Westchase - Vol. 3, Issue 1, January 2014

The Community & Local Business Magazine Directly Mailed To 16,000 Homes In Westchase & Surrounding AreasThis Independent Community News, Business & Dining Guide Is Directly Mailed Once Each Month To:

Arlington Park • Aston Villas • Bay Arbor • Berkeley Square • Calf Path Estates • Enclave At Citrus Park • Fawn RidgeFawn Lake • Forest Lakes • Hampton Lakes • Highland Park • Lake Chase • Mandolin • The Eagles • Tree TopsTwin Branch Acres • Waterchase • West Hampton • Westchase • Westchester • Westwood Lakes • Windsor Place

INSIDE THIS ISSUE:

ECRWSSPostal Customer

Dated MaterialPlease Rush!

PRSRT STDU.S. POSTAGE

PAIDTAMPA FL

PERMIT 1185

A New Year. A New Beginning...3

Community Calendar............4

News Briefs........................4-5

Palm Harbor Dermatology...6-7

My Tampa Agent..............10-11

Clothes Mentor..............14-15

Our Community! Our Homes!Our Businesses!....................22-23

Vol. 3, Issue 1, January 2014

By Marcy Sanford

When you’re rushing home fromwork or from one after-school activ-ity to the next, is it possible to getfresh, healthy, delicious food from arestaurant? Samir and Anissa Khalifeused to face this same issue that manyWestchase families struggle with everyevening. Before opening Fresh Bites,the Khalifes found it difficult to findhealthy food that they could quickly

pick up to feed their family. “Wewould be rushing around after workwith our 4 children trying to figureout what we could feed them beforethey had to do homework or beforesoccer practice or other activities,” saysAnissa “We’ve lived in Westchase for13 years and especially in the begin-ning it was hard to find good, healthy,food for them. This, combined with

Neighborhood NewsNeighborhood News®

W E S T C H A S E A R E A

& LifestylesYour neighborhood. Your magazine.

By Marcy Sanford

Since opening this summer, RealAthletics and Wellness has been thetalk of the town. Local residents havebeen buzzing about the energetictrainers and teachers at this incrediblenew workout place, who have beengiving them genuine encouragementand motivating them to get in shape.“Most of our members have come tous after hearing their friends talk aboutthe classes and set-up here,” says RealAthletics and Wellness (R.A.W.) co-founder Jamil Thompson. “Theclasses that we have at R.A.W., com-bined with the nutritional information

we give our clients, help people get re-sults. This is not a gym that you cometo and get lost in, or don’t know whatto do. We’re here for our members,providing motivation and creating ahealthy community.”

This brand new 5,000 square-footfacility, located minutes from Westchaseat 13323 W. Hillsborough Avenue, hasa custom made TRX suspension train-ing area called “the Beast”, brand newequipment, including weights, kettleballs, and Bosu balls, and a cushionedfloor, in addition to a turf covered floorfor athletic training. “Much of ourboot camp style work outs are centered

Enjoy Delicious, Healthy,Internationally InspiredCuisine at Fresh Bites

in Westchase!

Real Athletics and Wellness –Find your R.A.W. Ambition Today!

See “Fresh Bites” on page 18.

See “Real Athletics” on page 20.

The Vegetarian Plate at Fresh Bites is a must try for anyone taking iteasy on animal proteins!

2 JANUARY 2014 Westchase Area Neighborhood NewsFor Ad Info Call (813) 928-6124 or Visit NeighborhoodNewsFL.com

JANUARY 2014 3Westchase Area Neighborhood News For Ad Info Call (813) 928-6124 or Visit NeighborhoodNewsFL.com

Neighborhood News& Lifestyles

Directly mailed once a month to 16,000households in zip codes 33626 & 34677

220 Safford Ave. S. Tarpon Springs, FL 34689

Phone: (813) 928-6124; Fax: (727) 942-2432Advertising E-mail:

[email protected] E-mail:

[email protected]© 2014 Westchase Neighborhood News is published by ADS 2 Publications, Inc.

Nothing that appears in Westchase NeighborhoodNews may be reproduced, whether wholly or in part, with-out permission. Opinions expressed by Westchase Neighbor-hood News writers are their own and do not reflect thepublisher’s opinion.

The management of Westchase Neighborhood Newsis always happy to accept outside editorial submissionsto the paper. Please call for outside editorial submissionand advertisement deadlines.

Westchase Neighborhood News will consider previ-ously non-published outside editorial submissions if theyare double spaced, typed and less than 500 words.Westchase Neighborhood News reserves the right to editand/or reject all outside editorial submissions and makesno guarantees regarding publication dates. Westchase Neigh-borhood News will not return unsolicited editorial materials.

Westchase Neighborhood News reserves the right toedit and/or reject any advertising. Westchase NeighborhoodNews is not responsible for errors in advertising beyond theactual cost of the advertising space itself, not for the validityof any claims made by its advertisers.

Westchase Neighborhood News & Lifestyles is pub-lished by ADS 2 Publications, Inc.

PublisherTim SelbyGeneral ManagerMatt Selby Advertising SalesJim O’ReillyLinda ViegaMike BirdAccounting ManagerDoreen SelbyBilling AssistantTina O’ReillyMarketing & DevelopmentAshley Knoblach

EditorAlexis SelbyCorrespondentsKim ThomasJulie KanehlKatie ThomasMarcy SanfordLenay RuhlDara TuckerErin AldrichArt DirectorTony SicaGraphic ArtistDat X. Do

From The Editor Alexis Selby

For me, the beginning of the NewYear signifies a time for hope, inspiringyou to make changes or do things differ-ently. It can be an exciting time, filledwith enthusiasm and anticipation, as wethink about our potential for the upcom-ing year. It is a time of reflection – honor-ing what has happened, what is currentlyhappening, and what is yet to come.

