David Cruz Marks Two Decades Of Serving Clients With His DC Accounting 

With tax season in full swing, David Cruz invites you to find out more about his DC Accounting Services, P.A., located off U.S. Hwy. 41 in Lutz. (Photo by Charmaine George) 

David Cruz says that when he was a little boy in Puerto Rico, he always liked math. While other kids wanted to be firefighters, he says his dream was to become an accountant. 

When David was 17, he joined the U.S. Army and served more than 20 years before retiring in 2000 from Fort Knox in Kentucky as a master sergeant. 

Wanting to live somewhere warm that reminded him of Puerto Rico, he moved to the Tampa Bay area and, at 38 years old, he was ready to start a new career. 

That’s when he first started working to make his childhood dream come true. 

David finished the last couple of classes he needed for a Bachelor’s degree at Hillsborough Community College, then went on to complete his Master of Business Administration (MBA) degree at Nova Southeastern University, based in Ft. Lauderdale. Then, he decided to complete two more Master’s degrees — a Master of Accounting (MACC) and then a Master of Taxation (MTAX), both also from Nova Southeastern. 

While going to school, David worked at AutoZone and took a side job working in accounting to learn the trade. After a couple of years, he began to pick up his own clients. 

In 2003, he decided to open DC Accounting, P.A., as a full-time career, leaving his other jobs and focusing full time on his own clients. 

Today, he’s been serving his community in accounting, taxation, and budgeting for more than two decades. 

As an enrolled agent of the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), David holds the highest credential awarded by the IRS. He says he didn’t pursue becoming a certified public accountant (CPA), because his education more than qualifies him to work with local individuals and small businesses. CPAs are generally required to have a four-year degree and an additional two years of accounting experience, but David has surpassed those qualifications. In addition, David says CPAs can sign off on financial statements for large publicly traded companies, but that’s not something he needs to do in his practice. 

“I even do taxes for some CPAs,” David says. “Like lawyers, they have their own concentrations, such as forensic, corporate, accounts payable or accounts receivable. They don’t do everything I do.” 

David says he focuses on small businesses and their needs — in areas such as bookkeeping, income taxes, audits, sales tax and workers’ compensation. He even helps businesses with licenses and zoning, including when site plans and surveys are needed. That includes representing his clients before the county when zoning and licensing hearings are held. 

In addition, he handles personal taxes for small business owners and individuals. 

“I don’t tell people, ‘I don’t do that,’” he says. “If I don’t know how to do something, I go and learn it and make it happen for my clients.” 

He often represents clients who are faced with an IRS audit or if they owe money. He says he has even gone to court for his clients. “I’ll do anything for my clients,” he says, “anything that’s legal.” 

Back in the early days — 20 years ago — David was newly divorced and working out of his home. He said his staff worked in spare bedrooms upstairs. His living room served as his reception area and his clients were welcome to help themselves to water from his kitchen. 

In 2008, he opened an office in Lutz, where he practiced for nearly 15 years. 

In 2022, he purchased a larger building on Crystal Grove Blvd., renovated it and moved in. He says the office has room to grow, and he shares the space with the other business he and his wife Cindy co-own, the popular restaurants Rice N Beans Puerto Rico and Rice N Beans Express. 

David and Cindy were married in 2017, blending their families. David has three adult children from a previous marriage, while Cindy has two who are now 16 and 19. The couple also has adopted a child, who is now 10. 

When they married, Cindy owned two food trucks. David says she would get up every day at 3 a.m. and work until 9 p.m., seven days a week. They sold the trucks and opened Rice N Beans Puerto Rico (which is now located on Wesley Chapel Blvd. in Wesley Chapel), and the newer Rice N Beans Express on S.R. 54 in Lutz. 

“Cindy handles all of the operations,” David explains. “She runs Rice N Beans, manages the people, comes up with ideas, does the marketing. I handle the books, do the budget, the forecasting — all of the money.” 

The building they share has offices for Cindy and for her assistant to run the restaurants, while DC Accounting has offices for David and his staff, which includes an office manager, bookkeeping manager, two bookkeepers and a receptionist. 

“My staff is a great staff,” David says. “They all do their jobs very well.” 

He says the staff works together to ensure that every client’s problems are dealt with in a timely manner. David says the company’s policy is that every question is answered within 24 hours. 

“I’m available for my clients 24/7,” he says. “They can call my cell phone and if they have issues or questions after five p.m. or on the weekend, they can reach me.” 

