New Tampa Neighborhood News, Volume 29, Issue 23, November 9, 2021

Volume 29 Issue 23

INSIDE: Local Realtor Kristy Darragh

November 9, 2021

See pages 22-23!

PURPLE HAZE

The purple street lights along Cross Creek Blvd. and other areas in Tampa have some folks scratching their heads.

TECO says there’s no need to fret. See page 6 for details.

MAKE ROOM FOR PIE! T h e W i r e g r a s s Wo b b l e Tu r ke y Tr o t i s b a ck !

See pg. 16

Is Florida Ave. Now The State’s Largest Craft Brewery?

The Grove Theater Changes Hands!

See pg. 14!

See pgs. 36-37

Falabella Family Bistro...Now, That’s Italian!

Check Out Why We Love This Place & Its Owner! See pgs. 34-35!

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Why I Will Always Honor Our Military Veterans, Even Though I Never Served

By GARY NAGER were between 2,000-3,000 homeless which actually made me sick to Editorial vets, my stomach.

Veterans Day is coming up this week (Thursday, November 11) and although I never served our country myself, I have always tried — both personally and professionally — to support those who serve and have served in our nation’s armed forces.

I know I’ve mentioned it before in these pages, but I was 14 years old when the draft ended, but had I been 18, my birthdate was number three on that last draft list.

But, had I been called, I probably would have done everything I could not to serve. My father, who served in the U.S. Army shortly after the Korean War ended, and seriously considered a career in the military, called me a coward. I told him that I had been reading a lot about the Vietnam War, which the U.S. exited the same year the draft ended, and that I couldn’t understand why 3 million U.S. men and women were deployed to Southeast Asia to fight an almost-20-year war that didn’t seem to threaten our country in any way.

I definitely was influenced by the anti-war music, movies and media of the day. Like many young people, I had problems with our government forcing people who didn’t want to be in rice paddies and foxholes having to risk making the ultimate sacrifice for our country.

The people I never had a problem with, however, were those who actually served. I saw the news reports of U.S. military members who were spit at when they returned home, even though so many of them were forced into their service. But, even if they chose to wear the uniform, it wasn’t their fault that their job was to kill the enemy and sometimes napalm villages, as they had to deal with not only Vietnamese soldiers but also the guerilla tactics of the Viet Cong.

Even though I may have been in the minority of young people during that era, I believed that every person who served deserved to be thanked and honored for their service, not spit on, attacked or simply forgotten. As I grew from sometimes angry teenager to adulthood, I met many wonderful military vets, not only from the Vietnam Era, but also those who served in World War II, Korea and, like my dad, during peace time.

And yes, I always shook their hands and thanked them for their service, not just to our country, but to me personally. Just because I didn’t want to carry a gun myself didn’t mean that I didn’t appreciate what these folks did — whether it was their choice or not — to keep the country I loved (and still do) safe and strong.

Once I had purchased the Neighborhood News, I knew that I would do just about anything I could to help the local people who served and the organizations that support them. I have given free ads (see pg.

11), written stories and attended dozens of events honoring our nation’s heroes and I still pledge to always do so.

One of the things I’ve tried to do is come up with a way to ensure that no U.S. Military Veteran should ever have to be homeless. I heard that in Hillsborough County alone, there Neighborhood News

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I even pitched my idea to State Sen. Danny Burgess, who was the executive director of Florida’s Dept. of Veterans Affairs at the time. Danny, who still serves in the U.S. Army Reserve, liked my idea and promised to help me get this unique program off the ground, especially since it also will provide jobs for these heroes.

The fact that we haven’t gotten started on my idea yet isn’t anyone’s fault and it will always be one of my goals to make it happen, but I hope that everyone reading this will at least

join me in honoring all of those who serve or have served.

In Memory Of Dale Bohannon

Even though I only personally met him a few times, I have known local Realtor Dale Bohannon’s parents, Doug and Annette Bohannon, for more than 20 years and I was appreciative that Dale’s sister Laura let me know about Dale’s sudden passing from a massive heart attack at the tooyoung age of 56. Dale is a lifelong Tampa native who is survived by his wife Melody and three children, ages 12-22. Rest in Peace, Dale.

The Bohannon Family mourns the passing of Dale (2nd from left)

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Publisher & Editor /Ad Sales Gary Nager Managing Editor / Photographer John C. Cotey Correspondents Celeste McLaughlin • Isabella Douglas Lead Video Producer/Multimedia Specialist Charmaine George Graphic Designers Georgia Carmichael • Valerie Wegener Billing Assistant Jannah Nager Nothing that appears in New Tampa Neighborhood News may be reproduced, whether wholly or in part, without permission. Opinions expressed by New Tampa Neighborhood News writers are their own and do not necessarily reflect the publisher’s opinion.

The deadline for outside editorial submissions and advertisement reservations for Volume 29, Issue 25, of New Tampa Neighborhood News is Friday, November 19, 2021.

New Tampa Neighborhood News will consider previously non-published outside editorial submissions if they are double spaced, typed and less than 500 words. New Tampa Neighborhood News reserves the right to edit and/or reject all outside editorial submissions and makes no guarantees regarding publication dates. New Tampa Neighborhood News will not return unsolicited editorial materials.

New Tampa Neighborhood News reserves the right to edit &/or reject any advertising. New Tampa Neighborhood News is not responsible for errors in advertising beyond the actual cost of the advertising space itself, nor for the validity of any claims made by its advertisers. © 2021 JM2 Communications, Inc.

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Plan To Reduce Tampa Palms Blvd. To Two Lanes Rejected

By JOHN C. COTEY

john@NTNeighborhoodNews.com

Plans to convert four-lane Tampa Palms Blvd. — which circles through the Tampa Palms community — into two lanes have been soundly rejected.

After revealing its preliminary Complete Street Project plan at a Sept. 28 virtual presentation and Q-&-A session, the city received near-unanimous opposition from residents. They filled out hundreds of questionnaires for the city demanding that Tampa Palms Blvd. not be downsized to accommodate things like bike lanes, additional school pickup lanes for Tampa Palms and Chiles elementary schools, roundabouts and other safety features, some of which they felt could be accomplished with four lanes.

“I read in total disbelief what the City of Tampa has proposed for Tampa Palms Blvd,” said one questionnaire. “To quote former tennis icon John McEnroe: ‘YOU CANNOT BE SERIOUS!’” Tampa planners heard the complaints and have decided to change course.

“We are preserving the four lanes,“

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says City of Tampa chief traffic management engineer Vik Bhide, “and we will make (smaller) modifications.”

The $3-million repaving of Tampa Palms Blvd., currently funded in next year’s city budget, will go forward in two segments — the south loop (or Segment 1), which runs from the north intersection of Bruce B. Tampa Palms Blvd. has been labeled a failing road, and is getting Downs (BBD) repaved starting sometime next year, but bigger plans to reduce it to Blvd. to the south two lanes and add roundabouts have been shot down. intersection through (Photo Charmaine George) Tampa Palms Areas an effort to lower driving speeds, and 3 and 1), and the making improvements at some of the innorth loop, or Segment 2, which runs tersections by installing Rectangular Rapid from the south intersection of BBD to Flashing Beacons (RRFBs), also known as Ebensburg Dr. in Tampa Palms Area 2.

Some of the modifications mentioned pedestrian-activated warning devices.

Bhide also says that more pedestrian

by Bhide include narrowing the lanes in

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crossings will be introduced, and there will be an effort to address the traffic challenges around the schools during the busy morning drop-off and afternoon pick-up.

Roundabouts, which cost about $800,000 and aren’t funded at the moment, “are off the table,” as residents seemed extremely opposed to them.

Asked if he was surprised at the quick repudiation of the initial plans, Bhide said it was all part of the process.

“We tried to work with the community and what the community provides with their feedback,” Bhide says. “And we also rely on hard facts and data.”

That data, according to Cal Hardie, P.E., the City of Tampa’s capital projects manager, indicated that both segments of Tampa Palms Blvd. being repaved are great candidates for a “road diet,” due to the number of daily trips on the road.

Hardie said anything under 10,000 is considered a great candidate for reduction, and 10,000-15,000 is considered a good candidate, and Tampa Palms Blvd. currently falls in that range.

But, the residents were clear — “Do not take away any of our lanes!”

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The purple lights, which are showing up across Tampa (like these along Cross Creek Blvd.), are merely the result of a manufacturer’s defect, says Tampa Electric. (Photos: John C. Cotey)

TECO Is Busy Replacing Those Pesky Purple Lights

By JOHN C. COTEY

john@NTNeighborhoodNews.com

All across Tampa, purple (or blue) street lights can be seen amidst rows of white and yellow lights. Take a ride down Cross Creek Blvd. and you’ll see almost a dozen of them.

