Latest news with #MapQuest
Time Out
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Time Out
I found the best piano bar in Miami—and it's hidden behind a dumpster
It's a balmy Thursday evening in Miami's North Beach. My friend, Jose, picks me up for a midweek rendezvous. We're heading to La Poubelle, a speakeasy cabaret in Normandy Isles, though neither of us is sure where to go. This place is a well-kept secret. They never advertise, they barely promote, and you won't find it on Google Maps, either. The exact location is revealed when you purchase tickets, and even then, you may struggle—but there are clues: poubelle is French for 'trash can'. I find the directions and read them out loud like I'm following MapQuest in the year 2004. After a few missed turns, we seemingly arrive at our destination: a nondescript parking lot. 'Are you sure this is it?' Jose asks. 'I think so,' I respond. 'I see a bunch of dumpsters over there. We must be close.' There's a handsome blonde man lingering by the dumpsters. That's definitely it, I think to myself, and that is definitely David. With sharp cheekbones and a charming smile, David Sexton is the face of La Poubelle. He's also the producer, maître d' and tonight, he's playing the doorman. 'Bienvenue!' he says. 'Are you here for La Poubelle?' Bingo. The making of Miami's newest speakeasy cabaret Chatting with David feels warm and familiar, like catching up with an old friend. He tells us La Poubelle just opened a year ago, in August of 2024. What started as a once-monthly cabaret has evolved into a neighborhood staple with 50 seats and five-plus shows per month, each one starring a Broadway-caliber talent. There's piano bar night and original one-man shows, songwriter debuts and even a 'cabaret dragaret' with South Florida's live-singing drag queen, Miss Bouvèé. Jose and I are giddy with excitement. Finally, the door swings open. Our jaws hit the floor. Behold, La Poubelle! My eyes widen to take it all in. Draped in crimson red and flickering candlelight, it's a fabulous supper club scene. The servers are decked in leopard-print tops, the bartenders in bowties. I hear the shake of an ice-cold martini while a platter of steak frites passes me by. There are feathered chandeliers and vintage lamps, and mismatched mirrors hung on the walls. It feels like we stumbled into a New York City jazz club, right down to the stage with red velvet curtains. That's exactly the idea, says Sandy Sanchez. Adorned in a leopard-print ensemble, Sandy is the founder and principal designer of La Poubelle. She's also the co-owner of La Fresa Francesca in Hialeah and Normandy Isles' Silverlake Bistro, two beloved restaurants with kitschy-chic interiors courtesy of Sandy and her curatorial eye. Sandy first envisioned La Poubelle as a vintage bazaar, perhaps with wine tastings and occasional live music. Soon, the vision grew as Sandy and David let their imaginations run wild. If we're doing wine tastings, why not food? If we're hosting live music, why not cabaret? David drummed up talent from his Rolodex of performers, acquired through years of theater and promoting the arts in Miami. Sandy got to sourcing all over South Florida, even procuring church pews from a local chapel. They brought on Yecid Benavides Jr. to design a custom stage. Finally, La Poubelle was ready to lift the curtain. Dinner that's as good as the show In a city notorious for tardiness, La Poubelle is packed well before showtime. The reason? Gnocchi mac and cheese rendered in duck fat. Also, torchon foie gras, bacon-wrapped dates and classic meatballs in a San Marzano sauce. Everything is catered by Silverlake Bistro and masterfully prepared by the restaurant's executive chef (and Sandy's husband), Benoit Rablat. Simply put, it's a feast for the senses. Jose and I opt for the flaky tarte flambée with onions and shiitake mushrooms, but really, it's the burger we're after: an ooey-gooey mound of double-stacked patties topped with thick-sliced bacon. But how do we order it? Neither the burger nor the steak frites is on the menu. Our table neighbors let us in on the secret: VIP ticketholders get access to a VIP menu and early entry. Guests of La Poubelle have their pick of cocktails, too, as well as wine by the glass (and bottle) from prized regions such as Bordeaux, Côtes du Rhône, and Napa Valley. Sandy orders the Vintage Savoir-Vivre, a frothy pink cocktail in a dainty coupe glass. It looks delicious, and so I do the same. We toast to the night and note the diverse crowd. Beside us, a 40th birthday party and a couple in their 60s. Behind us is a table of young twenty-somethings. Everyone is chatting and moving about, running into friends and befriending those around them. I sit back and watch in