Vol. 7, Issue 3, March 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
Ellie's Restaurant - Homey Deliciousness At Affordable Prices!
See “Ellie’s” on page 18.
INSIDE THIS ISSUE: From the Editor Carla Selby.............................5 Community Calendar..........6-7 Tampa’s Premier Show Ski Team........................10-11 “Tech Talk” with Bob..........12 Epperson’s Lagoon Grand Opening Event...............20-21
ECRWSS
With 15 years of experience in emergency medicine, Dr. Michael Austin, D.O. decided he’d treated enough of the aftermath of health issues. That was the driving force ten years ago to go into functional medicine. His goal is to help patients get off medication and to optimize their health. Dr. Austin, functional medicine doctor and founder of Affinity Wellness in Carrollwood is an expert in discovering the root cause of health issues – not simply medicating the symptoms. “We work on preventing illness and restoring people back to optimal health,” he explained. “Being told your labs are normal is not the same as being optimal – there’s a big See “Affinity” on page 16.
The Community Dining & Business Guide that your neighbors READ!
Postal Customer
Affinity Wellness Offers Alternative to Traditional Medicine
By Deborah Bostock-Kelley
PRSRT STD U.S. POSTAGE PAID TAMPA FL PERMIT 1185
“Hello guys! Welcome back, is good to see you again!” says Dino Mihalopoulos, owner of Ellie’s Restaurant. This Race Track Road gem is one of our favorite breakfast and lunch spots in the neighborhood for many reasons. First, the food is fantastic and the menu offers a wide variety of dishes. Second, the prices are very affordable, especially considering the quantity and quality of the food. Third, the casual environment and friendly staff makes you feel as if you were eating at a loving relative’s home. Last but not least, they are open seven days a week! Ellie’s Restaurant is open Monday
through Friday, from 6:00am till 2:30pm, and breakfast is served until 11:30am. On Saturday and Sunday they open at 7:00am and the best part? They serve breakfast ALL DAY LONG. Breakfast is my personal favorite food of the day, but sometimes I get too busy to enjoy a hearty share of eggs and bacon before noon. So I was extremely happy to find out I could go to Ellie's over the weekend, even way past 12:00pm and still order a delicious veggie omelet or 2 eggs over medium, with lots of crispy bacon and a couple of pancakes. And of course, a cup of their delicious freshly brewed coffee, which the staff happily refills as needed.
Dated Material Please Rush!
By Carla Selby
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From The Editor Carla Selby March is one of my favorite Months of the year for many reasons! One being that we get to celebrate St. Patrick’s day on March 17, and immediately after, us Christians / Catholics, get to observe Easter. While the dates for Christmas, Valentine’s Day and Halloween are fixed, Easter can fall any time between March 22 and April 25. When is Easter 2018 and how is the date decided? This year’s Easter takes place from Good Friday on March 30 until Easter Monday on April 2 - making Easter Sunday on April 1, which is also… April Fool’s Day! Funny coincidence isn’t it? I can just imagine the jokes and pranks this year. So how is the Easter date decided? The death of Jesus occurred around the Jewish Passover, which is traditionally held on first full moon following the vernal equinox. As the full moon varies in each time zone, the Church said that they would use the 14th day of the lunar month instead - The Paschal Full Moon - and decided to host Easter Day on the following Sunday. So once that date is fully determined, then Easter Day and the Easter Holidays can be determined. Us Christians celebrate Easter on a Sunday as it was the day Jesus Christ, our savior, rose from the dead, following his crucifixion on a Friday two days before. Many, many centuries ago in 325, it was determined by a council of Christian Bishops that Easter Day should always be on a Sunday to commemorate the happy occasion. So what is the meaning behind it and why do we celebrate with chocolate easter eggs and bunnies? Seems a little odd doesn’t it? Let
