As COVID-19 hit America, less and less people were found going out of their houses. As expected, this hurt local businesses and the economy in general. Some were even forced to close down. This wasn’t for too long, however, as everybody missed their small trips to hang out with friends at trendy snack shops. The times have changed and things are looking different. 

  This includes which places are in demand. With that being said, here are the newest hot spots that are helping students cool down.

   One of the new sites that has been getting a lot of attention is a brand new bakery shop, known as “Crumbl Cookie.” This bakery went on its own path, becoming one of the first gourmet cookie places in South Florida. They have an endless variety of cookies that customers are allowed to choose from. 

  If returning customers don’t want to get bored of the flavors they have, they would not need to worry because the cookie flavors are changed every week, leaving people in suspense as to what’s to come in the future. 

   The cookies they sell happen to be on the larger side, as well. This was a tiny problem for freshman Isabella Duran. She said that the cookie she had was “too big to enjoy.” Although the size of the cookie wasn’t what she expected, it was still “very yummy” for her. Crumbl Cookie’s newest location lies in Pembroke Pines, which adds more reason to go, especially for PPCHS students, as it is close to 10 minutes from the school.

  Junior Stella Dioguardi discussed her trip there, saying that it was “an amazing experience” and that Crumble Cookies is “one of the most unique bakeries” that she’s ever been to. To add to it, she easily gave the place 5/5 stars. Stella highly recommends this place, especially if you’re craving sweets.

   Another one of the trending points of interest is also located in Pembroke Pines and is known as “Leafy.” It isn’t anything particularly new, as it is another place that has boba which is most sought after. However, this place differentiates itself from the rest by a topping that has jaws dropping on different platforms of social media, especially Instagram. This place gives consumers the option to top their drinks off with an edible teddy bear. That’s right, they put it right on top of the drink. 

   This also explains why, along with the long line inside, a line to get inside can be found right in front of the place. Trinity Tang, sophomore, was able to get through the line(s) and get herself a drink to see what the hype was about. “Their boba,” she said, “is very tasty.” 

  She then elaborated on how Leafy is perfect in their business. She talked about how their ideas are “innovative” and how they really “appeal to trends and all ages.” Although, she did not give it a 5/5. A point was taken off for the absence of care for social distancing. Nothing was done about the line that was outside, even though they were all very close to each other. It is still a nice environment there and is doing very well right now, attracting many customers each day. 

   The last one is a coffee place that has most recently caught the eyes of students, especially the upperclassmen. It is “Cali Coffee” and it lies in Hollywood, so it is definitely a drive. Their coffee is high quality, as well as their other drinks they sell, such as teas or shakes. They separate themselves from other coffee places because of how they prioritize giving the customer a great experience, as well as making new relationships with them.

   Junior Sophia Moreno has been spending a lot of her free time driving up to Cali Coffee with her friends, going more than once a week! Much like Leafy, they weren’t paying attention to staying safe during quarantine, not wearing their masks while working. This, however, did not stop Sophia from rating them 5 stars. “The workers are super sweet and they always bond with the customers,” she said.

   Even if these joints are relatively close, they still look far from their prime. If you’re looking to cool down, the best choice would be to check out these hot spots!