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Local Thrill Seeker’s Passion Is Volunteering

For more than 30 years, Edwin Rodriguez has made the long commute to work in Clearwater every day from his home in Wesley Chapel.

But, for the past six years, he has been breaking up his Tuesday drive home with a stop at the Florida Aquarium in downtown Tampa.

There, he dons scuba gear and spends several hours cleaning the tanks. Rodriguez has racked up more than 640 hours of volunteering in that role, and others, at the aquarium.

For example, he says it makes him jump out of bed with a smile when there’s a special occasion.

“My favorite is Halloween,” he says. “Every year, I dress up like Spider-Man underwater, and the kids go nuts. Just imagine me crawling on the glass like a spider. The looks on the kids’ faces are just priceless.”

Edwin also volunteers to help clean Tampa Bay, especially after large events like the Gasparilla parade.

“We dive to clean the beads that end up in the water,” he says. “And not only beads. Last time we went, we got a couple of those scooters that people ride around town — all kinds of garbage that you wouldn’t even believe.”

Edwin started scuba diving in 1986 in his native Puerto Rico. He moved to Florida in 1988, and then discovered skydiving.

“At that point, I put my scuba gear away,” he says. When he suffered an injury not related to skydiving, Ruth, his wife of 21 years, told him it was time to find something different.

He agreed, on one condition. He needed to keep the adrenaline pumping, so they tried new adventures together. They started riding ATVs, and then jet skis.

“My wife said she’d like to try scuba diving,” explains Edwin, “and immediately, my passion for it came back.”

Wanting to spend more time underwater, he found out he could dive as a volunteer at the Florida Aquarium.

“Once I started, I began to understand the mission and vision of the aquarium,” he says. “When I started, my reason for volunteering was selfishly wanting to dive more, but now, I see the big picture. The aquarium’s work to restore the planet has deeply impacted me.”

“Every time I brush a coral (which you have to be properly trained to do), I realize I’m making an impact,” he says. “I’m making it more clean and safe for the animals, and helping the aquarium to be able to bring more people in, plus everything they do to help the planet that people don’t see.”

The process to become an aquarium volunteer is rigorous, and not everyone who wants to help is chosen to do so. Edwin explains that he first filled out an application, then attended a seminar to understand expectations, and completed a required medical test.

He then had to pass a swim test. He says that treading water for 10 minutes and demonstrating his scuba skills was no problem, but even after training, the now-55-year-old says it was difficult for him to swim the required number of meters in the time allotted. After that, he studied for and passed an online test, then started training, including learning how to properly dive in an aquarium.

He says it was all worth it, as he enjoys helping the aquarium, its animals and many visitors, including his six-year-old grandson. “He’s everything to me,” Edwin says. “He loves to go to the aquarium and would go every day if we would let him.”

Edwin was recently recognized at the Florida Aquarium’s annual appreciation event with its annual Outstanding Service Award.

“I don’t see me stopping anytime soon,” he says. “I want to retire from work when I turn 60 and I will have time available, so I want to use more of that time at the aquarium. If I get to the point where I can’t scuba dive, there are plenty of other things to do at the aquarium.”

Florida Aquarium

Honesty & Integrity Make Leiva’s Jewelry Sparkle Even Brighter

There are a number of jewelry stores where Pebble Creek resident Larry Savage can bring in a watch to be repaired, or to buy a nice bracelet or ring for his girlfriend.

However, he says, there really is only one place he trusts for those things — Leiva’s Jewelry.

Located a few doors down from the Publix in the New Tampa Center plaza at the corner of Bruce B. Downs (BBD) Blvd. and New Tampa Blvd., Jonathan Leiva and his father Transito have run Leiva’s Jewelry since 2012, and have developed a large base of loyal customers who enjoy the Leivas’ friendly and honest approach.

“I’ve always been a champion of him and his business,” says Savage, who refers to Jonathan as Johnny. “Ever since I started going there, I feel like I am talked to in a straight manner and with honesty. That’s a big deal to me.”

Transito, who goes mostly by just “Leiva,” has been a master jeweler for more than 40 years, often bringing Jonathan along to work and showing him the ropes.

“That’s when I fell in love with the business,” Jonathan says.

At Leiva’s Jewelry, a wide selection of jewelry is offered, as well as a number of services for those who already own pieces, like repairing expensive watches or custom designs of family heirlooms.