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me elaborate a little… During this time of the year we see many stores being decorated with Easter eggs, chocolate bunnies and baby chicks. But Why? While many will be at least vaguely familiar with the story of Easter, its relation to eating mountains of chocolate eggs is less clear. Like I mentioned earlier, Easter celebrates the resurrection of our Lord. Even before the birth of Christianity, the egg was seen as a symbol of Spring, a celebration of rebirth and reinvigoration after the harshness of winter. That’s why the Mesopotamians - an ancient Christian community living in an area roughly covered today by Iraq, Syria and Kuwait - used to stain eggs red to symbolize the blood of Christ. Eggs would then be cracked against one another, leaving just the empty shells - a symbol of the empty tomb Jesus left behind. Interesting huh? The tradition survives today in the shape of egg rolling, representing the rolling away of the rock from Jesus’ tomb. Over time, Easter eggs became more and more elaborately decorated, perhaps most famously by Russian jeweler Peter Carl Faberge, creator of the priceless Faberge eggs as Easter gifts for Tsars Alexander III and Nicholas II. The introduction of chocolate eggs is a relatively new phenomenon, which originated in France and Germany in the 19th century. And as everyone loves chocolate, the chocolate production of Easter eggs exploded and became more popular all over the world, making Easter another “marketable” Holiday. Nowadays Easter is a big deal
commercially - retailers and manufacturers love to get in on the Holiday and persuade us to buy easter baskets, easter eggs, cards, and anything depicting bunnies. So we now understand the eggs, but why Bunnies? We can thank the Germans for the Easter Bunny! Originally an ‘Easter hare,’ a bucktoothed bringer of chocolate to the kids that behaved well was first mentioned in German literature in 1682. The tradition stuck, and left to the Easter bunnies you see on the shelves today as well as the exception for a delivery of Easter eggs on the day. I hope this little Easter editorial helped shed some light on the chocolate eggs and Easter Bunny mystery. I personally love creating easter baskets with all kinds of goodies and giving them away to my little nephews, nieces and cousins. I also enjoy painting and decorating Easter eggs. This is an awesome activity to do with the little ones and something adults can also have fun doing. By the way, painting eggs with food coloring can be fun, but this year, you may want to try something new. I suggest using watercolors, as your little Easter eggs will definitely look like true works of art. (Some watercolors and dyes may contain lead, so please do not eat them, just enjoy their beauty and then discard them.) Whether you are Christian or not, celebrating Easter is a wonderful family tradition. I hope you and your loved ones have a wonderful one! As always, thank you for your support and readership. Carla.
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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
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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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Community Calendar & News Briefs Bay Area Renaissance Festival Take a time-travel adventure into the 16th century at the annual Bay Area Renaissance Festival at MOSI! Join our Queen in a jubilee! Journey back in time as more than 100 merchants contribute to the atmosphere of this charming 16th century village. Experience live armored jousting, 12 stages of entertainment, 7 theme weekends, and fun and food for the whole family! The Festival is open weekends, with a special day for schools and seniors on Festival Friday, March 23rd, 2018. The Festival is open from 10 am – 6 pm, Rain or Shine. Parking at the Bay Area Renaissance Festival is always free! Discount tickets are available at participating Circle K stores. More Information Date(s): February 10, 2018 March 25, 2018 Hours: 10:00 AM - 6:00 PM Location: 11315 N 46th St Tampa, FL 33617 http://www.bayarearenfest.com/
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Busch Gardens Food & Wine Festival Weekends March 3 - April 29, a world of taste awaits at the fourth annual Food & Wine Festival. The festival brings back signature dishes along with exciting new cuisine as well as a large selection of wines, craft brews and cocktails. Eighteen of the biggest names in entertainment will take the stage every weekend on Gwazi Field. All concerts are included with any Annual Pass, Fun Card or daily admission to the park. Food and beverage is not included with park admission and is available for an extra fee. Guests must be 21 years of age or older to consume alcoholic beverages. Check back as we announce headlining artists! More Information Date(s): March 3, 2018 April 29, 2018 Hours: 10:00 AM Location: 10165 N McKinley Dr Tampa, FL 33612 https://buschgardens.com/tamp a/events/food-and-wine-festival/
