Nibbles & Bytes

The Joint Welcomes New Doctor 

Dr. Richard Tantillo

The Joint Chiropractic of New Tampa (19014 Bruce B. Downs Blvd.) is proud to welcome Dr. Richard Tantillo.  

Dr. Tantillo will be at the New Tampa location Mondays-Fridays. He has earned a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of the State of New York, and a Master of Business Administration degree from Strayer University, and a Doctorate of Chiropractic degree from New York Chiropractic College in Seneca Falls, NY, in 2000.

Originally from Long Island, N.Y., Dr. Tantillo also has worked in Palm Harbor and St. Petersburg.  

His own first-hand experience with chiropractic led him to this point in his life. 

“After long-lasting back pain, I visited a chiropractor and received my first chiropractic adjustment,” he says. “I felt immediate relief. I started chiropractic college two years later and have never looked back.”

He is grateful for the opportunity to work at The Joint Chiropractic in an environment that doesn’t lose sight of the goal: serving people who need help.

“I had practiced for years following the insurance model,” he says. “Over time, I saw many of my patients no longer able to afford chiropractic care due to high deductibles and copays. The Joint offers an affordable solution that allows almost everyone to enjoy the benefits of regular chiropractic care.” 

Appointments are never required to visit The Joint. For more information, call (813) 644-8944 and please tell D. Tantillo you read about him and The Joint in the Neighborhood News! 

North Tampa Bay Chamber News!

Although Jannah and I had to miss this year’s “Excellence in Business” awards gala, hosted by the North Tampa Bay Chamber of Commerce (NTBC) at Tampa Palms Golf & Country Club (for the first time), we had a pretty good reason — Jannah’s daughter Lauren gave birth to our first grandchild — the precious Rosalie (“Rosie”) Carolyn Cione — at about the same time as the event. 

Rosalie (“Rosie”) Carolyn Cione

Congrats to Lauren & her fiancé Albert for bringing this most precious 6-lb., 3-oz. (at birth) bundle of joy into the world! Thanks also to Jeanine McLeod of Cloud 9 Studios (search “Cloud 9 Studios” on Facebook) for this too-perfect pic of Baby Rosie (below left)!

Even though we missed the awards gala, I still wanted to congratulate this year’s award winners. As a former “Small Business of the Year” award winner (in 2014) for the former Wesley Chapel Chamber, I know how nice it is to accept one of these awards:

“Small Business” – Advisor Magazine

“New Business” – Hilton Garden Inn Tampa-Wesley Chapel

“Large Business” – AdventHealth Wesley Chapel

“Entrepreneur” – Slater • Grant

“Large Business” – AdventHealth Wesley Chapel

“Volunteer” – Cam Caudle, Shred 360

 For more information about the North Tampa Bay Chamber, call (813) 994-8534 or stop by at 1868 Highland Oaks Blvd., Suite A-1, Lutz.

Congrats, Parks Ford! 

Speaking of the Chamber, November has been a busy month for NTBC ribbon-cutting events. Congratulations go out to Ron Parks (in yellow in photo above) and the entire team at Parks Ford of Wesley Chapel (28739 S.R. 54), which unveiled its newly revamped showroom at a ribbon-cutting event on Nov. 13. The amazing thing is that the dealership never closed during its massive (and impressive) renovation! For more info, call (888) 742-4177 or visit FordofWesleyChapel.com.

Your CBD Store Opens! 

Congrats to owner Debra Curler of the new Your CBD store in the Pebble Creek Collection. We previously told you about the opening of the Your CBD Store in Wesley Chapel, well New Tampa has now added another link in the largest chain of CBD stores, with nearly 500 locations nationwide and still growing. Curler says Your CBD Store’s hemp-based products have extremely low levels of THC (0.3% or less) and therefore will not offer a psychoactive “high” like marijuana. It’s even safe for pets!

For more information about Your CBD Store (19651 BBD Blvd.) or call (813) 994-0599.

Fresh Healthy Café Celebrates 10 Years

Congrats also go out to Emily and Michael Schaefer, who celebrated the 10-year anniversary of the Fresh Healthy Café in The Shops at Wiregrass with an NTBC ribbon cutting on Oct. 16.

Fresh Healthy Café originally opened under another name, and Emily and Michael have only owned it for three years, but it’s still a perfect complement to the Fit Niche running and fitness store located next door and its delicious smoothies, bowls, wraps, sandwiches and fresh juices have kept customers coming back for more.

