The North Tampa Bay Chamber made a bold move by switching the venue for the 17th annual Wesley Chapel Fall Festival from The Grove to the Tampa Premium Outlets â and, despite some parking issues during the two-day event that was held Halloween weekend (Oct. 30-31), the event was definitely another big hit, attracting some pretty big crowds both days.Â
Instead of the usual fairway-style rides, this yearâs Fall Festival, presented by Florida Penguin Productions for the first time, featured another installment of the Worldâs Largest Food Truck Rally, with dozens of unique food trucks (see page 46 for pictures of a few of them) offering everything from hot dogs to churros and from mac & cheese to crepes.
And yes, the event still featured the always-popular Lilâ Miss & Lilâ Mister Pumpkin Pageant.
Some folks were confused (including yours truly) because The Grove still did host a Fall Festival with amusement park-style rides and more food trucks, but I give the busy NTBC two thumbs up for this yearâs Fall Festival. â Gary Nager; photos by Charmaine George
If you didnât get to attend the Wesley Chapel Fall Festival Oct. 30-31, you missed out on the return of the Worldâs Largest Food Truck Rally, which, while it didnât break the record for the most-ever food trucks in one location, the pics on this page are just a small sample of the more than 80 different food trucks that did find their way to the parking lot of the Tampa Premium Outlets on Halloween weekend.
Whether you were hoping to find Filipino Food, Hot Diggity Dogs, Alstonâs Grilled Chicken, Kickin Caribbean cuisine or desserts from the Ice Cream Hearse, snow cones, frozen drinks or fried bananas, they were all on hand at the Wesley Chapel Fall Festival! â Gary Nager; all photos by Charmaine George
If youâre looking for a new church home for your family, I canât imagine a more welcoming Christian environment than what I experienced during my first-ever visit to Carmel Friendship Church, which has been located in its own building next to the Wesley Chapel school complex on Wells Rd. since 2011 (although the church didnât purchase the building until 2014).
I visited Carmel Friendship Church for its 11th anniversary â the church started meeting at the home of Pastors Quincy (Pastor Q) and Jennifer Stratford and their children in 2010 and moved to Benito Middle School in New Tampa on Easter Sunday in 2011 â on Oct. 10 and I have to say that, as a member of the Jewish faith who has attended many Christian churches in years past, I have rarely, if ever, felt the warmth and love I felt from everyone I met at this very special place.
Pastor Quincy Stratford
I walked in a few minutes after the churchâs music program had begun and was blown away by the talent of the dancers and choir singers, especially soloists Morgan Mackall, Curlin Beck and Chris Sampson. Many of the dancers appeared to be young teens, but the music, under the direction of Kazi Whitfield, and choreography were impeccable and beautiful to watch and hear.
The inspirational message given by the Stratfordsâ friend, visiting Pastor Dr. Johnnie R. Bradley, of Shiloh Missionary Baptist Church in Dallas, TX, quoted scripture from both the Old and New Testament to illustrate how the Holy Spirit is a Real, Divine and Unique person who provides comfort to all of those who believe. And, Dr. Bradleyâs message fit right in with Carmel Friendship Churchâs motto of âReal God. Purpose. People.â
Before the blessings and closing messages given at the end of the service by Pastor Q and Pastor Jennifer, another close friend of theirs, cancer survivor Patrice Kissentaner Starks, whose health issues prevented her from being able to visit her friends for several years, told how much the support of the Stratford family and her faith have helped and meant to her.
The service was followed by a free barbecue meal and a cake to celebrate the churchâs anniversary.
Carmel Friendship Church (30081 Wells Rd.) offers both adult and childrenâs services at 9 a.m. on Sundays and Bible Study on Wednesdays at 7 p.m. For more information, call (813) 991-1300 or visit CFriendship.org. â GN
Wesley Chapelâs Favorite Restaurateur Upgrades His Bistro With A New Chef & New Menu Items!
(Above, l.-r.) Steve, Giulia and Micaela Falabella. Missing from the pic is Steve and Micaelaâs other daughter, Mavi.Â
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) â his 900Âș Woodfired Pizza in the Shops at Wiregrass â 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 900Âș 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 â and boy has Wesley Chapelâs 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), only the most popular of Chanceâs specials and other often-requested dishes have been added to the actual new menu at the Bistro.
Other new âpiattiniâ (small plates or starters) on the menu are the garlic baguette (garlic bread with a pomodoro dip and fresh basil), the broccoli and ricotta toast (with roasted broccoli, whipped ricotta, hot honey and fresh basil) and a ravioli flight I canât sample because it includes lobster in the flight (along with sasuage, broccoli and five-cheese ravioli, all of which I can try).
And of course, among my already-on-the-menu favorites are the Vongole (spaghetti with clams), 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 Mediterranean salads and the crispy calamari.
Although I know a lot of Steveâs 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 havenât sampled many of either because I have so many favorites on the rest of the menu. Iâm sure itâs my loss though.
Donât Skip Dessert!Â
While Jannah and I are usually trying not to eat dessert, itâs hard to skip the decadent desserts available at Falabella Family Bistro, especially knowing that they are supplied by Evelyn Barreno of Seven Layers Bakery. Iâm particularly partial to the chocolate mousse cheesecake, the equally creamy tiramisu, the cannolis and the turtle and triple chocolate cheesecake options. Iâve yet to sample the affogato (vanilla ice cream âdrownedâ with hot espresso) or Macedonia (fresh fruit salad topped with whipped cream) desserts.
I have sampled the Bistroâs outstanding cappuccino and Peroni beer on tap, and Jannah is partial to glasses of pinot grigio and prosecco. And, though his red wine list isnât extensive, itâs also not too expensive, as the Casa Migliaccio Barolo is only $49.95 per bottle and there are two Nero dâAvolas 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. Fri.-Sat.) every day. For more information, visit FalabellaBistro.com or call (813) 428-6957.
Iâve made a couple of purchases at The Liquor Shoppe, including a limited edition âBe The Thunderâ Tampa Bay Lightning promotional bottle of New Amsterdam Vodka. âOur supply is definitely limited,â Dev says. âSo come get them now!â
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. â GN
Veterans Day is today and although I never served our country myself, I have always tried â both personally and professionally â to support those who serve and have served in our nationâs armed forces.
Gary Nager
Editorial
I know Iâve 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 couldnât understand why 3 million U.S. men and women were deployed to Southeast Asia to fight an almost-20-year war that didnât 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 didnât 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 wasnât 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 didnât want to carry a gun myself didnât mean that I didnât appreciate what these folks did â whether it was their choice or not â 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 of our latest issue), written stories and attended dozens of events honoring our nationâs heroes and I still pledge to always do so.
One of the things Iâve 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 were between 2,000-3,000 homeless vets, which actually made me sick to my stomach.
I even pitched my idea to State Sen. Danny Burgess, who was the executive director of Floridaâs 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 havenât gotten started on my idea yet isnât anyoneâs 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.
The Bohannon Family mourns the passing of Dale (2nd from left)
In Memory Of Dale Bohannon
Even though I only personally met him a few times, I have known local Realtor Dale Bohannonâs parents, Doug and Annette Bohannon, for more than 20 years and I was appreciative that Daleâs sister Laura let me know about Daleâs sudden passing from a massive heart attack at the too-young 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.
