Vol. 2, Issue December, 2016 TM
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The Premier “Shop Local” Community Magazine Directly Mailed and Digitally distributed to over 22,000 Homes In South Tampa
Curry Leaves on Kennedy is Hidden Treat!
Curry Leaves owner, Saji Mathew the view was nice or the building cost was in the millions of dollars? I know I have experienced my fair share of that since moving to South Tampa. I’ll take that hole in the wall feel with excellent food any day! or in this case, a humble little Indian restaurant in an inconspicuous location. I don’t want to take anything away from the inside of the restaurant though because it’s very nicely renovated! The chef of Curry leaves was a former chef in luxurious 5 star hotels and restaurants in India. The minute I took a bite of my first course and
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Curry Leaves, located just in front of Westshore Mall on Kennedy, is quickly becoming one of South Tampa’s best kept secrets. I’ve lived in Harbour Island for a while now, and I have to be honest, like I’m sure many of you have done as well, I drove by this hidden gem every day for the for the last eight months on my way home from work without even noticing it. And I’m very happy I stopped in after seeing the sign on my way to the mall with my fiancé early last month, because we are both big fans of indian Cuisine and there’s just not too many good options for authentic Indian fare in South Tampa. “Awesome, authentic Indian food! I didn’t know what to expect considering the restaurant is attached to a gas station but I figured I literally eat food out of a gas station all the time and plenty of fast food chains are attached to them so why not give it a try? As soon as I walked in I was pleasantly Surprised by how beautiful the place was decorated. We were greeted with a smile and seated promptly. The food was outstanding and I will most certainly be a regular at my new favorite Indian Restaurant,” says Maria from Beach Park. Maria is a customer I caught walking out of Curry Leaves on my last visit. Her feelings for the restaurant are shared amongst many of our South Tampa neighbors. Just take a look at some of the reviews online and you’ll see what I mean! Saji mathew is the guy we can all thank for bringing this delicious food to our palate! Saji is a perfect example of the local business owner we love to highlight in our magazine. In fact, you know that gas station Maria mentioned as being attached to Curry Leaves? It’s not just some random gas station sharing space, Saji owns it. “I’ve always had a passion for really good food and when this space became available next to my gas station convenience store, I knew it was the perfect opportunity to jump on.” Sami explained. Also, very modestly I may add, Saji shared with me that he knows from the outside the place may not look like much, but he wants people to give it a chance. “Come in and enjoy the food and I know you’ll be back! If you’ve never had Indian Cuisine or maybe had an experience with another place being too spicy, don’t worry. We cook everything to order and to your specifications including mild, medium and hot flavors for you to choose from so there’s nothing to fear,” Saji explained. Fresh food, made to order is the foundation for this restaurant’s success. What they lack in store-front flare, they certainly make up for in taste and at the end of the day, that’s what’s important anyway. How many times have we paid ridiculous prices for lackluster food just because
tasted the juiciness of the chicken, and experienced the explosion of flavors that every other dish I tried possessed, I knew Saji had someone very special back there cooking all these flavorful and succulent dishes! The food isn’t just great tasting, but it’s also very good for you. Curried dishes around the world wouldn’t be as delicious without turmeric. Turmeric has been studied extensively and is renowned for it’s healthy properties. The orange-colored spice native to India and Indonesia, revered for its culinary and therapeutic See “Curry Leaves” on page 8.
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VOLUME 2 ISSUE DECEMBER
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From The Publisher Matt Selby
Enter our Dining Selfie Contest for a chance to win $1,000! Matt Selby I’d like to take this opportunity to say Happy Holidays from all of us here at Tampa Bay News & Lifestyles. Our family is dedicated to keeping our communities we call home informed about great local businesses and things happening in Tampa Bay each month and we really appreciate your support and readership. We all know the holidays can be draining on our wallets, especially if you have had roots here for generations and have close to 50 family members all living within an hour of each other. Needless to say, on Christmas, that’s a lot of gift giving. We wanted to take this opportunity to do something special for at least 1 lucky reader. Again, we know the Holidays can be rough on our wallet so we decided to give away $1,000 to a lucky reader. We just started our “Dining Selfie” contest last month and with close to 1000 entries we decided $1,000 cash would be a pretty cool grand prize. Go to page 10 and 11 to learn more about how you can be our next winner and hopefully re-coup a few Benjamins in the process! GOOD LUCK NEIGHBORS!