HEALTH & FINANCIAL FITNESS SEMINAR: Ladies, Get Empowered to take Control of Your Fitness and Your Wallet. Saturday, March 10th at 12:30 p.m. at the Land O’ Lakes Studio at 2206 Knight Rd. Land O’ Lakes,Fl This month, Samantha Taylor will cover some points to help keep you motivated and focused on your fitness journey. She will be joined by Guest Speaker, Barbara Sekely, Financial Advisor for Waddell & Reed. From earning less, to living longer women have unique challenges when planning for retirement and financial success. Barbara Sekely will empower women to prioritize their financial goals in War for Your Wallet. Light snacks and gourmet coffee provided. Free for members and guests. Reserve your spot via email sent or visit www.SamanthaTaylorSeminars.com
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Florida Strawberry Festival The Florida Strawberry Festival is an 11-day community event celebrating the strawberry harvest of Eastern Hillsborough County. Each year, over 500,000 visitors enjoy the festival’s headline entertainment, youth livestock shows, rides, exhibits of commerce and, of course, its strawberry shortcake. More Information Date(s): March 1, 2018 March 11, 2018 Hours: 10:00 AM - 10:00 PM Location: 303 N. Lemon Street Plant City, FL 33563 http://flstrawberryfestival.com/
Jekyll & Hyde Musical Jekyll & Hyde Musical by Carrollwood Players at the Cuban Club/Ybor. Based on Robert Louis Stevenson’s classic thriller, Jekyll & Hyde is the gripping tale of a brilliant mind gone horrifically awry, set to a powerful pop-rock score by Frank Wildhorn with book and lyrics by
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Leslie Bricusse. In an attempt to cure his ailing father’s mental illness by separating “good” from “evil” in the human personality, talented physician Dr. Jekyll inadvertently creates an alternate personality of pure evil, dubbed Mr. Hyde, who wreaks murderous havoc on the city of London. As his fiancée Emma grows increasingly fearful for her betrothed, a prostitute, Lucy, finds herself dangerously involved with both the doctor and his alter ego. Struggling to control Hyde before he takes over for good, Jekyll must race to find a cure for the demon he has created in his own mind. More Information Date(s): February 23, 2018 March 17, 2018 Hours: 8:00 PM - 10:00 PM Location:
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4333 Gunn Highway Tampa, FL 33618 http://carrollwoodplayers.org
The United States Army Field Band Concert Band and Soldiers' Chorus Concert Free concert at Straz Center by The United States Army Field Band and Soldiers' Chorus from Washington, D.C. Patriotic music, popular music, marches, and band classics will be performed. More Information Date(s): March 9, 2018 Hours: 7:30 PM - 9:30 PM Location: 1010 N WC MacInnes Place Tampa, FL http://www.armyfieldband.com /schedule/concertsoldiers?&group_id=1&p=2
Tampa Birth & Baby Expo Come spend a day at the Expo at Corbett Preparatory School of IDS getting to know your local birth community & learning about great birth and family resources Enjoy face painting, balloon animals, spend time on the playground, learn something new, and make friends! This is a family event with something for everyone. Bring your family and friends to this wonderful day of education, shopping, celebration, and raising
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awareness about all things birth and parenting! Come on out and be a part of the birth community and find your village. This one of a kind event in our area is specific to the needs of growing families in Tampa Bay! More Information Date(s): March 10, 2018 Hours: 12:00 PM - 4:00 PM Location: 12015 Orange Grove Dr Tampa, FL 33618 www.tampabirthandbabyexpo.com
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Prepare to be Wowed by Tampa’s Premier Show Ski Team By Marcy Sanford Looking for something fun and different to do with friends and family? Check out the Tampa Bay Water Ski Show Team. Every Saturday from March 17 through the end of October they’ll be delighting audiences with their impressive ski shows reminiscent of ones you would have seen at Cypress Gardens. The Tampa Bay Water Ski Show Team (TBWSST) has some of the best show skiers in the world on the team, with members having won
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awards at the Regional and National levels. They have even set world records, including the seven-man front flip over a regulation 14-foot wide jump and the World’s Largest Human Pyramid. In fact many of their skiers have gone on to ski professionally at places like Cypress Gardens, Sea World, LegoLand and the Wisconsin Dells. “We are a competitive show ski team,” said TBWSST member Lisa Stephens. “We compete in the Southern Regional Show Ski Championships and at one time, won the top title for 13 years in a row.”