awe. If only more places in Miami had this magic. In classic piano bar fashion, guests are encouraged to tip the artists in exchange for a song request. I'm astonished at Victor's and Rick's encyclopedic memory (they rarely glance at sheet music), and the stellar musicianship on display. Guest performers grant Victor a short break. Some of them are professional singers, others are simply regulars. All of them are incredibly moving. An older gentleman with grey-blue eyes bares his soul for 'La Vie En Rose'. Songwriter Janice Robinson leaves us speechless with her performance of 'Beautiful' by Christina Aguilera. Victor brings us back to earth with a 'slutty' Broadway tune. Naturally, Billy Joel is thrown into the mix. One last ballad and a well-placed butt joke, the evening concludes to roaring applause. Heading home, I find myself wholly enamored, not just with La Poubelle, but the spirit of it all. The friendliness, the bonding with strangers, the unbridled joy of Broadway…all of it a testament to the kind-hearted folks who bring La Poubelle to life. David and Sandy, Miss Bouvèé, Victor and Rick, and the audience, too. The wonderful servers, Silverlake's team, and the bartender in the back who whips up perfect martinis. Life in 2025 feels a bit like a dumpster fire, but I'd happily dance through flames if it led me to La Poubelle.
USA Today
01-08-2025
- Entertainment
- USA Today
She took all 16 grandkids on individual trips. They just surprised her with her own.
Traveling with your loved ones can make for some of the most treasured memories – and Britney Lindgren's family knows this firsthand. For the past 24 years, Lindgren's grandmother has taken all 16 grandchildren on a dedicated one-on-one trip. This year, they returned the favor with a surprise trip to their Grandma Noreen's own dream destination. Since 2000, Grandma Noreen has planned a trip for each grandchild when they finish eighth grade. Along the way, they've made lifelong memories, from getting lost in Florida attempting to follow MapQuest directions to swimming with dolphins in California. At 87 years old, Grandma Noreen often calls herself blessed. The roles reversed this past July when eight of the 16 grandchildren took her on a trip to Hawaii, a place she's always wanted to visit. In a now-viral TikTok posted by Lindgren last week, the family is seen onboard a Hawaiian Airlines flight to Oahu when a flight attendant makes an unexpected announcement over the intercom of a "shout out from a very grateful group of grandkids" to a "true VIP" onboard – their grandmother. The grandchildren secretly planned this public declaration as a way to express their appreciation, the goal of making her feel special from the moment the trip began. "She's got a million stories, she loves to share them and it's so lovely," Lindgren told USA TODAY. "We were like, well, we're all gonna be sitting together. She might not be able to share her stories with people, so let's make sure her story is told." In the TikTok, the flight attendant reads a script written by Lindgren: "We're still not sure how she did it but somehow she made every single trip unforgettable and never met a stranger along the way. So now it's her turn. They're taking her on her dream trip and doing their best to stop her from organizing the whole thing." "Grandma Noreen, thank you for your love, your courage, and your endless curiosity, for being our biggest fan, our favorite travel buddy, and the queen of making memories," the crew member continued as the grandmother wipes tears from her eyes. Curious about a family trip? What it's like to cruise Disney with your whole family A longstanding family tradition The tradition started in 2000 with Lindgren, the eldest grandchild, when she was 14 years old. Lindgren's grandfather had suddenly passed in 1996, leaving Grandma Noreen wondering what to do during retirement – the idea of a grandmother-granddaughter trip struck. The two went to New York City, where they waved signs in the crowd for the "Today Show" and watched a river dance performance since Lindgren was a dancer growing up. Since then, Grandma Noreen has repeated the trip with each of her 16 grandchildren. (They propose several destination options, but the final choice is grandma-approved.) With one of them in tow, she's visited the World Golf Hall of Fame in St. Augustine, Florida; NASCAR race shops in North Carolina; and the Basketball Hall of Fame in Boston. She also took an Amtrak trip with another grandchild to Washington, D.C. – a journey that granddaughter hopes to recreate with her own children. Last year, Grandma Noreen went on her final trip with the youngest grandchild, so now was the time for her own travel dreams to come true. Story continues below. For