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News18
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- News18
Step Inside A Real-Life Replica Of Stranger Things' Byers' House In Georgia
Built by the fans for the fans, this Stranger Things inspired rental vacation home in Georgia will take you back to the 1980s. With Stranger Things nearing its highly anticipated fifth and final season, fans are finding creative ways to celebrate the end of an era. One of the most immersive options? Booking a stay at a fully decked-out replica of the Byers' house. Tucked away in Fayetteville, Georgia, just outside Atlanta, this rental vacation home offers a surreal trip back to the 1980s, complete with show-inspired decor and nostalgic detail in every corner. This isn't just a themed rental, it's a tribute to Stranger Things built by dedicated fans for fans. From the moment you step inside, you're transported to Hawkins, Indiana. Each room is packed with references from the show's early seasons: authentic retro furniture, old-school board games, and even shelves stacked with VHS tapes. There's the iconic alphabet wall glowing with fairy lights, and themed bedrooms that reflect the personalities of characters like Will and Jonathan Byers. One of the most talked-about features is the Upside Down-themed room, complete with dark tendrils snaking along the walls and a Dungeons & Dragons setup perfect for recreating your own in-show moments. The home comfortably sleeps six across three uniquely styled bedrooms. Jonathan's room features vinyl records and a vintage Amiga 500, while Will's room showcases his original 'Will the Wise" artwork. The Upside Down room, designed to mimic the show's parallel dimension, includes two sets of bunk beds and atmospheric lighting. Local regulations limit the number of guests per room to two, so group planning is key. Modern Comfort Meets Retro Cool Despite its period-accurate style, the rental home doesn't compromise on modern convenience. The fully equipped kitchen has updated appliances, and there's a 75-inch Samsung Frame TV ready for your watch party marathons. Central air conditioning, a dishwasher, and laundry facilities ensure that comfort isn't sacrificed for aesthetics. Even the kitchen, with its vintage green cabinetry, ties perfectly into the 80s theme while remaining highly functional. Explore Real Stranger Things Filming Spots Nearby Your journey doesn't have to stop at the front door. Just a short drive away, fans can visit real-life filming locations across Georgia, including Jackson – the stand-in for downtown Hawkins. Stop by the Hawk Theatre (actually Bradley's Olde Tavern), walk the alley where Jonathan and Steve had their iconic showdown, or sip a Demogorgon Latte at Lucy Lu's Coffee Café. view comments First Published: July 29, 2025, 14:00 IST Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
Indianapolis Star
11-07-2025
- General
- Indianapolis Star
This Hamilton County VFW is cranking out Chicago pizzas with an old Italian family recipe
Friday nights at VFW Post 6246 in Noblesville run at a low hum with occasional yelps as bingo numbers are read and winners announce them themselves in the spacious community room. Nearby, the bar rumbles with low conversation, the clinking of glasses and the snap of beer cans opening. Lately though, barely noticed by the tab pullers, are lines of hungry customers in a far corner as they wait for their payoff — real Chicago pizza in Hamilton County. It's been like that for three months, ever since Michael Spencer was given a secret family recipe from a long-time but now shuttered pizzeria in Chicago and opened Nino's Pizza in the VFW kitchen. With no advertising, Instagram or TikTok, the word got out to pizza-cravers that this hidden walk-up spot just might be the real deal: Chicago thin crust, cut in squares, with fresh ingredients, pinched chunks of sausage and crispy crust, burnt on the outside, also known as Tavern Style. 'We've had 30 people waiting in line sometimes before we even open, it's been crazy,' said Spencer, a Fishers resident, who'd spent much of his professional career in health care and advising. The disarray has included several set-backs that included delivery problems with Door Dash, phone orders, hiring difficulties and an inability to bake the pies fast enough, which led to long waits for customers. Spencer had to close the kitchen for a week while a bigger conveyor oven was delivered — then the compressor broke. Recently, a new employee was sent to he hospital for dehydration after the air conditioning broke down. Through it all Spencer was unusually transparent about the regressions, posting updates on Facebook, apologizing profusely and pleading for patience. 