Having placed second for the past two years, the team is back on the water this season with some pretty amazing acts they hope will put them back in first place when they compete in June. Each week this talented group of skiers presents a new themed show for audiences to enjoy which also serves as a chance for them to show off their skills and hone their performances for championship time. In addition to incredible skiing, the team is decked out in costumes and make-up and performs to music to suit the theme. Kids and adults of all
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ages will be wowed by the weekly performances. It takes more than 100 volunteers to pull off the professional shows each week and Lisa says this is one of the reasons that so many families become involved with the group and continue to come back year after year. “It is a great family activity. There is something for everyone to do whether you ski or not. We have volunteers who run concessions, make costumes, work the sound board and help in all different ways.” Lisa says there are young adults who started with the
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team when they were elementary age as well as families with members from several different generations. Several support members who were once skiers in the show now have duties off the water that help things run smoothly. Lisa offers another example of how skiing is truly a family affair, “Twelve-year-old CJ Welch learned to barefoot last season. Younger brother, Gavin, is a member as well. Their mom, Shannon, grew up on the team and she and her husband, Ryan, were both skiers at Cypress Gardens. Ryan’s parents skied with Cypress Gardens as well and Shannon’s parents are both active support members of our Tampa Bay News & Lifestyles
Tampa team.” Amazingly all shows are free to the public. TBWSST is a non-profit organization dedicated to the sport of show skiing and they do accept donations – all of which go towards costumes, boat maintenance and gas and other items necessary to put on the weekly performances. The atmosphere at the family friendly shows is festive and yet laidback. There are bleachers to sit on or you can bring your own chair or blanket. Concessions are for sell but you are welcome to bring a picnic basket or cooler. If you are interested in learning how to ski or improving your skills,
TBWSST offers clinics by appointment for beginners to advanced skiers. Lisa also encourages anyone who already knows how to ski and is interested in competitive show skiing to think about joining the team. “It has been a wonderful experience for my family,” she said. “Our kids have worked on a team with people of all ages from preschoolers to seniors. They have learned leadership responsibilities and the importance of preparations behind the scenes. It has taught them sportsmanship and it is something the whole family can participate in. There are lots of opportunities off the water as well as on.”
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The Tampa Bay Water Ski Show Team performs at Tower Lake in Oldsmar at 130 Burbank Road. Shows are every Saturday at 6 p.m. (weather permitting) with a pre-show featuring beginner skiers starting at 5:30. Shows are free and open to the public. The first show of the 2018 season will be a St. Patrick Day Show on March 17. Be sure to wear your green. For more information on shows or becoming a member of the team, visit www.tampawaterski.com or call Vickie at 813-917-8354 or Lisa at 727-480-9365. MARCH 2018
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“Tech Talk” with Bob - This month’s topic: Wi-Fi By Bob Dalles
Greetings! People frequently ask me about “Wi-Fi”. Can you explain Wi-Fi? There is a high probability that you use it every day. Wi-Fi stands for Wireless Fidelity. Kind of like the days of “Hi-Fi” for home stereo systems, but now I’m showing my age. If you don’t remember Hi-Fi, then consider yourself lucky. The internet connection in your home or office in the past have been “hard wired;” meaning physically connected with a network cable between your computer and your internet service provider’s modem. The modem is that box your phone or cable company sets up in your home or office. That modem is your computer’s connection to the internet, which allows you to connect to web sites all over the world. When computers became smaller and more portable, carrying around a laptop computer tethered with a network wire was not feasible.
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Engineers developed a way to carry the internet signals through the air. This would eliminate the network cable and provide more mobility for the user. So, where does the wireless fidelity come in? Engineers had to make certain that the wireless signals that “flew through the air” were as reliable as the signals that traveled
across the network cable. The fidelity of the wireless architecture had to be as reliable as the wired architecture. Therefore, wireless network connections became known as Wi-Fi. Wi-Fi has evolved over the past decades and will continue to develop into the future. Wi-Fi network
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cards used to be an expensive addon to computers. If you wanted the luxury of Wi-Fi networking, you had to pay $$$. However, over time prices went down. Today, most computers you buy have the Wi-Fi capability built-in. The laptop or desktop computer you now buy for your home or office has Wi-Fi but there are considerations to Wi-Fi that most people are not aware of. These are items such as: speed, distance, and most importantly security. We’ll go into more detail about that next time. Have a tech question? Email it to TechTalkTBNL@BobTheComputerGuy.N ET. Questions will be selected by the popularity of a topic and answered in this column. If you have a more urgent need or have a unique situation you may schedule an appointment with one of my Professionally Certified Technicians by calling 727-5344000. Until next time, stay safe on the internet!