Celebrating milestones in our lifesuch as the New Year allows us to con-template our lives in a way we oftendon’t do. Constantly moving throughlife on autopilot, it is easy to get caughtin the daily grind, dragging along weekby week with our routines and sched-ules. The New Year is a break in thispattern. It is both an ending and a be-ginning. It is an opportunity to stop, re-flect, and start again.

As we move into this next chapterof life, it is important to think aboutwhat we accomplished in 2013. A lotcan happen in the span of a year, andI'm sure for most of us 2013 was filledwith many wonderful experiences, and

challenging ones as well.Take a moment to look back upon

the beautiful memories you created thispast year. I'm sure if you think about it,there were many. Too often, memoriesare forgotten and as we get caught upin our routines we lose sight of what istruly important to us and forget aboutjust how lucky we are.

Also – just as important – takesome time to reflect on what didn't goso well, as it is only by acknowledgingthese hardships that we are able to letgo of the past and move forward intothe future. The challenges we havefaced give us strength and courage, andin some way or another have helpedshape us into who we are today.

What is your favorite memoryfrom 2013? I would love to hearabout it! Please submit all entries,along with a picture of you and yourfamily, by mail to the NeighborhoodNews, 220 S Safford Ave., TarponSprings, Fl 34689, email [email protected] or by

fax at (727) 942-2432. We will ran-domly select a few entries to be featuredin our next month’s publication.

As we look towards the future, em-brace it with an open heart. Honor yourpast, cherish the beautiful memories, andbe willing to let the challenging timesgo. In the words of Brad Paisley, “To-morrow is the first blank page of a 365page book. Write a good one!”

A New Year.A Fresh Start. A New Beginning.

Matt and Alexis Selby


Community CalendarGreek Children’s Fund 3rdAnnual Golf Tournament

The Greek Children’s Fund Invitesyou to Their 3rd Annual Golf Tourna-ment, Dinner and EntertainmentFundraiser on Sunday, January 26 atthe East Lake Woodlands – SouthCourse, located at 1055 EastlakeWoodlands Pkwy in Oldsmar. This 18HOLE/4 Person Scramble/Best Balltournament is a great opportunity tohave fun while helping an awesome or-ganization. There will be a 1 p.m. shotgun start. Registration starts at 11:30a.m. Every player is a WINNER!!!!!There will be Free driving range prac-tice/golf balls before tee off. GolfGoodie Bag sponsorship opportunitiesare available – Contact Mary Ann Sara-vanos at (727) 992-1003. Awards willbe given to Top Three Teams. There

will also be contests for Longest Drive,a Putting Contest, Closest to the Pin aswell as a Hole in one Prize. Cost for thetournament is $100 per golfer. If youare not a golfer and would like to joinjust for the dinner and entertainmentthe cost is only $35 per person at thesame location at 5:30 p.m. Please payfor dinner prior to the event, on or be-fore January 20.

The Greek Children’s Fund 3rdAnnual Golf Tournament will beheld at East Lake Woodlands –South Course, located at 1055 East-lake Woodlands Pkwy in Oldsmar,on Sunday January 26 from 11:30a.m. – 7 p.m. For more informationor to register please call Mary AnnSaravanos at (727-992-1003) oremail her [email protected].

Community News BriefsTampa’s Kristen Anne FloresChosen for Congress ofFuture Medical Leaders inWashington, DC

Kristen Anne Flores, a Sophomoreat Citrus Park Christian School ofTampa has been nominated to attendthe Congress of Future Medical Lead-ers in Washington, DC on February14-16, 2014.

The Congress is an honors-onlyprogram for high school students whowant to become physicians or go intomedical research fields. The purpose ofthis event is to honor, inspire, motivateand direct the top students in the coun-try who aspire to be physicians or med-ical scientists, to stay true to theirdream and, after the event, to provide apath, plan and resources to help themreach their goal.

Kristen Anne Flores was nomi-nated by Dr. Connie Mariano, theMedical Director of the National Acad-emy of Future Physicians and MedicalScientists to represent Florida based onher academic achievement, leadershippotential and determination to servehumanity in the field of medicine.

During the three-day Congress,Kristen Anne Flores will join students

from across thecountry andhear NobelLaureates andNationalMedal of Sci-ence Winnerstalk aboutleading med-ical research;be given advicefrom IvyLeague andtop medical school deans on what is toexpect in medical school; witness storiestold by patients who are living medicalmiracles; be inspired by fellow teen med-ical science prodigies; and learn aboutcutting-edge advances and the future inmedicine and medical technology.

“This is a crucial time in Americawhen we need more doctors and med-ical scientists who are even better pre-pared for a future that is changingexponentially,” said Richard Rossi, Ex-ecutive Director, National Academy ofFuture Physicians and Medical Scien-tists. “Focused, bright and determinedstudents like Kristen Anne Flores areour future and she deserves all the men-toring and guidance we can give her.”

Kristen Anne Flores


How To Shape A Child’s BehaviorBy Shambray Levy

Director of Citrus ParkChildren’s Learning Academy

Children are growing personali-ties who benefit from strong rolemodels. As a parent or caregiver youneed to be cognizant of a child’s vari-ous temperaments. For a small child,there are often moments of intensenegative emotions that when handledas a teachable moment can be trans-formed into a lesson for charactergrowth. Some children can movefrom one emotional situation to an-other with ease and respond appropri-ately, while others need someguidance. Areas that help to shape a

child’s personality for the better in-clude teaching a child how to forgive,share, and let go of anger so that theycan move on and not dwell in negativ-ity. Trying to refocus a child in themidst of an interchange may not be asappropriate as waiting until the inci-dent has passed to discuss what tran-spired and the benefits of analternative approach. For instance,you might discuss with your child thatrather than having a temper tantrumthere are more positive strategies forgetting their needs addressed such asasking, waiting, or letting it go. Par-ents and caregivers need to teach chil-dren how to express their strongreactions in a socially appropriate way.