Curiosity about why these lights have randomly popped up has led to a number of television stories and a few Reddit and NextDoor.com threads.

And, even a few conspiracy theories. So let’s clear the air: * The purple lights are not a super secret crime deterrent. * The lights are not a super duper light pollution fighter. * The light are not there to make it harder for heroin users to find a spot to shoot up. * They are not collecting your vital information through some new technology. * They are not an homage to Prince on the fifth anniversary of his death last April, and Tampa Electric just hasn’t gotten around to replacing the lights.

(Sorry, the last one was our own conspiracy theory) Nope, nothing like that.

The purple lights are just, well, good lights gone bad.

According to TECO spokesperson Cherie Jacobs, the lights have merely fallen prey to a manufacturer’s defect that turns them from white to purple.

“We are almost done, but we are replacing all of our street lights with new energy-efficient LED technology,” Jacobs says. “The model that was made in 2019 had a manufacturing defect, and that has affected a small percentage of the lights.

“But, they are very noticeable.”

Indeed they are. The lights cast a pur6

ple hue across the road, and turn everything under the light poles a purple color. It has been explained that each light contains red, yellow and blue filters, but the yellow filters are the ones that have been malfunctioning, and the red and blue filters then create a definite purple tint.

The lights are so noticeable that Jacobs jokes that she is getting as many media requests for explanations than just about anything else these days. Concerned residents are calling television stations to get answers — News Channel 8 WFLA-TV and WTVT-TV Fox 13 recently did stories on the lights — and we’ve even received a few emails about the them.

“We are working with the manufacturer,” Jacobs says. “They are under warranty and we are replacing them as we are learning about them.”

Considering that we are living in the age of crazy conspiracy theories, it should be no surprise that those purple lights have sparked a few, including this doozy — the lights are used to identify if you have been vaccinated against Covid-19, making you glow, and therefore keeping you out of FEMA camps that the government will be setting up for the unvaccinated where you see the lights.

No, not true. At least we don’t think so.

And, the purple lights aren’t just a Tampa thing, or a TECO thing. All across the country, purple lights have been popping up in South Carolina, Tennessee, Massachusetts and Wisconsin, drawing the same kind of scrutiny from residents.

Jacobs says TECO is working as fast as it can to replace all of the lights. To help, write down the 10-digit number of the light pole with any purple light and visit TampaElectric.com/forms/residential/ streetlightout. You can enter the information there.

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Mainsail’s Residence Inn To Open At Sports Campus Dec.

By JOHN C. COTEY

john@NTNeighborhoodNews.com

The view from the Skybox, the rooftop bar — our area’s first — at the Residence Inn

by Marriott Tampa Wesley Chapel, which is being built on the same site as the Wiregrass Ranch Sports Campus of Pasco County, offers a serene take.

Overlooking the 98,000-sq.-ft. Advent Health Sports Arena typically filled with the sound of squeaking shoes and bouncing balls, as well as the Sports Campus’ two outdoor soccer fields, the Skybox is quiet and peaceful on this October day.

Which is kind of the idea.

“It’s perfect for parents who want to take a break while their kids are playing,” says Taryn Sousa, sales executive for the Marriottbranded Residence Inn. And, that’s just one of many conveniences the new hotel will offer to families whose children have youth sports tournaments at the area. The hotel quite literally is being built — it opens officially on Dec. 16 — to accommodate the families in town for what can be long and grinding weekends of tournaments, primarily for those competing at the Sports Campus but also for those in town for events at AdventHealth Center Ice and the Sarah Vande Berg Tennis Center in nearby Zephyrhills.

Richard Blalock, the CEO of RADDSports, which runs the Sports Campus in a public-private partnership with Pasco County, says the new hotel is “the wave of the future” and a test model for other similar athletic facilities.

Instead of parents having to drop their kids off at tournaments and then sit around and wait for an hour or 90 minutes before the game starts, they can retreat to their rooms or enjoy a meal and/or an adult beverage at the Skybox.

“There’s a lot of just sitting around (at youth sports tournaments),” Blalock says.

“This will provide convenience.”

There are 128 rooms in the Residence Inn, and all of them are suites, with full kitchens and separate living room areas.

Sousa says the Residence Inn Tampa Wesley Chapel is the first in the country to have queen-queen bedded rooms, and each living area offers a pullout couch, “an excellent feature for the families of the sports

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(Above) The view from the Skybox, the rooftop bar at the soon-to-be-completed Residence Inn by Marriott Tampa Wesley Chapel. (Below) A rendering of the living room in one of the hotel’s luxurious suites. (Next page) How the Skybox looks today (top) and how it will look when completed (bottom).

groups competing next door.”

Developed and operated by Mainsail Lodging and Development LLC, the Tampabased hospitality company that also operates the Epicurean Hotel in South Tampa and the revamped Fenway Hotel in Dunedin (among others), Mainsail’s Wesley Chapel hotel will feature 89 studio suites with one king bed and a separate living area, and 19 studio suites with two queen beds.

In addition, the hotel will have eight 1-bedroom king, four 1-bedroom, 2-queenbed suites and four 2-berdoom suites as well.

“We know there is a history here with the Porter family (which donated the land for the Sports Campus and the hotel),” Sousa says. “And, when this was agreed upon, they really wanted to ensure that this was a sports-focused property that was really there to accommodate any youth sports programs that would be able to utilize the hotel.”

Knowing how families typically travel for sports tournaments, the rooms were set up to be more accommodating.

“All of the rooms have pullout sofas, which is really important to note,” Sousa says. “Our king-bedded rooms can sleep up to four people, and the queen-queen rooms can sleep up to 6. We definitely had the sports groups in mind, with families traveling here from out of town.”

Skybox will be open seven days a week — and no, you don’t have to be staying at the hotel to enjoy the food, drinks or view —

and will seat up to 142 people. It will offer sandwiches, salads and appetizers, as well as a full bar. It may serve more as a lounge than as an actual restaurant, due to the smallish size of the bar and the kitchen being located a few floors below, but there will be plenty of seating for those looking to wash down a light bite with a drink after work.

And, for more relaxation, there is a heated pool and a sizable deck located at the front of the hotel. The Residence Inn also offers guests a complimentary hot breakfast, grab-and-go food and drinks (including beer and wine), free wi-fi, a small meeting room (for 20-30 people), free grocery delivery and a nice-sized fitness center. There’s even bicycle rentals and custom running/biking routes using the Under Armour MapMyFitness® app.

The rooftop bar, as well as the location of the Residence Inn Tampa Wesley Chapel and its relationship with the arena — it literally is only about a Steph Curry three-pointer away — make it not only the area’s newest

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hotel, but also one if its most unique.

And, Sousa says, the word is already out. Even though there’s still lots of work to do to complete the hotel over the next five weeks or so, she says there already are rooms booked for the 2022 travel sports season.

“There’s a ton of excitement about it, and lots of buzz,” Sousa says. ”We’re getting lots of phone calls. We (will) sleep, eat and bleed sports here. That will be the bread and butter of this hotel.”

For more information about the Residence Inn by Marriott Tampa Wesley Chapel, visit ResidenceInnWiregrass.com or call (813) 214-9098.

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Rep. Driskell To Seek A 3rd Term

State Representative Fentrice Driskell, considered to be one of the rising stars in the Democratic Party in the Sunshine State, has officially announced that she will seek to retain her seat in the all-important midterm 2022 elections.

Rep. Driskell will be running to hold the Florida House District 63 seat she won in 2018 when she defeated Republican Shawn Harrison and retained in 2020 when she was unopposed. Driskell held her launch party on Oct. 27 at Acropolis Greek Taverna on Bruce B. Downs Blvd. (photos) District 63 includes New Tampa, as well as Carrollwood, Lutz and the Lake Magdalene and University of South Florida areas to our south and west.

Driskell already has at least one opponent lined up for next year — New Tampa Republican Lisette R. Bonano.

The General Election will be held on November 8, 2022, with primary elections scheduled for August 23, 2022. — JCC

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The Grove Turns Movie Theater Over To B&B Theatres

By JOHN C. COTEY

john@NTNeighborhoodNews.com

Dusted off, cleaned up and renovated by developer Mark Gold after landing on the bankruptcy heap due to coronavirus in 2020, The Grove Theater, Bistro & Entertainment has been turned over to B&B Theatres, which will take over operations of the 16-screen theater complex.

The theater will be renamed B&B Theatres The Grove 16 at Wesley Chapel.

According to a press release, the management deal will result in millions of dollars of upgrades, which will include replacing the seating in the downstairs theaters with reclining chairs similar to the ones already used upstairs.

Other renovations and amenities will be announced in the future.