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Community Calendar & News Briefs Film Bar Mondays Where: The Bricks Ybor, 1327 E. 7th Ave, Tampa, FL 33605 What’s up?: Drinks, great conversation, meeting new friends. Film Bar Mondays is where the local South Tampa community comes to connect, relax and welcome new folks to the Florida Film scene. IT’S FREE AND OPEN TO EVERYONE. When: Every Monday Hours: 6:00pm - 12:00AM A Retelling of a Christmas Carol Where: Carrollwood Players Theatre What: An adaptation of the story of Ebenezer Scrooge’s journey from an embittered, ungenerous creature into a giving, caring human being at the hands of three spirits, who, one Christmas Eve, show him what life means. Join us for a magical retelling of the timeless story of Ebenezer Scrooge. When: December 2, 2016 - December 18, 2016. Fridays and Saturdays - 8pm and Sundays 3pm\Tickets
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$23, $20 seniors, students, and military More info visit: https://carrollwood-playerstheatre.ticketleap.com/a-christmas-car ol-holiday/dates Christmas Town Returns to Busch Gardens Tampa Bay Where: Busch Gardens 0 19165 McKinley Dr. Tampa, FL 33612 What: Christmas Town, returns to Busch Gardens® Tampa Bay with two million twinkling lights, festive treats, holiday entertainment and unique attractions, including the allnew addition of the beloved Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer. Meet Santa, watch Yuletide shows and enjoy thrill rides in the dark, beginning Nov. 25 through Dec. 31. Christmas Town is included with any annual pass, Fun Card or day admission and is open from 10:00am until 10 p.m. on select dates. Visit ChristmasTown.com for more info.
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Children’s Art Spot at the Tampa Museum of Art A free drop-in art program. Let your children explore their creativity by creating an art project. No registration required. Projects will vary week to week to tie into the exhibition on view at the museum. More Information Date(s): August 13, 2016 - December 31, 2016 Hours: 11:00 AM - 2:00 PM Location: 120 W Gasparilla Plaza Tampa, FL 33602 http://www.tampamuseum.org Oxford Exchange Holiday Gift Bazaar In 2013 we organized the first OE Holiday Gift Bazaar to promote interest in local vendors, artisans and craftsmen. Inspired by eclectic and bustling European marketplaces, our second floor meeting and events space is transformed for one weekend out of the year into a diverse shopping venue, just in time for the holidays. Our hope is to showcase the unique stories and creations of local talent with their own
community and to continue doing so year after year.\More Information Date(s): December 10, 2016 December 11, 2016 Hours: 9:00 AM - 3:00 PM Location: 420 W Kennedy Blvd Tampa, FL 33606 Visit: http://oxfordexchange.com/pages/h oliday-gift-bazaar Paint Your Pet to Benefit Humane Society of Tampa Bay We are excited to be partnering with Humane Society of Tampa Bay for this Paint Your Pet event! A portion of the proceeds will benefit this organization. Make sure to bring a picture of your pet!! We suggest choosing a photo that is a head and shoulders image of you looking eye-level (not down at) with your pet. It’s also easiest if it’s printed on a normal 8 1/2 X 11 piece of paper (so you can fold it). Yep, you’ll be sketching and painting your original pet masterpiece. Painting 2:00 – 2:30 PM - Relax, uncork
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& mingle with your friends & guests 2:30 - 5:00 PM - Our professional artists and artist assistants will assist you. Ticket price includes all materials, instruction, use of aprons and a 16x20 take-home canvas! Alcohol: Because alcohol is present during our events, we prefer attendance of adults 18 and over. Anyone under 18 must be accompanied by an adult. Alcohol consumption is permitted only for adults 21 and over. BYOB licensing allows for beer, wine and champagne only. Sorry no hard liquor or mixed drinks ie; margaritas, sangria or designer coolers. We appreciate your compliance! We have wine glasses, wine openers, plastic ware, paper plates, napkins and ice here for you. You’re welcome to bring any food items; please note table space is limited. More Information Date(s): December 10, 2016 Hours: 2:00 PM - 5:00 PM Admission: $40.00 Per Person Location: 3687 Tampa Rd Ste 205 Oldsmar, FL 34677 (813) 5270697 http://bit.ly/PYP1210
