New Tampa 01-11

Steve Valdez, although it was originallydesigned to be widened to eight lanes,Segment A is currently listed as a six-lane project in the Hillsborough Coun-ty Metropolitan Planning Organization(MPO)’s Long Range TransportationPlan (LRTP). That’s because plannersfelt it was a good idea to make that seg-ment only six lanes in order to makesure there would be enough room toadd mass transit, presumably light rail,in the future. The six-lane proposalwith room for mass transit also was sup-ported by a majority of residents whoattended a pair of public hearings aboutthe project last spring.

However, that proposal was largelycontingent upon the passage of thecountywide Transportation Tax Refer-endum, which would have funded con-

struction of the light rail and allowed itto begin within a reasonable period oftime after the commencement of con-struction of the roadway itself, which isscheduled for 2012.

Since voters rejected the tax refer-endum last fall, however, it is notknown when money will be availablefor the construction of mass transit. So,the MPO staff is now recommendingthat the Segment A project move for-ward as planned, with eight lanes,although Valdez says that two of thoselanes, one in each direction, will be set

Porter talked about growing up in acabin on the land just a few yards awayfrom the site of the new hospital, andsaid that a plane had crashed there in1943. He said that the entire crew ofthe plane had died because there wereno doctors in the area at the time.

Porter also told of a ranch hand whohad been injured in an accident a fewyears later who had to be treated by aveterinarian. “Now, our family is proudto be a small part of helping this hospi-tal come to Wesley Chapel,” he said.

For Advertising Information Call 813-910-2575 • Volume 19, Issue 1 • January 4, 2011 • www.NTNeighborhoodNews.com 1

Volume 19Issue 1

January 4, 2011

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By Michael Smith

The once-sleepy hamlet of WesleyChapel took another step towardsbecoming a modern metropolitan arealast month with a groundbreaking cere-mony for the community’s first-ever fullservice hospital.

The December 14 groundbreak-ing, which took place at the site of theplanned 80-bed facility – 52 acres thatlie a half-mile north of S.R. 56 on theeast side of Bruce B. Downs Blvd.,within the Wiregrass Ranch Develop-ment of Regional Impact (DRI) – wasthe culmination of a collaborative effortbetween University Community Hospi-tal (UCH) and the Adventist HealthSystem (AHS).

The two healthcare companiesofficially merged under the AHS ban-ner earlier this year, but originally, theyeach had sought to build a hospital inthe area. They joined forces after thestate Agency for Healthcare Adminis-tration (AHCA) denied their individualCertificate of Need (CoN) applications

in 2006. The following year, the twocompanies announced that they wouldform a joint venture to build the newhospital, and their new CoN applicationwas subsequently approved by theAHCA over another application sub-mitted by the Baycare Health System,which had proposed building a teach-ing hospital in conjunction with theUniversity of South Florida’s College ofMedicine.

The new hospital was originallyproposed for a site across from the Sad-dlebrook Spa & Resort, but it was relo-cated to the Wiregrass site after resi-dents in the area of the first site voicedopposition to the plan.

All of the legal wrangling delayedthe start of construction on the hospitalfor several years, but really, it was amuch longer process than that, accord-ing to Don Porter, the patriarch of theranching family that originally settledthe 5,000-acre Wiregrass Ranch prop-erty before opening it up to develop-ment a few years ago. At the groundbreaking ceremony,

Wesley Chapel Medical Center Construction Is Under Way

County Officials Will Discuss BBD Widening At Public HearingSee “Hospital” on page 6.

Members of the Porter family, representatives of Adventist Health Systemand University Community Hospital were joined by Pasco County officials

at the groundbreaking for the future Wesley Chapel Medical Center.

By Michael Smith

The widening of the middle twosegments of Bruce B. Downs (BBD)Blvd., between Palm Springs Blvd. inTampa Palms and Pebble Creek Blvd.,although frustrating to drivers whohave to negotiate the delays, lanechanges and traffic cones, is going fairly

smoothly. However, HillsboroughCounty officials are planning a publichearing on Tuesday, January 4, toreceive further input from citizens onthe southernmnost segment of theproject, aka Segment A, which includesthe area from Bearss Ave. to PalmSprings Blvd.

According to county spokesman

See “Widening” on page 8.

2 For Advertising Information Call 813-910-2575 • Volume 19, Issue 1 • January 4, 2011 • www.NTNeighborhoodNews.com

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Although I’m actual-ly writing this just beforeChristmas, the likelihood

is that you probably didn’t receive thisissue in your mailbox before January 3or 4, 2011, since New Year’s Day wasSaturday, the day you normally receivethe Neighborhood News.

In other words, we can finally saygoodbye to another challenging year inNew Tampa and look ahead to what wehope will be a better 2011.

And, although New Tampa did dobetter as a whole in terms of theturnout for the November 2010 Gen-eral Election than we traditionally have,the fact is that the voter turnout in ourCity of Tampa communities (TampaPalms, Hunter’s Green, West Meadows,Richmond Place, Arbor Greene, CoryLake Isles, Grand Hampton/TheHammocks. Heritage Isles and EastonPark/ K-Bar Ranch) rarely evenapproaches 20 percent of those regis-tered for Tampa’s Municipal Elections,which are held in March every fourodd-numbered years (including 2011).

It’s easy to debate the reasons whythe municipal election turnout is so low— we have a lot of people who feel dis-enfranchised because so much of thepower in the city is based in or neardowntown, many of those who live inNew Tampa don’t stay long-termbecause of corporate relocations, manyof us don’t even realize we live in thecity because Bruce B. Downs (BBD)and Cross Creek Blvds. are both Hills-borough County roads and, of course,

my favorite excuse, “I only vote in theBIG elections” — but the fact is thatthe city is responsible for providingmany of our services (e.g., police, fireand some of our recreational facilities).

That fact alone means that thosewho serve as Mayor of Tampa and onthe Tampa City Council should beaware of what is happening in our com-munity, despite the fact that we are,geographically (and some would sayspiritually) further from the seat of themunicipal government than any otherpart of Tampa. The sad truth is thateven when they’re campaigning — andespecially once they’re elected — manycity (and county, for that matter) offi-cials never venture far enough north oneither I-75 or I-275 to reach NewTampa and a big part of the reason isour traditionally poor voter turnout.

So, I am going to try once againto stimulate your interest in voting thistime around. There are seven peoplevying to replace Pam Iorio as Mayor ofTampa. I didn’t endorse Pam eightyears ago, but I do believe she’s done agood job and many members of herstaff have lived here and/or still do.

Among those in this big race inMarch are former Mayor (and formerNew Tampa resident) Dick Greco, for-mer City Council members Bob Buck-horn and Rose Ferlita (who also is nowa former county commissioner), currentCity Council member and former


New Tampa Neighborhood News15345 Amberly Dr., Tampa, FL 33647Phone: (813) 910-2575 Fax: 910-2483

Adv. E-mail: [email protected] E-mail: [email protected]

Publisher & Editor Gary Nager

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Office & Distribution AssistantsKaren Glenn • Cyler Porter

Nothing that appears in New Tampa Neighbor-hood News may be reproduced, whether wholly or inpart, without permission. Opinions expressed by NewTampa Neighborhood News writers are their own and donot reflect the publisher’s opinion.

The deadline for outside editorial submis-sions and advertisements for Volume 19, Issue 3, of New Tampa Neighborhood News is Monday, Janu-ary 17, 2011.

New Tampa Neighborhood News will considerpreviously non-published outside editorial submissionsif they are double spaced, typed and less than 500words. New Tampa Neighborhood News reserves theright to edit and/or reject all outside editorial submis-sions and makes no guarantees regarding publicationdates. New Tampa Neighborhood News will not returnunsolicited editorial materials.

New Tampa Neighborhood News reserves the rightto edit &/or reject any advertising. New Tampa Neigh-borhood News is not responsible for errors in advertisingbeyond the actual cost of the advertising space itself, notfor the validity of any claims made by its advertisers. ©2011 JM2 Communications, Inc.

Table of ContentsLOCAL NEWS, BUSINESS, EDUCATION &SPORTS UPDATES................................Pages 1-32Hospital (cont. from page 1)........................................6Widening (cont. from page 1)......................................8New Tampa News Briefs......................................10Holiday Thieves Were Busy In Tampa PalmsWharton Locked Down After Report Of WeaponWC Burglary Suspect Captured In Tampa PalmsPower Outage Leads Cops To Pot Plants2010 News Year In Review...................................12New Tampa Community Calendar.......................13

New Tampa Business Updates.................14-23Custom Car Show Is A Hit In Tampa Palms..............14New Tampa Chamber Of Commerce Update.......16AAP Fitness Can help You Get Started!................18-19Shoppes Of Amberly Holiday Party......................22-23

New Tampa Education Briefs........................26HGE Students Among Best In State On FCATsLocal Teachers Receive Grants For Water Projects

New Tampa Sports Briefs..............................30Freedom High Students Accept Scholarship OffersHonest Abe 5K Set For February12New 11-U Baseball Team Seeking Players

Neighborhood MagazineGingerbread Cottage For Year-Round Gifts.........33Local ‘Idols’ Sing To Benefit The Homeless.........34-35Snap Fitness Can Help You Keep Your Resolution!....38Ballet Students Shine In ‘The Nutcracker’..................39Our Editor’s Favorite 2010 Local Restaurants......40-41Liang’s Bistro Serves Up Tasty Asian Cuisine........42-43Win Tix To “Night Of Stars” At The Straz Ctr!...43Neighborhood Nibbles..............................................44. .NEW TAMPA COLOR CLASSIFIEDS..............46

City Of Tampa Elections In March To Set The Tone For 2011 An editorial by Gary Nager county commissioner Tom Scott, for-

mer county commissioner EdTuranchik and two candidates I don’tyet know anything about — MarionLewis and Arthur Richardson III.

Another crowded race is for thecitywide District 1 seat currently heldby Gwen Miller, who, like Iorio, cannot run for her seat again due to termlimits. Among those seeking to replaceMiller are New Tampa resident CurtisStokes, who was appointed to another“at large” seat (District 3, to replaceLinda Saul-Sena, who ran unsuccessful-ly for the county commission), formerState Rep. Sara Romeo, who represent

ed a portion of New Tampa in her Dis-trict 60 state legislative office, Christo-pher Cano, who ran unsuccessfully inNovember for that same District 60seat, and four candidates I don’t yetknow — Rick Barcena, Guido Manis-calco, Tom Slaughter and Mike Suarez.

In citywide District 2, incumbentMary Mulhern, who defeated NewTampa resident and current State Rep.-elect Shawn Harrison four years ago towin her seat, is running against ScottStrepina. In citywide District 3, currentDistrict 4 commissioner Yvonne Capin

See “Elections” on page 11.


Along with Porter, numerous hos-pital officials and local politicians alsospoke at the ceremony, praising theimproved access to health care that thenew facility will offer to residents of thearea, as well as the positive impacts italso will have upon local revenues andemployment.

“It’s a great day for WesleyChapel,” said Norm Stein, the formerpresident and CEO of UCH, who wasinstrumental in the planning of the newhospital. He was just one of the officialsat the ceremony who said that they

actually live in the area, andStein said he was happy tofinally see his pet projectcome to fruition, not onlyfor local residents, but forhe and his family, too.