The Academy offers free servicesand programs to students who want tobe physicians or go into medical science.Some of the services and programs theAcademy plans to launch in 2013 and2014 are online social networks throughwhich future doctors and medical scien-tists can communicate; opportunities forstudents to be guided and mentored byphysicians and medical students; andcommunications for parents and stu-dents on college acceptance and fi-nances, skills acquisition, internships,career guidance and much more.

The NationalAcademy of FuturePhysicians and Med-ical Scientists wasfounded on the beliefthat we must identifyprospective medicaltalent at the earliestpossible age and helpthese students acquirethe necessary experi-ence and skills to takethem to the doorstepof this vital career.Based in Washington,D.C., the Academywas chartered as anonpartisan, taxpay-ing institution to helpaddress this crisis by

working to identify, encourage andmentor students who wish to devotetheir lives to the service of humanity asphysicians, medical scientists, technolo-gists, engineers and mathematicians.

Playtime Learning AcademyHosts “Around the World”

From Antarctica to North Americato Asia, on December 19, students atPlaytime Learning Academy got thechance to travel the world. Hosting an“Around the World” celebration of hol-iday culture, each classroom at the

academy was transformed into one ofthe seven continents and were openedup for families to tour with their chil-dren. The atmosphere was festive, witha great selection of food, music and cul-ture, accompanied by beautiful decora-tions and cultural displays, handmadeby the students throughout the monthof December. Each of the children weregiven a passport that was stamped ineach continent they visited to help doc-

ument their wonderful journey. Playtime Learning Academy, lo-

cated at 4701 Ehrlich Road in Car-rollwood, has an accredited preschoolprogram with full time and part timestudents. For younger children theAcademy also offers both full timeand daily rates. For more informa-tion please visit their website atwww.PlaytimeLearningAcademy.comor become a Facebook fan.


ence and only whentheir circumstancesrequires it.

3. The physiciansand staff acrossmultiple sites ofPalm Harbor Der-matology are ateam, joined to-gether by commit-ment to our missionand values, as wellas the respect, in-tegrity and concernwe demonstrate for each other.

4. Each of us is a steward of PalmHarbor Dermatology. No work is toomenial. What needs to be done is thetask of all Palm Harbor Dermatologyphysicians and staff alike.

5. We will never knowingly violate anethical, legal or regulatory proscription.

6. Palm Harbor Dermatology is alearning organization. Without con-tinuous learning by each physician andstaff, Palm Harbor Dermatology fallsbehind and fails in its mission,

7. Palm Harbor Dermatology is aplace to grow, personally and profession-ally. Take advantage of both. We are nobetter than the weakest link.

Palm Harbor Dermatology physi-cians are members of numerous organi-zations, including the American Societyfor Dermatologic Surgery, AmericanAcademy of Dermatology, AmericanBoard of Dermatology, American Col-lege of Mohs Surgery, and the Ameri-can Society of Dermatopathology.Both highly accredited and committed

By: Katie Thomas

Palm Harbor Dermatology, athriving medical practice with offices inPalm Harbor and Brandon has recentlyopened a 4,140 square foot building onSheldon Road in Westchase to betteraccommodate patients. Originally open-ing five years ago in Palm Harbor, sincethen Palm Harbor Dermatology has ex-perienced a wonderful response fromthe community. The quality and experi-ence of its doctors and staff has putPalm Harbor Dermatology in the fore-front of skin cancer surgery, cosmeticenhancements and complete skin care,and as a premier provider of Mohs Mi-crographic Surgery, skin care solutions,routine skin checks, specialized treat-ments and surgical procedures, PalmHarbor Dermatology is leading the wayfor the future of skincare!

Palm Harbor Dermatology’s physi-cians are board-certified and fellowship-trained experts in the care andtreatment of skin conditions, includingskin cancer. President of Palm HarborDermatology, Amy S. Ross, MD, is one

of only nine-fellowship-trained Mohssurgeons (and the only female of thenine) in the Tampa Bay area, accordingto the American College of Mohs Sur-geons. Dr. Ross’ outstanding attentionto detail and passionate drive to deliversuperior service to all customers has en-abled her to compose her practice witha phenomenal team of professionals,dedicated to enhancing the lives of eachindividual patient. Dr. Ross says, “Weadhere to our mission statement andplan to keep the same foundations andbeliefs we have built our practice on.Keeping our core values are importantduring our time of growth, we wantour patients to know that we are consis-tent and precise at each practice.”

The mission of Palm HarborDermatology:

1. The patient comes first and will betreated just as we wish to be treatedwhen we are patients.

2. Our patients receive the right pro-cedures, treatments and routine skincare, supported by science and experi-

Palm Harbor Dermatology Welcomes You to VisitTheir Northwest Tampa Cancer & Laser Institute


to excellence, Palm Harbor Dermatol-ogy is a one-stop shop for all your der-matological needs.

Palm Harbor Dermatology’sMohs Surgery

Mohs Micrographic Surgery is aspecialized procedure for the removal ofskin cancer. Named after FrederickMohs, this specialized surgery focuseson finding and removing the root ofthe cancer, while preserving as much ofthe surrounding normal tissue as possi-ble, offering less damage and fasterhealing. Mohs surgeons are specialistsin dermatology, pathology and recon-struction. In order to become a Fellow

of the American College of Mohs Sur-gery, the most selective organization ofskin cancers surgeons, doctors mustcomplete at least a year of advanced fel-lowship training beyond their dermatol-ogy residency. Both the Palm Harborand Brandon locations have Mohs sur-gery centers and Westchase will beadding theirs in a few months.

