Celebrity chef Fabiano Viviani is bringing Chuck Lager America’s Tavern to the Shops at Wiregrass next spring. (CBS Philadelphia)
Chuck Lager America’s Tavern is coming to the Shops at Wiregrass, according to the Tampa Bay Business Journal.
By mid-April, the new restaurant inspired by celebrity chef Fabio Viviani could be open in the 7,500-sq.-ft. space previously occupied by Primebar.
According to TBBJ, the operating partners are Anthony Sandstorm and Brian Henry, formerly regional managers with Anthony’s Coal Fired Pizza.
The Wesley Chapel location will be only the second for Chuck Lager America’s Tavern, which also has a Pike Creek, DE location.
The made-from-scratch menu, designed and perfected by Viviani, is loaded with American classics with a twist from the Florence, Italy-born chef.
A restaurateur, cookbook author and former Top Chef star three different seasons — including one where he was voted the “Fan Favorite,” Viviani helped craft a menu that includes items like crunchy smoked mozzarella with tomato jam, asiago gnocchi, chicken marsala, roasted salmon risotto and a variety of pizzas, burgers and salads.
The brunch menu includes tasty-sounding treats like bananas foster french toast, carnitas omelets and lemon ricotta pancakes.
Viviani is involved in several restaurant projects in the Tampa Bay area, including Mision Lago Ranch in nearby Thonotosassa.
This break in the median on BBD between Sonny’s BBQ near the Hollybrook Plaza (not shown) & Twistee Treat in front of the Village Market will be eliminated under FDOT’s safety plan. (Photo: John C. Cotey)
For anyone who has ever tried to cross through the median on Bruce B. Downs (BBD) Blvd. from either of the side exits that lead out between the Sonny’s BBQ and SunTrust Bank adjacent to the Publix-anchored Hollybrook Plaza or just north of the Twistee Treat near the Wesley Chapel Village Market onto BBD, it is often a harrowing experience and not an uncommon site to see an accident in that area.
The Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) is currently working on what will be a safer solution.
Currently in the design phase (cost: $500,000), plans include eliminating the median opening, installing a traffic signal at Eagleston Blvd. (just south of the Village Market) as well as a southbound U-turn lane at Eagleston, improving pedestrian options and adding an additional left turn lane to the northbound side of the BBD and S.R. 54 intersection.
The improvements are expected to ease the traffic dangers in that area and improve the flow during busy hours. The intersection has long been a hot topic for local residents. In a Neighborhood News Reader Survey in 2017, the intersection was chosen as the second-worst in Wesley Chapel, behind the I-75 and S.R. 56 intersection, which currently is under construction for a new Diverging Diamond Interchange .
The recent efforts by FDOT means that both intersections named as the worst in our survey will be improved within two years, although construction work at BBD and S.R. 54 isn’t expected to begin until the fall of 2021.
“This project was initiated after a safety study was performed recommending the closure of the first median opening south of S.R. 54/C.R. 54, and adding more capacity for the northbound left turn movement,” FDOT’s David Botello wrote in an email. “The new signal at Eagleston Blvd. was included to accommodate traffic being redirected by the median closure, and for future development along Eagleston Blvd.”
Because the split median will now be one long median from Eagleston all the way to S.R. 54, the northbound far left turn lane — which, when filled, would block those trying to cross over BBD — can be extended to accommodate more vehicles, helping reduce congestion.
For those needing to head south on BBD from the Hollybrook Plaza, there will no longer be a shortcut through the current median between Sonny’s and SunTrust.
As for those driving north on BBD who typically enter the Village Market through the break in the current median, they will now be better served turning left at the new light on Eagleston Blvd. and entering the Village Market from its southernmost portion.
“They will be provided a safer route by turning left at the signalized Eagleston intersection, and then turning right into the plaza,” Botello says.
If leaving the Village Market but needing to head north on BBD, drivers will be accommodated by the U-turn lane at Eagleston Blvd. (if they choose not to use either of the two exits that lead out to S.R. 54).
Construction of the planned BBD/54 improvements is expected to be completed in 2022.