According to hospitalofficials, construction of thenew facility, which will onlybe about ten miles fromUCH, will take approxi-mately two years. Initially,the 200,000-sq.-ft. hospitalwill have 80 patient beds,but it will be expandable toup to 300 beds in the future. It willoffer a full range of services, including

“Hospital”Continued from page 1

The hospital will be the focal point of the Wiregrass Ranch Development ofRegional Impact. Bruce B. Downs Blvd. is the road to the far left. The Shopsat Wiregrass mall is located a half-mile south of the planned medical center.

obstetrics, pediatrics, general surgery, anemergency room with a helicopter pad,and a comprehensive medical fitnessprogram for both employees and mem-bers of the community. The plan alsocalls for the construction of a 100,000-sq.-ft. medical office building on thesite in a future phase of the project.

A major part of the AHS philoso-phy is healing the mind and spirit aswell as the body, so the design of thenew hospital takes advantage of thearea’s natural scenery, officials said, andone of the highlights of that design willbe a healing garden, which got its startwith the planting of a tree at the con-clusion of the groundbreaking ceremo-ny. The dignitaries in attendance werealso invited to toss a handful of grassseeds into the garden, as a symbol of

“planting the seeds of health care in thecommunity,” as hospital officials said.

The Wesley Chapel Medical Center will open with 80 beds, sometime around the end of2012 or beginning of 2013. It can be expanded to up to 300 beds in the future.

aside for high-occupancy vehicles(HOV) or buses. That will allow theproject to move forward on scheduleand will preserve the right-of-way forother future types of mass transit whenfunding for that becomes available,Valdez says. The move also keeps theproject in line for possible federal fund-ing, he adds.

The eight-lane option does presentsomething of a problem for residentsand officials of Tampa Palms, however.Members of the subdivision’s Commu-nity Development District (CDD)Board of Supervisors met with countypublic works officials in November todiscuss the impacts that the projectwould have, specifically at the mainentrances to the community at TampaPalms Blvd. on the east and west sidesof BBD. Those signature corners aremarked by large monument signs andlandscaped areas, and community offi-cials expressed concern that the eight-lane option would require thoseentrances to be significantly modified.

“We’ve taken great pride to keepthis (area) from looking like DaleMabry, and now you’ve taken usbeyond Dale Mabry,” CDD Board

president Gene Field said at the time. However, Field and the other

Tampa Palms officials were assured thatthe county would make every effort towork with them during the construc-tion process to minimize any disrup-tions or damages to Tampa Palms’property. They were also told that thespecifics for the project, such as whichlanes would be reserved for HOV use,have not been decided yet, and that willlikely be one of the topics of discussionat the January 4 public hearing. Thatmeeting will begin at 9 a.m. at theCounty Center building (601 E.Kennedy Blvd.). For a preview of themeeting, as well as other informationregarding the Segment A widening,visit HillsboroughMPO.org.

Segment D On New CIT ListIn other BBD-related news, in

December, the Hillsborough CountyBoard of County Commissionersapproved a change in the list of projectsslated for construction during the thirdphase of the Community InvestmentTax collection. Among the projectsadded to the list was Segment D of theBBD widening, which includes the areabetween Pebble Creek Dr. and CountyLine Rd.

According to Valdez, this changesimply allows any money that may be


“Widening”Continued from page 1

This is an artist’s conception of how Bruce B. Downs Blvd. will look with 8lanes with two lanes reserved for HOV vehicles.

left over from the other three segmentsof the widening project to be trans-ferred to Segment D. “It’s just to makesure that if there is any money left over,because of lower-than-projected bids orwhatever, that money doesn’t go any-where else,” Valdez says.

In addition to the BBD segment,

the commissioners also voted to addother projects in the Plant City, Bloom-ingdale and Lithia Springs area to thePhase III list, to rename or alter thescope of several other projects current-ly on the list, and to eliminate one proj-ect, the widening of Park Rd. betweenI-4 and Sam Allen Rd., from the list.

Then, on December 19, a womanwho was exercising at the LifestylesFamily Fitness center on Amberly Dr.had the window of her vehicle brokenout, and the thief was able to reach inand steal her purse, which was insidethe vehicle. There were several creditcards inside the purse, but none wereused before the theft was reported andthe cards were canceled.

Also, sometime between 1 a.m. onDecember 18 and 8:30 p.m. onDecember 19, a thief entered anunlocked 1997 Honda Civic that wasparked at the Camden Live Oak apart-ments in Tampa Palms and made offwith the vehicle’s electronic controlmodule. Again, a neighborhood surveyyielded no suspects.

Burglary Suspect NabbedBurglary Suspect NabbedIn Tampa PalmsIn Tampa Palms

Police arrested one of two burglarswho broke into a Wesley Chapel homeafter a brief pursuit that ended in awooded area behind a shopping plazain Tampa Palms.

According to Pasco County Sher-iff’s Office (PCSO) spokesman KevinDoll, two men forced their way into ahome in the Lakes of Northwood sub-division off County Line Rd. on theafternoon of November 30. Neighborsalerted the authorities, but the men leftthe scene before officers arrived.

They were spotted heading south

on Bruce B. DownsBlvd., and officers fromthe PCSO were joinedin the chase by unitsfrom the HillsboroughCounty Sheriff’s Office.

The suspectsditched their vehiclebehind the Shoppes ofAmberly plaza in TampaPalms, and fled into a heavily wooded,swampy area behind the plaza. K-9units and a helicopter from the TampaPolice Department were called in tojoin the search, but they were only ableto locate one of the two men, 20-year-old Terell Troy Hanna of Tampa.

Hanna, who has a history ofnumerous arrests, was charged with onecount each of burglary of an unoccu-pied dwelling, opposing an officer with-out violence and grand theft. At ourpress time, he was still being held in theOrient Rd. jail under a bond of$30,000. Doll said that a warrant forHanna also is pending in Pasco County.

Power Outage LeadsPower Outage LeadsDeputies To Pot PlantsDeputies To Pot Plants

Pasco County Sheriff’s deputiesuncovered a marijuana growing opera-tion in a shed at a Wesley Chapel housein November after being alerted by anelectrical worker who was respondingto a blown transformer.

According to reports, the worker,


News BriefsNEW TAMPA

Reported Weapon Leads To Lockdown At Wharton

Students at Wharton High werekept late one day last month after a stu-dent reported seeing a weapon in thepossession of another student, resultingin a campus-wide lockdown.

According to a report issued bythe Hillsborough County School Dis-trict, the incident took place at around1:40 p.m. on December 17. That'swhen a student reported that he hadseen another student with a weapon ina boys restroom. The student wasquickly identified and searched, but noweapon was found.

As a precaution, school securityofficers searched the other students inthe suspected student’s classroom witha hand-held metal detector, and alsosearched trash cans and lockers, butwere unable to find a weapon.

According to the release, schoolsautomatically go into lockdown, whichmeans students have to remain insidetheir classrooms and the classroomdoors are locked. In addition, all out-door activities are suspended and noone is allowed to enter or leave theschool until the lockdown ends.

The lockdown lasted approximate-ly 90 minutes, and the students were

dismissed about 15 minutes latebecause of it. Neither of the studentswas identified, nor was the type ofweapon that was supposedly seen iden-tified in the report. Possession of aweapon at school is considered a crime,and automatically results in expulsion ofthe student for the remainder of theschool year.

Holiday Thieves WereHoliday Thieves WereBusy In Tampa PalmsBusy In Tampa Palms

While most of us were busilypreparing for the holidays, thieves werebusy as well, victimizing several peoplein Tampa Palms in the days leading upto Christmas.

According to the Tampa PoliceDept. (TPD), an unknown suspectkicked in the door of an apartment atthe Promenade apartments in TampaPalms on December 17 and made offwith two television sets, jewelry, cashand an ATM card.

According to a TPD report, thebreak-in occurred between 6:30 a.m.and 4 p.m. A survey of the neighborsby TPD officers yielded no clues, butthe report states that the female occu-pant of the unit suspects the formertenant, whom she said was recentlyevicted. TPD said, however, there wasno evidence to support that claim.

TerellHanna


from the Withlacoochee River ElectricalCooperative (WREC), was called to fixa transformer that had blown out in aneighborhood off Boyette Rd. onNovember 30. During the course of hisrepairs, however, he noticed somethingamiss at a home at 29846 Cooper Rd.,and alerted police.

When deputies responded, theyfound 11 marijuana plants, each more

than 6 feet tall, growing in a shed onthe property. The power outage hadapparently been caused by the lightsbeing used to grow the plants.

One occupant of the home, 43-year-old Lupe Pettee, was arrested andcharged with cultivation of marijuana,although she denied knowledge of theplants. She was released after posting$5,000 bond. — MS

will face three candidates I’ve notheard of before — Michael Ciftci, SethNelson and Jason Wilson.

And finally, in New Tampa’s localDistrict 7, the incumbent, local salonowner Joseph Caetano, is being chal-lenged by New Tampa resident DeanHale and local access cable TV hostCharlie Perkins, who ran unsuccessfullyfor the same seat in 2003 and 2007.

The biggest New Tampa issues thenew mayor and City Council memberswill face this year is whether or not tobuild the New Tampa Blvd. “GatewayBridge.” Mayor Iorio and her staffwere committed to building it, despiteopposition to it (and a lawsuitbrought) by residents of West Mead-ows and Tampa Palms. But, withIorio’s term in office ending in just afew short months, you can be sure thatat least some of the seven candidates

for mayor will come out either in favorof or in opposition to the bridge.

Also coming in 2011 are a thirdNew Tampa fire station (at MorrisBridge Rd. and Cross Creek Blvd.), thepossibility of new city parks and newroads to be built in the EastonPark/K-Bar Ranch area and moreabout the widening of Bruce B. DownsBlvd., especially considering that theTransportation Surtax Referendumfailed, which means that the proposedlight commuter rail line along BBD isvery much up in the air, although itmay not be dead yet.

We will keep you posted on road,park and other developments and wewill chat with as many of these candi-dates as possible. In addition, we planupdate you on what’s happening withhome values in New Tampa and Wes-ley Chapel in a future issue. Best wishesfrom all of us at New Tampa Neighbor-hood News for a happy and healthy(physically AND economically) 2011!

“Elections”Continued from page 3


2010 Will Be Remembered For Oil Spill & Political Upheaval By Michael Smith

In our first issue of every year, wetypically take a look back at the topNew Tampa news stories of the yearbefore.

As we were brainstorming thisyear, however, we realized that whilethere were a few stories that stood outfrom the dozens that we reported, mostof the things that 2010 will most beremembered for did not have a greatimpact on our area, for better or worse.

According to a list compiled by theeditors of the 2011 World Almanac andBook of Facts, the Top Ten news topicsof 2010 were as follows:

1. Republicans Take House, WinBig In State Races. While Republicancandidates were capitalizing on voterdiscontent to win control of the U.S.House of Representatives, the Novem-ber midterm elections didn’t result inany big surprises on the local level.

Although many voters were dis-mayed by the amount of negative cam-paigning that took place, and by thescandals that were reported, includingallegations of impropriety lodgedagainst long-time Hillsborough Countycommissioner Jim Norman, who wasrunning for the Florida Senate, most ofthose who were expected to win their

races — including Norman — did win. 2. Economic Recovery Stalls. We

here in New Tampa have been prettyfortunate in that we don’t seem to havebeen hit as hard by the economicdownturn as have some other areas,although a lot of local busineeses arehurting. While it may be of little com-fort to those who lost their homes toforeclosure or who had to close up theirbusinesses last year, a quick look aroundour area shows that home sales are onthe rise, and there are still plenty of newbusinesses opening here.

