Vol. 7, Issue 6, June 2018
Your community. Your magazine.™
®
The Premier “Shop Local” Community Magazine Directly Mailed To Over 15,000 Homes In Citrus Park, Westchase & Surrounding Areas
This Independent Community News, Business & Dining Guide Is Directly Mailed Once Each Month To: Arlington Park • Aston Villas • Bay Arbor • Berkeley Square • Calf Path Estates • Enclave At Citrus Park • Fawn Ridge Fawn Lake • Forest Lakes • Hampton Lakes • Highland Park • Lake Chase • Mandolin • The Eagles • Tree Tops Twin Branch Acres • Waterchase • West Hampton • Westchase • Westchester • Westwood Lakes • Windsor Place
Parents and Students Sing Praise for Westchase Music School
See “WC Music School” on page 16.
It’s Summer in Florida, and you know what that means… Lovebug mating season! Mating peaks last about four weeks in May and September, but these insects can be seen everywhere throughout the summer, specially crushed against your windshield or mating all over your precious car. But did you know that those matingcrazed, black-and-red insects could do more damage to your front bumper and hood than just leaving a mess? Those pesky bugs can cause serious cosmetic damage to your vehicle if not cleaned properly and in a timely See “Luxury Auto Spa” on page 14.
INSIDE THIS ISSUE: Happy Father's Day!..............5 Seafood Exchange...............6-7 Happy Birthday United States.............................10-11 Save Money with Tampa Bay Plumbers.............................13
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By Matt Selby
The Community Dining & Business Guide that your neighbors READ!
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Luxury Auto Spa – The Car Wash & Detailing Service You Can Trust!
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Fifteen years ago, John Kolbrich wanted a career change. With a passion for the accordion that stemmed from childhood, he decided to veer far away from his analytical engineering sales and marketing career toward a creative path lined with treble and clef notes. John literally awoke from a dream where he visualized a music school that would engage young and young at heart and help them discover the same love of music he had. He sketched his vision and contacted an architect who brought his vision to reality in Orlando. Fast forward twelve years and four thriving music schools later and John’s friend was looking to sell her
popular musical school in Westchase. John jumped at the opportunity to expand his reach into Tampa through the centrally-located busy music school on Countryway Boulevard. John’s wife, Marge, is a retired music educator from Canada, and also shares her passion and love of music in all the schools. The then two year old school, continued under John and Marge’s new ownership and has been flourishing ever since, with over 300 students starting as young as four years old and those in K-12 attending. “It’s based on the age where they can sit and be engaged for a thirty-minute lesson,” said John. “Our lessons are fun and our job at
Dated Material Please Rush!
By Deborah Bostock-Kelley
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Happy Father's Day! I want to take this opportunity to wish all fathers, stepdads and paternal figures out there, a very Happy Father's Day, filled with joy, laughter and love. Father's Day is a celebration that takes places almost all over the world. This day is meant to honor fathers and celebrate fatherhood, paternal bonds, and the influence of fathers in society. Did you know? Father's Day was not celebrated in the U.S., outside Catholic traditions, until the 20th century. As a civic celebration in the U.S., it was inaugurated in the early 20th century to complement Mother's Day by celebrating fathers and male parenting. On June 19, 1910 a Father's Day celebration was held at the YMCA in Spokane, Washington by Sonora Smart Dodd. Her father, a civil war veteran, William Jackson Smart, was a single parent who raised 6 children alone. Sonora was a member of Old Centenary Presbyterian Church (now Knox Presbyterian Church), where she first proposed the idea. After hearing a sermon about Mother's DAy in 1909 at the Central Methodist Episcopal Church, Sonora told her pastor that fathers should have a similar holiday to honor them. Although she initially suggested June 5th, her father's birthday, the pastors did not have enough time to prepare their sermons and coordinate the celebration so they said "let's do it the third Sunday in June," pretty interesting,
