Coffee Drinks & More Take Flight At The Bean Bar Co.!

You can sip 5.5-oz samples of four favorite coffee drinks with the new coffee “flights” at The Bean Bar Co. in Tampa Palms. 
(Photos by Charmaine George).

Few people I know love a good cup of coffee more than I do, so the latest innovation at The Bean Bar Co., located just off the Bruce B. Downs (BBD) Blvd. exit of I-75 (in the plaza next to Stonewood Grill & Tavern in Tampa Palms), is definitely right up my alley.

Owner Danielle Henry says that The Bean Bear’s new “coffee flights” definitely borrowed the flight concept from alcoholic beverages, from beer to bourbon and from tequila to wine.

The flights offer customers four 5.5-oz. samples, one each of The Bean Bar’s four customer-favorite “classic” coffee drinks — cafĂ© mocha, Irish nutcase, cafĂ© con leche and caramel macchiato. And, Danielle says that since being introduced in January, the flights have really (pun intended) taken off.

“It’s always fun to introduce something new and see how people react to it,” Danielle says. “We’ve sold a lot of coffee flights in just a few weeks.”

In fact, leading up to Valentine’s Day, The Bean Bar offered a flight of four V-Day favorites — raspberry white chocolate, cherry almond, chocolate-covered strawberry and red velvet lattĂ©s. “We probably will experiment with other flights,” she says. “Stay tuned.”

For me, it’s difficult to stay away from the Bean Bar, whether anything new is introduced or not. I have continually switched off between the very-authentic-tasting cafĂ© con leche, made with real Cuban sugar, and the better-than-Starbucks caramel macchiato since the place first opened a little more than a year ago (in Nov. of 2021). But now, I may just have to put the cafĂ© mocha and some of the other flavors (e.g., toasted marshmallow and peanut butter cup) in my rotation. There also are a number of flavor shots available.

Whatever flavor you choose — even if you just like regular hot or iced — the coffee is always outstanding. Danielle says that all of the coffee is from Naviera Coffee Mills, “an amazing Cuban roast. And, even though people have tried to get us to switch, I don’t believe I ever will.” 

Danielle and her brother Kyle Trina each also operate a Bean Bar Co. food truck (and Danielle says both are new versions of their original food truck, and make regular appearances in Wesley Chapel), and she recently finished a 12-day run at the Florida State Fair. “We have the space (at the fair) right next to Peachey’s (Baking Co. of Sarasota), which sells amazing Amish donuts. It’s a perfect spot for us.”

But, as someone who can take or leave the fair, I’m just happy that The Bean Bar Co. has a brick-&-mortar location so close to where I live. In addition to the variety of hot and iced coffee drinks (including a nitro cold brew), there’s also a large menu of hot and iced tea favorites, from Earl Grey and Florida orange blossom to chai tea lattĂ©s.

But, What About Breakfast?

I’m glad you asked. I am  huge fan of The Bean Bar’s breakfast sandwiches — including the croissant egg sandwiches with garlic aioli, to which you can add turkey bacon or real bacon (for just $1 more), and my favorite waffle chicken sandwich with bacon & egg, served with breakfast syrup. So good.

 The quiche Lorraine isn’t house-made, but it’s still fluffy & delicious.

But, even though Danielle says it’s been on the menu for a long time, I only recently sampled The Bean Bar’s light-&-fluffy quiche Lorraine. It isn’t made on the premises, but it’s honestly better than the quiche at most places that do house-bake their own. There also are garlic-&-cheddar and everything-&-gouda bagels and Danielle says mini-sized Dutch-style pancakes (with strawberry jelly, Nutella and other toppings) are being added this month.

If you like your avocado toast a little spicy, try it at The Bean Bar!

And, while I don’t eat avocado toast, photographer Charmaine George says The Bean Bar’s spicy version of it, served on multi-grain bread, is worth a try, too. The sandwiches also are available for lunch, as are tasty beef and chicken empanadas.

Danielle also has brought in new baked goods. The current options include (all shown on the plate below) apple Danish, apple maple and creme brulĂ©e muffin tops (think “Seinfeld”), chocolate pastry twists and lemon raspberry and pink & red marble mini loafs. Other tasty treats float in and out (including cream-filled whoopie pies and strawberry-iced scones) — so stop in to check out the latest.

