Tampa Bay News and Lifestyles. East Lake Magazine. Vol. 14, Issue 6, June 2021.

Vol. 14, Issue 6, June 2021

Your community. Your magazine.™

®

The Premier “Shop Local” Community Magazine Directly Mailed To 18,000 Homes In East Lake & Surrounding Areas This Independent Community News, Business & Dining Guide Is Directly Mailed Once Each Month To:

Anchorage, Bay Arbor, Boot Ranch, Brookers Landing, Crescent Oaks, CRYSTAL LAKE CONDOS, Cypress Cove, Cypress Lakes Estates, Cypress Run, Cypress Trails, Deer Hollow, Grey Oak, Eagle Cove, Eagle’s Cove at Lake Tarpon, Eagle Ridge, Eagle Trace, Eagle Watch, East Lake Oaks, East Lake Woodlands, Hunters Wood, Keystone Bluffs, Keystone Palms, Keystone Ranchettes, Lansbrook, Lansbrook Village,

Meadow Ridge, Nature’s Watch, Oak Hill Acres, Pine Ridge, Regina Estates, Ridgemoor, Tarpon Woods, Wentworth, Whispering Lakes, WINDMILL POINT, Woodfield

By Thomas Bostock

Dr. Seema Amin - The Caring Dentist

Dentistry, like other medically related practices, is constantly evolving and changing, but it is important to remember that not all dental practices are the same. With the growing trend of impersonal corporate dental practices, the caring, human touch is gradually disappearing from the practice of dentistry , replaced by a volume-based business brand of less personal dental care. However, there is one local, family-oriented dental practice that continues to successfully resist the trend, Tarpon Dental, Dr. Seema Amin and her staff, the family-oriented practice that cares.

Dr. Amin prides herself on being able to provide quality, affordable, customized care through her unique family-oriented practice.

She noted in a recent interview that it is “really important” to listen to her patients, “their wants and needs,” providing individualized plans, meeting both her patients’ dental See “Tarpon Dental” on page 8

East Lake Café- A Community Favorite Since 2003

By Morgan Fliss East Lake Café, located in the East Lake Woodlands Shopping Center, has been providing customers with delicious food since their doors opened in 2003.

A family-friendly atmosphere, tasty menu items, and a 4.5-star rating on Google make East Lake Café a favorite among local customers in the area. The café is owned and operated by Peter Pergola, who strives to make a fresh and delicious meal for everyone who walks through the door.

East Lake Café is a family establishment and welcomes everyone to enjoy one of their freshly made meals that are made from scratch right after you order. With fresh See “East Lake Cafe” on page 18

INSIDE THIS ISSUE From the Editor..............................5 Boating Safety Course................6-7 SAT/ACT Improvement................10 Tech Talk with Bob.......................14 Jacobson Culinary Arts................16 Powerstories’ Voices of Youth Theatre Festival......................20-21

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Florida Re-Opening Right on Time For Summer 2021!

Summer 2021 starts on Sunday, June 20th, and Floridians and out-ofstate visitors alike will be crowding our gorgeous beaches and local establishments.

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis has been criticized for prioritizing economic recovery at the expense of public health.

Still, the word on the street says that most people are ready for some level of normalcy.

Folks of all ages (with and without masks on) have been seen out and about at local beaches, malls, gyms, nail salons, barbershops, and retail businesses (Some fitting rooms may still be closed.

Please contact them before taking an unnecessary trip.) Restaurants and foodservice establishments may finally operate at full capacity with limited social distancing protocols.

Most business owners I’ve had the pleasure of meeting and interviewing this past month seemed excited about re-opening their small businesses yet are still very understanding of the obvious fear the pandemic has caused. Most will continue enforcing some CDC guidelines and mask mandates for their staff while allowing their guests to make their own choices on wearing one or not.

Sporting venues like the Amalie Arena are finally increasing the number of fans they allow in each game. And at a perfect time, because the Lightning team are on a roll, and hopefully will be moving on towards the next stage of the playoffs! Go Bolts!

