Vol. 8, Issue 5, May 2019
®
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
Cornerstone Pros Has You Covered for Air Conditioning, Plumbing and Electrical By Deborah Bostock-Kelley Imagine July in Florida, a humid 98 degrees at the heart of summer. You insert your key in the front door and enter your home, expecting a cool reprieve from the sweltering heat. Instead you are greeted by a temperature equal to the outside. What happened to your airconditioning? As perspiration drips down your
face and your shirt sticks to your back, you grab a bottled water from your refrigerator and you Google on your cell phone a reliable repair company to call. While removing a glass from your cupboard, you happen to notice a clog in your kitchen sink – which is difficult to see because the kitchen light struggles to come fully on.
See “Cornerstone” on page 6
TOAST - Grilled Cheese Sandwiches with a Twist
By Carla Selby A relatively new, modern, bright, and immaculately clean Citrus Park eatery allows Tampa Bay residents to experience the magic of Grilled Cheese sandwiches, elevated to the next level with fresh ingredients combined in deliciously creative ways. A grilled cheese sandwich is often heated by placing buttered slices of thick bread, with cheese between the slices, on a frying pan or
griddle, making it perfectly crispy on the outside and gooey on the inside. At Toast Citrus Park, they go above and beyond adding just cheese to their grilled sandwiches; they add quality ingredients such as pastrami, mortadella, chorizo, roast pork, rib eye, corned beef, and a blend of fancy (sometimes imported) cheeses, between those two slices of toasty, buttery bread, to make you go YUM! after every bite.
See “Toast” on page 14
INSIDE THIS ISSUE: From the Editor: May - The Month of Many Holidays.................................5
Tampa Bay Lightning The Season That Got Away... Again..............................10-11
Tampa Bay Lightning - The Season That Got Away... Again.
By Tom Bostock
When Sir Fredrick Arthur Stanley (Lord Stanley of Preston) first donated a trophy cup to the championship hockey team of Canada in 1892, little did he realize how coveted his cup would become in the professional ice hockey world. Over the years, storied teams like the Montreal Canadians (23), Toronto Maple Leaf ’s (13) and Detroit Redwings (11), to name a few of the winning NHL teams, have won the prized cup multiple times. (thoughtco. com). It is the ultimate achievement in professional hockey. The fledgling hockey
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team that was awarded to Lightning founders, Phil Esposito, Henry Lee Paul and Mel Lowell during the league expansion in 1991, which began play in 1992 and was assigned to the Norris Division of the Campbell conference, appeared to pose no apparent threat to the established Northern teams in the National Hockey League. All of that changed in 2004 when Lightning Captain, Dave Andreychuk victoriously hoisted famed Lord Stanley’s Cup, after beating the Calgary Flames in the final of their 7-game series, announcing to the hockey world that the upstart Tampa Bay Lightning were for now for real!
Today’s Tampa Bay Lightning seemingly put an exclamation point on how real they were, joining only 2 other teams in the history of the NHL with 60 wins, enjoying the rarefied air of only the 1976-77 Montreal Canadians and the 1995-96 Detroit Redwings. A recent 5 - 2 win over the Senators, with Yanni Goure’s 2 goal, 1 assist performance, helped clinched their 60th win in grand fashion. All eyes were on those final games and then the Lightning’s Stanley Cup run. Their 61st and 62nd win, a drubbing of the Bruins, ended their regular season, fueling fan expectations of greater things to come. Injuries impact team performance and the Lightning were no exception. According to ESPN.com, from information provided by rotowire.com, Lightning stalwart defenseman Victor Hedman would not be active again until the playoffs. Since the Lightning had already secured their playoff berth, resting the injured defenseman seemed like a good idea. Joe Smith of The Athletic reported that head coach, Jon
Cooper said that Hedman (upper body) was doubtful to suit up for the rest of the regular season. Not wishing to repeat last year’s loss to the Washington Capitals in the Eastern Conference finals, it seemed like a good idea at the time to have a well-rested Hedman. The Tampa Bay Lightning looked forward to the playoffs with a wealth of offensive talent and high-scoring lines to choose from. A fan favorite, Russian born Nikita Kucherov had taken the Lightning by storm, beginning to challenge ever consistent team captain, Steven Stamkos, for supremacy on the ice. He seemed destined for a greatness in the playoffs that was not to be. According to all the sports pundits and talking heads, the Lightning were poised to go deep into the playoffs; they were both fans’ and sports book favorites to win this year’s Stanley Cup. To win, the Lightning needed to overcome some old habits. Diana C. Nearhos, in a Tampa Bay Times article, reminded fans that the Lightning had to come from behind in each of its final four
