I feel bad that I didn’t know in advance that Tessa’s Sweet Café (located at 18101 Highwoods Preserve Pkwy., across from the AMC movie theater), which was home to some of the most delicious Korean-style fried chicken ever, was closing.
Well, not only did Tessa’s already close, it’s already been replaced by the Kabob Café & Grill, an authentic Pakistani eatery that opened just a few days before we went to press with this issue.
Even though I lived for years in New York City, which has every type of international cuisine, I had never sampled Pakistani food before, so I tried Kabob Café’s chicken kabobs (left photo) and a sparkly mango-peach boba tea (there are 18 varieties of boba teas) and both were tasty. The kabobs were not skewered cubes of meat, but were instead well-spiced (but not overly spicy) sausage-style tubes of ground chicken.
For those who still don’t know where the Kabob Café is located, it was best-known as the long-time home of Sukhothai before becoming Tessa’s.
Although the restaurant’s management is planning to expand the menu, the opening menu features chicken or mutton korma (cooked with yogurt, onions & spices), plus Pakistani versions of several Indian-style dishes, such as chicken tikka masala, butter chicken, chicken or mutton biryani, plus four different vegetarian dishes.
For more info, call (813) 405-8740 and tell them I sent you! -GN
Lotte Plaza Market Could Open By Sometime In September!
The opening of the new Lotte Plaza Market in the former location of a Sweetbay supermarket (next to Home Depot) has been one of the most hotly anticipated in New Tampa.
And, although we still have no official confirmation about when New Tampa’s Lotte Plaza Market is expected to open, my most recent visit to the construction site of the #1 chain of Asian and Korean supermarkets in Maryland and Virginia (with 14 total locations, including one each in New Jersey and Orlando) revealed that not only has a sign finally gone up on the building, but also that the interior renovations to the long-vacant 49,432-sq.-ft. building were actually nearing completion.
Every Lotte location features fresh (and unique) produce, meat and fish departments, as well as a food court serving a variety of cuisine types. On my most recent visit, I met one such food court tenant, who told me that the building had not yet had (or passed) all of its needed inspections before it could open, but that he was hoping our Lotte could open “by late September or October.” — GN
The opening of the new Lotte Plaza Market in the former location of a Sweetbay supermarket (next to Home Depot) has been one of the most hotly anticipated in New Tampa.
And, although we still have no official confirmation about when New Tampa’s Lotte Plaza Market is expected to open, my most recent visit to the construction site of the #1 chain of Asian and Korean supermarkets in Maryland and Virginia (with 14 total locations, including one each in New Jersey and Orlando) revealed that not only has a sign finally gone up on the building, but also that the interior renovations to the long-vacant 49,432-sq.-ft. building were actually nearing completion.
Every Lotte location features fresh (and unique) produce, meat and fish departments, as well as a food court serving a variety of cuisine types. On my most recent visit, I met one such food court tenant, who told me that the building had not yet had (or passed) all of its needed inspections before it could open, but that he was hoping our Lotte could open “by late September or October.” — GN
Kabob Café & Grill Replaces Tessa’s Sweet Café In Highwoods
I feel bad that I didn’t know in advance that Tessa’s Sweet Café (located at 18101 Highwoods Preserve Pkwy., across from the AMC movie theater), which was home to some of the most delicious Korean-style fried chicken ever, was closing.
Well, not only did Tessa’s already close, it’s already been replaced by the Kabob Café & Grill, an authentic Pakistani eatery that opened just a few days before we went to press with this issue.
Even though I lived for years in New York City, which has every type of international cuisine, I had never sampled Pakistani food before, so I tried Kabob Café’s chicken kabobs (left photo) and a sparkly mango-peach boba tea (there are 18 varieties of boba teas) and both were tasty. The kabobs were not skewered cubes of meat, but were instead well-spiced (but not overly spicy) sausage-style tubes of ground chicken.
For those who still don’t know where the Kabob Café is located, it was best-known as the long-time home of Sukhothai before becoming Tessa’s.
Although the restaurant’s management is planning to expand the menu, the opening menu features chicken or mutton korma (cooked with yogurt, onions & spices), plus Pakistani versions of several Indian-style dishes, such as chicken tikka masala, butter chicken, chicken or mutton biryani, plus four different vegetarian dishes.