Publix and other grocery stores continue their mask requirements for now, despite DeSantis’s executive order.

However, a lot of visitors can be seen shopping around without them.

Most businesses must maintain an adequate level of sanitation practices among employees and patrons during all hours of operation.

Wherever you and your loved ones decide to go, please make sure to follow and respect each establishment’s unique safety regulations during this pandemic, which is still far from over.

Remember, patience over panic!

Whether we agree or passionately disagree with Gov. DeSantis’ decisions to reopen this quickly, one thing we should all agree with; COVID-19 is no joke, and it should continue to be taken seriously.

Do not get irritated if business owners or their employees politely ask you to stand farther from other customers. Don’t complain about the service taking longer than usual. It’s been a rough year and a half for most of us, and everyone is doing their best to get back to “normal.”

In Need OF Small Business Assistance?

If you own and operate a small business and you’re looking for Coronavirus Relief, please visit www.sba. gov. You’ll find multiple resources to help you overcome the economic challenges created by this health crisis. They offer numerous funding options for those seeking relief.

If you’re feeling overwhelmed and would like additional information on how to stay afloat while safely and successfully reopening your small Tampa Bay local business, please visit sbdctampabay.com/coronavirus. They offer helpful resources, guides, tips, and templates on how to strategically reopen your business while adhering to Governor DeSantis’s phased reopening plan.

Stay safe, stay kind. Until next time,

Carla M. Dubis Tedeschi.

Coast Guard to host boating safety course U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary 11-10 Dunedin Flotilla will conduct the Boat America Safety training program designed to appeal to fishing enthusiast, personal watercraft operators, and all recreational boaters.

Because of COVID-19 personal safety issues, all classes are conducted online via Zoom at this time.

The classes will be taught by certified instructors.

Classes are $42 per student and include the books, supplemental materials and course completion certificates.

The Dunedin Coast Guard Auxiliary will of-

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fer Boat America on four weeknights, Monday thru Thursday. These classes run monthly from 7:00 to 9:00pm. The Weekend Navigator will be offered once a month on Saturday s from 9:00 AM to 12:00 PM for $40. This includes a parallel ruler.

Topics covered include current boating laws and the environment; safety equipment, both required and optional; safe boat handling; aids to navigation and navigation rules; potential boating problems; how to safely trailer your boat; and safety guidelines for fishing, water skiing, and

river boating. The weekend navigator focuses on chart plotting, learning how to calculate distance, speed and time for your boating trips.

The National Association of States Boating Law Administrators and Florida Fish & Wildlife Commission have approved this course for content. Successful

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completion of the course satisfies the requirement in Florida for anyone born after January 1, 1988, to complete a boating safety course if they want to operate a motor vessel. Certificates are awarded to all graduates. The USCG Auxiliary teaches the basic rules

of safe boating to thousands of students in multilesson courses annually.

For more information or to register for classes, please email Buddy Casale at publiceducation1110@ gmail.com or call 631-3791110.

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“Tarpon Dental” continued from page 1

plans, meeting both her patients’ dental and financial considerations. Easing dental anxiety in their nurturing environment, Tarpon Dental with Dr. Amin and her talented, caring staff improve the overall patient experience.

On the cutting edge of dental advancements in her field, Dr. Amin’s practice embraces all new dental technology improving the quality of care for her patients. Her recent implementation of the state-of-the-art, ITero Scanner is one such example. Everyone can remember your dentist placing a plate full of gunk that stuck to your teeth in your mouth to capture teeth impressions.

For Dr. Amin’s patients, those days are a thing of the past. Instead, she uses an ITero 3D digital dental scanner that makes images available to the dentist in minutes, with none of the unnecessary, messy cleanup afterwards. Have you been thinking of clear aligners to straighten teeth or correct your bite? Come and have a complimentary scan to simulate your new smile in seconds.

This new technology also gives us a time lapse to show how your teeth change over the years.