Here Comes the Funny Netflix presents the Here Comes the Funny Tour featuring live performances by comic geniuses Adam Sandler, Rob Schneider, David Spade and Nick Swardson along with an appearance by a surprise special guest. More Information Date(s): December 11, 2016 Hours: 7:30 PM - 9:30 PM Admission: $95 - $250 Location: 1010 N W.C. MacInnes Place Carol Morsani Hall Tampa, FL 33602 http://www.strazcenter.org/Events/ Straz/Shows/1617_Comedy/AdamSandler Santa’s Flight Academy at International Plaza Santa’s Flight Academy will be available exclusively at International Plaza from Friday, Nov. 11 through Saturday, Dec. 24. “Santa’s Flight Academy” is a one-of-a-kind, immersive holiday experience that combines a giant reimagination of the North Pole with state-of-the-art technology to enable children to become a member of Santa’s flight crew. Partnering with an elf – either Sleigh Mechanic George,
Flight Director Sparkle or Reindeer Caretaker Flash – each child will help ready Santa’s sleigh so he can deliver presents to children around the world. For more information, visit: http://shopinternationalplaza.com/sa nta Other special Santa events include: Pet Photos: Nov 13 & 20, 7:30 a.m. to 9 a.m. Signing Santa Say: Nov 20, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. (Due to the unprecedented nature of the experience and anticipated high demand, visitors are encouraged to pre-register children for a Santa’s Flight Academy entrance badge online via each shopping center’s website, or through the mobile app available for both Android and iPhone platforms. Registration will also be available onsite at Santa’s Flight Academy kiosks located in each shopping center.) Visit: http://shopinternationalplaza.com/santa More Information Date(s): November 15, 2016 December 14, 2016 Hours: 10:00 AM - 9:00 PM Location: 2223 N Westshore Blvd Tampa, FL 33607 http://shopinternationalplaza.co m/santa 93.3 FLZ’s Jingle Ball 2016 Featuring Pitbull, The Chainsmokers, Fifth Harmony and more! 93.3 FLZ’s Jingle Ball 2016 is part of the national iHeartRadio Jingle Ball Tour, the season’s biggest annual music event that captures the holiday spirit of the iHeartRadio app. 93.3 FLZ’s on-air personalities, Kane & Scotty Davis, officially announced the all-star performers for 93.3 FLZ’s Jingle Ball 2016 which will include: Pitbull, The Chainsmokers, Fifth Harmony, DNCE, Lukas Graham, Martin Garrix and Daya. “93.3 FLZ’s Jingle Ball is the most anticipated concert event of the year in Tampa Bay,” said John Mayer,
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93.3 FLZ’s Program Director. “We are excited to bring together the biggest names in pop music to celebrate another awesome year!” Every year, 93.3 FLZ’s Jingle Ball gives back to the community to celebrate the holiday season. This year’s official charity for 93.3 FLZ’s Jingle Ball 2016 is the Ryan Seacrest Foundation – $1.00 of each ticket sold will be donated to the non-profit organization, which is dedicated to inspiring today’s youth through entertainment and education focused initiatives. More Information Date(s): December 17, 2016 Hours: 7:00 PM - 8:30 PM Admission: $20 and up Location: 401 Channelside Dr Tampa, FL 33602 http://www.amaliearena.com Trans-Siberian Orchestra When Paul O’Neill first conceived Trans-Siberian Orchestra, his goal was as straightforward as it was incredibly ambitious. “The whole idea,” he explains, “was to create a progressive rock band that would push the boundaries (of the genre) further than any group before... Way, way further.” With more than 10 million albums sold, TSO has inspired generations of fans to rediscover the multi-dimensional art form of the rock opera. Meanwhile, on the road, they have become one of the world’s top acts, with Billboard magazine naming TSO as one of the top touring artists of the past decade — a $20 millionplus production that has played to over 100 million people in 80+ cities, selling more than $280 million worth of tickets and presenting $11 million to charity. More Information Date(s): December 18, 2016 Hours: 3:00 PM - 9:00 PM Admission: $32 - $71.25 Location: 401 Channelside Dr Tampa, FL 33602 http://www.amaliearena.com
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“Cauliflower Flavor Explosion”
The very popular Chicken Tikka!
