For this issue, we asked our writers to talk a bit about a place they missed the most while quarantining.

By Piper Penney
Editor-in-Chief

Dear Tea and Poets,

You’ve always been a part of my life. Growing up in the south part of Miami, I frequented Sunset Place as a child. There used to be a Delia’s in that space and I vividly remember going there to buy a coat for an out-of-state field trip in middle school. Needless to say, that spot has always been significant to me. A few years ago I remember seeing the patterned construction walls announcing your opening. I didn’t think much of it then since I was a bit too young to spend my Friday nights sitting by the fountain, listening to the distant noise of a local band’s performance. 

I think it was my sophomore year when I started to frequent Sunset Place again. At that point, Tea and Poets was simply the place where I would stop to grab a quick tea or snack before seeing a movie with my friends. Sometimes we would even go inside for a while to play a game or just to hang out. Tea and Poets always had such a welcoming energy to it. I did not ever feel like my presence was unwanted in there. Eventually my visits became longer and longer until I was spending hours chatting with my friends at those long tables or on the couches (which, by the way, were my favorite couches in Miami).

It was around this time last year when some of my friends had a concert for their band (Rest in Peace, Deaf Poets Society) on that small stage facing the fountain. That was one of the most wonderful nights of my junior year, something I never even realized until much later. For me, that concert was a collision of worlds: people I knew from middle school, high school, and extracurriculars were all in attendance, all here to see my friends jam out. It was a bizarre and surreal experience seeing all of those kids in the same room, but I loved it. I feel like this is what Tea and Poets is about. It is creating a community for people of all ages to connect over their shared love of food, friends, music, and most importantly, tea.

Some of my most important memories have occurred in that little tea shop. From watching my friends perform on stage to sipping the tea blend of the day to planning issues of The Beacon, I owe a lot to Tea and Poets. I know I am not the only one either. On your Facebook page, I have seen other people sharing their stories and memories from their time in the tea shop. When this is all over, I hope that I can come back to remember the past and celebrate the (hopefully positive) future. 

Sincerely,

Piper Penney