It is especially appropriate to highlight an exceptional dental practice like Dr. Amin’s in our community magazine; according to her Facebook page, April was Oral Cancer

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Awareness month. You can find information about this subject and more on their informative websites on Facebook and Instagram. Here are some facts that you might not know about oral cancer: 1. Oral cancer is the sixth most common cancer.

2. Oral cancer is on the rise and anyone can get it regardless of risk factors.

3. By the time oral cancer is detected by the eye, it is usually at an advanced stage.

4. One person will die every hour of every day, 24/7/365 from oral cancer.

5. It is important to visit your dentist at least twice a year to have an exam and once a year to have an oral cancer screening.

As their Facebook site notes, “our team feels passionate about prevention and detecting problems early. We want to help our community fight this battle.” In honor of last month being ORAL CANCER AWARENESS MONTH, Dr. Amin offered a free oral screening to all new patients throughout the entire month of April.

Dr. Amin noted that her practice focuses on cosmetic, restorative, and preventative dentistry. She is highly trained in implant, and full mouth reconstruction caused by the grinding of teeth, decay, gum disease, bite-related issues, or simple aesthetics. Dr. Amin and her caring staff are happy to help you brighten your smile and straighten your For Advertising Info 727-943-0551 I info@nnlflorida.com or visit tbnewsandlifestyles.com

teeth. Call for your appointment today (727) 937- 4285.

Have you ever heard the saying, “an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure?” It is especially applicable where proper dental hygiene and regular annual checkups should be an important part of your normal routine. Did you know the condition of teeth and gums can affect not only your dental health, but your body’s overall health? Even more than ever, it is important to maintain a healthy mouth to keep that immune system functioning well.

According to Dr. Amin, poor dental habits can contribute to the onset of serious, even life-threatening conditions and diseases like heart disease, diabetes, and premature birth rates. A word to the wise: your teeth were meant to last a lifetime. With proper care, brushing, and annual exams at your local Tarpon Dental office, they will!

With dentistry already an intimate, germ-aware profession, the advent of COVID-19 and the resulting pandemic did not impact Tarpon Dental

as badly as many other professionals. They have instituted screening each patient for fever, requiring face masks, social distancing and all other measures recommended by the CDC, but, additionally, went the extra mile to reassure their patients safety, providing an air purification system to clean and sanitize the office air. Staggered appointment spacing also minimizes potential contact with other patients.

There may be many dental practices to choose from in the Tampa Bay area, but there is only one Tarpon Dental. If you are looking for a caring, nurturing, family friendly, low stress environment, Dr. Amin should be the destination for all your dental needs.

Conveniently located from almost anywhere in the Tampa Bay area, at 2611 Keystone Rd, B-7, Tarpon Springs, FL in the Cypress Turn Center, Dr. Amin, and her caring staff are here for you! Call today. Your teeth will be so glad you did! (727) 937- 4285 or easily find them on Facebook or Instagram.

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JUNE 2021 9

SAT AND ACT IMPROVEMENT: SUMMER PREP CLASSES

By Dr. Wayne Adams

Wow? Summer break has already started. Before we know it, high schools will be back in session in early August. How time flies, especially over the summer.

Upcoming Exams: ACT on Saturday July 17th and Saturday, September 11th; SAT on August 28th and October 2nd; and PSAT on Wednesday October 13th.

More and more students prefer to prepare over the summer. Rising seniors want to see if their scores are high enough for desired colleges and universities (and for Bright Futures), rising juniors want to see how they would score plus preparing for the PSAT in mid-October, and many rising sophomores incorporate preparing for these exams as part of their longer term strategy to be admitted to the best university possible and seek to maximize scholarships.

One of the great rewards of my helping my students have their best possible futures, including doing their best on the SAT and/or the ACT Exams.

A rising senior recently wrote, “I just got my SAT score from my last test, and I am pleased to report that I received a 1530 (this is 99th percentile)! Thank you so much for all of the assistance you provided me throughout your class!

