Do You Love The Indian & Thai Food In Our Area?

Our 2026 Reader Dining Survey & Contest continues, with FOUR more chances to win up to $200 in FREE dining at the restaurant of your choice anywhere in the Tampa Bay area! 

All we’re asking you to do in this issue to win FREE dining is the following: 

1) Tell us your FIVE (5) Favorite Restaurants located in Wesley Chapel (WC) — in zip codes 33543, 33544 & 33545, plus locations on Wesley Chapel Blvd. & S.R. 54 in Lutz between WC Blvd. & Oak Grove Blvd. Please do NOT include ANY restaurants located in New Tampa’s 33647 zip code on the WC (top left) entry form HERE. 

2) For another chance to win, tell us your FIVE (5) Favorite Restaurants located in New Tampa (NT) — in zip code 33647, plus locations on Bruce B. Downs (BBD) Blvd. and E. Bearss Ave. from BBD west to Livingston Ave. in zip code 33613. Please do NOT include ANY restaurants located in Wesley Chapel’s three zip codes on the NT entry form HERE. 

3) For yet another chance to win, tell us your Favorite Pizza Place AND your Favorite Latin (but NOT Mexican) Restaurant in New Tampa or Wesley Chapel on the entry form HERE. 

3) And for still one more chance to win, tell us your Favorite Thai restaurant AND your Favorite Indian Restaurant in New Tampa or Wesley Chapel on the entry form HERE. 

You’ll receive one entry into our random drawings to win up to $200 in FREE dining at the restaurant of your choice located anywhere in the Tampa Bay area for each correctly-filled-out entry form you submit! 

HERE ARE OUR OTHER RULES! 

1) DO NOT write the name of your one favorite place in WC or NT in more than one Top-5 space on their respective entry forms. Only its first-place vote will count. 

2) In order for your votes to count and help your favorite restaurants, you must include your real first AND last name, the community you live in (Palm Cove, Williamsburg, etc.), your daytime phone number where I can reach you (which I will only call if your name is selected to win a prize) and your valid email address. 

4) This year’s FREE dining prizes include the Grand Prize of $200, as well as prizes of $100, $75, $50 & $25. — GN 

Public Invited To The Wesley Chapel Warlock House’s Family ‘Spookfest’

The Grounds Of The Late Local Artist Lewis VanDercar’s Home Will Host The ‘Spookfest’ On Oct. 3; Tours To Continue All Month 

Christine & Bobby VanDercar will open up the grounds of the late surrealist artist Lewis VanDercar’s “The Warlock House Enchantment” for a 
family-friendly “Spookfest” on Oct. 3, and for “Warlock House Statuary Night Tours” every Tuesday & Friday night in October. Photos by Charmaine George
Lewis VanDercar (Photo Source: TheWarlockHouse.com)

 Unless you live in Wesley Chapel’s Quail Hollow area, you may not be aware that at the northwestern end of where Quail Hollow Blvd. ends and becomes Queen Sago Pl., a renowned surrealist artist and self-proclaimed warlock named Lewis VanDercar built a domed house in 1973 that looks like something out of a storybook. 

VanDercar, who passed away in the house in 1988 at the age of 75, called his eight-acre property “Enchantment,” and the house passed to his daughter Muggins, who still lives there with her son Bobby and his wife Christine VanDercar. 

For the 15 or so years VanDercar lived on the property, he transformed it with dozens of his own weird, spooky-looking statues and sculptures, unconventional architecture and gardens. 

VanDercar also was known for throwing wild private parties every Halloween night, a tradition that Bobby and Christine have revived. But this year, for the first time ever, the property now known as “The Warlock House Enchantment” also will be opened to the public on Saturday, October 3, 2 p.m.-6 p.m., for “Spookfest,” a family-friendly event where, according to Christine, “children will explore different areas of the property with Warlock Apprentice Passports, meet characters, collect stamps, play games, make crafts and discover art and history, and ultimately, complete their passport adventures for a prize.” 


Bobby VanDercar shows us his grandfather’s statue of Buddha.

She adds that throughout October, “We’re also offering small Warlock House Statuary Night Tours every Tuesday and Friday at 7 p.m. and 10 p.m., allowing visitors to experience Lewis’ artwork, statuary, architecture and stories beneath the trees after dark.” 

But, Christine says, “The events are really just the timely reason to tell what we think is the more interesting story: that a piece of old Wesley Chapel is still here. 

“Our family is working to preserve Lewis VanDercar’s legacy while once again making the property a living part of the community rather than simply something hidden behind the gates.” 

