Vol. 9, Issue 9, September 2020
®
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
Tre MedSpa and Tre Nail Lounge where Tre = Young Dr. Pham’s Prescription for Youthful Skin and Beautiful Nails By: Kelly Stuart Williams, MA When considering the vast array of options available for nail care, skincare, or the latest procedures for anti-aging, many seek the counsel of an experienced and trusted physician, Dr. Ngoc Pham, MD. In addition to practicing medicine for over 15 years, Dr. Pham opened Tre MedSpa in response to her patients seeking aesthetic medical treatments ranging from Botox and fillers, and Laser Hair Removal to IPL Photo Rejuvenation and Kybella (for double chin). Tre Medspa has been open since 2016 and has built a great following of clients that have seen amazing results. They are now proud to introduce the latest addition to the spa, Tre Nail Lounge, a beautiful new facility right next door that features manicure services, pedicure services, waxing and facials, eyebrow tinting in addition to mani and pedi’s for kids. They offer you the latest generation of nail trends in a unique upscale atmosphere. They have added amenities such as heated neck warmers, large comfy modern seating, smartphone charges at each station, as well as complimentary beverages and snacks. Located next door to Tre MedSpa at 11011 Countryway Boulevard in the Westchase area of Tampa, Tre Nail
Lounge is the next level of modern salons. Discover a new true spa experience where luxury and pampering meets impeccable detail. The modern, elegant, and upscale atmosphere and the calming ambiance of Tre Nail Lounge is the vision of Dr. B. Ngoc Pham. She has put her personal touch in making sure her clients are WOWED the moment they walk in. And being a physician, she is very mindful and specific on providing exquisite services that focus on hygiene and cleanliness that meet See “Tre MedSpa” on page 10
INSIDE THIS ISSUE: From the Editor.....................5 Tech Talk with Bob.................6-7 Wheelchairs 4 Kids............8-9 Community Baby Shower..12-13
2 SEPTEMBER 2020
For Advertising Info 813-928-6124 I info@nnlflorida.com or visit tbnewsandlifestyles.com
For Advertising Info 813-928-6124 I info@nnlflorida.com or visit tbnewsandlifestyles.com
SEPTEMBER 2020 3
4 SEPTEMBER 2020
For Advertising Info 813-928-6124 I info@nnlflorida.com or visit tbnewsandlifestyles.com
A Labor Day Message & Special Thanks By the time some of you read this, Labor Day will have already come and gone. Regardless of the timing, I hope you all had a wonderful and safe weekend with your loved ones. For most people, “Labor Day” means two things; a day off and a chance to say goodbye to the summer. But do you know the meaning behind it? Labor Day is a day set aside to pay tribute to working men and women. It has been celebrated as a national holiday in the United States and Canada since 1894. Labor Day was a creation of the labor movement and is dedicated to the social and economic achievements of American workers. It constitutes a yearly national tribute to the incredible contributions workers have made to the strength, prosperity, and wellbeing of our country. I know a lot of us are struggling these days, so many have lost their jobs, others have had to shut down their long-standing businesses. It hasn’t been easy, but we cannot give up! I have had one of the hardest years of my entire life. I have been challenged physically, mentally, emotionally, psychologically, and financially. As I am sure, a lot of you have as well. These past two months, I have focused my editorials on maintaining positivity through COVID19, on keeping the faith and staying strong throughout these unprecedented times. The words of encouragement I share with you are also a reminder to myself. I have been blessed to receive so many beautiful messages from some of our readers this past couple of weeks, and I wanted to say thank you very much from the bottom of my heart for all your kind words. I am touched that so many of you have
taken the time to personally write to me to thank me for my latest articles. Knowing that I can touch someone’s life, or that I said something that brightened someone’s day, makes a massive difference in my life. All the sadness, the frustrations, even the body aches, and pain seem to subside with your kind and positive words. I want to take a moment to send a special message to Carneal Overton. First of all, I am very sorry for the loss of your mother—my deepest condolences, Carneal. As someone who lost her father not long ago, my heart breaks for you. I still cry a lot and miss him dearly, but I take comfort knowing my father is in Heaven watching over my family and me, and hopefully one day we can be together again. I appreciated your message so much it brought me to tears. I will say a special prayer for your mother and you, Carneal; you’re both in my thoughts. Thank you for reaching out. Thank you for letting me know that my words of encouragement helped you keep the faith. Stay strong Carneal, and this too shall pass. As for everyone else who wrote to me, Lindsay W., Jackie J., Robert D., Mary E. B., and everyone else who takes comfort in my words, thank you, from the bottom of my heart. You are the reason I love what I do, and you are what our magazines are all about; a local community of supporting and encouraging individuals coming together for the common good, helping one another stay positive and motivated through the ups and downs. Stay strong, everyone, stay safe, keep wearing your masks, keep social distancing, but keep supporting your local businesses, keep on keeping on. We will pull through! Until next time,
Carla M. Dubis Tedeschi.