The Schaefers are both U.S. Army veterans and genuinely cool people, so I hope you’ll let them know that you read about them in the Neighborhood News or perhaps saw our video of their ribbon cutting on Neighborhood News Online. Fresh Healthy Café is located at 28139 Paseo Dr. For more info, call (813) 973-3578 or visit FreshRestaurants.com.

Havertys Unveils Its Remodeling! 

Also cutting a ribbon with the NTBC on Oct. 10 was Havertys Furniture, located off S.R. 56, just east of I-75, which unveiled its newly remodeled showroom.

Wesley Chapel Havertys manager Brandon Young says the store’s new look will appeal to Havertys’ base clients, who tend to skew a little older than some furniture stores, as well as younger furniture shoppers who will appreciate getting quality furniture at a fair price. For more info, call (813) 994-0541 or stop by at 26450 Golden Maple Loop and tell Brandon& his crew we sent you! — GN

Noire Nail Bar Has The Best Location & Outstanding Nail Services!

Considering how many places there are to get your nails done in New Tampa and Wesley Chapel, it can be difficult to tell which one is best for you.

However, considering the old adage of “location, location, location,” one elegant local nail spa has got you covered when it comes to location.

“We’re here in the middle of everything happening on (S.R.) 56,” says John Nguyen, who is the co-owner (with his wife Vanessa) of Noire Nail Bar. “We’re surrounded by popular restaurants and places to shop.”

So, whether you venture out to 56 to shop at the Tampa Premium Outlets or have dinner at Bahama Breeze or Ford’s Garage, Noire Nail Bar is right there and has everything you need to pamper yourself.

All customers receiving services at Noire Nail Bar are offered a glass of wine, soft drinks or water, and the nail salon is immaculate, with a peaceful atmosphere and professional technicians whose job it is to make you happy.

“We have a great selection of colors, and top gel and dipping powder brands like OPI, SNS, DND and Chisel,” John says. “And, we offer many different services, from basic manicures and pedicures to our Signature Spa Pedicure and our Special Care Spa.”

John says that the Signature Spa Pedicure is the “ultimate treat for your feet,” with a therapeutic lavender rub that exfoliates dry skin while citrus sugar relieves and moisturizes your tired feet. That is followed by an extensive moisturizing lotion massage and a hot towel wrap.

Noire’s Special Care Spa is designed to cater to clients with special needs, such as the elderly and those with diabetes who may have cracked heels, thick calluses, thick or ingrown toenails — anything that requires extra time, attention or precautions.

Other Services, Too!

There also are additional services offered, such as hot stone and hot candle wax massages, special prices on manicure and pedicure combos, nail enhancements, full sets, eyelash extensions, waxing services for your face and body and private rooms for your next party — and full nail services for birthday parties, bridal showers and other events are a specialty at Noire Nail Bar. There’s even Prince and Princess manicures and pedicures available for kids ages 12 and under.

Jannah’s daughter Lauren absolutely loved not only her manicure and pedicure, but also spending quality time with her mom before her upcoming big day. 

“It’s a really nice nail spa,” Lauren said. “And, the technicians were super sweet and did a great job, too.” 

And, just in time for the holiday season, if you buy $100 or more in gift cards, you’ll save 10%.

“We also give you a coupon for 10-percent off on your birthday,” John says. You will need to prove it’s your birthday, of course.

And, speaking of getting 10-percent off, you can save 10% off all services at Noire Nail Bar every Monday through Wednesday, with the coupon from the ad on page 7 of this issue.

Noire Nail Bar is located at 25682 Sierra Center Blvd., Lutz, and 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) 536-0161.

And, please remember to tell John, Vanessa and their friendly staff that the Wesley Chapel Neighborhood News sent you! 

In Honor & Memory Of My Friend Taken Way Too Soon — Rick Ward

I first met Mollyana Ward at what was then called a Greater Wesley Chapel Chamber of Commerce event somewhere between three and four years ago.

Mollyana, Jannah and I became close pretty quickly — she was fun, outgoing, smart and she was very interested in helping me with what was then a fledgling idea I had about starting a video program for YouTube and Facebook. 

I didn’t meet Mollyana’s husband Rick until a few months later and Jannah and I never spent as much time with him as we did his wife, but there was just something special about the guy. He was super laid back and soft-spoken  — which doesn’t always mesh well with my loud, Type A New York personality — but it was hard not to notice how much he loved his wife, his three sons, God, people and life in general. 

Like most couples who have raised children together, he and Mollyana had some issues over the years, but one thing was certain — Rick was convinced he “married up” when he married the love of his life.

Three years ago, at the party at our office where Jannah and I first got engaged, not only did I get to know Rick a lot better, I witnessed something that forever changed how I looked at this man.