'It was truly messed up and I was working to take care of it, but I also followed online reviews very closely and wanted to make sure to correct misinformation quickly,' Spencer, 49, said. The online response from those who have gotten a pizza has been overwhelmingly positive — especially from Chicago transplants ostensibly on a never-ending quest for the perfect thin crust. 'You make us miss Chicagoland and we are so happy we can get good and LEGIT Chicago food from YOU! THANK YOU,' reads a typical Facebook post from a Windy City ex-pat. Even patrons not familiar with the nuances — and debates — of Tavern style or Chicago thin crust have become quick devotees. 'I don't know about any of that,' said Donald Litke, 62, of Noblesville, while waiting to pick up a 16-inch sausage and mushroom. 'I just know that it is the pizza I've been waiting for. The cheese is just right. So is everything. It's my go-to pizza now. I've been here four or five times already.' Spencer's ascent from pizza newbie to savior is as unlikely as the venue. Spencer was tired and bored with his job as a hospital administrator and was grousing about it one night with good friend Mike Cisternino. Both are auxiliary members of the Ralph Lehr VFW south of downtown Noblesville. Cisternino mentioned that his late uncle, Nino Cisternino, once owned a pizzeria in Chicago. In fact, Cisternino said, Nino's widow Carm, still had all the recipes. What's that got to do with me? Spencer asked He told Spencer that Carm might be willing to give the recipe to him if he opened a place and recreated the magic. And he could open it right there at the VFW because the donut shop that then operated in the kitchen, Mochi Joy, was closing to move into a retail spot in Fishers. 'The recipe was sitting in a drawer somewhere in the Chicago suburbs with my aunt,' Cisternino said. 'Carm thought at one time that she could get royalties or something for selling it. That never happened but she still had it.' Spencer wasn't a complete culinary novice; he and wife Stacey owned a food truck selling sandwiches for a couple of years during the COVID-19 pandemic. But he waved off the offer as fanciful, though he said he'd think about it. Cisternino kept asking Spencer, however, and soon, so were other members of VFW. 'He had told them about it, so every time I'd go in here, they'd all be asking, 'When are you opening that pizza joint? We need a good place in here,'' Spencer said. Spencer finally decided to resign from the hospital and told Cisternino he'd run some numbers on the pizza venture to see if it could work. When Carm Cisternino and her son, Frank, came to the VFW in 2024 for a funeral reception for a friend, Spencer spoke with them. She and Nino were immigrants from Bari, a port city in southern Italy, and operated the pizzeria on the Northwest side of Chicago for 20 years until 1999. Nino died in 2020 at the age of 77. The dough and the sauce were long-held family secrets but Carm said she would gladly turn them over now and would be flattered if Spencer wanted to name the place Nino's. Spencer said he'd do it, but sat on the recipe for months while he gained a health department permit, registered the business with the state, signed a lease with the VFW and lined up food vendors. In March of this year Spencer began experimenting with the sauce and dough for hours each day at the VFW. The sauce was an instant hit with the veterans who served as his grizzled daily taste-testers. The dough, though, was a beast. "It was more complicated than I ever could have imagined,' Spencer said. 'The temperature of the room, the humidity, the water, all that is important.' He kept at it, feeding the vets a steady diet of practice pies. "They aren't shy about their opinions, so that helped prepare me,' Spencer said. 'I soon found out that you have to be a mad scientist in this business, because it is a science,' Spencer said. 'I thought I'd be twirling dough up in the air, whistling. I haven't done that once.' Just three months later Spencer opened Nino's, which is a takeout restaurant inside the VFW, built in 2011 to replace the old one. With a full-service bar and adjoining space, the VFW is a social club for veterans and their families. The members participate in parades and lead fundraising drives. The post hosts bingo on Fridays, karaoke on some Saturdays and musical acts. On a recent weekday Spencer began the 5 p.m. shift training two new employee — an order taker and pizza preparer. Before long the Door Dash ringtone sang with incoming orders, which began automatically queuing up on an overhead tablet screen. Spencer laid out the pizza doughs on a narrow counter near a row of metal ingredient bins and showed the worker how to load them; ladle a cup of sauce on the middle then spread it gently