Amber and Terry, Palm Beach, 2013

Palm Beach, bringin’ the heat

Worth Avenue, Palm Beach, Florida

Worth Avenue, Palm Beach, Florida

mint green mini dress and gold shoesIf you have a very long memory, or are related to me, you might recall that the last time I visited Palm Beach, it was a bit of a washout. Literally I mean. It poured the whole time we we were there, Worth Avenue was being dug up for some reason, and I looked like this:

OMGNOPANTS

It’s OK, you can say it: I look like I’m not wearing any pants, and wow, is that one giant head right there! Well, I WAS wearing pants, thankfully, and the head was (mostly) due to the fact that I left my hat on, rather than getting IT soaked too, but, you know, I’d just spent an hour on a boat in torrential rain: I really didn’t care.

“One day we’ll come back when it’s sunny!” we said. “And when I’m better dressed!” I though, but didn’t say, because honestly, no one listens to me, anyway. That day came a couple of weeks ago: as you can see, the weather was much kinder to us this time around, and there was definitely no need for waterproofs, which is something, at least.

These photos were taken on Worth Avenue, which is sometimes described as the Rodeo Drive of Florida. I actually think it’s prettier than Rodeo, although it’s not hard to see how the comparison came about, because it’s chock full of the kind of stores you’re scared to go into in case they call the police and have you thrown out for not wearing a Rolex or something.

(Seriously, even the DOGS on Worth Avenue were wearing designer outfits, and I’m not even joking. Palm Beach, and South Florida in general, is full of little dogs, and, yes, many of them are CLOTHED. We found Miami an unfriendly city in general (Even compared to other unfriendly cities…), but damn, those people love their pets. They’ll literally push you out of the way so they can cut in line in front of you, but if you stop to pet someone’s dog (And obviously I DID do that…), they’re charm itself, and will happily give you the dog’s life story, plus a list of all its allergies. One time we met a dog called Sheila Galloway. True story.)

The dogs are also allowed inside stores there. I’m not sure whether it’s technically allowed (Over here, dogs aren’t even allowed to LOOK at stores, let alone step inside one…) , or whether the people with the dogs are just so rich that no one’s going to tell them to get their dog out of the Chanel display, but we noticed it in Miami too, which tickled me. I mean, cute animals AND shopping: what’s not to love?

Dogs in department stores is one thing, though, but puppies in pet stores is quite another, and it was really distressing to see tiny puppies in cages in the windows of stores over there. Again, that kind of thing isn’t allowed in the UK, but in Miami we passed quite a few stores that had puppies in the windows: it got to the point where Terry would cross the street to get me away from them, because he knew there would be tears, and yup, he was right. Seriously, if that was legal over here, I’d have a house full of animals by now, because it was almost impossible to walk away from them, especially when they caught sight of you and started pawing at the window to try to get to you.

(Disclaimer for people who are about to jump on me for that statement: Yes, I know that’s exactly what the pet stores are banking on, and that buying one would just encourage them and perpetuate the cycle, so no, I wouldn’t REALLY buy a puppy from a pet store, but GOD, I really wanted to. I just want to hug ALL the dogs.)

Well, THIS post has taken a turn for the depressing, hasn’t it? I should just’ve stopped at the “SOME DOGS WEAR CLOTHES” bit: that would’ve been a much better story. The downward spiral has already been established, however, and there ain’t no stoppin’ it now, so here is a photo of me kissing the Neiman Marcus sign:

Neiman Marcus, Palm Beach, FloridaOh, don’t look at me like that: if you’d seen the shoe sale they had on, you’d have kissed it too…

 

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COMMENTS
  • I don’t know if it’s that those stores aren’t allowed up here anymore or if they’ve all just gone out of business. That would make me want to take dogs home with me and I don’t even LIKE dogs. (Well, I like specific dogs. I have to get to know them. Rather like someone people feel about small children. I’m mostly terrified of strange dogs.)
    I’d actually love to hear which cities you’ve found friendly/unfriendly or least full of Others and so forth.

    July 26, 2013
  • A beautiful sunny day you had there, and I remember your picture about the last time you were there.