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“Affinity” Continued from page 1 difference. We know the optimal range where the body works its best. Just fitting you into a normal range is inadequate for healthy optimal body function.” The key proponent of functional medicine is to find out what’s going on in the patient’s body. While traditional medicine will put the patient on medicine to treat the symptoms, functional medicine looks for the reason why a person is experiencing the symptoms in the first place. “We look backwards and we try to find out what’s not working or what’s changed – because you weren’t like this before and now you have this issue. Once you fix the underlying problem, all the other associated issues can go away.” After the patient has completed an intensive, detailed questionnaire, the doctor will go over your reason for the visit. Unlike traditional medicine where you may be lucky to get 10 minutes of the doctor’s time, Dr. Austin allots over an hour consultation with new patients. Though the
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practice does not take insurance, you may be able to submit a claim with your insurance company. Blood work is directly billed to your insurance. The initial visit is $225. Oftentimes a poor diet which can cause Leaky Gut is revealed to be the main culprit in many health issues and chronic illnesses. The philosopher Hippocrates once said, “Let the food be thy medicine and thy medicine thy food.” Today, in the fast-paced, instantgratification world of processed and toxic pesticide-laden foods, the statement could easily be revised to read “let the food be thy poison and thy poison thy food.” “You have natural God-given foods and you have man-made unnatural foods. If you eat unnatural things, you must expect that unnatural things are going to happen to you. The more plant-based – the more organic fruits and vegetables, the healthier you are going to be.” Leaky Gut can lead to multiple autoimmune disorders and masquerade as digestive issues, fatigue, anxiety, depression, weight problems, and other serious conditions. It’s been found in association with chronic diseases such as asthma, diabetes,
irritable bowel, rheumatoid arthritis, kidney disease, psoriasis, lupus, hypothyroidism, chronic fatigue syndrome, Huntington’s, NonHodgkin’s lymphoma, among others. Dr. Austin held up a flyer of a road diverged with healthy foods on one side and fast food and junk food on the other. He explained, “This is what you have to think about every time you eat. You’re either feeding disease or preventing it.” Consuming foods laden with excessive gluten can increase the risk of Leaky Gut. Dr. Austin said, “The problem is the excessive use of gluten in food. Consuming gluten will cause the opening of tight junctions in the gut. Our guts have cells in them linked together by tight junctions. When you eat and drink, these tight junctions protect you and the body decides what you take in. When these junctions become loose or leaky, things you consume are now able to get through to the other side, where you have 80-90% of your immune system. This then triggers the immune system which can be the start of the autoimmune issues.” Dr. Austin is also a proponent of avoiding milk.
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Dr. Michael Austin, D.O., FAARM “Cow’s milk is nothing like human breast milk. It includes enzymes that can actually harm you, plus you don’t know what the cows have been fed. There’s pesticides as well as them being given hormones to produce more milk. That sometimes causes mastitis so now they’re on antibiotics which gets into the milk,” he said. “We are the only creature on earth that drinks another creature’s
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milk past infancy. Even cows don’t drink it after a certain time period.” In addition to functional medicine services, Affinity Wellness also offers a weight loss program, Botox and medical marijuana treatment. Even weight loss is looked at from a functional medicine perspective. Dr. Austin wants to know what’s causing the weight gain. He’ll look at things such as hormone, thyroid issues, inflammation and other
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body stresses and treat accordingly. He also uses the ProLon kit, a Fasting Mimicking Diet, invented by Valter Longo, PhD who has done extensive research and clinical trials on aging and fasting. Botox is used cosmetically to smooth frown lines between the brows, smile lines and to remove crow’s feet in patients. For patients in need, Dr. Austin can prescribe medical marijuana that works on the body’s natural
Endocannabanoid System and offers at the office, non-psychoactive CDB oil to help manage pain and other conditions. Medical marijuana can be prescribed for 10 eligible conditions for patients suffering from cancer, epilepsy, glaucoma, Parkinson's Disease, HIV, AIDS, Multiple Sclerosis, PTSD, Crohn’s Disease, and ALS, though Amendment 2 allows doctors to certify patients for medical marijuana if diagnosed with, "other debilitating medical conditions of the
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same kind or class or comparable to those enumerated." No matter what service he is providing, Dr. Austin is focused on treating the cause of the problem, not just masking the symptoms. The back of his business card summarizes functional medicine: Virtually every complex, chronic disease is preceded by long-term disturbances in functionality. Most of the disturbances can be addressed; some can be completely restored to optimum function, and others can be substantially improved. “We judge our success by making you feel good again and our goal is to get you off medications. We don’t want to wait for something to happen. We want to prevent it.” Alliance Wellness is located at 6611 Gunn Hwy, Tampa. Hours of operation are Monday, Wednesday, and Thursday 8-5pm, Tuesday and Friday 9-6pm. Affinity Wellness is offering $50 off initial weight loss consultation and $9 per Botox unit for new patients. Learn more at www.affinitywellness.net.