3. U.S. Winds Down In Iraq,Surges in Afghanistan. While the U.S.military actions overseas continue, manyresidents and businesses in our areahave been actively supporting ourtroops through fund raisers and otherevents. We also know that there areplenty of local residents who are amongthose who are serving in either Iraq orAfghanistan, and we want to thankthem for their service to our countryand keep them in our prayers.

4. Oil Well Blowout in GulfCauses Huge Oil Spill. Thankfully, theoil from the spill did not reach theshores of our area in any real amount todo serious damage to the local tourismindustry. Of course, many experts saythat the full long-term consequences of

the spill have yet to be realized. 5. Earthquake Devastates Haiti.

& 6. Pakistan Floods Leave 8 MillionHomeless. While we had our share ofwet and nasty weather in 2010, wewere spared any natural disasters on thescale seen in some other areas. We didhave some local residents with familymembers in these horrifically affectedplaces, however, and we hope that bynow, at least some of them have recov-ered from their experiences.

7. U.S. Congress Enacts Com-prehensive Healthcare Legislation.Ever a controversial issue, we’re surethere are some families (and health careproviders) in our area who are thankfulthat this long overdue legislation waspassed, although not everyone is happywith its ramifications. We’ll have to waitand see how this plays out in time.

8. Debt Crisis Forces EuropeanBudget Cutbacks. Again, see item #2above.

9. Kagan Joins Supreme Court.The addition of Elena Kagan to theU.S. Supreme Court marks the firsttime that three women have served onthe high court at the same time. Itremains to be seen, however, whateffect, if any, this will have on thepanel’s future decisions.

10. Olympics & World Cup

Showcase International Athletes. Ithink most of us had a good timecheering our athletes at the XXI WinterOlympics in Vancouver, BC, Canada,where Americans led in the overallmedal count by bringing home a totalof 9 gold, 15 silver and 13 bronzemedals; and at the FIFA World Cup inSouth Africa this past summer, especial-ly the U.S. team’s thrilling overtimevictory against Algeria on June 23.

Meanwhile, here in New Tampa,the beat goes on regarding the othermajor stories of 2010, such as thewidening of Bruce B. Downs Blvd.,which will continue through 2011, andthe formation of the New TampaChamber of Commerce, which willhelp to promote business in our areafor years to come.

And, speaking of the NTCC, 2010also will be remembered as the year welost a great friend ofthe New Tampa com-munity, former NewTampa CommunityCouncil presidentFrank Margarella(right), who passedaway in March fromcomplications related to food poison-ing. His hard work on behalf of thecommunity is truly missed.

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Most MedicalInsurance Plans

Accepted!


On January 7, the group’s guestspeaker will be agent Stephen Ibison ofthe Central Florida office of the FederalBureau of Investigation.

For more information, visitNewTampaRotary.org or contactKaren Frashier at 375-2663.

Northeast Tampa Northeast Tampa Women In BusinessWomen In Business

Thursday, January 13 – TheNortheast Tampa Women in Businessgroup will hold its first monthly meet-ing of the new year, 6 p.m.-8:30 p.m.,at Hunter’s Green Country Club(18101 Longwater Run Dr., in theHunter’s Green subdivision). Thegroup’s guest speaker will be KarenKoch, managing partner of Compass-Pointz, LLC, an IT computer servicesfirm. The topic of her presentation willbe “Crimes Against Computers.”

Reservations are requested, andmay be made by calling 841-5932.

Funny Divas To BringFunny Divas To Bring

Laughs To Temple TerraceLaughs To Temple TerraceSaturday, January 29 – Every-

one’s favorite local female comictroupe, the Funny Divas, includingNew Tampa resident Susan Saiger, willpresent their new show, “Hey, Hey,She’s Funny,” at 8 p.m. at the Back-stage Café (8858 N. 56th St., TempleTerrace). Tickets cost $7 per person.

For more info, call 293-2511.

ATTENTION COMMUNITY CALENDAR ITEMSUBMITTERS: In order to make sure that our Community Calen-dar is current, we are asking all club and group representatives to pleaseupdate their meeting and contact info ASAP for the New Year. To do so,please send an e-mail to [email protected]. You may also submit infoby fax at 910-2483 or by regular mail to: New Tampa Neighborhood News,15345 Amberly Dr., Tampa FL 33647, Attn: Community Calendar. Call910-2575 if you have any questions. Thank you. — MS

Community CalendarNEW TAMPA

MOMS ClubMOMS ClubAre you looking for a great way to

socialize with other stay-at-home moth-ers in the area? The MOMS (MomsOffering Moms Support) offers a vari-ety of activities each month for momsand their little ones. (Boundaries for theclub include addresses in the 33647 zipcode, except for those living in theTampa Palms, Grand Hampton andLive Oak communities).

For more information, visitMomsClubNewTampa.webs.com orcall Jamie Priest at 217-5567.

New Tampa New Tampa Noon Rotary ClubNoon Rotary Club

Wednesday, January 5 – TheNew Tampa Noon Rotary Club meetsevery Wednesday at noon at Hunter’sGreen Country Club (18101 Longwa-ter Run Dr., inside the Hunter’s Greencommunity).

For more info, call 910-2575.

Business NetworkingBusiness NetworkingInternationalInternational

Wednesday, January 5 – BusinessNetworking International (BNI), agroup of business professionals dedicat-ed to helping their businesses growthrough qualified referrals, meets everyWednesday at 7:30 a.m. at the Heritage

Isles Country Club Clubhouse (18630Plantation Bay Dr., off Cross CreekBlvd.). For more information, call JalIrani at 451-8229.

Civil Air PatrolCivil Air PatrolWednesday, January 5 – The

Wesley Chapel Civil Air Patrolsquadron meets every Wednesday, 6:30p.m.-9 p.m., at Tampa North AeroPark (4241 Birdsong Blvd., off S.R. 54,Wesley Chapel).

For more information, visit Wes-leyChapelCAP.com or call CherylSpence at 973-7270.

New Tampa New Tampa Evening Rotary ClubEvening Rotary Club

Thursday, January 6 – The NewTampa Evening Rotary Club meetsevery Thursday, 6:30 p.m., at Hunter’sGreen Country Club (18101 Longwa-ter Run Dr.). On January 6, the club’sguest speaker will be publisher CindyMatter of Brainmatters.

For more information, callEileen Johnson at 892-7741.

New Tampa Rotary ClubFriday, January 7 – The New

Tampa Rotary Club meets every Friday,7 a.m., at Tampa Palms Golf & Coun-try Club (5811 Tampa Palms Blvd.).

(Clockwise, from top left): Funny DivasLong Island Mary, Robin Savage,

Susan Saiger & Aniria Wilson


Driving up Peabody’s parking lotin the Shoppes of Amberly plaza inTampa Palms, there was barely a spaceto be found. As the smell of gasolineblew in through the window, you weregreeted by the pumping music andenhanced cars with their owners eagerto show off their customized vehicles.

Once again, Peabody’s hostedanother successful car show organizedby Ultra Evolution and attended bynumerous car clubs, car enthusiasts, andvendors on December 18. This wasUltra Evolution’s third show atPeabody’s this year and even though itstarted out a bit rainy, it ended up

being a great day with an enthusiasticcrowd that was given the opportunityto share their passion for cars and enjoysome great deals on Peabody’s awe-some wings and adult beverages.

More than 100 unique cars filledPeabody’s parking lot, with everythingfrom domestic “muscle cars” to Euro-pean roadsters, there was something forevery auto enthusiast. Ultra Evolutionprovided judges who slected winners ina number of categories, including Bestof Show, Car Club, Participation, VIP,Motor, Female, Stance, Wheel/Tireand Cleanest Ride. There also wasjudging for different classes of cars,such as car maker, Euro and Domestic.

A number of local vendors usedthis car show as an opportunity to dis-

Ultra Evolution Car Shows Still A Big Draw At Peabody’s

play their products and services. Amongthose was New Tampa resident JonPacheco, who began his 1320 Engi-neering about four years ago. Pacheco’sshop, which is located in Land O’Lakes,specializes in import performance buildsand fabrication along with offering awide range of specialty products fornumerous car brands for sale. Many ofthe cars displayed at the show wereworked on by 1320 Engineering.

Another vendor at the Peabody’sevent, Boost Lab, specializes in turbosales, turbo rebuilding and fuel injectorcleaning. Other vendors include NOSEnergy Drink, Simply Clean, State ofStance, SSP Vinyl, Prosport Gauges,Cianfrocca Detailing, Sun Scion andToyota and Enhanced Customs.

Car clubs that attended were TeamSunworks, Squadron 1 predominantlyJDM Hondas, Team Solo, Team Stylesrun by “Celi Girl,” Street Dreams,350z Club of Florida, Central FloridaRx8, Cobra Crew, Deviant Concepts,and F1 Body. This show is an opportu-nity for the shows to get together as agroup and show of their cars.

The Ultra Evolution car show wasenjoyed by all who attended, in spite ofthe weather, Ultra Evolution is lookingfor more venues interested in hostingxar show events. Anyone interested canvisit UltraEvolution.com. You can alsofind more pictures of the event at theirwebsite and on Facebook. All of thevenors, sponsors, and hosts can befound on Facebook.

No matter what type of custom-designed body kit, engine fabrication or even custom car audio you’re interested in, therewas something for everyone to see at the Ultra Evolution car Show at Peabody’s in Tampa Palms on December 18.

1320 Engineering was again aproud participant at the Ultra Evo-

lution Car Show at Peabody’s.


For specialty partsor fabrication from1320 Engineering,located at 4107 LandO’Lakes Blvd. (U.S. 41)in Land O’Lakes, call973-8816 or visit1320Engineering.net.

Peabody’s is locatedat 15333 Amberly Dr.For food and beveragespecials and entertain-ment schedules, call972-1725 or visitPeabodysBilliards.com.

For Ultra Evolu-tion Car Shows, visitUltraEvolution.com.

This was obviously one of the big winners in the judg-ing at the Ultra Evolution Car Show at Peabody’s.

Hillsborough County commissionerAl Higgenbotham, speaking on thetopic “What’s Good for Business inthe County Budget?” The luncheonwill be held at Pebble Creek GolfClub on Monday, January 10,2011, at noon. Please RSVP for theevent by Friday, January 7, at NewTampaChamber.org.

And, to stay up to date on allof the chamber events and news,please join our email list by signingup at NewTampaChamber.org.

We thank you for your support ofthe chamber throughout the year andwe wish you and your family a happyand prosperous New Year!

Somerset Professional Park - 15283 Amberly Dr., Tampa, FL 33647


2010-11 NTCC Board of DirectorsPresident-Rachel Haviland

New TampaChamber of Commerce, Inc.

15310 Amberly Dr., Suite 250Tampa, FL 33647

Information: (813) 293-2464 Fax: (813) 388-4408

Website:NewTampaChamber.Org

VP-Said IravaniTreasurer-Lesley ZajacSecretary-Connie Bladon

Non-Officers:Regina Ramalheira

Seema JainMatt PalmerCraig MillerNick KlineJudy Silvasi-Patchin

Executive Director: Karen Frashier

Board Members:

Chamber To Publish Community Guide & Member Directory!Following a busy 2010 and hop-

ing for an even bigger and better2011, the New Tampa Chamber ofCommerce is a young and growingchamber! In early 2011, we will beintroducing our first New TampaChamber of Commerce CommunityGuide a& Member Directory, in col-laboration with Heron Publishing.

