Pasco Hernando State College held the official ribbon cutting of its Instructional Performing Arts Center (IPAC), which has been open less than a year, on Jan. 6. Speakers praised the public-private effort to bring the facility to fruition. (Photos: Charmaine George)
After nine months of operating quietly on the campus of Cypress Creek High off Old Pasco Rd., the Pasco Hernando State College (PHSC) Instructional Performing Arts Center (IPAC) is preparing to spread its wings in 2022.
On Jan. 6, PHSC and governmental officials held the IPAC’s official ribbon cutting, with a dozen or so local dignitaries (like county commissioners Ron Oakley and Mike Moore and Florida State Rep. Randy Maggard, a PHSC graduate) on hand to give short speeches, some of them focusing on the success of the IPAC and its future offerings to the community.
Afterwards, IPAC executive director Lauren Murray, DMA (pictured above), said that PHSC students have already embraced the theater classes, and will be able to take dance classes this semester and participate in the facility’s music program starting this fall.
There also will be group piano and guitar lessons, which also will be available to the public, and Murray (right photo)has high hopes for launching a community art series this fall, which would include things like jazz trios, locally produced musicals and even stand-up comics.
“It will be pretty diverse, with musical, theatrical and dance events that we expect will reach a broad range of people,” said Dr. Murray.
The state-of-the-art, 35,000-sq.-ft. IPAC features a number of studios for things like dance, music and video production, and the 444-seat Will Weatherford Theater — named for the former Florida Speaker of the House who helped secure funding for the $18-million facility, is considered the heart of IPAC.
The facility already has won two awards — a first place Special Projects in the Florida Educational Facilities Planners’ Association, Inc., 2021 Architectural Showcase!, and an Excellence in Collaboration award from the North Tampa Bay Chamber of Commerce.
“It’s a nearly $20-million investment in our region that will be truly transformational for our students, our families and the residents of this area,” said PHSC Provost Dr. Kevin O’Farrell. “There is really nothing like the Instructional Performing Arts Center that we have here at PHSC.”
Ray Gadd, deputy superintendent for Pasco County Schools, was one of those first approached when the idea of building a performing arts center or arena came up years ago. He told the ribbon-cutting crowd that in his search for the right kind of design, he collected floor plans from the Tampa Bay area’s Mahaffey, Capitol and Straz theaters, and even a theater in Singapore that had a $100-million price tag.
“We didn’t quite get there,” he said, laughing. “Regardless of the cost, what we got was a jewel.”
There have already been 26 events held at the IPAC, most of them small and self-produced by local groups who rented the theater. There have been two fully-staged theatrical productions, musical events, day-long conferences and Dr. Murray said the active Indian community in Wesley Chapel has held two dance events with three more planned this spring.
She is hoping to augment the positive start with the community art series, outdoor festivals, week-long festivals and large-scale events.
“We plan to reach a lot of people,” Murray says. “We really are looking to cover the gamut.”
For more information, visit PHSC.edu or call (813) 536-2816.
County Commissioner Mike Moore announced his retirement Monday.
Pasco County District 2 Commissioner Mike Moore, who represents most of Wesley Chapel and has played a pivotal role in the growth of the area, unexpectedly announced Monday that he will not run for re-election in November.
“It has been an honor and a pleasure to serve the citizens of Pasco County over the past seven years,” Moore wrote in a statement released Monday afternoon, “and I am pleased to have led a number of transformative changes to better the quality of life for the citizens of Pasco County.”
Moore said in the statement that after much deliberation with his family, he would be returning to the private sector full-time as a small business owner (he owns a business consulting firm) at the conclusion of his term.
He gave no further hints to what lies ahead.
“Not sure what I’m doing yet,” he told the Neighborhood News in a text message. “Haven’t made any decisions.”
Moore has held the District 2 seat since 2014, when he defeated Democrat Erika Jean Remsberg with 59 percent of the vote; he won re-election with 60 percent of the vote in 2018, defeating challenger Kelly Smith.
He has served as the commission chairman in 2017 and 2020, and vice-chairman in 2016 and 2019.
Moore has helped speed up a number of major transportation projects, including the diverging diamond interchange, spearheaded the addition of a new indoor recreation center (and before that, a universally inclusive playground) at Wesley Chapel District Park as well as playing a role in the building of the Wiregrass Ranch Sports Campus of Pasco County, and most recently was the driving force behind a six-month (now one year) moratorium on new apartments in the Wesley Chapel area.