For more info, call (813) 405-8740 and tell them I sent you! -GN
Tony Carbone (left) with Tristan Snapp. (All of the photos supplied by Jay Snapp).
New Tampa has a lot of really good restaurants, but not many that specialize in breakfast and lunch and even fewer with as great a story to tell as Tristans Amazing Bites, the local food truck that is “Changing How the World See Down Syndrome, One Amazing Bite at a Time.”
Tristans Amazing Bites, which is based next to the Mobil gas station and Tampa Fire Rescue Station No. 22 on Cross Creek Blvd. every Tuesday-Saturday, 6:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m., does more than just serve great food. It also helps tell the story of 26-year-old Tristan Snapp, who has not let being born with Down Syndrome stop him from living his dream of being the “front man” for his own food truck.
Tristan’s father and mother, Jay and Vickie Snapp, weren’t sure he was serious when Tristan first said he wanted to own a food truck. But, while his father admittedly loves to cook and Tristan likes working with people, Jay says that if Tristan showed he was serious about it, he and Vickie would support Tristan’s dream any way they could.
Tristan told his dad, a police officer with CSX Corp. (which is a leading supplier of rail-based freight transportation in North America), that his dad could be the cook and he could handle taking the orders and the cash register and at least help with the food.
Prime rib, which is available for special events.
“He seasons the meat, mixes the brownies and prepares the pudding cups,” Jay says.
Tristan received some of his early training at the Pro Kitchen Hub, a shared-use commercial kitchen in South Tampa that is located next door to Guthrie’s Chicken Fingers and provides training for those interested in starting a food service business.
Following some training, Jay says Tristan started providing brownie bites and pudding cups for sale at the Bakery Box, a pop-up extension of the Pro Kitchen Hub with a service window next to Guthrie’s. In addition to working on his baking, Jay says, “that’s where Tristan learned how to use a POS (point of sale) system. He kept bringing up the food truck idea to us and we could tell he was definitely serious about starting one of his own.”
That was back in 2020, when all Tristan had was an idea and the name Tristans Amazing Bites. He went to a crowdsource website where people compete to design your logo and Jay says that Tristan received “about 75 entries. He picked the one he liked best, his brother Tim designed his TristansAmazingBites.com website and, in 2021, the new logo was put on a food truck and Trisans Amazing Bites was born.”
Jay says he had to earn his Food Manager’s certification, a four-hour class that Tristan attended with him. In addition to the flattop grill inside the truck, Jay says, “We got a large rectec pellet grill and both Tristan and I earned diplomas from the rectec Academy following an intensive three-day course in Augusta, GA, led by actual TV pitmasters.
Tristan and Jay Snapp and Tristan got to meet Tim Tebow at a Special Olympics event.
“Tristan likes to brag that even though we both graduated, he got the MVP award,’ Jay says. “We’ve done prime rib, BBQ ribs and more on the rectec. We can cater pretty large events with it.”
Jay says that he and Tristan originally only brought the truck to special events because, “since I have a full-time job that requires me to travel, so there was no way I could stay on a regular schedule with the truck.”
Before settling in to their current schedule on Cross Creek Blvd., Tristan and Jay brought the food truck to events like the annual fund raiser for Gigi’s Playhouse Down Syndrome Achievement Center on W. Hillsborough Ave., a fund raiser at Lutz Elementary (which caters to special needs children; Jay says, “We catered 1,000 brownie bites for them”) and a school in Brandon that wanted to cater a Teacher Appreciation luncheon.” The truck also recently provided a prime rib dinner at the Live Oak Preserve clubhouse.
Tristan, who also works at the Publix in Wiregrass Ranch, graduated from the two-year “Stages” program at USF, where students learn both the school at HART transit systems. His Special Olympics softball team won a bronze medal at last year’s USA Nationals.
So, How About The Food?
Jay also says that he wouldn’t have agreed to a daily schedule for the truck if he didn’t have someone else who could do the cooking every day. So, when Tony Carbone, the former owner of the Wolf’s Den diner restaurant in Wesley Chapel that closed shortly after things reopened after the pandemic, said he wanted to get back into cooking for people, Jay knew he had found the right guy.
“I was a customer of Wolf’s Den,” Jay says. “And Tony had done just the kind of food we wanted to do.”
And, Tristan was sold on Tony, too. “He told me that although I’m still OK at it, Tony is now the Number One cook and I’m down to his Number Two.”