He says his favorite part of the job is the challenges that arise. “When I’m dealing with clients’ problems, their problems become my problems,” he says, “and I have to solve those problems.” 

Carmen Vazquez from Lights & More in Carrollwood says her business has been working with David for about six years. The family-owned business hired DC Accounting to handle all of its company accounting and the owners’ personal accounting, as well. 

“They take care of everything that is required for the federal and state level,” says Carmen. “David takes a very personal approach. He’s always available, always makes us feel welcome when we come in to his office, and always returns our calls.” 

She says the most important thing to her is knowing that David and his staff’s personal values align with her own. 

“The key word is trust,” she says. “We’re giving all this personal and business information to another person, so the trust has to be solid. We only want to work with someone who thinks about ethics as a priority, and that’s David.” 

DC Accounting (219 Crystal Grove Blvd., Lutz), is open Mon.-Fri., 8 a.m.- 5 p.m., and after hours by appointment. For more info, call (813) 345-8503, visit DCAccountingPA.com. Be sure to mention the ad or this story for a 10% discount on personal tax preparation for 2023. 

AgeRejuvenation — Hormones Are The Key To Weight Loss & Better Health 

The friendly, professional staff at AgeRejuvenation in the Shoppes at New Tampa in Wesley Chapel can help you get your hormones — and your weight — under control. (Photo by Charmaine George) 

With the tagline “Aging Redefined,” AgeRejuvenation — a medical wellness clinic located in the Shoppes at New Tampa plaza on S.R. 56 at Bruce B. Downs (BBD) Blvd. — is changing people’s perceptions of what happens as they age. In 2007, founder Brett Markowitz says he saw a gap in regenerative and anti-aging medicine. By looking deeper into why his clients felt the way they did, he created a unique clinic that continues to address the root causes of aging and weight gain while providing a personalized solution for each patient. 

And now, with locations in Brandon, South Tampa, Winter Park, and soon, Winter Garden, Markowitz says that AgeRejuvenation uses the best services available to enhance the quality of its patients’ lives. 

“My vision for the company was to connect with patients who weren’t getting answers from medical providers in private health care because they were limited on how they could help somebody due to insurance limitations,” Markowitz says. “If you went in for a rash but also wanted to talk about hot flashes, they’d want you to make another appointment. When I started AgeRejuvenation, it was to help identify where we saw patients struggling. Back when I was a personal trainer, I worked with patients on dieting and exercise, but (many of them) still wouldn’t lose weight.” 

Markowitz says that one of his personal training clients, who has now been part of his AgeRejuvenation team for the last 17 years, Dr. Johanna deVryer, recommended looking into the thyroid gland and menopause as the culprits. From that idea, a long-term relationship and AgeRejuvenation were born. 

“A lot of people identify that they are overweight, but they don’t know what to do,” Markowitz says. “Their metabolisms are slow because their bodies have begun shutting down as they age. When you are in your 20s, your hormones are at their peak. Your body and your immune system are strong.” 

He adds the following analogy: “When you’re in your 20s, you’re much like a shiny red Ferrari on the lot. As you drive along, you are still a Ferrari, but what’s happened is that you’ve put some dings and dents on the car, and your tank of gas has been depleted. This is similar to what happens to your hormones. At AgeRejuvenation, we are just replenishing the ‘gas’ your body has lost over time.” 

Before-&-after example of how AgeRejuvenation is changing people’s lives by helping them get their hormones in balance. (Photo provided by AgeRejuvenation) 

Under the guidance of chief medical officer Dr. Dawn Ericsson, AgeRejuvenation offers several options to combat weight gain, including appetite suppressants, semaglutide, or Tirzepatide injections that regulate appetite and blood sugar. Each patient receives a customized weight-loss program based on his or her body composition, metabolism and lifestyle. Patients also receive nutritional counseling, supplements and vitamin injections. 

“We really aren’t a miracle solution,” Markowitz says. “But, we have achieved some remarkable results utilizing a combination of lab work and understanding each patient’s symptoms and goals. In order to achieve great results, however, the patients have to be responsible for following through. Weight-loss medications aren’t magic. They still require people to eat healthy and make good decisions.” 

Markowitz explains that, according to Dr. Ericsson, one in three females has a sluggish thyroid, and typically if they’ve had one to two children, it becomes one out of two. In fact, he says, menopause symptoms, usually seen between the ages of 45-50, have cases in women as young as 35. 

Female patients going through menopause who come into AgeRejuvenation are often on Wellbutrin, Paxil or other medications that are intended to treat depression, anxiety and other emotional disorders. 