Founded in 1924, B&B Theatres is a family-owned-and-operated theater company based in Liberty, MO. It is the fifth-largest chain of movie theaters in North America, with 517 screens at 56 locations in Kansas, Iowa, Florida, Missouri, Mississippi, Oklahoma, Minnesota, Virginia, South Carolina, North Caro-

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The Grove Theater, Bistro & Entertainment is now managed by B&B Theatres, which will make additional renovations before being renamed B&B Theatres The Grove 16 at Wesley Chapel.

lina, Texas, Washington, and Georgia.

The Grove will be B&B’s fifth Florida location.

SideSplitters Comedy Club will continue to offer comedy shows and Cycle Cinema, featuring spin bikes inside the theater, still plans to open.

Both concepts fit in with some of those in place at other B&B Theatres. At one of its downtown Kansas City theat-

ers, B&B recently added a jazz bar and grill, and has hosted concerts at other locations.

Despite concerns about a potential bankruptcy due to the Covid-19 pandemic, B&B Theatres has been aggressively acquiring other theaters and sites over the past year as it instead expands its business.

In May, B&B Theatres took over

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its first theater in Washington state and in Minnesota (assuming operations at the Mall of America theater), and in June, the company acquired a former AMC location in Athens, GA, for its first Georgia location. It plans to have that location completely remodeled and reopened by the end of the year.

The Grove Theater, Bistro & Entertainment has been open since February of this year. After purchasing The Grove property for $62.7 million in fall September 2019, Gold and his Mishorim Gold Properties promised a radical makeover of the entire complex.

One of the first places he started was the renovation of the former Cobb 16 Movie Theater, whose parent company CMX filed for bankruptcy in April 2020.

As we’ve reported in previous issues, Gold upgraded the interior and the food offerings, and transformed some of the theaters into the recently opened Side Splitters and a spin studio, which is still awaiting approval to open.

For more information about B&B Theatres, visit BBTheatres.com or Facebook.com/bbtheatres

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SPOTLIGHT ON: The Wiregrass Wobble Turkey Trot!

After a year of going virtual-only, due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the Wiregrass Wobble Turkey Trot is not only back for its ninth year, but this year’s 5K run will be held at a new site — the Tampa Premium Outlets.

As usual, the Wobble will be held Thanksgiving morning, which this year is Thursday, November 25. The event will start at 7 a.m. and there will be a 5K run, followed by a 1K fun run (at 8:15 a.m.).

The cost to run in either event is $35.

For the first eight years of the race, which was started by former FITniche owner Rich Wills, runners trotted 3.1 miles around the Shops at Wiregrass.

But, Wills moved his FITniche store to the new Village at Hunter’s Lake in New Tampa, and as a result, was required to move the location of the race as well.

Although Wills says he tried to maintain the relationships with the previous sponsors of the race, he has had to make some changes.

Otherwise, this year’s Wiregrass Wobble will remain the same as in previous years.

“We’re going to create a high-energy, fun way to start Thanksgiving day, just as we have for almost 10 years,” says Wills, who recently sold his FITniche location in Hunter’s Lake to Fleet Feet, which still sells running shoes, clothes and gear.

Wills remains associated with Fleet Feet as a consultant, and will continue to run the Wiregrass Wobble, which was New Tampa and Wesley Chapel’s first Thanksgiving 5K run when he started it in 2012 as a “fun run.”

Wills credits former store manager Brian Brink with getting the race going.

Brink came to Wills in 2012 and told him a number of customers wanted to run

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Thanksgiving morning, but didn’t want to have to drive all the way to Clearwater for the Tampa Bay Turkey Trot, the Tampa Bay area’s biggest annual holiday run that began in 1979.

Brink offered to bring some bagels and coffee, and roughly 200 runners showed up on that first Thanksgiving morning.

Following that success, Wills and Brink went all in on the holiday run concept for 2013, hosting the first official Wiregrass Wobble and drawing around 1,400 participants.

The race now hosts about 2,000 runners each year. “We’ve been running strong ever since,” Wills says.

To register for the 2021 Wiregrass Wobble, see the ad (right), or visit RunSignup.com and search for “Wiregrass Wobble.” — JCC

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SPOTLIGHT ON: The Siesta Key Crystal Classic!

If you’re looking to spend a day at the beach this weekend, why not visit one of the best beaches in the world?

Siesta Key Beach, named the No. 1 beach in the U.S and No. 11 in the world in the 2020 TripAdvisor Traveler’s Choice awards, will be the site when 24 of the best sand sculptors in the world challenge for top honors at the 11th Annual Siesta Key Crystal Classic the weekend of Nov. 12-15.

Work already has begun on prepping the beach for the event, traditionally one of the most anticipated every year in Sarasota County.

“This is definitely our biggest event of the year,” says Mandi Green, promotion and event manager for the Siesta Key Chamber of Commerce. “We’re hoping this is our best year ever, since everyone has been cooped up inside.”

Green says the international sand sculpting festival, which wasn’t held last year due to Covid-19, draws roughly 40,000 people to Siesta Key over the course of the four days.

The event will feature a variety of stunning sand sculptures from the pros,

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as well as an amateur contest and will include more than 80 vendors, live music every day and six food trucks, all right on Siesta Key Beach.

There will be sand-sculpting lessons multiple times daily, a Barefoot Beach Bar Party Tent with music and a full bar.

For more information, an event schedule and map or to purchase tickets, visit SiestaKeyCrystalClassic.com,or check out the ad below. —JCC

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Blue Heron Adds Area’s Only Skilled Nursing For Seniors & More

By GARY NAGER When we first introduced you to TLC Management’s Blue Heron Senior Living & Memory Care in Wesley Chapel earlier this year, the 159,000-sq.ft. assisted living facility’s short-term rehabilitation services and skilled nursing area weren’t quite ready to open.

However, considering that no other assisted living residence in New Tampa or Wesley Chapel offers these patient care services on-site, we decided it was time to provide an update, now that they are available.

About Blue Heron’s Residences

Since it opened to its first resident in May of 2021, Blue Heron has continued to promote itself as Wesley Chapel’s premier senior living community. Blue Heron’s health and rehabilitation blends the comforts of a luxury hotel with advanced therapies and facilities in a unique “Return to Home” program.

All 106 of Blue Heron’s short stay rehab accommodations are private suites and the assisted living side has 107 beautiful studio, 1- and 2-bedroom suites.

Of those 107 assisted living residences, 22 are Memory Care rooms, all of which are separated from the rest of the community (for the safety of all residents and staff), and the Memory Care side currently is offering a lifetime rate lock.

Another amenity Blue Heron can offer is outpatient therapy, meaning you do not have to live at the facility to benefit from its rehabilitation/physical therapy services. Blue Heron residents can receive physical, occupational and speech therapies prescribed by their doctors right on the premises.

Because skilled nursing is so labor-intensive, 85 of Blue Heron’s 130 employees are dedicated to the skilled nursing side

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and 45 employees are dedicated to assisted living and/ or memory care.

“Assisted living residents at Blue Heron can move to the skilled nursing area as needed and return to assisted living when their need for nursing Blue Heron Commuor rehab services nity Relations Director Lilly Gonzalez ends,” says Lilly Gonzalez (photo, right), who took over as Blue Heron’s community relations director a couple of months ago, after previously serving in a similar position for The Legacy at Highwoods Preserve. “And likewise, if you come in as a short-term rehab patient, you can move on after completing your rehab to become an assisted living or memory care resident.”

“We really have a great team here,” says Blue Heron executive director Kim Lehigh. “Our skilled nursing staff has done a great job of making our patients feel at home as they heal.”

Speaking of employees, in addition to Gonzalez, new Blue Heron employees include director of residential services for assisted living Gillian Walker and dining and nutrition services’ Lindsey Caddock.

And, Sarah Dymond, who served as the community relations director before Gonzalez, has been promoted to regional director of marketing for assisted living, although I did see Sarah on-site during a recent visit.

Other New Amenities

The Covid-19 pandemic thankfully hasn’t affected Blue Heron too adversely.

Blue Heron Senior Living & Memory Care, located off BBD Blvd. in Seven Oaks, has nurses on staff (above) and every skilled nursing patient room (below) is a private room.

(All photos by Charmaine George)

All visitors and staff are required to wear face masks and visitors are screened when they enter the facility. The staff is tested for Covid every week, per the guidelines related to Pasco County’s positivity rate.

The only amenity that currently isn’t open is the grab-and-go snack and beverage “Bistro” area, although the main dining room is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner.

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On the other hand, a number of new amenities have opened since our first story about it ran. Just outside the main dining area, a new gazebo and covered seating area are open, and they look out onto the recently completed putting green, bocce ball and horseshoes courts (see photo on next page).