Custom jewelry is a big part of Leiva’s Jewelry’s business. Jonathan and Transito can help design something for you or, if you have a design in mind, they can make it a reality. They use computer-aided design (CAD) to help create 2D or 3D models that allows customers to view their jewelry designs before they are created.

“If you have an idea to design something, we can do it,” Jonathan says.

Because jewelry, especially heirloom pieces, have such sentimental value, some customers like to have them converted into something more current or meaningful that they can wear. A gemstone in an outdated piece of jewelry also can be re-featured in a newer, more modern-looking ring, or converted into a pendant to be worn around the neck, as an example.

Even old engagement and wedding rings can be transformed into shiny new pieces, altered and refurbished for a new look or simply resized.

“Jewelry is usually very sentimental, so whether you’re getting it repaired or making something different from it, it’s important it’s done right,” Jonathan says. “Everyone has that special necklace or special ring.”

Don’t Forget Mom!

And, if they don’t, Mother’s Day is the perfect time to pick up something special for those looking for a gift for their wife or mom. Next to Christmas, Jonathan says Mother’s Day is the biggest holiday for jewelry buying. And, while most jewelry stores seem to have one price range — expensive! — Leiva’s Jewelry offers both pricey and more affordable options, and everything in between.

Jonathan showed some of his favorite pieces as Mother’s Day suggestions, including a custom opal and diamond pendant (top middle) and a sapphire and diamond ring (bottom left).

Each piece is set in 14 karat gold.

The Leivas just about do it all. They can check the stones on any ring to make sure they are still secure, adjust a watch, clean jewelry and they will even buy any gold and silver you might be looking to get rid of, offering cash.

Being family-owned and a small business, Leiva’s Jewelry thrives on trust. Not only do customers want honest prices and recommendations, but when they are dropping off thousands of dollars worth of items to be repaired or something special and irreplaceable, they want peace of mind. It’s not a responsibility Jonathan takes lightly.

He says the ability to deliver on that trust is why his customer base continues to grow and Leiva’s customers keep coming back. Sometimes, something as simple as changing a battery in a watch for half the price of other places can be enough to earn a customer for life. Watch repairs — new batteries, replacing links, etc. — are a big part of what the Leivas do and are often the gateway to new lifelong Leiva’s customers.

“We have a pretty loyal following,” Jonathan says. “We have people that have been coming here for a while. Sometimes, they just stop by to say hi.”

Savage is one of those regulars. He has a horror story for practically every watch repair he has taken elsewhere, including one time when he says his 1966 Rolex GMT was mined for parts by a jeweler who was supposed to be doing a repair, and another time he got the run-around on repairing the bracelet on a different watch that was still under warranty.

Since discovering Leiva’s Jewelry, Savage says he has left those annoyances behind. Not only does he get his watches repaired there, but it is now where he makes all of his jewelry purchases.

“The repairs I have done there are always done quickly and with excellent quality,” Savage says. “It’s the honesty and integrity that I care most about. When I walk in, I know I’m going to be dealt with in a respectful manner. I’m tired of the way the bigger chains do things.”

Leiva’s Jewelry is located at 19020 Bruce B. Downs Blvd. in the New Tampa Center. You can reach them at (813) 972-0417 or online at LeivasJewelry.com.

Leiva's

Commissioners Vote For Moratorium

As expected, the Pasco County Board of County Commissioners (BCC) voted unanimously to put a temporary moratorium on new applications and approvals for multifamily dwellings at Tuesday’s BCC meeting in Dade City.

The 180-day moratorium was approved by a 5-0 vote, following a reading of 50 emails submitted by residents that were unanimously in favor of the pause.

Commissioner Mike Moore, who represents District 2, which includes most of Wesley Chapel, spearheaded the moratorium. He claims that the moratorium area, which is between S.R. 52 to the north and S.R. 54 to the south, as well as U.S. 41 to the west and Bruce B. Downs Blvd. to the east, is oversaturated with apartments. Moore says the argument against more multi-family entitlements is centered on developers attempting to rezone property to build more apartments and townhomes, as opposed to using the property for its original commercial purposes.

Opponents of the moratorium, like Eric Garduno of the Bay Area Apartment Association, argued multi-family residences play a vital role with providing affordable housing in a market where the median home price is rising.