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right? Several local clergymen accepted the idea, and on June 19, 1910, the first Father's Day, sermons honoring fathers were presented throughout the city. Much has changed since then. Today, many fathers raise children alone, and they do a fantastic job at it. Dad's all over the world are changing diapers, feeding crying babies at 3am and taking their kids to ballet or baseball practice. Their involvement has been crucial in today's society, where working mother's need all the help they can get. The Book of Proverbs says that parents are the glory of their children. A father is his son's first hero, and his daughter's first love. Dad is a provider, protector and fearless roach killer. He will screw, hammer and build things and tuck you in so tightly you won't be able to move. He is the one with the bad "dad jokes," you can never get enough of, and the one you run to when mom says "no." For this Father's Day make sure you make your dad feel extra special for all that he does. Instead of giving him another pair of socks or a colorful tie he may or may not end up wearing, make sure you hug and kiss him and tell him you love him. Offer to do those simple things he normally does, to ease the burden or those menial jobs we always expect him to do, like mow the lawn and take out the trash. Instead of taking him out for
dinner, try cooking his favorite meal, he would appreciate the effort much more. But if you do end up taking him out, make sure to pay for his share even if he refuses. I lost my father last year, and I will never stop celebrating him and being thankful for the man the he was and everything he did to provide for me, my sister and my mother. My father was selfless, honest, caring and hard-working. He was the life of the party, the one with the silly jokes and someone who everyone enjoyed having around. I miss him every day, but I thank God to have had such an incredible man in my life. Last but not least, I want to wish a very "Happy Father's Day" to Tim Selby, my father-in-law. Tim reminds me so much of my dad, it's actually scary. Tim is iincredibly selfless and giving, he is so much fun and a great dancer! Tim goes above and beyond for everyone he knows, and he works extremely hard to provide for his family, and he does it all with a big smile on his face. He took me in and made me feel like a member of the family from the day one. And even though I lost my dad, God granted me another father in Tim, and I couldn't be happier. I hope you all have a great day with your dads, stepdads, paternal figures and grandparents. Whatever you end up doing this Father's Day, promise me you will remind those special men in your life how much they mean to you. Just don't ever stop making your "dad" feel special for all that he does.
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Tampa Bay News & Lifestyles Directly mailed once a month to 15,000 households in zip codes 33626 & 34677 220 S. Safford Ave. Tarpon Springs, FL 34689 Phone: (813) 928-6124; Fax: (727) 942-2432 Advertising E-mail: info@nnlflorida.com Editorial E-mail: editorial@nnlflorida.com © 2018 Tampa Bay News & Lifestyles is published by ADS 2 Publications, Inc. Publisher Tim Selby General Manager Matt Selby Advertising Sales Jim O’Reilly Mike Bird Accounting Manager Doreen Selby
Billing Assistant Tina O’Reilly
Editor / Creative Director
Carla Selby Correspondents Julie Kanehl Katie Thomas
Marcy Sanford Dara Tucker Michelle Naktin Art Director Tony Sica
Nothing that appears in Westchase Tampa Bay News & Lifestyles may be reproduced, whether wholly or in part, without permission. Opinions expressed by Westchase Tampa Bay News & Lifestyles writers are their own and do not reflect the publisher’s opinion. The management of Westchase Tampa Bay News & Lifestyles is always happy to accept outside editorial submissions to the paper. Please call for outside editorial submission and advertisement deadlines. Westchase Tampa Bay News & Lifestyles will consider previously non-published outside editorial submissions if they are double spaced, typed and less than 500 words. Westchase Tampa Bay News & Lifestyles reserves the right to edit and/or reject all outside editorial submissions and makes no guarantees regarding publication dates. Westchase Tampa Bay News & Lifestyles will not return unsolicited editorial materials. Westchase Tampa Bay News & Lifestyles reserves the right to edit and/or reject any advertising. Westchase Tampa Bay News & Lifestyles is not responsible for errors in advertising beyond the actual cost of the advertising space itself, not for the validity of any claims made by its advertisers. Westchase Tampa Bay News & Lifestyles is published by ADS 2 Publications, Inc.
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Fresh, Friendly, Fantastic! Seafood Exchange Serves Up Sensational Seafood and New Orleans Cuisine By: Marcy Sanford Since opening in late 2017, Seafood Exchange has quickly became a neighborhood favorite. Located in the Westchase Town Center, Seafood Exchange offers fresh New Orleans flavors unlike anything else in the area. “This is a great community,” Seafood Exchange owner, Tony Bartolo, said. “We’ve been thrilled by all the positive reviews we’ve received from our guests and have enjoyed getting to know our regulars.”