and evenly outward to within a quarter-inch of the edge. Make sure the mozzarella is single layer, then put on the other ingredients. When the employee began placing olives on one-by-one Spencer corrected him. Too slow, sprinkle them on, then space them, he instructed. Most importantly, Spencer said, think of the squares this masterpiece will be cut into. Each piece should include every ingredient — mini pizzas in themselves. Soon, as orders poured in, Spencer was in a pizza-making frenzy, putting them in the oven, removing and slicing them with a rocking pizza cutter, and boxing them. In between he jumped over to help prepare the pizzas and fill an order for a Chicago-style hot dog, which have their own mad scientist origins. He carefully built an order with its myriad components, making sure to top it with a dash of celery salt and 'sport' peppers. 'Wednesdays are usually slow, I don't know what's going on, but I'm not complaining,' said Spencer. 'I don't mind chaos. I can handle doing six, seven things at once. It's when it stops that I don't know what to do.' Spencer had gotten a taste of how hectic the business could be on one of the first Fridays he was open, bingo night, when he had to stop taking orders because he was overwhelmed. He went on Facebook quickly afterward to explain what happened. 'Everyone shows up between 6 and 7 p.m to order food before Bingo starts,' he wrote. "This means we have preorders, current orders then everyone from Bingo (could be 15-30 people) all at once in line waiting to order. Let us just say it gets crazy.' Spencer said he is constantly tinkering with the dough and pizza prep to make sure it's exactly right. He's open to constructive criticism — and has learned there is plenty available. 'The transplants from Chicago are out of this world,' he said. 'They are die-hard about their pizza. Not a day goes by when I don't hear a couple people saying, 'When I was a kid…,' or 'I'm from Chicago, we got high expectations for you.' Some people tell me I have to use water from Chicago in the dough to be authentic. I'm not hauling Lake Michigan water down here. That's crazy.' He said he's pretty practiced now at separating the bluster from the beneficial. 'We knew this was niche thing, just not to this level,' he said. As he slid a pizza from the box onto the VFW bar, Josh Stewart said he thought Chicago-style pizza meant only deep dish. He's glad it doesn't. "It just tastes really good and he's make it extra crispy if you request it," Stewart said.'I'd rather have this than a franchise pizza any day." Spencer has six employees now, including his 13-year-old son. Stacey makes the desserts and Post veterans have stepped in to volunteer on occasion during rushes. He doesn't know how fast or how much he has room to grow in the small kitchen. Mochi Joy was there for three years. 'I love it here and all the support we've gotten,' he said. 'I'm a loyal person. It's hard to say what could happen."
Time Out
08-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Time Out
Here's why there's a five-story-tall inflatable pigeon floating down the Hudson River today
Keep your eyes on the Hudson. Today, on Tuesday, July 8, New York City FC is launching a five-story-tall, 700-pound inflatable pigeon in one of the city's most unexpected guerrilla marketing stunts to date. Dubbed the 'Five Borough Flight,' the massive avian will float down the Hudson River and around New York Harbor in a cheeky tribute to NYC's most resilient resident and the MLS club's unofficial mascot. Created by Brooklyn-based creative studio Tavern, the campaign is timed to perfection. The FIFA Club World Cup is underway just across the river in New Jersey and the world's soccer fans are watching. NYCFC's message is clear: New York has a club to be proud of—and it's flying high. The float kicked off its flight from Staten Island's North Shore Waterfront at 8:30 a.m., before cruising past iconic points like Battery Park, Brooklyn Bridge Park, Riverbank State Park and finally Willets Point in Queens—the future site of NYCFC's new stadium, Etihad Park, opening in 2027. A full viewing map and estimated schedule have been released for eagle-eyed (or pigeon-eyed) spectators wanting to catch a glimpse of the bird. 'The pigeon is a tribute to the city that shaped us and a signal that the future of soccer is here in New York City,' said Lauren Scrima, the vice-president of marketing at NYCFC. 'We wanted to tap into the immense pride New Yorkers have in their city and their home club.' The installation isn't just a publicity stunt; it's also a love letter and a cultural wink, according to Mike Perry, the founder and chief creative officer of Tavern. 'Our goal was to create something impossible to ignore,' Perry added.