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games. Twice they were able to complete the comeback for a win in those final regular season games. The playoffs proved something else entirely! Having closed out the regular season with a final drubbing of the Bruins 6 -3, to reach 62 wins, the Lightning breathed the rarified air of only one other 62-win team in the entire history of the NHL, the 1995-1996 Detroit Redwings, but apparently were too preoccupied reading their own press clippings to pay attention to what happened to Detroit in the playoffs; they did not win the Stanley Cup that year. The fact that the Lightning spotted the Bruins 2 goals before they scored their first one in their final game of the season should have been a
reminder to the Lightning of what could and did happen in the playoffs, just as it happened to Detroit. An unstoppable, impregnable juggernaut of offense, defense and goal tending took to the ice that first playoff game, pounding the other, ill prepared team into utter submission. Didn’t you just love the final battle in the seventh and deciding game? Oh, that’s right, there was no seventh, or sixth or even fifth game, for that matter. And surprisingly enough, the unstoppable offensive juggernaut wore the colors of the lowly Bluejackets, led by former Lightning coach, John Tortorella, a man on a mission. In an interview, after the complete annihilation of the favorite Lightning in a 4 -game
sweep, John revealed his secret to the wins; he told his team to focus on one game at time. The Lightning, on the other hand, didn’t seem to focus on much of anything. Out shot, outscored and out of position in many instances, they skated their way to hockey immortality; the first team to win the President’s Trophy for scoring the most points in the regular season and then being swept in the first round of the playoffs, 6-3, 5-1, 3-1, and 7-3! Close only counts in horseshoes and this Lightning team didn’t even get a whiff of Lord Stanley’s cup with their inept on-ice play – or lack thereof. With Lightning efforts that probably belonged in the Hall of Shame, as the Zamboni cleaned and resurfaced the ice after the final game, I
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hope that they added some detergent sufficient to remove all traces and stench of these playoffs whose odors will probably linger with Lightning players until they start anew with Spring training in September. What will next year’s team be like? Will it have the same promise of unbeatable offense and stifling defense that characterized this year’s team. Will we again have our hopes crushed by lackluster, indifferent play in the playoffs or will that championship be realized once again like its 2004 predecessor? Where there is life, there is hope and we diehard Lighting fans are no different. If you will play like the Lightning that we have come to know and love, we, your loyal fans will still be the Thunder!
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Your Local Westchase Area Financial Advisor Member SIPC
Doris Muller Westchase resident of 13 years
You Talk. I Listen. In Person.
Cell: 813-597-9147 Office: 813-792-7976 9902 W Linebaugh Ave Tampa, FL 33626 www.edwardjones.com/doris-muller
12 MAY 2019
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“Toast” continued from page 1 Conveniently located at 8552 Gunn Hwy and open daily from 7:00 am to 2:00 pm, Toast Citrus Park opened its doors in August 2018, and it is already famous for their grilled cheese sandwiches with a twist, affordable prices, and friendly service. Recent customer, Denise T. says, “We visited on Monday late morning. It’s a warm and amicable place. Well laid out, with a large menu and lots of off the menu ‘secret,’ specials. The service is very attentive. I had the Brie and Strawberry stuffed toast, and my husband had the Gyro. They came out fast and hot. The food was so good we had no leftovers. The prices are great. We’ve been looking for a place like this for years. Great quality food, interesting choices, outstanding service, and great prices. How can you go wrong with that? Thanks, Toast, we’ll be back, a lot.” Whether you’re coming in for breakfast or lunch, you’ll find endless homemade choices that will surely satisfy your tastebuds, and make your tummy real happy. With a unique list of weekly specials (all under $10) showcased on a board at the back wall, and a standard, more classic breakfast and lunch menu featuring a large selection of waffles, pancakes, salads,
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homemade soups, sandwiches, crepes, wraps, and pitas amongst many other options, Toast truly offers something for everyone. “Their weekly and seasonal specials are AMAZING,” says regular, Janet L. “The Almond Joy French Toast is delicious! The atmosphere, food, and service are second to none. Toast is my new favorite place in the area.” If the name Toast sounds familiar, you may know it from their original location at New Port Richey, which has been going strong for almost eight years! Owners Stefano and Gina Mouratos are the dynamic duo behind these two family owned and operated “Mom and Pop” style restaurants, and what a fantastic, and hard working team they make! Stefano and Gina have two lovely daughters; Evyenia and Eleni, and they want nothing but the best for both of them. “We work very hard for our family,” says Stefano. “My wife and I had a very humble upbringing. We didn’t come from much, so we want to make sure we’re able to provide our daughters with a good life, and allow them to follow their dreams.” Gina and Stefano are as genuine as they are talented. They came up with the innovative Toast concept together, and were able to carefully design a delicious menu from scratch that