Danielle and her husband Mark recently welcomed their third child — son Hudson (the others are 5-year-old son Peyton and 2-1/2-year old daughter Layne).

The Bean Bar Co. is located at 17018 Palm Pointe Dr. and is open Mon.-Fri., 6 a.m.-5 p.m., & 7 a.m.-5 p.m. on Sat. & Sun. For more info, call (813) 442-7699, visit BeanBarCo.com or on Instagram (#beanbar_co) or Facebook (“The Bean Bar Co.”). Also, see the ad on pg. 37 to save 15% off your entire order.

Legacy At Highwoods Preserve Celebrates Vets, Centenarians & More

The day after Presidents Day, The Legacy hosted a North Tampa Bay Chamber  ribbon-cutting event to celebrate the assisted living & memory care facility’s Grand Reopening.

Congratulations to The Legacy at Highwoods Preserve (18600 Highwoods Preserve Pkwy.) — which was the first full-service assisted living and memory care residence to open in New Tampa when it made its debut more than a decade ago — for hosting a couple of great recent events. 

On Presidents Day (Feb. 21), The Legacy hosted a unique celebration to honor its three residents who are all at least 100 years old — Grace Forsythe (age 101), Mary Carbonara (100) and Holocaust survivor Nat Ross (also 100). As part of the celebration, The Legacy executive director Mitchell Edelstein  unveiled a unique wall mural adorned with the U.S. flag, an American bald eagle and photos of all ten Legacy residents who also are U.S. military veterans.

The next day, Edelstein and the entire staff at The Legacy hosted a North Tampa Bay Chamber ribbon-cutting event in honor of its Grand Reopening, with amazing food by Chef Josh. For more info about The Legacy at Highwoods Preserve, call (813) 375-9858 or visit LegacyPreserveTampa.com. 

Tampa City Council member Luis Viera celebrates the lives of the three 100-year-old residents at The Legacy at Highwoods Preserve (l.-r.) Grace Forsythe, Nat Ross & Mary Carbonara.
A new wall mural honoring all of the U.S. military vets at The Legacy also was unveiled on Presidents Day

New Tampa’s Your CBD Store Adapting With New Products

Your CBD Store New Tampa owners Deborah and David Curler promise their store is different from other CBD sellers. (Photos: John C. Cotey)

A lot has changed in the time since Deborah and David Curler opened their Your CBD Store in the Pebble Creek Collection just 15 months ago, back on November 29, 2019.

But, the biggest change was that Covid-19 happened. As fledgling business owners coming off a couple of good months, the Curlers were hit hard by the pandemic, forced to reduce their hours and having to fight for their survival. 

Keeping them going were their customers, who needed their help during the pandemic more than ever. While there were fewer of them, regular customers were still coming in or ordering for curbside pickup for Your CBD Store’s stress-, anxiety- and pain-reducing CBD products, which many consider miracle solutions.

A case in point is Mary Maloy, who  has rheumatoid arthritis, and was wary of taking prescription drugs, which her daughter, who works in the medical profession, said were very strong.

So, after some research, she drove from her Temple Terrace home to the Your CBD Store in New Tampa, and says she has been mostly pain-free ever since.

“David explained everything to me, he was so friendly and nice and what I really liked is they didn’t try to force anything on me,” said Mary, who now takes a non-THC oil twice a day. She says David helped her adjust her dosage until it was just right, at 33 milligrams.

As the pandemic raged, David delivered to Mary’s home so she wouldn’t have to venture out. “They really are like family,” Mary says — and she wasn’t the only one in need during the height of the pandemic.  

Deborah says a nurse from nearby AdventHealth walked through the doors one day. “I’ll never forget it,” Deborah says. “She came in and was in tears. She said to me, ‘What do you have for stress and anxiety? I can’t take this anymore.”

As Deborah assisted her, the nurse told her she had “zipped up three people today.” Deborah was stunned. She recommended a full spectrum water soluble — which takes effect in 7-10 minutes — and the nurse went on her way, only to return again a few weeks later.