Great Food, Great Service, Great Atmosphere: Seafood Exchange Has It All “The food, service and atmosphere are all excellent,” said customer Russ S. “We tried the fried clams, the seafood tacos and the bananas foster. Everything was
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excellent, but the tacos were incredibly delicious.” Those delicious tacos started as a Blackboard Special at Seafood Exchange, but proved to be so popular that they recently earned the honor of being part of the regular menu. Tony says the new menu was a direct result of comments from guests. “We tailored our new menu to what many guests said they wanted. All of the new items started as blackboard specials and were ones that guests asked for again and again. We want to be creative and open to customer feedback and make changes based on what our customers want.” One bite of the mouthwatering seafood tacos with seasoned Grouper and Shrimp, fresh roasted corn salsa, pepper jack cheese coleslaw and a cilantro crème sauce and it’ll be your new favorite. Or you might want to try the deliciously crispy Fish &
Chips, the flavorful Seared Ahi Tuna Salad or Sandwich, or the perfectly spicy Cajun Deviled Eggs. No matter what you choose, you’re sure to enjoy it at Seafood Exchange. Seafood Exchange has something for every taste and everybody. As their name would suggest, they have the freshest, tastiest seafood dishes in town, but customers also love their steaks, burgers and pulled pork, and you won’t believe how good the Buffalo Chicken Sandwich is. “The gumbo was simply amazing,” said Mike P. after his first visit. “Not too spicy but just right. Also had their Buffalo Chicken sandwich. No joke, best chicken sandwich I’ve ever had.” If you’re looking for a specialty cocktail to go along with your meal, Tony says the Seafood Exchange Hurricane, Gator Bite Punch and
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Bacardi Mojito are great choices. And when it comes time for dessert, he says the Bananas Fosters is the way to go.
Weekly Deals That’ll Make Seafood Exchange Your Favorite In addition to great food, Seafood Exchange has become a neighborhood favorite thanks to friendly, attentive staff and the great specials and deals offered throughout the week. Monday through Friday from 36 p.m. and 9 p.m. – close you can enjoy Happy Hour specials like ½ priced well drinks, house wines and domestic beers along with ½ priced appetizers. Try the oysters grilled and basted with garlic butter and topped with parmesan cheese, the local smoked fish spread, peel and eat shrimp, fried gator or fried pickles.
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Grab a group of friends and relax on the cool patio while you nosh and catch up on the day’s events. Thanks to fans, misters, and shade umbrellas, the Seafood Exchange patio is the coolest place in Westchase to hang out no matter what time of year. On Thursdays, the Happy Hour specials last all day long and starting at 7 p.m. you can test your trivia knowledge to win fun prizes and bragging rights among your friends. Friday and Saturday nights the patio is the place to be as local musicians entertain with acoustic versions of your favorite songs. At Seafood Exchange even the beginning of the week is a customer Tampa Bay News & Lifestyles
favorite thanks to their Maine Lobster special. After you try it, Mondays might just become your favorite day of the week. Saturday from 11 a.m. – 4 p.m. is all for the dogs with Yappy Hour. Bring your favorite furry friend and you get a free draft beer while they enjoy nibbling on a treat just for them.
The Perfect Place to Host Your Next Party If you want to plan a party or large gathering, Seafood Exchange is the perfect place. Tony says they offer catering and have hosted several private parties both inside and on the patio. No matter what your occasion
Tony and the staff at Seafood Exchange will work with you to make sure it is perfect.
The New Neighborhood Gathering Spot Whether you want to catch a game with friends or enjoy a dinner out with family, Seafood Exchange is a great choice. “I love the food and the atmosphere,” said Morgan M. “The food portions are huge for an amazing price and they always have amazing specials and deals.” A Westchase resident, Tony says he looks forward to Seafood Exchange being a vibrant part of the community for years to come.