“Curry Leaves” Continued from page 1 benefits. Turmeric gives the curry its bright yellow or orange color and contributes to its peppery, warm, and mildly bitter taste. It also provides a tangy and ginger-like fragrance. The Cuisine Curry Leaves is one of the few Indian restaurants that offer Northern and Southern India influenced foods. Many Indian Restaurants do not serve any beef whatsoever, but Curry Leaves bends the rules on this one and offers tantalizing creations of Lamb, Goat and Beef. I always get things started with a little Garlic Naan. In case you were wondering, Naan is leavened, ovenbaked flatbread found in the cuisines of West, Central and South Asia. I like my Naan warm and smothered in Garlic. It’s very tasty, super soft and a wonderful bread to share at the table with friends and family. One of my favorite dishes at Curry Leaves has to be the Chicken Tikka Masala! This tender, juicy chicken tikka in a creamy and delicious tomato based sauce is likely the most popular entrée on the menu. The oven cooked Chicken Tikka is fantastic by itself and definitely worth a try! Of
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and a movie date” spot. Come in with your loved one and share some scrumptious dishes before hitting a flick with your sweetheart at the AMC Theatre located right at the mall. Make sure you enter our Tampa Bay News & Lifestyles dining contest and I’ll give you a hint,
submissions entered from this restaurant may be “randomly” favored ;) Curry LeavesHours 11:00 AM to 2:30 PM and 5:00 PM to 9:30 PM4843 W Kennedy Blvd Tampa, FL 33609813-319-4014www.curryleavesindiancuisine.com
course, the Chicken Tandoori, marinated in Yogurt and seasoned with spices, cooked in the traditional tandoor oven, is absolutely perfect and highly recommended by all who have sampled this mouth watering, flavorful meal! The kitchen loves to get creative and is especially excited to add a little “Thai flair” to the menu. Keep an eye out for some soon-to-be award winning Thai cuisine on your next visit! Moreover, I also had the opportunity to sample something I’ve never tried before; a Chinese inspired cauliflower dish. I’ll be the first person to admit that I’m no fan of anything cauliflower, but this was something special. It tasted a lot like Orange Chicken and just about everyone is a fan of that! Like I said, If you haven’t had Indian Cuisine before or you haven’t tried it in a while; do yourself a favor and check out Curry Leaves today! Parking is a little slim, so don’t be afraid to park behind the restaurant, near the Westshore Mall parking and walk a few feet over. It’s worth it! Inside, there’s about 15 tables ready to accommodate a number of parties. This place also makes the ideal “dinner
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Build a toy with Santa at MOSI Santa Claus is opening Santa’s Workshop inside MOSI! Come create a real toy to take home and give as a gift. It looks like too many boys and girls have been good this year, because Santa is running out of room at the North Pole and he’s adding an extra Santa’s Workshop at the Museum of Science & Industry (MOSI) in Tampa. He needs your help to make sure his elves can make all of the toys they’ll need for this holiday season. Included with MOSI admission, kids can come to the Idea Zone® creativity lab and make real toys to take home and give to family and friends. Santa’s Workshop at MOSI starts on “Black Friday,” November 25, 2016 and continues through January 3, 2017. Santa himself will visit the workshop during the first three weekends in December (see below for details). Idea Zone® at MOSI will become a Minecraft-inspired winter
wonderland, complete with a cubic Christmas tree and Minecraft model train. With help from MOSI’s elftrained staff, guests can get hands-on with: • Cardboard creatures – Transform ordinary boxes into real moving machines and make anything from a flapping bird to a dancing elephant. • Retro toy-building classes Spark your imagination and learn woodworking skills as you saw, sand, and hammer toy trains, cars, and other playful inventions. • Santa Sleuths - MOSI’s Elf on a Shelf has raided MOSI’s secret stocking full of 3D-printed toys. We’re looking for a few good Santa Sleuths to join in our reindeer game and help find the lost toys hidden around MOSI. • Live science shows - MOSI’s STEAMpunks science educators have
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a toy-box full of science demonstrations to go along with the holiday. Santa Claus will be dropping by his workshop to share pointers and holiday cheer with his toy-making helpers. Come take a photo with Santa Claus at MOSI from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday, December 3rd. Santa will be back at MOSI for brief 90-minute visits on Dec. 4, 10, 11, 17, and 18. “To me, the best kind of gift is a gift you make yourself – especially if you’re a kid. Santa’s Workshop at MOSI gives kids the chance to show their creative sides and make something memorable and unique for a friend or family member, instead of only choosing a gift off a shelf,” said Molly Demeu-
lenaere, MOSI President & CEO. No reservations are necessary and hands-on Santa’s Workshop activities are included with MOSI general admission. MOSI is open every Tuesday through Sunday and is closed seasonally on some Mondays; visit mosi.org for daily hours.
