Vol. 9, Issue 11, November 2021
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Awful Waffle/Popculture Popcorn Brainchild of Modern Willy Wonka Comes to Carrollwood By Deborah Bostock-Kelley Its name may start with Awful, but the product created by its founder Pedro Miranda is definitely the opposite of that adjective. Imagine scoops of ice cream wrapped in a waffle, but not the boring indented, square kind you may be used to. The batter becomes a luscious chocolate or vanilla waffle cooked in a spherical mold that gives the convex waffle bubbles. In laymen’s terms, it could be described as an inside-out waffle. In this puffed-out waffle, choose your toppings ranging from fruit and nuts to marshmallows, chocolate, cookies, candy, sprinkles, and cereal. Add your sauce, whipped cream, and a cherry, and you’ll have a delicious, inventive treat from a magical and aromatic shop in Carrollwood called Awful Waffle. The love story of Awful Waffle goes like this: Bubbles the Awful Waffle was meant for greater things than a center shelf of a supermarket freezer. It had fun, crunchy bubbles while its friends were flat and square. Unfortunately, Bubbles was unhappy just sitting in a cardboard box waiting to get picked from the frozen food aisle of the market. Thankfully, the other waffles never made it feel different because being true to who you are is what makes you so special. Bubbles gazed dreamily INSIDE THIS ISSUE From the Editor: There’s Always Something To Be Thankful For!...............................................5 Tech Talk with Bob: Give the Gift of Security for FREE................8-9
See “Awful Waffle” on page 12
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There’s Always Something To Be Thankful For! This year Thanksgiving falls on Nov. 25, 2021, but the whole month is considered “National Gratitude Month,” after author Stacey Grewal advocated for it back in 2015. After the tough times we’ve all been experiencing since the pandemic started, I think we should take some time to remind ourselves of our blessings and focus less on what seems to be lacking from our lives or stressing us out. We should do our best to show our gratitude to all the people who have helped keep our way of life continuing. As part of Tampa Bay News and Lifestyles’ commitment to the Tampa Bay community, we regularly embrace many opportunities to show our gratitude, promote awareness, and give back to those in need. In the spirit of gratefulness and giving back, I invite all of our readers to consider volunteering or donating (as much or as little as possible) to any local shelters or nonprofit organizations that support a cause that speaks to you and that you may be passionate about. You may have heard of the term “Movember,” but do you know the meaning behind it? Is it just about funny facial hair, and how long can a man go without shaving? The Movember Foundation was founded in 2003, and it is dedicated to making a difference in the lives of all the men in your life. The month’s commitment to MOVEMBER takes on three serious issues facing men’s health; prostate cancer, testicular cancer, and mental health. How To Participate? Use #MOVEMBER when you post on social media. Bring the whole gang together, grandfather, dad, husband, boyfriend, best friend, and tell them this is what they need to do; 1. Grow your mustache! Whether patchy, lopsided, itchy, full of genuinely epic - whatever Mo you grow, your face will help raise funds and awareness for men’s health. The mustache is a powerful upperlip accessory, and it commands attention, demands a double-take, and can compel lifesaving conversations. Shave down on November 1st, then uphold the sacred rules of Mo Growing the entire month. Please visit https://us.movember.com/ for more information. 2. Commit to walking or running 60 miles, foror every men lost to suicide each For Advertising Info 727-943-0551 I info@nnlflorida.com visit60tbnewsandlifestyles.com hour.