While Pure Nail Bar Spa opened about five years ago next to Burger 21 in the Trout Creek Commons plaza on Bruce B. Downs (BBD) Blvd., it’s only been since July of last year that it has been owned by Kevin and Nicole Nguyen.
Kevin and Nicole are New Tampa residents who have been in the nail spa industry for 15 years.
Since the couple took over, their focus has been on providing outstanding service and all-natural products for their customers.
“We removed all harmful chemical substances and use NuSkin products instead for all of our pedicures,” says Kevin. “It’s healthier for you and for our employees, too.”
Kevin explains that Pure Nail Bar offers services that are priced similar to other nail salons, but even the classic pedicure, which is just $25, uses natural products.
A wide range of pedicures includes the classic natural pedicure, natural pedicure foot treatment, signature natural pedicure or luxury natural pedicure, offering treatments such as an herbal mineral bath with essential oils, exfoliating with Liquid Body Lufra, hot stone massage, Sole Solution foot treatment and Baobab Body Butter for all-day moisturizing and enhancing the resiliency of the skin over time.
All types of manicures are available, too. While acrylic nails are still an option, Kevin and Nicole suggest customers try dipping powder instead, which feels and looks lighter than acrylic, but is actually stronger.
Any Design, Any Color
From the trendiest shapes to the most intricate designs, the specialists at Pure Nail Bar Spa can copy any design you can dream up or find on Pinterest.
“Bring in your design and we’ll match it,” Nicole says.
Cristina Chanquin is a Pebble Creek resident who says she doesn’t trust many people with her nails. While she prefers Nicole as her nail tech, she says she’s seen others who work at Pure Nail Bar, and likes what she’s seen with them, too.
“Nicole can do any shape, any design,” says Cristina. “I always get a coffin shape and she doesn’t do them too thick. She is always on trend and knows what’s going on.”
Cristina says strangers often tell her that her nails are “amazing” and ask where she has them done. She happily refers them to Pure Nail Bar Spa.
It’s not just Nicole’s skill that keeps Cristina coming back. It’s also the great customer service.
“They’re so accommodating,” she says, explaining that Pure Nail’s technicians always offer water, soda, or a glass of wine to their clients. If Cristina is running late, they will still see her and won’t make her feel rushed, and there are other personal touches, too. “If someone is unhappy with something, they’ll redo it, and they won’t charge you,” she says.
Nicole explains that this is Pure Nail Bar Spa’s guarantee. On pedicures and gel and dip manicures, “if anything chips, come in and we’ll fix it for free,” she says.
To see many examples of the specialty nails designed by Nicole and other nail specialists at Pure Nail Bar Spa, visit the spa’s Facebook page by searching “Pure Nail Bar New Tampa” on Facebook.
Other Available Services & Holiday Raffle
In addition to nails, Pure Nail Bar Spa offers a full menu of waxing and facials. The spa’s nail techs recommend and use the AgeLOC brand LumiSpa device from NuSkin, a handheld personal skin care device with gentle, nonabrasive silicone surfaces that helps to help lift skin and reduce sagging. In 2018, it was an award winner in the global Pure Beauty awards.
The LumiSpa machine and products used for facials, pedicures and manicures are available for sale at Pure Nail Bar Spa.
“The clients use it here and love it so much that they want to bring it home,” says Nicole.
And, the good news is that Pure Nail Bar Spa is currently offering a holiday raffle, now through Tuesday, December 24. You’ll receive a ticket into the raffle by purchasing any service (limit one raffle ticket per visit).
The first prize in the raffle is the aforementioned NuSkin LumiSpa personal skin care device (a $200 value!). Second prize is a $50 gift card to Pure Nail Bar Spa and third prize is a tub of NuSkin Epoch Baobab Body Butter (a $35 value).
The salon currently has 11 employees, and Kevin and Nicole say they are hiring. All Pure Nail employees must have a full specialist cosmetology license.
“It’s easy to work here,” says Kevin, “There’s no pressure to sell, you just have to make customers happy. Customer service is the most important thing here.”
Sandra is a full nail specialist who has worked at Pure Nail Bar Spa for about a year and a half.
“It’s such a positive environment,” she says, “We’re really focused on better service and better products.”
Pure Nail Bar also offers a menu of services for when parents come in with their children, such as for a mother/daughter day. These include manicures, pedicures and polish changes.