The guide is a great way to pro-mote your business as a resource inthe New Tampa community and thedirectory will be available at the Tasteof New TampaTM in March, as well asat area businesses throughout the year.A representative of Heron Publishingwill be contacting all Chamber mem-bers this month to detail the advertis-ing opportunities available.

If you are not yet a member,but would like membership infor-mation and to find out how to be apart of our New Tampa CommunityGuide, please contact our ExecutiveDirector at [email protected] or call 293-2464.

Taste of New TampaTM 2011Plans Moving Ahead

Plans are rapidly moving aheadfor the 2011 Taste of New TampaTM

to be held on Sunday, March 20,2011. This will be our 18th year ofhosting the Taste and we are excitedto have a new location! The 2011Taste of New Tampa is being plannedat Wharton High, right on Bruce B.Downs (BBD) Blvd., which we believe

will generate increased traffic andexposure for our restaurants, sponsorsand exhibitors, which should offersome additional value to those whochoose to participate.

Space is always limited at theTaste, so if you would like yourrestaurant or local business to berepresented at the event, chambermembers and non-members areinvited to reserve your booth now.Email [email protected] application forms.

Exciting New EventsExciting New EventsMoving into 2011, the chamber

will be introducing new events for ourmembers, including more networkingevents and educational workshops. Ifyou would like to suggest an eventor workshop idea, or offer to be amember host for an event, pleasebecome a fan on the New TampaChamber Facebook page at Face-book.com/NewTampaChamberand post your suggestion or recom-mendation!

Join us in the new year for ourfirst luncheon with our noted speaker,

Upcoming New Tampa Chamber Events:Monday, January 10, noon-1 p.m.: “What’s Good for Business in the

County Budget?” — at Pebble Creek Golf Club (10550 Regents Park Blvd.,off BBD, across from Super WalMart).

Wednesday, January 26, 3 p.m.-6 p.m.: “Networking on the 9s?” Net-working & 9 holes of golf — at Pebble Creek Golf Club.

Thursday, January 27, 5:30 p.m.-7 p.m.: “Chamber Connections”Networking & hors d’oeuvres — at Stonewood Grill & Tavern (17050 PalmPointe Dr., in The Pointe at Tampa Palms (behind McDonald’s & 7-11).

For more information about these and other upcoming New Tampa Chamberevents, visit NewTampaChamber.org or call the Chamber Hotline at 293-2464.

RIBBON CUTTINGS!If you have a new business opening

(or that recently opened) in the NewTampa area, a New Tampa Chamber

of Commerce Ribbon Cutting &Grand Opening party is a great way toannounce to the community — andour hundreds of Chamber members

— that your business is open and serv-ing the New Tampa community.

Visit NewTampaChamber.org orcall the Chamber Hotline at 293-2464 to schedule your ribbon cut-

ting today! Also, see the story aboutthe recent Snap Fitness Ribbon

Cutting on page 38!


AAP Fitness Offers Expertise & Encouragement To Help You Get FitBy Michael Smith

If your New Year’s resolution is tolose weight and/or get into bettershape, you could join an ordinaryhealth club or gym to try and meet thatoften-elusive goal.

Or, you could achieve the sameresults as many of your friends andneighbors already have, with the uniquemix of expertise and enthusiasm offeredat AAP Fitness, located in the CoryLake Isles Professional Center on CrossCreek Blvd.

The “AAP” in the company’sname stands for owners Alex and Ash-ley Poptodorov, who have been provid-ing customized personal training servic-es at their intimate 900-sq.-ft. facilityfor the past five-plus years.

Actually, however, Alex, who is anative of Bulgaria, has been a personaltrainer for more than 15 years. Inspiredby a father who played hockey on theBulgarian national team and an uncleAlex (for whom Poptodorov wasnamed), who was very actively involvedin health and wellness, as well as bymovie and TV musclemen such as Steve“Hercules” Reeves and ArnoldSchwarzenegger, Alex says he began

lifting weights when he was 12 yearsold and his family moved to the U.S.

He later expanded his knowledgewhile studying microbiology at theUniversity of South Florida, and thatbecame the basis of what he calls the“AAP Health & Wellness System.” Itwasn’t until he met the vivacious Ashley— a true personal training success story— that Alex was really inspired to openhis own training center.

Ashley is an amazing success storywho attributes her accomplishments tothe system that Alex has developed,which includes a custom fitness routinespecifically designed for each client, aswell as dietary guidelines that focus onfresh fruits and vegetables and otherraw, unprocessed foods.

Ashley says she was struggling tolose weight after reaching more than200 pounds when she met Alex, andwith his help, she was able to shed 80pounds and to get into the best shapeof her life. Inspired by her own success,Ashley says she then decided that shewould make helping others do the sameher life’s work.

“That’s when I really started want-ing to help other people change theirlives, just as I had done,” she says.

So, the couple started out with asmall training service that they initiallyoperated out of their home, but asword of their success began to spread(and demand for their services began togrow), they eventually moved into theCory Lake Isles facility.

Now, the Poptodorovs offer a vari-ety of programs for men, women andchildren. They’ve had customers from

ages 8 to 80, and the walls of theirfacility are lined with photos of some oftheir clients who, like Ashley, haveachieved pretty amazing results.

One of those clients is 49-year-oldCheryl Ryan of Wesley Chapel, whosays she has been working out withAlex and Ashley for about three years.A long-time runner, Cheryl went toAAP because even though she had

For the new year, Alex and Ashley Poptodorov invite you to find the more fit, healthieryou hiding inside your body at AAP Fitness in the Cory Lake Isles Prof. Center.


always been fairly fit, she says she wasn’thappy with her weight and wanted tolose another 10-15 pounds. Threemonths after joining AAP, she dropped18 pounds and was able to add musclethat lowered her overall body fat intothe single digits.

“One of the things that theytaught me was that it’s not so muchabout your weight but more aboutbody fat,” Ryan says. “Before that. Ithink I was just too focused on thenumber on the scale. Now, I feel greatand I am healthier than I have everbeen in my life.”

After losing her weight, Cherylsays she actually quit going to AAP fora while in 2009, but returned afterfinding that she actually missed workingwith Alex and Ashley.

“There’s just something about theenvironment there,” she says. “Ashleyand Alex keep up with every client andare very encouraging. Plus, they reallywalk the walk, too, because you can seethey’re both in really great shape.”

The Poptodorovs have a variety ofprograms to fit just about anyone’s per-sonal goals, schedule and budget. Theyinclude onsite one-on-one and smallgroup training, in-home personal train-ing and even online training, whichthey say is ideal for clients who spend alot of time traveling.

In addition, they’ve recently beguna series of AAP “Fit Camps,” which aresimilar to the boot camp sessionsoffered by other trainers, but whichinclude more emphasis on balance andcoordination, in addition to weighttraining and aerobic conditioning. TheFit Camp sessions are offered severaltimes per week, in the mornings andevenings, as well as midday — again, sothat they are accessible to most any-one’s schedule.

Ashley says that the Fit Camps alsoare optimal for people of just about anyfitness level, because they have multipleinstructors who can tailor the workoutsfor each individual. Participants also aredivided up into pairs of similar levels, sothat they can help and encourage eachother during the sessions.

“We pay really close attention tothe proper form and injury prevention,so whatever your fitness level, you reallycan do it,” Ashley says.

Ashley also notes that the socialaspects of training are a big part of theAAP philosophy, too. Not only do theyencourage whole families to work outtogether, but she also spends a lot oftime writing motivational notes andmessages that she posts all around theAAP gym and on the company’s web-site, and she is even in the process ofwriting an inspirational book about her

own experience,which she callsThat’s Not MyShadow Anymore.

“I’m a hugebeliever in thepower of positivethinking,” saysAshley. “And apositive attitudeis definitely partof our approach,because it helpspeople deal witheveryday stressfrom the insideout.”

Positivethinking and selfconfidence also are part of the inspira-tion for another program that AAP willbe starting this year, called “AAP’sAngels,” which Ashley says is designedto help some of their advanced femaleclients get in shape for competitive fig-ure model, fitness and bikini exhibi-tions. Since her transformation, Ashleyhas been participating in those events,and she says doing so has really helpedto build her self-esteem.

“Competing is definitely aboutstepping out and facing your personalfears, because that’s when you reallygrow,” she says.

In addition, Alex says he plans tobegin offering online dietary consultingto help everyone learn about the impor-tance of the nutritional aspects of healthand wellness.

“Studies show that the ideal dietfor man is [primarily] raw fruits andvegetables, and we made a big mistakewhen we started adding chemicals andprocessing our food,” he says.

AAP Fitness is located at 10335Cross Creek Blvd., Suite A, in theCory Lake Isles Professional Center.For additional information, call 943-8069, or visit AAPFitness. com.

Alex says learning the proper technique is an important partof getting the results you expect from your fitness regimen.


Rain & Cold Can’t Dampen The Fun At Shoppes Of Amberly EventBy Gary Nager

Unfortunately, no one can accurately predictwhat the weather will be like more than a monthbefore an event and the only thing that could’ve keptthe Shoppes of Amberly (in Tampa Palms) BlockParty on December 12 from being a huge success wasa cold, rainy day. And sadly, that’s exactly what thewonderful retail businesses with which this publica-tion shares a location got — one of the nastiest daysof the year 2010.

Even so, the weather did clear up a little by mid-afternoon and even when the rains fell, the BlockParty still featured delicious hibachi chicken and friedrice from Sushi Tsu Japanese Steakhouse, free pizzafrom Hungry Howie’s, free face painting, coffee andbeverages from You Do The Dishes Paint-Your-Own-Pottery Studio & Coffee Shop, a working train plusseveral inflatable bounce houses and slides for thesmall crowd of kids that showed up, a display ofRoyal Hardware Jewelry and free cotton candy infront of the Avalon MedSpa, great live music provid-ed by bands who practice and take lessons at theTampa Guitar School and a visit from a couple ofguys going by the name of Santa Claus.

The event also was a sadly slow collection dayfor the U.S. Marine Corps’ Toys For Tots programand visitors also had a chance to preview the new KBCrossFit Gym for Kids, which is now open in theplaza, as well as win lots of great prizes, many ofwhich were donated by this publication.

No, you unfortunately can’t predict the weather,but when the Shoppes of Amberly puts on its nextbig event, I promise it’ll be worth attending.

(Clockwise from top left) Rose Connolly showed off herRoyal Hardware Jewelry. The kids who attended enjoyed

free face painting at You Do The Dishes. It was a slow dayfor Toys For Tots, but Santa made it a little less dreary.


Among the businesses that participated were (above) Dr. Ryan Whelton, DPT,of the Sport & Spine Physical Therapy & Wellness Center and (below) Dr. Rod-

ney Holcombe (left) & Dr. Todd Williams of Advanced Dental Associates.

(Top) Sushi Tsu served delicious hibachi chicken and fried rice all day.(Above) The band Five Alarm Fire was one of the bands from the Tampa

Guitar School that performed during the event.


HGE Students Score InFCAT Top 5% In The State

Fifty-nine students at Hunter’sGreen Elementary were among thosewho scored in the top 5 percent in thestate of Florida on the 2010-11 FCATReading and Math exams.