is fresh, creative, and stands out from other restaurants in the area. Christina V. rates toast five stars and expressed her Toast love and support by saying, “I love it!!! I was on the hunt for a local mom and pop shop, and I’m so pleased I happened upon Toast. The food is delicious, they offer creative dishes, service is excellent, and the atmosphere is charming. Can’t wait to go back.” Toast Citrus Park regular Ali T. says, “This is my daughter’s favorite place to eat, it literally has become a tradition to go here every Sunday with my little family to get some breakfast. There’s something about this place that makes it unique, let alone I love how this little mom and pop place kind of becomes like another home/family. The owners will remember your face and even sit and talk with you the more you come, which gives it
that little extra touch that makes it so amazing. Let alone the wife makes my daughter a special hot chocolate from time to time that my daughter loves. This place is amazing, the people are amazing, and the surroundings are super cute. Definitely worth giving this place a try. Make sure to ask Gina or Stefano about the Secret Specials.” Gina and Stefano split their time between the two Toast locations, overseeing all employees, greeting customers, maintaining inventory, monitoring the preparation and serving of food, ensuring that the restaurant meets all health and food safety regulations, and acting as the perfect example of how to properly run a quality family restaurant. Stefano has worked in the restaurant industry most of his life; as a matter of fact, he started as a server at Outback and Carraba’s, working his way
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up and acquiring an enormous amount of experience in different positions, making him a Jack of all trades in the restaurant business. Gina and Stefano treated me like family and allowed my mother (who decided to join me for this appointment) and I, the pleasure of tasting multiple delicious dishes, including an option from their “Secret Menu.” I have to admit that the “Secret Hash Toast” is now my favorite breakfast sandwich, ever. Imagine two thick, buttery, crispy slices of toast, grilled to perfection, with a vast amount of melty ooey-gooey cheese that overflows from the sandwich, combined with runny eggs, and a flavorful corned beef hash served with a cup of Greek Lemon Chicken Soup as a side. Yummy! Just make sure you have plenty of napkins around, you’re going to need them! The soups rotate almost daily, so make sure to ask your server about the soup of the day. We also got to try a delicious chorizo omelet served with hash browns, their famous Croque Madame served with seasoned breakfast potatoes, and the most delicious Banana’s Foster Waffles I’ve ever had. I’ve never seen my mother eat as much as she did at Toast. And for someone like her, an extremely picky eater, to devour every dish was a strong testament of how amazing the food was. As if that wasn’t enough, Stefano and Gina
surprised us with the last treat; homemade beignets. They were so tasty that my mother ate most of them when I wasn’t looking! Beignets are commonly known in New Orleans as a breakfast food and served with copious amounts of powdered sugar on top. Stefano and Gina serve theirs with the same delicious powdered sugar on top and include a delicious chocolate sauce for dipping. Make sure to order their specialty greek iced coffee; the Greek Frappe, and enjoy it with your meal or on the go! You will not be disappointed. “Many customers call in advance to order their Frappes and pick it up from the store,” says Stefano. “They park in the front, pay and take it, like a quick ‘stop and go’ coffee house.” In the short seven months, they’ve been open, Toast Citrus Park has received a warm welcome, and very positive response by a multitude of locals who were craving that modern originality mixed with a homemade taste, around the Citrus Park area. Local Chef and food guide Tony L. says “This place is a hidden gem. I know that it recently opened, but I foresee lines out the door soon enough. Probably the only place in Tampa that makes liver and onions that isn’t ‘cash only.’ As a chef, I highly recommend at least two visits. One for lunch and one for breakfast. I can’t wait to go back
for the beignets.” First-time visitor Elizabeth M. says, “This was our first visit, and it was AMAZING. Our waitress was so personable and made great recommendations. The coffee was smooth, and they have a ton of rotating specials. I think this is a great addition to the Citrus Park area and we will be back!” A quick google search will prompt you to hundreds of other 5 star reviews from satisfied customers, and Gina and Stefano couldn’t be happier about the ongoing support the Citrus Park community has shown them. “We would like to take this opportunity to thank all of our supporters for all they have done
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to make the new Toast location a reality. Without the generous support of the community, our new location would not have been possible. We’re truly fortunate and blessed to live in such a caring and compassionate community. We thank you for your business, and we look forward to serving you and your family, at either one of our Toast locations.” Toast Citrus Park is located at 8552 Gunn Hwy. Odessa, FL 33556. Open daily from 7:00 am to 2:00 pm. Questions? Call them directly at (813) 749-0989. Find them on FB, Instagram, Twitter, and other social media platforms @ ToastCitrusPark.
