Stonewood Wins Again As Your Favorite In New Tampa!
Although I’m still not 100% happy with this year’s format for the annual Neighborhood News Reader Dining Survey & Contest, I do believe that this year’s format did end up helping more people focus at least a little more on local, non-chain restaurants than in years past — even though our readers’ #1 Favorite Restaurants in both New Tampa and Wesley Chapel were still chains.
In Wesley Chapel, Coopers Hawk Winery & Restaurant decimated the competition in its first year of being eligible, but here in New Tampa, Stonewood Grill & Tavern, which is part of an eight-unit mini-chain (all of which are in Florida), took home Favorite Restaurant in New Tampa for the ninth year in a row.
Operating partner Dennis Diaz, who has been with Stonewood for four years, and Executive Chef Danny Manzur, who has been with the company for nearly a quarter of a century, were both thrilled, but not surprised, when I let them know that they had indeed again won this year’s coveted “Favorite in New Tampa” title in dominating fashion — as well as “Favorite American Restaurant in New Tampa.”
“Stonewood has always been about quality in food and service,” Dennis said. “As long as we continue to maintain that quality, people will continue to be our customers. It’s as simple as that, really.”
As for the rest of the voting in this year’s categories, which will definitely be tweaked again next year, there were some surprise results, as well as some that weren’t so surprising. For the complete list of this year’s Reader Dining Survey & Contest results — as well as our reader prize winners — see pgs. 28-37 of this issue. — Gary Nager
MANY REASONS TO BE THANKFUL
With Thanksgiving only two weeks away, our editor reflects on his reasons for being thankful. See page 3
WHEN WILL IT REOPEN?
Hopefully, Morris Bridge Rd. north of Cross Creek Blvd. has already reopened, but...
See page 4
AMAZING PERFORMANCES!
If you missed both “Little Shop of Horrors” & “Carmen” at NTPAC, you definitely missed out. See pages 10-12
Executive Chef Danny Manzur, sous chef Jason Price, kitchen manager Gary Zimmerman & operating partner Dennis Diaz celebrate the fact that Stonewood Grill & Tavern in Tampa Palms again won “Favorite Restaurant in New Tampa” with Neighborhood News readers for 2024. (Photo by Charmaine George)
Giving Thanks For So Many Reasons, But Most
An Editorial by GARY NAGER
With Thanksgiv-
ing a little more than three weeks away as I’m writing this, I wanted to give thanks for all of the good things that have happened over the past year. First of all, I welcomed my fourth grandson (Brooks) into the world. In my opinion, he is the the cutest pumpkin ever!
Brooks is my younger son Jake’s third boy — Jackson (Jax) and Maverick were the first two — and my older son Jared has a son named Liam. I also feel so blessed that Jared and Jake are both married to the amazing women — Mary Luz and Meghan — who gave birth to all those Nager men.
I’m also thankful, of course, for my amazing wife (and marketing and sales director) Jannah and her four grandchildren (two boys and two girls) and their families. It’s hard to believe we have eight grandchildren between us and I am so thankful that we are getting to enjoy them — not as often as we might like, mind you, but still.
I’m also thankful for my mom Marilyn and my sister Bonnie and Bonnie’s family and my two uncle Joes, one of whom is my Aunt Sue’s husband.
I’m also thankful to still be able to be the principal writer, only editor and publisher of this publication, after celebrating my 30th anniversary of doing so earlier this year. Outside of my family, the Neighborhood News has been the joy and honor of my professional life and it has been my privilege to serve this community that I have seen grow from its infancy.
And of course, I am also thankful for all of you wonderful readers. Even though I do also meet an occasional long-time resident of New Tampa or Wesley Chapel who tell me they have never read our publications, I literally get the most wonderful feedback pretty much every day — whether in person, by email or phone call. I believe that anyone who says and truly believes that print is dead must not live in either of our distribution areas or they would know otherwise.
And, speaking of this publication, I also am grateful for photographer/videographer Charmaine George, freelance correspondents Celeste McLaughlin and Iris Vitelli and writer/ researcher Joel Provenzano, as well as graphic designers Valerie Wegener and Georgia Carmichael, our printer (The Villages Media) and mail house (Consolidated Mailing Services) and of course, the U.S. Postal Service, without which we wouldn’t be able to reach 29,000 homes, apartments and businesses (and 80,000+ people) in New Tampa or 36,000+ residences and businesses and 105,000+ total people in Wesley Chapel.
I’m also thankful for the wonderful businesses who support us with their advertising dollars and the restaurants that help nourish us and give me so much to write about.
I’m also thankful that even though I don’t yet know who ended up winning the U.S. Presidential Election (which took place a couple of days after this issue went to press), I know that whoever ends up winning, I still live in the greatest country in the world. I’m also thankful for our military, police and firefighters who risk their lives every day to protect and serve us, as well as the doctors, nurses and other medical personnel who work hard to keep us alive and healthy.
I’m thankful that our distribution areas didn’t get hit quite as hard as others, even though my heart goes out to those who lost their lives,
their homes and/or their way of life to Hurricanes Helene and Milton — some of whom I do know personally. I’m also thankful for the thousands of
people who volunteered to help those impacted by the storms recover and rebuild their lives.
I could go on, but I’m out of room. Thank you all again!
Mourning Coach Abdur-Rahim
As I’m writing this, it’s been a little more than a week (and the day of his Celebration of Life) since USF Men’s Basketball coach Amir Abdur-Rahim passed away at age 43 from complications during surgery.
I can’t imagine what his family and the USF family have been going through but while I only met Coach Abdur-Rahim once — at the funeral following the tragic passing of young John Roush — the coach made sure he brought all of his players with him that day and every single one of these college basketball players paid their respects to John and his entire family. He was a true class act. Rest in Peace, Coach.
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Part Of Morris Bridge Rd. Still Closed But Both Flatwoods Park Entrances Reopen
By Gary Nager
Although, as of the day this issue went to press, Morris Bridge Rd. between Cross Creek Blvd. and S.R. 56 was still closed (as it has been since Hurricane Milton blew through our area on Oct. 9-10), based on my conversations with more than one Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office (HCSO) deputy on duty at the Hillsborough side of the closure, the road itself and a storm drain in that segment were both damaged by the storm.
The second deputy I spoke with said that despite reports that the road would reopen by sometime between Oct. 30-Nov. 4, he had no idea when the storm drain repairs would be completed or how long that segment of Morris Bridge Rd. would remain closed (top photo).
K-Bar Ranch residents who normally take Morris Bridge Rd. to work and/or take their kids to and from school were still being diverted away from Morris Bridge at our press time, but the hope here is that they would be able to resume using the two-lane roadway by the time this issue reached your mailbox, but there were no guarantees. Morris Bridge Rd. is already a dangerous place to drive because of people attempting to pass slower-moving vehicles, so please don’t make the situation worse by ignoring or attempting to move the barricades.
Flatwoods Park Reopens, But...
Speaking of damage from Milton, both entrances (at 18205 Bruce B. Downs Blvd. at 14302 Morris Bridge Rd.) to the Wilderness Conservation Park Flatwoods Site (aka “Flatwoods Park,” bottom photo) reopened on Oct. 25, even though other county parks along or off Morris Bridge Rd. in the Lower Hillsborough Wildlife Management Area — including Dead River Park and Trout Creek Conservation Park — remained closed at our press time.
While Flatwoods Park itself is now fully passable along the 7-mile paved loop from Bruce B. Downs (BBD) Blvd. and 8.25-mile loop from Morris Bridge Rd., park ranger Matthew Parejko said on Nov. 3 that many of the hiking and off-road biking portions of the park were “still not safe to use due to damage from Milton” nearly three weeks after the storm.
A little south and east of Flatwoods, Morris Bridge Park (13630 Morris Bridge Rd.), best known for fishing along the Hillsborough River, also has reopened, although most of the areas closest to the river also remain unusable due to damage from Milton.
For more information about Flatwoods and the other parks along Morris Bridge Rd., call (813) 426-5583. There is a regularly updated recorded message and the park rangers do return calls, too.
Saddlebrook Celebrates Being The New HQ For The Tennis & Pickleball Registries!
PTR & PPR’s 23,000+ Professional Coaching Members In 127 Countries Now Call Saddlebrook Resort Home!
By Gary Nager
Why is it such a big deal that Saddlebrook Resort is now the new home of both the Professional Tennis Registry (PTR) and the Professional Pickleball Registry (PPR)?
Well, for one thing, the 125-year-old PTR has moved its headquarters for the first time in 40 years (from Hilton Head, South Carolina), according to PTR Board Chair Lynne Rolley, who opened the festivities at the Grand Opening and ribbon-cutting event for PTR and PPR at Saddlebrook on Sept. 24.“We made this significant move to relocate here to Saddlebrook Resort and we are just so excited,” Rolley said. “Today marks the beginning of an incredible journey for us. Saddlebrook has always been a leader in the tennis community.”
She noted that Saddlebrook has, “trained so many Grand Slam champions, including Jim Courier, Andy Roddick, John Isner, Marty Fish, Lisa Raymond, Martina Hingis, Mary Pierce, Justine Henin and about 20 more. Some of our great coaches from Saddlebrook, sitting right here, have been responsible for that success.”
Rolley also said this about Saddlebrook: “This state-of-the-art facility will become a hub for developing coaches, empowering athletes and fostering a community that’s passionate about the growth of tennis and pickleball.”
Of course, those who have been responsible for PTR and its now 23,000+ members under one umbrella (including 10,000 PPR members) in 127 countries have always been passionate about tennis and, for the last six years, pickleball.
Accredited by the United State Tennis Asso ciation (USTA), PTR offers globally-recognized certifications for tennis instructors and is the largest membership organization in the world for certifying tennis coaches.
And, with pickleball, still acknowledged as the fastest-growing sport in the country, PPR, which was founded in 2018, has grown expo nentially and has been a big contributor to the 20% growth of PTR’s overall membership from 19,000 in a little more than a year.
“Who knows,” Rolley said, “We may soon train a Grand Slam champion in pickleball here.”
Rolley then introduced PTR Vice-Chair Martin van Daalen and called up PTR and PPR CEO (and new Wesley Chapel resident) Peter Hurley to the microphone.
Hurley first thanked Rolley and said that her hard work also has helped Saddlebrook groom many of its long list of professional tennis champions and, “along with Martin, helped bring PTR and PPR here to Wesley Chapel.”
Hurley joked that the day of the Grand Opening, “marks my seventh day on the job as CEO of PTR and PPR, although I feel as though I’ve been here for a lifetime.”
He added, “This is a monumental day for our organization. I want to extend a heartfelt thank-you to our passionate members and to our ‘picklers,’ who are out here enjoying the day with Sarah (Ansboury, the managing director of PPR and a five-time U.S. Open Pickleball champion),
See “Tennis & Pickleball” on pg. 8
(Above, l.-r.) Professional Tennis Registry (PTR) & Professional Pickleball Registry (PPR) CEO Peter Hurley, PTR Board Chair Lynne Rolley, Saddlebrook VP of International Sports Patrick Farrell, PTR Vice-Chair
our dedicated staff and Board of Directors and the entire Saddlebrook community for the warm welcome you have given us. We look forward to engaging members, developing content, education and curriculums and events that will drive visitors to the Saddlebrook area.”
Hurley then introduced Patrick Farrell, the VP of International Sports at Saddlebrook. “Patrick has an amazing team here,” Hurley said. “He also over sees the operation of the Saddlebrook Preparatory School, one of the most prestigious golf and tennis academies in the world. Pat has held many key lead ership positions at top resorts across America, but most important to me is that he’s also a great guy, a class act and a phenomenal partner.”
Saddlebrook VP Of Intl. Sports Patrick Farrell
Then, Hurley introduced USTA senior director of coaching Craig Jones, noting that “The USTA is a vital partner to PTR and PPR. Craig is responsible for developing coaching resources, workshops and accreditation. He is a certified PTR Professional and a USTA high-performance coach. Prior to coming to USTA, Craig spent 25 years as a club owner, a director and a junior developer working with young players from novice through international champion.”
of you know, putting together an exceptional team is not an easy task.”
He noted that it takes time, “to identify those who have the right skill sets, that have a passion for their sports — whether that be tennis, pickleball, padel, platform tennis, etc. — that have a generational perspective, in that we have individuals from multiple generations, all with the same goal of really providing an exceptional experience for our members.”
Farrell welcomed everyone to Saddlebrook and thanked both the ownership group of the resort (Mast Capital) and Florida’s Sports Coast (Pasco’s destination management organization), “because without them, this really couldn’t have transpired. Their support and what they do to bring sports tourism to Pasco County is unsurpassed in this industry. The work that they do helps support the tourism business here. The impacts for not just racquet sports but the hospitality business in this area and the impacts for the community are immense.”