Inside, the fitness center also has been completed since our last Blue

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Heron story and offers the opportunity for assisted living residents to work out on their own, or they can join a variety of classes, from Fitness 101 to chair yoga and the recently completed Cinema Room on the second floor offers rousing games of chair volleyball.

There are two new art areas, too, with the one located downstairs also serving as something of a gallery of resident- and staff-created masterpieces (see top right photo) and a larger art studio offering classes on the second floor.

And of course, from movies in the Cinema Room (below left) to grooming in the hair and nail studio (bottom right) and from gourmet dining to the fact that Blue Heron Senior Living & Memory Care is a true rental community with no

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buy-in required and no long-term financial commitment Blue Heron will host a free Caregiver Support Group hosted by Eileen Poiley, the director of education at the USF Health Byrd Alzheimer’s Institute on Wednesday, November 17, 3 p.m.-4:30 p.m. For reservations to the event, or for more information about Blue Heron Senior Living (5085 Eagleston Blvd.), call (813) 733-4754, visit SeniorLivingatBlueHeron.com or see the ad on pg. 31.

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Realtor Kristy Darragh: Data-Driven Expert Advice & Proven Results

By CELESTE McLAUGHLIN Correspondent For several months now, the housing market in New Tampa has been skyrocketing, with families selling their homes for incredibly high prices, just days — or less — after listing.

Long-time local Realtor Kristy Darragh, with Florida Executive Realty, always has her eyes on the numbers, and she says it’s not as crazy as it seems.

“This market is bringing this area to where it’s supposed to be,” she explains.

Kristy has been selling real estate in New Tampa for nearly three decades, and she’s built a career of understanding the numbers that are significant in real estate, especially in New Tampa — where she has been the #1 agent for 25 years, with the highest sales volume — and what those numbers mean for buyers and sellers.

She explains that while prices are high and the local inventory of homes is low, New Tampa has always been undervalued when compared with other similar small metropolitan areas nationwide. That means there’s still room for values to grow.

“Pricing has continued to go up, particularly in New Tampa,” Kristy says. “From June to October, things have gotten even busier and more intense in the marketplace.”

And, while she says it has been a fast rise, she assures her clients that this is not a bubble that could burst — certainly not anytime soon. Although home values in the Tampa Bay area as a whole have risen almost 20 percent over the last six months, she says, “I can confidently say there is no end in sight.”

That’s because current inventory is depleted and resale houses are bought as soon as they hit the market.

In a normal housing market, Kristy says, historical data shows there would be anywhere from 180 to 250 homes for sale in

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Local Realtor Kristy Darragh (front), the co-owner of the Tampa Palms office of Florida Executive Realty and her staff (l.-r.) Jace Haitz, Toni Osborn and her daughter Megan. (Photo: Charmaine George)

the 33647 zip code.

Instead, there are just 30 homes for sale in all of New Tampa right now.

She says the price increases won’t stop until there is a more balanced inventory of about 200 homes on the market. As interest rates go up, it slows the market down, but Kristy says a big percentage of buyers are coming here from out of state, and New Tampa is still a deal when compared with other areas where buyers might be considering purchasing.

For example, New Tampa is still more affordable than Broward County in South Florida, where the average sales price is $499,000 — and Kristy says that number is still rising — compared with New Tampa’s average sales price of $359,000.

“It’s an acute sellers’ market,” Kristy says, adding that if you put your house on the market, “you will love your price, but there’s no more casual trading from one

neighborhood to another for people who want to upsize or downsize but still stay in the same immediate area.”

The problem, though, and the conversation Kristy says she is having over and over again these days, is where that seller’s family

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will go after they close on their house.

After a quick glance at the numbers, Kristy says there are only seven homes for rent in the 33647 zip code.

“Rental prices are through the roof,” she says. “Most (rental homes) are at least $2,500 per month.”

So, anyone who wants to sell must have a plan. “I recently sold a villa in Esplanade in Tampa Palms where the couple already had a rental and were ready to move out,” she says. “They put their villa on the market and it sold in two days.”

Kristy often meets with potential clients who need to make such a plan. So, if you want to capitalize on the market but need some advice about how to make it happen, she is happy to help.

She says a lot of sales this year are happening with terms that are completely “out of the box.” For example, it used to be rare that a seller would retain occupancy after closing, but Kristy says she’s written that into many contracts this year, giving the seller 30, 60, or even 90 days after closing to find another place to live.

But, she warns, a few months might still not be enough time. Because she sees room for the market to continue growing,

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she thinks buyers may have to wait two years for prices to settle down.

“It’s still a good time to buy because prices are entitled to go higher, compared to the national market,” she says, “so we’re not done yet.”

In the meantime, local inventory is so low that there are basically no houses out there that will meet every one of a buyer’s wants and needs.

“Everyone starts out Kristy uses a wide variety of stats and charts to read the local with a wish list, but then housing market, which gives her the edge while trying to stay ahead of trends. (Photo: Charmaine George) that morphs and changshe has people surrounding her who are es,” Kristy explains. “You as committed to excellent service for all may have to go up in price or to a different of her clients as she is. location or change your bedroom/bathThis includes members of her family, room count, because in this market, your who she says have put up with her crazy wish list is probably not attainable.”

She adds that this is where her expertise workaholic tendencies and supported her for the last 30 years. Her husband Mike and decades of experience is so important. is critical to her business, often meeting She says she has learned to pay very careful inspectors and helping in other ways. While attention to her clients, because they may one of her daughters, Kelsey, is an influencer change their criteria and may not even in Hollywood, her other daughter, Megan, realize they’re willing to adapt themselves. has officially joined Kristy’s business and is She also says she’s careful not to miss the looking toward the future. cues that her buyers might be looking for “Megan is the next generation,” Kristy something different than what they say, or says, although she is hoping it will be quite a what they first said before they began their while before she actually passes the torch on house-hunting journey. to her daughter.

Kristy also stays up to date on the latest Megan worked as the office manager trends and newest innovations in real estate. for the Westchase branch of Florida Executive Realty, but joined her mom in Tampa Appraising The Big Changes Palms in October 2020. Megan is a licensed She notes that a big change is under Realtor who has her own clients and also way, brought on by the hot market, with helps with Kristy’s clients, too. “desktop” appraisals becoming more popular.

Her other two assistants are Jace Haitz “Appraisers can’t keep up with the deand Toni Osborn. mand,” she explains. “In 2022, federal loan Kristy says they all embrace the Florida programs Fannie May and Freddie Mac will Executive Realty company motto — the start using automatic appraisals, pulling data golden rule — treating everyone the way available in public records.” they would want to be treated.

Kristy calls automatic appraisals a game “Kristy and her team were a pleasure changer and says there are still ways to manto work with,” said Mrs. Stock in an online age the process so that home values are repreview. “She was the most professional of resented well — but expertise is necessary. all those I interviewed prior to listing my She holds licenses as both a real estate home. Her follow thru was all that was agent and as a Broker. She joined Floripromised and more.” da Executive Realty in 1994 and became Kristy says, “My brand is really about partners with Doug Loyd in the Tampa emphasizing service. I have 30 years of Palms location of Florida Executive Realty experience, I’m personally vested in the proin 2003. Loyd owns five other offices of cess with each client, and I’m there before, Florida Executive Realty located in Tampa, during, and after your transaction.”

Brandon and FishHawk Ranch.

The Tampa Palms office of Florida Kristy works with three full-time Executive Realty is at 15802 Amberly assistants. While she prefers to be handsDr. For more info about Realtor Kristy on with all of her clients and not use the Darragh, visit RealEstateNewTampa. popular “team” approach other local com, call (813) 931-6700, or see the Realtors often use, she says she is only ad on pg. 44 (this issue’s back cover). able to be as successful as she is because Neighborhood News

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23

Esthetics813 Helps Renew Your Mind, Body And Spirit

By JOHN C. COTEY

john@NTNeighborhoodNews.com

Kyymara Rose Scott has owned Esthetics813 for seven years and, in that time, she says she has lost count of the number of clients who have entered looking or feeling frazzled who left with a little slice of peace and happiness.

Providing that transformation is exactly why Kyymara started Esthetics813, which is located at the northwest corner of Bruce B. Downs (BBD) Blvd. and County Line Rd., in front of the Super Target (a few doors down from Anytime Fitness).

Kyymara says she knows all about feeling frazzled, and the need to undo that feeling. When she was in her early thirties, life threw everything it had at her.

First was a divorce, followed by a job selling insurance that she hated, followed by a cancer diagnosis.

“It was the most horrible, painful experience of my life,” she says.