Recognition certificates were pre-sented to 27 fifth graders and 32fourth graders at a ceremony inNovember. Fifth grade FCAT Readingtop scorers were: Ryan Benefiel, Han-nah Cardozo, Joshua Collins-Hahn,Isabela Ferrer, Mairyn Harris-Jones,Rachel Hineline, Caroline Kee, Chan-dler Snyder and Eric Zhang.

Fourth grade FCAT Reading topscorers were: Ashlyn Bartley, JosephCarlson, Kendall Driesse, EzekielGeorge, Aaron Ha, Kendall Hartland,Isabella Herrada, Alyson Hurst, JettJacobs, Devyn Kettner, Lauren Lamb,Anmol Mittal, Julia Montalto, CoraSalzano, Jordan Scott, Avery Thomas,Danasia Williams-Griffin and JohnZambito.

Fifth grade FCAT Math top scor-ers were: Alysha Acevedo, AndrewChekan, Marissa Coringrato, TimothyFord, K'Uaziya Hammond, CarolineKee, Brandon Lo, Paul Meyers, NoahMorrissey, Ryan Philbin, Ryan Sherry,

Kelly Spence, Halley Taylor, andMeixang Wang.

Fourth grade FCAT Math topscorers were: Joseph Andel, JosephCarlson, Kadanny George, Ezekiel Fos-ter, Aaron Ha, Kendall Hartland, JettJacobs, Devyn Kettner, DanielMcCarthy, Anmol Mittal, Julia Montal-to, Sean Moore, Katelyn Sacks, CoraSolzano, Beatriz Sandin, Jordan Scott,Hunter Tomlinson, and John Zambito.

Congratulations to these outstand-ing students, who worked so hard todo well and make their teachers, par-ents, and school proud!

Local Teachers AwardedGrants For Water Projects

Fifty-one Hillsborough Countyteachers and three private school teach-ers are among the educators who wereawarded 2010-11 “Splash!” schoolgrants through the Southwest FloridaWater Management District.

This year, 206 “Splash!” grantswere awarded to educators across theDistrict’s 16-county region.

Mary Margaret Hull, lead commu-nications coordinator, attributes theeffectiveness of the grant program inHillsborough County to the strongpartnership with Hillsborough CountySchools, which helped get the word out

to teachers. Fourschool district staffserve as the South-west Florida WaterManagement Dis-trict’s liaisons toteachers: Karen Fol-som, Nature’sClassroom adminis-trator; Larry Plank,supervisor of sec-ondary science; AndiRinger, sciencesupervisor of middle school education;and Shana Tirado, elementary sciencesupervisor.

“These teachers are receiving asmall amount of money but are able toaccomplish so much,” Hull said.“Grant recipients also use the District’scollection of curriculum materials andother free educational resources.”

The Hillsborough Countyawardees from New Tampa include:

• Autumn Balthazor, BenitoMS, who will receive $1,805. Stu-dents will discover strategies that stabi-lize soil and improve percolation toreduce erosion and chemical runoff.

• Lori Hanson, Chiles Elemen-tary, $2,830. Students will participatein educational field trips. They will edu-cate families, peers and the communityabout conservation and protection ofwater resources.

• Jane Kemp, Chiles Elemen-

tary, $2,256. Students will compare ahydroponics system to conventionalgardening, analyzing water use, plantgrowth and plant production.

• Gale Crowe, Freedom High,$3,523. Students will study their water-shed and the organisms inhabiting it byparticipating in educational field tripsand performing water quality testing.

• Cheryl Pahl, Hunter’s GreenElementary, $2,046. Students willlearn about water conservation by gar-dening with Florida-Friendly Landscap-ing™ principles.

• Jennell Graham, Pride Ele-mentary, $3,250. Students will take afield trip and construct hydroponic andin-ground gardening systems.

• Kevin Maloney, WhartonHigh, $2,547. Students will test thewater in the creek that traverses Whar-ton High’s campus, and analyze com-ponents that are vital to the watershed.

Education UpdatesNEW TAMPA

Pictured with HGE principal Kristin Tonelli are some ofHunter’s Green Elementary’s top FCAT performers.


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Four Freedom High student ath-letes are among those who will bemoving on to compete at the nextlevel, after accepting scholarship offersfrom some prestigious Division I andDivision II programs.

Three young ladies — KaitlynPacholke, Megan Paul and Sarah Wol-ford — signed letters of intent onNational Signing Day (November 10).Pacholke has been instrumental inhelping the Lady Patriots basketballteam go undefeated this season (as of

our press time), and she signed a letterof commitment to play at JacksonvilleState University. Paul, who will playsoftball at the University of Tampa,played catcher for the Lady Patriotslast season, where she batted .463 andled the team in RBIs with 28. Wolford,who has been competing in gymnasticssince a young age, also accepted ascholarship offer from the University ofIowa, a top Division I program.

Meanwhile, FHS head footballcoach Tchecoy Blount announced last

week that LB Keith Lewis has given averbal commitment to play football atthe University of Mississippi, in theDiv. I Southeastern Conference.

Lewis, one of the most highlyrecruited players in the state, led thePatriots with 108 tackles and threesacks. He also blocked three field goalattempts and rushed for three touch-downs. In addition to Ole Miss, hehad scholarship offers from more thantwo dozen other top-tier programs,including Southern Cal, Auburn, Ten-nessee, Michigan and Nebraska.


Lewis, Three Other FHS Athletes Accept Scholarship Offers

Sports BriefsNEW TAMPA

Boy Scouts Hosting 1stAnnual ‘Honest Abe 5K’

The Gulf Ridge Council of the BoyScouts of America is honoring our 16thpresident by hosting the first annual“Honest Abe 5K Race,” which will beheld Saturday, February 12, 8 a.m., atAmerican Consulting (2818 CypressRidge Blvd., Wesley Chapel). Registra-tion in advance costs $20, and can bedone online at Active.com. Participantsalso can register (for $25) between 7a.m.-7:45 a.m. the day of the event.Free parking is available, and following

the race, a free hot breakfast will beprovided during the awards ceremonyat the Hampton Inn next door.

New 11-U Baseball TeamSeeking New Tampa Players

The Tampa Thunder (formerly theWesley Chapel Wildcats) 11-U baseballtravel team is looking for players. TheThunder will playing their spring seasongames at the Live Oak Park off BBDBlvd. in New Tampa. For additionalinformation, contact Harold Alvara-do at 340-2576.

LB Keith Lewis impressed scouts withhis speed and knowledge of the game.

Watched over by their parents, Kaitlyn Pacholke, Sarah Wolford and MeganPaul sign letters of intent on National Signing Day.


The Gingerbread Cottage Is A Unique, Year-Round Gift Store!some new vendors who feature greatgifts that are just perfect for Valentine’sDay!”

The Gingerbread Cottage (1836Bruce B. Downs Blvd.) is open everyday until Valentine’s Day. Stop in orcall 770-7876 and tell Wendy andher sons that we sent you! — GN

What began as an idea to provide acouple of months of pre-holiday shop-ping for entrepreneur Wendy O’Neill isnow becoming a permanent new fixtureat the Shoppes at New Tampa of WesleyChapel. Located in the same plaza asPublix and Beall’s (across from theShops at Wiregrass mall) is The Ginger-bread Cottage Gift Shop, a conglomer-ation of independent vendors of every-thing from The Pampered Chef andAmway cosmetics and other products tothe Potty Express potty trainer for boys,which was invented by a Tampa Palmsresident. The store also features talentedartists and artisans who otherwise onlysell their wares at craft and trade shows.

“We still have some limited vendorspace available,” says O’Neill, whoseems to really be enjoying bringing ineverything from the wildlife and natureart of Land O’Lakes resident TerrySmith to beautiful hand-painted glass-ware by artists Christina Snell andBecky Hawkes, and from custom-

designedBible cov-ers, hand-turnedwood pensand tod-dler-sizedRaggedyAnn andAndy dollsby “Shadow of Creations” artisanSharon Wilson to unique handbags andtotes from Thirty-One, energy braceletsfrom CieAura — and much more!

“One of the great things about thisplace is, for example, that our PamperedChef consultant Stacey Janoske can hosther parties here, instead of at someone’shome,” says O’Neill, who also sells aline of products from her own promo-tional marketing company called INK-credible ADventures. “Even thoughChristmas has passed, we still also doprofessional gift wrapping by appoint-ment and we’re really gearing up with

(Left) The Gingerbread Cottage also features the awesome nature and wildlife art of Terry Smith, who often creates his masterpieces in the store. a truly comfy University ofFlorida (wiith other NFL and college teams available) lounge chair and great cosmetic and other gift ideas for Valentine’s Day from Amway.

(Left) The Gingerbread Cottage sells everything from the Potty Express PottyTraining for Boys Disposable Urinal to the truly outstanding cooking andother houseware products from Pampered Chef consultant Stacey Janoske.

Gingerbread Cottage ownerWendy O’Neill & one of her

“Love Links” charm necklaces.


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Karaoke Party To Benefit The Homeless Draws A Crowd!

(Clockwise from top left) Event organizer Taylor Gardner (right) and his friend Aaron step up to the mic. Van DykeChurch college programs minister Todd Leet thanked Gardner & everyone in attendance for helping the homeless. Theevening was full of great singers. Boxes filled with warm clothes, blankets and food for the homeless made everyone happy.

The room inside Mulligan’s Irish Pub at the Pebble Creek Golf Club was full and festive.

I am proud to say that I have known U.S.Marine reservist Taylor Gardner and his family sinceTaylor was about five years old. I am also proud tohave been able to help Taylor, for the second time intwo years, put on a great event that helped people inneed. Two years ago, Taylor and yours truly co-hosted a karaoke party at Mulligan’s Irish Pub atthe Pebble Creek Golf Club (PCGC) to benefit aprogram that teaches disabled veterans how to han-dle a kayak without the use of their legs and takesthem on some great kayaking adventures.

This time, Taylor was back at PCGC, to raisemoney and collect non-perishable food, clothing andother basic needs to help benefit the thousands ofhomeless people living in Hillsborough County.

At least 150 people brought in those necessitiesand donated $1 for chances to win some great prizes(many, but not all of which we donated) and to do alittle singing with the help of CeCe Productions(973-4221) karaoke on Dec. 14. By the evening’send, more than $900, plus 6,000 pounds of foodand supplies, 2,000 lbs. of which were donated byHope Presbyterian Church in Lutz, were collected.

All of those proceeds were donated to Five andTwo Food (FiveandTwoFood.com) and BarefootHope (BarefootHope.tumblr.com), throughRe:Wired Worship, a ministry of Van DykeChurch on Van Dyke Rd. in Lutz which meets atSt. James United Methodist Church of TampaPalms. Todd Leet, who leads the college programsfor Re:Wired Worship, called Gardner “A naturalborn leader who has heard the calling to help oth-ers.” I would have to agree. — GN


Florida Executive Realty Distributes Food To The Needy

Hundreds of needy local families received food and sundries in time for theholidays, thanks to the staff at Florida Executive realty in Tampa Palms.

In the spirit of the holiday season,Florida Executive Realty, independentand locally owned since 1992, held afood drive to benefit families in needfor 7 local schools and2 churches.

The company’s agents sent lettersto their clients enlisting their help inproviding non-perishable food items,toiletries and clothing. These donationswere collected at the FER office and byDecember, a mountain of goods hadflooded the office and needed to betransferred to the Compton Park recre-ation room. The company gatheredthere on Dec. 3rd to create individualbags for distribution.