According to Realtor.com, the median list price of homes in Wesley Chapel is currently $320,000; according to Zillow.com, it’s $288,000.

However, the residents who emailed the county — mostly from Seven Oaks, where a proposed apartment complex on Eagleston Blvd. was the impetus for the moratorium — cited concerns about schools, traffic, road safety and the ability of the current infrastructure to handle additional people.

The county intends to collect data over the course of the 180 days, and will decide if there is indeed oversaturation, as Moore claims, and what should be done about it.

Garduno says he is confident the data will show there is a high demand for multi-family dwellings.

Moore, however, believes otherwise.

“We do need to analyze and look very closely at the impacts multifamily can have in the area when it comes to economic development, when it comes to public safety, traffic, schools, infrastructure,” Moore says. “This gives us the time to do it…we can really, really dig in and see what impact these are going to really have.”

Wesley Chapel Rotary Stays Busy With ‘Grease,’ Eggs & Golf!

Despite the still-looming spectre of Covid-19, the Rotary Club of Wesley Chapel (which meets Wednesdays at noon at Omari’s Grill at Lexington Oaks Golf Club) is still hosting special events for the community in our area.

On Mar. 13, the club put on an awesome “Pasco 911 Grease is the Word” singalong event that featured Pasco Firefighters and Sheriff’s Deputies singing songs from the Broadway hit (and hit movie of the same name) “Grease” for a $5,000 Grand Prize, donated by T-Mobile, at Land O’Lakes Heritage Park. The event, which also featured an Elvis impersonator, a Classic Car Show and at least 200 socially-distanced spectators, was a tremendous success, with Pasco Dep. Christina Demas named the winner of the $5,000 Grand Prize. The firefighters and deputies in attendance announced that the money would be donated to the families of fallen law enforcement officers Michael Magli (Pinellas Sheriff’s Office) and Jesse Madsen (Tampa Police Dept.).

Two weeks later, on Mar. 27, the Wesley Chapel Rotary held a unique Drive-Through Egg Hunt event at the Wesley Chapel District Park, with more than 250 vehicles driving past decorated vendor vehicle booths, where they were given brightly colored eggs with candy and other kids’ treats. There were even gift baskets with prizes like gift cards and scratch-off Florida Lottery tickets for adults won by many of the attendees. Club president Jodie Sullivan was excited about the turnout and the event itself.

Rather than rest on those laurels, the Wesley Chapel Rotary also will host a Charity Golf Open (to benefit the Pasco Sheriff’s Office Charities & WC Rotary community projects) on Friday, April 30, at Lexington Oaks Golf Club (26133 Lexington Oaks Blvd.). The event will feature lots of great prizes, including a car courtesy of Parks Ford, a Sandals vacation, trophies and more. The cost to enter the 4-person scramble is $100 per player.

For more information, visit WCRotary.com.— GN

K-Bar Couple Takes A Chance On Career Change

Brian and Amy Makarski had the safe life, with secure, well-paying jobs in Baltimore working in the copier industry, in the middle of a pandemic when many people were losing jobs and too many of those who weren’t were living in fear.

However, while everyone else may have been hanging onto their jobs for dear life, Brian and Amy decided to do the opposite.

They let go.

They took their hobby of cooking and catering, married it to an investment in a food truck and moved full-time to New Tampa to start Charm City Eats, a mobile eatery specializing in authentic Maryland crab cakes — broiled, not fried, and don’t forget the Old Bay seasoning — and other tasty regional dishes.

“We were incorporated in June, left our jobs to concentrate full-time on it and started distributing food to focus groups in Maryland to get the recipes just right,” said Brian. “Then, we sold our house in October.”

Neither of them have any regrets. Amy says they have never worked harder in their lives, and are physically exhausted by the end of most days. Some days, she says it feels like they have worked all 24 hours.

“I wore heels and a suit and ran a sales team, sold high-ticket items, but this, this is physically taxing,” says Amy, who was born in Baltimore. “The amount of dishes, the amount of prep sauces, it’s physically demanding. But, it’s more fulfilling working for yourself.”

Brian, a New Jersey native who attended the University of Central Florida in Orlando, had been commuting back and forth from K-Bar Ranch to Baltimore, where Amy lived, for the past decade or so. In fact, he says he was one of the first K-Bar residents in 2012 when he built the home that is now the Makarskis’ full-time residence.