A rising junior wrote, “Dr. A. I wanted to say thank you for all the time you spent with me and the knowledge you taught me.

Not only did you teach me how to do better on the test, but also how to be a better person with many valuable, life-lessons.”

Another rising senior wrote, “I wanted to let you know I received my test scores back and got a composite of 31 (super scored got a 32). Individually, I got a 32 on math, 28 on Science, 27 on English, and a 36 on reading. Who woulda thought, of all the sections I would get a perfect score on the reading section haha. Thank you for all of your help!!”

I always ask my students at the end of our first class what they found most surprising. Their

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typical answers are, “I learned so much so fast,” “Our time went by so quickly,” “This is so different from what I expected,” “We really do work interactively,” and “I really enjoyed it.”

Often when I talk with parents, they ask: Question: “How do you keep my student’s attention for your normal three hour class?”

Answer: “That is not the problem. As your student will tell you, the problem is that the time goes by so fast.”

Question: “How do you motivate students to do their best?”

Answer: “When my students quickly see they can rapidly improve, they motivate themselves to see just how well they can do.”

Question: “Do you help students aim for a specific score or score range?”

Answer: “No, because I believe this adds too much pressure and is counterproductive. Instead, I ask them to do their best with the time and priorities they have … and the score will take care of itself. They also learn how to ‘have fun taking the test’, which sounds like words that should never come together but … as they will learn … really do and can greatly help with their mental outlook and test performance.”

Question: “How much of a student’s performance do you believe is mental?”

Answer: “I believe half of a student doing their best is mental, and this means taking the pressure ‘off’ and helping them achieve and maintain their peak mental performance zone.”

This is one of my proprietary guides I give to every student about different ‘test-taking’ personalities and how to maintain peak mental performance during the exam(s).”

Question: “What makes the difference in how different students score?”

Answer: “For my students, the factors are the academic preparation when they come to me, test-taking skills, special techniques that greatly help on the exam, how well they

are guessing on test-day, and ‘curve balls’ (those questions you seldom see but, when you do, you either know how to answer them or you are guessing). We have special preparations for these ‘curve balls’.”

Question: “Can you help with other areas of college admissions and costs?”

Answer: “Yes, and I have for years. This includes writing outstanding college application essays; key information for the ‘Top 25’ colleges and universities, ‘Five More’, and ‘Top 5’ in Florida; locations of very helpful web sites; and my guide Negotiating with Colleges that has helped my families save $1,000 to $10,000 a year in college costs.”

Question: “Do you have anything that can help my student get off to the best start as a freshman in college?”

Answer: “Yes, I have written a book about How To Can Survive and Thrive as a Freshman at a Secular University which I give to every family that has proven very helpful in parents and students preparing for the ‘college experience’ and then the student getting off to the best start. This includes tips from the first step on campus as a new freshman through the major decisions in the first week, taking ‘hypernotes’ that greatly enhance how quickly and how well a student prepares for exams, strategies and plan for handling the first set of semester exams, and much more.”

If you would like to talk more with me about your student, please give me a call at

727-253-0639 or send an e mail at wwa0811@mykolab.com.

Would be great to talk with you further.

Dr. Wayne Adams is one of the leading SAT and ACT tutors in the country. His students normally improve around 200 points on the revised Writing, Reading, and Math SAT superscore; and 4 – 7 points on the ACT composite. They have been admitted to 5 of the “Top 5”, 8 of the “Top 10” and 18 of the “Top 25” universities in the country, and many more schools in Florida. These schools include Harvard, Yale, Princeton, Columbia, Stanford, U Chicago, Duke, U Penn, Johns Hopkins, Cornell, Notre Dame, Emory, UC Berkley, UCLA, USC, UNC (Chapel Hill), NYU, Northeastern (Boston), Boston College, Georgia Tech, Naval - Air Force - Merchant Marine Service Academies, Penn State, LSU, Auburn, UF, U Miami, FSU, USF, UCF, Florida Atlantic, Florida Gulf Coast, Palm Beach Atlantic, FIU, New College of Florida, Stetson, and Julliard – Manhattan - New England - and Berkley Conservatories of Music. Many have received academic, athletic, or music scholarships. He has also tutored three students who achieved National Merit Scholar Finalist awards. He is a former Dean of a Graduate School of Business and Full Professor, and began college teaching at the University of Maryland in 1968. He has degrees and advanced studies at Harvard, Yale, Vanderbilt, Columbia International, and Luther Rice.