With all hands on deck, the FERstaff was able to create enough bags tohelp a total of 110 families! Each fami-

ly was given one bag of food items andanother of toiletries.

Representatives from Hunter’sGreen, Lewis, Muller and Clark Ele-mentaries, Liberty and WeightmanMiddle Schools and Freedom Highand two local churches came the nextmorning to pick up the contributions.Many were surprised to see the stag-gering amount that was supplied bythe community for this event.

FER is still receiving many dona-tions from generous individuals andbusinesses in our community and willcontinue to distribute them.

Florida Executive Realty islocated at 15802 Amberly Dr. Formore info, call 972-3430 or visitFloridaExecutiveRealty.com.

By Gary Nager

Since you’re receiving this issue onJanuary 3 or 4, I’m assuming that manyof you are still hoping to fulfill a resolu-tion to lose weight and get in bettershape.

If the big, commercial gyms haven’tworked out for you in the past, I suggestvisiting Snap Fitness 24-7, which is locat-ed in the Shoppes at Pebble Creek plazaon bruce B. Downs (BBD) Blvd., acrossfrom Wasabi Japanese Steakhouse, in theplaza that has Wendy’s as an outparcel.

Owner Jordan Levy says that one ofthe things that sets Snap Fitness apartfrom the big gym chains is true 24-7 access.Every member receives a key to the place,which means that you can get in to work outwhether you work 9-5, the “graveyard shift,”or have different times on different days whenyou can get to the gym.

“Every member on a month-to-month orannual contract also receives a free consulta-tion with one of our three certified trainerswhere they get to talk about their goals andexpectations and take measurements,” saysLevy. “In addition, every client receives a fullorientation on how to use the machines.”Thestrength training machines at Snap Fitness aremainly Cybex machines, which Levy says “areknown to be among the best in the business.”

Levy and his staff recently held a Grand

Opening party and ribbon cutting with theNew Tampa Chamber of Commerce and hesays he plans to be active in the Chamber andthe community.

Snap Fitness also has affordable single,joint and family memberships available. Inaddition, if you just want to try it out, youcan get a free one-week pass to the gym, butthe pass only allows you to work out when astaff member is present, usually from 8 a.m.-8 p.m. every day. The club’s motto is “Getfit. Feel great. Be well.,” and the bet here isthat it will work for you!

Snap Fitness 24-7 is located at 19402BBD Blvd., in the Shoppes at PebbleCreek plaza. For additional information,call 994-4434 or visit SnapFitness.com.


Snap Fitness 24-7 Can Help You Keep Your New Year’s Resolution!

Snap Fitness 24-7 owner Jordan Levy (top) cut the ribbon with representa-tives of the New Tampa Chamber of Commerce (above) in November.


America’s Ballet School Students Shine In ‘The Nutcracker’In November and December, stu-

dents from the DanzAmerica’s Projectprogram at America’s Ballet School inTampa Palms (under the direction ofPaula Nunez), enthralled audienceswith their breathtaking performances of“The Nutcracker.”

The cast featured dozens of youthand adult performers, who presentedtheir hard work in two outreach pro-grams for Pasco County students at the

Wersley Chapel Center for the Arts onDecember 10-11, and also in a coupleof shows at the University of SouthFlorida’s Theater 1. The students alsoperformed at the Hyde Park Christmascelebration in November.

For more information aboutAmerica’s Ballet School, which islocated at 15365 Amberly Dr., inthe Shoppes of Amberly, call 558-0800 or visit AmericasBallet.com.


We’ve Seen Your Favorite Restaurants For 2010, Now Here Are Mine! Sadly, many of my favorite restau-

rants in our area — and yours —closed altogether or at least changedhands in 2010, including my perennialfavorite, Circles New Tampa Bistro,Polo’s Italian Grill, the Louis PappasMarket Cafe and others that have real-ly shaken up my annual favorites rank-ings. The good news is that there arestill plenty of great places in our area,with new ones I hope to add to thislist someday opening to replace thosethat have closed.

1. Ciccio’s/The Lodge -1. Ciccio’s/The Lodge -Always in my top two when it was justCiccio & Tony’s, the closing of Circlesand the addition of favorites from TheLodge (another South Tampa stapleowned by the same partners) andweekly dinner specials has bumped itup to my Numero Uno for the firsttime. The black and white sesametuna “Lodge TV Dinner,” NewTampa (cooked grouper and onion)American sushi roll and chicken Fit 4Life are all among my favorite choicesin New Tampa.

2. Acropolis Greek Taverna2. Acropolis Greek Taverna-- With the closing of the Pappas Mar-ket Cafe, Acropolis can now safely callitself “Greek.” The grilled lamb chops,fresh grouper and Mahi-Mahi andsteak, chicken and pork kabobs are all

among my faves.3. Cafe Ole Tapas & Spanish3. Cafe Ole Tapas & Spanish

Cuisine -Cuisine - Based on its off-your-charts showing in the 2010 Reader Sur-vey, this favorite of mine definitely ranksas New Tampa’s most underratedrestaurant. Delicious fresh fish, succu-lent authentic Spanish sauces and per-fect paella, plus amazing lunch specialsdaily, all make Cafe Ole a must-try.

4. Sukhothai - 4. Sukhothai - I guess I loveAsian food more than our average read-er does and Sukhothai is my favorite ofa long list of great Asian places in ourarea. Awesome sushi, including a signa-ture tilapia tataki, is complemented by aunique steak teriyaki, delectable crispyduck, super spring rolls and an incredi-ble combo fried rice.

5. Fushia Asian Bistro -5. Fushia Asian Bistro -Fushia gets the nod from me for bestChinese cuisine in our area because it istruly New York style, with real dim sumappetizers and the best beef with Chi-nese broccoli and Yong Chow fried ricein New Tampa.

6. Liang’s Bistro Asian Cui6. Liang’s Bistro Asian Cui--sine -sine - Just a shade below Fushia to me,our readers’ annual favorite Asianrestaurant in our area for six years run-ning definitely is a local treasure, withthe best egg rolls, excellent BBQ spareribs and the best homemade sweet Thai

chile sauce I’ve had in Florida. 7. Thai Ruby - 7. Thai Ruby - Again, just a

notch below the three above because itdoesn’t have sushi like Sukhothai, ThaiRuby may be the prettiest of the bunchand has my favorite crispy duck withginger sauce and great combo fried rice,spring and egg rolls. Try the daily din-ner specials, too.

8. Urban Culinary Cafe -8. Urban Culinary Cafe -Much more than just an urban soulfood place, you can’t beat the value atUCC, which adds great weekend enter-tainment to the best fried chicken, greatfresh fish specials and unique sauces.

9. Wood Fired Pizza & Wine9. Wood Fired Pizza & WineBar - Bar - Still focused on the best ingredi-ents and most unique 850-degreewood-burning oven-baked pizza intown, Wood Fired also has an incredi-ble selection of fine wines and craftdraft and bottles beers at unbeatableprices to go with its awesome pizza piesnamed for sexy female movie stars.

10. Bella Vita Italian Restau10. Bella Vita Italian Restau--rant & Market - rant & Market - OK, so it’s nolonger Circles and didn’t retain many ofthe old fave’s dishes. On the otherhand, Bella Vita’s pizza is now the bestNY style in New Tampa and the home-made pastas (ridiculously good raviolis)and sauces at the new market side defi-nitely keep it in my top 10.

11. La Cubanita Cafe - 11. La Cubanita Cafe - Sonew I almost didn’t have time to sam-ple much of its menu (and almost cer-tain to move up on my list next year), Ialready can vouch for this newly openedcafe’s incredible breakfast sandwiches,the best roast pork in the area, anincredible chicken fricasse, deliciousdesserts & more. See page 45!

12. Sushi Ko Chinese &12. Sushi Ko Chinese &Japanese Cuisine - Japanese Cuisine - The best BBQspare ribs in New Tampa, a superb gar-lic sauce and always fresh sushi havebeen joined by a new selection of gour-met Chinese seafood dishes andunbeatable lunch & dinner specials,making Sushi Ko well worth anothervisit if it’s been a while for you.

13. Sushi Tsu Japanese Steak13. Sushi Tsu Japanese Steak& Sushi - & Sushi - Always great sushi and top-notch hibachi steak, chicken and scal-lops keep Sushi Tsu high on my list andyours. You can even get the hibachispecialties to go.

14. Soho Sushi - 14. Soho Sushi - The sushi isalways fresh and the asparagus & steakmaki, the best tempura in our area andincredible boxed meal specials keepSoho Sushi among my local favorites.

15. Stonewood Grill & Tav15. Stonewood Grill & Tav--ern - ern - Excellent steaks and appetizerslike sesame seared tuna and smokedsalmon on crispy toast points, as well as


the rocking bar area make Stonewood atop local favorite.

16. Cole’s BBQ - 16. Cole’s BBQ - The bestBBQ sauce in our area is perfect oneverything from Cole’s pork ribs tobeef brisket, but sides like butteredgreen beans and savory baked beanshave made Cole’s one of my favorite2010 newcomers to our area.

17. Las Palmas Spanish Cafe17. Las Palmas Spanish Cafe- - Always reliable for Cuban style roastpork and merluza (a flaky white fish) ala Russe, Las Palmas also has greatpressed Cubans, ropa vieja and one ofthe best lunch crowds in New Tampa.

18. Lee Roy Selmon’s - 18. Lee Roy Selmon’s - Theawesome spicy Caesar salad, grilled NYstrip steak, grilled chicken with wild riceand the multitude of TV screens makeSelmon’s my favorite restaurant forwatching football, baseball, basketballand hockey games.

19. Wasabi Japanese Steak19. Wasabi Japanese Steak--house - house - Very good sushi and hibachigrill dishes in one of the prettier restau-rant settings in our area make Wasabi atop local choice for a fun night out.

20. Jersey Mike’s Subs - 20. Jersey Mike’s Subs - As anavowed roast beef addict, Jersey Mike’shouse-roasted roast beef might beenough for the place to make my list,but add in superb tuna salad, Italianand “club” combos and Philly cheeses-teaks, and you have a place well worth atop-20 ranking.

21. Five Guys Burgers &21. Five Guys Burgers &

Fries - Fries - A favorite of mine since thefirst Bay area location opened onFowler Ave., Five Guys combines big,juicy burgers and skin-on Idaho potatoFrench fries with, of course, freepeanuts while you wait.

22. Ploy Thai - 22. Ploy Thai - Great duck,excellent fresh fish and great spring rollsin an elegant setting make Ploy Thaianother New Tampa dining.

23. Panera Bread - 23. Panera Bread - The best ofthe bigger chain restaurants in NewTampa, crusty bread, excellent soups,salads, sandwiches and coffee, plussome decadent baked goods, makePanera one of New Tampa’s favoritebreakfast and lunch locales.

24. Bruster’s Real Ice Cream24. Bruster’s Real Ice Cream- - I also really like Cold Stone, DairyWueen and Baskin Robbins, but I loveBruster’s — dense, creamy and with themix-ins already mixed in. Plus, Bruster’sice cream pies are the best ice creamvalue in town.

25. Jimmy John’s Sandwich25. Jimmy John’s SandwichShop - Shop - Another great newcomer withoutstanding bread, Jimmy John’s, nowlocated in the slot formerly occupied bySmoothie King, has become a local subshop favorite very quickly.