Medical Skin Care Servicesand Cosmetics- Look and feelyour best, brightest self!

All three of Palm Harbor Dermatol-ogy’s skin care centers offer dermatologi-cal needs for patients, including thetreatment of acne, psoriasis, hyper pig-mentation, eczema, rosacia and full skincancer screenings. In order to provide thebest treatment and services, Palm HarborDermatology educates patients in skinhealth and treatment options. You dohave options and Palm Harbor Dermatol-ogy will talk you through steps in treatingany skin conditions you may have!

Along with treatments that workto clear your skin of marks, itchiness orunwanted blemishes, Palm Harbor Der-matology offers an extensive list of serv-ices to patients interested in cosmeticenhancements. Enhance your naturalbeauty and aesthetic look with the helpof their wonderful physicians, who will

address your concerns and design a cus-tom plan, utilizing the latest in non-sur-gical procedures. From injectables tohair removal and laser treatments, youwill enjoy the professional, world-classservices at Palm Harbor Dermatology.

The Retreat MedSpa at Palm Har-bor Dermatology offers patients person-alized treatment plans for those lookingfor more from their skin care providers.Rejuvenating facials, micro-dermabra-sion, massages and more are all offeredin a tranquil environment – made tosoothe your soul, while pampering yourbody. Immerse yourself in complete re-laxation at The Retreat and allow one ofthe wonderful estheticians and therapiststo customize a treatment for you withthe finest ingredients to protect yourcomplexion’s natural beauty!

New Westchase Center!Dr. Ross and the Palm Harbor

Dermatology team are very excited tobe expanding into Westchase and invitethe community to come check out theservices provided. Dr. Ross and Dr.Careccia have made certain thatWestchase is in sync with the Brandonand Palm Harbor locations, so patientsnever have to worry about receiving adifferent type of service. Westchase willbe offering complete dermatologicalservices, as well as tattoo removal, Mi-

radry for hyperhydrosis, medical derma-tology, cosmetic dermatology, surgicaldermatology and The Retreat spa!

Dr. Ross plans on continuing herwork in each practice, as well as oversee-ing the growth and expansion of thenew Westchase location. Dr. Ross says,“The whole idea is to provide a one stopshop for skin care. We take care of allgenerations and ages.” Whether yourfour year old needs treatment for a wart,your teen needs an acne solution, yourfather needs a skin cancer removed, oryou are just looking for an opportunityto rejuvenate and freshen your own,Palm Harbor Dermatology offers thebest of all dermatology treatments.

Palm Harbor Dermatology has 3convenient locations to better serve you:

Westchase – 11601 Sheldon Road,(855) 743-4968Palm Harbor – 4197 WoodlandsParkway, (727) 786-3810Brandon – 621 Medical Care Drive,(813) 657-3330

Hours are Mon – Fri. 8 a.m. – 5p.m. for all locations (select earlierand later appointments are avail-able). Patients are seen by appoint-ment only. For more information orto book an appointment please call(855) 743-4968, (855) PHD4YOU,or visit their website atwww.PalmHarborDermatology.com.


As the leaders of the My TampaAgent @ Coldwell Banker team, An-thony Malafronte and Gregory Silve-stro consider themselves to be verylucky. They take such pride and joy intheir jobs that it can barely be consid-ered “work.” How do they do it? Quitesimply, they make the home buyingand selling experience an enjoyableone. Malafronte says, “The main thingI want to get across is that our job isFUN. Buying real estate can be FUN.Yes, it can be fraught with stress, butit’s our job to handle the logistics, thecontracts, the process. If we canlighten that load or eliminate thatstrain for our clients, we do that.”

Professionalism, patience, and theability to communicate are always atthe forefront of any thriving business.In real estate, listening takes an evenbigger seat. Asking the right questionsto better achieve a true understandingof a client’s wants and needs is para-mount to the team’s success. “We setreasonable expectations and are gen-uine with our quality of service,” says

Silvestro. “One of us is always avail-able and on call; we establish a level oftrust and you are guaranteed twopoints of view on each and everyhome purchase or sale.”

“There is nothing betterthan the feeling of sittingacross the table as a dealcomes to fruition for aclient and to experience thehappiness they feel – that’sreal estate; it goes far be-yond the sale.”

On the listing side, homes are ag-gressively marketed, getting eachproperty the needed exposure to helpfind the perfect buyer promptly. “Intoday’s world, sure, it’s easy to get pic-tures taken and market a property on-line and off,” says Malafronte. “Butit's about the skill, the resources putinto marketing a property, putting inthe work to have it ready to get a

buyer’s attention, right from the be-ginning. You only get one chance tomake a first impression. It’s not justpeople; it’s houses. We put in thework to get it right the first time.”The team has recently added fivebuyer’s agents, to provide better serv-ice for both types of clients.Malafronte can now focus his energyon the listing side of the business,while any new buyer gets conciergetreatment from their own dedicatedspecialist.

Both longtime Tampa-area resi-dents, Malafronte and Silvestro knowthe area well –but more importantly,they’re invested in it. The team ac-tively supports the One Voice Founda-tion, Quantum Leap Farm, Big CatRescue, and other local organizations.The members of the My Tampa Agentteam care about their neighbors; theycare about their neighborhoods; theycare about Tampa Bay. They makecontributions quarterly, on behalf ofthe team’s clients. “It’s good that we

can do this and involve our clients. Ifwe’re just a small part in connectinggood people with great organizations,I’m happy, our community benefits.”says Malafronte.

