2023 Neighborhood News Dining Survey & Contest (Wesley Chapel)

Whether or not youโ€™ve ever entered one of our previous Reader Dining Survey & Contests, I hope youโ€™ll consider entering at least once this year.

Yes, while we still have at least three (there could be more) free dining prizes, from $35 to $100 โ€” to the restaurant of your choice, no less โ€” weโ€™re making it easier than ever before for you to enter.

Instead of a full page or more of different dining categories, all weโ€™re asking you for is to answer one or two questions in every issue between now and Thursday, November 16, and youโ€™ll receive one entry into those random prize drawings for each Survey question you answer.

This issue, weโ€™ll start with one question that asks you for FIVE (5) answers โ€” โ€œName your Five Favorite Restaurants (of any kind) located in Wesley Chapel or near the Tampa Premium Outlets (aka Lutz).โ€ 

For your entry to be valid, you must name five different restaurants. If you only name one or two restaurants or fill in the name of the same restaurant in all five spaces, youโ€™ll only have one or two votes counted and your entry will not be eligible for any of our prizes.

Then, in each of the next five issues, weโ€™ll ask you to name only one or two of your  favorites โ€” for example, your Favorite Chinese Restaurant, Coffee Shop or Pizza Place โ€” and weโ€™ll give you one additional entry into our random prize drawings for each valid entry you submit. We feel as though this should stimulate more people to enter the contests, because the task wonโ€™t be as daunting as having to completely (or nearly completely) fill out an entire page of favorites.

As always, thereโ€™s no purchase necessary to enter or win a prize. All we ask is that you follow the following rules:

1. Enter by filling out the entry form in the issue or by filling the form out online by clicking HERE

2. You can drop your filled-out entry form in the mail (send it to โ€œ2023 Neighborhood News Dining Contest,โ€ 2604 Cypress Ridge Blvd., Suite 102D, Wesley Chapel, FL 33544) or even email it to us at Ads@NTNeighborhoodNews.com. *Note-Entries filled out on our website do not need to be mailed or emailed to us.

3. Please check the address and zip codes of the restaurants you choose, as only votes for restaurants in zip codes 33543, 33544 and 33545 (Wesley Chapel) and zip code 33559 (Lutz, within 1-2 miles of the S.R. 56 exit off I-75) will be counted as โ€œWesley Chapelโ€ votes. When we ask you next issue for your โ€œFive Favorite Restaurants (of any kind) in New Tampa,โ€ only restaurants located in zip code 33647, or in the Oak Ramble Plaza on Bruce B. Downs Blvd. (in zip code 33613) and in or near the Palms Connection Plaza on E. Bearss Ave. (zip code 33559) will be counted as โ€œNew Tampaโ€ votes.

4. In order to be eligible to win any of our free dining prizes to the restaurant of your choice, your entry form with a response to at least one of our questions over the next five months must include your name, full mailing address (including your zip code), the community you live in (Avalon Park Wesley Chapel, Seven Oaks, etc.), a daytime phone number where you can be reached and your valid email address.

We look forward to seeing how this yearโ€™s contest shakes out. Good luck!

โ€˜Greaseโ€™ Is Still The Word โ€” At Least Through Next Weekend!


(Above, l.-r.) Jan (Anna Jeffries), Rizzo (Alyson Gannon), Kenicke (Kyle Fisher), Danny (Dylan Fidler), Sandy (Olivia Carr), Frenchy (Ariyonna Thomas) and Marty (Heather Rich) headline the cast of โ€˜Greaseโ€™ through July 30, at the New Tampa Performing Arts Center. (Photos by Charmaine George).

Although there already has been a New Tampa Players (NTP) preview show and a Penguin Productions presentation of โ€œBeauty and the Beastโ€ at the sparkling new New Tampa Performing Arts Center (NTPAC), โ€œGreaseโ€ โ€” the first official show of NTPโ€™s 2023-24 season โ€” made its debut at the NTPAC last weekend.

Unfortunately, due to the timing of our issues, we arenโ€™t able to share pictures of actual scenes from โ€˜Greaseโ€ in this issue, but as a minor player in the cast, I am able to share these preview pictures we were able to take of some of the cast members, in their costumes.

I will tell you that, even the week before the cast premiered the 1972 Tony Award-winning musical, that โ€œGreaseโ€ is a super-fun show with an awesome cast that you should still be able to check out this weekend โ€” although tickets were already getting a little scarce at our press time.

According to NTP producing artistic director Nora Paine, the six performances of โ€œGreaseโ€ over two weekends (July 21-23 and July 28-20) were already nearly 70% sold out as this issue went to the printer (on July 16), with the Sunday matinee (3 p.m.) performances both weekends having the fewest tickets remaining.

Vince Fontaine (a certain local publisher & editor) and Miss Lynch (Suzanne Bainbridge) will be cutting a (very brief) rug again this weekend.