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“This place is awesome,” said Joe P., “the vibe is just right, the food is superb, and the staff is so courteous. I recommend it to anyone.” Seafood Exchange is located in the Westchase Town Center at 9648 West Linebaugh Ave. They are open Monday – Saturday 11 a.m. – 11 p.m. and Sundays 11 a.m. – 9 p.m. For more information visit www.seafoodexchange-wc.com. For the latest information on specials and special events, please log on to social media and like Seafood Exchange’s page on Facebook. JUNE 2018
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Happy Birthday United States … and Pass Me Another Hotdog! By Tom Bostock It’s seven o: clock! You can’t wait for the day to start. It’s the 4th of July and you and your family are going to the park to see the fireworks. You make enough noise to “accidently” wake up your parents and your older brother. After inhaling your breakfast cereal and watching your parents pack the picnic lunch, you pile into the SUV and drive to the park. Your reserved picnic pavilion is waiting for you. Dad puts the charcoal in the grille and fires it up. Your stomach rumbles just thinking about those juicy hot dogs, steaks and hamburgers to come. You play some catch with your brother, get bored and walk back to the picnic. You know the fireworks will be neat but, suddenly, you find yourself wondering why you celebrate the 4th of July in the first place and how did the Fourth of July holiday came about. Well, many people believe we celebrate the Fourth of July because it is the day we received our
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Independence from England. While those people are thinking along the right track, that is not the entire reason we celebrate the Fourth of July, nor is it the reason that the holiday came about. According to AJC.com, Thomas
Jefferson wrote the first draft of the Declaration of Independence June 1776. Even though the Continental Congress we elected, declared our independence from England on July 2nd, not July 4th, we continue to celebrate our independence on July
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4th every year. During the course of the American Revolution a second Continental Congress was formed. It is this group that adopted the final draft of the Declaration of Independence. After the first draft was written it was revised by Ben
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Franklin, John Adams and Thomas Jefferson one last time, before it was sent to Congress for final approval. All thirteen colonies stood behind the Declaration of Independence and adopted it in full on July 4, 1776. That is also the date that appears on the handwritten copy of the Declaration, as well as the copies, printed by Dunlap and Broadsides, that were circulated throughout the United States, (constitutionalfacts.com). This is where the Fourth of July holiday comes in. The Fourth of July is known as “Independence Day” because that is the day that the Second Continental Congress adopted the full and formal Declaration of Independence. Regardless of the ongoing war the following year, people in Philadelphia celebrated a muted Fourth of July. While celebrations on July 4th during the American Revolution were modest, after the war ended in 1783 the Fourth of July became a big holiday in many places. The celebrations included speeches, military events, parades, concerts, festivals, and fireworks. To this day the Fourth of July is the most patriotic holiday celebrated in the
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United States. Whether you decide to throw a BBQ in your local community park and stick around to watch the fireworks with your loved ones, or you plan on attending one of the multiple celebrations happening all over Tampa Bay, you may wonder… how do politicians celebrate the 4th of July? Well, Congress won’t be in session, so our best guess is that all the congressmen will be at home with their own families, sharing their holiday celebrations. How about the President of the United States? 4th of July celebrations can be hard for our presidents. Newsweek writer, Julia Glum, had the answers about what some of our presidents did or are going to do on the 4th. In short, “President Trump will be in New Jersey. Obama held concerts and Thomas Jefferson died.” I will take two out of three of those celebrations! According to India Times reporter, Chidanand Rajghatta, on demand and at the orders of President Trump, we will also have a new parade in Washington when “the US military will march down Pennsylvania Avenue in a parade
expected to surpass France's famed Bastille Day.” President Trump is said to have been impressed by the French parade that he attended in July 2017, so he has ordered the Pentagon to roll out a huge parade this upcoming fourth of July to try and top the French celebrations. There have been a lot of speculations all over social media that the Mayor of Washington DC could deny the Pentagon a parade permit. We will have to wait and see how our President decides to celebrate this special holiday. But one thing you can count on, no matter in which city or state you are in, and that is… fireworks, lots and lots of fireworks! A Boston Globe reporter, Evan Horowitz wrote, “if you gathered all the fireworks that Americans will set off this week” (4th of July), “they would weigh more than the Statue of Liberty, cost more than a Powerball jackpot and release more energy than 100,000 bolts of lightning.” Wow! Can you believe that? That would certainly give my next-door neighbors something ELSE to complain about! Channelside is one of the best places to watch fireworks in Tampa,