Tech Talk with Bob: STOP: Before Repairing Your PC! Imagine this. The computer you bought from that big box store seven months ago no longer works. No problem, it’s still under warranty. You call the manufacturer and get a return authorization from them. You pack and ship your computer to them. Today, two months later, you are finally getting it back from the manufacturer and cannot wait to get it up and running. You hit the switch and it boots right up. Seems to be running as fast as it did when you bought it. Wow! This booting speed reminds you of why you bought the computer in the first place. In almost no time your system is up and ready to go, however you notice that your desktop doesn’t quite look the same way you had it before you sent it for repair. Upon further investigation you realize that
6 SEPTEMBER 2020
some of your newest programs are missing, you cannot access your printer, and most importantly, all your pictures, videos, music and other data is nowhere to be found. Your computer works great, but all of your personal stuff is gone. You call the manufacturer to ask about your missing pictures and documents and other data. Suddenly you find out that the only obligation the manufacturer had to you under the warranty was to repair or replace your computer to the way it was the day you brought it home from the store and took it out of the box. You learn the hard way that your missing programs, data, etc. are your problem. You were supposed to back all that stuff up before you sent your computer in for repair; but nobody tells you that. Many people find
themselves in this predicament every day. Well I’m telling you now, so after reading this, you’ll know what to do. Computers are viewed by some people as being no different than any other electronic appliance; like an electronic coffee maker. Electronic coffee makers use a combination of hardware and software to make them
function. However, the software that runs your coffee maker is not as sophisticated as the software that runs your computer. People typically do not differentiate between the hardware and software aspects of a computer system. The truth is, where the software in your coffee maker never changes, the software in your computer is constantly changing. Especially your data files as you add and delete your music, pictures and other personal documents. All this information is stored on your computer’s hard disk drive (HDD). Your HDD stores all computer software information including your personal and unique computer information. This unique information is created over time as you use your computer system by adding
For Advertising Info 813-928-6124 I info@nnlflorida.com or visit tbnewsandlifestyles.com
programs, printers, data, etc. All these changes alter the contents of your HDD. When you send your computer to the manufacturer for repair, your HDD may be physically replaced by having a new HDD installed into your computer or logically replaced by having all the information on the HDD erased and then rewritten with the information the HDD had on it when your computer was new out of the box. Think of it this way. If you ever had the battery in your car replaced, the first thing you probably learned when you got back into your car is that all your radio preset stations have been wiped out due to the battery being disconnected. The auto repair shop’s responsibility is not to restore your radio presets but to replace your car’s battery with a working one. You’ll just have to reprogram those preset stations all over again. The
same is true of your computer. Important information can be lost during your computer’s repair. Important personal data, like rare family photos, or that business proposal you’ve been working on all week, may be impossible to replace. It is always your responsibility to make sure you have what you need to restore the programs and data you have added to your computer since you bought it. But most people do not figure this out until it’s too late. So how do you minimize your data loss when you need your computer system repaired? The first thing you do is make certain that all your personal data is backed up. This can be difficult if your computer will not turn on. Even if your computer will not turn on, it may still be possible that your data can be extracted from the HDD before you send your computer off for repair. If