Muggins, Bobby and Christine have archival photographs of Lewis and the property, and family members will be available to share stories about Lewis and the earlier days of Wesley Chapel. 

Photographer Charmaine George and I got to tour not only the property but also inside the house — which will not be open to the public for any of the events. The walls inside the home are adorned with surrealist art painted by Lewis, as well as many of his press clippings from throughout his career, which began in Miami in the late 1930s, when he worked as an animator (drawing Popeye cartoons) before serving as a merchant seaman in the Merchant Marine during World War II. 

One of the wild peacocks roaming the grounds of The Warlock House Enchantment.

According to TheWarlockHouse.com, he also transformed that house in Miami’s Morningside neighborhood “with his cement sculptures, grotesque gargoyles, mythical creatures and faces of every age and culture peering from the walls. Visitors (including neighborhood kids) were free to explore this whimsical menagerie of art.” 

The website also says, “VanDercar liked to style himself as a warlock and clairvoyant… he cheerfully claimed to have mysterious powers like ESP and levitation…He placed outrageous Classified ads in The Miami Herald offering a ‘pet poltergeist’ for sale” and other absurd hoaxes. 

“In 1973, at the height of his fame, VanDercar left Miami in search of quieter surroundings,” settling in the home where Muggins, Bobby and Christine now live (photo below). 

Christine, Bobby & Muggins VanDercar with one of Lewis’ dragon sculptures.

“The driveway is lined with stone walls carved into eerie faces, and odd statues (dragons, tiki heads and mythical figures). He was literally painting up until days before his death. In his own words, he had spent ‘30 years and died doing what he liked — a fulfilled artist’s life.’” 

“The Warlock House Enchantment still stands as a folk-art landmark. Visitors to the property can see first-hand the fading but magical world he built.” 

Christine says that despite the spooky nature of the statues, “There is no warlock or black magic here. The ‘Spookfest’ will not be scary for children. We believe they will love it here!” 

Please note that the grounds are beautiful but rustic and Charmaine and I can attest to the fact that there are mosquitoes present, as well as some wild (live) peacocks and a parrot. 

The Warlock House Enchantment is located at 25950 Queen Sago Pl. The “Spookfest on Saturday, October 3, 2 p.m.-6 p.m., will be a family-friendly Halloween adventure filled with magical villages, interactive activities, peculiar characters, crafts, games, live entertainment, food, vendors and surprises around every corner. Costumes are encouraged. Tickets cost $15 for adults, $10 for kids ages 10+ and kids under age 10 are admitted free. For more info and to purchase tickets, visit TheWarlockHouse.com/warlock-family-spookfest-wesley-chapel. 

And please tell Christine, Bobby and Muggins that you read about them in the Neighborhood News!

The gate you will enter if you attend the “Spookfest” on Oct. 3.

Apartments & Improvements At S.R. 56/Meadow Pointe Blvd. Under Construction

Construction has begun at the intersection of Meadow Pointe Blvd. & S.R. 56. The project will widen & add much-needed turn lanes at the often-crowded intersection. (Photo by Joel Provenzano) 

Meadow Pointe Blvd. is once again seeing significant construction activity, with a new apartment community going up just south of S.R. 56, and some much-needed improvements coming to the north-south thoroughfare’s intersection with S.R. 56. 

We previously told you about the new Pasco County medical magnet high school on Meadow Pointe Blvd. north of 56. But now, there is another new rental apartment complex under construction on Meadow Pointe Blvd., at the southwest corner of its intersection with 56, next to the Claridge Place Townhomes. 

The new 384-unit apartment community from Aventon Companies will be called Aventon Wesley Chapel (rendering below) and will be something of a sister development to Aventon Meadows, which opened in 2024 at the north end of Meadow Pointe Blvd. and C.R. 54. 

With two major regional offices in Florida, Aventon has developed a considerable number of multifamily communities throughout the state. But, if you were confused by the sign out front, so were we. Even though the sign currently says Aventon Meadow Pointe II, the property is technically within the Meadow Pointe III boundary, as we verified by looking at the historic MPUD maps for the area — and will actually be called Aventon Wesley Chapel. 

Whatever its name will be, the project is being built on approximately 19.47 acres, for which Aventon Companies paid $16.25 million in June, after the site plan had already been finalized and permits secured with Pasco County. Construction began in July, and leasing is currently expected to begin in early 2028. 

The community will consist of six multi-story, garden-style residential buildings arranged around a central pond, which will feature a fitness trail around it. Aventon WC will offer one-, two- and three-bedroom apartments ranging from 743 sq. ft. to 1,389 sq. ft. The exact same size floor plans are currently being offered at Aventon Meadows. 