It was a simple act of kindness. Although the music was playing and adults beverages were being served outside in the parking lot, the food was in my office on the second floor — and even though there is an elevator in the building, the party was at night and the people who occupy the office downstairs had all gone for the day, so there was no access to the elevator. 

And, it just so happened that I had a friend in attendance who was in a wheelchair who had no way to get up the stairs to check out the food or even use the restroom.

Rick saw my friend at the bottom of the stairs and immediately sized up the situation. Even though no one asked him to do so — and there were plenty of other men at the party (including yours truly) who could have offered — Rick asked my friend if it was OK if he carried her up the stairs and she got a big smile on her face. So did I.

He then carried her up the double flight of stairs, put her in a chair in the office, went back downstairs, carried the wheelchair up the stairs, put her gently back in it, and said to her, “When you’ve had enough to eat and want to go back downstairs, I got you.”

I’m an emotional guy anyway, but I immediately felt tears running down my face. It was such a beautiful gesture — and moment — that summed up the measure of this sweet man. And yes, when she was ready, he put her back in an office chair, carried the wheelchair back down the stairs, carried her down the stairs and put her back in the wheelchair.

Unfortunately, although Mollyana, Rick, Jannah and I did get to spend some more time together after that, it was a little over a year ago that Rick was diagnosed with a malignant brain tumor after suffering a seizure. Multiple surgeries and treatments (and an infection) later, without seeing the improvement in his quality of life they were hoping for, Mollyana and Rick decided to literally put the rest of his life in God’s hands.

And, although we and many of his other friends and family members did get to spend more quality time with him over the last several months of his life, it was hard for everyone to see him slowly deteriorate. Even so, you could tell how strong his faith still was because the Wards all believed with all their hearts that even though he couldn’t defeat cancer, he wasn’t going to let cancer defeat him either. He didn’t just believe — he knew in his heart and soul that even though he was going to leave this life before they would, they would all be reunited one day in the Kingdom of Heaven.

Jannah and I got back from New York City the evening of Oct. 29, and Mollyana posted on Facebook that Rick had passed away (at age 49) the following morning. His passing was devastating, but also merciful because those last few weeks were particularly tough on his family, especially Mollyana as his primary caregiver. Her efforts to keep him comfortable were truly amazing. 

Rick’s Celebration of Life was held Nov. 4 at the First Baptist Church of Wesley Chapel, and he was buried in the church’s small adjacent cemetery, a few hundred feet from where he often taught Sunday school.

And, Rick’s neverending acts of kindness towards others was a primary recurring theme of the service, as a few of his family members, friends and business associates talked about not only his faith, but of his love for Mollyana, his sons Ricky, Nick and Jack, and his entire family.

I thanked one of his friends who spoke at the ceremony and told him the story about my friend and the party. He thanked me for telling him, but added, “You notice from the look on my face that I’m not at all surprised. That’s just the kind of man he is.”

The kind of man I’m proud to have called my friend, even though I never did get to know him as well as I would have liked. I was glad he was at least able to enjoy mine and Jannah’s wedding in March (photo).

Rest in Peace, Rick. We all miss you.

Fushia Asian Bistro — Happy To Celebrate 15 Delicious Years In Tampa Palms!

When you consider the number of restaurants that have come and gone in New Tampa and Wesley Chapel the past 15 years, it’s pretty impressive that Fushia Asian Bistro, located in the Shoppes at Amberly plaza in Tampa Palms, is celebrating its 15th anniversary in that same location.

Owners Sharon and Charlie Wang actually have been in the plaza for 20 years, as they previously also owned Joy-O-Wok, which was much more of a takeout Chinese place, rather than the affordable fine dining restaurant that Fushia is today. 

The restaurant is so named not so much because of the color fuchsia, but because it offers a fusion of different Asian cuisines, especially some unique Korean fare. 

Sharon always has kept up with the latest trends in her business, and in recent years has added all-you-can-eat, cook-it-yourself options like Korean-style barbecue and a hot pot buffet (more on these below). She also recently expanded Fushia’s dim sum (appetizer and dessert) options. She even offers multiple private karaoke suites with thousands of song titles available, another popular Asian trend.

But, despite all of these other options, I still say that Fushia has the best (and most authentic) Chinese cuisine in New Tampa and Wesley Chapel — and one of the best things I can say about it is that even though I have my always reliable (and yummy) favorites, I keep finding new ones. But, I would really like to give you just a little taste (pun intended) of why I love this place so much.