Honorable Mention - Honorable Mention - Mr.Dunderbak’s, Saffron Indian Cuisine,Biagio’s II Pizza & Pasta, Coffee Bean-ery Cafe, Cold Stone Creamery, OliveBranch Deli, Peabody’s, PizzaZone,Romano’s Macaroni Grill, Panda Buf-

fet, Ruby Tuesday, Maggie’s TeaRoom, Bullseye Saloon and the newJoy of Tokyo (see page 45).Gary’s Wesley Chapel Favorites1. Dempsey’s Steak House,

Saddlebrook Resort2. Bonefish Grill3. Cantina Laredo4. GrillSmith5. La Prima Pizza6. The Tropics Restaurant,

Saddlebrook Resort7. Outback Steakhouse8. The Hungry Greek9. Texas Roadhouse10. Santo’s Italian Grill11. Remington’s Steakhouse12. Aja Wiregrass13. PizzaMania14. Los Vallartas Mexican Grill15. Taste of Boston16. Pagelli’s Italian Restaurant17. Yamato Japanese Steakhouse18. Café Fresco19. Cosi Café20. Bonsai Sushi21. Wolf’s Den22. Sonny’s BBQ23. Woody’s Pizza & Wings24. Red Robin25. First Watch

Honorable Mention - BoardwalkFrozen Custard, Super Buffet (S.R.54), Dairy Queen, Beef O’Brady’s,MochiBerri, Winner’s Grill, ChinaTaste, Don Pan Int’l Bakery, Ho Wok

My 10 Favorite Asian Restau-rants In New Tampa & WesleyChapel are:

1. Sukhothai2. Fushia Asian Bistro3. Liang’s Bistro Asian Cuisine4. Thai Ruby5. Sushi Ko6. Sushi Tsu7. Soho Sushi8. Wasabi Japanese Steakhouse9. Yamato Japanese Steakhouse10. Bonsai Sushi

My 5 Favorite Coffee, Tea &Smoothie Shops in NT/WC are:

1. Cosi Cafe2. Coffee Beanery Cafe3. La Cubanita Café4. Café Olé5. Starbucks

My 5 Favorite Italian Restau-rants in NT/WC are:

1. Ciccio’s/The Lodge2. Santo’s Italian Grill3. La Prima Pizza4. Bella Vita5. PizzaMania

My 5 Favorite Pizza Places inNT/WC are:

1. La Prima Pizza2. Bella Vita3. Wood Fired Pizza4. PizzaMania5. Santo’s Italian Grill

My 5 Favorite Sandwich & SubShops in NT/WC are:

1. Jersey Mike’s Subs2. Jimmy John’s Sandwich Shop3. Panera Bread4. Café Fresco5. Olive Branch Deli

My 10 Favorite Bars/Tavernsin NT/WC are:

1. Aja Wiregrass2. Peabody’s/The Palms3. Acropolis Greek Taverna4. Café Olé5. Linkster’s Tap Room6. Lee Roy Selmon’s7. Santo’s Italian Grill8. Ciccio’s/The Lodge9. Stonewood Grill & Tavern10. Bullseye Saloon

My 5 Favorite Places forDessert/Ice Cream in NT/WC are:

1. Bruster’s Real Ice Cream2. Cold Stone Creamery3. Boardwalk Frozen Custard4. Baskin-Robbins5. Dairy Queen


Liangs Bistro Is Still New Tampa’s Favorite Asian Cuisine!By Gary Nager

Every year since 2005, Liang’sBistro Asian Cuisine (located next toChick-fil-A and Walgreen’s on BruceB. Downs (BBD) Blvd. in NorthPalms Village) has been named by ourreaders as your Favorite Asian and/orChinese Restaurant in New Tampa &Wesley Chapel.

That’s a pretty remarkable accom-plishment, considering how manygreat Asian restaurants we have had inNew Tampa each of those years.

Obviously, Liang’s, which also haswon many other awards (see below)for its outstanding fusion of Chinese,Japanese, Thai, Vietnamese and Koreancuisines, has been and continues to bedoing something right. The restaurant’scasual, but elegant setting and primelocation on BBD can only take it so far.If Liang’s didn’t have a chef from NewYork providing great food at always fairprices, there’s no doubt it wouldn’t stillbe around today.

The starters are always excellent,beginning with what I believe are thebest egg rolls in New Tampa, perhapsin the entire Tampa Bay area. Then,there are the perfectly not-oversaucedNew York-style baby barbecued spareribs and other favorites like crispy fried

cheese puffs, delicious pan-fried dump-lings and more. And of course, all ofLiang’s starters go great with theincredible trio of house-made sauces —the best sweet Thai chile sauce I’ve evertasted, a great dumpling sauce and aspicy Thai chile sauce. I also enjoyLiang’s wonton soup, although it usu-ally comes with shrimp in it, which I’munfortunately allergic to, but they domake it for me without the shrimp.

The starters are so good that itmay be difficult to save room forentrées, but there are lots of greatoptions from which to choose. On ourmost recent visit, our entire office had achance to sample a wonderful filet ofred snapper in a semi-spicy oyster sauce

With starters like these, it’s hard to save room for your main course at Liang’s Bistro Asian Cuisine on Bruce B. DownsBlvd.: (l. to r.) Crispy cheese puffs, the best egg rolls in New Tampa and delicious New York-style baby barebcued spare ribs.

and wonderful mixed veggies. This maybe my favorite entrée ever at Liang’s,although I’ve always been partial to theprepared-tableside sizzling teriyaki steakwith mushrooms and onions that blowsdoors on any sizzling fajitas I’ve had!

Even though only one of us was avegetarian, we all also enjoyed the Viet-namese lemongrass tofu, which is stir-fried with broccoli, asparagus and redand green peppers in a wonderfulbrown lemongrass sauce. My favoriteveggies at Liang’s are the sautéed greenbeans, which I order a little spicy.

We all also agreed that all ofLiang’s breaded and fried entrées,including General Tso’s chicken, sesamechicken, orange peel beef or chicken

and Liang’s beef or chicken in the tra-ditional “crispy jacket” are all great,although I try to stay away from thefried entrées myself.

Liang’s continues to expand itsseafood selections and we had a chanceto sample two of the house’s specialties— the Golden Nest Seafood, whichcombines fresh lobster, shrimp, scallopsand crabmeat with mixed vegetables inthe chef’s “secret” (similar to a lobster)sauce, all served in a beautiful goldennest, made out of potato; and the wal-nut shrimp, which has a cream sauceand a touch of pineapple on top ofjumbo shrimp. I did sample the GoldenNest, just not the shrimp, and it waswonderful, but I did not try the walnut

shrimp. Managing editorMichael Smith, an avowedshrimp lover, said the walnutshrimp was his favorite dish.

And of course, Liang’sserves a variety of hot teas andoffers beer, wine and catering.

In addition to its annualNeighborhood News honors,Liang’s also is a GoldenSpoon Award winner, hasreceived a Diamond Awardfrom AAA every year since2005 and recently won anurban Spoon Award as one ofthe 100 best restaurants in theTampa Bay area.

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Among our favorite entrées at Liang’s are (top to bottom) the incredible red snapper,the Golden Nest Seafood, the sizzling teriyaki steak and sautéed green beans.

Win Tickets To ‘A Night OfStars’ At The Straz Center!

If you enjoy great music AND agreat meal, Opera Tampa is sponsoringa fun contest just for you! The winnerwill receive VIP treatment for the “ANight of Stars” concert on TThhuurrssddaayy,,FFeebbrruuaarryy 2244,, in Carol Morsani Hall atthe SSttrraazz CCeenntteerr ffoorr tthhee PPeerrffoorrmmiinnggAArrttss (formerly the Tampa Bay Per-forming Arts Center)!

The Grand Prize winner’s package(a $250 value!!!) includes: two premi-um seats for the Feb. 24 “A Night ofStars” concert AND dinner for two atMaestro’s, inside the Straz Center,before the show! (Please note that thedinner does not include alcoholic bev-erages or gratuity.)***

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tthhrreeee qquueessttiioonnss && fifillll tthheemm iinn bbeellooww::11.. WWhhoo iiss tthhee lleeaaddiinngg bbaarriittoonnee

ooff hhiiss ttiimmee aanndd aa tthhrreeee--ttiimmee GGrraamm--mmyy AAwwaarrdd wwiinnnneerr??

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ffoorrmmeedd oonn tthhee CCaarrooll MMoorrssaannii ssttaaggeeoonn AApprr.. 2299 && MMaayy 11??

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nnuummbbeerr ttoo oorrddeerr ttiicckkeettss??________________________________________________________

To be eligible to win, you mustanswer all three questions above cor-rectly and fill out all of the info below.Entries are due by TThhuurrssddaayy,, FFeebbrruu--aarryy 1100,, and can be mailed or emailedto the addresses given below.

Your Name _________________________________________Address (with zip code) ___________________________________________________

Phone # _____________ Email _______________________

Have you ever been to an Opera Tampa performance? ___Yes ___NoMail to: Neighborhood News Straz Contest, 15345 Amberly Dr., Tampa, FL 33647Email to: [email protected]. Note: The winner will be notified by telephone!

***Tickets are for the “A Night of Stars” concert. They ddoo nnoott include the gala after the concert.

opened in the same location in theOak Ramble Plaza on BBD (south ofTampa Palms) a couple of weeks ago.

Joy of Tokyo features a small, butinviting sushi bar and an open seatingarea with fast service and excellentJapanese fare.

Start with the sushi, includingone of the tastiest spider (fried softshell crab) rolls in town, plus greatseared tuna and a a couple of mildJapanese white meat fish options Iloved, even though had I never heardof them before. I also can recommendthe huge appetizer portion of chickentempura for only $3.99.

I haven’t yet had a full dinner atJoy of Tokyo, but check the couponsbelow for some great offers.

Joy of Tokyo Sushi & Grille islocated at 14913 BBD Blvd., in thesame plaza as Acropolis & JerseyMike’s. It’s open for lunch and din-ner every day, 11 a.m.-10 p.m. Formore information, call 978-8222.

By Gary Nager

Anyone who’s been reading thispublication for any period of timeknows how much I love food...andchecking out new restaurants, especiallythose that open in our area.

Well, there’s two new additions toNew Tampa’s dining scene that haveopened since our last issue and I believeboth are a must-try. I hope you’ll readthese little tidbits and decide to checkboth out for yourself AND tell theowners that I sent you!

La Cubanita CaféLa Cubanita CaféAfter failing to last long-term as

Baci’s and then Polo’s, the all-new LaCubanita Café in the same locationin the New Tampa Center (Bruce B.Downs Blvd. at New Tampa Blvd.,next to Publix) as those Italian restau-rants looks like a surefire winner.

With a clean, inviting décor andthe best roast pork in mojo sauce(photo) and café con lechés I’ve tastedin Tampa, plus outstanding value forbreakfast and lunch, La Cubanita hasthe delicious food, fast service and lowprices to not only survive a downeconomy, but thrive in our area,regardless of the economy.

And, with the coupons on page41 in this issue, you can get a deli-cious bacon, egg and cheese on

Cuban bread breakfast sandwich ANDsmall café con leché for just $4.99!You also can try a lunch meal (like themojo roast pork, yellow rice and plan-tains in the photo above) and fountaindrink and get 20-percent off!

