In June of 2008, I moved to Gainesville as an economic refugee. I’d spent the past 20 years living and working on the West Coast and I considered myself a Californian. When the economic downturn made it impossible for me to find work, I traded world-class shopping and dining, cable cars, fog, and direct air travel for this small Southern city that is home to the University of Florida. This blog is both photoessay and editorial intended to capture my view of Florida. I traded a big urban area for an area where the only thing “big” and “urban” is Meyer.
This is Florida for those who would avoid Mickey, Minnie, thrill rides, Miami Beach and thong bikinis. It’s about the other magic kingdom, the one that is largely overlooked by tourists. I visit parks, neighborhoods, events, and sometimes even my own back yard. I also poke fun at my ineptitude in coming to terms with this new environment and my general illiteracy in the fields of ornithology, dendrology, botany, meteorology, and ichthyology.
The blog is written by freelance writer and event coordinator Suzanna Mars. All photographs are taken by Suzanna Mars except where otherwise noted.
Contact info: suzannamars@cox.net
gainesville365.wordpress.com 
Really looking forward to your views and news about G’ville and surroundings…I always felt like it was the real Florida when I lived there…not the Miami Bch idea. Hope you like humidity and bugs, natural springs, oceans an hour east & west of you… and I know there are some way cool folks to discover.