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16 MAY 2019
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18 MAY 2019
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2 MAY 2019
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20 MAY 2019
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4 MAY 2019
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Happy Mother’s Day, May The 4th be with you! May is full of holidays, proclamations, awareness events, and tacos, yes… tacos! Let’s start with Memorial Day. Formally known as Decoration Day, this is a Federal holiday observed yearly on the last Monday of May. This year, Memorial Day falls on May 27th, 2019, and it is a day to commemorate all men and women who have died while serving in the military for the United States of America. Many amazing troop supporters, and local business owners will be offering Memorial Day specials, one-of-a-kind offers, and fantastic discounts on merchandise, products, and services. Make sure to carefully browse this issue of Tampa Bay News and Lifestyles, so you can take advantage of those great deals and save big this upcoming Memorial Day. Apart from Memorial day, the month of May houses a few other special days as well. The 2nd Sunday of May we celebrate International Mother’s Day. I would like to personally wish my mother, Berardina Tedeschi, a very Happy Mother’s Day. I couldn’t have asked for a better role model. I love you! To all mother’s, grandmothers, great grandmothers, and foster moms, I wish you a very Happy Mother’s Day! Remember, successful mothers are not the ones that never struggle or get frustrated; they are the ones that never give up, despite the struggles and continue loving unconditionally. Star Wars fans? May the 4th be with you! Star Wars Day, May 4, celebrates George Lucas’ Star Wars. Fans of the media franchise observe it by re-watching the Star Wars movies, wearing costumes, sharing movie quotes and posting funny memes on social media. The date was chosen for the pun on the catchphrase “May The Force Be With You” as “May The Fourth Be With You.” Also in May, many U.S citizens look forward to “Cinco de Mayo,” which is a holiday that celebrates the date of the Mexican army’s 1862 victory over France at the Battle of Puebla during the Franco-Mexican War. You wouldn’t guess it, but Cinco de Mayo is a relatively minor holiday in Mexico, but in the United States has evolved into a huge commemoration of Mexican culture and heritage, and the Holiday its frequently confused
with “Mexico’s Independence Day,” which takes place on September 16th. Lastly, I want to bring your attention to something of importance that also takes place during the month of May; Lyme Disease Awareness Month. Many states and counties have taken steps to raise awareness regarding Lyme and tick-borne diseases. Declaring May “Lyme Awareness Month,” is one move to help remind people spring is here, ticks are out, prevention and proper education are your best tools to staying healthy. With the spread of the disease to all 50 states, Lyme awareness, education, and early intervention are critical. Even though Lyme disease may not be too common here in Florida, you can still get infected. Take it from someone who is currently battling this debilitating and life-altering condition. I spent several years not knowing what was wrong with me, not understanding why I was feeling so sick and tired all of the time, until I was properly diagnosed by an infectious disease doctor about five months ago. Please be prepared and learn the signs and symptoms of Lyme disease. If you have symptoms such as; high fevers, chills, body aches, weight gain/loss, TMJ, headaches/migraines, fatigue, muscle and joint aches, arthritis with severe joint pain and swelling, particularly on the knees and other large joints, heart palpitations or an irregular heartbeat, and problems with short-term memory amongst others, please contact your primary physician. Ask him or her, to advise you and refer you to a Lyme Disease specialist near you. Fighting Lyme has been an uphill battle, but with the proper treatment, I am finally feeling like myself again. It’s been tough to open up to everyone about this, but if I can help raise awareness with my own story, then so be it. If your health fails, it can overshadow everything else that’s going on in your life. Take care of yourself, eat a healthy diet, make sleep a priority, find a fitness habit that works for you and don’t get too stressed out. Stress can wreak havoc on your body. Until next time! Carla Selby.