TestimonialsDr. David Palmer recently pre-

sented My Tampa Agent with a ratherurgent case – he needed a house, as heput it, “yesterday”. He also needed tosell his existing home. So, the teamleapt into action, taking the Palmerfamily's needs into account, and theywere able to navigate the deal in amatter of days. In only four totalshowings, a new home was found and

Anthony Malafronte and Gregory Silvestro –Experience you can Count on, Service you can Trust!

JANUARY 2014 11For Ad Info Call (813) 928-6124 or Visit NeighborhoodNewsFL.comWestchase Area Neighborhood News

the deal was sealed for Dr. Palmer andhis wife, Linda. According to Dr.Palmer, “If you want someone thatknows Tampa real estate, Anthony isyour guy. Anthony has been an advi-sor, counselor, friend and confidant –many roles he was not expected to bebut willingly fulfilled.”

Major Ryan Hall and his wife,Erica, relocated to Tampa through themilitary. The couple and their familyhad a limited amount of time to view,select, and move to a new home, butthis did not present a problem. MajorHall says, “The biggest thing was theservices that were not typical and kindof unexpected, like picking my familyand me up from the airport and show-ing us home options daily – theydidn’t have to do those things, butwent above and beyond to make my-self and my family comfortable withmoving to a new place and finding thehome that was right for us."

Since working with the MyTampa Agent team in 2012, EddieWilson highly recommends their serv-ices, saying, “Gregory and Anthonyhelped me find my first home. Natu-rally, I had several questions and con-cerns throughout the process. Theywere both responsive and knowledge-

able. I never thought that buying ahome would be so easy and I will defi-nitely work with them again in the fu-ture.” Someone already took Eddie’srecommendation – his mother re-cently purchased a home with the helpof My Tampa Agent.

Find more reviews like the onesbelow at Zillow.com:

“The My Tampa Agent Team areamong the best in the business. (An-thony) maintains a professional yetfriendly atmosphere while helpingclients like us navigate through thisnew style of real estate market. Fromour perspective, we are picky when itcomes to choosing a place to live andsomewhat demanding when it comesto the customer service aspect of thebusiness. He was patient and consider-ate as well as a very good advisor onthe aspects of buying in Tampa. Hisadvice was truly about what was in ourbest interests and not his own.”

“Anthony Malafronte deliverseverything a realtor should to abuyer/seller and more. He helped myfamily move to the Tampa area and re-ally educated us about the city and thesurrounding community. He tooktime to really understand what we

were looking for in a home and com-munity. He was very easy to commu-nicate with and overly responsive.There was never a time when I calledhim that I did not hear back rightaway, no matter what the question orrequest. Anthony is just a quality per-son, I am glad I met him and workedwith him on my home and I will workwith him again! I would highly recom-mend Anthony to anyone looking tobuy or sell a home.”

Want to know your home’s value?Visit TampaHomeValue.net

and the team will send you a freereport.

Searching for a home?Visit the new mobile-friendly

MyTampaAgent.com to search forhomes in Westchase and all acrossTampa Bay. They have two conven-ient locations to serve all yourneeds:

Carrollwood Office: 14502 N.Dale Mabry Highway, Tampa, FL33618

Westchase Office : 9632Linebaugh Ave. Tampa, FL 33626.For more information please callAnthony at (813) 390-1424 orGregory at (813) 263-8723. Anthony Malafronte


By Julie Kanehl

Ladies, if you’re like me, and youwant to have all of the latest brandsand dip a toe into all of the latesttrends, but don’t want to spend themoney, then you’ve got to start shop-ping at Clothes Mentor in Palm Har-bor. Located in the Fountains Plaza at34888 US Hwy 19 N, right behindThe Wing House, Clothes Mentor is afashionista’s best-kept secret. AtClothes Mentor you can get all of thebrands you love for less than even thediscount stores!

Owned by husband and wifeteam Dick and Kathleen Murdock, theClothes Mentor in Palm Harbor hasseen a successful launch since theyopened their doors in 2011. The PalmHarbor location is just one of 98 retaillocations within 25 states. It is alsoone of the fastest growing stores in thecountry and it’s not hard to see why.When you step foot into the beauti-fully merchandised store, you’ll think

you’ve just stepped into a high-endwomen’s boutique! Well, you have!Everything in the store is recent mer-chandise from some of the hottestbrands on the market, from WhiteHouse Black Market, BCBG and AnnTaylor to Michael Kors, Steve Mad-den, Coach, Brighton and more.Whether you’re looking for an LBD(little black dress) to wow them atyour next party, or you want to rockthe hottest jeans on the market, a girlcan get an entire wardrobe of all of thehottest clothes at a fraction of the costby shopping at Clothes Mentor.

Women come from all over theTampa Bay Area not just for designergoods, but Clothes Mentor has all thepopular brands together under oneroof including favorites like the Gap,Banana Republic, Ann Taylor Loft,Old Navy, Express, Nine West, VeraBradley, NY&CO, Chicos, Talbotsand lesser known brands. It’s an ex-ceptional assortment of choices notonly of clothing but jewelry, shoes andaccessories. They come to purchase

the brands they love at reducedprices, sell their own items, and seethe constantly changing inventorythat makes Clothes Mentor sounique.

Dick says, “Clothes Mentor isretail therapy that women can af-ford. We offer a great selection forwomen size 0 to 3X. We have over15,000 items in stock, and today wehave 170 designer purses available toour customers.”

Dora, a customer who comes allthe way from Tampa on a regular basisto shop, says, “I have been cominghere regularly since the beginning ofthe summer because I love the bou-tique atmosphere and the attentionthat they give you. They have a lot ofhigh-end items here that I love, andyou cannot beat the prices.”

I Received Cash on the Spot!While you can come to shop,

come to sell or come to do both, thetruth is, Clothes Mentor is the afford-able designer boutique that it is be-

cause they only accept the finest mer-chandise. Unlike traditional consign-ment shops, Clothes Mentor will onlytake in freshly laundered, very gentlyworn merchandise of all popularbrands and designers.