“To know that we helped is very gratifying,” says Deborah, who adds that many of the regulars at her store are now  doctors and nurses at AdventHealth. Many of the nurses continue to share heart-wrenching stories, she says. 

“God bless them for what they are doing,” Deborah says.

Customer Service & Education

Debroah says that outstanding customer service is why Your CBD Store has a 4.9 (out of 5)-star rating on Google, where the Curlers and their employees are applauded for their knowledge, passion and sterling customer service.

Helping people is why Deborah says she opened her own Your CBD Store. She and David have studied and become experts on CBD products which, in many cases, provide relief for those suffering from all kinds of maladies — from insomnia to cancer to chronic pain and anxiety. 

The Curlers take great pleasure in educating new customers, and a flat-screen television and two chairs are positioned at the front of their store for those who want to learn more, although more and more people have become familiar with the products since CBD has become more normalized. You can even get a free sample if you want to try CBD.

“I would say 75 percent of the people who walk in already know about CBD,” David says. “But, 25 percent don’t, and they are curious. They have questions.”

The biggest usually centers around the relationship of CBD to marijuana and “getting high.” 

CBD, or cannabidiol, is one of more than 100 cannabinoids that grow on cannabis, of which both hemp and marijuana are varieties. Like “weed,” CBD originates from hemp, which contains less than 0.3. of THC (tetrahydrocannabinol), which causes the “high,” while marijuana has much higher levels of THC. 

So no, CBD products will not get you high. But, they will, in most cases, provide relief from pain, anxiety and stress. 

Your CBD Store, a chain with more than 500 stores nationwide, carries a wide variety of products containing CBD, which are made by SunMed. SunMed has its own farms in Denver, CO, where the company grows the hemp that is then processed in Florida.

Each product comes with a QR code on the bottle, which can be scanned to produce that product’s lab report. David says that’s a big deal, and few other CBD producers are willing to show their work to verify the purity of their products.

Cannabinoids, whether CBD, CBG (cannabigerol) and CBN (cannabinol), which are relatively new to the CBD product world, come in both full and broad spectrum. Full-spectrum CBD products contain 0.3% of THC, which is the legal limit, while broad-spectrum products contain zero THC.

Deborah says that full spectrum is considered stronger, and is the bigger seller. Full- and broad-spectrum products both come in a variety of forms to suit your preference, like pills, water solubles, tinctures, gummies and vapes, and range in dosages from 5 milligrams to 2,000 mg. 

Your CBD Store New Tampa also offers SunMed’s award-winning topical creams, which are effective in relieving joint pain. There also are CBD dog treats (above), which can keep your pet more relaxed and less anxious during stress-inducing events like fireworks and thunderstorms.

Newer cannabinoids now being sold at Your CBD Store include CBG, which provides a pick-me-up effect, and CBN, which is THC-free and is designed to promote nighttime relaxation and slumber. Both products are hot sellers at the New Tampa store, Deborah says.

And now, you can even purchase hemp in its raw form, as a flower, and use it in a number of ways.

“You can brew it in tea, sprinkle it on your salad and even smoke it,” David says. “But, you’re not going to get high off it.”

Your CBD Store New Tampa also sells CBD/hemp cookbooks, for the adventurous sort.

The New CBD Delta

However, creating the most buzz, pardon the pun, at Your CBD Store New Tampa is Delta-8, which is a close cousin to Delta-9, or THC.

The difference between the two is just one particular chemical bond appearing on the eighth carbon molecule instead of the ninth. The different chemical configuration makes Delta-8 less potent, and has been reported to provide users with a smoother “high” without the anxiety and paranoia associated with Delta-9/THC.

Dubbed “Weed Light” by some, it has nearly the same positive effects of Delta-9, but fewer of the negative effects.

Delta-8 is available at Your CBD Store New Tampa in tincture, gummy and spray form.

“Since Christmas time, the phone has been blowing up for Delta-8,” she says. “I can’t believe how big a seller it is. It is flying off the shelves.”

The Curlers hope the pandemic is on its way out the door, and business returns to its previous levels. Prices have been reduced by 20-30 percent per bottle by SunMed, as it combats consumer trepidation during these difficult times, but new products continue to flow into the store in hopes of a rebound. You also can receive $10 off your first purchase by joining the stores Loyalty Club, which can lead to other discounts and freebies.