you are not familiar with how to get your data backed up, give us a call. We do stuff like this every day and can painlessly manage all of this for you. The next thing you will need are the installation disk and/or files for any software you added to the computer after you bought it. Make sure you have all your installation media and product keys so these items can be reinstalled with as little trouble as possible. A list of your email and website user names and passwords are also going to need to be reentered the first time you try to access any of the secured websites you visit. If you are not sure if you have everything you need to recover all of the additions you made to your computer since you bought it, contact a professional computer technician to help you get all your ducks in a row. A small investment in prevention will save you a lot of money, and
For Advertising Info 813-928-6124 I info@nnlflorida.com or visit tbnewsandlifestyles.com
grief, when your time comes to get your computer repaired. We can perform most services remotely without you having to leave your home or office, and without us coming to your location. We have other “contact-less” repair options too! Cyber criminals will exploit the easy victims and unprotected systems. Protecting yourself online is your responsibility. Don’t go it alone. We have the best solutions already in place and we’re here to help. If you are not sure your system is safe, please have it looked over by a Professionally Certified IT Specialist. Call us now at 727-534-4000. We’ve been helping folks restore their peace of mind, and sanity, with their technology for decades. Keeping You Safer In Your Digital World!
SEPTEMBER 2020 7
Wheelchairs 4 Kids Jail and Bail Fundraiser Huge Success: $91,000 raised! Yes, Virginia you can run a safe and successful fundraiser during a pandemic! Wheelchairs 4 Kids had a record breaking year hosting their 9th Annual Jail and Bail sponsored by Siracusa Staffing and Leasing event at the Safety Harbor Resort and Spa. $91,000 was raised! On Friday, August 14th, Wheelchairs 4 Kids sponsored a charity event at Safety Harbor Resort and Spa in the middle of the Corona Virus pandemic! Temperatures were checked before entering the ball room and masks were required when not social distancing. Julie and Steve Weintraub once again
8 SEPTEMBER 2020
participated as the Judges and local prominent citizens and business leaders were handcuffed and taken to a nearby jail cell. The felons contacted friends and associates asking them to send bail! Ray Ferrara, President of ProVise Management raised the most bail with $15,830 and Keith Kunzig (AKA Big Nasty) had the most donors with 61 donors! Other felons included David Siracusa, Commissioner Jack Mariano, Steve Farrell and Terald Hopkins. 2 children also attended and received therapy trikes which will provide physical therapy all while having fun. The trikes strengthen their legs and cores.
Executive Director of Wheelchairs 4 Kids was amazed at the event’s success given the current situation. “We had canceled this event in April due to the pandemic, but our donations were down 70% in the last 5 months
and we realized that we needed to figure out how to make it work while being safe. Thankfully, these community leaders stepped up and were willing to either come out in person or participate via ZOOM. I never dreamed it would be
For Advertising Info 813-928-6124 I info@nnlflorida.com or visit tbnewsandlifestyles.com
this successful. It doesn’t get us back to where we should be but it is a huge step. We can help a lot of kids with this money.” The organization is currently working on 38 requests for help and have an additional 12 on a waitlist. Applications are coming in
daily as parents have lost jobs and cannot afford the equipment their kids need. Wheelchairs 4 Kids is a non-profit organization dedicated to improving the lives of children with physical disabilities by providing wheelchairs, home and vehicle
modifications as well as other equipment at no charge to the families Wheelchairs 4 Kids would like to thank Siracusa Staffing and Leasing, Steve and Julie Weintraub, Safety Harbor Resort and Spa, all of the volunteers and especially the felons.