He also noted that, “Thanks to Florida’s Sports Coast, we have people moving into the area to be team members of PPR and PTR, plus all of their events and programming throughout the year. So, it’s extremely exciting to have them as a partner for the long term. They are helping to take Saddlebrook to new heights and restoring it to its past grandeur. Our entire staff is extremely excited to partner with PTR and PPR and look forward to a great future.”
Next up was Raul Nardi, the marketing & communications director for Florida’s Sports Coast, who said how excited the county’s tourism office was to have PTR and PPR moving to Saddlebrook. “We know this move will have a profound impact on our tourism,” Nardi said, “and Saddlebrook is renowned for its beautiful amenities and world-class tennis facilities. And, with the addition of PTR and PPR, we can expect an influx of visitors, coaches and sports enthusiasts to the region. These guests will not only fill our hotel rooms, but also dine at our restaurants, shop at our stores and visit our multiple attractions that our beautiful county has to offer.”
Nardi added that Pasco County officials also are excited about the, “economic impact that all of these visitors and different events, tournaments and championships that are coming into our county [will bring]. It’s going to create jobs, drive revenues, encourage investment in the area and we expect it to have a ripple effect and bring still more visitors to our area. We’re just thrilled to see this flourish and come to fruition.”
Jones said, “We want to welcome PTR to the great tennis state of Florida.” He mentioned that the USTA’s own National Campus is located in Orlando, “So, how great is it to have these two amazing facilities within 80 miles of each other? The USTA also is looking forward to more collaboration with PTR in the future.”
Hurley also thanked Brian Parkkonen, the Chief Operating Officer of PTR. “Brian has been juggling multiple responsibilities to facilitate our move from Hilton Head while also helping me get up to speed in the last seven days.”
He also mentioned that Parkkonen has more than ten years of service to PTR. “Brian has played a pivotal role in advancing education pathways and developing innovative programs, including the PTR education dashboard and advancing the PPR pickleball certification curriculum.”
Parkkonen then said, “You’ve heard about all of the exciting things that are going to happen with PTR and PPR’s headquarters being relocated here to the beautiful Saddlebrook Resort. We’re excited about the impact that these organizations are going to have on Saddlebrook, as well as Pasco County. The question becomes now, ‘How do we deliver this exceptional service?’ It gives me great pride and honor to introduce the staff that’s going to be driving our initiatives here at Saddlebrook. As many
Parkkonen also quoted former NBA coach Phil Jackson, who said, “The strength of a team are the individual members of the team. The strength of the individual members is the team. And I think that what we’ve had the opportunity to put together at PTR and PPR is truly an exceptional team.”
He added that “Not only are PTR and PPR bringing a successful business to Saddlebrook, we’re bringing exceptional individuals who will be contributors to the community. And, I don’t think most staffs have over 125 years of experience on their team, but we do.”
Parkkonen then introduced both the team relocating to Saddlebrook “and those who will be working remotely as well — (PPR managing director) Sarah Ansboury, (VP of special events & pickleball) Julie Jilly, (international director) Inaki Balzoa, Michael Baumgarten and (event coordinator) Dimitri Vlassov).” The remote folks Parkkonen thanked included (PTR membership director) Helma Capp, (PTR marketing manager) Caitlyn Fries, (PTR director of education and diversity) Milena Vidos, (PTR membership coordinator Sanaz Marand, (PPR membership services) Melanie Beckler. Then, there was a champagne toast to end the festivities. For more info about PTR, visit PTRTennis. org. For PPR, visit PPRPickleball.org. For Saddlebrook Resort info, visit Saddlebrook.com.
Tampa City Ballet’s ‘Carmen’ Was A Modern Tribute To Bizet’s Famed Opera
By Gary Nager
I would be lying if I said I fully followed the storyline in the Tampa City Ballet (TCB) production of “Carmen,” the classic opera created by French composer Georges Bizet in 1875 (based on the 1845 novel of the same name by French author Prosper Mérimée) and performed by founder and artistic director Paula Nuñez’s ballet company at the New Tampa Performing Arts Center (NTPAC) the weekend of Nov. 1-3.
Even so, Jannah, photographer Charmaine George and I loved the 90-minute performance, which Nuñez and the company shortened by about a half-hour because of the lack of preparation time following Hurricane Milton.
“We were supposed to perform the show the previous weekend (at the Palladium Theater in St. Petersburg),” Nunez said following the Nov. 1 performance we attended of “Carmen.” “But, those shows and a lot of our rehearsal time were cancelled by the hurricane. We basically had two-and-a-half weeks to rehearse and put this show together.”
Whether I fully followed the story or not and whether the company had enough time to present the ballet the way they intended, all I can tell you is that “Carmen” was a spectacular event.
This modern adaptation of the story of a young Gypsy woman who was forced to marry a much older man at age 13 and is killed by a soldier who loves her, is set in Seville, Spain, in the mid 1800s.
The TCB performance began with a flashback scene to young Carmen (portrayed by Alicia Perez) preparing for her wedding. Next we see soldiers in the city square standing guard and watching passersby. Then, we see Micaela (Madison Pineda Bender), the childhood sweetheart of Sgt. Don José (Brian Gonzalez) bearing a letter from his ill mother imploring him to marry Micaela. We first meet the adult Carmen (Marta Ortega, who previously partnered in this role with world-renowned Carlos Acosta in Europe), one of the female workers in a cigar factory. Only one man pays no attention to Carmen — Don José. Carmen throws a flower at him and Don José hides it from Micaela when she returns.
Then, a fight erupts between Carmen and Olivia (Shelby Russ) and Lieutenant Zuniga (David Moreno) orders Don José to arrest Carmen
and take her to prison. There, Carmen seduces Don José, who allows her to escape and ends up being arrested himself.
During the first act, the amazing soprano Daniela Mass (who has performed with Il Volo and Andrea Bocelli and many other renowned performers) sings one of the two most famous songs from Bizet’s opera, “Habanera,” which provides an incredible backdrop to one of those Act I scenes.
In Act II, Carmen again seduces Don José and then mocks him for heeding a bugle call. Then, Lt. Zuniga tries to force himself on Carmen, but an enraged Don José kills him, forcing him to join Carmen’s band of outlaws. Carmen and Don José marry, but she quickly grows restless and begins an affair with the scene-stealing toreador Escamillo (Jhony Delgado). Don José, consumed by jealousy and despair, is unhinged by her betrayal. He then leaves with Micaela upon hearing news of his mother’s death, but first warns Carmen that she will never be with another man.
Back in Seville, the crowd cheers (and the women swoon) for Escamillo, with Carmen proudly defiant at his side. Don José arrives and begs her to forget the past and start a new life with him. She calmly tells him that their marriage is over because she was born and will die free. Don José flies into a murderous rage and when Carmen removes and throws her ring at his feet, he stabs her to death.
Photos by Charmaine George
Carmen, who was an abused woman who refused to let any man control her, was a symbol of female empowerment long before the term was coined. Because of its relative vulgarity and controversial subject matter (of betrayal and murder), Bizet’s final opera before his death at age 36 was rejected by audiences and critics of the day when it was first produced, and he died of a heart attack three months after it premiered, believing “Carmen” to be a failure
The opera did become immensely popular, however, more than a decade after his passing.
This is the second time (the first was in 2022) that Nuñez and her company have reimagined this classic story and I am truly grateful I did not miss it again this time around. My recap of the ballet came from the show’s online program and I know I didn’t really do it justice, even though Charmaine’s pictures of it are beautiful.
TCB(15367 Amberly Dr.) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit. For more info, including about TCB’s upcoming performances of “The Nutcracker” (Dec. 7-Dec. 15), call (813) 558-0800, visit TampaCityBallet.org. or see the ad below.
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‘Little Shop Of Horrors’ Was A Horrifying Triumph For The New Tampa Players!
By Gary Nager
The first time I saw “Little Shop of Horrors,” the campy, award-winning sci-fi/horror musical (based on an original 1960 film by “The King of Cult” Roger Corman) about a man-(and woman-) eating plant named Audrey II and the bumbling “Skid Row” flower shop employee who earns fame because of the voracious plant, I was sitting about eight rows back in the show’s original OffBroadway Orpheum Theatre in the Little Ukraine section of Manhattan’s East Village in late 1982 or early 1983, only a few months after the show first opened to rave reviews.
Sitting directly in front of me were Liza Minelli, Sean Penn and Madonna. Yes, that famous trio (no one called them a “thruple”). We were all among the packed house of nearly 350 people who took in the spectacle of this flytraplooking plant that grows from a pot on a counter to take up most of Mushnik’s Flower Shop — and plans to take over the entire world.
Four years later, “Little Shop” was made into a hit 1986 movie starring Rick Moranis, Ellen Greene (who also created the role of Audrey, the love interest of geeky Seymour Krelborn, who also loves “strange and interesting plants”), Steve Martin as Audrey’s sadistic boyfriend Orin Scrivello, DDS, and Vincent Gardenia as the failing flower shop owner, Mr. Mushnik.
Fast-forward nearly 40 more years and Jannah and I are sitting in a theatre almost as large as the Orpheum — the New Tampa Performing Arts Center — on what turned out to be opening night of the New Tampa Players (NTP)’ production of the show (Oct. 18), because the first weekend of performances got canceled following Hurricane Milton.
I have to admit that NTP’s “Little Shop” very much rang true to the original version I saw more than 40 years previous.
Yes, a show where four people are “eaten” by a giant plant is a little disturbing, but an outstanding cast performing great songs (with book and lyrics by Howard Ashman and music by Alan Menken, the same creative team behind Disney’s “The Little Mermaid,” “Beauty and the Beast” and “Aladdin”), great direction by NTP’s Thomas Pahl, musical direction by Rick Barclay and choreography by Makayla Raines, made NTP’s “Little Shop” an amazing tribute to that Off-Broadway original. (By the way, the Broadway revival production lasted only 372 performances between Oct. 2003 and Aug. 2004.)
And Away We Go!
NTP’s “Little Shop” opened with the title
theme, sung by “the urchins” — (photo #1, l.r.) Paige Alter as Crystal, Sara Gutierrez as Chiffon and Patty Smithey (who portrayed Lorrell Robinson in NTP’s “Dreamgirls”) as Ronette.
We then meet (photo #2, l.-r.) Mushnik (Luis Graham), who is threatening to close his flower shop on Skid Row because he can’t do any business, the oafish, love-sick Seymour (Richard Brown) and Audrey (Madison Pulica, who has the original cartoon-ish speaking voice and mannerisms of the role’s originator down to a “T”).
Seymour shows Mushnik the “strange and interesting plant” that he found following a recent total solar eclipse and says that maybe displaying the plant will bring in customers — which it immediately does.
But soon, when Seymour cuts himself on a rose thorn, the plant — which Seymour names the “Audrey II” after his unrequited beloved — first shows its thirst for blood, so Stanley squeezes a few more drops into its open maw (photo #3), after which, Audrey II first begins to grow. Meanwhile, Audrey continues to display the painful results of the “affections” of her dentist boyfriend Orin (portrayed with very much Steve Martinesque vigor by Tom Bronson), and sings (photo #4) to the urchins about her dream to move to “Somewhere That’s Green.”
We (and Seymour) then meet Orin for the first time, after Orin sings “(“You’ll Be A) Dentist” to the urchins (photo #5). Seymour also sees Orin “rough up” Audrey for the first time and, realizing that he can’t continue to drain himself of his own blood for Audrey II, also wonders for the first time if maybe Orin should end up “providing” the blood for the now-much-larger plant.
Mushnik is now so impressed with Seymour (who is revealed early on to be an orphan), that he tells Seymour in the song “Mushnik & Son” (Photo #6) that he will re-name the now-much-more successful flower shop and adopt his now-star employee.
But next, we find out for the first time that Audrey II can talk — in the booming baritone of Christan McLaurine (at right in photo #9, who also was a scene-stealer as James “Thunder” Early in NTP’s “Dreamgirls”) in the song “Feed Me.”
Act I ends as Seymour brings a gun to his visit to Orin’s dental office, which is replete with rusty, medieval-style torture appliances. Orin can’t wait to ply his trade inside Seymour’s mouth, so much so that he gets his “special gas mask” (photo #7) — not to sedate Seymour, but so Orin can “enjoy” his work. Seymour
3 4 5 6
now realizes he doesn’t have to shoot Orin, who can’t get the mask off and, without assistance from Seymour, asphyxiates and dies in the most authentic scene of the entire show.
Act II - “Suddenly, Seymour!”
With Orin now out of the way (and chopped into pieces by Seymour, so he can feed the dentist to Audrey II), it doesn’t take long for Audrey to realize that Seymour has always loved her and (she thinks) that he’s a good man who shares her dream of moving to the country, despite his newfound (and unwanted) fame, which comes with Life magazine and TV interviews. The duet between Audrey and Seymour — “Suddenly Seymour” is probably the most famous song in “Little Shop.”