I’ve also sampled La Cubanita’swonderful chicken fricase that literallyfalls off the bone and yummy marinat-ed masitas (pork chunks). There’s alsopicadillo (ground beef), ropa vieja(shredded beef), palomilla steak, garlicshrimp and merluza (a delicious, flakywhite fish), as well as decadentdesserts like authentic tres lechés (sortof a sweet, milky bread pudding) anda light and airy mango mousse.

La Cubanita Café is located at19040 BBD Blvd. Call 632-9100for more information.

Joy Of TokyoJoy Of TokyoAlthough a lot of us miss the old

Louis Pappas Market Café that closedearlier this year, sushi and Japanesecuisine lovers will definitely enjoy Joyof Tokyo Sushi & Grille, which


Neighborhood Nibbles — Check Out La Cubanita & Joy Of Tokyo

We recommend the spider (actuallysoft shell crab) roll at Joy of Tokyo.


P E T S I T T I N G

New Tampa Pet Sitting Service. Lots of love &care for your pets. Great experience & references.Recommended by Angie’s List. Licensed, Insured& Red Cross Certified. Call Maria @ 416-5301.

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NEED EXTRA MONEY…We can turn yourunwanted, old or broken gold jewelry intoCASH! Take advantage of high gold priceswhich may not last long. Don’t sell to the fly bynight companies. Take it to Tampa PalmsHometown Jeweler. Jeweler on staff w/ 35 yrs.exp. Charles Jewelers, 972-4653 (next toStein Mart on Bruce B. Downs).

M A S S A G E

Licensed Mobile Massage Therapist. 9am -9pm, Mon, Tues & Wed. $50 for 1 hour!Types of massage available: Swedish, Deep Tis-sue, Aroma Therapy, Hot Stone, CorporateSeated, Pregnancy, Sports & Injury Rehab. Ref-erences available. www.barkdollmassagethera-py.com CALL. 727-372-6389 Lic #MA47546.

D R I V I N G S E R V I C E

Don’t Have a Ride? Don’t Want to Leave Your Car?Shouldn’t Drive? We Drive You and Your Car Home!Night Clubs, Corporate Events, Sporting Events, Con-certs, Appointments, Airport or Stranded... Call Jay at813-966-1530.

R E A L E S T A T E

Foreclosure Homes & Bank REO listings byemail at www.TampaForeclosuresToday.com.Team Bohannon, Coldwell Banker 813-982-7512

Avoid Foreclosure, We can help!www.TampaShortSalesToday.comTeam Bohannon, Coldwell Banker 813-982-7512

I N V E S T M E N T

SEEKING INVESTOR/PARTNER Experi-enced restaurateurs interested in acquiring anexisting successful restaurant in Sarasota/Bradenton area. Total purchase price: $120K.Monthly lease: $4K. We have the 20% downpayment. Seeking $100K-$150K. Seriousinquiries only, please. Call (941) 377 3125 oremail [email protected].

T A I C H I L E S S O N S

O F F I C E S P A C E

A/C WAREHOUSE W/OFFICES, 920 S.F.In New Tampa off Bruce B Downs located inNew Tampa Professional Park behind PilotBank. Call Gail- 813-973-4155.

B A B Y S I T T E R W A N T E D

Part time Baby Sitter wanted for a 13 monthbaby girl. Two days a during the week, mornings9am -12 pm and Saturday evenings. Montessoriexperience preferred not required. Backgroundcheck and References required. Call Sonia 216-316-4343. Lives in New Tampa.

L E G A L S E R V I C E S

These are the Color Classifieds YourNeighbors R E A D! Call Dave @

910-2575 to order your ad today!H E L P W A N T E D

PTA position available. Part-time (TampaPalms clinic). Fax Resume to: 813-994-3080

Part time Medical Assistant. Must havelab/blood draw experience. Wesley Chapel office,family medicine. evening and Saturday hours.Fax resume to 813-994-0085.

New Financial Advisors office in Wesley Chapellocated in Live Oak is looking for a FT Adminis-trative Assistant. Flexible schedule. Pay range$10-15 per hour. Must have working knowledgeof Word and Excel. Must also be able to type 50wpm. No Smokers. Please e-mail your resume,photo, and contact information to: [email protected].

C O M P U T E R S E R V I C E S

Professional Tech Support in your home orsmall business. A+ certified computer tech with 15years of exp. Maintenance & repairs, upgrades &tutoring. More affordable than the large chains!Friendly, personalized svc. Technical jargonexplained in plain English. References availableupon request. Call 957-8342 for free estimate.

H O M E I M P R O V E M E N T

Need home maintenance? Almost any job, largeor small, ext/int, fencing , screening, sm. concrete,sprinklers, painting, repairs, int. doors, locks, sheetrock, windows, paint, caulk, grout, trim, shelving,garages organized. Installations, removals, pressurewashing, wood restoration & more. Call Dale’sHome Maintenance @ 973-0194 or 727-2582.

Greg’s Paperhanging. For all of your wallpaperingneeds. Licensed & insured, clean, quick & reason-able. Call 973-2767 for free estimate.

C L E A N I N G S E R V I C E S

D-ULTRA CLEANING SERVICE. We haveour own supplies & more than 200 clients in NewTampa! For more information, call 758-9710.

Isn’t life busy enough? Save time. We can help.Your satisfaction is our first priority. Guaranteed, af -ford able, reliable, quality domestic svcs. Free esti-mate: Chelsea Maid Com pany @ 994-6662.

A+ Cleaning Service. FSU grad, honest & depend-able. Moving very successful business to TampaPalms area to be near first grandchild. My Tallahas-

see clients included FSU coaches & professors. Fora FREE estimate & references call Randi at (cell)850-509-6615. Yes, I do Gators, too.

Images Cleaning Svc. Pressure Washing Commer-cial/Residential, driveways, walks, decks, enclosures& homes. Gutter cleanout, trash removal, movein/out cleaning. 30 years of experience. Starting @$50. Call Robin @ 813.240.1981.

W I N D O W C L E A N I N G

L A N D S C A P I N G

L A W N M A I N T E N A N C E

NTLC Property Maintenance. Residential &Commercial lawn maintenance for New Tampa &Wesley Chapel. Sprinkler repair, tree trimming,mulching, landscaping & clean-ups also available.Licensed & Insured. Call Bill @ 973-3825.

P O O L S E R V I C E S

ENJOY YOUR POOL, WHILE WEMAINTAIN IT. KJ POOL SERVICE.Servicing pools for over 6 years. FIRSTMONTH FREE, PLUS FREE EVALUA-TION AND QUOTE Owner and Opera-tor. LICENSE, BONDED & INSURED.Office Number: 813.909.9466 Cell Number:813.748.9817. [email protected].

NEW TAMPA & WESLEY CHAPEL ClassifıedsJoin OrthoTechnology’s Winning Team!Ortho Technology, an international ortho-dontic supply distributor located in NewTampa, is seeking talented energetic candi-dates for the following full-time positions: Distribution Associate: High energy individ-ual needed to receive, restock, pull & pack cus-tomer orders. Fast paced environment. Basicmath & computer skills, ability to stand/walkfor entire shift & lift up to 50 pounds required.QC Inspector: Entry level position respon-sible for accuracy of outgoing orders. 1-2 yrsexp w/QC responsibilities. Ability tostand/walk for entire shift, close vision, basiccolor differentiation and basic math req’d.Small parts/med device experience a plus.We provide a great work environment, excellentbenefits package and growth potential. Submitresumes to [email protected].

Professional Pet Care. Exp’d. Pet sitter. We walk,play, feed & administer medicine, all in the comfort ofyour pet’s home. We also bring in mail, water plants& help maintain home security while you’re away.Bonded, insured & trained in Pet First-Aid & CPR.Call For The Love Of Pets at 545-8406 or 416-3126 or www.FortheLoveOfPetsOnline.com.

Tranquility Pool Service. New Tampa Owned& Operated! Great pricing w/outstanding cus-tomer service. Relax & enjoy while we keepyour pool in pristine swimming condition!Licensed, Bonded & Insured. Call Christoday for a free quote @ 857-5400 or visit usat www.tranquilitypoolservice.com to seewhy we are New Tampa’s #1 choice! Newcustomers mention this ad & receive onemonth FREE!

Aquatec Pool Service **Special Offer: Newcustomers get 1 Month FREE!** We followstrict National Swimming Pool Foundation(NSPF) standards - We do pools right. Alltechnicians are in uniform, drug-free, and back-ground checked. Quality, professional service.Licensed & Insured. Call Today 780-8616or visit our website www.aquatecpool.comto see why you should choose us!

Enjoy your time & let A.T.B. Landscaping &Lawn Service do the work for you. We providelandscaping, lawn maintenance, clean-ups, tree &hedge trimming, sodding, sprinkler repair & fertil-ization. Other services also available. 907-LAWN

Lawncare. Residential/Commercial We are aFather and Son Business. Licensed and Insured.Affordable pricing for all. Per cut or with a contractup to you.Call Patrick or Dora anytime.(813)907-1234 (Hauling Service too!)

Everyday Gardener’s Club. Full-serviceproperty maintenance available for residential& commercial. One-stop shopping withlicensed, insured professionals. Specializing inlandscape design with conceptional drawings& renderings available. Let your imagination& our professionals come together to createdreams that will last a lifetime. Call 933-1120or visit www.EverydayGardenersClub.com

Tampa Cat Lady Professional Cat-SittingService. You say goodbye - we say hello. Catsare happiest when in their own home, sur-rounded by familiar sights, sounds & smells.When you are away, we feed, cuddle & playwith your kitties & clean & dispose of litter. Wehelp deter crime by bringing newspaper/mail& rotating lights/blinds, giving your home thatlived-in look. Licensed, bonded & Red-Crosscertified in pet first aid/CPR. Call 994-9449or visit www.TampaCatLady.com.

RAYMOND PAINTING. Interior & Exterior,Pressure Washing, Paper Hanging, Plaster,Stucco, Tiles, Concrete, Clean & Seal Pavers.LICENSED & BONDED. References Avail-able. FREE ESTIMATES. Your NeighborhoodArbor Greene Resident. WE WORK 7 DAYS.CALL 994-5124.

Tai Chi Classes open to the public at the ClubTampa Palms. Benefits: Strength, Flexibility, Bal-ance, Focus and reduced stress. Class Times, Tues.Seniors 2:30-3:30 pm and Beg. 7-8 pm. AlsoNew 6-week Beginners courses starting every fewmonths. Space is limited. Contact me for moredetails. Also personal instruction in Tai Chi,Kempo Karate, Boot Camp Fitness training andmore. With more then 30 years of training andteaching experience. Call Peter today #787-7560or E-Mail me at [email protected]

Tired of working out of your house? Is a longcommute getting to you? Need space in NewTampa? Cory Lake Professional Center. Office suiteavailable. 950 sf. Call David – 813-494-8654

Get Your Estate In Order...Last Will...Power of Attorney...Living Will.

Experienced Tax Attorney 813-972-5078.

Bright Cleaning of Tampa Inc. Residential andCommercial. Free Estimates. We are family ownedand operated. Good References upon request. Low-est prices Please call us at (813)562-6772.

WINDOW WASHING most windows $6.00incl. inside, outside & sills. “Make Your WholeHouse Shine” 10+ yrs. experience. Convenientappointments. A POINT OF VIEW WINDOWWASHING. Wesley Chapel. 813-973-1451.

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