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with both their Red, White and Blue Festival from Cotanchobee Park, and major displays at Bay Plaza. Safety Harbor will also be sponsoring their yearly fireworks extravaganza. If you are in Pinellas, don’t miss the fun in the St. Petersburg area. Four of the many attractions will include Gulfport’s July 4th Party, St. Pete’s Spa Beach show, Largo’s celebration and Clearwater Celebrates America. Not to be outdone, Pasco county will be hosting their celebration from Waterfront Park and these are just a few of the many celebration sites. Tampabay.com reports that “There are plenty of options, including massive shows in Tampa, St. Pete and New Port Richey as well as smaller shows across Hillsborough, Pinellas, Pasco, Hernando and Sarasota counties. Lots of fireworks for everyone! Check the Internet to see what events will be taking place in your neighborhood. As we watch the bombs bursting in air this 4th of July, stop for a moment and remember our brave fighting men and women, around the world, who are still protecting our freedom today. Then relax, enjoy … and pass me another hotdog.
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GET MORE HOT WATER, COOL YOUR GARAGE AND SAVE MONEY! What if I told you that you could have a brand new water heater, add a cooling source to your garage, reduce your energy bill significantly AND receive a government rebate all for as little as $50mo with no money out of pocket? It may sound too good to be true but, we at Tampa Bay Plumbers, are here to tell you it is not! As a trusted plumbing contractor with over 100 years of combined field experience, we have replaced thousands of water heaters, from gas to electric and even solar. There is one consensus among our plumbers as to what type of water heater they would put in their own home, and that is the Hybrid-Type water heater. This ultra energy efficient water heater is the wave of the future! Given its ability to produce hot water and at the same time cooling down your garage, all while saving you money! The Hybrid Water Heater uses an electric heat pump that transfers the room temperature to heat the tank maintaining the water temperature, which prevents the water heater from using valuable electrical energy to keep the water warm. Another great feature to this type of unit is that while it is pulling heat from the room, a refrigerant inside the unit pushes out cold air to the surrounding area. So not only are you
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going to save money on your energy bill, you are also going to be able to provide cool air in your garage on those hot summer days! Hybrid water heaters are 3.5 times more efficient than the standard electric water heater and will produce approximately 15% more hot water in the first hour of use. According to Energy Star, residents in the Tampa area are eligible for a rebate of $275-$400 when a Hybrid Water Heater is installed in a home. So let’s do the math, the average installed price of a hybrid water heater is $2,500. Assuming you get a rebate of $400 that brings your investment amount to $2,100. It is estimated that you will save over $4,000
over the life of the water heater in energy costs. Assuming you only save $33.33 per month on your energy bill with this installation the investment will have paid for itself in a little over 5 years. This means that you could be getting more hot water, saving on your energy bill, adding a cooling source to your garage, have your investment pay for itself in 5 years all with a 10 year manufacturer warranty! We have multiple financing options ranging from 18 months no
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interest, to minimum monthly payments of 1.25% of the purchase price which would mean no money out of pocket and an option that would put your monthly payment LESS than the projected energy savings! Contact us 813-PLUMBER (758-6237) or online at tampaplumber.net for your FREE Hybrid Water Heater Estimate
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“Luxury Auto Spa” Continued from page 1 manner. Pamper your car with a thorough cleanup at Luxury Auto Spa located at Tampa Road, and leave it spotless, shiny, lovebug free and looking almost brand new at an affordable price! “Simply fantastic,” says Oscar M. about his recent experience at Luxury Auto. “I have been visiting this auto detailing shop for over three years, and I would never replace it with another. Here, I get the personal attention, great rates, quick service, and most of all – amazing quality of the final result. My car always looks like new after the detailing, and the interiors are fresh and clean. I highly recommend them to everyone!” Luxury Auto Spa’s family and friend operated business has quickly made a name for itself in Tampa Bay for being the premier auto detailer in the area!
