Sunday, March 22, 2009

Boca Grande


Yeah, its a crappy photograph, but it reminds me of the funny naming game that Floridians play. Whomever dreams up names for new developments think that the more portentious (pretentious?) the title, the greater its desireability.

The Links at Palmer Creek.
Venetian Crossing.
The Meadowbanks of Florida.

Etcetera. The fact that the whole place is more or less a swamp doesn't stop those marketing geniuses.

Seinfeld memorably poked fun at this by having his parents live at a development called Del Boca Vista Phase II.

As always, the truth is more interesting. Boca Raton (from the Spanish, rat's mouth) was known as that from at least the 18th century, and this place, too was known to the Iberians. In any case, my wanderings took me to Boca Grande this week, for the first time. It is beautiful. Now I know what they mean by "old Florida" with houses that match the climate, people on bikes instead of cars, and water as good as any I've seen in Florida.

4 comments:

Girl said...

And now you want to move there?

Wombat said...

Nah, that's not happening, Girl.

But as a place to visit when I'm living elsewhere, it would be Grande.

(Groan)

savannah said...

i'm still laughing, sugar! ;) xoxo

Wombat said...

You laughing makes me happy, Savannah.

Now that weird subdivision names are on my mind, I see them everywhere....

Stoneybrook, a Golf Community.

(not one in which I want to live)

Venetian Lakes

(all the way from the Adriatic, presumably)

Gulf Breeze Shores

(ten miles inland) (pffft)