But, of course, everything falls apart quickly from there. Seymour next sacrifices Mushnik, who discovered Orin’s bloody lab coat in the store’s garbage can, to Audrey II, even though Mushnik says he won’t tell the authorities, as Seymour still needs to feed the now-monster-sized plant (photo #8).
Next, Audrey, who reveals she was an exotic dancer before coming to Mushnik’s, sacrifices herself by having Seymour throw her into Audrey II’s mouth. Then, Seymour, who now realizes that Audrey II’s plan is to take over the world, also jumps into the plant’s maw. With all of the main characters now dead and plans to spread Audrey II seeds all over the country (as the plant planned all along), the show ends on a seriously ominous note.
Congrats to the Audrey II puppeteers (Joseph Conrad, at left in photo #9), Lily Sanford and Yoanivette Davila Aguiar, as well as to James Cass of Picture This Photography for the scenic art, scenic dressing and props, and Shelly Giles for the great costumes — and everyone else associated with the Players and this show. “Little Shop” was super-creepy but it was also super-fun!
For more info (including about ticket sales and audition info) about the 2025 New Tampa Players shows “Into the Woods” and “The Music Man,” visit NewTampaPlayers.org. 7 8 9
Upcoming Events — Turkey Trots, The Chamber’s Annual Meeting & So Many ‘Nutcrackers!’
Wednesday, November 13, 7:30 p.m.-9:30 p.m. – Steinway Piano Series: Nikolov-West Duo. At the New Tampa Performing Arts Center (8550 Hunters Village Rd.). The New Tampa Performing Arts Center’s brand-new Steinway & Sons Model D Concert Grand piano will be featured in a performance by the Nikolov West Duo featuring Viktor Nikolov and Jane West. For tickets (which cost $20 for general admission) & more information, visit NewTampaArtsCenter.org.
Saturday, November 16, 2 p.m.-4 p.m. & 7 p.m.-9 p.m. – Jansen Dance Project Presents “Goin’ Nuts! A Contemporary ‘Nutcracker.” At the New Tampa Performing Arts Center (8550 Hunters Village Rd.). Come see the students of Jansen Dance Project (JDP) get nutty! JDP invites you to experience “The Nutcracker” in a way you never have before. Artistic Director Troy Jansen has taken everyone’s favorite holiday ballet and turned it into a present-day extravaganza that the whole family can enjoy. Featuring the music of Duke Ellington, this performance is filled with great dance, humor, sarcasm, and a nutty twist to a holiday classic. For tickets (reserved seats cost $22-$43) & more information, visit NewTampaArtsCenter.org/events.
Wednesday, November 20, 9 a.m. –North Tampa Bay Chamber Coffee Social. At Bella Brava Bexley (16722 Focus Loop, Land O’ Lakes). Wake up and join the North Tampa Bay Chamber (NTBC) for your morning brew and network with your fellow NTBC members. This event is free to attend. For more info, visit NorthTampaBayChamber.com/Events or call the NTBC office at (813) 994-8534.
Saturday, November 23, 9 a.m.-3 p.m. – Canterbury Hall & Grace Episcopal Church Holiday Market. At Grace Episcopal Church (15102 Amberly Dr.) For more info, see the ad on pg. 15.
el Presents a Casino Night Fundraiser. At Hilton Garden Inn Tampa-Wesley Chapel (26640 Silver Maple Pkwy., Wesley Chapel). All funds raised support Troy and Iris Stevenson and their daughter Christina Ramirez. Troy recently battled cancer and Christina unfortunately recently lost her battle with pancreatic cancer. The event will feature casino games, a cash bar & light hors d’oeuvres. $25 donation. For tickets visit bit.ly/wcrotary-casino.
Monday, November 25, 7 p.m. — New Tampa Democratic Club Monthly Meeting. At New Tampa Regional Library (10001 Cross Creek Blvd.), For more info, visit NewTampaDemocrats. com or see the ad below.
Tuesday, November 26, 5 p.m. – 8th Annual Build-A-Bear For a Cause. At the Build-A-Bear store, The Shops at Wiregrass (28163 Paseo Dr., #170). Cindy and Kent Ross of RPG Printing invite you to join them to build a bear or make a donation, and they will build a bear for you! Please help bring a smile to a child in the ABC
Ross at (813) 949-5700 or (813) 2056125 or email Cindy@rpandg.com.
Thursday, November 28, 7 a.m. –BayCare Wobble Turkey Trot. At Tampa Premium Outlets. Run. Walk. Wobble! The BayCare Wobble Turkey Trot (photo), presented by BayCare Hospital Wesley Chapel is coming back for another race at Tampa Premium Outlets. Events include 5K, 1K and virtual 5K runs. Proceeds to benefit the New Tampa Family YMCA. The cost for the 5K is $40, increasing to $45 after Nov. 17. For the ”1 Tur(K) Fun Run, the cost is $25, going up to $27.50 after Nov. 17. For more info, visit runsignup.com/Race/FL/Lutz/BayCareWobbleTurkeyTrot5k.
Thursday, November 28, 8 a.m. –Wiregrass Turkey Trot. At The Shops at Wiregrass. Join your neighbors at the 12th annual Wiregrass Turkey Trot on Thanksgiving Day, hosted by the Rotary Club of New Tampa and AdventHealth. This year’s events include the annual 5K Run/Walk, 1-Mile Fun Run and Kid’s Turkey Dash for all under 12 years old, as well as selfie stations, a costume contest, awards, music
and fun for the entire community. The cost for the 5K run is $40 before Nov. 19, $45 between Nov. 20-26 & $50 Nov. 27-28. For the 1-mile Fun Run, the cost is $25 anytime. There’s also a Kids Turkey Dash for ages 12 & under, which costs $20. For more info, visit TheShopsatWiregrass.com/events.
Sunday, December 1, 3 p.m.-5 p.m. –Klassika. At the New Tampa Performing Arts Center (8550 Hunters Village Rd.). What do you get when you combine classically trained singers with pop music? You get Klassika! Come and enjoy all your holiday favorites performed by this classical crossover group. For tickets (which cost $17.50-$20 for reserved seats) & more information, visit NewTampaArtsCenter. org/events.
Tuesday, December 3, 9 a.m. –North Tampa Bay Chamber Annual Membership Breakfast Meeting. At Pasco-Hernando State College (2727 Mansfield Blvd, Wesley Chapel). The event is the Chamber’s Annual Meeting and we will celebrate the Chamber’s 2024 accomplishments. Admission is $25 for members and $30 for non-members to attend. For more info and to register (the cost to attend is $25 for NTBC members or $30 for non-members), visit NorthTampaBayChamber.com/Events or call the NTBC office (813) 994-8534.
Saturday & Sunday, December 7 & 8, at 6 p.m., 7 p.m. & 8 p.m., The New Tampa Dance Theatre’s Dance Theatre of Tampa Presents “The Nutcracker Suite.” At The Shops at Wiregrass; free to attend. For additional information, visit NewTampaDanceTheatre.com or see the ad on page 15..
Sunday, December 8, 3 p.m-5 p.m. Florida Jazz Express: Holiday Big Band Extravaganza. At the New Tampa Performing Arts Center (8550 Hunters Village Rd.). Enjoy all your holiday favorites in “big band” style! As one of Florida’s most vibrant and exciting large jazz orchestras,
The BayCare Wobble will again be a great way to kick off your Thanksgiving festivities at the Tampa Premium Outlets on Thursday, November 28 Thanksgiving morning), starting at 7 a.m. (Neighborhood News file photo)
The New Tampa Dance Theatre presents its 25th annual performances of “The Nutcracker” Dec. 7-8 at The Shops at Wiregrass and Dec. 20-22 at USF College of the Arts Theatre 1. For more detailed information, see below or the ad on page 15. (Photo source: NTDT) Florida Jazz Express is comprised of the busiest musicians in the state with resumes that include performing with some of the world’s top entertainers. For tickets ($20 general admission) & more info visit NewTampaArtsCenter.org/events.
Friday, December 13, 7 p.m.-9 p.m.; & Sunday, December 15, 4 p.m.-6 p.m. — Tampa City Ballet Presents: “The Nutcracker.” At the New Tampa Performing Arts Center (8550 Hunters Village Rd.). Each year, performances of Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky’s “The Nutcracker” ring in the holiday season as a long-held tradition celebrated around the world. In the Tampa Bay area, the Tampa City Ballet (TCB) brings together audiences of all
ages and backgrounds to participate in this classic family event. For tickets (reserved seating costs $30-$50) & more info visit NewTampaArtsCenter.org/events.
Friday, December 20, 7 p.m., Saturday, December 21, 2 p.m. & 7 p.m. & Sunday, December 22, at 2 p.m. — The New Tampa Dance Theatre’s Dance Theatre of Tampa Presents: “The Nutcracker.”
At the University of South Florida, College of the Arts Theater 1 (13001 USF Laurel Dr, Tampa). Now in its 25th year, this is the New Tampa area’s longest-running production of the timesless classic.
For tickets & more information, visit Ticketmaster.com, call (813) 994-NTDT (6838) or see the ad on this page (right).
Blue Park Dental & Inside Out Aesthetics Cut North Tampa Bay Chamber Ribbons!
By Gary Nager
Even as the holidays approach, the North Tampa Bay Chamber (NTBC) is still helping its new and existing member businesses get the word out with ribbon-cutting ceremonies — and we are proud to partner with the Chamber to help publicize these businesses and events. Here are a couple of those events that have been held since our last issue hit mailboxes four weeks ago:
Blue Park Dental
Blue Park Dental, the office of Jordan Brown, DDS, is located at 5470 Post Oak Blvd., Unit 170, in the same plaza off Wesley Chapel Blvd. as the new Moe’s Southwest Grill and Jimmy John’s., in Wesley Chapel.
Dr. Brown and his wife Shakirah hosted a Grand Opening and NTBC ribbon-cutting event on Oct. 24, attended by at least 50 people, including members of the Browns’ family, friends and of course, NTBC members.
He told those who were there that he was inspired by the work ethics of both of his parents — Colin and Patricia Brown (who were both in attendance) — and said, “Blue Park Dental is a dental office that advertises comfort, trust and honesty. It emphasizes technology but also makes sure you feel comfort and safety at the same time.”
Dr. Brown also thanked his wife. “You have no idea how much Shakirah has been in this process. She has helped so much, every step of the way, so thank you for being my rock and my support.”
For more information about Blue Park Dental, call (813) 742-6227 or visit BlueParkDental.com.
Inside Out Aesthetics & Wellness
Then, on Nov. 2, it was Board-certified family nurse practitioner Tracy Burke who hosted an NTBC ribbon-cutting event at the new location of her Inside Out Aesthetics & Wellness — at 27613 Cashford Cir., which is located behind Sam’s Club on the north side of S.R. 56 in the Summergate Professional Park in Wesley Chapel. Inside Out previously was located on an outparcel of The Shops at Wiregrass.
Tracy also thanked the Chamber, as well as all of her friends, clients and her entire family, but especially her son Michael, who recently earned his Florida general contractor’s license and who was instrumental in creating every room in the new med spa to Tracy’s exact specifications.
“I want to thank all of you for coming,” Tracy said prior to cutting the Chamber ribbon. “I have dreamed about having a location like this and now, that dream has come true.” The event also introduced Inside Out’s new licensed medical esthetician Amanda McEwan, who specializes in skin care and custom facials that blend advanced treatments with a holistic approach.
Inside Out also offers neuromodulators, injectables, PDO threads, bio-stimulators, bioidentical hormone replacement therapy & semaglutide for weight loss. For info, call (813) 602-6100 or visit insideout-aesthetics.
Check Out The Geeky Ferret Hobby Store On 54 & Neverland Toys & Krane At The KRATEs
The Geeky Ferret
The Geeky Ferret is a new hobby store located in the Freedom Plaza at 30044 S.R. 54 in Wesley Chapel (next to the former location of Grey Wolf Armory in the plaza).
Geeky Ferret, which opened in Sept., offers Role-Playing Games (RPGs) such as Dungeons & Dragons, Collectible Card Games (CCGs) like Pokemon, Miniature games like Warhammer, Board games, Plastic Models (photo, right), as well as paints and all the trimming to finish your models and miniatures. The store also has gaming tables for people to gather and play their games; one of them is configured for podcasting/streaming to the internet.
The store also sells geeky snacks and drinks for those long play sessions. With multiple 3D resin and filament printers in the store, the Geeky Ferret offers custom
Hot Wheels cars and trucks and games and toys for younger kids. Jannah and I found great gifts for all of our grandchildren, who range in age from toddlers through age 5. For more information about Neverland Toys, search @never.land.toys on Instagram or “Neverland Toys” on Facebook.