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JUNE 2021 13

Tech Talk with Bob: Grammy Gets Hacked!

Grammy was so excited that morning. Her granddaughter Karla was coming to spend the day. Grammy had fun plans to entertain them both. They would play games, read books, walk to the park, and bake some cookies. After the cookies, Grammy started to clean up the kitchen. Karla was still full of energy and became bored. She asked Grammy if she could play on her computer. Karla went to a website that her mom lets her play games on.

Karla did not remember her login information and her parents were unreachable so Grammy appeased Karla by creating a new account. The website only wanted Grammy’s email address and requested she set up a password. Well, Grammy never set up a web account before. Her grandson had set up her email, banking, and investment accounts for her, so she only really knew how to login to them. Grammy

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was so happy when she successfully set up the account for Karla’s game on her own. All it wanted was her email address and to set up a password.

Karla was thrilled. Grammy, delighted.

Life goes on. Karla eventually loses interest in the game and Grammy forgets all about the credentials she used to create that game’s online account.

Grammy always runs quality anti-malware software on her computer and keeps it up to date. Plus, Grammy doesn’t bop all over the web. She primarily sticks with her usual online banking and investment sites. Grammy is quite the good girl when it comes to her internet browsing habits.

A year later, out of the blue, Grammy’s bank account gets hacked. Grammy, her family, and even the bank, cannot figure out how it happened. They would later learn about the infringement that may very well been the cause of Grammy’s bank account getting hacked. Let me clarify, Grammy’s banking institution did not get hacked. It was Grammy’s personal bank account that was hacked. Someone had her password.

Remember that website where Karla wanted to play, and Grammy set up? We’ll that website’s online database

with Grammy’s email address and password was hacked two months ago. Now, without her knowledge, Grammy’s information (her email address and password) is exposed for sale on the internet. Criminals will buy this information and hack into banking sites hoping some of the combinations work granting easy entry into bank accounts of unsuspecting people. Grammy’s mistake.

She used the same password for Karla’s gaming website that she uses for her bank account.

Of course, Grammy has only the one email account, but she should have created a different password for the gaming website instead of using the same password she uses for her bank account. When the gaming site was hacked, scammers who bought the list of email addresses and passwords from the hackers, used this information to perform credential stuffing attacks on major banking sites.

Most people typically only have one email address. And that is fine. The moral of the story… Even though you may have to use the same email address on every website, DO NOT use the same password on other websites. Oh, that’s bad; because if one website gets hacked, your other websites are at risk of being hacked

too. Why? Because your email address with an accompanying “working” password is now available to online criminals.

We can help you find out if your email address has been exposed. If it hasn’t, we can and help you take the steps to head-off potential hacks to your accounts. If it has, we can help you with that too. Call us now 727-534-4000.

It is your responsibility to protect your personal network, your computer’s operation, and your data. Whether you are a business or non-profit, even a home user, who keeps records about clients, customers, clubmembers, prospects, employees, vendors, sales, budgets, inventories, taxes… you get the idea; cyber criminals will exploit any easy, unprotected system.