As for what residents can expect to pay, current advertised rents at Aventon Meadows range from approximately $1,660-$2,522 per month for the same floor plans, so prices at Aventon Wesley Chapel could potentially be in a similar range when leasing begins. However, rents for the new community have not yet been announced. 

The largest floor plan offers generously sized guest bedrooms and plenty of storage, including walk-in closets in each bedroom, two large hall closets and a separate pantry for the kitchen. 

Even the one-bedroom floor plan offers a large kitchen with an island that is almost the same size as the kitchen in the 3-bedroom plan. 

Aventon Wesley Chapel also will include a resort-style swimming pool, 24-hour fitness center, pet spa, dog park, two pickleball courts and a clubhouse with coworking and gathering spaces. Aventon’s website also lists a remote-working lounge and package storage among the planned amenities. 

Aventon operates as a vertically integrated real estate company; overseeing land purchases, site development, construction and property management across its apartment portfolio. That allows the company to manage projects through each stage of development, from initial acquisition through construction and long-term operation. 

Perhaps the biggest news, however, is that the new apartment project also will require widening Meadow Pointe Blvd. to provide a northbound left-turn lane and a southbound right-turn lane into the new community. 

Meadow Pointe Blvd. Left Turn Lane 

In addition to the widening being done on Meadow Pointe Blvd. by the apartment development, a much-needed second northbound left-turn lane is being constructed right now by the Florida Dept. of Transportation (FDOT) at the traffic signal with S.R. 56 as part of the department’s resurfacing project. The broader FDOT project includes resurfacing S.R. 56 from Bruce B. Downs Blvd. to Meadow Pointe Blvd., along with safety, drainage and signal improvements. 

In addition to the new northbound turn lane at Meadow Pointe Blvd., the project will add dual left-turn lanes in both the westbound and eastbound directions of S.R. 56, using new striping in the existing painted gore areas. 

These improvements should address a long-term issue at the intersection, where vehicles turning left during the morning and afternoon peaks have frequently stacked back into the adjacent through lanes. 

The FDOT project is a relatively minor roadway improvement, but it could have a noticeable impact for anyone who regularly uses the Meadow Pointe Blvd. and S.R. 56 intersection. 

And, with the current speed of construction, we would not be surprised if all of the resurfacing, minor widening and signal work is completed before the end of the year, or shortly after — as well as the equally important new signal a little further west on S.R. 56 at Lajuana Blvd., in front of Cooper’s Hawk. 

I Am Proud To Announce The Taste Of North Tampa Bay On March 13!

Those of you who have met me are probably aware that I’m an excitable guy. I get all worked up whether I’m talking about my family, the Tampa Bay Lightning, new restaurants, new businesses, new developments and events happening in our area. 

One of the events that I am super-pumped to be able to announce in this space is the upcoming first-ever “Taste of North Tampa Bay.” 

North Tampa Bay Chamber president & CEO Hope Kennedy actually was the one who first made the announcement about the Taste (photo) — which is now scheduled for Saturday, March 13, 2027, at Saddlebrook Resort — but it was to such a small group of people at a VIP Chamber event at Saddlebrook on Sept. 17 that I still feel like I’m getting to be the first to announce it to (potentially) a large group of locals. 

And, Hope, new Saddlebrook VP of business & partnerships Freddie Wyatt and Jannah and I are thrilled to be planning the Taste on the beautiful grounds of the recently revamped resort. 

As I did for more than two decades for the Taste of New Tampa, I will be handling the procurement of restaurants and ongoing promotion for what promises to be a huge event — with Freddie bringing in musical acts and possibly even some celebrity chefs, while also helping Jannah and Hope’s crack Chamber team with bringing in sponsors and vendors. 

Having the event at Saddlebrook will certainly make my job easier. Without even making any effort yet, we already can count on the resort’s delicious RARE 1981 steakhouse, The GOAT sports bar, BREW coffee shop and Palmhaus outdoor grill to be providing samples for the event. I also plan to hit not only every restaurant in Wesley Chapel and New Tampa but also many outside of our direct area — from Dade City to South Tampa and from Lutz/Land O’Lakes to Dunedin, Tarpon Springs and New Port Richey. 

“We’ve got 484 acres of land here,” Freddie said at our recent first organizational meeting for the Taste. “We can fit as many restaurants on these grounds as you can get, Gary.” 

And of course, Saddlebrook has its own on-site transportation, so we can even spread out the restaurants, sponsor and vendor booths. 