The Breakfast Burger.
Try a delicious freshly made omelet and home fries from Tristans Amazing Bites on Cross Creek Blvd.
For breakfast, which is served anytime the truck is open, I’ve already enjoyed the fried egg & bacon (or sausage) Breakfast Sandwich and the breakfast burger. I’ve yet to try the omelet breakfast platter or biscuits and gravy, but Jimmy Gouveia, the co-owner of the nearby Grill at Morris Bridge, was picking up his order during my last visit. “I have to get my biscuits & gravy at least once every week,” Jimmy said. “It’s just so good.” The home fries (a huge order for just $4) are served with savory grilled onions and peppers.
There’s also a breakfast bowl, a meat lovers or pulled pork omelet on Cuban bread, a Rocco Jersey pork roll and even a breakfast wrap.
“What’s for lunch,” you ask? If you love BBQ pulled pork, try Tristans Amazing “Big Bite” Burger, with pulled pork and bacon on a delicious burger topped with sweet BBQ sauce. I also enjoyed Tristans Amazing Cheese Steak and the pressed Cuban sandwich.
Tristans Amazing Big Bite Burger.A tasty pressed Cuban sandwich.Brownie Bites.
Other options include regular or bacon cheeseburgers, BLTs on sub or Cuban bread, grilled chicken Philly subs and sandwiches and chicken or beef quesadillas.
And for dessert, yes, I also can vouch for Tristan’s brownie bites, although I’ve yet to try his pudding cups — but I’ve heard some of his regulars rave about them.
“The bottom line to me,” Jay says, “is recognizing that everyone has their own talents and abilities, and their own passions, and I am happy to support Tristan’s. If we can make the food truck work, maybe I’ll be able to retire (from CSX) early because I’d really like to be able to do something where Tristan and I can continue to work together. That’s my main goal.”
Tristans Amazing Bites is located at 10865 Cross Creek Blvd. For more information, visit TristansAmazingBites.com or see the ad on pg. 40. Event catering also is available. The truck also is on Instagram and Facebook, so send a message if you have a special order.
Although I never owned a Barbie doll, I did get an Action Jackson “figure” when I was a kid and I loved that you could dress the “boy dolls” as Batman, Superman and other DC Comics heroes.
And, while I still prefer superhero movies to pretty much any other genre these days (other than a great comedy), I will admit that when Jannah said she wanted to go see the “Barbie” movie, I quickly agreed.
I wanted to see what all the fuss was about, as “Barbie” shattered the record for the top box office opening weekend for a movie directed by a woman, but I also was intrigued by the idea of a Barbie doll coming to life, especially with the talented Margot Robbie in the title role.
I also had high hopes for Ryan Gosling as Ken, despite the ridiculous-looking (at least to me) dye job to match the doll’s well-known blond locks. And yes, the teaser commercials showing Barbie and Ken getting arrested multiple times during their first trip to the “real world” looked cute and funny.
What was most appealing to me was to see how director Greta Gerwig was planning to bring (almost) every young girl’s favorite doll to life and how Barbie and Ken would ultimately fare. I somehow didn’t even realize that Will Ferrell (who plays the CEO of Mattel, they toy company that still owns the Barbie empire) also was in the movie until the opening credits. I enjoy some of Mr. Ferrell’s films, but he is usually so over the top with his acting that every movie he’s in walks that fine line between super-funny and super-stupid.
Well, after sitting through the nearly two-hour run of “Barbie” a week or so after it hit theaters across the U.S., all I can say is I honestly didn’t get what all the hype has been about.
In my opinion, despite having some very funny moments, the film is just so stupid and the story so convoluted that the star power does little to prop it up. My favorite characters are America Ferrera as Gloria, the mom who loved playing with Barbies as a kid (and apparently, still does), Ariana Greenblatt as Gloria’s daughter Sasha who (along with her friends) has gotten to the age where they think they’re too old and too cool to play with dolls, and especially, the great Rhea Perlman (best known as Carla from “Cheers” and for being married to Danny DeVito) as Ruth Handler, the American businesswoman who invented the Barbie doll in 1959.