How safe are you? My staff and I are here to keep your computer safer and keep you up and running. If you question your computer’s safety or performance, please have a professionally certified computer technician check it. Should you need a certified professional, call us now 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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JACOBSON CULINARY ARTS ACADEMY AT TARPON SPRINGS HIGH SCHOOL In the state-of-the-art kitchens students receive careeroriented instruction in both classical and modern culinary arts with an emphasis on the skills needed to succeed in the Hospitality Industry. The Chefs and student of JCAA are proud to have BergHOFF as a sponsor of our program and the student tested recipe of the month. If you would like to learn more about our program, please go to

www.jcaachefs.com

Bomb Bomb Chicken • 2 Medium boneless chicken breasts cut into strips • Tempura batter • Bomb Bomb sauce • Vegetable Oil (for frying) • Tempura Batter

• 7 oz. flour, AP • 1 tsp. baking powder • 1/2 tsp. salt • 1/2 tsp. baking soda • 1 oz. milk • 10 oz. ice water or club soda Sift dry ingredients. Mix wet ingredients separately.

Combine both mixes using chopsticks. Should be lumpy.

Bomb Bomb Sauce • 2 TBL Yum Yum Sauce • 2 TBL Spicy Mayo • 1 TBL Eel Sauce • 1/2 tsp. Wakame, crumbled • 2 tsp. Peanut Butter • 1 tsp. Citrus Juice Mix all ingredients and reserve for use (refrigerate)

Method Dredge chicken strips in flour and shake off excess.

Dip chicken strips in tempura batter, drain excess and fry

at 350° F until crispy, golden and cooked through. Toss hot chicken in Bomb Bomb sauce and serve.

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“East Lake Cafe” continued from page 1

meals that are cooked to order, East Lake Café is very accommodating towards any allergy or dietary restrictions!

“East Lake Café is awesome. [They have] amazing food and outstanding service.

Our breakfast was unbelievable! It was hot and fresh and so good. All of the staff members are so friendly and professional, so it is a pleasure to [sit] and enjoy a wonderful meal. I would HIGHLY recommend East Lake Café,” said happy customer Bob Swango.

Along with a spacious interior, the café has a large outdoor patio where you can enjoy your food in the beautiful Florida weather! This area can accommodate your canine friends who are always welcome. In addition, all tables are equipped with umbrellas that provide plenty of shade, as well as a shaded corridor under the roof that provides shelter from the elements.

While you eat and people watch, piped in music is auditable for your entertainment.

East Lake Café serves a variety of breakfast and lunch specialty items in addition to your typical fare to enjoy.

Every dish is cooked to order and can be customized to meet your individual dietary requirements, that may include allergies, food sensitivities and gluten free needs.

The all-day breakfast menu at East Lake Café is filled with so many tasty options that deciding what to eat may be the hardest part of your visit!

Customer Natalie compliments the delicious breakfast menu saying “I live very close,

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and it is my go-to breakfast and brunch place! However, they have a huge, wonderful menu with whatever you want.

The service is also wonderful always, and they help each other so you are never waiting for anything.”

Some of the delicious Breakfast combos include the 2+2+2 (eggs your way and pancakes with your choice of smoked applewood bacon, ham or sausage), eggs with corned beef hash, and N.Y Strip and Eggs to name a few.

Genuine egg whites are also available upon request.

If you are someone who loves pancakes, waffles, crepes and French toast, East Lake Café is the place to go! They allow you to customize your own stack, so you are sure to get precisely what you want!

The café not only has tasty golden pancakes, but they also have healthy multigrain pancakes that are loaded with granola, raisins, bananas, and walnuts, just to name a few.

They also make fresh Texasstyle French toast and waffles where you can add an array of fruit, nuts, and syrup to complete your perfect breakfast.

As well as all this, gluten-free pancakes and waffles are also available upon request.

With locally roasted Kahwa coffee, straight from St. Petersburg, coffee lovers are sure to enjoy the brew with a bottomless pit. All coffee is freshly brewed, ensuring that you have the best cup. Don’t forget to try East Lake Cafes Espresso favorites, which include Cappuccino, Latte, Mochaccino, Vanilla Cappuccino, and even Irish Coffee.

On top of all these fantas-

tic breakfast items, East Lake Café has a full lunch menu!