They don’t just take any oldthing, which is good because that’swhat keeps this store hopping withcustomers who can’t believe how theyfound a Calvin Klein sweater that stillhad its original tags on it for around$20, or a pair of brand name, knee-high leather boots for half the price asthe store down the street. It’s goodthat they are picky! It’s what makes thestore such a fabulous place to shop!

Kathleen says, “There are thou-

This New Year Be Fabulous Yet Frugal byShopping at Clothes Mentor!


sands of items in our store that stillhave their original tags on them! Thatmakes a great deal for you, and theseitems make great gifts for others aswell!”

Another thing that makes ClothesMentor so special is that they pay cashon the spot for the things that youprobably still have hanging around inyour closet. You know, those shoesthat you thought you’d wear butnever did, or the purse that you worefor a week before you went back toyour old standby? How about the de-signer bag that your mother-in-lawbought you? Gorgeous, but not foryou? This is the place to turn the itemsfrom your closet that you’re not wear-

ing, into the items that you’vebeen longing for.

When I came into ClothesMentor, I brought three bags ofgoodies from my closet. I broughtmostly old purses and jackets frommajor brands. While I lookedaround the store and marveled attheir selection of shoes, evening-wear, jeans and handbags, they in-spected and input my items intotheir database. Clothes Mentor’sdatabase can tell them how old anitem actually is and what it’sworth, which takes all of the guess-

work out of the equation! In fact,after just a few minutes they mayknow more about your clothing thanyou do! Did you know that designerlabels change every few years, or evenmonths? Some brands actually datestamp them! That’s just one of theways that Clothes Mentor keeps theirinventory fresh and at the top of itsgame.

While I shopped I was impressedto find that each item that I saw intheir store looked brand new and,honestly, didn’t look like consignmentclothing. While I was shopping Ifound an amazing new name-brandjacket and a large Steve Madden bagthat still had its original paper stuffing

and included its protective dustcover. Iwas really impressed with the prices,and while I shopped I saw brandsitems by all of my personal favoritebrands, like Coach, Born, Cache andLucky Brand.

After a few minutes, my name wason the board, which signaled that theywere ready to discuss the items that Ihad brought in for consignment, andwere ready to pay me cash on thespot! When all was said and done, Ifound that while Clothes Mentor tooka small portion of my items, they paidvery well for them! Their system in-sures that the items in their store aretruly the highest quality. I was com-pletely pleased with my experience,and in the end, I walked out with abrand new jacket and a new handbagthat I could be proud of-paying only adollar difference for what I brought infor trade. You can’t beat that! And, ifthey don’t accept your items for resale,they will donate them for you to oneof the women’s charities they support.

Clothes Mentor purchases 1,500items of merchandise a week fromwomen like you and me, and the newinventory is placed on the floor imme-diately, which makes for a lot of vari-ety! Some customers come in everyday or two to see what’s changed!

Kathleen says, “We follow a strictauthentication guideline within ourcompany, so our customers can feelcomfortable buying designer labelsfrom us like Louis Vuitton, Coach, B.Makowsky, Prada, Dolche Gabbana,Chanel, Gucci, Dooney Bourke andothers.”

Stay tuned to Clothes Mentor’sfacebook page for all of the latest dealsand specials, including their HumpDay Deals, their clearance scheduleand many fun educational workshopsthat help women find their personalstyle!

Whether you’re looking to makea few bucks on the items that aren’tbeing worn in your closet, or you’relooking for a wonderful deal on thebrands you love, put Clothes Mentoron your shopping list this year andlook fabulous for less!

Clothes Mentor is located at34888 U.S. 19 N in Palm Harbor,Florida. They are open Mon. – Fri.,10 a.m. – 8 p.m.; Sat. from 10 a.m.– 6 p.m.; and noon – 5 p.m. onSun. For more information onClothes Mentor, call 727-216-6101, visit their website atwww.clothesmentor.com or findthem on facebook.


their love of cooking for friends andfamily led them to open their restau-rant Fresh Bites, located at 11665Countryway Boulevard. “On weeknights, the majority of our business isfamilies picking up food to takehome,” says Samir.

Customer Brenda says, “I haveknown this family for 9 years, and theyare such a wonderful family! They arealways very kind and open-mindedand have a big heart and love foreveryone! They really care about peo-ple and it shows in their service andpreparation of food. Their food ismade fresh to order with a lot of love,and the taste is awesome!”

“We spent almost a year planningour restaurant,” says Samir. “Whilewe were deciding on the menu, weknew we wanted to focus on all natu-ral Mediterranean cuisine. During thistime, I also talked to a friend of minewho is a doctor who told me aboutthe Maximized Living plan and so wedecided to offer meals that fit intothat plan. Everything on our menu ismade fresh daily and is non-processed.We don’t have a single can opener inour restaurant. We buy local produce

and use organic items whenever possi-ble. The meat and chicken we serveare free of antibiotics and hormones.Our goal is to serve healthy, deliciousfood at a reasonable price.” FreshBites also recently got their liquor li-cense and is now serving organic beerand wine, including some greatLebanese selections.

The minute you walk through thedoor at Fresh Bites, you feel welcomeand comfortable. Samir and Anissaand the rest of their family are sofriendly and inviting that you feel likeyou’ve instantly become part of thefamily. On top of that, their food is ex-

cellent. On our last visit, everythingmy family and I ate at Fresh Bites wasabsolutely delicious – from their hum-mus and baba ghanouj, which is madefresh daily, to their moist and delec-table namoura, turmeric cake, andbaklava that ended our meal with asweet finish. In fact, the desserts atFresh Bites are so popular that Anissaposts what’s available each day ontheir Facebook page.