Dim Sum

The dim sum appetizers craze in New York started shortly before I moved to Florida in 1993. Even so, I’m still more of a traditional egg roll, barbecued spare ribs and pan-fried dumplings guy for starters because it’s the Chinese main dishes that I crave most.

Therefore, it’s not too disappointing to me that many of the items on Fushia’s extensive dim sum menu have shrimp in them, which (as you loyal readers hear ad nauseum) I’m too allergic to for me to risk trying any of them. However, if you love crispy shrimp balls or steamed shrimp dumplings, the folks around me on my most recent visit who ordered the shrimp balls said they’re the best in town.

Although Fushia’s pan-fried pork dumplings are as good as they get, I did recently sample and enjoy the pork soup dumplings, which a lot of people were eating when Jannah and I visited an excellent Chinese restaurant in New York. The soup dumplings have a different texture than the pork wontons in most wonton soup, and they’re excellent. I also love the flavor of Fushia’s spare ribs dim sum, which are cut-up sections of pork ribs cooked in your choice of two different sauces — I love ‘em both, but probably prefer the garlic and black pepper sauce to the black bean sauce.

And, although dim sum is only served 11 a.m.-3 p.m. every day for lunch, many of the items are desserts — like the egg tart dim sum (think sweet mini-quiches) and the sesame dessert balls (lower center photo on next page), which are filled with sweet red bean paste — to name just two.

“We make everything fresh, cooked-to-order here with the best ingredients,” Sharon says proudly. “Many of our regular customers tell me they can’t eat Chinese food anywhere else.”

Hot Pot Buffet

I’ve written about Fushia’s hot pot buffet before and even though it’s a great, different way to enjoy the restaurant, I’d still rather order dishes off the menu and have them served to me, rather than have to pick my own ingredients (including raw meats, veggies, broth to cook them in and sauce) and have to cook it myself in a boiling hot pot, but I will say that the few times I’ve had the hot pot buffet at Fushia, I’ve loved it. Several of the sauces are outstanding. It just will never be my first choice.

Even so, the all-you-can-eat hot pot buffet, which also includes soft drinks and a huge variety of desserts, is still a pretty good deal at the regular price of $25.99 per person. However, in celebration of Fushia’s 15th anniversary, you can try the hot pot buffet for only $19.99 per person (with the ad in the current issue), which truly is a bargain for everything you get. And, even though there’s raw shellfish available for the hot pot buffet, I’ve never gotten a reaction from it at Fushia. 

Korean BBQ Buffet

One option I’ve yet to try — but that lead videographer Charmaine George says is amazing — is Fushia’s Korean BBQ buffet.

Charmaine loved grilling her steak, pork, shrimp and veggies on the Korean BBQ grill right at her table (top left photo on next page). “Everything was fresh and delicious,” she said afterwards. “I will definitely try that again!” Again, you choose your own ingredients, so those with allergies don’t have to worry about cross-contamination.

And, with the ad on pg. 42, the Korean BBQ Buffet (with soft drinks and desserts) is just $21.99 per person — a $5 savings! 

The Main Event!

But, despite all of these other options, I still prefer Fushia’s authentic Szechuan (or Sichuan) cuisine. One of my favorite dishes is the Young Chow (mixed ingredient) fried rice.

Fushia always holds the shrimp for me and gives me extra chicken and pork. My new favorite Sichuan dish is the spicy chicken dry pot (top right), which comes with a variety of fresh veggies and features a stinging spicy sauce which is given a kick from jalapeño peppers. The chicken is the opposite of dry, but the sauce is definitely less runny than at most Chinese places. And, although I might order it next time without the thick potato slices it comes with, there’s also plenty of snow peas, carrots, broccoli and celery — and they will sub out any veggies you don’t want. Too good!

My other favorite dishes (all of which I order spicy) are the beef with Chinese broccoli, the already-spicy Yan Jian pork and the boneless Sichuan duck with mixed vegetables. 

But, Fushia’s menu is so extensive, I know there are dozens of other dishes I’ve yet to try that could one day make my list of favorites. Sharon says, “There’s no other Chinese place with a bigger menu than Fushia. I know we have what you want, whether you’re American, Asian, an adult or a kid. We have something for everyone!”

And, the local community agrees — as many of Fushia’s reviews on Yelp tout the food as “the best” and “most authentic” in all of Tampa. High praise, indeed!

And of course, with all that spicy food, there’s nothing better than an ice cold Tsingtao (from China) or Sapporo (from Japan), although Fushia also offers a nice variety of reasonably priced wines.

So, please check it out and tell Sharon and her amazing staff that I sent you!