years, the grandchildren had been discussing an all-cousin trip as a sort of reunion, but wanted to include their grandmother. They asked her where she's always wanted to go, and she answered with Hawaii. It was where her husband was stationed during the Korean War, and a place the couple never made it to together. "In my head, I was like, I can't hear my grandma say she wished she did something and not try and make it happen for her," Katie Sypniewski, one of the grandchildren, told USA TODAY. "So, I just shared the idea with my parents and then some of my cousins, and we just started kind of seeing how we could make it work." This past Christmas, the family surprised her with a trip to Hawaii by placing a lei, or flower necklace, around her neck. Although all 16 grandchildren tried to make the trip, only eight were able to go. Significant others weren't invited – it was just family time. Quality time in Hawaii Lindgren's family is quick to smile when thinking about their weeklong trip to Hawaii with their grandmother, from visiting Pearl Harbor to playing in the waves on the North Shore and becoming addicted to Dole Whip, the famous pineapple-flavored soft serve from the Dole Food Company. The eight grandchildren had been to Hawaii before, and wrote their own island-wide tour to take their grandmother on – each contributing something to show her. A moment that stood out to the family was touring Schofield Barracks, where their grandfather was stationed during the 50s. It was a must-do for Grandma Noreen. "We all have busy lives and we're all in our 20s and 30s, so it was just fun to be able to just slow down," Lindgren said. "I don't even know the last time we've spent six days together if we ever have consecutively, like all as cousins." The trip gave Lindgren and her family rare time with just each other, no outside distractions or obligations. "Even then (at family reunions), our partners, our kids, our parents, our everybody is in one house together, so it's not as much quality time, just the specific people," she added. In a little over a week, Lindgren's TikTok received over 4.5 million views. "It's been pretty cool to hear people's stories, how they wanna take my grandma's legacy and pass it on to their families, or sharing stories of their own family experiences," Lindgren said. "It's pretty cool to see that the impact she has on us, she now has on a lot of other people."
Buzz Feed
26-07-2025
- General
- Buzz Feed
18 Improvements From The 2000s That Made Life Better
A lot can change in a decade or two, and for many things, it's for the better. Recently, Redditor u/angelbeetle asked older adults of the Reddit community to share what they honestly think have changed for the better within the last two decades, and it's super insightful: "Minor surgeries. Many are laparoscopic with smaller incisions and faster recovery times. My kid and I compared our appendectomy scars. Mine isn't really visible anymore, but it was a cut the length of my appendix, complete with stitches. His scar is essentially a dot." —TheRealEkimsnomlas "Food transport and availability. Thanks to globalization, I can afford to eat fresh Norwegian salmon and Peruvian blueberries in Bangkok for less than they'd cost in the US." "The percentage of people who smoke cigarettes has decreased." —Imaginary_Shelter_37 "Online banking is straightforward and convenient (I was a late adopter). Also, attitudes toward sex and gender are generally much better." "GPS. I started driving when you had to use a map or ask someone else for directions. MapQuest was a revelation but still required a bit of attention. Now, I can get anywhere in America with turn-by-turn directions from my phone." —professorfunkenpunk "Air and water quality almost everywhere has improved." "In my My family first got a VCR when I was 7. I have some vague memories from before then, like only having three channels on the TV. But then renting happened after VCR, and the concept of a video store was 'renting a movie is the same cost as a single movie ticket, but now you can bring the family and pause it.' It was pricey, but still held tremendous value. I was 21 when TiVo came out, when you could suddenly record basically any show. When Netflix started streaming, I was 30." "Another subsequent side effect is the rise of prestige TV. Twenty-five years ago, we had The Sopranos, and that was basically it. Now, there's a goddamn arms race on every streaming platform for intense, compelling television. Like, I remember loving Knight Rider as a kid, but trying to rewatch an episode was rough. TV just wasn't designed for people to watch EVERY episode of something, but streaming makes it easy."