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“Ellie’s” Continued from page 1 When you’re at Ellie’s you’re treated like family. The place is family owned and operated by Dino Mihalopoulos and his family. Dino acquired Ellie's a few years ago from previous owners Tom and Ellie, ergo the name of this cozy American eatery! Tom and Ellie owned Ellie’s for many, many years and were wanting to retire, but not before leaving their restaurant in the hands of people who were as family oriented as they were. So when Tom and Ellie met Dino and his family, who moved to Tampa all the way from Philadelphia, they knew that their diner was going to be in great hands, and that the family principles and values would live on, as well as the delicious and affordable dishes. Since Dino took over Ellie's a little over two years ago, a lot of things have remained the same. The name Ellie's was a family staple so they held onto it, also because Ellie's had a great reputation in town and people from the neighborhood knew the name and loved the place.
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“We also kept the back of the breakfast menu the same,” says Dino. “It depicts a lovely cartoon of Tom and Ellie, the previous owners. Also, a lot of our food items are named after the previous owners, and I would not have it any other way.” Not only is Ellie's all about family, but the food tastes like it was cooked by your favorite and extremely gifted in the kitchen grandmother. When I had a spoonful of their daily special broccoli and cheddar soup, and after I took a bite of my triple decker club sandwich, all I could think of was “Wow, this tastes like home." And I am not the only one who feels this way! “I Love this place,” says Vanessa Young, a local Ellie’s regular. “Such a great atmosphere, a very ‘homey’ feeling... All the servers are great, but our favorite is Toni. She is just so sweet and personable and attentive. She gets 5 stars alone in my book. We love her.” Another happy customer, Andrew B., also agrees with the “homey” feels. “Awesome service and great menu for people that enjoy some food from up north like Philly
cheese steak and scrapple. Made me feel right at home cause the owners are from Philly, PA. Near my home. Thanks guys and ladies love you!” Ellie's offers an extensive Breakfast menu, including classics like bacon and eggs, french toast, biscuits and gravy (which come with a homemade sausage gravy that is to die for!), Tom's Famous Omelettes (I recommend their greek or their spinach, feta and onion), and a large selection of breakfast sandwiches and pancakes and eggs combos. For lunch, Ellie's variety of wraps, cold or grilled sandwiches,
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hot or cold subs, melts and salads provide enough options to satisfy the entire family. I have had the pleasure of trying many sandwiches at Ellie's, and they have all been fantastic! They just pile on the meats and cheeses, and the result is always great looking sandwiches that taste like they were made with lots of love! My personal favorite is the Philly Cheese Steak sandwich. Dino recommended it to my husband and I when we stopped by, and we were both amazed at how delicious it was. I was pleasantly surprised after my first bite, especially
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considering how many places claim to have great Philly Cheese Steaks, but oftentimes they don’t meet my foodie expectations. But Ellie’s Philly Cheese Steak was pure perfection! It was perfectly warm, incredibly meaty and super cheesy… simply delicious! The big, warm hoagie roll was definitely a key factor in the wonderful taste of this sandwich. It was very fresh and moist from the sliced beefsteak juices. Each bite was better than the last, the remarkable
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mix of juicy steak, peppers, sauteed onions, mushrooms and the perfect amount of melted provolone cheese was to die for. If you go to Ellie's for lunch and find yourself wondering what to get, trust me, get a Philly Cheese Steak. Remember, Dino is from Philly, so he knows the secrets on how make a truly authentic and fantastic Philly Cheese steak sandwich. I could seriously eat one every day, no joke. But where would the fun be if I
always ordered the same? I am a foodie at heart and I like to try everything once. That's why I love Ellie's daily specials, listed online and on a board inside the restaurant, you get a long list of fresh and homemade options available that day. You can always add a soup or salad to any entree for $2.00. Most daily special entrees are less than $12.00 and the portions are HUGE. No other place can compare to the quality, taste and prices of Ellie's.