In addition to the tasty hummusand baba ghanouj, we had yummy,tangy grape leaves, and mouth-water-ing fattoush. This scrumptious salad ofvegetables and greens, accompanied by

roasted pita bread with a special housedressing, was enough for several peo-ple to share and will spoil you fromeating other salads. We also had thescrumptious beef shawarma, roastedNiman Ranch beef marinated in a spe-cial blend of house herbs and spices,and their crispy, flavorful falafel (one ofonly two fried items on the menu).The falafel was perfectly seasoned andfabulous, especially when dipped in theaccompanying tahini sauce.

Fresh Bites has so many authen-tic, delicious Mediterranean dishes,you’ll have a hard time choosing. Themudardara, a scrumptious blend of

“Fresh Bites”Continued from page 1

Fresh Bites has so many authentic, delicious Mediterranean dishes made with all-natural, fresh ingredients.


lentils, rice, cumin, and other spices, isboth delicious and nutritious and is agreat example of one of the bestthings about Fresh Bites – no matterwhat you decide to eat it is going totaste good and be good for you. “I donot make anything I would not wantto eat myself,” says Samir.

Known for its culinary expertise,with all natural ingredients and inter-nationally inspired dishes, Fresh Biteshas definitely developed a devoted fol-lowing in the year that it has beenopen. Whether it's a power-lunch forten, a wedding party, or a low-keyfamily meal, Fresh Bites offers the per-fect Mediterranean experience thatmakes any occasion unforgettable!

Anissa says, “We have groups whocome in each week to get together forlunch or dinner. We’ve really enjoyedgetting to know our regular cus-tomers. Many are on special diets orhave food allergies and we are alwayshappy to accommodate them and do

whatever we can to create a deliciousmeal they will enjoy.” Fresh Bites evenhas a devoted following for theirdrinks, including their green coffeedrink, which is reputed to help youlose weight. She adds, “We have manypeople who bring in empty jugs forme to fill up each week.”

“I Just had a business lunch heretoday,” says customer Kathy. “Thefood is phenomenal; the green coffee– WOW! Fresh Bites lives up to itsname and promise. This will be whereI take clients from now on. Seriously,the food is beyond right. It's com-pletely perfect.”

Fresh Bites is located at11665 Countryway Boulevard.They are open Mon. –Thurs.11:30 a.m. – 8:30 p.m., Fri. 11:30a.m. – 9 p.m., and Sat. 12:30 p.m.– 9 p.m. For more informationcall (813) 336-4936, visit theirweb page www.FreshBites.org ortheir Facebook page.


Jamil and Michele want to makesure that R.A.W. is a place where every-one feels welcome and get the motiva-tion and instruction they need to lead ahealthier lifestyle. They routinely holdcontests to get members motivated andhave had several potluck style workoutsand social gatherings so all the mem-bers can get to know each other.“When you know the people in yourclass, you know someone else is holdingyou accountable for showing up,” saysJamil. “With the sense of communitywe have developed, it isn’t just me en-couraging people during a work outbut everyone there is encouraging andpushing each other to do their best.”

Jamil, who has trained many pro-fessional athletes, including professionalboxer Antonio Tarver, offers privateand semi-private personal training ses-sions, as well as group classes. In addi-tion to a customized workout, peoplein the personal training classes receive adiet plan to help them reach their goals.Jamil adds, “People get personal train-ing for all different reasons. They mayhave a specific athletic goal they want toreach but I also have clients who haveinjuries they are trying to recover from.I also work with a lot of older clientswho need a work-out designed specifi-cally for them.”

Jamil uses his knowledge and ex-

pertise as a personal trainer to createboot camp classes that tone and improveyour entire body. “I make sure that I ro-tate exercises in the class so that everymuscle is worked out throughout theweek,” says Jamil. “I also want people tocome to class and be challenged eachtime they are here.” Once you are amember of R.A.W. you can come to asmany of the classes during the week asyou want. Classes are limited to 20 peo-ple per class so everyone can get personalattention and direction from Jamil but

around the core,” says Jamil. “It is func-tional training to make your bodystronger.” R.A.W. offers a Results BootCamp and Yoga classes for adults andR.A.W. Athletic classes for children aged6-to-10.

Jamil says, “This summer we of-fered a sports camp. It was so successfulthat we decided to have a class everyday for children. We concentrate onspeed, agility, and quickness in afriendly, supportive atmosphere. Wealso have a boot camp class for adults atthe same time so parents can work outwhile their children are training. We’vestarted to have many families sign upwho are all working out at the sametime which is a great.”

“Jamil is honestly an incrediblepersonal trainer,” says client Stephanie.“His drive and passion for all aspects ofhealth and fitness is inspiring. My son,Chase has been training with Jamil forthe last seven months and what a differ-ence it has made. He has completely ig-nited a passion for fitness and alsohealthy living. Chase’s main goal wasstrength and core building forwrestling. Jamil has exceeded that goaland much more throughout this

process. I would highly recommendJamil to anyone looking to improve hisor her health and life. Thanks for help-ing Chase get this far.”

Jamil’s passion for fitness started atthe University of Rochester, where hewas actively involved in football, basket-ball, and track, and over the years hasearned numerous personal training andnutrition certifications. Jamil says, “Ibelieve that fitness is not only abouttraining your body to look and feel fit,but it is also important to be fit fromthe inside out with proper nutrition andsupplementation.”

Co-founder Michele Elia workedwith Jamil for several years before theydecided to open R.A.W. Michele says,“When I was going to other gyms, Iwould see many people get frustratedand give up because they did nowknow how to use the machines or whatto do to get a good workout and theydidn’t receive any help from the staff.Jamil is a great trainer because heshows you how to get a full bodyworkout with minimal equipment andcombines strength training, cardio, sta-bility, flexibility and core work. Themembers who come to our classes get agreat work out. I also love the fact thatwe have a gym where the whole familycan work out together and children canbe active.”