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South Tampa’s $1,000 Dining “Selfies” Contest First off, I'd like to thank all of you who entered our contest in November and offer a big congratulations to our 3 winners we chose at random. All 3 winners will receive a $50 gift certificate to Carmel Cafe! For the month of December we are going much, much bigger! We are only giving away 1 grand prize BUT, with the Holidays here and most of our credit cards taking a hammering we decided to give back to one lucky reader! We again will choose at random, but this time we are giving away $1,000 cash to the winner! Yes $1,000! We had almost 1,000 entries last month so we are expecting a crazy turnout for this contest! GOOD LUCK and Merry Christmas from all of us here at Tampa Bay News & lifestyles! At Tampa Bay News &
Lifestyles, we strive to keep our communities shopping local, allowing more of our dollars to stimulate the local economy. In an effort to promote the amazing restaurants in South Tampa, we have created a fun contest where the community can play and win! How To Play: Take a “Selfie” at your favorite local restaurants and/or a picture of your Food or Drinks the next time you are there. “Selfies” are not restricted to just one person and can include group photos. We encourage that you capture the restaurants’ logo somewhere in the picture if possible, however, this is not a requirement. Then send your pictures to jared@nnlflorida.com along with the following Contest con-
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tact info: Your Name: First and Last: Name of others in photo: (first names are fine) Category: (Type of Restaurant) Businesses Name: (where photo was taken) Caption for Photo: (Optional) Dining Categories: Asian Restaurant BBQ Restaurant Breakfast/Brunch Restaurant Burger Joint Family Friendly Restaurant Greek Restaurant Happy Hour Ice Cream/Desert Happy Hour Italian Restaurant Lunch Mexican Restaurant Pizza Joint
Sandwhich/Sub Shop Seafood Restaurant Sports Bar Steakhouse Sushi Restaurant Rules: -Each picture sent counts as 1 entry. -Enter as many times as you want! -Winners will be chosen randomly out of a hat, so the more times you enter the more chances you have to win. Winnings: Grand Prize Winner: $1,000 cash! Alternate Winners: Alternate winning entries chosen get their Selfies featured on the next issues’ contest page. Thank you for the nearly 1,000 entries last month!