—supergooduser "Availability of random products with the internet. You can buy nearly anything online." "Car durability. Everyone says, 'They don't build 'em like they used to,' but cars today routinely last 10–15 years. Back in the day, cars were shot after a couple of years and 50,000 miles." —Eastern-Finish-1251 "Internet speed." "Acceptance of formerly 'nerdy' hobbies like video games, comic books, collecting, being a big fan of a particular piece of media, etc." —AshleyWilliams78 "Battery-powered tools." "Dentistry. Specifically, pain management." —NansDrivel "Engine horsepower and gas mileage have improved." "Cancer survival rates." —sbsb27"For multiple reasons, too: better detection, greater awareness, better medications to combat the cancer and the side effects of the chemo, new classes of drugs with a greater selection within each class, and improved radiation therapy delivery."—TheSlideBoy666 "General public safety. Despite what the politicians like to scream about, serious crime has been on a decline for many years. I remember what it was like in '60s and '70s. We give up some freedoms for greater safety. It's a trade: camera monitoring, facial identification, DNA, etc. But these trades conceptually give up freedoms, but have a demonstrable effects on safety." "Mental health. It's still vastly underfunded, and we still don't understand much, but we have made incredible strides in the last 25 years. There are better medications, and there's genetic testing that can quickly make it easier for a psychiatrist to choose the right meds for a patient rather than just trying one, after one, after one. There's a better understanding of the role of abuse and trauma in the personality disorder cluster, and more willingness to consider new and old treatments that actually work for drug-resistant issues." —Late_Resource_1653 Lastly: "I taught high school until a couple of years ago. Teenagers are far more accepting of differences than they were when I was a teen. There is still unkindness because there are assholes in any population, but still. I was both surprised and gratified at the level of acceptance of cultures, lifestyles, and differences. I sincerely hope this trend continues." As someone who remembers having to print out directions from MapQuest, I'm SO glad for GPS and CarPlay. What do you think has genuinely changed for the better within the last two decades? Let us know in the comments, or you can anonymously submit your thoughts using the form below!
Buzz Feed
22-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Buzz Feed
16 Early Internet Websites Only Millennials Remember
Recently, Redditor u/Toomad316 asked those in the Reddit community to share the early internet sites from their childhood that kids these days will never know, and even as a '98 baby, I don't remember some of these! That said, I'm curious to know: do you remember these websites? " —TheTeaSet66"I really wish the old Candystand was still around. I want to play Lifesavers mini-golf again for the nostalgia. I still remember learning about it in study hall because a teacher let one of the football stars play Candystand mini-golf on the smart board. I went home and immediately pulled it up on the family PC to start my own addiction to Candystand. They had so many great games I could play that were way more fun than writing a 20-page Shakespearean tragedy."—Scribe625 "StumbleUpon." —Professional-Sir7115"StumbleUpon was such a gem. I don't know if it was because the internet was smaller back then, but it was so much easier to find diverse, but quality content. These days, it feels like we're stuck to platforms that provide specific types of content and little control over the algorithm."—LostPhenom "I Can Has Cheezburger. I wasted many hours on there." —Majestic-War-7925To jog your memory a bit, this website was known for popularizing cat memes, typically with intentionally misspelled text called "LOLSpeak." " RIP Adobe Flash." —samxmariexThis website was a destination for a bunch of entertaining, flash-based games that anyone could play. But when Adobe Flash Player ceased to exist, became unusable. "Homestar Runner." —anony1911The Homestar Runner website launched in 2000, featuring the Flash-animated web series where people could play games and watch animations. "The old Cartoon Network website. It was a treasure trove of games. I, for one, had a blast making my own Codename: Kids Next Door ID and printing it at my mom's office. Color and all." —vanvonhunter "Napster. The original." —jkb1023jbNapster launched in 1999 and allowed users to download MP3s from other people's hard drives, essentially creating a free online music library. "Addicting Games." —RazzleDazzle1537Addicting Games was a website full of, well, addicting games. From action games, puzzles, mystery games, and more, this site was a go-to for many who were looking to pass the time. "MapQuest." —Pure_Chain5903Before Apple Maps or Google Maps, there was MapQuest. This site gave you directions, but you had to print the directions out or write them down. Oh, and there was no "reroute" option back then, either. "Ask Jeeves." —Thayes1413"ChatGPT is what I thought Ask Jeeves was going to be like in middle school."