In between cancer treatments, when Kyymara needed some zen, she visited a spa for soft massages — her body was too run down from cancer treatments to tolerate a traditional massage — and facials.

They helped her relax and escape, if even for only a few minutes.

One day, while waiting in the lobby for her appointment, she couldn’t help but stare at the woman working there, and her big smile.

“I asked her, ‘Are you always this happy, or is this just for us?,’” Kyymara recalled. “And she told me, ‘I work at a spa, everybody is happy to come here.

Why wouldn’t I be happy?’”

It was that moment that Kyymara says set her on a path that led her to open Esthetics 813, where she runs a spa that relishes wellness, renewal of your spirit and satisfying happy clients by offering a plethora of comforting and revitalizing services.

In fact, Kyymara urges you to check it out for yourself. Esthetics813 will off complimentary consultations (a $45 value) at its Client Appreciation Event on Thursday, November 11, 4 p.m.-7 p.m. (more on this event appears below).

Although she had attended the New York Institute of Technology in Old Westbury, NY, for advertising when she was younger, Kyymara reversed course and returned to the Dominican Republic, where she spent much of her youth, and attended a skin care institute for 18 months.

She then returned to the U.S. and studied Esthiology for a year at the Aveda 24

The team at Esthetics 813 (l.-r.) includes Crystal Santos, Kurt Wickiser, Hannah Mazzilli, owner Kyymara Rose Scott, Tyra Richardson and Anna Mazzei. (Photo: Charmaine George)

Institute in Clearwater before opening the original Esthetics813 in the Windfair Professional Center behind Dickey’s Barbecue Pit in 2013.

As her business grew, so did the need for a larger space. In 2019, Esthetics813 moved in front of the SuperTarget.

She says that unlike other “closed cabin” type designs, Esthetics813 is loft-style, like you might find in Europe, California or even the Dominican Republic, where Kyymara used to wash hair as a teenager at a spa so she could afford to get her own hair done every Saturday.

Because a different location fell through, Kyymara says the current spa was built with “blood, sweat and tears in the 11th hour.” She says she couldn’t have done it without husband Kurt “The Duke” Wickiser.

Lourdes Alers has been coming to Esthetics813 since the original spa opened in the Windfair Professional Center. With her husband working and her kids at a friend’s house, Lourdes decided to pop in at an Open House.

“I was going to get a free swag bag and then take off, but I ended up being the first one there and the last one to leave,” she says. “I booked a facial and I haven’t looked back since. (Kyymara) works her magic and I trust her completely.”

Esthetics813, however, offers more than just facials. It offers body sculpting and wraps, microneedling, waxing and

tanning, various light treatments and a variety of spa packages.

Kyymara strongly believes that visiting a spa shouldn’t only be a birthday present or an occasional treat for you; it should be a regular part of your wellness and self care. And in fact, she says the majority of her clients come in once or twice a week.

Clients are provided a robe and a glass of water or wine, and all of their personal items — especially their cell phones — are put away in a locker. The spa’s staff — Anna Mazzei, Tyra Richardson, Crystal Santos and Hanna Mazzilli — make it a personal experience by remembering what you like, right down to your drink preference.

The most popular treatments are often seasonal and, for this time of year, “everything that has to do with stripping away the old and rejuvenations are very popular,” Kyymara says. “That includes chemical peels, micro-needling and miraculously, and to my delight, body treatments.”

The Art Of Body Sculpting

Body sculpting is the most requested spa treatment, which Kyymara thinks may be a byproduct of the Covid-19 pandemic, which trapped people inside and led to many of us putting on a few extra pounds.

Body sculpting (see after-and-before photos on the next page) involves eliminating cellulite and localized fat through

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muscle therapy and non-invasive ultrasonic cavitation, which uses vibrations to break down fat cells, which can then be expelled via lymphatic massages.

Other popular body treatments are waxing and tanning.

“These were all very popular in the Dominican Republic,” Kyymara says.

“I tried to get people to like it here but couldn’t at first. But now I’m like, ‘Yes!’” Esthetics813 also has two nurse practitioners on staff to administer Botox and other fillers, which remain go-to treatments for many.

Another offering at Esthetics813 is Red Light Therapy (RLT; see photo above), which Kyymara says was created

by NASA “so it’s actually rocket science!”

Kyymara says RLT helps cells bind themselves together again, which helps skin and muscle tissue re-tighten, helping to reduce wrinkles, cellulite and sagging.

Blue Light Treatment (BLT) oxygenates your skin, helping with acne, and Green Light Treatment (GLT) helps reduce inflammation, Kyymara says.

Kyymara thinks there are many things that differentiate her spa from others, and one she is most pleased about is that facials at Esthetics813 are oxygen-centric, as opposed to merely products with oxygen in them.

“We use actual oxygen,” she says.

“It’s antibacterial and we infuse it, so it penetrates the skin. It fills, plumps and gives you a nice glow. It’s a more advanced facial.”

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of-the-line effective products like HydroPeptide, PCA SKIN and FUSION. Always looking to offer the latest and the greatest, Kyymara says her spa will soon be offering a Blow Out Bar, to liven up your hair-do, If you want to look more like the photo on the left, try the body which is expected to sculpting and tanning services offered at Esthetics813. open by Nov. 1.

Chapel Rotary Club and recently organThere are even treatments for men, ized a fashion show that raised $1,600 including facials and upper and lower for Bridging Freedom, a child and human body waxing. trafficking rescue organization. She has “We even have man-sized slippers even run a diaper drive for the Oasis Pregand robes, so you can be comfortable and nancy Care Center. not feel like you are tip-toeing around in a Esthetics813 is located at 1051 woman’s space,” Kyymara says.

Bruce B. Downs Blvd. Its hours by Kurt jokes that while men may be appointment are Monday-Friday, 10 hesitant to try the spa, “Once you try it a.m.-7 p.m., and 10 a.m.-3 p.m. on you won’t want to leave.”

Saturday. For more information, call Each service can be purchased indi(813) 474-4486, visit esthetics813. vidually, and Esthetics813 also offers VIP com or see the ad on page 33. memberships. Groups and parties also are The Client Appreciation Event will welcome. be held on Thursday, November 11, 4 Because the community has been so p.m.-7 p.m., and will include spa demos good to her, Kyymara does what she can and promos, free food and cocktails, to be good to it, too. She is an Ambasas well as Botox specials. The first 50 sador for the North Tampa Bay Chamber guests to RSVP for the event will receive of Commerce, a member of the Wesley a free swag bag when they arrive.

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Want New Floors In About A Week? Visit American Wood Flooring!

By CELESTE McLAUGHLIN Correspondent While families are waiting months for new furniture, contractors seem to be too busy to take on jobs, and Christmas gifts may be languishing in shipping containers still on the ocean, you don’t have to wait if you want new floors.

Andy Dunning, the owner and CEO of American Wood Flooring, located in the SuperTarget-anchored Northwoods Plaza on Bruce B. Downs (BBD) Blvd., north of County Line Rd., says his crews are typically installing new floors for clients in about a week.

“From order to install is about seven to 10 days out,” Dunning says, although he admits that some materials are on backorder, and some clients could have backordered materials delayed for several months.

That’s not normal, though, and for those who are waiting, it’s not on the installers. Dunning says American Wood Flooring has 12 crews that are kept busy working six days a week with all the families who are remodeling their homes or upgrading builder flooring.

“We do a lot of new construction,”

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Andy Dunning, the owner and CEO of American Wood Flooring in the SuperTargetanchored Northwoods Plaza on BBD just north of County Line Rd., has 12 crews working for him that can get your new floors installed in a jiffy. (Photo: Charmaine George) Dunning says. “Customers are buying new It’s typical for a crew to install 500 to houses with cheap carpet and then come to 600 square feet of flooring per day. us. We do the floors before they move in, Dunning says that if you have a because builder prices are ridiculous.” mortgage, the builder has to install a floor The process normally doesn’t delay covering to close. If his company pulls out move-in day very long. An American brand new carpet, he will donate it to the Wood Flooring crew starts immediately Salvation Army or Habitat For Humanity as soon as the sale of the house closes. to be used for another purpose.

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For any buyers who pay cash for their home, the builder can leave the subfloor and skip the installation and removal process altogether.

But, it’s not just new construction keeping the crews occupied. Dunning says the store has been busier than ever with remodels, especially over the last 18 months, because of the way people’s lifestyles have changed as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic.

“A lot of people are working from home or are stuck at home looking at their flooring and want to get something new in there,” he says.

Dunning says that recently, the most popular choice for flooring has been luxury vinyl plank, sometimes referred to as LVP. “The trends continue toward that vinyl plank because of its durability, the fact that it is waterproof, dent-proof, and super scratch-resistant,” Dunning says.

