little freaky at first- but we also have a ton of other wildlife around- bunnies, bald eagles, deer, sandhill cranes, and even mountain lions in our neighborhood. It’s been a bit of a reality check that we are no longer in a city!
THREE.
Detweiler’s is the best grocery store I have ever been to. I had heard about their produce before we moved, but nothing prepared me for how amazing the store is. For those reading this not in Sarasota, it’s a local Mennonite owned store that feels like Trader Joe’s, Whole Foods, and a local farmer’s market came together to make one store with Aldi prices. Plus, there is an ice cream counter (what more do you need?!). We eat so much better in Florida than I have my entire life- the quality of the dairy, produce, and meat is like shopping at a farmer’s market every week.
FOUR.
The gulf is not the ocean. OK this one is a little dumb- but the number of times I have to correct myself when speaking and find myself not used to the lack of waves and the temperature was a true surprise! In the summer, the water is in the mid-eighties and the beach doesn’t quite have that roar of waves- but it’s totally worth it for the aqua water and how gentle it is.
FIVE.
Sarasota is so safe. This was one of the reasons we decided to move here from Atlanta, but I didn’t realize how much I took the crime in the city for granted until we moved here. It has been so wonderful to feel totally comfortable driving (Atlanta drivers absolutely terrified me), accidentally leave our doors unlocked and not stress, and not have to worry about car break-ins. No place is perfect, but I was shocked at what a relief it was to not have to stress about safety and crime.
SIX.
Florida style is chic and summery- but the stores don’t always reflect it. I love a good trip to J Crew and Loft for my basics- but was so surprised when we arrived in Sarasota in February and they were all carrying winter clothes! I’m now planning to do most of my shopping in the spring and summer to reflect the weather here, and I need to explore more local boutiques with Florida style year round.
SEVEN.
Gardening is an adjustment from Georgia. Between the sandy soil, Florida sun (full sun plants do not mean Florida sun) and the season shift, I feel like I have been starting over in learning how to grow plants here. I love having flowers year round and that everything is always green- no more dreary winters!- but I also really miss my hydrangeas.
EIGHT.
Having an adventure on the water doesn’t have to be a big thing. For my whole life, going to the beach has been a full day event. You made a picnic, loaded the car, and planned out the whole day. Living in Sarasota, it’s so different! When you go downtown, you can just dip your toes in in the gulf at the waterfront park, if you cross a bridge, people are loading their paddle boards in or fishing, and if you get dinner in Siesta Key you just stop by the beach to see the sunset! I have loved how much being on the water has become part of our everyday routine.
NINE.
Cost of living is high, but there is way more to do here that is free. Sarasota is not cheaper than Atlanta- it is a suburb that is right on the gulf, and that comes with a price. Eating dinner out, home prices, and cocktails are all the same price as Atlanta- luckily, Detweiler’s means groceries are a steal. That being said, having a great Saturday can easily be free or low-cost. In Atlanta, we always paid to have a fun day- drinks on the BeltLine, admission to a farm to pick flowers or fruit, and even parking! In Sarasota, I love that with a small upfront cost, you can spend the day out for “free”- going to the beach, paddle boarding or kayaking, having picnics on the water, fishing, or visiting a State Park. And I just love that downtown has free parking!
TEN.
I have a feeling that after hating it for 25 years, January is about to be my favorite month of the year. I am proudly a “summer” girl and always lived for June through August. Now, in Florida those months are famously the worst months of the year, while January is delightful and seventy-eighty degrees. I realized this year as I realized it’s almost July that this is the first summer that I’m not savoring…because the best months are still ahead.