3. Host an event to raise funds for charity or donate to a local charity of your choice. This month also brings attention to a condition affecting more than 3 million people in the United States; Epilepsy. This life-long condition has no cure, and continued research is needed. Since epilepsy is the 4th most common neurological disease, it impacts everyone. This condition does not discriminate, and it can affect people of any age, gender, or cultural background. The Epilepsy Services Foundation is a non-profit organization in Tampa Bay, Florida that offers programs and services designed to increase understanding of epilepsy and promote dialogue between persons with epilepsy, families, and others dealing with the impact of this condition. ESF offers current information, support, encouragement, and hope to persons struggling with the day-to-day challenges and fears associated with this chronic medical condition. To learn more or donate to this cause, please visit epilepsysf.org. Additionally, November also marks “Adopt a Senior Pet Month.” The ASPCA and petfinder.com founded Adopt a Senior Pet Month to improve the perception of senior pets as quality animals for adoption. As the proud owner of 3 adorable shelter cats, one of them a grumpy looking yet extremely lovable and attention-seeking 10-year-old senior cat, I can tell you that they still have SO much love to give! A senior pet can be your favorite companion. They are usually well-trained, their personalities are already fully developed, they are incredibly thankful for you, and make wonderful loving pets. Please visit your local pet shelter this November if you’re looking for a new 4-legged best friend. Multiple places will be running Senior Specials; Pasco County Animal Services will be hosting a $16 Senior Saturday (Age 6 and older) pet adoptions every Saturday ALL month long! So if you’re considering adopting, please give a senior pet a chance, they will be furrrever thankful! Happy and safe Thanksgiving from all of us at Tampa Bay News and Lifestyles. Until next time,
Carla M. Dubis Tedeschi. NOVEMBER 2021 5
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Tech Talk with Bob: Give the Gift of Security for FREE
If you have been following the last two issues of Tech Talk, then you are familiar with the Cybersecurity Scan my company offers to keep you safer online. The response to this service has been overwhelming.
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Folks are stepping up and taking control of their online security posture. Some folks, who were sure their computers were free of threats, were shocked when they realized their computer was not as secure as it should be. Every one of them immediately took the measures my cybersecurity team recommended to eradicate the still harboring security threats. Several of my clients have asked if I offer something like “gift certificates” for these Cybersecurity
Scans. They felt that a cybersecurity scan would be of great value and practical sense. Plus, it shows your gift certificate recipient how much you truly do care about their safety. One thing is for certain… your gift will be unique. And you can be pretty sure they don’t already have one. Oh, and by the way, one size fits all. So, no returns necessary! All your gift recipient needs to do is call me to schedule an appointment to drop off their computer. We are located about 2 miles
north of the intersection of State Road 54 and Little Road in the New Port Richey/Trinity area. My cybersecurity team will perform a through security scan of the computer, so we know for certain whether the computer is clean or not. These security scans have taken from a few hours to a few days to complete. Regardless of the time it takes to scan, one certificate is good for one complete scan of one computer system, on my repair bench. Once my cybersecurity team completes the scan, I
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will personally review the results with the gift recipient. If any security remediation needs to be performed, I will discuss all options for any additional work that may need to be done. I want your gift recipient to have all the facts about their computer’s security health so they can make a wellinformed decision based on what solution best serves them. Also, please understand that you and the gift recipient are under no obligation to do anything further after I review the results of the scan with them. So, here’s the moneysaving offer for the
upcoming holidays. Buy one Cybersecurity Scan Gift Certificate and get one FREE. Yes, I will scan two computers for the price of one! You can give both certificates away to two friends, or you can get your computer scanned and give a friend the gift of a FREE scan. One gift certificate is only $100. But you will get two Cybersecurity Scan Gift Certificates when you purchase one between now and the end of December 2021. We can accommodate phone orders and accept all major credit cards. Call 727-534-4000 to place
your order. Never forget, cyber criminals will exploit the easy victims and unprotected systems. Whether you are a business or non-profit who keeps records about clients, customers, prospects, employees, vendors, sales, budgets, inventories… you get the idea. It is your responsibility to protect your personal network, your computer’s operation, and your data. Even a home user who may only keep records about club members, kids’ sports leagues, volunteer work, filing your income taxes, or
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just ordering a pizza using your credit card on your home computer is a target. Are you certain your computer is safe? You don’t have to do this alone my Friend. My staff and I are here to keep your computer safer and keep it running. We have the best solutions already in place and we’re only a phone call away. Call us anytime at 727-5344000. We’ve been helping folks restore their peace of mind, and sanity, with their technology for decades. We Keep You Safer In Your Digital World!