“Cornerstone”
continued from page 1 Before collapsing into a moment of deep despair, envision a telephone number you can contact where each issue – airconditioning, plumbing, and electrical – are conveniently remedied by a single phone call. Though the scenario was extremely fabricated, the resolution is not. Founded on faith and family in Land O’Lakes, Cornerstone Pros, a woman-owned business, is proud to offer the Tampa Bay community licensed air conditioning, heating, plumbing and electrical service providers 24/7. “We developed our company on our values and integrity. We try to be a good example in the community and serving the Lord in that process,” said owner Dana Spears. First opened in 2006 to service customer air-conditioning needs, in 2011 Dana got her plumbing license and a plumbing division
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was added. Finally to compliment these two services, in 2014, the electrical division was formed. “We felt there was great demand from our customers to have one company to provide all of their home services,” said owner Dana Spears. Cornerstone Pros is a family business with 10 family members working together with other employees, totaling over 66. “We try to keep our ‘familyowned and operated’ reputation strong,” she said. “Customer service is what our company was built on and we are very proud of our online ratings. We understand that there are many tradespeople out there that know the mechanical side of our industry, but we felt that there wasn’t a very strong presence for customer service and meeting customer needs.” Coming from a customer support background, Dana made it her goal to combine exemplary customer support with qualified technicians. “We’ve built our business on
meeting our customers’ needs, providing them with a service that they deserve and I think it has worked very well for us.” Such services include maintenance, repair and replacement to your airconditioning unit. To ensure your a/c is in tip-top shape for the upcoming scorching summer months, Dana recommends checkups and tune ups before the heatwave hits. “Having us come out every 6 to 12 months to clean and check your drain lines and a/c system will extend the life of your system. It gives you that forewarning like ‘we’ve had to replace a few parts this year, your warranty is almost up and would you be interested in looking at replacement or do you want to wait until it dies’”? For this service, Cornerstone Pros provides maintenance tech, not service techs troubleshooting, but techs specifically trained to performed maintenance. A recommendation sheet allows the customer to know of any findings.
To save on your electric bills, Cornerstone Pros specializing in electric and gas tankless water heaters to replace outdated and energy deficient water heaters. Not only do the old-fashioned 40-50-gallon standard water heaters take up space, they add cost to your monthly electric bill. Cornerstone Pro’s certified experts can tackle any electrical need in your home including adding or replacing lighting and fixtures, replacing or installing ceiling fans, installing LED, cables for cameras, media equipment and panel upgrades. Cornerstone Pros offers a maintenance program for all three of their trades – Air-Conditioning, Plumbing and Electrical. “We come out every 6 months for a/c. We do a home inspection on your plumbing and electrical once a year. We’ve really found that it gives our customers peace of mind.” She explained that if a customer is on the maintenance program and does have an
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emergency, not only will you take priority, you get additional savings on services needed. Cornerstone Pros services all brands and will provide you with a free estimate on installations or a second opinion on repairs. They make it a point to get to emergency calls within the same day. A flat-fee company, Cornerstone Pros offers upfront pricing so there are no surprises. With hurricane season beginning in June, to protect your home from electricity loss, Cornerstone Pros offers free estimates for full-home generators. During the hurricane that left entire cities without power, Dana said the generator allowed them to run their business. Cornerstone Pros installs Generac Home Standby Generators and if the electricity does go out at your home, your power will transfer smoothly to the generator. “We were without power at our office for 7 days, but we installed the standby generator and were
able to get our office running 2 days after the storm,” she said. From a clogged sink to a whole home re-pipe, customers have trusted Cornerstone Pros to fix their plumbing issues quickly, reliably and with integrity. In addition to expert plumbing services, Cornerstone can install personalized well water treatment and water purification systems. These systems will both remove impurities from your water and improve its taste. The removal of hard water can prevent fixtures in your home from discoloring and rusting, increasing the life of your appliances. As most people don’t plan for their a/c to die, home to need re-piping, or water heater to need replacing, Cornerstone Pros offers convenient financing options for every budget. Financing is also available for generators and water purification systems. What’s most important to Dana is ensuring her customers receive the best service possible, no matter what trade service is being
provided. “We want to build enduring long-term relationships with our clients,” she said. “(Potential customers) just need to look at our combined 3800 five-star reviews online. We’re very proud of that as a company. We work really hard to make a positive experience.”
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To schedule an appointment with Cornerstone Pros for air conditioning, heating, plumbing & electrical, call (813) 9494445. Learn more information about the specials and services they provide at www. cornerstonepros.com or on Facebook.
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8 MAY 2019
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