A private room is available and Pure Nail Bar Spa can accommodate all kinds of parties, such as birthday, bridal, bachelorette and even Christmas parties.
Kevin and Nicole hope to treat every customer who walks through their doors to healthy and natural products with excellent customer service, so they will be as happy with their experience as Cristina has been.
“I require something special,” says Cristina. “I like a special color, so they make sure it’s in stock. It’s very personal.”
Pure Nail Bar & Spa is located at 20304 Trout Creek Dr., Ste. 104. It is open Monday-Saturday, 9:30 a.m.–7:30 p.m. and 11 a.m.–5 p.m. on Sunday.
To make an appointment or for more information, call (813) 991-0099, or search “Pure Nail Bar of New Tampa” on Facebook. Also, be sure to mention this article or bring in their ad in the latest issue for a 10% discount for first-time clients.
Wiregrass Ranch High band director Josh Hobbs (seated) & drum majors (left to right) Ryan McHale, Hannah Kim, Daniil Fortuna and Alex Kopp hold up their state championship banner, a first for the school, as well as for all of Pasco County.
At an event where there is no scoreboard and your fate lies in the hands of judges, you really never know. But Josh Hobbs, the Wiregrass Ranch High (WRH) band director, was pretty convinced that of the five finalists for Florida’s Class 4A State Championship, his Bulls were among the best.
“We thought we had a good chance to be in the top three and we would have been excited about that,” Hobbs said.
The Bulls had turned in one of their best runs of the season at the State semi-finals to make the finals, and the band was even better at the finals.
He still wasn’t expecting what happened next.
First place.
State Champs.
Boom!
“It was surreal,” Hobbs says. “It was shocking. We were flabbergasted.”
The Bulls’ performances were history-making. While acclaimed as one of the area’s best bands for years, on Nov. 23 the Wiregrass Ranch Marching Bulls became the first Pasco County group ever to capture a Florida Marching Band Championship.
“It is a first for the school, and a first for Pasco County,” says Hobbs.
The Bulls capped a great season with a magnificent and grueling final day. They had to compete against 15 other high school bands in Orlando for the semifinals, and then after being one of five teams selected to move on, had to load all of their instruments and uniforms to drive to Daytona Beach for the final that night.
They were up against perennial powerhouses in the high school marching band world, including Seminole, the defending champions, as well as Bradenton’s Lakewood Ranch and Orlando’s University High.
No problem.
The Red X
Gone are the days when a marching band was primarily entertainment under the Friday Night Lights. The band performs at every football game, but beyond bringing excitement to the bleachers, the crowd provides an opportunity for the band to do a live run-through of its show in front of an audience, honing the music and marching skills needed to be competitive against the best high school marching bands in the state.
Hobbs, who is in his second year at WRH after coming over from Wesley Chapel, credits both the students’ hard work and the design of the show for their State Championship win.
The show, called The Red X, depicts a plague. That may not be your typical marching band fare, but Hobbs says the band members, section leaders and drum majors all bought into it and made it great.
“They were super excited about it and worked really hard,” he says. “We had a great leadership team to get everyone on the same page and stayed really focused throughout the year to set small goals, to achieve our big goal, which is to get where we did.”
Music in The Red X included Linkin Park’s “In The End,” Alanis Morissette’s “Uninvited,” plus classical pieces, an orchestral piece and a band piece.
“They had a great theme and they really sold it,” says Tom Viking, the fine arts program coordinator who oversees all fine arts programming in kindergarten through grade 12 for all Pasco County Schools. “They played well and performed well.”
Months Of Rehearsals
Rehearsals for the show started last May. Color guard and percussion met over the summer to rehearse, and the entire band had two weeks of band camp before the 2019-20 school year started. Every day at camp, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., the band practiced.
Students started with the fundamentals of marching, learning how to stand, how to step, how to play warmups or toss a flag. Then, they started learning the placements and continued practicing two or three hours a day, at least three days a week, throughout August, September, October and November.
With 140 band members, plus support staff and volunteers, this adds up to tens of thousands of hours of work.
Hannah Kim is the band’s senior drum major and flute soloist. She’s been in the band her entire high school career and hopes to continue playing in college this fall.