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Trinity Family Physicians Recognizes Tampa Bay Making A Difference Award Winner Andre Kirwan of No Strings Attached By Julie Kanehl Local physicians, Stephanie Eldridge, MD and Amir Shirmohammad, MD are a husband and wife team who started Trinity Family Physicians many years ago with the sole purpose of making a difference in the lives of the families they treated. Trinity Family Physicians is now a thriving and busy practice that hundreds of families turn to when they need medical care. Growing up here and now raising their own family here, the doctors at Trinity Family Physicians are heavily involved in the community, and they wanted to create a way to recognize local individuals who make a positive impact on the Tampa Bay Area, so they developed the Tampa Bay Making a Difference Award. Trinity Family Physicians proudly announces that the next Tampa Bay Making a Difference Award winner is Andre Kirwan of No Strings Attached, a charity in every sense of the word. No Strings Attached is a completely non-profit organization that gives to those in need on Thanksgiving and Christmas mornings without receiving a single thing in return, hence the name, No Strings Attached. And The Winner Is: Andre Kirwan of No Strings Attached Andre Kirwan, MBA, and Vice President of The Bank of Tampa is considered a Superman by many, but he’d probably describe himself more as a Clark Kent, or even more likely, as just “Pastor Kirwan.” A Youth Pastor at MorningStar Church, Kirwan is humble, giving, inspiring and sincere. In his spare time, he coaches football at Berkeley Prep, is President of the Warrick Dunn Foundation, and of course, he is 100 percent devoted to No Strings Attached, which collects and donates thousands of items to homeless people on Thanksgiving Day and on Christmas Day. Every year, No Strings Attached donates things that people in our community truly need: Socks, coats, clothes, shoes, underpants, and prayer – a lot of prayer. Kirwan says, “Family is first for me. My brother, sister, mom and dad paved the way for me,” He adds, “God has wired me to realize that it’s not about me. Instead, I want to leave
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a legacy of the heart, and I try to leave everything I touch a little bit better.” When interviewing Kirwan for this article, he deflected any praise toward God and to his parents, who worked hard and set an example for him. His father worked in the train and airline food service industry to put himself through medical school, and his mother worked as a nurse. Together they worked hard to provide for their family, and they were able to put Kirwan into private school at Academy of Holy Names in Tampa, then Jesuit High School, and eventually Stanford University. Originally intending to follow in his father’s footsteps and become a doctor, Kirwan found himself heavily recruited to play football, which he did professionally in the Canadian Football League for eight years. After he retired from football, he went into banking as a way of helping people. He recently earned his MBA from USF, and is deserving of this award for his true dedication and commitment to others. No Strings Attached Truly Makes a Difference in Tampa Bay No Strings Attached was born nearly a decade ago, when Kirwan woke up overcome by the realization that he had blessings in spades that many others didn’t have. That November morning, he received a calling to give to others what many took for granted, so he emptied his closets, called his friends and asked them to do the same. His vision didn’t involve money; it involved actually getting out there into the community and giving – pure and simple. “I realized that we were forgetting traditional values. We live among so much surplus,” says Kirwan. “So, I decided to put my time where my mouth is, and spend time with these people in their circumstances, roll up my sleeves and look these people in the eye, sit down and listen to them, then give them what I can.” Together with his network of friends and family through the many organizations that he worked with, No Strings Attached began to make a difference in the community. Kirwan talks of hugs he received from people who were down on their luck, people who hadn’t had a clean shirt, or even a clean pair of underwear for so long.
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These are the things that we take for granted; yet, there are people in our community who view these things as blessings and privileges. Kirwan says, “Last year we surpassed 40,000 items donated between Thanksgiving and Christmas and had over 70 volunteers that helped us serve a record 500 plus Andre Kirwan helps to distribute clothing to those recipients on Christmas in need through No Strings Attached charity morning alone! We have come a long way from sion and answer their own calling to year one, 2007, when 1,448 items help make our community better by were distributed. Together, we have Making a Difference in Tampa Bay! reached new heights, and every single Trinity Family Physicians has item donated matters and will go to become a dedicated site to drop off good use. No donation amount is too clothing and other items for Andre large or too small.” Kirwan and No Strings Attached. In 2012, Kirwan lost his good We will be collecting items for the friend and right-hand-man in this entire month of November and Deministry, Dr. Neal Sayers. Sayers colcember until we close for the lected donations all-year-round at his Christmas Holidays. We will conoffice, and his motto was “Go big or tinue to do this annually and help go home, baby.” When he brought his Andre and his charity Make a Difmotto to No Strings Attached, more ference in Tampa Bay! and more people benefited. His legacy now lives on through his children, Nominate Someone for the Next who come out each year to support “Tampa Bay Making A Difference the homeless. For Kirwan, his loss Award” cuts deep, but through his life and Trinity Family Physicians’ Tampa even his passing, more and more peoBay Making A Difference Award will ple have come out to answer the call continue to honor individuals who of the needy and joined forces with make a difference. If you know someNo Strings Attached. one who makes a difference in the Partnering with other ministries lives of others in Tampa Bay, Trinity in the area, such as Dressed for SucFamily Physicians and Tampa Bay cess (which helps men and women News & Lifestyles want to hear from find clothing suitable for job interyou! Please submit your nominees views), Trinity Café, Hyde Park (and tell us why they qualify) for the United Methodist, Open Arms, True next Tampa Bay Making A Difference Holiness Church, Martha Shepley, and Award by email at The Prince of Peace Ministry, no suiteditorial@nnlflorida.com. able donation goes to waste. Anything that is left over is donated or kept for Trinity Family Physicians and the next giveaway. Tampa Bay News & Lifestyles ask If you would like to support this that you please share your thoughts great organization through your doand comments with us on our facenation of items, resources or simply book pages: facebook.com/trinityyour time, visit www.nosacares.org familyphysicians and and become part of the difference in facebook.com/neighborhoodthe Tampa Bay area. newslifestyles. Trinity Family PhysiDr. Shirmo and Dr. Eldridge cians is located at 1817 Cypress would like to take this opportunity to Brook Drive, Suite 101 in Trinity, thank Andre for his hard work and FL. Log on to trinityfamilyphysidedication. Trinity Family Physicians cians.com for additional informahopes that this story inspires others in tion about Dr. Eldridge and Dr. our community to pursue their pasShirmohammad. For Advertising Info 813-928-6124 • info@NNLFlorida.com
Oakdale Christmas Light Display Over 500,000 Lights of Joy!
