🎤 Orlando's getting a new karaoke bar, UCF women advance to the NCAA tourney, and Park Lake Highland makes national headlines.

Plus, How to keep your stimulus dollars local, if you can spare it.

By Katie Johnston

It’s Thursday, y’all, and while it’s supposed to hit 90 degrees today, there’s a cool front moving through later tonight that’ll have us dropping to the low 60s. Hopefully, you’re all not too hungover from your green beer consumption (I shudder at the thought of really drinking that just a short five years ago) and will still be able to get outside and enjoy the beautiful weather. 

Today we’re talking about which local neighborhood made a Top 100 list, a new Tiki slash karaoke bar opening downtown this week, an update on the proposed Bright Futures bill, and more. But first: this next message is for all of our furloughed hospitality peeps looking for a new job. The Good Salt Restaurant Group’s got you covered with a mighty job fair today. 👇

What Orlando is talking about

🏡 Orlando’s Park Lake Highland neighborhood broke Niche’s list of the top 100 U.S. neighborhoods to live in. Niche is a review aggregator site that measures things like nightlife, neighborhood-friendliness, diversity, schools, and housing. Park Lake ranked highest for nightlife thanks to neighboring Mills 50; it landed at  No. 97 on the list. (Orlando Weekly) 

🍹 There’s a new tiki bar coming downtown in the old Joysticks location. And it’s not just any tiki bar: It’s a karaoke tropical bar with private rooms! Aloha Tropical is hosting a soft opening for family and friends tonight as well as a VIP-only experience through the weekend, but walk-ins are welcome if you’re fine with waiting. (Bungalower) 

🏀 The UCF Women’s Basketball team secured a spot in the NCAA Tournament earlier this week, coming in hot as the 10-seed in the Alamo region. It’s the highest seed the team’s ever had and they’ll face off against Northwestern Monday at 4 p.m. in San Antonio, Texas. Hey! Go Knights! (UCF) 

🎓 Remember that controversial bill proposing limits on would-be college students’ access to the Florida Bright Futures scholarship program? It’s advancing through the state legislature. The proposal by Republican state Sen. Dennis Baxley of Ocala would only allow students majoring in subjects deemed "employable" by the state to receive scholarship funds. (Orlando Sentinel)

• Related: While I didn’t personally benefit from Bright Futures (I’m from Alabama), many of my dear friends did. I’m inviting all readers who care about affordable access to education to visit SaveBrightFutures.org, a website, and campaign set up by local high school students opposing the bill. 

👙Rock Springs Run is open again. The popular tubing and swimming watering hole at Kelly Park has been closed since last summer because of the pandemic, but Orange County Parks and Rec says they’ve since learned how to ensure proper COVID-19 protocols and feel comfortable about reopening to the public. With that said, the park reached capacity early yesterday morning. (Orlando Weekly) 

🏖 Some spring breakers in nearby St. Pete are being rewarded with $25 gift cards for following COVID-19 safety protocols. So far, Pinellas County has handed out 23,000 gift cards to people who are wearing masks, social distancing and agree to sign a pledge to keep it up. (Fox 35)

👀 Wanna play a game? 

Throwback Thursday

Things to do

Submit your events to our calendar.

Today

🌸 Design your own spring floral arrangement via Facebook Live at In Bloom Florist's Spring Virtual Design Class (Online/SoDo)

🎶 Jam out to Jordan Foley and the Wheelhouse at this week's outdoor concert at The Plaza Live (Milk District)

🇨🇳 Travel the world and take a virtual tour of the Great Wall of China (Online)

💪 Run off that green beer before settling in for a nice easy yoga practice (Winter Garden)

🗣 Learn about the Central Florida woman journalist who took on the KKK in a segregated Florida (Online)

📚 Grab the kids and tune in as Orlando firefighters read bedtime stories on Facebook (Online)

Tomorrow

☮️ Finish your week strong with a yoga class under the stars before indulging in a few tasty local brews (SoDo)

🌍 Join the Fridays for Future Orlando crew for a global climate strike outside city hall (Downtown)

☮️ Honor this Feel Good Friday with a virtual yoga class with Mo (Online)

🎉 Embrace spring's arrival with a rooftop party at the Grand Bohemian (Downtown)

Saturday

🛍 Peruse local collectors' vintage, toys, comics, and the likes at this pop-up thrift shop (Thornton Park)

🍻 We're halfway to Oktoberfest — break out the lederhosen and dirndls for this outdoor/indoor drink fest (Ivanhoe)

🍿 Break out the blankets and chairs for beer and the big screen at Nora's Sugar Shack (Ivanhoe)

🍿 Grab your blankets and your fam for an outdoor movie night in the neighborhood (Colonialtown North)

🎶 Belt out your favorite Disney classic at this outdoor Broadway performance at the Dr. Phillips Center (Downtown)

Sunday

🛍 Shop plants, art, vintage, and more at this weekend's Bazaar Botanica at Ivanhoe Park Brewing (Ivanhoe)

🛍 Shop local BIPOC makers at this weekly outdoor pop-up market (Winter Park)

Tuesday

🍸 Sign up for this virtual cocktail-making class slash history lesson courtesy of the history center and The Woods (Online)

One more thing

Thanks for reading all the way to the bottom, friends. Here are three things to know before you go: 

1. If you’re 60 and older and in need of a COVID-19 vaccine, AdventHealth is hosting a vaccine site near the airport tomorrow and you can still sign up. 
2. Interested in learning more about the city’s Code Enforcement Division, like what even are code issues? How do you report them? There’s a virtual lunch and learn today at 12 p.m. that will answer some of your questions. 
3. I’m going live on Instagram tonight with Mary McGinn, a former local woman brewer and now co-owner of The Nook on Robinson, to talk about how she got her start in a typically male-dominated beer industry and what it’s like owning her own bar. You can find us here at 7 p.m. 

Enjoy your day until I see you again!

– ✌️ Katie at Pulptown

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