“That’s how those doctors know how to treat it,” Markowitz says. ”They don’t know how to look at the hormones and say, ‘Oh, you’re not feeling well because your hormones are imbalanced.’ They’re just saying, ‘Yup, you’re depressed. Here’s an antidepressant medication.’ When your hormones are out of balance and you don’t feel right, you absolutely are depressed because who feels good when they’re sick?” 

In addition to impeding your ability to lose weight and keep it off, Dr. Ericsson says that imbalanced or depleted hormones also affect energy, quality of sleep, cognitive thinking, risk of osteoporosis and sexual function, among others. 

“We are addressing the main cause in so many of these cases — hormonal imbalances,” Markowitz says. “We don’t just Band-Aid the situation. Every person is looked at on an individual basis. While we do run specific lab tests, we also base how we proceed on your particular symptoms. We’re looking at why you are going through this, what is happening in your body, and how can we help you maintain a better quality of life long-term. There’s a difference between living longer and having a better quality of life. Who wants to be 80 and not active? We want to be treating people to be more responsible for their own health. Giving them the data enables our patients to understand what is specific to (each of) their bodies.” 

Markowitz also notes that AgeRejuvenation provides a customized guide to treat each patient, based on extensive testing of their blood, hormones, thyroid, food sensitivities, heavy metals in their systems, genetics and micronutrient absorption. The office constantly monitors and evaluates each patient’s progress. 

Before-&-after example of how AgeRejuvenation is changing people’s lives by helping them get their hormones in balance. (Photo provided by AgeRejuvenation) 

“It would take the average patient we see two years to do the bloodwork we do on Day One,” Markowitz says. “They come to us for a solution, and that’s what we always strive to provide. You don’t have to wait weeks to see us. In many cases, we can get you in the same day for a free evaluation. As Dr. Ericsson says, how we age is defined by our hormones. In our program, while you’re coming to us for weight loss, we want to be the next element in the program so that you can sustain long-term weight loss. That is achieved through balancing hormones and optimizing of the thyroid.” 

Dr. Ericsson earned her Bachelor of Science (B.S.) degree in History of Science & Medicine from Yale University in New Haven, CT, and her Doctor of Medicine (M.D.) degree from the State University of New York at Stony Brook Health Sciences Center. She completed her residency in Obstetrics and Gynecology at St. Barnabas Medical Center in Livingston, NJ, where she was the program’s first-ever female African American graduate. She also has experience as a Pharmacy Technician and as a Medical Diagnostics Market Research Analyst. 

Of more than 500 Google reviews, AgeRejuvenation has a 4.9 stars out of 5 overall rating, with hundreds of glowing reviews from patients like Marina Edwards, who says, “I’ve lost 32 lb. in 5 months on the weight loss program. AgeRejuvenation’s nutritionist Terry is amazing. She was encouraging and never made me feel guilty for my little slips. I also feel great on the hormone replacement therapy treatments. Good- bye, hot flashes!” 

Treating Post-Traumatic Disorders & Injuries, Too 

Markowitz says he is excited about the clinic’s new post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and post-traumatic stress injury (PTSI) program, serving as a medical partner to the Spookstock Foundation & Operator Relief Fund (ORF). These two foundations are a national nonprofit created to help “shadow warriors” — elite military and intelligence operatives suffering from PTSIs after fighting in U.S.-led wars after 9/11. 

He says the PTSD/PTSI program is led by PTSI medical director Dr. Michael Meighen, whose philosophy is treating PTSD as an injury, not a disorder, because injuries can be healed. 

Dr. Meighen utilizes a treatment known as Dual Stellate Ganglion Block (DSGB) injections on overactive sympathetic nervous systems, which have been shown to relieve often debilitating symptoms of panic attacks, depression, irritability, stress, sexual dysfunction, insomnia and substance abuse associated with PTSIs that often cause long-term health concerns. 

AgeRejuvenation’s chief medical officer Dr. Dawn Ericsson & advanced practice registered nurse Rachael Wright at AgeRejuvenation’s Wesley Chapel office. (Photo by Charmaine George) 

“We don’t want patients to think post-traumatic stress is a disorder,” Markowitz says. “Dr. Meighen wants to empower them that what they are suffering from is an injury. We don’t treat the mental health aspect but DSGB injections have helped people who have suffered with prolonged ‘fight or flight’ response. Dr. Meighen says that when a person is under severe stress for a long time, their body has a breakdown. They’re depleting their hormones faster because their immune system is getting weaker. We’re treating several former military members who are returning after 15 to 20 years of suffering with PTSIs and we have had great success doing our process with them. It’s been really amazing.” 