By Katie Thomas Starting the night after Thanksgiving, November 25th and lasting until January 3rd from 6 to 10 p.m., the Oakdale Christmas Light Display will be open nightly. Located in beautiful St. Petersburg, the Christmas Light House (as locals know it) will be celebrating its 40th year with a half million lights twinkling in the night. Voted as one of the top three light displays in the country, the Oakdale Christmas Light Display is the perfect way to get in the holiday spirit and celebrate the season with family and friends! The Oakdale Light Display is one of the largest and oldest running house displays in the nation. It has become a tradition for many people in the Tampa area to visit this festive home during the holiday seasons. People come from across the country and even from other countries to see the spectacular Oakdale Light Display. It was ranked in the top three light displays by NBC’s Today Show, was pre-
sented first in HGTV’s All Out Christmas Special, and has been featured in People Magazine. Started by a St. Petersburg family in 1977, the Oakdale Light Display began as a modest light display, but quickly grew to one of the largest in the area. By 1989, the display grew from 6,200 lights to 60,000 lights! Today, the display features over a half million lights (including fiber optics) and countless holiday-themed decorations. It takes approximately three months to install the display and requires about 12 truckloads to bring in the items from storage. Original owner Ted Kresge is now 76 years old and still sets up the display himself, along with family and a small crew of 8 to 15 people. The display is about a half-acre in size and features a 70-foot lit Christmas tree. The roof of the home features four giant Christmas trees made entirely of lights. There are over 700 animated objects, including dolls, bears, many Santas and toys! Many of the lights are digitally
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connected to play along with music, so you’ll get quite the show during your visit! The manger scene has over 150 pieces to browse over. Kids and adults alike love to play with the double-bubble machines that send out huge bubbles all evening long. From walkways lined with fun toys, to water features, and a huge collection of animated dolls, this place is all about the holiday spirit! There is a snowman that reaches three stories high and a large HOscale model railroad that runs 18 trains at one time! The layout includes city and country scenes with an airport, flying planes and a working carnival. Teresa Smith says, “A Christmas tradition for locals. My kids, 7 and 8, really enjoyed the light display. A per-
fect way to spend our Wednesday night as we gear up for Christmas.” Another visitor says, “Amazing! A must see for the family. Thank you for putting on such an awesome display!” I lived in the St. Pete area for six years and there was never a holiday season that I didn’t visit the famous Oakdale Light Display. Each year there was something new and exciting to look forward to. I loved grabbing a hot cocoa and walking to the light display with visiting family and friends to check out all the fun animated scenes. Get in the holiday spirit, visit with Santa, and enjoy the twinkling lights as you walk through the gorgeous Oakdale Light Display. The atmosphere is celebratory and festive and there is endless fun to discover. If you have family in town to entertain, or just are looking for a festive, holiday activity to entertain the kids, the Oakdale Light Display is the perfect place to visit! Located at 2719 Oakdale Street South, St. Petersburg, FL the Light Display is easy to find: Take I-275. Exit on #22 (I-175) going E to 4th Street South. Turn right on 4th Street S, and go approximately 1 mile, crossing 22nd Ave South. Take the next left, which is Oakdale. Go two blocks, park and begin your tour. The tour is completely free and it’s fun for the entire family! Log on to www.christmasdisplay.org for more information.
