Congratulations, Dawn & John!

Actor Mark Eydelshteyn and Oscar Winner Mikey Madison in “Anora” (Photo: IMDB)

So, we ended up with 46 entries into our 2025 Oscars Contest, although that number would have been 51 entries, but there were five people who submitted their entries after the posted deadline of Saturday, March 1, at 11:59:59 p.m.

Of those 46 on-time entries, only two people — Dawn Kidle of Meadow Pointe and John Bailey of Palatine, Illinois â€” picked six of the seven Oscars categories correctly. We did have four other contestants who correctly picked the Oscar winner in five of the seven categories, but the amazing thing to me is that not one of our 46 on-time entrants correctly picked Mikey Madison as the Best Actress winner for her starring role in this year’s Oscar-winning film, “Anora” — as 35 of our 46 contestants picked either Demi Moore for her lead role in “The Substance” or Cynthia Erivo’s portrayal of Elphaba in “Wicked” as their Best Actress winner.

Our Grand Prize winner, drawn at random from among the top two entries, is Dawn Kidle, who will receive a prize package valued at $200, which will include two top-level movie passes, plus dinner for two and popcorn at B&B Theatres at The Grove in Wesley Chapel!

John Bailey will receive two top-level movie passes that will be valid at any of the 54 B&B Theatres locations nationwide.

Congrats to both of our winners!  

Bubba’s 33 Has You (& Your Steak, Chicken, Fries, Etc.) Covered 

Managing partner Abby Fletcher says that Bubba’s 33’s menu hasn’t changed much since the Texas Roadhouse-owned sports grill first opened on the south side of S.R. 56 back in early 2020, just before the Covid-19 pandemic began. 

“The fact that we’ve only made minor tweaks to the menu since the restaurant first started (in Fayetteville, NC, back in 2013) means that we’re doing just fine,” Abby says. “We now have about 50 locations and everyone seems to love that our food is almost all made from scratch, unlike most sports bars.” 

It’s hard for me to believe that the Wesley Chapel Bubba’s 33 has been open for five full years, but considering that we hosted our “car karaoke” and “parking lot karaoke” events outside of the restaurant during the pandemic — and the fact it is still here and still attracting new customers — is clear indication that the Wesley Chapel Bubba’s 33 is doing just fine, thank you! 

And, just because the menu hasn’t changed too much over the years, that doesn’t mean that Bubba’s 33 doesn’t keep adding new items. It just means that most of the original menu also is still around and making local diners happy. 

Bubba’s 33 is famous for its wings, unique, crisp-crust pizzas, burgers and other sports bar fare, but if you haven’t tried the grilled or espresso-rubbed signature ribeye steaks, they’ve been made even better by adding one of the three new “Bubba Style” toppings — with either bacon and bleu cheese sauce, or with queso, peppers and onions, or with sautĂ©ed mushrooms and onions, as shown in the top photo on this page. I’m not really a big mushroom fan myself, but the mushroom and onion sautĂ© adds a great, buttery flavor, as well as additional tenderness, to an already tender ribeye. My first time trying the grilled ribeye with this topping definitely left me wanting more. The menu also shows the already-tasty Southern Fried Chicken dinner with the queso “Bubba Style” topping, which looks pretty great, too. 

As for what else is new, Bubba’s 33 already has had layered cheese fries as an appetizer on its menu, which have not only melted cheese and bacon, but also queso and green onions. But now, when you get a side of French fries or tater tots, you can get them topped with cheddar and Jack cheeses and bacon (as shown in the photo, left). 

The only other new menu additions are the three new Bubba’s “Mocktails” (below right) — which can not be ordered with alcohol (I know because we asked, lol). Left to right in the photo are the Sparkling Berry Bliss, the “coconutty” Tropical Breeze and the Strawberry Cucumber Fizz. Even though “Dry January” may have ended, if you’re trying to continue to at least reduce your alcohol intake, give one or all three of these a try. 

Another item that isn’t actually new to the menu but which we tried for the first time is the cheesy spinach dip shown above right on this page. As someone who finds most spinach (or spinach and artichoke) dips too heavy, this Bubba’s 33 spinach dip is a creamy welcome change — especially because it’s served with freshly baked (and grilled) garlic focaccia bread. Charmaine and Jannah both preferred it with the house-made tortilla chips and fresh salsa — Jannah called the salsa “legit” — but the focaccia is excellent, too. 

Other favorites of ours include the Bubba’s Bacon Cheeseburger (left), one of ten burgers on the menu (which also includes a black bean & quinoa veggie burger), and the Meaty Meaty Pizza (below left), which features bacon, homemade Italian sausage, pepperoni and scratch-made tomato sauce. I told Abby that I enjoy Bubba’s pizzas even though they are not truly New York-style, because the sauce, cheese and always-crispy crust are still mighty tasty. 

One dish I can’t sample but has become Charmaine’s new favorite at Bubba’s is the creamy chipotle pasta, which combines corkscrew-shaped pasta, grilled chicken, sautĂ©ed shrimp, roasted peppers, onions and mushrooms, all tossed in a semi-spicy chipotle cream sauce and topped with cilantro and parmesan cheese. It’s also served with garlic focaccia bread. 

And, Jannah and I still enjoy the Bubba’s lasagna, the Chicken & Bacon Mac & Cheese, the California Chicken (grilled chicken breast topped with avocado, pico de gallo, Jack cheese and scratch-made honey lime sauce, which we order on the side, over garden rice), the Southern Fried Chicken and Fish & Chips (Atlantic cod golden-fried in Sam Adams Boston Lager batter). 