Speaking of kids, if your kids love to try to grab toys and other prizes at those funky machines at fairs and arcades , the KRATEs now offer Krane, an unmanned arcade with about a dozen different machines, each with a different variety of toys and prizes, from Pikachu and other Pokemon to Hello Kitty items that the kids can pick up by operating a crane (or “The Claw” from the movie “Toy Story”). — GN
Neverland Toys & Krane Open At The KRATEs
Dr. Sam Jureyda Offers Top-Notch Orthodontic Care At Radiance Orthodontics
By Celeste McLaughlin Neighborhood News Correspondent
Two decades ago, about 85 percent of dentists owned their own practices, but times have changed drastically.
The New Tampa and Wesley Chapel areas have not escaped the national trend of more dental and orthodontic offices being owned by corporations., instead of the practitioners themselves.
Sam Jureyda, DMD, says he’s not interested in selling Radiance Orthodontics, although he frequently gets offers from corporations wanting to buy his practice.
“Dr. J,” as his patients call him, opened Radiance Orthodontics more than eight years ago to provide orthodontic treatments for kids, teens and adults, primarily using braces and Invisalign aligners to move teeth and correct bites. The practice is located in the Tampa Palms Professional Center off of Commerce Park Blvd., near the New Tampa Recreation Center.
When patients visit Radiance Orthodontics, they always see Dr. Jureyda personally. He enjoys getting to know the families who entrust their care to him, and considers his patients to be family.
“In an era of big box stores,” Dr. Jureyda explains, “we’re still a mom-and-pop.”
He says he wouldn’t even consider giving up the time he spends caring for each individual in his practice in order to meet the demands of corporate dentistry.
“We value the relationship we build with our patients,” Dr. J says.
Before moving into private practice in 2006, and subsequently opening Radiance Orthodontics
that, he earned a Doctorate of Dental Medicine (DMD) from the Boston University School of Dental Medicine, a Certificate of Specialty in Orthodontics from the Howard University College of Dentistry in Washington, DC, and completed a clinical fellowship in Orthodontics from the University of Buffalo School of Dental Medicine, Department of Orthodontics.
His education includes years of studying facial biology and growth dynamics, and his practice has allowed him to treat all types of patients, even those
again in 2024 by Tampa Magazine as one of the Tampa Bay area’s top dentists, as voted on by dentists across the region.
His peers have recognized that his education and experience make him one of the area’s best.
His commitment to private practice allows him to maintain a lower volume of patients and spend more time with each person who comes in, which means that patients at Radiance Orthodontics get customized care from an orthodontist who is invested in them personally, whether
they choose treatment via traditional braces or Invisalign aligners.
“There are so many factors that go into a decision about an appliance that you may wear for 18 months or more,” says Dr. Jureyda. “I am happy to go over all of that information so that you can make the right choice about the treatment plan that is best for you.”
These days, general dentists are more frequently also offering aligners. But, Dr. J offers a deeper understanding of the dentofacial orthopedics involved in aligning teeth and jaws over a lifetime, whether it’s during the early years of childhood growth or even in older adults.
Getting a second opinion from Dr. Jureyda is completely free and may provide additional avenues for treatment or a lower cost than other options.
“We’re seeing so much inflation right now, which is stretching families,” says Dr. Jureyda. “Radiance Orthodontics is a small business and we are in touch with what’s happening in our community. We try to walk that fine line between meeting the demands of running a business and keeping our fees affordable and payments flexible for our patients.”
He promises reasonable fees that avoid the need for coupons or complex payment structures.
He suggests that anyone who wants to learn more about his practice search Radiance Orthodontics for his online Google reviews. All 160+ of the office’s reviews on Google are five stars and speak to the way Dr. J cares for his patients.
Nicole Shuts moved to New Tampa about two years ago. Her sons already had braces, so she needed to find an orthodontist to continue their care. She says the first one she went to didn’t feel
Scarlette Owens, APRN, FNP-C (right) & Megan Dudley, APRN, FNP-C
quite right, so she kept looking and ultimately found Radiance Orthodontics.
“As soon as I walked in and met Dr. J, I was really impressed with his demeanor,” she says. “He’s very calm, very intelligent, he knew exactly what problems my sons were facing, and his recommendations were conservative, but on point with what we needed.”
She says one son’s bite was really bad and his molars weren’t even touching. She wanted to bring him to Dr. Jureyda, but she also wanted to doublecheck her instincts, so she conferred with her son’s previous orthodontist.
“I told her about the people we interviewed and their proposals,” Nicole explains, “and she steered me toward what I was feeling, which made me super happy because at that point I liked Dr. J already.”
Nicole says the proof is in the results.
“It’s a joy to me that he can chew his food better,” she says of her son. “It’s been two years and we’re very happy. We wouldn’t change anything.”
Nicole also is happy with her other son’s treatment, and appreciates that Dr. J sees her youngest daughter every few months to see if it’s time to start treatment for her yet, as well. Those ongoing consultations are complimentary, as Dr. J keeps an eye on her growth.
“I really appreciate that,” Nicole says. “I know he’s trustworthy and he’s not pushy.”
Carmen Mitchell and her 15-year-old daughter, Kali, are both in treatment with Dr. Jureyda. Carmen explains she didn’t have braces as a child and her deep bite was causing breakage in her teeth. To prevent further breakage, her dentist recommended Invisalign. And although the dentist gave her a fair price for aligners, she didn’t feel that the office was fully prepared for the details of the specialty treatment.
It was totally different when she saw Dr. Jureyda for a free consultation.
“He’s very knowledgeable and gets to know you as a patient,” she says, “and then he makes sure the service he’s providing is tailored to you.”
When her daughter’s dentist suggested an orthodontic evaluation, she knew she would bring her to Dr. Jureyda, too.
“I like the way he talks to her as the patient,” Carmen adds. “She’s involved in her own care, which is important.”
Supporting The Community, Too
As a former educator, Dr. Jureyda makes it a high priority to support students and educators in our community, and Carmen says she wants to support Radiance so he can continue to do so.
Not only is Radiance Orthodontics a longterm business partner of all of New Tampa’s public schools (and some Wesley Chapel schools, as well), he also awards scholarships each spring to a graduating senior at both Wharton and Freedom high schools. These scholarships recognize students who have demonstrated a commitment to serving the community through volunteering. Last year, he also offered scholarships to seniors at King and Brooks DeBartolo Collegiate high schools.
“I often recommend people go to Radiance,” Carmen says. “I tell them, ‘Go, get a quote. You’ll probably fall in love with Dr. J and the staff while you’re there.’”
Radiance Orthodontics offers Invisalign and braces for kids, teens and adults of all ages. To schedule a free consultation, text or call (813) 972-1100. For more information about the practice, located at 17427 Bridge Hill Court, Suite A, in the Tampa Palms Professional Center, visit MyRadianceBraces.com, or see the ad on page 5 of this issue.
Tampa Palms Psychology’s Dr. Brian Wilson Helps Adults Manage Life’s Struggles
By Celeste McLaughlin Neighborhood News Correspondent
Because his Tampa Palms Psychology — the practice of Brian Wilson, Ph.D. — continues to grow, Dr. Wilson recently moved to the Tampa Palms Professional Center off of Commerce Palms Blvd. just south and east of the Bruce B. Downs (BBD) Blvd. exit off I-75.
The new office is just a half-mile from his previous workspace, where patients met with Dr. Wilson in a private room at a co-working office. He made the move to the new space in April.
“It’s a very quiet, warm, upscale and relaxing environment, right on a lake,” Dr. Wilson says, adding that while he enjoyed his previous workspace and the opportunity it gave him to grow, it’s nice to have a more personal and permanent space.
“I have my own dedicated office now,” he says. “I designed it myself. It’s a better space with better furniture, and much homier.”
He says he’s had his eye on the Tampa Palms Professional Center for many years, but when he opened his practice in 2021, the Covid pandemic made virtual or Telehealth sessions the norm, instead of in-person visits, so it didn’t make sense for him to have a full-time office at that time.
Now, many people prefer to meet with Dr. Wilson in person, although he says about half of his patients still choose to meet virtually. “I let my patients decide,” he says. “Some providers are insisting on in-person and others on Telehealth, but I do whatever works for my patients.”
He says he has some patients who are disabled or have other reasons why they can’t leave
the house, so he’s happy to meet with them via private, secure videoconferencing.
Dr. Wilson has been practicing since 2003 and now has two decades of experience. He graduated with a Bachelor of Science (B.S.) degree in Psychology from the University of Florida in Gainesville and earned both his Master of Science and Ph.D. degrees from the University of North Dakota in Grand Forks. He also com pleted a psychology residency at the Minneapolis Veterans Administration Hospital.
Whether you meet him in person or online, Dr. Wilson helps adults navigate life’s difficul ties, especially when it comes to job stress, relationship problems, depression, anxiety, or any number of other issues.
“I have the benefit of having worked in a variety of settings, so I feel comfortable taking on a lot of things,” he says. He considers himself to be a generalist who can address a wide variety of concerns with adults. He does not, however, counsel anyone under the age of 18.
He commonly helps people who are experiencing PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) and has years of experience helping military veterans.
Dr. Wilson also is experienced in helping those who have serious or life-changing medical issues and are learning to cope with a new reality, as well as the mental health problems that develop as a result.
Another area of expertise for Dr. Wilson is geriatrics — helping older adults. This could be people who are caring for a spouse who is ill, or those who are realizing that the transition into retirement is not what they thought it would be.
His two decades of experience include
primary care and community mental health, psychiatric patients in mental health facilities, residential and outpatient PTSD treatment, geriatric mental health, and health psychology. Dr. Wilson is licensed to practice psychology in both Florida and Minnesota, and is a member of the American Psychological Association.
He says the best approach for those who are beginning the search for a trusted therapist is still to get a recommendation from a friend or family member. “That’s probably the best referral you can get,” he says.
But if you don’t have a word-of-mouth reference from someone you know, he says to do an online search, choose a few therapists, try to talk
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to a few of them and “go with your gut.”
He says that, of course, you should always check with the Florida Department of Health to be sure the provider you want to work with is appropriately licensed and has no disciplinary actions or malpractice claims.
This can be done by searching “Florida Department of Health license lookup” online.
“Beyond that, those of us [practitioners] who are thoughtful will always be happy to schedule a no-charge, no-commitment phone call to see if we’re a good fit,” he says. “Don’t schedule with someone without at least having a conversation about their approach.”
While Dr. Wilson says he is primarily a
From Delta To Xite, Your CBD Store Of New Tampa Keeps Adding New Products!
Located in the Pebble Creek Collection on Bruce B. Downs (BBD) Blvd., Your CBD Store of New Tampa has calming blue-grey walls, greenery throughout the store, comfortable seating and an expansive, open layout. With informational displays and posters, exceptional customer support, and product knowledge, the husband-and-wife team of David Calcador and Debra Curler make you feel immediately at home.
David & Debra opened their Your CBD Store franchise location in November 2019 and it has thrived through the pandemic, thanks to the dedication of these two New Tampa residents. “When customers come in, we ask them what they know about CBD,” Debra says. “Some are well-educated and we walk the others through the store and introduce and educate them about our product line. We find out what their problems are health-wise. Are they in pain? Are they having problems sleeping? Do they need energy? We need to know what is happening in their bodies to help direct them to the proper products.”
Your CBD Store is a holistic boutique providing USDA organic and carcinogen-free oral and topical SunMed CBD products for customers and their pets. At Debra and David’s store, CBD comes in both flavored and flavorless tinctures, oils, pills, gummies, weight-loss products, as well as a skincare line, bath bombs, lotions, massage oils, pain creams and products for dogs and cats.
Unlike marijuana, Your CBD Store offers broad-spectrum CBD products that have zero THC, as well as full-spectrum products with the 0.3 legal limit of THC that contain all cannabinoids (CBD and THC), terpenes, or flavonoids.
With anti-inflammatory and other health effects, flavonoids are plant compounds that
give plants their colors and flavors. Flavonoids work with cannabinoids and terpenes, which are naturally occurring compounds in cannabis that shape aroma, taste, colors and therapeutic benefits, to produce the “entourage effect” enhancing their impact. “CBD needs to have terpenes and flavonoids,” David says. “They bond to receptors in your body. Without those, you won’t have the full benefit of CBD.”
doctors who send patients to us because they know the quality is there.”
What’s New?
Debra and David are enthusiastic about their store’s newest products, some of which have been enhanced with more CBD, like their SunMed topical
cream, which is now available in 4,000-milligram strength, while others are brand new.
also available in gummy form. People love it. I have a lady who comes in weekly and buys two jars. It helps with aches and pains throughout the body.”
Your CBD Store New Tampa also sells libido gummies for intimacy for men and women, as well as both “Above” (with Delta 8 THC) and “Beyond” (with Delta 9 THC) by SunMed, both of which are all-natural (non-synthetic). New Delta 9 options include Xite candies and popcorn.
Also new are THC-infused Nowadays Adult Beverages, which Debra says is non-alcoholic, “but gives you a mellow feeling.”