That’s because vinyl plank floors may look like wood, but they aren’t.

They are made from a PVC-type material with a tight lock-and-fold system to keep moisture out, even from the attached padding underneath that is made from an anti-microbial melamine material.

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The current LVP flooring options are also dent-proof, which is an upgrade from when the vinyl planks first arrived on the scene and were made from a wood composite material.

“They’re always coming out with newer, more innovative ways to keep the product getting better and better,” Dunning says.

While the vinyl planks are his best sellers, American Wood Flooring also installs a wide variety of wood floors, as well as carpet, tile and laminate.

You can choose the flooring that matches your taste, lifestyle and budget, and the experts at American Wood Flooring can direct you to the materials that will work best for you. Dunning says that projects can be for just one room, up to every room in the entire home.

Dunning says there are many options, but he sees trends that are typical among many of his clients. “Usually we’re doing a hard surface, such as vinyl, wood or tile throughout the main areas, and carpet in bedrooms,” he explains.

A Wesley Chapel Fixture

The Wesley Chapel location of American Wood Flooring has been located in the Northwoods Plaza for more than a dozen years.

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American Wood Flooring offers a wide variety of laminate, hardwood, tile and other flooring from many different companies. (Photo: Charmaine George)

The company also has another location in New Port Richey. That location opened first, by Dunning’s dad and stepmom, before he opened the Wesley Chapel location in 2008.

Between the two locations, American Wood Flooring crews travel far and wide to meet their customers’ needs.

In fact, Dunning says they often follow families when they move out of the area.

“We did a home in Meadow Pointe

in 2016 and they’re moving to Apollo Beach, so now we’re doing the house in Apollo Beach,” Dunning says. “We’ve (installed floors) as far north as Ocala, as far south as Fort Myers, and as far east as Orlando.”

Wesley Chapel resident Patrick Murphy has used American Wood Flooring for several projects in his home, in a rental property, and is now looking at redoing the floors in his office.

“In our old house, Andy did tile and laminate floor, then we moved to our new house in 2018 and he’s done almost our whole house,” says Murphy. “Now we’re shopping for new tile. It’s always a good experience. The pricing is competitive, the installers are good, and we like to support a local company before going to a big box store.”

American Wood Flooring offers free in-home estimates, and financing through Synchronicity Bank is available that allows many customers to pay no interest for 12 months.

The company also offers a nontransferrable lifetime warranty on every installation.

“A lot of companies won’t offer a lifetime warranty on the install, but we do,” says Dunning. “Sometimes the transition pieces will pop up or boards get loose, and we’ll fix that for as long as you own the house, as long as it’s an installation problem.”

American Wood Flooring’s Wesley Chapel showroom is located at 1285 BBD Blvd. and is open Mon.Fri., 10 a.m.-6 p.m.; 10 a.m.-5 p.m. on Sat.; and 11 a.m.-4 p.m. on Sun. For more information, visit FlooringforFlorida.com, call (813) 991-7999 or see the ad on pg. 41 of this issue.

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As We Grow Counseling Helps Children & Young Adults With Special Needs

By CELESTE McLAUGHLIN Correspondent For 14 years, the licensed therapists at As We Grow Counseling have helped people of all ages in Wesley Chapel and the surrounding areas tackle relationships and personal growth.

Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) Melissa Amaya started the practice in Seven Oaks in 2007, when her son, Ethan, was born. He has special needs and was often at therapy appointments five days a week, so starting her own practice gave her the flexibility to care for him.

Now that he’s older, Melissa has found another way to help him and others like him meet some of their unique challenges.

Game Nights hosted by As We Grow Counseling have been an effective way of improving the As We Grow Counseling is offering social well-being of children and young adults with special needs. (Photos: Charmaine George) opportunities for kids and young adults, Work (BSW) degree from Monmouth When she couldn’t find such a proages 4-21, with ADS, ADD/ADHD, University in New Jersey, and then her gram, she decided to tackle it herself, and learning disabilities and other unique needs Master of Social Work (MSW) degree began offering groups in June. to socialize and learn life and social skills. with a specialization in Family & Child “I need to do what I enjoy and what “One of my son’s disabilities is auTherapy from Fordham University in comes from the heart,” Melissa explains. tism,” says Melissa, “so I was trying to find New York City in 1997.

And she asks, “Who better to start these a group to help him learn social skills, like When she first went to college, Melissa than someone who is a clinician and comhow to start conversations with other kids petent in this area, who also is a mom who earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in comand about unwritten social cues, and also has a child with special needs?” munications and advertising. However, life skills, like how to do laundry and go when she went to work in the pharmaMelissa earned a Bachelor of Social grocery shopping.”

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ceutical industry, she quickly realized she wanted to do work that was more meaningful to her.

She says As We Grow Counseling helps people in many ways throughout their lives. “You grow as a couple, as an adult, or even as a senior citizen, but you’re still growing and learning.”

As We Grow sees people of all ages for therapy, from kids as young as age three up to adults, including couples and individuals.

The practice currently has 20 clinicians who all work part time. Melissa says most are doing teletherapy, but some clinicians are beginning to return to in-person counseling sessions. They work during the day, in the evening, and on weekends, including both Saturdays and Sundays.

Groups & Special Events

While she believes that individual counseling can be effective for kids with special needs, she recognizes that they often already spend big chunks of their time at appointments such as physical, occupational and/or speech therapy, so she recognizes the benefits of the social and life skills groups.

“When we do the groups, they learn so much from their peers,” she says. “It’s a

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more comfortable setting for them.”

Groups are offered for children ages four to 19, broken down by age group, and kids with any disability can participate.

There is one group just for girls, while other groups are mixed.

“It helps them with confidence building,” Melissa explains. “A lot of kids with special needs also have anxiety, Jeanne Harrison (left) and Melissa Amaya. which prevents them from has struggled with some issues, such as fully interacting with their feeling resentful of the differences he has peers, getting a job, and even advocating noticed between himself and other kids. for themselves at school — just to ask for “It’s a blessing to have found somehelp if they need it. These are skills they thing in the midst of a storm,” says Shonneed everywhere in life.” da, who also has been a therapy patient of And then, to practice the skills they Melissa’s for several years. are learning in their groups, As We Grow Ahmari started middle school this year, Counseling now offers Game Nights and which Shonda admits was a little scary, special “bonus” events. especially since she was exhausted from the These might be cooking classes, potdaily phone calls she was getting last school tery painting or going to Pinot’s Palette year. But, her son’s involvement in the As or Main Event. A field trip to an Escape We Grow programs has been beneficial.

Room was held for October and an out“I just talked with his school counseing to Grand Prix Tampa for go-karts and lor and she says he’s doing great,” Shonda miniature golf is planned for Saturday, says. “I haven’t gotten one call from a November 13, and an outing to watch a teacher, and he has six teachers now! He Tampa Bay Lightning hockey game is comalso has outstanding grades.” ing up on Tuesday, December 14.

She thinks some of the growth she’s While the special events require an seen is because, at Game Nights, he’s advance RSVP, Game Nights do not. They around both guys and girls of all different are for ages 5-21 and include crafts, dancages, and they are showing him maturity. ing, a movie, indoor badminton, corn hole, “He started off quiet and now he’s pizza and even visits from therapy dogs, raising his hand and loves to sing and when they are available. dance,” she says. “It allows him to be him Melissa heads up Game Nights with in his own element without having to an Exceptional Student Education (ESE) worry about any judgement.” teacher, Jeanne Harrison, and the support Shonda adds that she really appreciof volunteers. ates the hour or two she gets to herself Upcoming Game Nights will be held while Ahmari is at his skills group or Game Fridays, November 19, and December 3, Nights, whether she uses it to go grocery at the Seven Oaks Community Clubhouse, shopping or just sit in her car and enjoy the 6 p.m.-8 p.m. The cost is $20 per child. peace and quiet.

Parents are welcome to stay but can “It’s amazing,” Shonda says. “I hope choose to drop their children off. Kids can Melissa can branch out to more parents. I come to all of the activities, or just the ones don’t know where I’d be without (As We that interest them or fit their schedule.

Grow Counseling) and without her.”

The social skills groups have limited As We Grow Counseling is located space and are generally paid by insurance. in Seven Oaks at 2240 Twelve Oaks As We Grow Counseling takes all major Way, Suite 101. To learn more about insurance plans except Medicaid and also the opportunities for children with accepts the Gardiner Scholarship. special needs, call Melissa on her cell “There’s a huge need,” Melissa says. phone at (813) 442-2971 or see the ad “The biggest hurdle I have is getting the on page 15 of this issue. To make an word out to people.” appointment, call (813) 838-4807. Or, Shonda Brown is mom to Ahmari, an to learn more about the practice, visit 11-year-old with high-functioning autism AsWeGrowCounseling.com. and ADHD. She recently noticed that he Neighborhood News

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Falabella Family Bistro Unveils Its Delicious New Menu!