When Covid hit, however, the family — they have four kids ages 7, 9, 13 and 14 between them — was in Baltimore and quarantined, not leaving the house for months. When they finally did leave, it was for a new life.

“Everyone seems to be shocked that we would do that,” Brian says. “Giving up (nearly mid-six figures) to run a food truck? But, we felt we were stable enough financially to do this. We planned it out. We had all the angles covered. A lot of people thought we were a bit nuts. But if we don’t do it now, we’re never gonna do it”

Even before moving to Florida, Amy had arranged bookings for their first two months in Tampa Bay. She and Brian took advantage of a Pasco Economic Development Council (EDC) food business incubator in Dade City to help launch, and business has been even better than they expected. After meticulously laying out a business plan with reasonable projections, Brian says that, after four months, Charm City Eats was way ahead of our forecast. Our success, we feel, has been spectacular.”

Brian says they are filling a void. On his many trips to the Tampa area, he couldn’t help but notice the lack of true Maryland fare in the area. He and Amy even did a tour of Tampa Bay and Orlando, trying every crab cake they could find and found them all lacking.

Brian says the food sold at Charm City Eats is as authentic as it comes. Nothing is frozen, and they prepare everything fresh daily in a commercial kitchen they rent space from in Lutz. Everything is made from scratch — and even the actual food truck was built from scratch.

In addition to focus groups in Maryland, the Makarskis say their own creativity helped forge their menu.

The crab cakes are the food truck’s specialty. Two of their most popular menu items are The Double Down Sandwich, a crab cake topped with hot blue crab dip, and the Crabby Patty is a quarter-pound grass-fed Angus beef burger topped with the blue crab dip. The dip is Amy’s grandmother’s secret recipe, and Amy says she makes up to 16 quarts of it a day.

While the name of their food truck is a nod to one of Baltimore’s nicknames — “Charm City” — so are some of the menu items. The Wire is a nod to the legendary HBO crime drama series, which is based in Baltimore. The pickle-brined, double-dredged Sweet Heat chicken sandwich, with tangy cole slaw, is a best seller. Brian said he spent six months perfecting the sweet heat chicken.

*Though you’ll have to ask for it because it’s not on the menu, Brian and Amy (left) say The Gronk sandwich has been a top seller since the Tampa Bay Bucs started their Super Bowl run.*

And, The Gronk has become a best seller as well, but it’s not on the menu. You just need to be in the know to order it. Named for Tampa Bay Bucs’ tight end Rob Gronkowski, The Gronk is truffle crab Mac and Cheese stuffed inside a Crabby Melt.

“It’s probably been our best seller since football season,” Brian says.

While Amy and Brian spend a lot of time in the truck, they have two cooks who work full-time as well.

“Amy and I have certain expectations,” he says. “(The food) needs to look the way I want it to look.”

Amy and Brian don’t intend to spend the rest of their lives in front of a fryer. This is not their end game, they say. They are already close to opening a second Charm City Eats truck in Las Vegas, where they finalized expansion plans and got married this past New Year’s Eve.

They see a lot more major expansion in their future. And no, they have no interest in opening a brick-and-mortar restaurant.

“We nixed that idea before we were even incorporated,” Brian says.

Instead, the Makarskis take great pride in finding unique, popular spots to set up their truck. Trying to zig while everyone else is zagging, Brian says. They have been to various breweries (including Florida Ave. Brewing Co. on S.R. 56), dozens of local neighborhoods (such as Epperson Ranch, Arbor Greene and Cory Lake Isles), festivals like the Great American Redneck Biker Bash in New Port Richey and private catering events.

As small business owners, Brian says it’s hard work and there are certainly endless obstacles to overcome. But, they have never been happier. He says a good night in the truck is more satisfying than his last $10,000 commission check with the copier company. And sure, he misses his ties and suits, but when someone stops by to pick up dinner for the family because the food is so good, he bursts with satisfaction.

“When someone tells us our food takes them back home and should be illegal it’s so good, that gives us more joy than selling a copier ever did,” Brian says.

If you want to check out where Charm City Eats will be next, or see what else is on the menu, visit CharmCityEats.com.

Charm City food Maryland