Link: (My part of Florida)
It's a little known fact that the JAX metro area is larger than New York and Los Angeles combined, in terms of square miles. You can have an "out of town" experience without leaving town, as there are various small communities that have been annexed by "Jacksonville proper" and they retain their own unique flavor and even architecture.
My place is 3 blocks from the ocean, in Ponte Vedra, near Sawgrass. The PGA Tour and the Players Championship (golf) are headquartered there.
As for the humidity, the "trade winds" -- ocean breezes -- are a cooling, mitigating factor, making living along the coast far more preferable than living in the central part of the state! I've often wondered why Disney located his theme park in Orlando, which is so hot in the summer!
The 40-foot sand dunes (among the highest in Florida), the well planned commercial development, beautiful homes and condos in "the Beaches" communities all make for a very nice area and when I am there walking the beaches I am inspired (no kidding) such that it helps me come up with ideas for Jim Reeves releases (and CDs on other artists). In fact, on the CD I produced called "Bing Crosby and Rosemary Clooney: The New Recordings" (available at www.good-music.biz), there is a tune that Rosie sings called "Ebb Tide." The original just had piano, but walking the beach one day it occurred to me I should mix in the sound of the surf and seagulls, which I did -- along with adding strings and oboe. You can hear this song on the site I mentioned!
One of my chief orchestrators and some of my musicians are located in Florida, which makes it handy, and even some of my background singers come down from Nashville to record for me while there (including on the latest 8 CD set, "The Great Jim Reeves.")
Jim also played one New Year's Eve concert there, according to an old deejay I ran into one day, who was the emcee that night. He told me Jim was NOT happy with the way the Blue Boys were performing so he turned around and, off mic, said to them, "okay you Blue Balls, either play it right or get off the stage and I'll find someone who can!"
If any of you would like to see my adopted "hometown," click the link below.
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