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Awful Waffle
- story continued from page 1
across the aisle and fell madly in love with ice cream. Ice cream came in yummy flavors and wore sprinkles like nobody’s business. The feelings were mutual, and Ice cream melted any time Bubbles flashed his scrumptious smile. One day, Awful Waffle discovered their magical combination and knew they were destined to be together. Pedro, the mastermind behind this sweet romantic pairing and a past weekend market fan-favorite, with a thriving shop already in International Plaza,
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recently moved his downtown Tampa flagship location opened in 2019 to be closer to home in Carrollwood. “I was inspired by a bubble waffle I tried in Mexico. I knew if I could make it better, this would be a great treat to bring back home to Tampa, and especially to my neighbors in Carrollwood.”
Pedro tested and retested his bubble waffle batter until the combination became his signature batter. “It took 3 months to marry the perfect blend of ingredients,” he said. Flavors for these tempting treats include “Tough Cookie,” a chocolate bubble waffle
filled with cookies and cream ice cream, Oreos, mini Oreos, crushed Oreo cookies, gourmet chocolate sauce, and whipped cream. “Berry Rebellious” is a vanilla bubble waffle served with strawberry ice cream, organic berries, gourmet berry sauce, and whipped cream. These are but two
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of many creative combinations. In addition to bubble waffle cones that would give Willy Wonka a run for his money, Pedro also serves bubble waffle cone matching milkshakes and waffle pops. This hearty chocolate or vanilla strip of your childhood favorite hot Belgian rectangular waffle is cooked on a stick and covered in various toppings from nuts to bacon and cereal. Salty Pig’s waffle pop combines a chocolate waffle, chocolate melt, and crushed pecans with cooked bacon, caramel sauce, and chocolate sauce. Crunch Berry is a vanilla waffle pop, vanilla melt, corn flakes, maple syrup, berry sauce, and organic berries. The combination possibilities are a varied as Pedro’s customers. Any bubble waffle or waffle pop can be completely customized to be a decadent as you’d dare. If you don’t quite have a sweet tooth for either, Pedro offers a lighter option made from just the bubbles of the waffles. Like its big brother, it is available in chocolate or vanilla bubbles and is complemented by your choice of dipping sauces. If that’s not enough indulgence, Pedro’s second vision, Popculture Specialty Popcorn, adds another heavenly component. With original artisan, madein-house popcorn flavors ranging from the beloved
movie-style popcorn to more unusual like dill pickle, salt and vinegar, sriracha cheddar, s’mores, red velvet, and birthday cake, Popculture features 15 uniquelynamed flavors. Pedro even suggests designing your personalized combination of bubble waffle and popcorn and is open to suggestions for additional tasty flavor profiles. Open seven days a week, Pedro is excited about supplying the Carrollwood community with a delectable fusion of sweet and savory to satisfy all customers’ tastes. “It’s our goal to serve you not only fun, indulgent treats, but to make Awful Waffle and Popculture a place synonymous with smiles and creating new memories with family, friends, and coworkers,” he said. Pedro is giving away an opportunity to win an entire year of free bubble waffle cones to celebrate his newest Carrollwood location. Simply visit the shop between now and December 15, go online to www.awfulwaffleus.com, complete the registration form, enter your receipt number, and sign up to win. A random drawing will select the winner and be announced on social media on December 31, 2021. Beginning in January 2022, the winning customer will enjoy a bubble waffle cone of their choice each month through December 2022. Awful Waffle and Popculture Popcorn are located at 4920 Newkirk Drive off Northdale. Hours of operation are Monday through Thursday 4:30-9 PM, Friday, 4:30 – 10 PM, Saturday 2-10 PM, and Sunday 2-9 PM. To learn more, visit awfulwaffleus. com and popculturepopcornus.com.
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