As some prescriptions can conflict with CBD, Debra and David suggest that if you are taking medications, you should speak with your physician before starting any CBD regimen.
Debra and David says that love educating their customers and clear up misinformation about CBD. Their CBD products won’t get you high, aren’t illegal, won’t make you impaired and you don’t need a Medical Cannabis card to purchase them.
Instead, their products help with anxiety, sleep issues, chronic pain and more.
“Our products are all-natural, organic, and non-addictive, Debra says. “You can buy CBD anywhere — a smoke shop or gas station, even on Amazon — but you don’t want to do that because anything you are putting on your body or in your body, you want to make sure it is good quality. You risk getting a synthetic, damaging product that can harm your health.
David adds, “We’re third-party tested. We have QR codes on everything we sell; you can bring up each product’s lab report. We have referring
“Our topical cream is amazing for isolated pain,” Debra says. “I had a knee replacement years ago, and I had not been able to walk long distances. The product came out in December, and my husband and I were going Christmas shopping, and I could walk the entire mall. It’s been selling off the shelves left and right. We’ve always had 1,000- and 2,000-milligram strengths since we opened, but the 4,000 milligrams is amazing.”
Debra also recommends Neuro, a water-soluble CBD, for pain management. While the store’s original daily oil tincture takes time to work, based on your metabolism and weight, the as-needed, water-soluble Neuro CBD effects are felt more quickly.
“You take the dropper of Neuro and put it in a Dixie cup size of water and drink it,” she says. “It goes into your body within 10 minutes, comes in 900-, 1,800-, 2700- and 5400-mg strengths, and is
For pet parents, beyond their regular CBD pet treats, chews and tinctures for health and anxiety, Debra recommends another new product — Broad Spectrum Allergy Aid CBD Pet Chews, which have only been in the store for about a month, to help with “hot spots” and seasonal skin allergies.
Debra and David are proud of their store’s Google reviews, which average a 4.9 stars out of 5, based on 170 reviews. “If you look at our reviews,” Debra says, “you’ll see people love the products and that they’re changing lives.”
Your CBD Store of New Tampa (19651 BBD Blvd. Suite B-1) is open Mon.-Sat., 10 a.m.-6 p.m., and 1 p.m.– 5 p.m. on Sun. Ages 55 or older can save 20% off their purchases. The store also has a bonus system whereby customers accrue points for discounts and free products. Free local delivery/free shipping are available for orders of $100+. For more info, call (813) 9940599 or visit GetSunMed.com.
Dr. Brian Wilson of Tampa Palms Psychology is happy to offer consultations inside his office in the Tampa Palms
Your CBD Store of New Tampa in the Pebble Creek Collection now carries full-spectrum water soluble Neuro by SunMed pain management tinctures & gummies.
original Medicare and will provide a receipt to anyone who needs to submit an out-of-network receipt to their insurance company. He says some insurance companies, but not all, will cover about 50 percent of the cost of treatment.
Fellow professional therapist Dr. Brian Doane of Tampa Bay Counseling Services is quick to say that he thinks very highly of Dr. Wilson and doesn’t hesitate to recommend him, for example, if he has a patient whose spouse needs counseling, too.
“If I’m working with someone and they say, ‘My spouse is looking for a therapist,’ he’s the first person I send them to,” Dr. Doane says, noting that it’s an important referral, since Dr. Doane will continue working with that person’s
getting good help.
“Dr. Wilson is super compassionate, very ethical, and all the things that you want in a therapist,” Dr. Doane says. “He also has a really nice balance between being very kind and compassionate, while being assertively direct. He also knows the timing of when to be direct, providing honest feedback at a time when the person is able to receive it.”
Tampa Palms Psychology is located at 5331 Primrose Lake Cir., Suite 245, in the Tampa Palms Professional Center. For appointments with Dr. Brian Wilson and more information about the practice, call (813) 4919343, visit TampaPalmsPsychology.com, or see the ad on page 27.
Home Gadgets At The Shops At Wiregrass For Unique & Useful Home Products!
By Iris Vitelli
Neighborhood News Correspondent
With the holiday season just around the corner, where can you find the perfect gift for someone who loves to cook? Go check out the new Home Gadgets store, located next to Talbots in The Shops at Wiregrass, which offers a variety of cool and unique items for your home.
In 2004, Rajiv Badal’s parents, Radjes and Vidia Badal, opened a store in Ocala which origi nally sold “As Seen on TV” products. Over time, the store began to grow and the Badals added an array of household items, with a special focus on kitchen gadgets. That store became a well-loved and successful business that continues to thrive today and is still run by Rajiv’s parents. Although they stay busy with their own store, Radjes and Vidia now visit Rajiv’s Wiregrass location a few times a week to lend a hand and bring in new merchandise.
Rajiv has fond memories of growing up in Ocala, where he worked alongside his parents and learned the ins and outs of running a business. He wasn’t just a helper; he was soaking up every bit of knowledge about everything from inventory to customer service. While pursuing his own career as an optometrist — he met his wife, Esha Gandhi, who also is an optometrist, at the Nova Southeastern University School of Optometry — Rajiv says he never lost his passion for the family business.
After getting married, Rajiv and Esha moved to the Tampa area to be closer to her family. The move was exciting, but to Rajiv, it also felt like leaving behind a piece of his family’s legacy. Even though he loves his job as an optometrist, Rajiv
“I really enjoy working at the store,” says Rajiv. “Sometimes, I come straight from work in my scrubs and help out.”
It’s clear that Home Gadgets is a family affair, with Rajiv’s cousin, Ayush Gandhi, serving as the main person working there. Ayush ensures that every customer gets the personal touch that has made their store in Ocala so successful.
Bath & Beyond or even Amazon? According to Rajiv, it’s the combination of both common and unique items, all in one place.
“You don’t have to wait for deliveries here,” he says. “We have a lot of things that you might not find in bigger stores.” This blend of convenience and new discoveries makes Home Gadgets stand out.
Rajiv shared a story about a customer who was excited to find a whisk he’d been searching for
useful, reaching into the sharp corners of a pot where rounded whisks won’t quite fit.
“A large percentage of the items we carry are made in the U.S., with some coming from Florida,” including Counter Art placemats, which are made in Ocala and Radjes says he has been stocking them at his Ocala store for 20 years.
Rajiv is particularly proud of the store’s relationship with companies that support smaller, family-run businesses like his.
(L.-r.) Radjes Badal, Rajiv Badal and Ayush Gandhi invite you to check out all of the unique kitchen and home items at the new Home Gadgets store on
pans,” he explains. “These pans are dura ble, thick, and beautifully made.
Among Home Gadgets’ top-selling items are beautiful wood charcuterie/cut ting boards shaped like different states. Other interesting items include copper tumblers, Microplane graters and Tervis stainless steel tumblers featuring popular sports team emblems. The store also stocks Corkcicle bottles and cigar glasses, which are rocks glasses with an indenta tion that allows cigar smokers to hold their glass and cigar with the same hand.
“We’re always adding new things,” Rajiv says. “I have a bunch of items in the back that we haven’t even put out on display yet.” So, every time you visit Home Gadgets, you might find something new and interesting.
In today’s world, where more people are looking for healthier cooking options, Rajiv is happy to offer items like cast iron pots and pans made in Tennessee by Lodge. Lodge can be found in other stores, but what makes Home Gadgets stand out is that the store doesn’t just stock one or two sizes — it features a wide variety of Lodge cookware, including a pizza pan and even a cast iron wok.
Speaking of cast iron, Rajiv says that carbon steel pans are similar to cast iron but weigh a lot less. For people who love the benefits of cast iron but prefer something lighter, carbon steel is a fantastic alternative.
“You have to treat it the same way as you treat cast iron after cooking, but it’s much easier to handle,” he explains. The carbon steel pans have wood handles that you can remove when you put the pan in the oven to treat. “Curing a cast iron pan or carbon steel,” he says, “has to be done in the oven or on the stovetop but it has to be a flame not electric.”
Home Gadgets also has an online store,
the range of products the store offers takes time, and Rajiv says, “We have way more products in the store than we show on the website.”
When you spend at least $75 online, your shipping is free. Or, if you prefer, you can order online and pick up your items at the store without paying any extra fees. This option makes it convenient for locals to shop online while avoiding shipping costs.
To encourage customers to visit the store, Home Gadgets is offering a special promotion. Simply bring the store add on pg. 36 with you, and you’ll receive a free kitchen utensil with any purchase (one utensil per customer or family and the offer expires December 31.)
Home Gadgets is located at 28250 Paseo Dr., Unit 180, in The Shops at Wiregrass. It is open Monday-Thursday, 10 a.m.–8 p.m.; 10 a.m.–9 p.m. on Friday and Saturday; and 11 a.m.–6 p.m. on Sunday. For more information, call (813) 388-9422, visit BuyHomeGadgets. com, @buyhomegadgets on Instagram, search “HomeGadgetsStore” on Facebook. or see the ad on page 36 of this issue.
Family-Owned Wesley Chapel Title Will Go Above & Beyond For Your Closing!
By Celeste McLaughlin Neighborhood News Correspondent
When Stacey Arey, the owner of Wesley Chapel Title in the Canterbury Professional Park on S.R. 54, walks into the office, she’s surrounded by not just a group of co-workers who feel like family, but also her actual family.
Her husband, Zak, is a closer. Her son Dil lon is working towards becoming a licensed title agent. Her daughter-in-law and Dillon’s wife, Jes sica, is a processor. Her son Jaden is newer to the business but also is a licensed title agent.
Then there are “the two Michelles,” Michelle Warden and Michelle Peterson. Both are licensed ti tle agents and closers, as well as escrow officers, who have been in the industry for more than 20 years.
“I feel blessed that I have incredible people who work for me,” Stacey says. “This business is complicated and there are a lot of bases to cover, so you have to have people who are excellent, detail oriented, focused on customer service and do a great job.”
Stacey says that’s what sets her business apart from her competition. Not only does everyone on her team handle each file meticulously, they also provide excellent service. Customers can expect that all of their questions will be answered and they will be kept in the loop along the way, as they go from signing a contract to the day of closing.
Company, which Stacey says is the best in the industry. It gives her access to professionals who have helped her learn the details of the business since she first established the company four years ago and continues to provide ongoing support.
Whether you are buying or selling a home, a title company ensures there are no issues that would impede the transfer of the home from one person to the other. It provides an insurance policy to make sure you have a clean and clear title that protects your investment for as long as you own your property.
She says there are 150 things that have to be done to close a single file, which is why some title companies are overwhelmed and don’t have time to communicate well with their customers, but Stacey and her team make it a priority.
“Most people don’t understand how this process works,” Stacey says. “I spend a lot of time educating people. I’m always happy to
ing of the property and signing of documents to complete the sale.
Wesley Chapel Title can send a Notary Public to close anywhere someone might be, whether that’s on a business trip in a foreign country or a coffee shop that’s convenient to their work.
“People really take advantage of closing at McDonald’s or Starbucks, but I like to roll out the red carpet when they come into the office,” she says.
For many people, this is the largest purchase they will ever make in their lifetimes.
“They’re excited, so we don’t rush them in and out,” Stacey says. “We have photo op-
with cookies.”
Helping Realtors® & Their Clients
Realtor® Lisa Albino-Contreras has worked with Stacey and her team since Wesley Chapel Title first opened four years ago. As the managing Broker at Realty One Group Epic in San Antonio, she works with many title companies, but she says if she had her way, all of her clients would close at Wesley Chapel Title.
“Stacey and her team are always accessible,” Lisa explains. “She goes above and beyond to facilitate anything that is in her control. If I need
an answer, she’ll find it and get right back to me.”
Lisa says Wesley Chapel Title also is the only agency that gives a gift to her clients when they close. “I think that speaks volumes,” says Lisa. “She comes in and offers her congratulations with a gift. To some it may not mean much, but I think that level of care makes my clients feel great and adds to their special day.”
Stacey says she works hard to make sure Lisa and other real estate agents want to work with her, from always providing her signature excellent customer service to offering them perks that come from her affiliation with First American Title.
For example, Wesley Chapel Title offers real estate agents a platform where they can create a “Net Sheet” for their clients right from their mobile device, showing a potential seller the bottom line of what they will make on the sale of their home.
Agents who are registered with her also can use a “Print Pro” program that allows them to print out anything they need, including paperwork, fliers, folders, or business cards at extremely low prices, such as documents for five cents each. Printed items are then delivered to the agent. In addition, both agents and clients benefit from the secure platform used by Wesley Chapel Title called Qualia, which provides a single portal where every document from a transaction is
stored, which helps to reduce the risk of fraud.
“People hack into emails and change wire instructions,” Stacey explains, which would cause money to go into a thief’s account instead of the seller’s. “It happens quite frequently, so we have another safeguard.”