Kim says what it takes to reach that pinnacle is “a lot of endurance and consistency.”
First In Class & Even Beating The Bigger Bands
“I happened to be there that night and saw all of the bands, which was really cool,” says Viking. “It was a tight margin.”
He explains that bands are divided into five categories, based on how many students are on the field, not the size of the school, which is how schools are typically classified for sports classifications.
WRH is a 4A school, the second-largest category behind 5A in Florida.
“Not only did they win their category statewide, they placed third overall,” explains Viking. “That means of the 5A bands, only two scored higher than Wiregrass Ranch.”
There are several adjudicators and each judge studies one component very carefully, he says, such as footwork or music, design or color guard. Adjudication is meticulous, and bands are judged precisely in many categories.
“Wiregrass Ranch has been in the finals before,” says Viking. “They’ve been in the hunt, and this time, the stars aligned for them.”
After making it to the finals her freshman and junior year, Hannah says it was exciting to not only reach the finals her senior year, but to finally pull off the big win.
“It feels amazing,” she says. “Honestly, I just feel so proud. We work hard every year, and I felt like all our hard work was recognized.”
Her unique perspective included watching the band perform from the drum major platform, seeing the show take shape from its very beginning, but she also got to perform in the show as the flute soloist.
“It was a cool experience. When I got drum major, I was a little sad because I was going to miss marching on the field and playing the flute,” Hannah explains, “but it was awesome to get the best of both worlds.”
Kudos To The Director & His Support Staff
“Josh Hobbs is home grown in Pasco County,” says Viking, taking pride that Hobbs not only has chosen to spend his career in Pasco, but also graduated from Wesley Chapel High (WCH), where he participated in the marching band.
In fact, Hobbs’ former school also competed this year. WCH was in Class 2A when Hobbs led it, but moved up to Class 3A this year. The Wildcats also made the finals, finishing fifth in the state for its class.
At WRH, Hobbs has the benefit of significant support, including a strong band at John Long Middle School that feeds into the high school.
“He’s got a great staff that works with him, a great middle school program, and a great group of parents,” says Viking. “It’s a special thing.”
Viking says the typical Wiregrass Ranch High band kid probably started in the band at Long as a sixth grader, and many of the students have performed together ever since.
“It’s a lot of hard work through a lot of years,” says Viking. “They’re passionate about what they do and the team members they do it with.”
This year, Hobbs says all that hard work paid off.
“The skills these kids build through the fall — time management, discipline, and working harder than they ever knew they could work — and then to be rewarded the way they were, makes it all worth it.”
Kids squealed with delight upon arriving at the brand-new inclusive playground designed for those with virtually any type of disability at the Wesley Chapel District Park. There were swings and tubes and things to sit and spin on, a soft, cushioned floor to walk on and roll over and lots of bright colors.
It was all theirs.
The glee in their faces was contagious, and it was exactly the moment Pasco County Board of County Commissioners chair Mike Moore had envisioned when he first pitched the idea to the county’s Parks and Recreation department.
The kids weren’t the only ones overwhelmed.
“I’ll be honest with you, when the kids first came out here, I was watching and I had to walk away because it was a little overwhelming,” Comm. Moore said. “I had a couple of tears in my eyes, I really did. This is a miracle.”
***
On December 4, a large gathering of overjoyed kids, dedicated caregivers and teachers, Pasco County government dignitaries and generous donors from the Wesley Chapel Rotary Club, the Lennar Foundation and AdventHealth Wesley Chapel took a few snips at the ribbon cutting, officially opening Pasco’s first-ever inclusive playground.
It was a perfectly sunny day, with a slight chill in the air. But, most everyone there had their hearts warmed by the excitement of the kids, most of whom arrived on a bus from the Exceptional Student Education (ESE) programs from John Long Middle School and Wiregrass Ranch Elementary.
“I’m having a ball,” shouted Eric Piburn, a terminally ill 13-year-old in glasses, gloves, a knit cap and a face mask. Piburn, who needs a heart and double lung transplant, excitedly described his experience as he swung back and forth from a disc swing (that looked like an over-sized basket), the tube from his oxygen tank swaying along with him.