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Luxury Auto Spa is a fullservice car wash and detailing company working with both individual clients and corporate accounts in Oldsmar, Fl and the surrounding areas, including New Port Richey and Clearwater. Life gets hectic, and washing or detailing your car always seems to be put on the back burner. If you’re anything like me, you may have been putting off a true inside and outside detail of your vehicle for many different reasons; you’re too busy, you don’t think is a priority, you may think is too expensive or you have yet to find a place that you can trust to do a great job. I am here to tell you, that after having personally experienced many mediocre car washes in a lot of different places, I finally found some trusting guys that will keep your car looking almost brand new for a truly affordable price, especially if you make use of their current 20% off deal they are running. Luxury Auto Spa Services
include: Washing and detailing services for all types of vehicles, including cars, trucks, vans, SUVs, RVs, motorcycles, boats, helicopters and planes. Yes, you read that correctly… helicopters and planes! They also offer dent and scratch removal, paint correction, waxing, coating and plasti dipping. Aside from their luxury hands-on washing and detailing services, Luxury Auto Spa also offers decal, sticker, wrap, and overspray removal. Additional services include; headlight restoration, odor removal, upholstery repair, truck bed liners and touch ups. So, no matter what type of vehicle you own, or what type of professional services you’re looking for, Luxury Auto Spa has an affordable solution for you. “We like to say treat it as if it was your father’s car,” owner Brian Lopez says. “And you were supposed to be extra careful with
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it and return it in pristine conditions, looking almost better than when it left the dealership.” Treating not only the customers’ cars as if they belonged to a special family member, but the customers themselves like family – this is the culture of Luxury Auto Spa!
Keeping Customers Satisfied Lopez identified four key areas the company emphasizes when conducting business: Quality, service, cleanliness, and friendliness. Basically, they make it so that they are easy to do business with. Abiding by these high standards has earned the detailing company recognition by many of our readers over the past few months, and Luxury Auto Spa receives 5 star reviews on every rating platform online! There’s also praise from locals like Mark B., a long time Luxury Auto Spa customer whose entire family of drivers also use Luxury
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Luxury Auto Spa’s family and friend operated business has quickly made a name for itself in Tampa Bay for being the premier auto detailer in the area! Auto Spa as their go-to detailer! “We have been taking our cars there for a full detail every two months for the past four years,” says Mark, who lives in Waterchase. “The service is excellent and they treat the cars with respect. Brian and his staff are absolutely excellent!” Mike from Westchase said, “My 2004 Hyundai looks like a Tampa Bay News & Lifestyles
new car minus normal wear. Under the hood looks like it just came off the assembly line. Even made the front lights turn from a cloudy light bright to brand new clear. Their detail includes wash and wax, vacuuming, under hood engine cleaning and visual restoration of headlights. From the front to the back of your vehicle, Luxury Auto Spa
provides a truly superb detail! Once you see these results you won't go anywhere else. Excellent customer service, which is rare these days.” Most customers drop their cars off at the facility but mobile detailing is also available and much more affordable than you would think! If your car, truck, boat or motorcycle is in need of a
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little TLC, do yourself a favor and have the guys at Luxury Auto Spa Take care of you! Call today and book your appointment to take advantage of Luxury Auto Spa’s 20% off special! Luxury Auto Spa is located at 3166 Tampa Rd., Ste 9, in Oldsmar and can be reached at 727-560-3069. JUNE 2018
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“WC Music School” Continued from page 1 this point is to create a love of music in their lives. If we can do that, they will learn anything in the future. If we make it really hard, like oldschool, then they glaze over.” For those students not sure of what they want to play, the school offers a one month Music Marathon program where each week they get to try up to four different instruments. By the end of the month, they know what they want, and seem to be much more successful. Twenty instructors teach in lesson rooms decorated with artwork of students and other bright, cheerful images. Each lesson room is adorned with the name of a famous musician, and pianos of all types, drums, guitars, band instruments – brass and woodwinds, ukulele, bass guitar, cello, violin instruments are just a few of the instruments that the students are taught to use to fill the rooms with music. Voice lessons are also available. A computer lab with interactive age-appropriate music software allows students to apply learn theory in addition to what was