More tickets, however, still remained for the Friday and Saturday night (at 8 p.m. both nights) performances, but after what Iโ€™m certain was a smash opening weekend โ€” under the direction of G. Frank Meekins with choreography by Sarah Walston โ€” all I can say is donโ€™t wait too long to get yours!

The outstanding ensemble cast delivers too many standout performances to name everyone here, but rest assured, all will be praised (and hopefully, pictured) in our next issue.

Among my favorite moments from the show include Tripp Peavyhouse (โ€œRogerโ€) and Anna Jeffries (Jan) performing โ€œMooning,โ€ Heather Rich (Marty) singing โ€œFreddie, My Love,โ€ Kyle Fisher (Kenicke)โ€™s โ€œGreased Lightning,โ€ Alyson Gannon (Rizzo)โ€™s mocking โ€œLook at Me, Iโ€™m Sandra Dee,โ€ the perfect falsetto of Trevor Lloyd (who portrays both Teen Angel and Johnny Casino) on โ€œBeauty School Dropout,โ€ and Olivia Carr (as Sandy) on both โ€œHopelessly Devoted to Youโ€ and her duet with Dylan Fidler (โ€œDannyโ€) on โ€œYouโ€™re The One That I Want.โ€ 

Michael Figueroa (Sonny) and Heather, Tripp and Anna, Kyle and Alyson and Makayla Raines (as Cha-Cha) and Dylan provide standout dance performances.

Donโ€™t have your tickets yet? Visit NewTampaPlayers.org or see the ad below to get yours now!

2023 Neighborhood News Dining Survey & Contest (New Tampa)

Whether or not youโ€™ve ever entered one of our previous Reader Dining Survey & Contests, I hope youโ€™ll consider entering at least once this year.

Yes, while we still have at least three (there could be more) free dining prizes, from $35 to $100 โ€” to the restaurant of your choice in the Tampa Bay area โ€” weโ€™re making it easier than ever before for you to enter.

Instead of a full page or more of different dining categories, all weโ€™re asking you for is to answer one or two questions in any issue between now and Thursday, November 16, and youโ€™ll receive an entry into those random prize drawings for each Survey question you answer.

This issue, weโ€™ll start you off with two questions, each of which asks you for FIVE (5) different answers.

The first question, on this page, asks you to โ€œName your Five Favorite Restaurants (of any kind) located in New Tampaโ€ (including all of zip code 33647 โ€” Bruce B. Downs Blvd. from south of the Pasco County line to where E. Bearss Ave. meets Livingston Ave. โ€” and all of Cross Creek Blvd.).ย 

For your entry to be valid to win prizes for these questions, you must name five different restaurants for each of them. If you only name one or two restaurants or fill in the name of the same restaurant in all five spaces for either question, youโ€™ll only have one (or two) votes counted and your entry will not be eligible to win any of our prizes. Please also do not name restaurants located in Wesley Chapel as among your favorites in New Tampa or vice-versa.

Then, in each of the next five issues, weโ€™ll ask you to name only one or two of your  favorites โ€” for example, your Favorite Chinese Restaurant, Coffee Shop or Pizza Place โ€” and weโ€™ll give you one additional entry into our random prize drawings for each valid entry you submit. We feel as though this should stimulate more people to enter the contests, because the task wonโ€™t be as daunting as having to completely (or nearly completely) fill out an entire page of favorites โ€” and doesnโ€™t everyone who lives in New Tampa and Wesley Chapel have at least five favorite restaurants located in or near our distribution areas?

As always, thereโ€™s no purchase necessary to enter or win a prize. All we ask is that you follow the following rules:

1. Enter by clicking HERE and filling out the online survey form.

2. You can mail us your filled-out entry form (send it to โ€œ2023 Neighborhood News Dining Contest,โ€ 2604 Cypress Ridge Blvd., Suite 102D, Wesley Chapel, FL 33544) or email it to us at Ads@NTNeighborhoodNews.com. *Note-Entries filled out on our website do not need to be mailed or emailed to us.

3. Please check the addresses and zip codes of the restaurants you choose, as we will only consider votes for restaurants in zip code 33647, the portion of zip code 33559 (Lutz) on Bearss Ave., from BBD to Livingston Ave., and in the Oak Ramble Plaza (33613) as valid New Tampa votes, and only votes for restaurants located in zip codes 33543, 33544 and 33545 (Wesley Chapel) and zip code 33559 (Lutz, on S.R. 54 no further west than Oak Grove Blvd.) will be counted as valid โ€œWesley Chapelโ€ votes.

4. In order to be eligible to win any of our free dining prizes to the restaurant of your choice, your entry form with a response to at least one of our questions over the next five months must include your full name, the community you live in (Hunterโ€™s Green, Grand Hampton, etc.), a daytime phone number where you can be reached and your valid email address.

