Retro open-air laundromat's icon on West Dixie Highway

West Dixie Highway cuts through North Miami and for me, is one of my saving graces. I use it on an almost daily basis because it saves me time and gets me places faster. Plus, I love the way it shifts from seedy, run-down North Miami to canopied, tree-lined North Miami Beach then to bustling Aventura.One iconic spot I always love cruising by is the retro-inspired, open-air Swifty Coin Laundry. It always catches my eye when I drive by. Perhaps it's the little red and blue tiles that add a splash of color against the stark-white ones. The color scheme gives it a "slice of Americana" feel. The place is big too, with enough space to accommodate plenty of people. People going about their business of getting the everyday things done.As the clothes tumble about in the dryers, getting all fluffy and soft,  little wheeled carts await for the sorting and folding. As I watch the events of everyday life unfold, I can't help but be reminded of a couple of movie and television scenes that I love. Like in "Friends" when Rachel and Ross had a playful kiss at the laundromat while she sat in one of those little wheeled carts. Or in "Reality Bites" when while at the laundromat, Winona Ryder discovers Ethan Hawke has once again snuck his boxers inside a pair of her jeans. That's one ingenious way of getting someone to do your laundry for you.And so for some reason, the old Swifty spot just brings back memories of those moments and makes me smile. It's like something from another era has snuck into 2012 and I like that.