—C-Fifth "LiveJournal." —Last-Temporary-2877"I kept mine from 2002 all the way to 2023. It's wild seeing all those years represented at the top of the archive page!"—Imaginary-List-4945 The obvious one is MySpace." —BertKekticWidely considered to be the OG of social media, MySpace was a platform where users could create and customize their own profile, upload pictures, make friends, and just post updates about their lives. "GeoCities." —RogueWedgeGeoCities allowed people to create and publish their own websites. The site would place the different websites into "neighborhoods," even giving them special "street addresses." "Neopets." —BlackaandWhite2024Neopets was a virtual game launched in 1999 where users can adopt, customize, and interact with creatures called Neopets in the world of Neopia. "LimeWire. Is this file an album? Is it a virus? Is it porn? Let's find out!" —ImissyoudarlinSimilar to Napster, LimeWire allowed users to share and download files (music, movies, etc.) from other users for free. Lastly: "eBaum's World." —DaveyMuldowney"Reddit before Reddit. Until I realized they were just reposting shit from other sites. But yeah, all of those early 2000s memes? I got them from eBaum's."—sckurvee I honestly miss the old Cartoon Network, Disney Channel, and Nickelodeon websites so much! I used to play That's So Raven pinball for hours. What's a website from your childhood that kids nowadays know nothing about? Let's talk about it in the comments, or you can anonymously submit your stories using the form below!
Buzz Feed
20-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Buzz Feed
24 Experiences Only Millennials Understand
As someone who grew up in the Millennial era, I know all about the experiences our generation went through far too well. Reddit user uselessZZwaste recently asked, "What's one thing millennials did back in the day that today's generation would think was wild?!" Here are the hilariously relatable responses that'll instantly bring you back to those days: "What's your screen name?" "Get off the internet, I need to make a call." "T9 texting." "Checking the movie times in the newspaper." "Printing out driving directions on MapQuest." "Prank calls." "Writing letters to each other and trading them between classes vs. texting." "Waiting for Netflix to send the movies we wanted by mail." "Failing to reach the home phone before it stops ringing, and just sitting there wondering who made the call." "Knocking on someone's door to ask if they wanted to do something." "Having to get to a movie theater way early if you wanted to see a new movie, and hoping there were seats together." "Going out to meet friends at a place you pre-decided on at school the previous day. Not knowing if they'll be there when you arrive." "We paid for texts." "The internet chatrooms. Oh my lord." "Burning CDs for friends or having to use a converter to play your CD on a vehicle's cassette player. Going to a physical store to read video game magazines with walkthroughs, guides, and get rumors of cheat codes from the employees and patrons." "Going to the library to read books and find quotes for essays. Going to multiple libraries to find books that didn't exist in your local library." "Asking a random girl for her number, or else you may never see her again. No social media, nothing else. And then, upon calling that number (which was a house number), you had to introduce yourself to her parents over the phone because they were most likely to answer." "Downloading paid ringtones. The first rollout wasn't even the actual song, just a melody created by the phone's chirps and beeps." "Getting dropped off somewhere with enough money to use the payphone. Once." "The look on my kids' faces every time I tell them we had to type out the citations/bibliography for a paper or project. They've had citation generators their whole lives." "The innocence of not always having someone know your location and not always knowing someone else's location." "Memorizing phone numbers." "Explaining commercial breaks and TV schedules to my preschooler is always a doozy. Also, VHS tapes make NO sense to him." "Be kind, rewind." What's the wildest thing millennials did back in the day? Share your thoughts in the comments or using the anonymous form below. Note: Some responses have been edited for length and/or clarity.