In 2017, the Greater Wesley Chapel Chamber presented him with the Community Hero Award (picture), honoring his efforts in helping grow Wesley Chapel.
“I am extremely grateful for the citizens of Pasco County who placed their trust and vote in me,” Moore wrote. “Even though I am retiring from the commission, I will always be your champion and will continue to be by your side fighting for what is best for our county’s future.”
A former radio/TV major at the University of Central Florida, Moore launched Reel Politics in August 2021, a weekly talk show that can be heard on The Answer 860 AM or 93.7.
Moore lives in Wesley Chapel with his wife Lauren and their three children.
Treble Makers owner Jamie Hess (left) and executive chef Kevin Maggard pose with Neighborhood News publisher Gary Nager, who has once again chosen Treble Makers as his favorite Wesley Chapel restaurant again.
Every year, in the issue after we report the results of our annual Reader Dining Survey & Contest, I always feel compelled to give you my dining favorites, including all of the restaurants that opened in (or very near) Wesley Chapel and New Tampa the previous year.
As someone who remembers when Cracker Barrel, Denny’s, Waffle House and Brewmaster’s Steakhouse (the original tenant in Vallarta’s spot in the Village Market plaza) were the only “restaurants” in Wesley Chapel outside of Saddlebrook Resort — and who has sampled every new place to eat since then — I do feel uniquely qualified to provide you with my annual list of favorites in both of our distribution areas.
And, even though quite a few new eateries opened in our distribution areas in 2021 after the reader voting ended, my top-25 “survey” lists aren’t quite as different from the readers’ lists this year as they have been in previous years, especially here in Wesley Chapel.
1 — TREBLE MAKERS 6034 Wesley Grove Blvd. The Grove at Wesley Chapel (813) 406-4371 Even though a number of local chain restaurants made it to my top-25 list of Gary’s Favorites in Wesley Chapel for 2021, I am still someone who most appreciates great mom-&-pop eateries. And, as someone who has been observing, enjoying and writing about the local dining scene for 28 years next month, I just have to say that of all the mom-&-pop places that have opened in Wesley Chapel and New Tampa (at least those that are still in business) since I bought the Neighborhood News in 1994, Treble Makers Dueling Piano Bar & Restaurant truly is my #1 favorite — now for two years in a row!
In order to be at the top of my Favorites list, a restaurant has to specialize in the items that I appreciate most when Jannah and I go out to eat, whether for lunch or dinner.
Wahoo Bianco
First of all, we love sharing a great steak (Jannah prefers a filet, but I also love the New York strip).
Second, our favorite places always have to have great fresh fish on the menu, too. You can keep us coming back for more with grouper, snapper, mahi-mahi or the amazing wahoo bianco — it’s my favorite new dish in Wesley Chapel for 2021 — so thanks to Treble Makers Executive Chef Kevin Maggard for staying creative.
Co-owners Jamie and his brother Joe Hess and Lee Bevan also are to be commended for sticking to their guns with providing an affordable, yet upscale, fine dining experience with great food, located in Wesley Chapel proper, despite all of those chain restaurants and having to fight through the worst pandemic of all of our lifetimes.
An, while Treble Makers is still also an entertainment destination, especially on weekend evenings, you owe it to yourself to check it out during the day or any night other than Friday or Saturday, when Jamie admits that the service can be slower due to the sold-out nature of most of those dueling piano shows.
Jannah and I have enjoyed those shows, but most of the time, we just visit for a great meal. My favorite appetizers are the sesame-crusted seared ahi tuna appetizer, the potato gnocchi with smokey Alfredo sauce and the sweet & spicy fried calamari.Â
In other words, Treble Makers is my back-to-back Favorite restaurant in Wesley Chapel for good reason.