Wesley Chapel’s Favorite Restaurateur Upgrades His Bistro With A New Chef & New Menu Items!

By Gary Nager

Earlier this year, as owner Steve Falabella was getting ready to open his Falabella Family Bistro in The Grove, and started telling me about some of the menu items he was planning, I was already excited about it.

After all, Steve already had one of the best pizza places in Wesley Chapel (which is saying a lot because I think The Chap has a lot of really good pizza) — his 900º Woodfired Pizza in the Shops at Wiregrass — and as a true Italian raised in New York, I knew he could create a great bistro experience.

But, when Falabella Family Bistro did open in early June, the only thing I told Steve he could use was a little more diverse menu and maybe to add some fresh veggies.

Just a few short months later, as Steve was reunited with his new Executive Chef Chance Drake (who started with Steve as a dishwasher at 900º Woodfired ten years ago but who honed his chef skills at Noble Crust and Lake Jovita Country Club), he promised me that a revamped menu was on the way — and boy has Wesley Chapel’s favorite restaurateur delivered again, in a big way!

Although Chance will continue to offer a weekly special Friday-Sunday only (like the amazing rigatoni with broccoli rabe and sausage on the next page), only the most popular of Chance’s specials and other oftenrequested dishes have been added to the actual new menu at the Bistro.

My favorite new pasta dishes and entrées so far are the chicken piccata (top left photo on this page), the beef short rib ragu (lower left on this page) and the crispy fried zucchini (lower center photo on this page), which is unlike any I’ve ever sampled, as the zucchini is cut into thin slices, rather than in traditional “sticks,” and the Roma tomato aioli dipping sauce also is a change from the always-popular marinara.

Other new “piattini” (small plates or starters) on the menu are the garlic baguette (garlic bread with a pomodoro dip and fresh

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basil), the broccoli and ricotta toast (with roasted broccoli, whipped ricotta, hot honey and fresh basil) and a ravioli flight I can’t sample because it includes lobster in the flight (along with sasuage, broccoli and five-cheese ravioli, all of which I can try).

I haven’t yet tried all of the new pastas and entrées, but look forward to sampling the Bistro’s new veal Marsala (I’ve had the chicken Marsala, bottom far right on this page, which is yummy). I also can’t eat the

garlic shrimp Alfredo (I hate allergies!), but Steve says it’s been extremely popular already.

And of course, among my already-onthe-menu favorites are the Vongole (spaghetti with clams, top right photo), the classic spaghetti with meatballs, the chicken parmesan, the lasagna (with bechamel, instead of ricotta) the gnocchi Genovese (with house-made pesto sauce) and starters like the bruschetta, burrata caprese, the Caesar and Mediterranea salads and the crispy calamari.

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Although I know a lot of Steve’s regular customers go crazy for the antipasto boards shaped like Italy and I do enjoy some of the panini sandwiches (my favorite is the pesto chicken), I honestly haven’t sampled many of either because I have so many favorites on the rest of the menu. I’m sure it’s my loss though.

Don’t Skip Dessert!

While Jannah and I are usually trying not to eat dessert, it’s hard to skip the decadent desserts available at Falabella Family Bistro, especially knowing that they are supplied by Evelyn Barreno of Seven Layers Bakery. I’m particularly partial to the chocolate mousse

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(Above, l.-r.) Steve, Giulia and Micaela Falabella. Missing from the pic is Steve and Micaela’s other daughter, Mavi. (Below, l.) The rigatoni, broccoli rabe & sausage special.

(Below, r.) The chocolate mousse cheesecake & (bottom r.) tiramisu.

cheesecake, the equally creamy tiramisu, the cannolis and the turtle and triple chocolate cheesecake options. I’ve yet to sample the affogato (vanilla ice cream “drowned” with hot espresso) or Macedonia (fresh fruit salad topped with whipped cream) desserts.

I have sampled the Bistro’s outstanding cappuccino and Peroni beer on tap, and Jannah is partial to glasses of pinot grigio and prosecco.

And, though his red wine list isn’t extensive, it’s also not too expensive, as the Casa Migliaccio Barolo is only $49.95 per bottle and there are two Nero d’Avolas for only $29.95 per bottle.

Bottled beers, hard seltzers and wine cocktails and a reasonably priced kids menu are available.

Falabella Family Bistro (6027 Wesley Grove Blvd.) is open for lunch (at 11 a.m.) & dinner (until 9 p.m. Sun.-Thur., 10 p.m.

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Fri.-Sat.) every day. For more information, see the ad on pg. 36, visit FalabellaBistro. com or call (813) 428-6957.

For Advertising Information Call 813-910-2575 • New Tampa Neighborhood News • Volume 29, Issue 23 • November 9, 2021 • NeighborhoodNewsOnline.net

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Florida Ave. Brewing Co. Opens Wesley Chapel Brewery!

With its restaurant open for a year already, Florida Ave. finally opens what may be the state’s largest craft brewery!

By Gary Nager

I honestly don’t know if Florida Ave. Brewing Co., located in the former location of Sports + Field on S.R. 56, is now the largest craft brewery in the state, but it’s not for lack of trying to find out on my part.

The long-awaited Grand Opening and North Tampa Bay Chamber ribbon cutting of Florida Ave.’s brewery at its 34,000-sq.-ft. S.R. 56 location was held on Oct. 8, where CEO Anthony Derby and his family (and partners, including company president Joe Redner) unveiled their huge (for a microbrewery) brewing warehouse, complete with gigantic, stainless steel beer kettles — big enough, Derby says, to produce up to 50,000 barrels per year of Florida Ave.’s huge variety of beers.

Pasco County District 2 Commissioner Mike Moore called it the largest family-owned brewery on the west coast of Florida. But, when I tried to do some research of my own into the largest craft breweries in the entire state of Florida, the largest I could find was the unrelated Florida Beer Co., which is based in Cape Canaveral and reportedly produced nearly 33,000 barrels of its variety of beers in 2018. I couldn’t find similar numbers for 2019 or 2020, but while Florida Ave. likely won’t get close to producing its 50,000-barrel capacity this year or

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next, it certainly could challenge Florida Beer Co. for the largest craft brewery in the state sooner than later.

Either way, it’s been a long and difficult, more-than-two-year journey for Anthony, his mom (and company CFO) Toni and the rest of the Derby family just to get the brewery open, even though the adjacent restaurant and its huge outdoor patio and indoor private event spaces have been open and successful for more than a year.

Anthony says the Covid-19 pandemic caused a lot of the delays for the brewery, as

(L.-r.) Pasco Commissioner Mike Moore, Joe Redner, Toni & Anthony Derby of Florida Ave. Brewing Co. on S.R. 56 at Arrowgrass Dr. many of the important pieces of equipment, especially in the canning line (top left photo on next page), as the machines and parts had to come from Italy, where everything ground to a halt in 2019. Once the equipment finally made its way over here nearly two years later, Florida Ave. had to get it all put together, up and running and inspected by multiple

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agencies before the brewing process could begin — which wasn’t until May of this year.

Derby says it takes at least two weeks to actually make beer, but the equipment all had to be tested again and again in order to re-create the beers that Florida Ave.’s Seminole Heights factory — which produces about 7,000 barrels per year — has been brewing for years and has

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been providing for the restaurant since it opened last year.

Anthony admitted that there have been a lot of challenges but he is confident it will all end up being worth it — and he thanked both North Tampa Bay Chamber president Hope Allen and Moore for their help in getting the project to this point.

Moore said that when he first heard about the project in 2019, he said, “Do you have a time machine?

If not, can you get it open by tomorrow?,” and called Florida Ave. a “beautiful asset to the county.”

Florida Ave. Brewing Co. currently employs more than 120 people at the S.R. 56 location alone, with about 20 other employees out in the field. And yes, now that it is officially open, you will soon be able to tour the state-of-the-art Florida Ave. brewery.

What About The Food & Beer?

Even though I haven’t been able to give you the full story about the brewery, I’m just about officially out of space to tell you about all the great beers, hard seltzers and full liquor bar, the comfy bar stools and the delicious chef-created food at Florida Ave., but some of my favorite dishes appear on this page, including the Korean bibimbap beef bowl (top middle), the Chinese-style sticky ribs (top right), the specialty burgers (middle

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right, although we special-order ours with just cheese and crispy bacon), the crab cakes (middle) and sesame-seared ahi tuna appetizers (middle right) and the perfect Florida Ave. wings (bottom right).