“We’re surviving at this point,” Deborah says. “We’re praying for the best, so we can keep doing what we love, which is helping people. We feel close to our customers. They come to rely on you. And we want to be here.”

Your CBD Store New Tampa is located at 19651 Bruce B. Downs Blvd., Suite B-1. It is open every day except Sunday, 10 a.m.-6 p.m. For more information, call (813) 994-0599 or visit CBDRX4U.com/find-us/florida/new-tampa.

The Grove Theater & Bistro Opens, At Last

A full bar in available at the Grove Theater, Bistro & Entertainment for a pre-movie drink.

The Grove Theater, Bistro & Entertainment will have a spin room, children’s room, acting studio, a comedy club and more, but on Feb. 19, it finally opened to do what it was built to do:

Show movies.

After more than a year of renovations and redesign, the theater debuted its new reclining leather seats and bistro with a showing of movies like “Judas and the Black Messiah”, “Land” and “The Little Things.”

The former Cobb Theater was operating at limited capacity, with only 50 percent seating in checkerboard style, and no one sitting in front of, behind or next to other customers. Only some of the 12 screens were in use, and some of the showings were sold out.

The selection of movies also is limited, as Hollywood has held back on production and releases due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

The Bistro dining area, which The Grove Theater management refers to as “upscale,” was busy on the weekend nights, with a wide menu of dishes, featuring items like steak, shrimp macaroni and cheese, fish tacos and bruschetta, with crùme brulee highlighting its desert options. The chicken parmesan was the most popular menu item, and all could be ordered at Bistro tables, as well as for in-movie dining.

Laron, Angel and English Hearst (eating the burger) of New Tampa enjoying a meal at the Grove Bistro.

A full bar serving drinks, as well as a sushi bar, are also part of the Bistro, and the main lobby has 45 video arcade games for pre-movie entertainment.

“People are ready to go back to the movies and we are proud to be able to provide them with a safe environment to enjoy a night out with their friends and family,” said Matheus Gold, vice president of operations. “We are operating at 50% capacity with checkerboard seating and sold out several showings our opening weekend. Our Bistro offers new dishes and the feedback we received is that we are back better than ever.” 

The theater is taking lots of Covid-19 safety precautions, with temperature checks at the door and facial coverings required inside. However, with the limited seating, social distancing was easily manageable.

The two-floor, 85,000-sq.-ft. movie theater is being dubbed by developer Mark Gold as the future of how entertainment will be offered to attract families. His plans are for families to come for dinner, leave the kids in a converted-theater Kids Play Place room, and see a movie or comedy show at Side Splitters Comedy Club (which is expected to open this spring).

Then, families can then spend time together cruising the 200-acre complex, which will have a mini-golf course, the much anticipated KRATE by Gold Box container park and a “downtown village” area, all featuring other bars, restaurants and retailers. 

The theater renovations are another part of a massive project at The Grove, which Gold’s Mishorin Gold Properties purchased in September 2019 for $62.7 million. 

The Grove Theater, Bistro and Entertainment will be open Saturday and Sunday from 4-9:30 p.m., and Sundays noon-7 p.m. Tickets can be reserved at grovetheater.com.

Creativity Unpinned Offers Unique Gifts, Artisan-Created Crafts & More!

Bracelets made from recycled t-shirts.

Moving, metal art made from nuts and bolts that look just like a dog, a scuba diver and even a Minion from “Despicable Me.”

There also are margarita glasses that seem to belong in a chemistry lab.

There’s something special about the kinds of hand-made, artisan-created treasures you can find at a weekend craft fair.

At Creativity Unpinned, you don’t have to wait for the weekend or take a long drive to find unique gifts. Owner Wendy O’Neill says that it’s like the craft fair comes to you, all in one convenient place, available whenever the mall is open.

Creativity Unpinned is one of the newer stores at the Shops at Wiregrass, and is located in the space that was formerly occupied by the Gymboree store.

It opened in April, and since then, Wendy says more and more customers are discovering her many one-of-a-kind items that are either the perfect gift — or even the perfect find for themselves.