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So there's no need to go anywhere else! Don't drive around wondering where to eat today, avoid spending money on greasy and expensive fast food chains. Do your taste buds and your wallet a favor and head to Ellie's for the most mouth watering, homemade and affordable food in Tampa Bay. Ellie's Restaurant in located at 12008 Race Track Rd, Tampa, FL 33626. Visit www.elliestampa.com to see their daily specials.
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Join the Festivities at Epperson’s Lagoon Grand Opening Event Saturday, April 28 By Marcy Sanford In January on one of the coldest days of the year, Metro Development Group celebrated the completion of their 7-acre Crystal Lagoon in Wesley Chapel’s Epperson neighborhood and people have been stopping to admire it every since. “In most communities you can not see the amenities residents have,” said Greg Singleton, President of Metro Development Group. “But in Epperson the east – west connector road, Overpass Road, is open to the public. You can see the lagoon from the road. We have a scenic overlook there and people will park and admire the lagoon and take pictures of it.” If you’ve been admiring the Crystal Lagoon from afar, you’ll have your chance to see it up-close at a Grand Opening event Saturday, April 28, featuring Olympic Champion swimmer Michael Phelps. The all day event will be open to the public and
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feature plenty of fun family activities. While there are numerous Crystal Lagoons around the world in places like Chile, Panama, Paraguay, Mexico Saudi Arabia, and other countries, this is the first Crystal Lagoon to be built in the U.S. Metro Places has plans to build 5 lagoons in West Central Florida – another in Pasco County, one in Southern Hillsborough County, one in Lee County (North Ft. Myers) and another in Polk County. The massive lagoon is the same size as 6 football fields connected to each other and it is a ¾ of a mile walk around its perimeter. Sandy white beaches surround the lagoon and there are different areas for families and friends of all ages to hang out and play. Residents will be able to enjoy a variety of aquatic recreational activities, such as swimming, kayaking, stand-up paddle boarding and even using small (non-motorized) sailboats. The lagoon at Epperson will also have
exciting features, including a waterslide, private cabanas, in-water obstacle platform, swim-up bar, tidal pool, restaurant, family beach, yoga lawn, an entertainment plaza, an area for special events and much more. “We have something for everyone,” said Greg. “This amenity touches every generation. Kids see fun, teenagers see a great hangout place, parents and grandparents see a place to exercise and spend time with kids and grandkids.” According to Metro Places, the developer of Epperson, Crystal Lagoons are eco-friendly once filled. They use sustainable technology that helps limit water and chemical usage. Upon completion, each lagoon uses 50 times less water compared to a park of the same size and 30 times less water than an 18-hole golf course. The lagoon is maintained by Crystal Lagoons’ ultra-sonic technology that uses sensors to monitor the quality of
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the crystal-clear water. This sustainable technology also uses 100 times less chemicals than a traditional swimming pool and uses up to 50 times less energy than conventional pool filtration systems. The Crystal Lagoon isn’t the only amenity you’ll find at Epperson. The neighborhood is also part of the first ever Connected City, which has been designated the first “Smart Gigabit Community” in the country to be built from the ground up. Metro Places exclusive technology, ULTRAFi, provides the fastest internet and WiFi speeds in the nation throughout the homes, the community and the lagoon. Greg says that when they planned the community, they tried to consider future needs of residents. “We wanted to create a connected city, an autonomous city. When we planned this community, we thought about self-driving vehicles. We envision a day
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when you could order a driverless, electric car to come to your house to take you to the lagoon or parks in the neighborhood.� A Tampa-based company founded in 2003, Metro
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Development Group is committed to brining some of the most innovative technologies and amenities to homebuilders and homebuyers. With the introduction of Metro Places, Connected City, ULTRAFI and
Metro Lagoons by Crystal Lagoons, Metro Development Group continues to be the gold standard in the development of master planned communities. For more information visit MetroDevelopmentGroup.com.
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Epperson is located at 7851 Curley Road in Wesley Chapel. For more information, visit epperson.metroplaces.com or come to the Crystal Lagoon Grand Opening Saturday, April 28.
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