I give Gerwig a lot of credit for at least trying and it seems that, based on everything I’ve seen about the movie on talk shows, the women of America seem to believe that the director got the story right, especially in terms of “female empowerment.” Yes, all of the Barbies of all shapes, sizes, colors and physical abilities are treated equally in “Barbieland, and the president is an African-American Barbie. I did understand, applaud and appreciate at least that part of Gerwig’s message.
But, what I couldn’t understand was why the director had to make Gosling’s Ken the movie’s ignorant “villain.” In the opening scenes of the movie, Ken clearly thinks he’s in love with Barbie, even though he doesn’t understand why he should have sleepovers with his “girlfriend,” who clearly has no clue as to why he’d even be interested in anything other than the two of them looking pretty together.
But then, when they travel to the real world, Ken visits a library and takes out (steals?) books about the “patriarchy” and decides he likes the idea of men being in charge, rather than the Barbie dolls who “rule” Barbieland. How did these dolls even learn how to read? I know…suspend disbelief.
And, all Barbie-hell breaks loose when the dolls return to Barbieland. There are pitiful musical numbers and even a fake-weapon fight scene between all of the incarnations of the Ken doll, with Simu Liu (of the “Shang Chi” Marvel movie) as Gosling’s arch-rival Ken. While the men and their abs are fighting, the Barbies somehow find a loophole to take back Barblieland for themselves and Robbie’s Barbie ends up realizing she had been taking Ken’s needs for granted, even as she then chooses to return to the real world to live forever.
I’ve seen the movie called “hilarious,” but for my money, there were just a few laughs sprinkled into the almost nonstop stupidity. Jannah and I both had trouble sitting through it.
The best thing about the film, in my opinion, has been the merchandising. The B&B Theatres at The Grove hosted a big opening weekend “Barbie” party and still has life-size Barbie doll boxes in the lobby that no woman (including Jannah, right) could resist dressing up in pink for and taking pictures in — I even wore my pink polo shirt for the occasion. I regretted that decision afterwards.
Again, in my opinion, “Barbie” misses the mark as badly as most of its jokes. A better plot might have had the girl who outgrew Barbies become the “villain” until she realizes the value of the dolls to the girls and women who love them to somehow “save the day.” Oh, well.
The members of the crew behind the scenes of “Grease” were just as important as the cast members. Pictured are (l.-r) Shelley Giles, Mark Weisenmiller, Amogha Kuppaa, Emma Hosking, Jannah Nager, Emily Buonaquisiti, Bella Otte, Kristin Nelson,Tami Carr, Katie Carr, James Cass, Nora Paine, Heather Cleveland & Ereka Morton. (Photo courtesy of Picture This of Palma Ceia).
Nearly everyone knows “Grease,” the iconic musical with toe-tapping tunes, incredible dance moves, and romance and drama at Rydell High. Behind all of the show’s glitz and glamour lies tremendous hard work from a dedicated team making the cast look (and sound) as good as possible.
As the first official New Tampa Players (NTP) performance at the New Tampa Performing Arts Center, “Grease” is no ordinary musical — it’s a high-energy ride through the fabulous ‘50s, complete with a 1957 Chrysler that has to be dollied on and off stage. A hidden army of talented workers ensures the show’s success, working diligently behind the scenes. They don’t often get the spotlight, but the show could not go on without them.
NTP producing artistic director Nora Paine, a homeschool mom of four and the producing artistic director, also manages the stage, with the help of assistant stage managers Kristin Nelson, Emily Buonaquisiti and aspiring playwright Mark Weisenmiller. With her headset on and monitor in place, the company feels secure as Paine calls out cues from a barely lit space backstage. Her techy husband Joshua, “her theatre saint,” and son Sebastian also play vital roles, helping with support and lights (while Keith Eisenstadt designed the lighting).
Paine jokes that her favorite part of being a stage manager is “going to sound very stage managery, but it’s when a set change goes well. The stage lights go down at the right time. The set pieces move in the choreography that you need them to. Everything slides in. The next set piece comes in. The lights go up, and the orchestra syncs all together.”
Nelson, a medical scribe and first-time assistant stage manager who has performed in some previous NTP productions, says, “My favorite thing has been watching the cast grow. I enjoy getting to be part of the magic behind the scenes. Creating this world was super cool.”
A recent high school graduate, Buonaquisiti adds, “I love working with the actors, especially during set changes making sure everything goes smoothly and safely.”