The menu has a variety of sandwiches, wraps, salads, burgers, and more! Some of the delicious menu items offered are Chicken Ciabatta, 8 oz. Black Angus Burgers (which can be substituted for a turkey burger upon request), Pressed Cuban, Chicken Salad Croissant, Muffuletta, Reuben, Chicken Quesadillas and Roast Turkey Wraps, to name a few.

All sandwiches and entrees come with a side of your choice, which include housemade soups, turkey chili, side salads, pineapple cole slaw, potato salad or Pasta Salad!

As well as all the sandwich and wrap options, the café offers a plethora of flavorful salads. All salads are made using fresh ingredients, and toppings and can be customized to your liking. Some of their delicious salad options are the East Lake Chef, Honey Mustard Chicken, Greek, Grilled Chicken Caprese, Spinach, Mediterranean with crabmeat & shrimp, Chicken Cobb, International (fresh hummus, ricotta, avocado, sundried tomatoes, cucumbers, basil,

tomatoes, and grilled pita) and the Cashew Poppy Chicken salad, which is a house favorite.

Some other entrée choices include Country Fried Steak with Gravy, Fish and Chips, Grilled Chicken Breast, Jumbo Gulf Shrimp, Boneless Buffalo Chicken Wings, and N.Y Strip Steak. For adults over 21, the café offers bottled beers & craft, Mimosas, Bloody Mary’s, Spiked Arnold Palmer, as well as Maple Leaf Iced Tea, Pepsi products, Imported Bottled Water with or without fizz.

Jaime compliments the restaurant’s menu stating “[I received] first class service, great food to order and the best mimosas around. I am a happy customer here! I bring my family here just about every Sunday and we always have a great brunch.”

After lunch, customers can try East Lake Café’s sweet and tasty desserts that include individual-sized Lemon Cake, Tiramisu Cake or Dulce de Leche Fried Cheesecake and ice-cream that includes, banana splits, waffles and ice-cream and Dr. Pepper floats.

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“[The café] has the best brunch in Tampa Bay! I have been coming to the East Lake Café for over 15 years, and every time I eat here, there is always stellar service, a delicious brunch, and a very comfortable environment that is pet friendly and where you always feel like family! Quality and service is number one here. Peter Pergola has instilled a tremendous presence in North Pinellas that has been a foundation for East Lake’s constant growth,” a happy customer says.

East Lake Café also provides in house catering to private events any evening of the week. Peter will work with you one on one to help you chose a menu that is sure to satisfy up to 70 guests. In addition to in house catering, East Lake Cafe will gladly deliver to any location upon request.

COVID 19 Update- As of this writing, the café is back to full capacity, sitting approximately 130 customers. Social distancing is still practiced inside, and all kitchen and front service personnel are still required to wear masks. Peter expresses that they are in the

same category as most businesses, in not being able to acquire staff. Their core loyal staff are supportive and filling in the blanks with many hours and overtime pay. “God Bless them and their Families, they all are the best”, exclaimed Peter. His policy has always been that people who show virus-like symptoms should stay home and be mindful of others. Customer safety and satisfaction are of utmost importance for everyone at this neighborhood gem. Peter along with the staff at East Lake Cafe are still taking extra precautions to ensure the restaurant is entirely safe and immaculately clean for every customer that walks through the doors.

“On August 11, 2020 East Lake Café was awarded the Florida Restaurant and Lodging Association Seal of Commitment” showing that the restaurant “achieved enhanced safety of guests and employees.” The Café ensures that the restaurant is sanitary and safe for anyone who walks through the doors. ““At East Lake Café, we’ve always held ourselves to high

standards of cleanliness and safety, and this award validates our efforts. We’re thankful to the Florida Restaurant and Lodging Association for making this course available during this challenging time,” said Peter Pergola.