At Creativity Unpinned, 56 different artisans currently rent space to share their hand-crafted treasures.
“Everybody’s stuff is different,” Wendy explains, saying that all but three of her artisans are local.

She also explains that 80 percent of what’s in the store is hand-made, while the other 20 percent is a collection of unique lines of items, such as Mozi rings, or their glow-in-the-dark counterparts, Glozi rings.

“They are crazy fun,” Wendy says, showing off the unique contraption that is somewhat reminiscent of the old Slinky, but instead rolls up and down your arms and can be passed from person to person.

“We like to be interactive,” she says, so she hands the toy to anyone who wants to try it in the store.
Creativity Unpinned is filled with handmade items so that everyone can find something special, such as tooth fairy pillows, hand-drawn artwork and cards, stunning photography, doll outfits and hand-painted glassware.

There’s a Christmas section with the eye-catching and fun Deb’s Tacky Sweaters.

“They are hilarious,” Wendy says, showing off sweaters, sweater vests — even a dress — decorated with outrageously tacky ornaments, sure to be the talk of any Christmas party.

Many other Christmas-themed gifts are available, too, such as dish towels and “Santa Cam” ornaments.
Wendy also says that items throughout the store reflect popular themes, such as unicorns or mermaids, which are hot sellers right now.

Book pillows are a popular item, she says, with a pocket sewn into the pillow that you can tuck a book into. The vendor who makes the book pillows even provides a free book of the customer’s choice with the purchase of a pillow.

See something you like but it’s not exactly right? Because most of the store’s items are handmade, nearly anything at Creativity Unpinned can be custom-made, such as a book pillow customized to complement your child, grandchild, niece or nephew’s favorite bedtime story.

Wendy says her customers love their pets, and items throughout the store with pet themes also are popular. Plus, you can order a personalized caricature of your pet, or pick out handmade clothes for your pooch — anything from a leather jacket to a bathrobe.

Creativity Unpinned also features a wide variety of price points, since vendors set their own prices. There’s even a line of kids’ items that is priced intentionally so kids can choose something they can buy with their own allowance money.

Wendy says there is room for about 75 vendors in the store, but that there is a waiting list for several types of artisans, such as those who create jewelry.

“We want a nice variety of jewelry,” says Wendy, which she says she now has with different artistic influences from countries such as Venezuela and Mexico, a variety of materials from natural items such as flowers and leaves to Italian glass. “But, we don’t want to become a jewelry store.”

She says she looks for high quality, and she has turned vendors away whose quality wasn’t up to her standards.

“We give creative entrepreneurs the opportunity to own a business,” Wendy says. “It amazes me what our artisans come up with. They really blow me away.”

Creativity Unpinned sometimes does classes and special events, such as the class on making shadowboxes that was taught after hours one Sunday evening.

Fund Raisers, Too!
A recent fundraiser allowed each vendor at Creativity Unpinned to choose a charity they would like to support. Shoppers voted for their favorite one, and the winning charity – Trinity Outreach – will receive $500, the proceeds of a special sale of items donated for the event. “It raised awareness for charities,” explains Wendy, “and people had fun with it.”

Creativity Unpinned has three employees, and like Wendy, they are all dedicated to top-notch customer service.

“We’ll point out things to you and tell you the backstory that makes an item even more interesting,” Wendy says. “We can do that because these items aren’t mass produced.”

She emphasizes that she wants customers to come in and touch and smell and feel the products, which is something her vendors appreciate.

For example, there is Rhonda McDaniel’s line of artisan soaps, called A Caring Touch Skin Therapy.

“I love being a vendor at Creativity Unpinned because my products are available to customers at the mall,” Rhonda says. “I like shopping there myself.”

While she mostly sells her products online, she likes that her website now tells people they can visit Creativity Unpinned to see her products in person.

Rhonda says she loves interacting with the customers who are interested in her artisan soaps. “When I go in the store, I can see their excitement about the product and answer their questions,” she says.

Creativity Unpinned is located at 28163 Paseo Dr., #180. For more information, search “Creativity Unpinned” on Facebook, or call (813) 575-9605.