    I moved to a ‘friendly’ state. Coming from an unfriendly one, I find it very strange that people LIKE to talk to you and in an instant will tell you their WHOLE life story. I like to think I am friendly, but I never talk to strangers so where I live in Tennessee, I think I am probably one of the ‘unfriendlies,’ oh no! But I do smile at people. 🙂

    I don’t see puppies in pet stores much, but they make me sad when I do see them, and even more so now that I have become a dog owner.

    July 26, 2013
  • Really nice post, and I loved your outfit!
    We too have pet stores in my country, and lots of them too. Sometimes I go there just to look at the dogs and cats at the display windows. It’s true that they make you want to pet them, and take them with you, and it’s sad that you can’t rescue them and give them a better home.
    I’ve never traveled to USA, so I can’t say if the people there are friendly, but I’ve traveled to Paris too, and didn’t really like them. The city is nice, but I can’t say the same for most of its people.
    I’m glad you found Greeks friendly though. I know you’re biased, but it made me smile. If you found Athenians friendly you should go to Crete or come to my city, Thessaloniki, to see how much more hospitable we are. You’d be surprised! But beware! They’ll offer you tons of food and you may return home with a few extra kilos. hehe

    July 26, 2013
  • Love how that color is on you.

    How strange that the dogs were allowed inside stores. We saw one inside of a place to eat here the other day and wondered how that was allowed. The little dog was clothed too. We wondered where the people were from that allowed dogs inside public places (we live in a tourist stop); maybe they were from Miami!

    July 26, 2013
  • In my state, you’re not *supposed* to bring your dog into stores with you unless it’s a service dog. Of course I’ve seen so many people just swan on in to the store carrying their little lap dogs in designer bags, so I was wondering how a little chihuahua could possible be a service dog. I got to talking with a sales person and the subject came up and they told me it’s illegal to ask what kind of service the dog (or cat, or really any animal. I’ve seen chickens!) is providing. The owner can claim that they get anxious in public places, or get separation anxiety so they need their animal to calm them and the store has to let the animal in. That animal is then a service animal. It’s crazy.

    But, we’re in a friendly city, and a reasonably friendly state. It’s sometimes too friendly. If I want to run to the store to buy ice cream, I don’t want to have a 30 minute discussion with everyone I see about the flavor and why I’m buying it. And I’m starting to hide from my neighbors because I’m sick of getting caught in loooong conversations everytime I go outside. So I’m probably the unfriendly one.

    July 26, 2013
  • I love that they let animals in the stores in Miami. I get so sad everytime I have to leave my puppy home to go shopping.

    Mana
    Fashion and Happy Things

    July 27, 2013
    • Sadly, they don’t let all dogs in stores here in South Florida/Miami. They only let the very little designer dogs. All other dogs are out of luck.

      Cheers,
      Tammy

      July 28, 2013
  • Have you ever attempted to take your dog into a Co-op in the UK, Amber? All of our local branches are happy for puppies and well behaved small dogs to be taken into the shop as long as they are carried. I’m not sure if this is a nationwide policy but in our hipster area of Manchester the staff are all over Jarvis and happy to assist me with anything when I have him with me.

    July 28, 2013
  • I haven’t been to Miama, so I don’t know about its general unfriendliness. Sydney is Australia is a bit like that, though.

    July 28, 2013
  • Amber, I’m so glad you had good weather for your trip to Worth Avenue this time. My husband and I were there in June and he took pictures of me in front of my favorite store – Neiman Marcus:) I think Worth Ave is one of my favorite places on Earth. From your pictures, it looks like you also found one of the restaurants where we ate. Don’t you just love all the hidden vias?

    July 31, 2013
  • oh i love the colour of this dress!

    x Mieke

    Check out my latest post!
    http://nancy-mulhouse.blogspot.be/2014/03/and-oscar-goes-to-red-juliet.html

    March 7, 2014
  • Selina

    REPLY

    And that’s why I can’t choose a dog ever. I need someone to do it for me or I will want to take home every dog in the shelter

    June 20, 2014
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