Treble Makers Dueling Piano Bar & Restaurant is open every day for lunch and dinner. For dinner & show reservations or more info, call (813) 406-4371 or visit TrebleMakersofWC.com. `
2 — GRILLSMITH 2000 Piazza Ave #100 The Shops at Wiregrass (813) 907-1900
3 — FALABELLAÂ FAMILY BISTRO 6027 Wesley Grove Blvd. Suite 105 (813) 428-6957
Congrats to owner Steve Falabella, his family, GM Adrian Luna and the staff of Falabella Family Bistro, my favorite new restaurant to open in Wesley Chapel in 2021. Steve also managed to open his second local pizza place — 900Âş New York Pizza — adjacent to the Bistro in The Grove, all while turning the Bistro into the favorite Italian restaurant in The Chap. With delicious Italian specialties like beef short rib ragu, Sam’s meatballs and the spaghetti with white clam sauce shown above, plus amazing desserts (amazing cheesecakes, tiramisu, etc.) by Evelyn Barreno of 7 Layers Bakery, if the Bistro adds a fresh fish dish other than salmon to the regular menu (I loved the mahi-mahi special), the Bistro could move up in my ratings.   Â
5 — FLORIDA AVE. BREWING CO. 2029 Arrowgrass Dr. (813) 452-6333 Although the menu is missing some of our favorite items, what remains available at Florida Ave. Brewing Co. still keeps it near the top of my rankings. And, with the opening of what may be the largest microbrewery in Florida in 2021, Florida Ave. is only getting more popular. The restaurant’s cutely named specialty burgers are tasty, but you can still order a plain bacon cheeseburger with fresh veggies (photo) — and you won’t regret it. Florida Ave. also has crispy wings, a great chicken club sandwich and popular Korean-style bibimbap bowls (now available with a variety of protein options, from chicken and bulgogi shaved prime rib to salmon and vegan Beyond burger), plus beers, ales, hard seltzers and ciders and a full-liquor bar.Â
7 — BLUEFIN JAPANESE RESTAURANT 6034 Wesley Grove Blvd. (813) 803-4709 Based on the rankings shown on this page, BlueFin was my second favorite new restaurant to open in Wesley Chapel in 2021. It also qualified as my second favorite Asian restaurant in Wesley Chapel, behind Zukku-San. And for good reason. This newcomer offers completely different takes on its large sushi and sashimi menu, and its gyoza dumplings (photo), and veggie tempura, soft shell crab, chicken teriyaki and steak fried rice are all outstanding. We also really enjoy the hibachi-style filet mignon, chicken and scallops, the fried pork or chicken katsu and the overall vibe of the place, which is located directly next door to Treble Makers in The Grove. There’s also a great variety of beer, wine and sake.Â
8 — OMARI’S GRILL Lexington Oaks Golf Club 26133 Lexington Oaks Blvd. (813) 907-7270 Omari’s Grill at the Lexington Oaks Golf Club may have dropped a little in my rankings this year, but not because the quality of the food has slipped at all. The problem is that, like many restaurants nationwide, Omari’s has greatly reduced the number of choices on its menu, including several of mine and Jannah’s favorites. The good news is that you can still get co-owner/chef Anass El-Omari’s perfect grilled mahi-mahi topped with mango salsa, crispy, but tender chicken parmigiana, filet mignon with cream sauce and Cajun pasta with andouille sausage, but only as Friday night dinner specials. The burgers and grilled chicken sandwiches (photo, right), wings and salads on the regular menu are all as good as you’ll find here.
9 — TOP SHELF SPORTS LOUNGE AdventHealth Center Ice 3173 Cypress Ridge Blvd. (813) 953-1032 When Top Shelf first opened at what is now called AdventHealth Center Ice, it was a best-kept secret as far as being a place with great food and a rockin’ full-liquor bar scene for watching Tampa Bay Lightning games. Well, the word is out now, as Top Shelf is almost always packed, especially for Bolts games, but the food is still outstanding. Top Shelf still has some of the best wings, burgers and bar food around (you can even get delicious mixed veggies as a side), and has added new menu items like the brisket quesadilla (pictured) and ahi tuna and Havana bowls. The true Canadian-style poutines are super-popular, as are the craft beers from owner Keelan Cottle’s own 81Bay Brewing.
Patrick Paterson and Brianna Miranda are proud to serve you a hard-to-find beer in a traditional beer stein (above) at Mr. Dunderbak’s. (Photo: Charmaine George)
1. Mr. Dunderbak’s 14929 Bruce B. Downs Blvd. (813) 977-4104 Dunderbaks.com
When J.B. Ellis bought Mr. Dunderbak’s 25 years ago, it had just six beers on draught and he says the first thing he did was get rid of the Natural Ice and Bud Light. Don’t be shocked.
He replaced those popular favorites at other bars, and expanded the bar, with the kinds of beers you would expect in a European pub: a variety of English, Belgian and German lagers, just for starters. You could argue, by the cases and cases of beers throughout, that the joint looks like a beer hoarder had moved in to live there.