We haven’t yet finalized any of the pricing to attend the event, but we are definitely planning to have “General Admission” and “VIP” tickets that will be all-inclusive for food and even adult beverages. We may even try to include some packages with overnight stays at the resort. Can we include golf? Tennis? Pickleball? Spa services? Why not? It’s all there at Saddlebrook! 

We also have not yet settled on the cost to have a basic vendor table, nor have we fixed the pricing yet for the various levels of sponsorship, but trust me, we’re working on all of it and, as soon as we know, you all will be the next to know. 

Freddie asked me how many people we can expect to attend this shindig. I told him I had no idea — not only has there not been a Taste of New Tampa since before the Covid-19 pandemic, but the crowd at the last Taste — in 2019 — was estimated at about 2,000 people. 

Even so, I know we had anywhere from 5,000-8,000 attendees at previous events and, with Saddlebrook as the venue and the number of restaurants in just our two distribution areas alone having more than doubled since then, I believe that anywhere from 50-80 restaurants (I think my record for food and beverage participants in years past was 57) and 5,000-10,000 people could easily be on hand for this first Taste — with a portion of all net proceeds being donated to local charities. 

As restaurants, sponsors and business vendors commit to be part of this one-day party (that Hope says she hopes to extend to both days of a weekend in the future), you will see ongoing updates in our Wesley Chapel and New Tampa print issues, as well as on our website (NeighborhoodNewsOnline.net) and our “Neighborhood News” Facebook and Instagram pages. 

In the meantime, if you are or know a restaurant or business owner who may be interested in participating in the first-ever Taste of North Tampa Bay, please email me at Ads@NTNeighborhoodNews.com. You also can call our office number at (813) 910-2575. Or, call the North Tampa Bay Chamber office at (813) 994- 8534 or email office@northtampabaychamber.com. But please, do NOT call or contact Saddlebrook about the Taste! 

Saddlebrook’s RARE 1981 Introduces Its New Executive Chef & Menu!

RARE 1981 Chef de Cuisine Mark Davis & new Executive Chef Emanuel Zarlenga

Although I don’t know why Saddlebrook Resort decided to bring in a new Executive Chef and completely overhaul the menu at the resort’s RARE 1981, I’ll say this much — there is definitely nothing exactly like it anywhere in the Tampa Bay area, much less in Wesley Chapel. 

RARE 1981 new Executive Chef Emanuel Zarlenga, who is from Argentina, has replaced many of the dishes on the original menu with a variety of Argentinian-influenced options. 

The good news is that RARE 1981 still has some of the best prime steaks in the area — which is no surprise considering that Argentina is famous worldwide for serving some of the most delicious steaks anywhere. Jannah and loved our prime filet mignon (right), which was done to medium rare perfection. 

There also is a “Seabass of the Day” and a “Gulf Coast Catch of the Day,” which, for us, was a delicious mahi-mahi (left) in a buttery lemon garlic sauce, served with a side of peas, sliced asparagus and turnips. Excellent. 

Pretty much everything else we ordered were Argentine-inspired dishes. 

Mine and photographer Charmaine George’s favorite starter was the Whey-Melon Tuna (below left), which is 48-hour compressed melon cultured in whey, shaved and served with raw slices of pickled sushi-grade tuna, onions and carrots. It’s definitely a large enough portion to share. 

Our favorite of Chef Emanuel’s homeland-inspired dishes was the Choripan (right), which is an entrĂ©e but also works as a shareable appetizer that features pieces of both Argentine and American chorizo sausage cooked “sous vide” style (vacuum-sealed and cooked in a temperature-controlled water bath) and served with crispy and warm brioche, pickled veggies and chimichurri sauce. Amazing. 

Equally different was the Strawberry ‘Gazpacho” (not pictured), which featured nicely grilled scallops served with fermented strawberry and lacto-fermented cold gazpacho. 

We also tried a variety of new Family Style Sides, including our two favorites — the Hay Asparagus (below right), grilled with actual burning hay), and “Two Potatoes” (below left), made with buttery, tender potatoes, finished with a warm, airy potato espuma (foam). We also liked the 30-Hour Beets (cooked for 30 hours and finished with bee pollen, seaweed and fresh lime zest) and a traditional South American corn & squash Humita finished with queso fresco and a caramelized crust. 

And, even though we had no room for dessert, we shared the RARE 1981 Dessert Trio of the Day, which featured guava with brie, arroz con leche (rice pudding atop creamy caramel) and bread pudding with vanilla ice cream. 

For reservations & info, visit RARE1981.com or call (813) 907- 4466. — GN; all photos by Charmaine George