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SAT AND ACT IMPROVEMENT: EXAM COMPARISONS By Dr. Wayne Adams NEXT EXAM DATES...SAT: Dec 3rd and Jan 21st, ACT: Dec 10th and Feb 11th Wondering if the SAT or the ACT is the better exam to take? Here’s a brief comparison by test section. SAT (Writing and Language) vs ACT (English). These test sections are about the same because “grammar is grammar” and the logical sequencing of sentences, words, and phrases functions on a standard set of analytical rules. SAT (Essay) vs ACT (Essay). These essays are very different, with the SAT being more difficult. The SAT is a combination of an AP Language and Composition Rhetorical and Analytical essay requiring 55 minutes. To score well, a student needs to know and to use key elements such as theme, thesis, syntax, diction, tone, mood, similie, metaphor, alliteration, and persuasive elements. I have had excellent results using a comprehensive critical thinking, analysis, chronological writing pattern, and writing template using question sequences to help my students organize and then express their thoughts well. The ACT is a “compare and contrast”
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essay requiring 35 minutes with a brief statement of a situation, three differning perspectives, and more stylized response. I have had great success with a “fill in the blank” approach using a standard structure and supporting quotations. SAT (Reading) and ACT (Reading). These sections are very different, with the SAT being more difficult. The SAT has different types of reading passages with 9 – 11 questions per passage. Half of the questions are either “terrible two’s” with an answer and then separate selection of the best support for that first answer, and “vocabulary in context”. The remaining questions involve different types of analysis, critical thinking, and often making inferences by “reading between the lines”. The ACT has four sub-sections that require “speed reading the passage first” and then answering a wide range of questions. On the ACT, the answers are there and the key is to find them. SAT (Math) and ACT (Math). Both exams test arithmetic, algebra, geometry, and trigonometry. The major difference is that the average length of an SAT question is 6 – 7 lines with some questions over 15 lines, while the
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average length of an ACT question is 3 lines. So the SAT takes additional skills in reading, sorting out the important facts, translating into mathematical problem, and solving … which takes more time. My students tell me the ACT Math is definitely easier. ACT (Science Reasoning). Only on the ACT exam, this section has nothing to do with knowing Biology, Chemistry, Physics, or other sciences. It is essentially another Reading section where the student finds answers from charts and graphs, experiments, and differing opinions of scientists about a topic. Speed reading does not help much, as it does in the Reading section, but “bottom up” reading for key concepts and ideas is essential. Net Result: The Shift to ACT Continues. The two key reasons continue to be that the ACT Exam has changed little (except for the essay), is totally acceptable as a standardized exam for college admissions officers, and if a student takes the ACT then that student does not have to take any SAT Subject Tests (as most top colleges require for full consideration). And More Students are taking my combination ACT and SAT Prep Class
that saves 15 class hours from preparing separately for each exam. If you would like to talk with my further about your student and my classes, please contact me at 727-2530639 or at wwa0811@mykolab.com. Dr. Wayne Adams is one of the top SAT and ACT Tutors in the country and a former Dean of a Graduate School of Business and Full Professor. His students have been admitted to Harvard, Yale, Columbia, Stanford, Princeton, Cornell, Duke, U Chicago, U Penn, Johns Hopkins, Georgia Tech, UCLA, USC, Boston College, Northeastern, UF, FSU, USF, UCF, Florida Gulf Coast, St. Leo’s, New College of Florida, U Miami, FIU, and many other colleges and universities; often with academic, athletic, or music scholarships. Normally, student scores increase 200 to 350 points on the SAT (Writing, Reading, Math, and Essay), and 4 – 8 points on the ACT. He has degrees and advanced studies from Harvard, Yale, Vanderbilt, Columbia International, and Luther Rice. He is at wwa0811@mykolab.com or at 727253-0639.
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For Advertising Info 813-928-6124 • info@NNLFlorida.com
VOLUME 2 ISSUE DECEMBER
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VOLUME 2 ISSUE DECEMBER
For Advertising Info 813-928-6124 • info@NNLFlorida.com