Qualia also streamlines the process so that all parties have access to the documents they need in one place, so nothing is lost in an email chain and no one has to scramble to figure out where to find important information.
“With every transaction, we work with a buyer, seller, lender, mortgage broker, listing agent, buying agent, and all of these many points of contact,” Stacey explains. “They can all see the documents they need access to from their dashboards.”
Stacey, her family, and staff are committed to ensuring they have the tools in place and provide the education needed so that everyone who closes with them will have a good experience.
“Closings are always smooth,” says Lisa. “Stacey is always available, she’s a pleasant person to deal with and very knowledgeable.”
Wesley Chapel Title is located at 5857 Algerian Dr., Suite 101. It’s open MondayFriday, 8 a.m.-5 p.m. and by appointment on weekends. For more information, visit WesleyChapel-Title.com, call (813) 993-5222, or see the ad on page 39.
Although our annual Reader Dining Survey & Contest still collected nearly 600 votes (mostly) from our readers in New Tampa and Wesley Chapel, that number was still less than half of last year’s total, which of course, did not make me happy.
Once again, I believe that the survey itself included too many categories for many of you, and unfortunately, some of the categories I chose to include fell flat and there were others I wish I had included — like “Favorite Food Truck,” “Favorite Sandwich Place” and even “Favorite Bar,” even though there are so few nofood bars in both of our areas.
Because I did not include all of the chain restaurants in our area in the lists of eateries in this year’s survey, many more of the local mom&-pop places did a lot better (as I hoped) this year than they had in years past, even though favorites like Stonewood Grill & Tavern (see pgs. 1, 29 & 30), Cooper’s Hawk Winery & Restaurant (pg. 29), first-time “Favorite Breakfast”
for “Favorite Restaurant in WC,” and Liang’s Bistro Asian Cuisine as “Favorite Chinese Restaurant in NT & WC,” many of the voting results were the tightest in recent memory. For all of this year’s results, see pgs. 29-27. And now, for the moment you’ve been waiting for — the random drawings for this year’s Reader Contest prizes. This year’s $200 gift card Grand Prize winner is John Sobczak of Cross Creek! Our other FREE gift card winners appear in the yellow box above.
If you see your name listed above, please either mail us at ads@ntneighborhoodnews. com or call (813) 910-2575 and leave us a message to tell us which restaurant you want I will confirm that I received your request the same way you make it and arrange to meet you to give you your prize in person. Due to previous winners claiming they never received their prizes in the mail, I will no
2024 Dining Survey & Contest - New Tampa Top-25 2024 Dining
There isn’t much more we can say about Stonewood Grill & Tavern that hasn’t already been said each of the past eight years as our readers’ Favorite Restaurant in New Tampa, so we won’t even bother. Suffice it to say that Stonewood’s combination of quality food, an elegant setting, outstanding service, New Tampa’s most hopping upscale bar crowd and fair prices continue to keep it at the top of your list.
This year’s second-Favorite Restaurant in New Tampa (and Favorite Latin Restaurant in New Tampa & Wesley Chapel) was at least a little bit of a surprise, NOT because Las Palmas Latin Grill isn’t a great mom-&-pop restaurant,
1.Stonewood Grill & Tavern
2.Las Palmas Latin Grill
but because owners Ramses and Ana Garcia were still operating out of a food truck, rather than their brick-&-mortar location, when last year’s survey was conducted. For Las Palmas to nudge past last year’s second place finisher, Via Italia, after not making the 2023 top-25 was very impressive.
Overall, seven of your 2023 top-10 Favorite Restaurants in New Tampa still made this year’s Top-10 (some moved up, others down), but Las Palmas, EggTown and the reopened Kobé moved into the top-10 while Fresh Kitchen, Olive Garden & Minerva (which still won for Favorite Indian Restaurant) dropped out. — GN
3.Via Italia Wood Fired Pizza & Bar
4.Liang’s Bistro Asian Cuisine
5.Fat Rabbit Pub
6.The Grill at Morris Bridge
7.Mr. Dunderbak’s
8.Cali Tampa Palms
9.EggTown Breakfast & Lunch
10.Kobé Japanese Steakhouse
11.Sushi Café
12.Johnny C’s Italian Eatery
13.Hungry Crab Juicy Seafood
14.Fresh Kitchen
15.Lima Peruvian Cuisine
16.Cappy’s Pizzeria
17.Frammi American Grille & Italian Food
18. Thai Lanna
19.Thai Ruby
20.Minerva Indian Restaurant
21.Taste of NY Pizza
22.Burger 21
23.Acropolis Greek Taverna
24.Don Julio’s Mexican Restaurant
25.(tie) Gorkhali Kitchen & Peabody’s
Survey & Contest - Wesley
Meanwhile, in Wesley Chapel, where chain eateries continue to dominate the landscape, as well as our voting (despite my best efforts to get our readers to vote for non-chains).
But, while Cooper’s Hawk Winery & Restaurant did mistakenly appear on the ballots for the first issue of the voting, it was so dominant in the voting after it came off the ballots that it would still have been #1 Favorite Restaurant in Wesley Chapel without that one-issue advantage. Anyone who has been to the place on a Tuesday or Wednesday night, when it is still on a wait throughout its dinner hours, can understand how Cooper’s
Hawk took home this year’s top prize in WC in its first year of eligibility.
Azteca D’Oro and Grillsmith repeated as our readers’ #2 and #3 Favorites in WC, while last year’s first-place finisher, Noble Crust, dropped to #4 this year. New to this year’s top10 were Vallarta’s at #5 (up from #12), Mac’s Custom Meats & Deli at #7, Florida Ave. at #8 (up from #16) and Chuck Lager at #9. Dropping out of this year’s top-10 were Zukku-San (down from #5 to #11), Bubba’s 33 (down from #10 to #19), Bonefish, BJ’s Brewhouse and Bahama Breeze (down from #8 to #17). The last four are all chains that weren’t on the ballots. — GN
1.Cooper’s Hawk Winery & Restaurant
2.Azteca D’Oro
3.Grillsmith
4.Noble Crust
5.Vallarta’s Mexican Restaurant
6.The Living Room
7.Mac’s Custom Meats & Deli
8.Florida Ave. Brewing Co.
9.Chuck Lager America’s Tavern
10.Ford’s Garage
11.Zukku-San Sushi & Grill
12.Falabella Family Bistro
13.PizzaMania
14.Señor Tequila
15.Glory Days Grill
16.Umu Japanese & Thai
17.Bahama Breeze
18. Yamato Japanese Restaurant
19.Bubba’s 33
20.EggTown
21.Amici Pizza & Café
22.The Hungry Greek
23.First Watch
24.Arroy Thai
25.Crazy Sushi
2024 Dining Survey & Contest — Our Readers’ #1 & #2 Favorite Restaurants In New Tampa!
1.Stonewood Grill & Tavern
17050 Palm Pointe Dr., Pointe at Tampa Palms (813)978-0388 • StonewoodGrill.com
So, even though it is part of a mini-chain with fewer than ten units, no one should be surprised that Stonewood Grill & Tavern — which was the first upscale restaurant to open in New Tampa and has always been at or near the top of our Reader Survey rankings ever since — took home top honors again this year.
With new menu items like peach bourbon-glazed pork chops (top) and the huge tuna poké stack appetizer (bottom) always being added to the chain’s menu by Tampa Palms executive chef Danny Manzur, and the most New Tampa of all bar scenes in zip code 33647, it’s not difficult to understand how Stonewood keeps itself at the top of our reader rankings (and at least near the top of mine) every year. Kudos to Manzur and operating partner Dennis Diaz and their staff for never skimping on quality.
Planning A Holiday Or Other Party?
2.Las Palmas Latin Grill
6431 E. County Line Rd. (813)991-5500 • LasPalmasLatinGrill.com
When owner and chef Ramses Garcia told me last year that he sold his Las Palmas food truck and was getting ready to reopen in the same space his brick-&-mortar Las Palmas Latin Grill had been in before (after closing for about a year because of a kitchen fire), I knew he was going to be successful, but I had no idea that he would be able to go from not making the top-25 in the 2023 Reader Dining Survey to #2 Favorite Restaurant in New Tampa in such a short period of time.
Of course, adding beer and wine had to help, but adding new dishes — like his delicious fried whole snapper (top photo) to go with his awardwinning Tampa- and Miami -style Cuban sandwiches (bottom photo) likely helped even more.
No matter what menu items you love at Las Palmas, it’s clear that
Ramses and his wife Ana have provided the restaurant comeback story of the year for not just our readers, but for yours truly as well.
2024 Dining Survey & Contest — Our Readers’ #3-#6 Favorite Restaurants In New Tampa!
3.Via Italia Wood Fired Pizza & Bar
8644 Hunter’s Village Rd., Village at Hunter’s Lake (813)475-4857 • EatViaItalia.com
Finishing closely behind Las Palmas for #2 this year was last year’s #2 finisher, Via Italia. I don’t believe that the drop of one spot from last year has anything to do with former owner Roberto Maganuco selling the restaurant to new owner Sonny Patel, as the restaurant still serves the same delicious Italian fare (like the tagliatelle Bolognese shown here). I just think Via Italia fell victim to a new wave of support for Las Palmas.
5.Fat Rabbit Pub
16029 Tampa Palms Blvd. W., City Plaza at Tampa Palms (813)252-3004 • FatRabbitPub.com
There’s no doubt that the Fat Rabbit Pub has been a model of consistency since it opened to rave reviews several years ago and this year is no exception.
Fat Rabbit has repeated as our readers’ #5 Favorite Restaurant in New Tampa, thanks to still serving its more upscale pub items (like its new fattened shrimp appetizer and a variety of new rice bowls, including the Fish Taco bowl with Mojo mahi-mahi), as well as some of the best wings (photo) in our distribution areas .
4.Liang’s Bistro Asian Cuisine
17515 Bruce B. Downs Blvd. (813)978-1225 • LiangsBistroTampa.com
Jumping up from #6 last year to the fourth spot this year is Liang’s Bistro, which also continues to dominate the “Favorite Chinese Restaurant in New Tampa & Wesley Chapel” vote (see pg. 35), as it has every year since it opened.
As I have often said, while not all of Liang’s dishes can be called “New York-style” (although its crispy egg rolls, right, are very NY-ish), there’s no doubt that it has been our area’s only quality sit-down Chinese place.
6.The Grill at Morris Bridge
10920 Cross Creek Blvd., Cross Creek Commons (813)388-5353 • TheGrillatMorrisBridge.com; or see the ad on pg. 31
Although it dropped from #2 Favorite Restaurant in New Tampa two years ago to #3 last year and #6 this year, there’s no doubt that a large number of our readers love owner Frank Gouveia’s Grill at Morris Bridge, as it finished only a few votes behind the #3-#5 favorites on this page, all of which were significantly ahead of #s 7-#10.
Plus, with the recent addition of new bar menu items (like this chili cheese dog), The Grill isn’t just for “date night” anymore. It’s also a great place to watch a game, too.
7. Mr. Dunderbak’s
14929 Bruce B. Downs Blvd., Oak Ramble Plaza (813) 977-4104 • DunderbaksBeer.wordpress.com
After returning to the top-10 (#8) in New Tampa last year, following a mysterious one-year absence from our readers’ top-25, Mr. Dunderbak’s and its German (and American) cuisine continues to be not only a popular place to have a beer, but also everything from corned beef Reuben sandwiches (photo) to jagerschnitzel, as it rose to #7 this year. In short, Mr. Dunderbak’s is still Tampa’s “German Bierhalle, Braueri, Marketplatz und Restaurant.”
9. EggTown
17507 Preserve Walk Ln. (New Tampa) & 27607 S.R. 56 (Wesley Chapel) (813) 533-7221 (NT) & (813) 994-9666 (WC) • EggTown.com
Jumping up eight spaces from #17 last year is this year’s #9 Favorite restaurant in New Tampa, EggTown.
Despite losing out to Keke’s in this year’s “Favorite Breakfast Place” voting (see pg. 37), this growing (now up to five units) mini-chain (with locations in New Tampa and Wesley Chapel) is a great place for delicious breakfast items (like the egg, chicken & waffles shown here) but also delicious lunch/brunch specialties like chicken salad croissants, burgers and grilled chicken sandwiches. It has super-fair prices, too!
8. Cali Tampa Palms
17004 Palm Pointe Dr., Shoppes at The Pointe (813) 975-1222 • EatCali.com
Although New Tampa’s original “bowl culture” eatery has risen and fallen a few spots year over year, Cali Tampa Palms continues to be one of our readers’ Favorite restaurants in New Tampa. Known not only for its tasty bowls (like the “Lean & Clean” shown here), but also for delicious wrap sandwiches, salads and oven-baked pizza — all with quality ingredients, Cali is likely to remain a consistent favorite for years to come.