Fushia Asian Bistro (15317 Amberly Dr.) is open every day except Monday, 11 a.m.-midnight. For more info, call (813) 903-6705 or visit FushiaChinese.com.

If Someone Tells You Print Is Dead, Tell Them About The Neighborhood News!

Almost every day when I go to North Tampa Bay Chamber ribbon-cutting and other local events, I have at least one local business owner tell me that they don’t do any print advertising at all — and that Facebook, Instagram and other online advertising outlets are the only places they spend their money these days.

And then, inevitably, there’s always at least one person, who may or may not think that they’re being funny, who will tell me, “Haven’t you heard? Print is dead!”

When my blood finishes boiling, I usually explain that I’ve been the owner and editor of the Neighborhood News in New Tampa and Wesley Chapel for 25 years and that people who live in our communities — whether they got here before I took over an 11-month-old monthly in 1994 or they just got here last year — tell me constantly that the Neighborhood News is the only local publication of any kind that they read cover-to-cover. I’m not dissing any other publication, I’m just repeating what I hear literally every day. 

But, before you say, “Yeah, right!,” and turn the page to see another great python pic or read about the upcoming second annual New Tampa Brew Fest (see pages 40-43), consider something as simple as our annual Reader Dining Survey & Contest, which appears for the last time for 2019 on page 35 of this issue.

Last year, when there were many more spaces to fill in than in this year’s revised, much simpler survey, we received fewer than 300 entries — not bad as local magazine contests go, but far fewer than our record 1,200+ Dining Survey Contest entries received either three or four years ago.

This year, that number actually may surpass 1,500 entries before this year’s November 11 entry deadline.

Yes, this year’s contest is easier to enter and yes, we’ve had quite a few people who have entered to date fill out the survey on our NeighborhoodNewsOnline.net website. However, we also believe that the vast majority of the people who go to the website to fill out the survey still read about the contest in our print editions first and then go online to fill out the survey to save themselves the extra effort (and cost) of having to put the survey in an envelope, writing the address info on the envelope, paying for and using a stamp and dropping it in the mailbox. So exhausting!

But, even if some of those entries came from people who only read about it online, how do you explain the 600+ people who already have taken the time to open one of our recent issues and do just that? And, I can assure you, with stories by managing editor John C. Cotey like the Burmese python hunter from Cory Lake Isles, The Brunchery coming to Bruce B. Downs (BBD) Blvd., the latest on the Kinnan-Mansfield flap and getting to be the first local media of any kind to break the story about the new owner of The Grove at Wesley Chapel shopping center, to name just a few — I know that the vast majority of our print readers still have not entered that contest at all.

Yes, we have worked hard to make the Neighborhood News a true multimedia experience, but the next time someone tells you that print is dead, make sure you tell them to take a look at the kind of information the Neighborhood News print editions provide for you about your community every four weeks — and that all it takes for you to keep up with what’s happening in your community is actually open it when you take it out of your mailbox.   

Neighborhood News Online Update     

I can’t believe that as this issue is reaching your mailbox, the calendar has turned to November, which means that we are nearing the end of the year in which we became one of only 23 U.S. media companies to receive 2019 funding from the Google News Initiative. 

A lot has happened in New Tampa and Wesley Chapel over these past ten months, and we have done our best to keep up with the incredible amount of important hyperlocal news coming out of both of our distribution areas. 

In fact, although we are still a little behind on our goal of reaching five new video releases every week, we are now right at three videos per week, up from only one every other week through the end of 2018.

But of course, it’s not just about the quantity of videos we release — it’s about the quality. In fact, since we became the first local news provider to break the story — in video first, then in print in our October 18 Wesley Chapel issue — about Mark Gold, the new owner of The Grove, the video has surpassed 10,500 views on Facebook and the Facebook post of John’s print story may have set a record for us, with a reach of nearly 80,000 people and 7,800+ total engagements!

I also have been thrilled that most of the nearly 21 videos we have released in the seven weeks since September have totalled nearly 80,000 views and an average of 4,300 views per video.

In fact, with a reach of nearly 700,000, and 400,000 views through Oct 25, we have an outside chance of breaking a video reach of one million people and 500,000 video views for 2019, especially if we can inch closer to our goal of five video releases per week.

And, we almost certainly will have an even bigger reach for our print stories that get posted on Facebook with a click-through to our website, NeighborhoodNewsOnline.net!

So no, not only is print not dead when you’re talking about the Neighborhood News, we also are the only local media outlet offering you and your business in or serving New Tampa and/or Wesley Chapel a truly multimedia advertising opportunity. Get yours today! 

Call (813) 910-2575 today to find out how to get started!