Since opening, East Lake Café has worked and supported local and surrounding area schools to cater to “Back-toSchool,” End of Year, Teacher Appreciation, and other events to celebrate the dedicated teachers and the hard-working staff of our community. They donate and proudly send support each month to FEAST, Metropolitan Ministries, Samaritan’s Purse, 40 Days for Life, Tunnel to Tower’s and to local churches and fundraisers, to help feed the poor and hungry, and save babies lives.

East Lake Café also received an A+ rating from the Better Business Bureau and is a part of the Florida Restaurant Association and the Palm Harbor Chamber of Commerce in order to ensure safety in the workplace.

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“We are getting a great response from our regulars and new visitors! We are delighted that at this time we are preforming better in overall customer counts and sales than the years past, pre-COVID. Since we are challenged in many ways due to COVID, I ask that customers be patient and understanding. I insist on not compromising quality and food presentation. We need to acquire more staff, which is in short supply. We want to ensure that all safety methods and guidelines are being followed to keep everyone safe”, Peter said.

East Lake Cafe is located at 3430 East Lake Rd.,Suties 3&4, Palm Harbor, FL 34685, in the East Lake Woodlands Center. They are currently operating under their normal business hours, which is from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m., seven days a week. Call them today at 727-772-0707 or visit thier website www.EastLakeCafe.com to view their vast and delicious menu!

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Powerstories’ Voices of Youth Theatre Festival Accepting Submissions from Young People, Ages 8 to 18

Powerstories Theatre will give youth artists live, inperson, and global virtual stage July 16-August 1, 2021, for the debut of Voices of Youth Theatre Festival.

Following hot on the heels of its powerful 15-night-long Voices of Truth Theatre Festival, Powerstories Theatre is launching the Voices of Youth Theatre Festival on July 16-August 1, 2021, in its film-enhanced theatre.

With this youth-centric festival, Powerstories continues to honor its mission statement of “opening hearts and minds.” Being wellknown in the community as a place for young people to find their voice, this inaugural festival will feature ten youth playwrights in the theatre or online and a virtual showcase of shorter original works.

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Empowering children and teens is nothing new to the theatre celebrating its 21st birthday this year.

In 2010, Powerstories received the prestigious National Arts and Humanities Youth Program Award for its Girlstories Leadership Theatre program, presented to founder Fran Powers by Michelle Obama at the White House.

Powerstories is reaching out to talented 8 to 18-year-old artists of all original plays, scenes, monologues, spoken word, songs, and dance with original music, to be performed in the theater at 2105 W. Kennedy Blvd., Tampa, and using the latest technology, livestreamed.

“Children are the jewel of Powerstories.

Using a hybrid of inhouse theater and online digital productions, The Voices of Youth Theatre

Festival gives our young people an opportunity to have their say. They can share what’s on their minds with both a local and global audience,” said Fran. “Working with

youth is probably the most impactful thing that Powerstories does because we are working with the next generation.”

For the two-weeklong festival, guests have

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a choice of attending socially distanced productions of youth stories in the theater, following all CDC guidelines, or purchasing tickets to watch live streams from the comfort of their home.

“We’re excited to reopen our doors after a very long intermission by showcasing the works of our young people in the community.”

The 2021 festival artistic committee for the Voices of Youth Theatre Festival is accepting submissions for consideration now through May 15.

Submission requirements are:

• For play submission - the writer’s original story – Either a full production with a minimal set or a staged reading • For virtual showcase – shorter works of the writer’s original scene, monologue, spoken word, song, or dance with original music There may be a maximum of six characters on stage if selecting to use the theater. There is no limit on the number of characters if producing digitally. Artists must agree to have their production live-streamed and not have performed the submitted piece three months before and after production.

All selections will be announced on the Powerstories Theatre Facebook page and website on May 30, 2021.

Registration for the Voices of Youth Theatre Festival is $10 per submission and scholarships are available. Complete details and registration

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form are online at https:// powerstories.com/voicesof-youth-theatre-festival.

Powerstories Theatre is proud to be sponsored

by Hillsborough County Commissioners and Arts Council.

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