10. Kobé Japanese Steakhouse
17641 Bruce B. Downs Blvd. (813) 680-5800 • KobeSteakhouse.com
You can’t really call Kobé Japanese Steakhouse a “newcomer” to our area because it had a New Tampa location for several years before shutting down to relocate a few miles south on Bruce B. Downs Blvd., but it is the first time in a couple of years Kobé has been open and our readers obviously are still taken with what is now New Tampa’s only place for “dinner-&-a-show” teppanyaki-table Japanese fare. Our readers obviously appreciate that Kobé — now with eleven locations throughout central Florida, — has returned with the same quality it had before.
Your Favorite American Restaurants In New Tampa
This is one category I probably will do away with next year, as most people who voted for an American restaurant as their #1 Favorite in New Tampa, put the same place as their “Favorite American,” too, as Stonewood, Fat Rabbit, Cali, Grill at Morris Bridge and EggTown — all of which were top-10 Favorites in NT, also made the top-6 here. Redundant or not, congrats to all of the winners shown below.
1. Stonewood Grill & Tavern (photo)
2.Fat Rabbit Pub
3.Mr. Dunderbak’s
4.Cali Tampa Palms
5.The Grill at Morris Bridge
6.EggTown
7.Burger 21
8.Fresh Kitchen
9.Hungry Crab
10.Bayscape Bistro
Favorite Pizza Places In New Tampa
This was fun this year. Instead of grouping all of the pizza places in both of our distribution areas in one category, we gave the pizza places in NT and those in WC their own separate categories this year. And boy, was the voting close. Via Italia was the clear winner, but #s 2-6 below were all separated by just a few votes each.
1. Via Italia (photo)
2.Cappy’s Pizzeria
3.Taste of New York Pizza
4.Westshore Pizza
5.Johnny C’s Italian Eatery
6.Capri Pizza-N-More
WEDNESDAY
THURSDAY
2024 Dining Survey & Contest — Your Favorite Mexican & Latin (Not Mexican) Food In New Tampa & Wesley Chapel
Your Favorite Mexican Restaurants In New Tampa & Wesley Chapel
This was another close category, as Azteca D’Oro, Vallarta’s, Señor Tequila and Don Julio’s were all separated by only a few votes each and all seven places were named on enough ballots to be included on this list.
1. Azteca D’Oro (photo)
2.Vallarta’s
3. Señor Tequila
4.Don Julio’s
5.Cantina
6. Taco Son
7. Taco Bus
Your Favorite Latin (Not Mexican) Restaurants In New Tampa & Wesley Chapel
The top-5 in this category were the same top-5 as last year, just in different order, as last year’s #4 — Las Palmas — jumped to #1, last year’s #1 (Rice N Beans) dropped to #3 and Latin Twist dropped from #3 to #4. Only Lima at #2 and Mojo Grill at #5 stayed the same. Don Pan and Arepa Mia both also received enough votes to be included on this list.
1. Las Palmas Latin Grill (photo)
2.Lima Peruvia Cuisine
3.Rice N Beans Puerto Rico
4.Latin Twist Café
5.Mojo Grill
6.Don Pan International Bakery
7.Arepa Mia
2024 Dining Survey & Contest —
Favorite Chinese & Japanese/Sushi Restaurants In New Tampa & Wesley Chapel
Your Favorite Chinese Restaurants In New Tampa & Wesley Chapel
Although NT and WC both have a large number of Chinese takeout places, there’s no doubt that only Liang’s Bistro, of the restaurants on this list, is true sit-down restaurant serving Chinese cuisine and it again dominated its competition. Maybe Rice Bistro can crack the top-5 next year.
1. Liang’s Bistro (photo)
2.China Wok
3.Asian Buffet
4.Hot Wok 88
5.Gonna China
Your Favorite Japanese/Sushi Restaurants In New Tampa & Wesley Chapel
This was absolutely the closest of all of this year’s categories, as Zukku-San beat Kobé by two votes, Kobé beat Umu by two, Umu beat Yamato by 5 and Sushi Café was seven votes behind Yamato. And, even though there were other Japanese restaurants that received votes — most notably Bonsai Sushi, Sushi Raw and Sushi Ave., none received enough votes to be included here.
1. Zukku-San Sushi Bar & Grill (photo)
2.Kobé Japanese Steakhouse
3.Umu Japanese & Thai
4.Yamato Japanese Restaurant
5.Sushi Café
Favorite Thai
&
Korean Restaurants In New Tampa & Wesley Chapel
Although not as close overall as the Favorite Japanese category, this probably was the second closest, although the top three were separated by only eight votes total — and Thai Lanna was only another eight votes behind Palm Thai and Ha Long Bay only another six votes behind Thai Lanna. bb.q chicken was the only Lotte Plaza Market eatery to make a list.
1. Arroy
Your Favorite Greek & Mediterranean Restaurants In New Tampa & Wesley Chapel
Considering how many Greek and Mediterranean places we now have in our distribution areas, I thought more of them would at least qualify for inclusion on this list. Even so, Hungry Greek again dominated the competition, especially (but not only) with WC voters, while Acropolis was a lot closer in NT. The other three all trailed by quite a bit.
1. Hungry Greek (photo)
2.Acropolis Greek Taverna
3.Little Greek
4.Cafe Zorba
5.Fire Up Halal Grill
Your Favorite Indian Restaurants In New Tampa & Wesley Chapel
This was perhaps the most surprising of all the categories to me — not because Minerva topped this first-ever all-Indian list, but because Saffron (which closed before most of the voting) finished a strong second. Gorkhali was a close third, despite not being a “true” Indian place and Persis and Indian Street Kitchen both far outdistanced Nawabi, Namaste & Dosa Hut.
1. Minerva (photo)
2.Saffron (Out of Business)
3.Gorkhali Kitchen (Nepalese)
4.Persis Indian Grill
5.Indian Street Kitchen
Your Favorite Breakfast Places In New Tampa & Wesley Chapel
With Keke’s moving up to #1 from #4 last year, EggTown jumping up to #2 from #3 and Happy Hangar moving up to #4 from #5, the big surprise here was the disappearance of First Watch from the top 5. In fact, First Watch didn’t receive enough votes to even be listed behind Brooklyn Water Bagel and Zio’s, both of which made the list for the first time.
1. Keke’s Breakfast Café (photo)
2.EggTown Breakfast & Lunch
3.Brunchies
4.Happy Hangar Café
5.Brooklyn Water Bagel Co.
6.Zio’s NY Bagel & Deli
Your Favorite Ice Cream, Gelato & Frozen Yogurt Places In New Tampa & Wesley Chapel
This category also was sa surprise, as Ice Dreammm Shop has been the favorite with when we’ve had this category before, but Twistee Treat — with locations in both distribution areas, was absolutely dominant. Le Macaron’s gelato was a distant third, while Hello Sweetness, Ice SSScreamin’ and Cold Stone trailed the top-3.
1. Twistee Treat (photo)
2.Ice Dreammm Shop
3.Le Macaron
4.Hello Sweetness
5.Ice SSScreamin’
6.Cold Stone Creamery
Your Favorite Bakeries In New Tampa & Wesley Chapel
Nothing Bundt Cakes (see pg. 39) was this year’s clear #1 and Brooklyn Water Bagel an equally clear #2, but Bakery X wasn’t too far behind and those three all finished well ahead of Ice Dreammm Shop (see story on pg. 44) and Le Macaron, which had its strongest-ever showing in two categories. Urban Sweets (also see pg. 44)and The Cake Shop were next, but neither received enough votes to be included here.
1. Nothing Bundt Cakes (photo)
2.Brooklyn Water Bagel Co.
3.Bakery X
4.Ice Dreammm Shop
5.Le Macaron
Your Favorite Coffee Places In New Tampa & Wesley Chapel
All five places on the list below were well ahead of Sorbo and Starbucks, neither of which received enough support to make the list. The Bean Bar, however, was this year’s clear winner, with Provisions a distant second. Macondo and Bad Ass were neck & neck for the third spot and Raining Berries was quite a bit behind those two.
1. The Bean Bar Co. (photo)
2.Provisions
3.Macondo Coffee Roasters
4.Bad Ass Coffee
5.Raining Berries
Potbelly Sandwich Works Opens In The Walk At Highwoods Preserve!
Even though the New Tampa area already had any number of sandwich shops, there’s no doubt that the opening of the new Potbelly Sandwich Works in The Walk at Highwoods Preserve plaza on Bruce B. Downs (BBD) Blvd. has been hotly anticipated.
Potbelly’s opened Oct. 28 at 18001 Highwoods Preserve Pkwy., in the former location of Oronzo Honest Italian, and has been greeting large numbers of new guests every day since then.
And, while Potbelly’s — which started in Chicago in 1977 and today is a publicly-traded company with more than 400 U.S. locations — is known primarily for its toasted sub sandwiches, the menu also features a variety of soups, plus chili, mac & cheese, salads, baked-in-house fresh cookies and hand-scooped, hand-spun milk shakes.
We only visited the new Potbelly’s the day it opened, but Charmaine, her boyfriend Brendan and I each enjoyed a different sandwich and extras.
Brendan gave thumbs up to the “Smokestack Pork & Mac” sandwich, with BBQ pulled pork and mac & cheese with chips and one of Potbelly’s new craft “Refresher” drinks. Charmaine enjoyed the “Mediterranean” sandwich, which featured all-natural grilled chicken, feta cheese, artichoke hearts, roasted red peppers, cucumbers and signature hot pepper hummus and a fresh oatmeal chocolate chip cookie, and I was impressed with the amount of meat on my “A Wreck®” signature sandwich, which features turkey breast, hickory smoked ham, Angus roast beef, salami (which gave it a unique zing) and Swiss with a side of mac & cheese. I also savored my thick chocolate shake.
soup is the chicken pot pie, although broccoli & cheddar, chili, loaded baked potato & garden vegetable also are pop ular. The salads — including the Farmhouse (with grilled chicken, bacon, blue cheese & hard-boiled egg) Apple Walnut and Powerhouse Salad (with avocado & hummus) — looked pretty tasty, too. And, even though it only opens at 10 a.m., there also are great deals on soup & sandwich, soup & salad and sandwich &
So, visit Potbelly.com to order online or call (813) — GN
When I lived in Manhattan, New York, in the 1980s, my apartment was a couple of blocks from the original TGI Fridays on 1st Ave. Not only was it the location where Tom Cruise and Bryan Brown served drinks in the movie “Cocktail,” it also was a truly great non-chain restaurant.
Then, when I moved to Tarrytown, NY, one of the first TGI Fridays franchises opened and I was disgusted by the “chain-ing” of this fabled eatery. My favorite potato skins on earth went from giant, crispy spuds filled with real cheddar cheese and topped with crumbled hunks of real bacon to minipotatoes with low-quality American cheese and fake bacon bits. I swore to never visit a Fridays again.
But, when the Fridays on Bruce B. Downs Blvd. in Highwoods Preserve opened nearly two decades ago, I still visited fairly frequently, as it often had live music, a hoppin’ bar and the food seemed better than it was in Tarrytown, even though the potato skins were still less than overwhelming.
purge of 36 locations in January, leaving the chain with 164 remaining links and the parent company reportedly ready to file for Chapter 11 bankruptcy.
Hopefully, something good will replace Fridays in this prime BBD location, but can a mom-&-pop even afford to move in there?
The better news is that zip code 33647 is about to get its just desserts, as Nothing Bundt Cakes (NBC) will open a location about eight miles south of its popular location in The Shops at Wiregrass. Although NBC is limited to moist bundt cakes with amazing icing, it will still be a better choice in the former Subway location next to China City City Plaza at Tampa Palms shopping center.
The most interesting news is that Cookie Plug, which also is getting ready to open in The Grove at Wesley Chapel (next to the Ice Dreammm Shop), also is getting ready to open in the former Weight Watchers location about 11 miles to the south in The Walk at Highwoods Preserve plaza.
We had no further information as to when NBC or Cookie Plug were expected to open, but we
Fuzzy’s Taco Shop Cuts A Chamber Ribbon!
OK, so it’s been open for nearly 18 months and isn’t located in New Tampa or Wesley Chapel, but Fuzzy’s Taco Shop, located at 19729 S.R. 54 in Lutz, less than two miles west of U.S. Hwy. 41, hosted a North Tampa Bay Chamber ribbon-cutting event on Oct. 29.
“It took us a while to get together a date that was good for both us and the Chamber,” admits general manager Megan McEvoy (far left in photo below left). “so we were glad to finally get it done.”
The S.R 54 location is one of more than 150 Fuzzy’s Taco Shops in 17 states, but one of only six in Florida, with Lakeland being the next closest to our distribution areas.
And, even though we have any number of really good Mexican places in
New Tampa and Wesley Chapel (see pg. 34), I still think it’s worth a visit to this casual, Baja-style Mexican place, which has a full-liquor bar and a nice number of menu options for breakfast, lunch and dinner.