We look forward to seeing how this yearโ€™s contest shakes out. Good luck!

You can also click HERE to fill out the online form to tell us your favorite Wesley Chapel restaurants!

Entering Our 2023 Reader Dining Survey & Contest Is Easier Than Ever!

Whether or not youโ€™ve ever entered one of our previous Reader Dining Survey & Contests, I hope youโ€™ll consider entering at least once this year.

Yes, while we still have at least three (there could be more) free dining prizes, from $35 to $100 โ€” to the restaurant of your choice, no less โ€” weโ€™re making it easier than ever before for you to enter.

Instead of a full page or more of different dining categories, all weโ€™re asking you for is to answer one or two questions in every issue between now and Thursday, November 16, and youโ€™ll receive one entry into those random prize drawings for each Survey question you answer.

This issue, weโ€™ll start with one question that asks you for FIVE (5) answers โ€” โ€œName your Five Favorite Restaurants (of any kind) located in Wesley Chapel or near the Tampa Premium Outlets (aka Lutz).โ€ 

For your entry to be valid, you must name five different restaurants. If you only name one or two restaurants or fill in the name of the same restaurant in all five spaces, youโ€™ll only have one or two votes counted and your entry will not be eligible for any of our prizes.

Then, in each of the next five issues, weโ€™ll ask you to name only one or two of your  favorites โ€” for example, your Favorite Chinese Restaurant, Coffee Shop or Pizza Place โ€” and weโ€™ll give you one additional entry into our random prize drawings for each valid entry you submit. We feel as though this should stimulate more people to enter the contests, because the task wonโ€™t be as daunting as having to completely (or nearly completely) fill out an entire page of favorites.

As always, thereโ€™s no purchase necessary to enter or win a prize. All we ask is that you follow the following rules:

1. Enter by filling out the entry form in the issue or by filling the form out online by clicking HERE.ย 

2. You can drop your filled-out entry form in the mail (send it to โ€œ2023 Neighborhood News Dining Contest,โ€ 2604 Cypress Ridge Blvd., Suite 102D, Wesley Chapel, FL 33544) or even email it to us at Ads@NTNeighborhoodNews.com. *Note-Entries filled out on our website do not need to be mailed or emailed to us.

3. Please check the address and zip codes of the restaurants you choose, as only votes for restaurants in zip codes 33543, 33544 and 33545 (Wesley Chapel) and zip code 33559 (Lutz, within 1-2 miles of the S.R. 56 exit off I-75) will be counted as โ€œWesley Chapelโ€ votes. When we ask you next issue for your โ€œFive Favorite Restaurants (of any kind) in New Tampa,โ€ only restaurants located in zip code 33647, or in the Oak Ramble Plaza on Bruce B. Downs Blvd. (in zip code 33613) and in or near the Palms Connection Plaza on E. Bearss Ave. (zip code 33559) will be counted as โ€œNew Tampaโ€ votes.

4. In order to be eligible to win any of our free dining prizes to the restaurant of your choice, your entry form with a response to at least one of our questions over the next five months must include your name, full mailing address (including your zip code), the community you live in (Avalon Park Wesley Chapel, Seven Oaks, etc.), a daytime phone number where you can be reached and your valid email address.

We look forward to seeing how this yearโ€™s contest shakes out. Good luck!

Check Out โ€˜Greaseโ€ At The NTPAC!

If you love songs like โ€œYouโ€™re the One That I Want,โ€ โ€œHopelessly Devoted To You,โ€ โ€œGrease (Is The Word)โ€ and โ€œBeauty School Dropoutโ€ from the Broadway musical and subsequent movie (starring John Travolta and the late, great Olivia Newton-John) โ€œGrease,โ€ I can personally guarantee, in all sincerity, that you will not be disappointed if you check out the New Tampa Players (NTP) production of the 1972 Tony Award winner later this month. 

The performances will be presented at the all-new New Tampa Performing Arts Center (PAC) off Bruce B. Downs Blvd. the weekends of July 21-23 and July 28-30 and tickets are already selling very well.

โ€œWe had less than 100 tickets left (of the 350 available for each performance) for the two Sunday matinee shows (on July 23 & 30),โ€ said NTP producing artistic director Nora Paine shortly before we went to press with this issue. โ€œWe definitely expect to sell out all six shows.โ€

The hard-working cast (photo above), under the direction of G. Frank Meekins with choreography by Sarah Walston, features the tremendous talents of Dylan Fidler as Danny, Olivia Carr as Sandy, Kyle Fisher as Kenicke and Alyson Gannon as Rizzo. But honestly, as someone excited to be playing a minor character (Vince Fontaine) in this show, the entire ensemble is amazing.

For tickets & more information, see the ad below or visit NewTampaPlayers.org. โ€” GN