Other menu items we’ve enjoyed include the house-made cheesesteak egg rolls, the steak Argentine flatbread (although photographer Charmaine George says the mushroom truffle flatbread also is excellent), the BBQ chicken sandwich and the 12-oz. NY strip steak. We even loved the sautéed veggies and the crispy Brussels sprouts, the hand-cut fries and the loaded fingerling potato side dishes. There’s also a great kids menu with everything from burger sliders to mac & cheese to cheese quesadillas and more.

But of course, for most of you, the stars of the show at Florida Ave. Brewing Co. will be the beers. My favorites are the most basic — the lager, Dead Parrot light

lager, and the brown ale, but I also enjoy the “You’re My Boy, Blue” fruit beer, the Rollin’ Dirty Irish red ale and Jannah likes the Key lime hard cider, the tangerine splash and other fruit-flavored beers and hard seltzers at Florida Ave. Based on both the crowds we see there whenever we go for dinner or to watch a Lightning game there, as well as all of the votes it already has received in this year’s Reader Dining Survey for Favorite Restaurant and for Favorite Bar in Wesley Chapel — a lot of you already enjoy the place, too.

So please, do me a favor — please visit Florida Ave. Brewing Co. and tell anyone who works there that you read about them in the New Tampa Neighborhood News!

Florida Ave. Brewing Co. is located at 2029 Arrowgrass Dr. and is open every day at 11 a.m. for lunch and dinner. Happy Hour is Mon.-Fri., 3 p.m.-5:30 p.m.For more information, see the ad on pg. 35, call (813) 4526333 or visit FloridaAveBrewing.com.

Reservations are accepted for parties of eight or more only.

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Pick Of The Week 1: Windy City Pizza!

Here & There...This & That

• Luv Fresh, the Mediterranean-style salad, smoothie and wrap sandwich place that replaced Petra Mediterranean Express in the New Tampa Commons plaza in Highwoods Preserve (next to Taste of NY Pizza) has closed.

• In that same area of Highwoods Preserve, Mr. Greenthumbs CBD is getting ready to open next to Ultracuts.

• Super Hot Asian & BBQ is very close to opening in the former location of Fushia Asian Bistro in the Shoppes at Amberly plaza in Tampa Palms.

• The Grill at Morris Bridge, which we told you about a couple of issues ago, is expected to open on or around Dec. 15 in the former Beef O’Brady’s location in the Publix-anchored Cross Creek Commons plaza on Cross Creek Blvd., just west of Morris Bridge Rd. — GN

If you’re a fan of authentic deep-dish Chicago-style pizza but you haven’t yet tried the new Windy Cindy Pizza that opened recently in the former Pebble Creek Collection location (at 19651 Bruce B. Downs Blvd. in New Tampa, a mile or so south of the Pasco County line) of Full Circle Pizza — what are you waiting for?

I brought the large Chicago deep dish pie with pepperoni & sausage pictured at right to the Wiregrass Ranch Sports Campus & everyone raved. I’m not from Chicago, but this deep dish is legit!

Tim and Matt, the owners, are both originally from Chicago (and previously owned Windy City on N. 30th St., near USF), and promise that their deep-dish and thin-crust Chicago pizza is authentic, as are the Chicago Italian beef sandwich and Windy City nuggets (fried homemade pizza dough served with pizza dipping sauce) and more. For more information, call (813) 388-5844 or visit Order-

Las Palmas Latin Grill Closes After Fire

One of the saddest pieces of business news we heard recently was that a 20-minute kitchen fire had closed Las Palmas Latin Grill, located in the same plaza as Five Guys Burgers & Fries and LA Fitness at County Line Rd. and Bruce B. Downs Blvd.

Owner/chef Ramses Garcia says that although there is no definitive time line for Las Palmas to reopen, he estimates at least 5-7 months. At our press time, Ramses said that the cause of the fire was not yet known and that he’s thankful that no one was injured.

Also at our press time, Las Palmas was either leading or in second place among our readers’ Favorite Latin Restaurant and in the top-10 for Favorite Restaurant of any kind in

New Tampa, so obviously, a lot of people are unhappy that it has had to close, even if it’s just temporarily. — GN

Max’s Natural Pet Market & Salon Opens In New Tampa

Although it was receiving its inventory and wasn’t ready for pictures at our press time, the second location of Max’s Natural Pet Market & Salon should be open at 6431 County Line Rd. (next to Five Guys Burgers & Fries) by the time this issues reaches you.

The Wesley Chapel location of Max’s (see ad on pg. 10 of this issue), at 28838 S.R. 54, has been a major hit for those seeking the highest-quality organic dog and cat food, treats, chews and supplies, and for its award-winning grooming and dog and puppy training.

Wesley Chapel Max’s founder and owner Paul Spalvieri says he has partners in the New Tampa store, and we will introduce you to those partners — and show you the inside of the new store — in our next issue.

For more info, call (813) 591-5368 or visit MaxsPetMarketandSalon.com. — GN

Pick Of The Week 2: The Liquor Shoppe!

Congratulations to my new friends Dev Swaly and his wife Shejal Parmar, who just opened The Liquor Shoppe in one of the spaces at 10020 Cross Creek Blvd. in the Cross Creek Center Plaza (at Kinnan St.) that previously was occupied by Café Olé restaurant, next to Thai Lanna (photos, right).

I’ve made a couple of purchases at The Liquor Shoppe, including a limited edition “Be The Thunder” Tampa Bay Lightning promotional bottle of New Amsterdam Vodka. “Our supply is definitely

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limited,” Dev says. “So come get them now!”

The Liquor Shoppe will continue to add to its already impressive selection of imported and domestic beer, wine and spirits at very fair prices, and is hosting a great upcoming event to introduce the store to the New Tampa community.

On Friday, November 19, 5 p.m.-8 p.m., The Liquor Shoppe is hosting both a Premium Wine Tasting with Advanced Sommelier Gregory Mayer, as well as a Neff Vodka Tasting. For more info, call (813) 388-2164. — GN

For Advertising Information Call 813-910-2575 • New Tampa Neighborhood News • Volume 29, Issue 23 • November 9, 2021 • NeighborhoodNewsOnline.net

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Blue Fin Japanese Restaurant Opens At The Grove!

For those who complain about all of the chain restaurants that have opened in Wesley Chapel, one thing you should realize is that already we have quite a few excellent non-chain Japanese places — and you can add one more to that already-impressive list.

Blue Fin Japanese Restaurant has finally opened at 6034 Wesley Grove Blvd., next to Treble Makers in The Grove, and offers great Japanese specialties, from a huge assortment of sushi rolls to the excellent gyoza dumplings pictured top left (and other appetizers), plus large portions of chicken teriyaki with fresh veggies, hibachi (but not prepared tableside) filet mignon and many more. It is open every day for lunch and dinner and serves beer, wine and sake. For more info, call (813) 803-4709 and please tell Lawrence, the owner, that I sent you. — GN

Green Market Cafe Now Open On S.R. 56!

Located next door to at 27225 S.R. 56 is the sixth location of a Tampa Bay-area chain called Green Market Cafe. Green Market offers a healthy menu of salads (like the tasty almond chicken salad, right), healthy bowls, wrap and other sandwiches, house-made soups (like the excellent spinach feta soup Jannah and I sampled recently) and unique drink options like Kombucha and CBD-infused water.

Green Market Cafe makes it easy to order, whether online (with pick-up and delivery options), at the self-service kiosk inside the store or at the counter, and proudly proclaims that all locations buy their produce “directly from

the source — our local farmers...at affordable prices.” For more information, call (813) 803-4590 or visit GreenMarketCafe.com for the current specials. — GN

Wesley Chapel Volkswagen Finally Cuts A Ribbon!

Congratulations to owners Scott Fink and David Frazier and their staff, who finally got to celebrate the Grand Opening and North Tampa Bay Chamber ribbon cutting (see photo) of Volkswagen of Wesley Chapel, even though the dealership has been open at 26500 Silver Maple Pkwy. for more than a year. Hundreds attended the ribbon-cutting event on Oct. 26, including State Rep. Amber Mariano.

Fink and Frazier also own the Hyundai, Mazda and Chevrolet dealerships in Wesley Chapel, plus Hyundai of New Port Richey.

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For more information about Volkswagen of Wesley Chapel, call (813) 812-8495 or visit VWofWCcom. — GN

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For Advertising Information Call 813-910-2575 • New Tampa Neighborhood News • Volume 29, Issue 23 • November 9, 2021 • NeighborhoodNewsOnline.net

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For Advertising Information Call 813-910-2575 • New Tampa Neighborhood News • Volume 29, Issue 23 • November 9, 2021 • NeighborhoodNewsOnline.net

Neighborhood News

@NTWCNews