When Ellis moved the bar/restaurant from its original space in University Square Mall to its current location on BBD, he cut a hole in the wall of what used to be a hair salon next door and added an in-house brewery, “so I could brew things I want to brew.”
The wide and traditional selection of beers, along with a quirky and comforting setting and a menu featuring German goodies like sandwiches, sausages and schnitzels that draw in big crowds, make it New Tampa’s best bar this year (at least, according to our readers), despite the fact it only offers beer and wine and no hard liquor.
A charming curmudgeon, Ellis is definitely old school. He was at ground zero of the craft and home beer explosion in Tampa Bay, and offers more beers (500+) that you can’t find anywhere else than anyone else in the New Tampa, including favorites like Hacker Pschorr and many others.
“Your chances of finding a candy corn-flavored, lactose-infused cookie dough bull—- beer is just not going to happen here,” he says.
Which is why he proudly sells T-shirts that say “Beer Flavored Beer” on them at his popular location.
Of all the winning restaurants and bars in this year’s survey, no one has a better Google rating than Mr. Dunederbak’s — an impressive 4.8 out of 5 stars average, with more than 2,000 reviews.
Our readers are definitely among those who agree. — JCC
Although it hasn’t always finished as high with our readers for Favorite Bar as it has for Favorite Restaurant in New Tampa (including this year), one of the highest compliments you can pay the local location of this mini-chain is that there may be no more New Tampa crowd at any bar in our area year after year than at Stonewood Grill & Tavern.
The drinks aren’t cheap, but neither are they overpriced, and many locals (including Jannah and yours truly) prefer to dine at the bar instead of the more private tables and booths in the main dining area.
Part of the reason for that is the crowd itself — which is usually made up of Stonewood’s well-dressed regulars — but it’s also because of the outstanding service provided by the always-attentive bartenders. In other words, Stonewood is your place for great food, drinks and conversation. — GN
3. Fat Rabbit Pub 16029 Tampa Palms Blvd. W. (813) 252-3004 FatRabbitPub.com
There aren’t too many things that The Fat Rabbit Pub does wrong, hitting the triple crown of bar services — great food, great bar and a relaxing and clean atmosphere. It caters to both drinkers and eaters, and a plethora of TVs makes it a perfect place to catch a game after work.
The Fat Rabbit has a wide variety of beers, the lineup being regularly tweaked with craft and local beers, as well as a full offering of premium liquor and wine. It may also be the sharpest-looking bar in town.
When it comes to food, Fat Rabbit, which was the No. 4 overall favorite restaurant last year (#11 this year), can make the case for having both the best (and widest variety of) wings, as well as the best burgers in New Tampa. Oh, and the tater tots (try the New Tampa Truffle) are a treat, too.
The Fat Rabbit isn’t an entertainment venue, but its food, drinks (try a bourbon flight) and service are outstanding. — JCC
The rest of your Favorite Bar in NT top 10: (4) Glory Days (5) Acropolis (6) Via Italia (7) Peabody’s (8) Chili’s (9) Bayscape (T10) Red Lobster and Olive Garden.Â
Two Wesley Chapel residents were killed Wednesday afternoon in a two-car accident on S.R. 56, according to the Florida Highway Patrol.
According the the FHP report, the driver of a 2017 Nissan Rogue was traveling eastbound on S.R. 56 when it turned left at the intersection of Lajuana Blvd. It was struck by a 2017 Honda Accord driven by a 17-year-old from Wesley Chapel driving westbound.
Upon impact, the Nissan Rogue overturned. A 52-year-old man — who was not wearing a seatbelt and was ejected from the vehicle — and a 56-year-old woman (who was wearing a seatbelt and removed from the vehicle by a passersby) suffered fatal injuries and were pronounced dead at the scene.
The 17-year-old was wearing a seatbelt and is seriously injured.
According to a GoFundMe page set up by Mindy Gammage, those killed in the accident were Jody and Johnna Seifert, and they were the victims of “reckless street racing.” The GoFundMe page urges people to “please take two minutes to discuss with your children the dire importance of safe driving.”
The initial FHP report makes no mention of any speeding. The report does ask that any witnesses to this crash contact the FHP by calling 813-558-1800.
The GoFundMe page says the Seiferts are the parents of three children: a son, and two daughters that graduated from Wiregrass Ranch High. Johnna Seifert was the social media marketing manager at Fox Hollow Golf Club in Trinity and owned Johnna Seifert Photography, which specialized in golf events. Jody Seifert was the executive director of XUDE Hospitality, a property management company.