For Advertising Info 813-928-6124 I info@nnlflorida.com or visit tbnewsandlifestyles.com
If you need help or would like to help, please visit the organization’s website at www. Wheelchairs4kids.org (www dot wheelchairs the number four kids dot org) or call 727-946-0963. Photos courtesy of J. David
SEPTEMBER 2020 9
Tre MedSpa story continued from page 1 medical standards. Dr. Pham has set specific safety protocols at her nail salon that are strictly followed. For example, BRAND NEW nail files, buffers, and pumice stones are used for every client, and they are DISCARDED after each use and are NOT reused. In addition, all metal instruments used are cleaned with medicalstandard Cavicide, which is a hospital-grade disinfectant that kills bacterial/viral/ fungal organisms, and then they are ALL placed in a hospital-grade autoclave machine that heats up to 270 degrees to provide a higher level of sanitation. Such measures are not required by nail industry standards, but Dr. Pham adds these extra medical grade sanitation steps at her nail salon. Other safety measures that are followed due to COVID19 at Tre Nail Lounge are as follows: fiberglass partitions are placed at each manicure station, every client is asked to immediately wash their hands and their temperatures are taken, every client is required to wear a mask, every technician is required to wear a mask (as well as a face shield during pedicures), and they do try to limit the number of clients/ appointments to keep social distancing. They go above and beyond to ensure that each client is being pampered and getting amazing services but also
10 SEPTEMBER 2020
that those services are rendered with the client’s safety and comfort in mind. At Tre Medspa, a free consultation is offered to learn more about individual patient needs and to empower patients with information so that doctors and patients can collaboratively make informed decisions about what is the best treatment for the desired outcome. As a board-certified physician, Dr. Pham and her staff place the highest priority on the safety and efficacy of all treatments. Each patient is viewed as an individual, and the spa itself has been designed with patient comfort in mind. Dr. Pham creates a treatment plan after a thorough analysis of each
patient on whom she performs a one-on-one skin/facial evaluation. She takes time to explain exactly what and why she is recommending a particular treatment and how it is performed. She also offers and uses an AccuVein, a handheld scanner that detects the superficial blood vessels beneath a patient’s skin. Dr. Pham can mark off areas of concern, making it easier for her to avoid those vessels, thus significantly reducing the risk of bruising. For clients that are seeking anti-aging with the use of dermal filler injections, Dr. Pham offers the microcannula technique. This is a specialized technique that is used instead of needles to inject fillers. The
use of microcannula can significantly reduce bruising and other issues that can be more often seen with the traditional needle technique. Clients absolutely are amazed at their results with very minimal bruising. Education is an important part of the patient-physician relationship with Dr. Pham, as she was awarded the Residency Award for Outstanding Teaching while serving as Chief Resident for the Ochsner Family Practice Residency Program in New Orleans, which is where she first launched her own Medspa back in 2004. Her clients often say that Dr. Pham spends a lot of time explaining each treatment or procedure
For Advertising Info 813-928-6124 I info@nnlflorida.com or visit tbnewsandlifestyles.com
thoroughly and answers all their questions in detail. While continuing to practice medicine, Dr. Pham views aesthetics as part of a comprehensive approach to patient care. “I enjoy talking and educating patients about their skin health, focusing on a comprehensive medical approach to guide me in advising what procedures or skin regimens are safe or most effective for my patients. The goal is to work with my patients to help them feel more youthful and look younger. I really focus on enhancing their own natural features and not making patients look like someone else; instead, we create a more youthful and refreshed version of themselves.” A study reported