Dr. Meighen earned a Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) degree in biology from the University of Toledo, OH. He received his M.D. degree from the University of Cincinnati, OH, with a goal of working in the orthopedic and musculoskeletal field. He then completed his Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation residency at Carolinas Medical Center/Charlotte Rehabilitation in Charlotte, NC, and completed a fellowship in sports, spine and occupational rehabilitation medicine under the tutelage of James Atchison, DO., at the University of Florida in Gainesville. 

AgeRejuvenation also utilizes hormone therapies to treat male patients for low testosterone, erectile dysfunction and hair loss. Female patients also can be treated for sexual dysfunction, for internal vaginal rejuvenation and to restore lost hair. Peptide treatments, such as stem cell therapies, Human Growth Hormone (HGH) production and immune support, also are available. 

In addition, aesthetic treatments, such as Botox, dermal fillers, RF (radio frequency) skin tightening and more round out the huge variety of available services at AgeRejuvenation. 

The Wesley Chapel AgeRejuvenation office is located at 1940 BBD Blvd., Wesley Chapel. For more information, call (813) 558-9500, visit AgeRejuvenation.com.

Capital Tacos Abruptly Closes; Starbucks Opens 

Without any warning or prior notice, the three corporate-owned Capital Tacos locations, including the one on S.R. 56 in Wesley Chapel, abruptly closed at the end of February. 

The only Capital Tacos franchise location we know of that is open is at 10700 S.R. 54, in the Trinity area of New Port Richey. For more info, call (727) 645-6521. 

In other news, the new Starbucks Coffee on S.R. 54 (next to Brooklyn Water Bagel) in The Grove has opened. For my money, BWB has much better coffee! 

Qdoba Mexican Eats On BBD In New Tampa Cuts A Ribbon! 

Congratulations to franchise owners Mike and Liz Montante (below left photo) of the new Qdoba Mexican Eats, located in the same plaza in Highwoods Preserve as Namaste (at 17509 Preserve Walk Ln.). The Montantes celebrated the opening of their second Qdoba (the other is in Brandon), the fast-casual Mexican eatery, in the former location Moe’s Southwest Grill on March 6. 

“It’s been a long struggle, but we’re finally here,” Liz said at the fun Grand Opening event, which featured a North Tampa Bay Chamber of Commerce (NTBC) ribbon cutting, a prize wheel attendees got to spin if they scanned the Qdoba QR code at the restaurant and signed up for email or text alerts. Among the prizes was a year of free Qdoba eats. 

At least 50 people attended the opening event and most of those attendees purchased a freshly made, custom-designed bowl, burrito or taco and everyone seemed to enjoy the food. 

“We’re excited to be open and for the local community to check out not only the quality of our food but also our friendly atmosphere,” Liz said. 

For more information about the New Tampa location of Qdoba Mexican Eats, call (813) 761-0005 or visit Qdoba.com to check out the menu online. 

Rock & Brews Introduces Its New Lunch Menu & Brings Back Live Music! 


Rock & Brews Wesley Chapel general manager Kareem Nelson welcomes everyone to the rock-themed, KISS-inspired restaurant on S.R. 56, in front of the Tampa Premium Outlets. (Photos by Charmaine George)

Like many of you, when Rock & Brews opened to big crowds of people on S.R. 56 in front of the Tampa Premium Outlets in Oct. 2020 — as things began re-opening after the Covid-19 pandemic hit — I was excited to have not only a new restaurant that wasn’t part of a giant chain but also a new live music venue. 

Well, more than three years later, the 23-unit (seven of which are owned by local franchisee Scott Paul) mini-chain that started in California in 2012 — inspired, co-founded and owned in part by Paul Stanley and Gene Simmons of the ‘70s rock group KISS — continues to add new menu items, especially for lunch, and has brought back live music on Friday nights. 

General manager Kareem Nelson says that the new “VIP Early Access” lunch menu (which is available from 11 a.m.-3 p.m. every day), which was just rolled out a few days before this issue went to press, has already been well-received by his customers — and for good reason. 

The new “VIP Early Access” lunch menu at Rock & Brews on S.R. 56 includes (below right) the birria beef dip sandwich, the “Bee’s G’s Knees” cocktail (bottom of the page), the “Islands in the Stream” shrimp tacos (above), the personal margherita pizza (below left) and the S’mores Dip dessert (below).