While the performers spend months perfecting their lines, vocals and choreography, the director and music director are the masterminds behind the magic. In this musical, those roles are handled by the same person.
A computer programmer by day, director and musical director G. Frank Meekins says his favorite moment was when, “we actually got our stage, and the production came to life. We finally had the space to spread our wings.”
Meekins says that wearing both hats for “Grease” required more effort, as his attention was split between the two different roles; however, having true directorial control allowed him the creativity to make the dialogue and music gel. “It’s rewarding when it all comes together,” he says.
Meekins also notes that, “While this show follows the movie that many are familiar with, it’s also a little more gritty and deals with adult situations differently than the movie did. We are actually performing the original Broadway version from 1972. We maintained (most of) the items that would now be considered taboo in keeping the style of society back then.”
Professional dancer, Atlas Modern Ballet founder and HCC professor Sarah Walston provided the choreography for the show’s memorable dance routines. She taught the cast the hand jives, jitterbugs and other energetic dance routines — a new experience for the ballet and contemporary dance choreographer.
“As a dancer, I love ‘Grease,’” Walston says. “The community feel has made a project like this less stressful with all these moving parts. It’s really been a team effort and a great experience for me to learn what can happen in a musical with a great community.”
You can’t have “Grease” without the iconic T-Birds leather and Pink Ladies jackets and authentic ‘50s attire. Retired engineer and current NTP Board of Directors chair Michell “Shelley” Giles and engineer/teacher Heather Cleveland meticulously assembled more than 100 different costumes for the show, going as far as to research if each fabric and pattern would be appropriate for the period. Both women say working with costumes is like solving a satisfying puzzle, especially with an extremely limited budget to purchase the costumes and the materials to make them.
“My favorite part of the job was being able to make some of the dresses,” says Giles, who is a self-taught seamstress. “As a costumer, I enjoy seeing the actors come to life on stage. My hobby is sewing. I sew everything.”
Cleveland adds, “You want everybody on stage to feel fantastic. I enjoy the creativity, starting from nothing and having it blossom into something.” As an example, Cleveland says, “We took Frenchy’s prom dress apart three or four times — a new bodice was made, and we hand-pleated the skirt. I’m pleased with the results of the work that went into that one.”
Behind the curtain, a small army of costume, prop assistants, stagehands and costume “dressers,” including college senior and aerial acrobat Emma Hosking, assist by waiting in the wings to help the actors with quick costume changes and to make sure they all have the props they need for each scene.
“During Freddy My Love,” Hosking said, “we made a tradition of dramatically lip-syncing along to the song. I looked forward to that every performance.”
Among the costume and stage crew, all coordinated by Giles, Cleveland and prop master Tami Carr (the mom of Olivia, who played Sandy, and Sean Carr, who played bass in the orchestra) were Amogha Kuppaa, Ereka Morton, Ryan Pettaway, Bella Otte, Tracy Stemm, Katie Guerra, Jannah Nager and Katie Carr.
Tami Carr, a retired children’s orthotist and prosthetist, is the woman behind all the props. From sourcing authentic ‘50s items to crafting realistic-looking food, this creative wizard turns trash into treasure… literally. She says she created Sonny’s “zipgun” from items she found in the trash.
Tami explains how excited she is for NTP to have a new home, “They do everything with such integrity and excellence. Over the years, it made me sad that people didn’t always see the shows because they didn’t have a consistent place. To have all these sold-out shows, I feel not just happy for the cast of Grease but for everyone. Finally, people can experience and appreciate what they do.”
Assisted by most members of the cast, the set stagehands, led by Paul McColgan, work swiftly and silently, changing scenes with precision and coordination, like ninjas in black. Scenic artists Leiann Klein, Kyle Billington, Tami and Olivia Carr, Olivia’s fellow cast member Dakota Henry, Alex DeJoseph and Joshua Paine gave each piece of built-for-the-show set “furniture” its distinctive ‘50s look.
In addition, sound man John Camacho made sure all 24 of the performers’ microphones not only worked but also had compatible levels of volume before every performance. Stagehand James Cass of Picture This of Palma Ceia also served as the show’s official photgrapher. The orchestra included Meekins, rehearsal pianist Rick Barclay, Stan Martindale (guitar), Todd DuPriest (drums), Josh Hollenbeck and Elliott Domagola (sax) and Sean Carr. Diana Diaz designed the “Grease” program.