“Real Athletics”Continued from page 1

Real Athletics and Wellnessco-founder Jamil Thompson


members can conveniently register forclass online through R.A.W.’s web site.

R.A.W. also recently started provid-ing corporate wellness programs. “In ourcorporate wellness program, I will give aseminar on a topic of interest to the em-ployees: nutrition, detox, general wellnessand then lead them in a workout,” saysJamil. “This is a great way for a companyto really take great care of employees.”

“I have been working with JamilThompson as my personal trainer for al-most two years,” says client Chris. “Priorto that I had another trainer. Jamil’s levelof knowledge is much greater in all areasof fitness and healthy eating. ThroughJamil’s guidance I have focused muchmore on my diet, and have lost almost

30 pounds. Heart disease runs in myfamily and I want to take care of myselfso I don’t end up with the need for a by-pass, or worse. I am in the best shapethat I have been in since I was ateenager, and I am almost 40 years ago.”

If you’re ready to get in shape,Jamil and Michele encourage you tocome try out a class for free. R.A.W.is conveniently located at 13323 WestHillsborough Avenue, Suite 101, inthe United Business Park behindNAPA Auto Parts. Look for theR.A.W. logo by the American flag.For a full schedule of classes visitwww.Raw-Tampa.com. For more in-formation please call (813) 701-2641.


By Matthew Selby

Our magazine has been promotingshopping local long before it was the coolthing to do; before "Small business Sat-urday" – which American Express pro-motes like crazy for one day per year. Infact, it's been everyday since 1994 whenmy Dad Tim Selby and his formerbrother in-law Gary purchased an 11-month old publication, consisting mostlyof articles about national news, on white-woven paper and turned it into the origi-nal "New Tampa Neighborhood News."

People learn enough about what isgoing on in the Nation by turning on theTV. But what is going on in our home-town? Where do we find out about that?Taking this into account, the theme of themagazine was changed. Immediately toss-ing the canned information out the win-dow, Tim and Gary focused theirattention on what was going on in thelocal community.

Twenty years later, Gary still has theNew Tampa Neighborhood News, aswell as another in Wesley Chapel, and myparents Tim and Doreen Selby, who havesince parted ways with Gary, expandedinto Trinity, East Lake,Odessa/Lutz/Land O' Lakes andWestchase, reaching over 70,000 mail-boxes monthly. In 2013, my wife Alexis

and I expanded the Neighborhood Newsand Lifestyles into the Carrollwood area,extending the reach of the Neighbor-hood News name to another 14,000homes and businesses.

We hope you've enjoyed readingabout what is going on here in Westchaseover the past couple of years and have hada chance to frequent the local businesseswe help promote. We really want to thankall of you who have supported small busi-nesses in 2013 and we hope you will con-tinue to support them in 2014. It makesall the difference in the world to this com-munity. By shopping at small businesses itkeeps almost 75% of the money right herein our own economy. If we wantWestchase and surrounding Tampa Bayareas to thrive it's our responsibility tosupport our neighbors. The following arejust a few things some local business own-ers had to say about their experience withus this past year.

"We started running out of food at10 in the morning,” says Bruce fromHattie's Cafe and Beanery. “We've neverseen such a rush! We've been in theTampa Tribune and that got us a littlebump, we had a 2 and 1/2 minute spot-light on Fox News, that barely got usanything. In my 50 years plus of being inthis industry I’ve never felt such a pushfrom local advertising in my life! People

come in here and tell me why they camein and they say they came in because theysaw us in "their" Neighborhood Newsmagazine. They know it's about theircommunity and they love it!"

"Everything about the magazine, Iabsolutely love! It actually brought mearound 200 new customers after the arti-cle came out!" - Angel from New Beijing

Lea from Great Clips says, "Thispublication is so great for our communitybusinesses and has certainly been out-standing for mine. I have advertised forthe past several months in the magazinewith great results. Alexis did a front-pagearticle on my Great Clips salon at Fletcherand Dale Mabry in the November issueof their Carrollwood magazine. The feed-back we received was amazing! Friends,neighbors and customers get this maga-zine and mentioned it to me and to ourstaff as well. I would highly recommendputting an ad in the Neighborhood News& Lifestyles magazine. These ads are rea-sonably priced and provide great exposurefor your local business. And, Alexis andMatt are terrific to work with."

Robert from Twinz Big City Hot-dogs says, "Not only did we have our bestThursday, Friday, Saturday and Sundayever since being open, but we had ourbest days by at least 30%. I admit I was

skeptical at first, but I am a true believerin what you guys can do now. By far thebest thing we've ever done! We got tomeet so many great people in this com-munity that came in directly because ofwhat you wrote about us and people weretelling us they would be back before theyeven tried the food. They were so surethey were going to love it based off whatyou wrote about us. After tasting thefood, people were telling us it's the bestburger or the best hot dog or the bestwings they have ever had and they didn'teven know we were here! Thank you!

Hearing these kind of success storiesgives me chills because I'm a small busi-ness owner too; we are not owned bysome huge corporate media conglomer-ate. My wife and I are locals who knowthis area – who love this area – and weknow how much work goes into makinga business successful. You have to believein what you are doing; you have to live itand you have to love it. People can tellwhich businesses operate simply to makea buck and which truly have a passion forwhat they offer. The business owner whounderstands that it's his or her name onthe line and their reputation is all theyhave – that's who we strive to promote.The small business owner that just needspeople to know his story to be successful!

Our Community! Our Home! Our Businesses!

Westchase - Vol. 3, Issue 1, January 2014

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Transcript of Westchase - Vol. 3, Issue 1, January 2014