Among those new lunch items are the “Islands in the Sun” shrimp tacos (which of course, I can’t eat, but Jannah and photographer Charmaine George agreed that they were only slightly spicy and delicious), with a sriracha-based sauce and mango salsa; personal-sized margherita and pepperoni pizzas; a BBQ trio special (1/3 rack of signature baby back ribs with a unique mustard BBQ sauce, grilled BBQ wings & smoked pulled pork); and my favorite — the birria beef dip sandwich, which is slow-cooked birria beef served on an artisan ciabatta roll with mayo, Chihuahua cheese, thin-sliced yellow onions and flash-fried jalapeños, with a side of birria consommĂ© dipping sauce. The birria is spot-on tender and the consommĂ© has a flavor all its own. 

Other new $12 lunch menu items include a huge, shareable tray of BBQ pork nachos with mixed cheeses, pico de gallo, primo queso, lime crema, fresh jalapeños and chopped cilantro, “Buffalo Springfield” chicken tacos, roasted cream chicken and mojo pulled pork bowls, “Sweet Heat” fried chicken and cedar plank salmon served with a sweet & smoky BBQ sauce, rockin’ rice and fresh broccoli. 

Kareem says the best-selling lunch menu items, however, are the blackened shrimp Strawberry Fields salad, with baby greens, strawberries, avocadoes, cucumbers, red onions, candied walnuts, feta cheese and lemon pepper vinaigrette — and the new smash burger. “But, everything we make is from scratch,” he says. “Our customers really seem to appreciate that.” 

For dessert, there’s a new S’mores Dip, which is enough for at least 3-4 people. Kareem says they melt milk chocolate chips and toast a large amount of marshmallows and top it with chocolate syrup and powdered sugar, with a generous supply of softer-than-usual graham crackers to dip. It’s so decadent that it’s hard to stop at just one or two graham crackers each (we didn’t), but it was hard to walk out of there after we all wolfed it all down. 

For those who have the ability to day drink, there also are some new drink specials on the VIP Early Access menu, including a very tasty Bourbon Street amaretto sour, with Benchmark single barrel bourbon, Amaretto DiSaronno, fresh lemon juice, simple syrup and aquafaba. There’s also a smoked Rock ‘N Roll Old Fashioned made with Buffalo Trace bourbon, simple syrup, Angostura bitters, Amarena Toschi Italian black cherries and orange peel. 

And, speaking of bourbon, Kareem says that with all of the customer requests for more bourbon at the Wesley Chapel/Lutz location, he has added a huge variety of both popular and rare brands, from Woodford Reserve and Knob Creek to American Legend Hell House by Lynyrd Skynyrd and Bespoken…and many more. 

You gin lovers have two new options — the Pink 75 made with Beefeater gin, St. Germain elderflower liqueur, grapefruit juice, fresh lemon juice, simple syrup and prosecco (Jannah got it made with Tito’s vodka instead and loved it), and the Bee’s G’s Knees, which is made with Beefeater, blackberries, blueberries, basil, wild berry purĂ©e, honey simple syrup, lemon juice and aquafaba. The Bee’s G’s Knees is served topped with a cool-looking heated bubble that releases smoke when it pops. There also are two new mules, a new mojito and much more. 

The Return Of Live Music 

Although Jannah and I have also always enjoyed the rock videos at Rock & Brews, we weren’t the only ones excited for the return of live bands on Friday nights to the restaurant. 

“Our bands know that this isn’t a concert hall,” Kareem says. “They’re mainly background noise. We want you to still be able to have a conversation at your table when they’re playing.” 

Check the Rock & Brews Facebook page to see what bands are playing on upcoming Friday nights. 

In addition to the live music schedule, Kareem, who recently joined the BNI Alliance networking group, says his assistant GM Devin Johnson comes up with creative ways to attract more customers, including “concert” events where all the videos playing will be of a certain artist’s music, “and we’ll have special drink and food menus to go with the music. We had very successful Tom Petty and KISS ‘concerts’ here. Our next one is a Queen ‘concert’ on Saturday, April 6. For special events like these, we make the entire restaurant feel like a concert hall, so people who never got to see Freddie Mercury can almost feel like they’re experiencing him live.” 

Rock & Brews (26000 S.R. 56 W., Lutz) is open Mon.-Thur., 11 a.m.-11 p.m., 11 a.m.-midnight on Fri. & Sat. & 10 a.m.- 10:30 p.m. on Sun. For info, call (813) 800- 7625, visit RockandBrews.com.