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taught to them in the lesson. As part of the school’s family safety plan, each instructor is thoroughly background checked and each room has glass doors and video cameras
that can be viewed from the waiting area. Students perform regularly in the waiting area in front of parents, and other students after their lesson and during a once a month open mic
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session on Saturday morning. This gives them a mini-venue to work the bugs out of their performance. The school also offers short term coaching and preparation for
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advanced students auditioning for advanced high school or college level. Several students have won generous college scholarships in oboe, bassoon, and tuba – key instruments in an orchestra. “Our director and teachers are amazing here. We have a really nice variety of skills - from young that may have just graduated college or who are still doing internships to our senior instructor from Switzerland, Mr. Hanspter, who is in his early 70s and is an incredibly talented guy not only in music, but also in science, computers, and videography,” said John. “With our amazing director, Ms. Avril, we have a very organized way of conducting the school, the lesson programs, recitals and things for kids to work towards.” Westchase Music School features a patented “Music Ladder System” allowing students to earn rewards – wristbands and trophies of increasing size – for meeting set goals by passing individual tests every 45-60 days. A fun Summer Camp program runs June and July. With instruction available yearround, Westchase Music School hosts recitals each fall and spring at Westtown Church that showcase Tampa Bay News & Lifestyles
students’ hard work. Parents, grandparents, family and friends love to see their student perform. “The church has full audio and visual, so the kids get to see their names up in on the big screen. Their teacher calls them up and they get to perform on a beautiful grand piano, their own instruments or sing. Sometimes our teachers will accompany them and sometimes it’s a solo, or two or three students may perform together,” he said. “It’s never the same. Sometimes we’ll do a movie theme and the kids will dress up in character. We like to mix things up with different themes because we have students that stay with us for quite a number of years.” As an extra bonus for parents waiting for their children during the forty-five-minute lesson, the school offers a free 60-minute guitar class on Thursdays. On average, 5 to 10 parents participate with instructor Christian Rastelli, learning the basics of guitar. Age is not a factor at Westchase Music School. Older students and retirees are also welcome to take lessons at the school. John told a story about a retired nun, who at 81, took piano lessons because she always
wanted to be a piano teacher. Another testament to how much students enjoy John’s schools comes from a young teacher. Kelsey Rudder started as an elementary student in one of John’s Orlando schools, continued instruction through high school, graduated USF for college and returned as teacher at Westchase Music School. “Having students go through our program and see them come back and become teachers is very gratifying! I’m so proud to have been such a positive part of their lives that they would return to share what they learned with brand new students”, says John “Our teachers are the biggest cheerleader of the school because they know how much fun they had as a student,” he said. “We’ve given countless new teachers the opportunity to engage with young students and get them interested. The technical aspect will come down the road when they are hooked on it. It’s amazing to see how focused the kids can be when you’ve got them on the right track. You always hear about all the bad kids because they are in the news, but how about all these great ones here that have so much talent. When they get up on
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that stage, it’s them and the instrument. This is the training ground for life.” John is proud that Westchase Music School is very communityoriented, supporting local elementary and middle schools with partner in education donations, as well as monthly contributions to the TampaHillsborough Homeless Initiative, an organization that helps homeless women and children, providing housing and education toward job skills. John is adamant that music belongs as a resource for children. “Music is just as important as math and science. It’s a terrible idea to remove music from schools. Music is therapeutic and makes us think differently, it drives creativity. We’re excited to be a place for the kids to still have music. There’s excitement, enthusiasm, and positive energy here. This is a happy place. If that’s what you’re looking for, come here.” Westchase Music School is located at 11301 Countryway Boulevard. Hours are Monday through Friday, 1pm to 9pm and Saturday, 9am to 3pm. For more information, visit westchasemusicschool.com or on Facebook. JUNE 2018
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JUNE 2018
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Tampa Bay News & Lifestyles
20
JUNE 2018
For Ad Info 813-928-6124 • NNLFlorida.com
Tampa Bay News & Lifestyles