Winnipeg Free Press
18-06-2025
- Business
- Winnipeg Free Press
‘Our goal was to create kind of a new niche'
There are 32 food options at Tavern on King Edward — more if you count the items on the dog menu. The new restaurant, located at 1760 Sargent Ave., is advertising its focaccia pizzas, prawn sushi hand rolls and chicken tenders. But customers who bring their four-legged friends to the dog-friendly patio will be able to order their pet a fresh-made rice-and-vegetable dish. (Add chicken breast, burger patty or steak for an additional fee.) 'Other places have dog patios,' Chris Chang said. 'We just thought we would take it to the next level.' Chang is vice-president of operations at the Tavern Collective, a new dining brand owned and operated by Vancouver-based Northland Properties Corp. MIKE DEAL / FREE PRESS Chris Chang is vice-president of operations at the Tavern Collective, a new dining brand opening a restaurant at 1760 Sargent Ave. Tavern on King Edward will celebrate its grand opening, Wednesday. MIKE DEAL / FREE PRESS Chris Chang is vice-president of operations at the Tavern Collective, a new dining brand opening a restaurant at 1760 Sargent Ave. Tavern on King Edward will celebrate its grand opening, Wednesday. Tavern on King Edward — which celebrates its grand opening Wednesday — is the chain's second restaurant, after a Calgary location that opened in December. It's situated at the corner of King Edward Street and Sargent Avenue, next to the Sandman Signature hotel. Northland Properties is the parent company of multiple hotel chains and restaurants, including Denny's and Shark Club. Chang said the company chose Winnipeg as the home for the second Tavern restaurant because of the 'strong sense of community' in the city. (The restaurant is not affiliated with the Tavern United chain, he added.) 'It felt like a very diverse cultural scene (in Winnipeg),' Chang said. 'We learned that it had a pretty amazing food scene because we already have some brands here.' 'Other places have dog patios … We just thought we would take it to the next level.'–Chris Chang The 6,300-square-foot space includes seating for 150 guests, with an additional 24 seats on the patio. It's an open, inviting space adorned with plants inside the entrance and at the bar, and a steampunk-inspired aesthetic throughout. There are also plenty of portraits of JD, the French bulldog that serves as the Tavern Collective's mascot. There are three arcade games in a small room at the back and Chang said guests can expect to hear a mix of music from the 1980s, '90s and the early aughts — with corresponding music videos on display on the TVs. (Sports will be broadcast whenever local teams are playing.) 'Our goal was to create kind of a new niche, where you walk in and you feel the comfortability of your neighbourhood pub, social house or bar, but you get the elevated service and offering — what we call premium casual, but without premium casual prices,' Chang said. '(It's) affordable without sacrificing experience and execution.' In addition to the children's menu and weekend brunch options, there's an extensive drinks list that includes a variety of mocktails. The restaurant will feature a daily happy hour and late-night menu from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. and 9 p.m. to close, including 20 per cent off select food items and $2-$3 off signature drinks. Chang believes the standard of hospitality people expect from the restaurant industry has fallen as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic — and Tavern on King Edward aims to rectify that. MIKE DEAL / FREE PRESS Tavern on King Edward's 6,300-square-foot space includes seating for 150 guests, with an additional 24 seats on the patio. MIKE DEAL / FREE PRESS Tavern on King Edward's 6,300-square-foot space includes seating for 150 guests, with an additional 24 seats on the patio. 'One of the big things we wanted to do was bring back true hospitality,' he said. 'When guests come in here, they'll see we truly understand without them there is no us.' One unique offering from the restaurant is a biscuit for dogs made by Winnipeg's Planet Pup Doggy Bakery. A dollar from each biscuit sold will be donated to local animal charities, Chang said. Bakery owner Deb Kurdydyk said Tavern Collective approached her 'out of the blue' to create the treats and she was happy to oblige. 'I've done different corporate work but never for restaurants,' Kurdydyk said. 