Did I just say “Breakfast?” Why yes, I did. I haven’t yet sampled any breakfast (which is served all day, whenever Fuzzy’s is open) options at Fuzzy’s, but they include bacon (or chorizo sausage or even shrimp), egg, cheese & potato tacos or burritos.
But, I already have enjoyed a number of the popularly-priced menu items off the lunch/dinner menu, including a zesty shredded brisket & cheese quesadilla, a grilled chicken burrito bowl (with lettuce, rice, beans, avocado and pico de gallo) with chipotle lime ranch dressing, and my surprise favorite item so far — a beer-battered cod taco in a soft corn tortilla. The cod was super-crispy outside, delicately flaky inside and topped with a lip-smackin’ garlic sauce, lettuce, tomatoes, shredded cheese and cilantro. I will definitely order two of these on my next visit.
My Modelo Especial (one of six beers on tap) was served ice cold and the bar has a nice variety of premium tequilas for marga ritas (or just sipping) plus lots of other top-shelf spirits. Fuzzy’s is a great place to watch games or just hang out. For more info, call (813) 706-4242 or visit Fuzzys TacoShop.com & please tell ‘em I sent you! — GN
WESLEY CHAPEL
Hangry Joe’s Hot Chicken & Wings is now open in Wesley Chapel! The new chicken-focused, quick-service restaurant has opened on the north side of Wesley Chapel Blvd. just west of I-75, in front of The Grove, next to Brooklyn Water Bagel (in the former location of King of the Coop).
This is the eighth Hangry Joe’s location in Florida. The Wesley Chapel restaurant’s Grand Opening was held on Oct. 19, following a “soft” opening a few days before. The husband-and-wife team of Nico and Jalahany Gutierrez was on hand for the Grand Opening, making sure everything was running smoothly in their new franchise, as the line outside their location began building sever al hours before the new Hangry Joe’s opened.
In fact, Zephyrhills resident Richard Coley, who was first on line, said he arrived “at about midnight” in order to be first. He even brought his own comfy chair with him!
ever seen in my life...and it’s delicious!”
Hangry Joe’s Hot Chicken Opens In The Former King Of The Coop Location On S.R.
prepared to the way it’s fried.
As to why Richard — who said this was his third attempt at being first on line for a Hangry Joe’s opening (he was first in Zephyrhills and third at Cocoa Beach, when he said a couple came to the soft opening the day before “and just never left”) — is so taken with Hangry Joe’s, he said, “It’s the biggest chicken sandwich I’ve
Richard was guaranteed one of the 25 top prizes given away to the first 100 people on line — one free “Sando” per week for a year (Jannah also got one of the 24 other randomly-distributed top prizes) — and as promised, the first 100 attendees all were served within the first hour of the new Hangry Joe’s opening.
Meanwhile, Nico, a Wesley Chapel resident for 14 years, wasn’t afraid to get behind the counter and help out both his customers and his staff. He wore a Hangry Joe’s branded polo, setting the example for his employees.
Nico also owns Code Ninjas, located in the New Tampa Center plaza at Bruce B. Downs (BBD) Blvd. at New Tampa Blvd./Cross Creek Blvd.
As to why someone who has a long professional background in software engineering got into the restaurant business, Nico said, “I worked in restaurants when I was younger and knew I would eventually get back to it.” He also said he got connected with the Hangry Joe’s brand when he was invited to a Founders Dinner back in February because he wanted to learn more about the franchise. From that first meeting to opening in October, things obviously moved pretty quickly.
When asked what really sets Hangry Joe’s apart from its competition, Nico explained that it’s the Korean touch — from the way the chicken is
According to the compa ny’s website, “Founders Derek Cha and Mike Kim [both from South Korea] are the dy namic duo behind the success of Hangry Joe’s Hot Chick en & Wings...,” and that, “Their meticulous approach to sourcing ingredients, like locally-raised chickens and Korean gochujang peppers, ensures that each dish is a per fect blend of heat, sweetness, and smoky goodness.” The company also prides itself on never freezing its chicken.
Unlike many fast food restaurants, the food that came out actually looked better than the pictures on the menu board! The “Sando,” their normal-size fried chicken sandwich, was plump and juicy, lightly fried, with the right amount of pickles and slaw, on a beautifully toasted bun.
The “medium” sauce had just the right amount of heat and flavor. For more extreme tastes, try the “Mega Sando” which is a huge halfpound chicken breast, and go all the way up on the heat scale to “Angry Hot,” but be aware that you’ll have to sign a waiver if you do!
In addition to sandwiches, wings and Kore an-style nuggets, Hangry Joe’s also offers chicken & waffles, waffle fries, mac & cheese, salads and wrap sandwiches, as well as tasty shakes.
The new Hangry Joe’s Hot Chicken & Wings is located at 27835 Wesley Chapel Blvd.,
Story & Photos by Joel Provenzano & Gary Nager
(Clockwise from top left) The Hangry Joe’s Hot Chicken & Wings “Mega Sando,” with cheese, waffle fries & Hangry Sauce; First-in-line Richard Coley celebrates the ribbon-cutting at the new Hangry Joe’s in Wesley Chapel, then enjoys his Mega-Sando; Try the crispy wings with soy garlic sauce & Reese’s shake; Owner Nico Gutierrez (at left behind the register) helped his employees deal with the crowd at the Grand Opening; The line stretched around the building by the time the new Hangry Joe’s opened. Rotisserie
When Angela Silva called our office a week or so before Hurricane Helene hit, the first thing that stood out to me was her New Yawk accent. That’s not always so important to me, but when that accent is telling you that she and her husband Hiram (photo) had just opened a “new caw-fee and New Yawk bagel place called Silva’s Coffee Grind” (on S.R. 54, in a tricked-out trailer in front of One-Stop Landscape Supply at 34100 S.R. 54), I was suddenly even more interested in what she had to say.
The week after Helene decimated the Gulf coast, Jannah and I went to sample what the Silvas had to offer.
And, we both came away impressed. The coffee is delicious (they get their espresso for their cappuccinos, lattes, macchiatos & espresso affogatos from Coffee Latitudes) and the bagels? Oy! Legit!
“We import them from New Yawk,’ Hiram says, “but I won’t tell you where from because I know you’re gonna write about it and I want us to be the only place that has them.”
I, of course, had my bacon, egg and Swiss cheese on a toasted everything, while Jannah opted to have her bacon, egg and cheddar on a toasted croissant. Both yum.
On our next visit, a few days before Hurricane Milton hit, Angela was hoping I would be writing about them in this issue of the paper and I promised I would tell 180,000 or so of my closest friends in New Tampa & Wesley Chapel a little about them.
We opted for a lunch sandwich this time —
ram says. And, who could argue with him?
Hiram, who does the on-site cooking, is all about giving the people outstanding breakfast and lunch items at a fair price and he is planning to expand the menu offerings in response to people’s requests. Silva’s Coffee Grind also features iced coffee, cold brew, iced lattes and frappes, hot and cold teas, including green tea matcha, flavored iced teas and lemonades, bursting boba tea drinks and even smoothies and sorbets — all from that one little trailer? Ya gotta try it, yo!
Silva’s Coffee Grind is open Mon.-Fri., 7:30
Former Beef O’Brady’s On BBD At S.R. 56 In Wesley Chapel Is Now Inchin’s Bamboo Garden
I don’t know how they did it so fast, but the former Beef O’Brady’s located at 1660 Bruce B. Downs (BBD) Blvd. in the Shoppes at New Tampa plaza in Wesley Chapel, has reopened (only about four months after Beef’s closed) as Inchin’s Bamboo Garden, a small (30 units in 13 U.S. states and Canada) chain of “IndoChinese Fusion” restaurants, with an existing Florida location in Orlando.
All I can tell you after two quick visits to my new friends Mohan and Suresh’s new restaurant is that it no longer looks anything like Beef’s (it’s actually quite elegant), has a beautiful
are the fried momo dumplings (I had them with chicken, photo bottom right; they’re also available in veggie and with paneer, or Indian cheese, and steamed); the “Toothpick lamb,” which is skewered chunks of lamb with mild rendang curry sauce, bite-size potato cubes, green onion, curry leaves and chili peppers) and my current favorite hakka noodles (thin eggless noodles, shredded vegetables, Napa cabbage and celery) with chicken (top right).
Other Indian dishes recommended by friends of mine who also happened to be visiting the new Inchin’s are the garlic naan bread and the “Chicken 65” (with curry leaf, bell peppers, onion, dry red chili & cumin).
restaurants in Wesley Chapel are takeout only, you also have to sample some
Chinese dishes.
(bottom left), sautéed with onions and served on a bed of crispy rice noodles. It also was served with a side of white rice but I definitely plan to try it with one of Inchin’s four different fried rice options — burnt garlic chili (which sounds amazing), spicy Thai basil, Szechwan-style and just “regular” fried rice. You can get any of these with veg gies, chicken, shrimp or “mixed” (with chicken, lamb and shrimp).
Other Chinese-style entrées include Manchurian, Szechwan, hot garlic, chili, extra-spicy Szechwan pep percorn and AK 47 (with ghost pepper sauce, descrioiouukjl ibed on the menu as “dangerously spicy”) dishes. I’ve also been told I need to try Inchin’s version of Chinese “Hot Pot,” which is described on the menu as “numbing.” Many of these entrées are available with vegetable “coins,” cauliflower, tofu, paneer, chicken, lamb, beef or shrimp.
rolls, the crispy chili baby corns
pieces of baby corn, deep fried with onion and green chili) and Mongolian beef
I’ve also yet to sample any of the soups or any other starters, so you can rest assured that Jannah and I will be visiting Inchin’s Bamboo Garden again in the future — and soon!
Inchin’s Bamboo Garden is open every day for lunch (11:30 a.m.-3 p.m.) & dinner (5:30 p.m.-11 p.m. daily, except Sun. until 10). It closes daily between 3 p.m.-5:30 p.m. For more info, call (813) 388-2818 or visit Bamboo-Gardens.com. Please tell Mo
are thinner and cost $2.99 apiece (and are in the bottom row in the left photo); “Premiums” (which are thicker cookies served with toppings; top two rows); “Signatures” (3rd row from the top), which are “extra large, extra gooey” and cost $4.99 apiece; and “Grab N Go,” which cost $3.49 apiece (and
Mo Cookies is going to develop a local follow ing, too. To order, call (813) 345-8059 or visit Order.Online or stop in & tell them I sent you!
Tous Les Jours Coming To S.R. 56!
Although New Tampa has now had its own Tous les Jours French-style Korean bakery inside Lotte Plaza Market on Bruce B. Downs Blvd. for a little more than a year, many people who live in Wesley Chapel are happy that Tous les Jours has announced (with signage on the doors; photo above) that it is taking over the space previously occupied by Capital Tacos on S.R. 56. Although we had no information at our press time as to when the new Tous les Jours was expected to open, the fact that this international brand, with more than 1,600 locations worldwide (and 130+ in the U.S.), will bring its unique and huge selection of breads, pastries, pies, coffee, tea and blended drinks to Wesley Chapel will surely be a welcome addition. For more info, visit tljus.com. — GN
Check Out The Hyatt Place’s Thanksgiving Buffet!
If you don’t feel like having to cook a big meal at home for Thanksgiving, why not check out the big Thanksgiving Buffet at the beautiful Hyatt Place Hotel Tampa/ Wesley Chapel (26000 Sierra Center Blvd., just west of I-75, Lutz), on day, November 28 (obviously), with three seatings — one at 10:30 a.m., one at noon and the last at 1:30 p.m.
The buffet menu will include most of your Turkey Day entrée favorites, including a not-so-traditional (but also extremely popular) fried turkey, as well as honey-glazed ham and tender, slow-roasted prime rib served with a savory au jus. Less traditional main course options include citrus-glazed salmon fillets and beef tips sautéed with por tobello mushrooms in a rich, savory sauce.
Starters include lobster & crab bisque and a butternut squash soup, Italian chopped salad, a “berry bliss” salad, as well as classic creamy potato salad and a “melody” of pasta salad.
Side dishes include creamy garlic mashed potatoes, Southern macaroni & cheese, sweet candied yams, wild rice pilaf, sweet & savory glazed carrots and green beans sautéed in lemon butter.
Save room for dessert, as there will be (of course) sweet potato pie, traditional apple pie and rich cream carrot cake.
The meal also will include live music at all three seatings and bottomless mimoin the per-person price, however).
The price for this sumptuous meal with no post-meal cleanup at your house? It’s just $75 per person, $30 for children under age 12 and children under age three eat for free. The prices do not include tax or gratuity and an 18% gratuity will be included for all parties of six or more. Reservations are definitely suggested, as the hotel believes that all three seatings are likely to sell out. To reserve your table, call (813) 803-5600. For more information, visit Hyatt.com/Wesley Chapel. — GN
HOME IMPROVEMENT
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CLEANING SERVICES
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