in the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology demonstrated that improvement in aging appearance, from a combined facial aesthetic treatment (like Botox/ Dysport and fillers), improved social confidence and psychological wellbeing in the patients studied. Botox or Dysport is used to gently relax facial muscles to help reduce wrinkles, while the dermal filler is a gelatin-like substance that replaces/ replenishes volume to the face as we age and start to develop areas of hollowing or sagging to our facial features/frame. Dr. Pham offers both of these treatments to help rejuvenate and give clients a refreshed and youthful look. Helping people look
and feel younger was a primary motivation behind Dr. Pham’s Tre MedSpa “I have a great interest in aesthetics,” said Dr. Pham. “Coming from a medical background, I have done thorough research into all the devices and procedures that we offer, and we have prioritized those that are evidence-based and minimally invasive. For instance, we use microcannulas that are much less painful than standard needles. I select treatments that are more comfortable, safe, and effective for my patients. The safety of my clients is a top priority, and we follow very strict protocols.” Understanding that patients have many choices in nail services and skincare and aesthetic treatments,
For Advertising Info 813-928-6124 I info@nnlflorida.com or visit tbnewsandlifestyles.com
Dr. Pham and her staff operate Tre MedSpa as well as Tre Nail Lounge as a medical facility that follows the strictest guidelines for patient care and protocols for safety. In addition, they have over 15 years of experience in providing state-of-the-art care that makes patients look younger and feel better. Call to set up your free consultation at either location, located at 11013 Countryway Blvd. in Tampa. Tre MedSpa is open Mon. - Fri. 9 a.m. - 5 p.m. and Sat. by appointment only. While Tre Nail Lounge is open 7 days a week. For more information, call (813) 749-0918 or visit www. tremedspa.com and www.trenaillounge.com
SEPTEMBER 2020 11
Community Baby Shower for Hillsborough County Moms-to-Be By Deborah Bostock-Kelley
that she started the Community Baby Shower For eleven years, to honor the people that nonprofit founder gifted her with two baby Richdean Hills-Ackbar and showers when she was her team have delivered a single mother in need. joy and shower gifts to She decided to pay it expectant moms during forward by founding this an annual community special event, showing baby shower. the same kindness to Through Caregiver’s them that she received. Helping Hand, Inc., “Our new moms are Hills-Ackbar and other on public assistance in volunteers provide free Hillsborough County,” services to low-income said Hills-Ackbar. “Our children and teens, mission is to always women, and seniors, and give a helping hand once a year, this very wherever we can in our special event pampers community.” the moms-to-be. This year spoiling Hills-Ackbar said moms-to-be is going
12 SEPTEMBER 2020
to be a little different. The annual Community Baby Shower on Saturday, October 10 from 10 am to 2 pm, will follow pandemic safety measures. “HUMANA is donating 250 masks for volunteers and moms! We have gloves, masks, soap, and water to protect ourselves and others,” she said. “Caregiver’s would normally have a sit-down baby shower, but we had to change because of the pandemic. We are doing a drive-through because we felt it would be better for the families and my
volunteers.” Hills-Ackbar said that she is excited to accommodate 200 expectant moms with baskets filled with clothing, bottles, bibs, and diapers, and even provide backpacks for daddies-to-be. Caregiver’s Helping Hand, Inc. accepts gently used and new items for newborn babies, and boys and girls. Items needed include newborn diapers, baby bags, pacifiers, socks, blankets, hats, t-shirts, headbands, rattles, bottles, teething toys, strollers, mobiles,
For Advertising Info 813-928-6124 I info@nnlflorida.com or visit tbnewsandlifestyles.com
baby wipes, lotion, shampoo, powder, crib sheets, baby swings, baby monitors, and bottle warmers, etc. “Despite the pandemic, all of us at Caregiver’s Helping Hand Inc. still want to make a positive difference in the lives of these new parents.” The Community Baby Shower is Saturday, October 10 at 10 am-2 pm at 2628 E. Lake Avenue. Register at momstobe2020.eventbrite.com. Registration is limited to 200 guests. For more information, please contact Richedean Hills-Ackbar at 813-379.8966, or caregiverstampa@gmail.com.
For Advertising Info 813-928-6124 I info@nnlflorida.com or visit tbnewsandlifestyles.com
SEPTEMBER 2020 13
14 SEPTEMBER 2020
For Advertising Info 813-928-6124 I info@nnlflorida.com or visit tbnewsandlifestyles.com
For Advertising Info 813-928-6124 I info@nnlflorida.com or visit tbnewsandlifestyles.com
SEPTEMBER 2020 15