“I’ve loved swings since I was little,” he exclaimed. “I never ever ever ever ever ever want to leave. Ever.”
Another Long student walked around giving everyone a hug. Others wide-eyed but trepidatiously wandered from ride to ride, looking to find something they enjoyed.
“This is really cool,” said Deborah Collin, assistant principal in charge of ESE services at Long. “I keep saying to myself, where can we get some of this stuff?”
****
For every 1,000 children in Pasco County, there are 85 who have some type of special needs. Countywide, the Pasco County School District says there are about 16,000 children with special needs. Collin says there are 55 children in the ESE program at her school, spread over three different classifications of disability, with five teachers and eight instructional aides.
While they have adaptive physical education for the students, it is confined to a room.
“It’s still not enough movement or variety,” she said.
Which is why the playground is such a gamechanger for children with disabilities.
“This is huge,” said Barbara Hayes, a physical therapist with Pasco County Schools for 22 years. “There aren’t a lot of areas for those children to access. You can see the smiles on their faces. This gives them an opportunity to play with children more at their developmental level. This is a wonderful thing and very well done.”
Collin said one of her students, seventh grader Zakyla McKenzie, spends a lot of time playing with a plastic bottle. It fulfills some of her sensory needs, with its texture and the sound it makes when squeezed. But, it’s been the only exercise she usually gets each day.
At the inclusive playground, however, Zakyla was able to find something she liked more.
“She was having such a good time on the swing, she did not want to get off,” said Nellie Reilly, a behavioral specialist at Long who seemed as overjoyed as many of the students.
****
While many area parks may be compliant with Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) guidelines, few truly meet the standards of what proponents consider to be inclusivity. To do so requires wider pathways and easier-to-navigate surfaces, activity panels that are at ground height, larger swings with more back support and sensory elements that include touch and music.
There are multiple swing sets on the playground, an inclusive spinner that allows kids in wheelchairs to have a merry-go-round experience with their friends, a tube to crawl through — “I like to pretend I’m a cat!” said Eric — and four springy chairs. The surface throughout the playground is made of rubber and, combined with the spread-out rides, allows easy access for wheelchair-bound kids to move around and interact with others.
In the spring, a butterfly garden, which will be tended to by the Rotary Club of Wesley Chapel, should be in full bloom.
“I didn’t see anybody that didn’t find something that worked for them,” Collin said.
****
The inclusive park is the first of its kind in Pasco County and one that Moore said he hopes to replicate in other places. It was not, however, your typical project for the county — it was introduced, funded, approved, designed and built in less than five months, which is light speed by traditional governmental standards.
As a volunteer coach at the District Park for a variety of sports, Moore had for many years seen kids who could run fast, jump high and were able to revel in what the park had to offer.
However, he also had seen the kids who couldn’t, those relegated to the sidelines because of a disability. The park wasn’t for everyone, he realized, and he said the thought bothered him and prompted him to try and change that situation.
After a few months of research, Moore introduced the idea to Keith Wiley, Pasco’s director of Parks and Recreation, earlier this year. Wiley had been thinking similarly — he already had been planning some special needs camps for the county.
****
To fund the project, since it wasn’t in the county’s budget, Moore turned to the 53-member Rotary Club of Wesley Chapel — of which he is an honorary member — which just happened to be looking for a big project, and the club agreed to donate $50,000 for the playground.
Chris Casella, the Rotary Club’s current president, told the ribbon-cutting ceremony crowd of roughly 100 that he was motivated by his own experiences as a kid, and the times spent at the park with friends and family.
“Today,” he said, “this can be a reality for so many families from this area that are going to be able to bring children to this park and have memories that will last a lifetime.”
The Lennar Foundation, the homebuilder’s charitable arm, donated another $50,000, and Advent Health Wesley Chapel chipped in another $25,000.
In August, the county commission voted 5-0 to approve roughly $215,000 in public funding to cover the rest of the project. Ground was broken in September. The ribbon was cut in December.
It was money well spent. As the kids slowly filed back to their school bus, and the adults headed back to work, Eric Piburn continued to rock back and forth on the disc swing, still planning to never ever ever ever ever ever ever ever leave.