'This is a first.' Monday Mornings The latest local business news and a lookahead to the coming week. Tavern on King Edward hosted a soft opening on Monday and Tuesday for friends and family of the restaurant's 60 employees. Chang said he was extremely pleased with how it went and is looking forward to hosting more guests. 'We're super excited to actually be here in Winnipeg and get the doors open and welcome everyone,' he said. 'When people come in here they can expect for their expectations to be exceeded.' Tavern on King Edward will be open seven days a week: 11 a.m. to midnight Monday through Thursday; 11 a.m. to 1 a.m. Friday; and 10 a.m. to 1 a.m. Saturday and Sunday. Per a news release, the Tavern Collective has future expansion plans underway with 'eyes set on Ontario and other major Canadian cities.' Aaron EppReporter Aaron Epp reports on business for the Free Press. After freelancing for the paper for a decade, he joined the staff full-time in 2024. He was previously the associate editor at Canadian Mennonite. Read more about Aaron. Our newsroom depends on a growing audience of readers to power our journalism. If you are not a paid reader, please consider becoming a subscriber. Our newsroom depends on its audience of readers to power our journalism. Thank you for your support.
The Age
30-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Age
And Just Like That recap: Let's pray this season is kinder to Miranda
As Mary updates Miranda all week with her itinerary – dinner at Tavern on the Green, riding the carousel in Central Park, a visit to the M&M store in Times Square after seeing Wicked – she and Carrie mock like only two former downtown It Girls can. It's fun seeing them be so bitchy. Sometimes it can feel like AJLT has sanded over all these characters' hard edges and Carrie, especially, is an almost passive, pearl-clutching version of her former self. The columnist and novelist floats out of her Gramercy manse in fresh-off-the-runway Simone Rocha, as the episode opens, to send a card to Aidan with nothing but a heart drawn on it. The timeline on this show's always been a little hazy, so who knows how long it's been since his 'let's come back in five years' ultimatum. They're in touch enough to send a few postcards, but so rarely that his late-night audio booty call comes as a surprise. Anthony doesn't know any details of the agreement, but Carrie's adopted cat Shoe has grown a lot. After a long night of leaping out of bed to shut off her alarm, Carrie spends another day faking that she's fine with the whole thing before hopping back into bed to fake it with Aidan over the phone. He's drunk, 'in my truck in a field', and desperate to have phone sex. Loading 'Don't break the mood,' he tells Carrie, after honking his literal horn (car version). Carrie can't get back in the mood with Shoe watching, and her impulse to pretend is a sign – I pray – that this storyline finds its conclusion soon. In a bed across town, LTW is getting up at 4.15am to fine-tune a pitch for PBS about a documentary project highlighting 10 unsung black women. Between the executives wanting her to replace one with the 'very, very sung' Michelle Obama, and her husband in crisis over whether he's cool, Lisa's got more story in this episode than Charlotte, who's trying to clear Richard Burton's name in a case of dog park mistaken identity (sure). Seema's bed is lucky to be standing after she fell asleep with a lit cigarette, so exhausted was she from looking hot and waiting for her movie director boyfriend Ravi to call. (I'm with the firefighter: 'Who still smokes in bed?') Seema compares Carrie's calm patience to her demands of Ravi, and the way she invokes the fun, loose, messy Carrie of 'then' to this version of her, who's zen about Aidan's distance and rules and dressed either like Bunny MacDougal or in a strawberry shortcake bonnet, makes me mourn the spitfire we've lost. Thank God for Seema, who kicks her distracted boyfriend to the curb/canal by episode's end. It's genuinely touching to see Miranda and Mary's final moments. When the nun says 'I always knew this person was somewhere inside of me. And now I've met her. Thanks to you', it fills me with faith that the rest of this season might just get a little closer to the centre of what's really going on under the glossy veneers of Carrie and Charlotte. Not Miranda, though. If anything she could use a little more gloss. in theatres November 2025!