Popular appetizers at Bubba’s 33 include the “Big O’Rings,” the Crispy Fried Pickles, Crooked Fried Cheese, Bubba’s Nachos and Chorizo Queso Dip. There’s also a Combo Appetizer featuring boneless wings with your choice of sauce, the crooked fried cheese and fried pickles served with a trio of sauces. 

And of course, Bubba’s offers nine different sauces for its traditional (bone-in) and boneless wings, from hot or mild Buffalo-style to “Kickin’ Teriyaki,” Garlic Parmesan and Cajun spice rub, plus unique options like Habañero Heat, the hot- &-sweet “Shotgun” and Raspberry Chipotle. 

For dessert, the chocolate chip cookie and Oreo¼ brownie (bottom picture) sundaes are both great, as is the Bubba’s cheesecake, especially the “Turtle” style (topped with fudge and caramel). The cheesecake also is offered “plain,” with strawberries and whipped cream, but why bother? (Just kidding!) 

The Bubba’s 33 Kids’ Menu ($5.99-$7.99) includes everything from a mini-pizza to a Kids’ Mac & Cheese or Grilled Cheese and many more. 

Like most sports bars, Bubba’s 33 has lots of TVs all around the place, but it also usually shows rock and other music videos on some of the screens. And, pretty much every day has either a different food or entertainment special — or both. 

For example, there are Burger Mondays, which features all burgers on the menu for just $10.99. Mondays also are “Ditch the Digital” days where you earn a free dessert or appetizer for your next visit if you put your electronics in a pizza box and don’t open the box for the entire meal. 

On Tuesdays, any 12” pizza on the menu is just $12.99. The always-fun “Music Bingo” game also is played in the bar area on Tues., between 7 p.m.-9 p.m., with prizes awarded for each round. 

Wednesday is “Kids Day,” when up to two kids eat for just $0.99 with each adult entrĂ©e purchased. Abby says there also usually is a “craft” for kids every Wed. and “Magic Mike” (not the one you’re imagining) performs magic for kids and twists balloon animals some Wednesdays. And, Thursday is Trivia Night, starting at 7 p.m. 

Bubba’s 33 also has a “Fan Club” rewards program which includes news and special offers an can earn you FREE food. The restaurant also supports the late Jim Valvano’s “V Foundation” with $1 donated for each “Dickie V” pizza (named for sportscaster and Tampa Bay local Dick Vitale, a close friend of the former North Carolina State coach) sold. Valvano lost his battle with cancer in 1993. Bubba’s 33 also donates $1 for every Patriot Burger sold to Homes For Our Troops, which has provided multiple homes for veterans in Wesley Chapel. 

Abby says if you want your food delivered, it’s “always better to order it direct at Bubbas33.com, which has a flat $5.50 delivery charge and no added fees or higher menu prices.” 

Bubba’s 33 (26340 Silver Maple Pkwy.) is open every day for lunch and dinner. For more info, call (813) 522-5090, visit Bubbas33.com or see the ad below for this month’s FREE appetizer (with entrĂ©e purchase) coupon special. 

37 Couples Wed On Valentine’s Day By Crist!

Newly elected Hillsborough Clerk of the Court & Comptroller (and Tampa Palms resident) Victor Crist was the officiant at the “Tie The Knot” wedding ceremony of 37 couples on a gorgeous Valentine’s Day at the Joe Chillura Courthouse Square in downtown Tampa.

This is the 17th year the Hillsborough Clerk of the Court has presided over the mass ceremony, which has had a total of 325 previous couples get married.

Do You Know Any Of These Newly Married Couples?

On a beautiful Valentine’s Day, February 14, 23 couples were joined in holy matrimony by Pasco Clerk of the Court & Comptroller Nikki Alvarez-Sowles (photo), in front of the historic courthouse building in Dade City. This is the 17th year Pasco has held a Valentine’s Day Wedding Ceremony, which has previously helped more than 300 couples tie the knot. 

There were two couples listed with Wesley Chapel addresses:

Edwin Rodriguez & Loretta Hernandez

Renande Valcine & Michelle L. Santiago

Best of luck to all of the happy couples!

Sean Bartell Foundation Charity Bingo Event Raises Thousands For Local Scholarships! 

(l.-r.) Simone & James Bartell, Paul & Jamie Bartell & Phyllis Yoder (Jamie’s Sister) at the Sean Bartell Memorial Foundation’s Charity Bingo event held in the cafeteria at Cypress Creek High on Jan. 24, which raised nearly $4,000 for the Foundation. (Photos by Charmaine George) 

Congratulations to my friends Jamie, Paul and James Bartell for hosting another successful Charity Bingo event for the Sean Bartell Memorial Foundation — which was named in honor and memory of Paul and Jamie’s younger son Sean, who passed away in 2014 from Stevens-Johnson Syndrome, or SJS. 

This year’s Charity Bingo event, which was postponed and had to find a new location because of Hurricane Milton, was held on Jan. 25 in the cafeteria at Cypress Creek High, and that Paul says was attended by about 150 people and raised just shy of $4,000. 

That money will be used to fund scholarships for seniors graduating from Wiregrass Ranch, Wesley Chapel, Cypress Creek and Zephyrhills high schools, as well as Kirkland Ranch Academy of Innovation off Curley Rd. for the first time. From 2015, when Jamie and Paul founded the Foundation, to last year, $74,000 already has been awarded in $1,000 scholarships and $10,000 provided to teachers at our local high schools. 

“We exceeded our expectations this year,” Paul says, “and hope to do even better next year!” 

Among the prizes won at this year’s Bingo event were (photo below) a 50” TV, Kate Spade and Michael Kors purses, dining gift cards, a set of top-quality steak knives and more. Congrats again! — GNÂ